Can you guess...

...how often I cook? 

This is a can of "no stick cooking spray" that Mark and I purchased on our first grocery shopping trip as a married couple. 

That was in April of 2003. 

The can says, "best if used by 02/12/05." I'm a little ashamed to admit that I used it tonight - 4 years and one week past its expiration date. 

But I'm also a little embarrassed that the can is still more than half-full due to total lack of use. 

Now that the date has been noted, I'll be throwing this can away and replacing it with a shiny brand-new one on our next shopping trip. 

Here's to the next 5 1/2 years - may they be filled with many more baked goods, and casseroles, and other dishes that require no-stick spray. 

And, on a more urgent note, here's to hoping that no one gets sick after eating my coffee cake at Sunday School in the morning. 

dance, dance

I took pictures for the Valentine's dance at my sister's school. She let me stand in as her date so that we could get a picture together. 

Although, I must say that her real date was much cuter. 
Watch for more pics coming soon on the photo blog. 

Posted

My favorite photos from the Colorado College Scholarship project are up on the photo blog. 

Check them out here! 

learning to snowboard

We took our nephew, Caden, snowboarding this weekend. 

Mark showed Caden the ropes...

...and he slowly, but surely, got the hang of it. 
We are looking forward to the day when he will keep up with us and are certain it won't be long before he is blowing by us down the mountain. 
I'm no parent, but I believe this is what a child looks like after they have had a good day. Especially considering that this happened before we even left the parking lot! **Smile**

lock up your daughters

I spent the afternoon with a girl who just returned from a trip to Planned Parenthood. 

When she left their office today, they presented her with a "kit." A small parting gift -- if you will -- containing candy, lubricant, and a black condom. Her favorite color. 

Yep. That's a great idea. A sexually active 13-year-old who didn't use a condom last time will certainly remember to be so responsible next time. And when that one condom is gone, she will certainly return to your office to replenish her "stock" for the next time, and the next time, and the next time...

No need to talk to her about self control. Don't even bother telling her that she has value, that she is worth something without giving away sex. And please remember to not mention the STDs that can still be contracted while wearing a condom. 

As long as she lessens her chances of getting pregnant, we're good. 

What the Hell, Planned Parenthood. 

What the Hell. 

Freebies

While driving past a downtown park today, I glanced up and noticed this woman on the street corner. I was early for my meeting and I was curious, so I parked my car and got out to ask her about her story. 

She said she was inspire by this man and that she does this about once a week. I asked her how many people actually stop. "Quite a few." 

For a person offering free hugs to strangers, she was surprisingly reserved and...well...a little grumpy. She allowed me to take her picture only after I accepted my free hug. 

Ironically, I had to pay the parking meter 35 cents in order to cash in on my free hug. 

While I was standing there, this man came up and offered both of us hugs. She said, "See that's how it works. It gets passed on."  
I won't go overboard and say that she totally inspired me, but I will probably think twice about how much time I devote to kindness each day. 

Impacted

I did something this month that I haven't done since I the fourth grade.

I read the same book - from cover to cover - twice. 

Typically, I read a book as fast as I can. I love to read. I have a "reading list" that is one mile long. No time to reread books, no matter how great they are. 

But not this one. 

This book drilled into my heart, blowing it it wide open. 

It was straightforward. Simple. Beautiful. Terrifying. 

A continent, covered in graves, mourning a generation of lost adults. Millions of babies growing up without mothers. Without fathers. 

The book begged the question, "Who will raise our children?" 

And, like a schoolchild bouncing out of her chair with the right answer, my heart responded, "I will! I will! I will!" 

I had to read it twice. To be sure that I will take action. To get the facts straight. To know what I really want. 

Go now. Buy it. Read it. Think about it. 

Back to College

I'm working on a project with Colorado College this week. I am photographing the students who have received scholarships and the pictures will be included in a "thank you" presentation to the donors who made those scholarships possible. Here are a few of my favorites from today. Check the photo blog sometime next week for the completed project. 

Go Wildcats!

I took my niece to see High School Musical, The Ice Tour on Friday night. 

Clearly, she was very excited to see the show. To shorten the wait, we bought some mint-chocolate-chip ice cream. After she took her first bite, she exclaimed loudly, "OOHHH, this is exactly how it is supposed to taste." It was everything she had dreamed of! 
For two hours, the wildcats of East High entertained with flips, twirls, and cool ice-dance moves. Our seats were a little high...but this was ok because Arlee was convinced that it was actually Zach Efron and Vanessa Hudgens down there on the ice. I didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise. I'll tell her when she's older. 

And what show is complete without $10 cotton candy and a sparkly plastic hat?! 
At one point in the show, Troy Bolton took off his shirt, eliciting screams from some of the older audience members, but completely shocking the preschoolers that made up 75% of those in attendance. As soon as the shirt came off, a wide-eyed Arlee looked at me and said, "OH -- MMYYY -- GOSH. He should have done that behind the curtain." Totally inappropriate Troy, totally inappropriate. 
In the end, a good time was had by all and Troy and Gabriella continue to live happily-ever-after. 

Marketing Mishap

A conversation with my 5-year-old niece: 

ARLEE: "You know what? I don't like Hannah Montana anymore. Because, you know why? She took pictures in only her panties." 

ME: "I heard about that. What do you think about her taking pictures that way?" 

ARLEE: "It worried me."

Seriously. What was Miley Cyrus thinking? Doesn't she know her audience at all? 

My kitchen...

...has never seen so much action. 

I provided the ingredients

and then had nine girls over to cook me dinner. 

I could get used to this! 
Pikes Peak Volleyball 15-Regional 08/09. 
Here's to a great season! 

Iced-Over

We made it. 

And it is very icy, 

and very cold, 

and very much like Christmas. 

Over the River and Through the Woods...

We're on our way to Grandma's! 

At 6:00am tomorrow we will begin the 17-hour drive to my grandma's house in Illinois. 

I can't tell you how excited I am to spend Christmas there this year. 

I grew up spending weeks at a time with my grandparents. And for me, there is no place more relaxing and peaceful than their home. 

So here's to a week of cookie-making, movie-watching, game-playing, Christmas-celebrating fun! 

Favorite

This tree belonged to Mark's grandma. 

It is over 50 years old. 

I find it rather lovely, 

and feel so honored to have inherited it. 

All I Want is a Nice Picture

**Warning: Content may not be suitable for small children or for people with an aversion to old, naked men.**

Before Mark and I left for California, I made one simple request, "Hey Mark, do you think that while we are on vacation, you could remember to take some pictures of me? Do you think you could remember to do it occasionally without me having to ask? I always feel so vain when I have to ask you to take a picture of me." 

His response, "Hmm? Oh, yeah. Sure I guess. I'm sure I'll forget though." 

Great.

Out of the 492 pictures we took on the trip, he took 20. 

On the day we went to the beach, I wanted to get some lovely posed shots of me and two of my bffs. That's not so hard. Right? So I hand the camera to Mark and the "photo shoot" went a little something like this: 

Hey Mark, take some pictures of us. I know that several people here think this is a nude beach, but there's lots of scenery. Let's get some shots in front of the waves. That will be pretty. 

Ok, Mark, first do one of me and Emily.

Okay, now let's get Holly in here. 
And do one more, just in case someone blinked...wait, it looks like you are holding the camera off center. Let me see what you've got so far. 
Give me the camera. What's so funny? Just give it...Hey! Are you getting the naked men in these pictures? 
Stop it! Let me see! 
STOOOPPPIIITTTT!!
Don't take them that way. Go vertical -- like this -- then you won't get the naked men in the pictures. Oh, he's right behind me now. That's nice. 
Please, please just try one more time. Please do it right. 
There, was that so hard now? Sheesh!