Self Portrait Challenge

I always have a smile in pictures so I decided to go for a more serious look this week for my portrait. I didn't think I would like this picture because of my lack of smile (and lack of lipstick) but I do like it because it makes my eyes look big!

"Find the Celebrity in You"

I discovered this website while looking at gadget blogs and thought it was so cool that I had to share. The website is www.myheritage.com. On the website you can upload your pictures into a facial regonition program and see what celebrities you resemble. I have gotten quite a lot of amusement from this site by uploading multiple pictures to see what celebrity names appear most often. Here is my list of celebrity names that kept appearing (you can click on the names to see a picture of the celeb)....

Anne Hathaway (I'm really excited about this one because she's one of my fav. Actresses right now!)
Tara Reid
Jennifer Aniston
Hillary Duff
Emmy Rossum
Aaliyah
Drew Barrymore
Minnie Driver
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Sally Field

I also put some pictures of Aaron in and I have to share one of his results because I thought it was very appropriate...Arnold Schwarzenegger! He'll be excited to hear about that one. He's always wanted to be "The Terminator" :)

Update: Just did a few more pictures of Aaron and a couple of them had Tom Welling as the result!!! If you don' t know, Tom plays "Superman" on the TV show "Smallville." (which Aaron and I both LOVE...yes, we are nerds) Of course, I've always known that Aaron is my Superman:)

If you try out the facial recognition, leave a comment on this entry to let me know what celebs you look like!

Self Portrait Challenge

Spa-Ahhh...

I attended a Ladies Only retreat for my church, The Living Well, over last weekend. The retreat was at the Brown County Inn in Nashville, IN and it was a "spa" theme. I had a WONDERFUL time! I met a lot of great woman and we did some fun activities...including getting massages and making these fun, outrageous flip-flops. I really do have toes somewhere under all that fluff...

Aaron's Birthday

Aaron's birthday was May 6th. We had this picture taken at his mom and dad's house and it has become our new favorite picture. I especially love that you can see Aaron's baby picture and baby booties just over his left shoulder. You can also see our wedding portrait and a little miniature wedding dress that I made for Carol on the wall above the baby picture. Just wanted to share it will all of you:)

My Cousins...The Kidikins

Yes, I said Kidikins:) When I was little I called manikins that looked like children, "kidikins" and manikins that looked like women, "womanikins".

I went shopping with my cousin Angela and her three girlies on Mother's Day and the girls climbed up onto this display to strike a pose. Luckily, I had my camera to capture the moment. We told the girls to be serious for the picture so they would look like the real deal. Can you tell which ones are the real kids??? Morgan, Madelyn, and Makayla are somewhere in the picture. Hint...the real kids don't have plastic hair:)

Self Portrait Tuesday Changes

Self Portrait Tuesday has changed to “Self Portrait Challenge.” Basically, the “Self Portrait” part is the same, but now I don’t have to post my portraits on Tuesday, I can just post one portrait a week on whatever day I decide to do it on. The funny thing is that I’m actually doing it on Tuesday this week (go figure) :) Since my computer is troublesome these days I have to post a picture from a few weeks ago instead of downloading a new one. These pictures were taken on Easter Sunday, before I went to church. I did my hair in a funky style bun (I criss-crossed my hair above the bun and wrapped it around the bun), but the pictures don’t do a good job of showing the exact style. I was just excited that my hair was finally long enough again to put it in a swept-up style. I miss my long hair sometimes because I was able to do all kinds of fun up-dos with it. (I posted 2 pictures to help make up for the Self Portraits that I've missed. Now you get to see the front and back of my "do".) :)

Oh, I just found another picture. Maybe this one shoes the "criss-cross" better:)

The Wonder of Straws

Why is it that drinks taste so much better when you drink them through a straw??? I’m not talking about alcoholic beverages; I’m talking about things such as iced tea, lemonade, and water. My theory is that it’s because we associate straws with eating out. At home we just drink out of a glass (or water bottle, if you live off water like I do), but when you go out you get a drink with a straw. Therefore straws=something out of the ordinary.

I know, you’re probably thinking, “what a random thought” …and you’re right : )

My Oh-So-Sweet Parents

My parents were the Matron-of-Honor and Best Man in the wedding of their friends Cheryl and Jim last weekend. The wedding took place at my home-town church, the same church that my parents, and Aaron and I got married in. After the wedding, I took the below pictures of my parents. The really special thing about the pictures (other than that my parents are in them) is that they are the same poses and locations as pictures that they had taken on their wedding day, almost 25 years ago. My parents are such an amazing example of love and marriage and these pictures only begin to show what a truly adorable and wonderful couple they are. If you know my parents, then you know the beautiful relationship that they share:) We can all hope to be so much in love after 25 years!

At Last...A Weekend at Home!

This is the first weekend in a month that I haven’t had to go back to Brazil, IN for some kind of family gathering or event. Though all the things I’ve done in Brazil the last few weeks have been fun, I’m really looking forward to spending this weekend at my own home. Instead of going to Brazil, some of Brazil is coming to us…Aaron’s parents might come up for a visit on Saturday. I hope they do because it would be great to see them!

Today's Topic of Frustration

Okay, I have to vent for a minute (or two or three). If this doesn’t apply to you, then just enjoy the read, otherwise take heed:) (By the way, I don’t think this entry applies to most of my regular blog readers so I am using this as a forum to vent my frustration : ) )

Regarding forwarded emails:

Definition of forwarded e-mails- any e-mail that you did not personally write, compose, or otherwise construct, that you received from someone else with an “FW:” in the subject line.

Here’s my issue…. I like to get e-mail just as much as the next person, but getting hit with a constant barrage of bad forwarded e-mails drives me batty! Not all forwarded e-mails get on my nerves, just the ones that possess the following qualities: (if you are debating whether or not to send me a forwarded e-mail please refer to this list)

1.) If the e-mail has some superstitious thing at the end of it like, “if you do not send this on to 7 people then you will have bad luck for the next 7 years,” or “send this to 5 people in 5 minutes and your true love will realize that they love you sometime between 1am and 4am tomorrow morning.” Etc. etc. I think you get the idea.

2.) Messages that are only mildly funny, mildly profound, or mildly informational. When I receive a forwarded message I expect to either A.) Laugh so hard I nearly cry B.) Think hard about a profound statement that relates directly to me and my life, or C.) Feel like I’ve just learned a great fact for life or gained greater wisdom by reading the enclosed message.


Okay, now for the kind of forwarded e-mails that I like to receive.

1.) Anything that will make me laugh out loud, ponder something, or feel more informed.

2.) Anything related to the military or supporting our troops.

3.) Anything that will help me get to know you better, example:
a.) List three jobs you’ve had
b.) List three places you’ve lived
c.) If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
d.) etc., etc. ………………………………

Other tips for sending GOOD forwards to ANYONE…

1.) If you receive a forward that has a corny superstitious line on it, but is otherwise good…..delete the superstitious line before sending it. That’s what I do!

2.) If the forward has a stupid subject line….change it to something that makes sense (another one of my pet peeves about forwards)

3.) Well, there were really only 2 : )


Wow, I feel better after getting that off my chest! (Like I said above, my regular blog readers are not offenders of bad forwarded e-mails, so thanks for listening to me vent anyway!)

By the way, if you agree with my statements, add a comment to this entry. If I get enough support, I’ll compose this blog entry in e-mail form and start FORWARDING it to others!!!!!!

Belated Self Portrait

Okay, so I realize that I missed last week’s “Self Portrait”. I was packing for a business trip on Tuesday and didn’t have time to have a photo session. So, I thought I would post a picture that I took on my trip. The city I was visiting is the home to family friends so I met them for dinner one evening. In the picture with me are Ami and baby Noah. Paula (Ami’s mom and one of my mom’s best buds) was also there for dinner. She took the picture.

Self Portrait Tuesday

I found out about "Self Portrait Tuesday" from my friend Sarah. Obviously the goal is to take a self portrait and post it on your blog every Tuesday. Here is how the "Self Portait Tuesday" website outlines the experience:

"Self portrait tuesday is about self expression and exploration. The idea is each tuesday you post a self portrait on your blog, give a brief explanation of the picture - you may include your state of mind, what you were trying to do, technical information about the image etc."

Beyond that, I'm going to define my idea of "Self Portrait Tuesday" as I go:) I'm sure some will be fun, some will be boring, some creative, some pretty, and some unflattering.

For my first potrait I decided to take a picture of myself while sitting at my computer at home (since that is where all my "Self Portrait Tuesday" entries will be created). I usually have my hair in a normal ponytail (on the back of my head) when I'm working at the computer, but it isn't a very flattering look for me. So, I thought I'd give the side-pony a try for my portrait. It reminds me of the 80's, but I think it's doable...and the style is coming back.

You'll see my face again in 1 week. Bet you can hardly wait...

Comments Anyone???

I changed a couple setting on my blog and now ANYONE should be able to leave comments on my entries without setting up a blogger log-in ID!!! Follow these easy steps:
1.)Click on the "comments" link under the entry you would like to make a comment on (bottom right corner under the entry)
2.) After you click on the "comments" link you will be directed to the comments page. On the right side of this page, select "Anonymous".
3.) Type your message in the blank box and click on "Login and Publish" and your comment will appear on the comments page. You're done!

*Don't forget to sign your name to your message so I know who left the comment!!! :)

I better start getting A LOT more comments now!!! If I don't, I will scold you each personally...I know who reads this thing:) (Okay, I really don't know, because no one leaves me comments...ha, ha) Everyone start writing!!!

The Return of "Cassandra Creations"...

I had forgotten how much I love graphic design work until last weekend! I started working on some shower invitations for a friend's bridal shower over the weekend and I was reminded of how much I love that kind of creative work. Lucky for me, I'm helping with 2 bridal showers and 1 baby shower in the next few months so I'll have plenty of inviations to design:) Cassandra Creations is rolling again and I'm lovin' it!

Shopping!!! (at the outdoor mall)

My favorite shopping buddy is my mom and we got to go shopping together last weekend! Yippee! We met at Applebee’s in Plainfield (because no girls-day-out is complete without food) and then went to the Ann Taylor Loft in the Metropolis shopping center. As many of you know, The Loft is my FAVORITE clothing store and the Loft at Metropolis is the best one around. However, the whole concept of Metropolis (an outdoor mall) is ridiculous! Whoever thought to put that kind of mall in a variable-climate area was a crazy person. The two times that mom and I have shopped at Metropolis, the weather has been crummy. We shopped there in January and it was snowing!!! The one good thing about it was that the stores weren’t very busy, but how can that be good for business??? (Again, I say, a crazy person thought of the concept) Last weekend, it wasn’t snowing, but it was chilly and very windy. Because of the weather, we only shopped at The Loft and JC Penny (we shopped at Penny’s because we had to walk through Penny’s to get back to our car). Parking is also a nightmare at Metropolis, causing customers to walk at least a mile (slight exaggeration) in the cold (if you happen to go on a day that mom and I are there) :) from the parking lots to the stores. Oh well, regardless of my ranting about the ridiculousness of the concept of an outdoor mall I still had a GREAT time with mom…as I always do when we’re together. I also got some amazing deals and cute clothes:) All-in-all, a good day!

Vacation Wrap-Up

Wow! I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I’ve written! My how time flies! Well, since my last entry was my vacation countdown, I felt it only fitting to report on my vacation in this entry. Aaron and I visited my Grandpa Thomas and Marion in Arizona. Right before we arrived, it rained in Phoenix for the first time in 180some days! Unfortunately for us, it cooled things off a bit so the weather wasn’t quite what we were expecting. It was a little cool, in the 60’s, but it was sunny all week (which made the temperature okay). We played miniature golf a couple times, went swimming at the indoor pool, relaxed in the hot tub, and got to spend some quality time with Grandpa and Marion.

Aaron and I also drove up to Sedona, AZ one day and went on a horseback ride. The horseback ride was a nice adventure that started out with a 6 mile car drive down to the M Diamond Ranch on the most wash-board road I’ve ever been on (the drive took us almost a half an hour because we had to go so slowly). The adventure continued when my horse, Coco, decided that she didn’t want to be a trail-horse anymore and veered off the trail. After getting Coco back onto the trail, the rest of the ride went pretty smoothly (minus the fact that the whole ride was on very rocky terrain). After the ride we had to take the same wash-board road back to the interstate. On the way back to grandpa’s we had to stop to get gas in the car and I think we picked the worst gas station on the stretch of road. We pulled off at a little town called Black Canyon City (or something like that…all the city names have “Canyon” in them.) I thought I would also be able to make a quick trip to the bathroom at whatever gas station we stopped at, but upon seeing the dirty station I quickly changed my mind. While Aaron was pumping the gas, a lady pulled into a nearby parking lot in a van. The van looked like it should be condemned and was filled with junk all the way to the ceiling. The driver’s side door slowly opened and I could see the women trying to climb out. She could hardly climb out on account of the junk. I should have taken a picture because I cannot convey the accurate state of this van with words, but that might have been a little obvious:) Needless to say, the van and gas station made an impression on me and we will never stop in Black Canyon City for gas again!

On with the rest of the vacation…the day before we left, it was finally warm enough to go to the outdoor pool and get some sun. Aaron and I both got sunburned, but our burns turned into nice tans within a couple days. Thank goodness for that (I usually peel after a burn)! So, we were able to return home with tans and some pictures to remind us of our vacation…

You can view pictures on my flickr account (on the left side of this page) or on the follwing site:
http://indstate.facebook.com/photos.php?id=32310328&l=43e79

The Countdown has Begun!

Only 15 more days 'til the bright sunny skies (and warmth) of Arizona!!! Can't wait!

Happy Birthday to...ME!

My 23rd birthday was WONDERFUL. I got to spend the evening with 18 members of my family, my co-workers got me a MASSIVE (4 layer) chocolate cake, and I got a lot of GREAT gifts. My day started out with opening gifts from Aaron and his family before I went to work. Aaron got me a Motorola Razr cell/camera phone and wireless headset. His parents got me a day spa gift certificate (they know me well) and his sister and bro-in-law got me the DVD “Just Like Heaven” (which I will be forcing Aaron to watch with me this weekend) :) At work I got the chocolate cake (described above), tulips from Lisa, and a Post-It note “Ideas that stick” book from Sarah. (If you could see my cubicle you would know how much I love the Post-Its). That evening I met my family at Olive Garden in Avon and had sooo much fun! Great conversation, great food, and great gifts…a birthday doesn’t get much better than that! (Wow… that could be a commercial for Olive Garden) :)

And the Husband of the Year award goes to....

AARON PARKINS!!!! Last week I was sick with the stomach flu (I haven't been sick like that since High School and let me tell you, I hadn't missed it) and my hubby was absolutely wonderful to me! He met my every need, even when it meant going to Kroger 3 times in one day to get me "I'm sick" foods like saltines and 7up. He definitely held true to the "in sickness and health" line from our wedding vows:)

Failed Resolution

My one and only New Year's resolution was to write at least 1 blog a week...obviously I've already failed:)