Milestones & Memories Among Family & Friends

Hey Friends!

I hope you all survived the super cold weather! I can tell you that down here it was freezing! So cold that like most other parts of Wisconsin, our district closed down for two days.  This meant I was stuck in an apartment trying to entertain myself.  Other than doing the usual workouts, cleaning and cooking, I decided that I was going to take this opportunity to scrapbook some pages!

Page one...the Color Run [Part 2]



I love the colors of this page!  I wanted to show how colorful and festive the run was!  Our team [The Rainbow Brites!] had a blast!  I didn't feel we needed much journaling because the photos spoke for themselves.  However, I did write in our [estimated] running time [32 minutes.]



I actually don't care for my handwriting on this page.  I need a thicker marker to journal with...I also need better handwriting!  Haha!  Oh well!

So instead of writing the title, I used good old stickers that I found randomly!  I love the dot look...they looked a lot more sophisticated than "average stickers."

The second set is from Chris and Jackie's wedding from this past October!  This set was special and therefore deserved THREE pages dedicated to the entire ordeal...after all Chris is one of my favorite cousins [our mother's are sisters so us kids were together a lot more than the other cousins] and we just love Jackie...so this page deserved a little more dedication.  

Naturally...that was stressful for me.  But here are the results!  First off...the ceremony pictures!

We didn't get a lot of photos because I was playing and the lights kept on dimming on and off.  [It was thundering like mad outside!  Which is what Chris always wanted for his wedding!].   I also didn't want to be snapping ten million photos when Kasey and Ben were taking photos.  I also didn't want to interrupt the wedding with my flash.  But nevertheless these photos captured the moments perfectly.   I was super happy I was able to add part of the invitation to the page as well.

My most favorite part was adding in the bulbs.  I am shocked on how straight I got the Stickles to work for me!

This page is from their reception...clearly lots of photos of the family! [See how I did NOT journal again--this time I typed up the title because I seriously hate my handwriting with the pen that I currently have!]

While the previous page was all about circles...this one was not.  This one has many more straight edges [my favorite] and flowers!  This page was hard to assemble because I had so many photos that I wanted to include!  

I also wanted to include better embellishments.  I added letter brands to this page as well.  The ones that I picked were done on purpose.  I wanted our first initials mentioned near both Kyle and I.  

This one speaks about "us" aka our family.  Our newest addition being my wonderful fiancé!

I also like this embellishment.  I had a hard time making the brass frame stick.  I had to pull out the cool gun.  I also glued down the ribbon.   I like how it turned out.  I didn't need to explain any further...the people above are family members...all cousins!

This page is very sentimental for me because it contains the last known photo I have of my late Uncle John, who passed away shortly after the wedding.



I wanted to include it no matter what; even if I had to reprint it because I screwed up the photo.  Thankfully I got the layout right the first time!  However, I did have a minor meltdown.  I cut up the photo of Uncle John [upper right] dancing with Chad and Kyle in half.  I wanted to feature Uncle John, but I couldn't justify throwing away the other half of the photo.  [Even though it is a picture of my obnoxious, but lovable brother.]  I felt I would be throwing a part of John away...so I salved the photo by using it in the page as well, as it's own!  That part of the picture is on the far top left of the photo below!

I love the color schemes and I think it suited the wedding perfectly!  Both events were magical times and very special moments in my life.  I am happy I now have them in my scrapbook!

That's all for now!  Stay warm everybody!

<3
Em

Thank You for the Libros

Hi Everybody!

I have been getting LOTS of feedback on my food!  Just tonight I was told by a co-worker that I have "inspired him to start cooking."  [Um, Awesome!]

So I want to start sharing some of my fabulous cooking tips and foods I have been working with!  However, not tonight!  Tonight I am going to share some of the books that I love and have motivated me to start cooking healthier in the first place! I think it's important to give homage to books that inspire you and I feel cookbooks don't get enough of it!

The top 3 books that have inspired me to cook better...

#3 <frame<by<frame Asian Cooking

This book got me to actually cook...without needing my friend Leah to hold my hand.  The pictures are beautiful and helpful, especially with the odd asian foods you don't normally see.  This book got me to go into an Asian grocery store for the first time.    I learned all about different sauces and how to use a wok properly.  I just recently found out that it is part of a series...which makes me PUMPED!  There is a baking version...perhaps I can finally try to master the art of OCD food making!


#2 Healthy Eating By Susanna Holt

This was another first cookbook I got.  I hated how she had so many ingredients for the recipes.  Once I got all of the spices though, making food from this book was a lot easier.  I also liked the introduction on how to keep whole foods and whole grains the centerpiece of your diet.    Some of my favorite recipes come from this book!  Sadly the sequel, Fit Food wasn't as yummy as this one.

And the number one book that inspired me to cook clean, healthy and yummy was...

#1 Clean Eating by Tosca Reno

I found this book at BN one day while looking for another Susanna Holt Book.  This book changed my life.  She goes into significant detail about what clean eating is, how clean eating works biologically and how to change from a poor diet to clean eating.  I read this book cover to cover that night.  I love it.   Her recipes also look good...I've yet to try one.  (I accidentally shipped my copy to my parent's house so I have to wait to get it from them before I can cook from it.)

So there you have it...three books that have inspired me to eat better!  If you are looking for some good clean food, I would easily in a heartbeat recommend these books!

Stay Warm!

<3
Em

Spanish Pronouns

Hey All!

Hope your week is going fantastic!

Ever have one of those days where you are teaching and things just aren't clicking?  Well...that's what happened to me this week!  I was teaching Spanish pronouns to my 5th and 6th graders.  They were just not getting it.  It wasn't making any sense.  I was getting frustrated.

Then!

An idea!

My good friend Brittany Hattabaugh, uses whole brain movement to teach hard and large concepts.  Her wisdom came to me in the middle of my train wreck of a week.  Therefore I came up with hand motions for Yo, tu, el, ella, usted, nosotros, ustedes, ellos and ellas.  It went really well with the kids!  They were chanting this as we left the classroom...YAY for doing a great job!

So this is what I did...

Yo! (Point to self)

Tu (point in front)

El (Point to a male.  Don't point to a female--like I did...on accident!)

Ella!  (Point to a female!)

Usted (Point above.  Showing higher authority!)

Nosotros (Include yourself, make a circle with your hands.)

Ustedes (Showing as my teacher always said...You's.)

Ellos (Fumble your hands to the side.  Shows a mixture of males/females or males!)

Ellas (show one motion with your hands--indicating only a group of females can be in this category.)

What do you think? Pretty awesome?  I'm pretty excited! 

I also made a video of this entire experience!  I blab a little bit in it towards the end.  It's just because I'm super excited about this but didn't want to come across cocky! 

I'm not always 100% proud of my creations, but this one, I am pretty psyched about!

Thanks for reading!

<3

Em

Celebrating a Special Milestone!

Hey All!

Happy First Day of Fall!  And to all my New Age brothers and sisters, happy Autumn Equinox!

I <3 Fall!  It's the best season of the year!   It has all of my favorite colors, temperatures and types of clothing!  It's pretty exciting!   I am especially excited about APPLE CIDER!  (Hello Moca Moment)

However, the MOST exciting part of the season---the beginning of Fall officially marks another year involved in church music ministry!

I started in 2001 playing here and there and then in 2002, I started playing with the big leagues!  September 2002--that's when my entire life changed.  Life began to revolve around organ lessons, YMT practices, Breaking Bread Hymnals, conventions, seminars, 8AM masses and so much more.  Pretty much what started as a way to "avoid political annoyances" turned into something much greater.

So, in honor of all of that--I came up with a list of things that I have learned from working as an organist over the past 11 years.

Eleven Lessons I Have Learned From Church Music Ministry

11.  Don't Take No for an Answer

Somebody tells you, laugh and then rise to the occasion.  I'm not talking about things you aren't supposed to do, but things that people think you cannot do (but you know you CAN do at work.)  For example, people used to tell me to NOT play organ on certain hymns.  Then I would go play them on organ.  I would then go HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Usually because it turns out to be...um...awesome!  (Hello Marnartha!!!!) To this day, I chuckle every time I sing in the mic for "This is Jesus," because I remember being in the Children's Choir and hearing the voice saying "no microphone for you..." Hey it may have taken me like 15 years to do, but I stole that mic (okay Carrie told me I had to sing in it one day) and people didn't know what to think...it was that good!  (Or they were in church and were just being nice.)

Regardless...this lesson was BIG.  It taught me to do whatever it takes to make your visions come true! I mean I got kicked out of a college man and I STILL became a teacher! It may have taken longer and more money, but I did it!  And look what happened to me!  I got a job right out of college and I <3 IT!  I moved far away, met the love of my life and became this wonderful thing called happy.  So yes, please, deny me that microphone again!  What doesn't kill you make you stronger!

10.  Learn From Your Mistakes

Listen to your mentors.  They know what they are talking about.   If they are good mentors, they will start to trust you and leave you to have room for floating and growing.    If they are not good mentors, either tell them or move on.  Sometimes people just don't know how they are hindering you.

9.  Work Hard=Discipline

My father always had a saying; hard work makes good discipline.  He's right.  Work hard and results show.   Trust is built.  Success continues.

8.  Be Responsible!

When you are working at a job that requires you to be on time, dress professionally, act your best, etc, you learn how to do that outside of the job.  I remember when I was at a Sophomore Block and the professors were talking about "dressing professionally."  That mean kaki pants, nice sweaters and OMG NO JEANS!  While all the kids were freaking out, I was smiling because it was old news to me. I also am proud to say other than ONE mishap, I have never missed a day of work because "I forgot to show up."  (I have missed because I was sick, but that's a different story!)

7.  Professional Life Does NOT Equal Personal Life

Imagine having your dream job at 15...well that was ME!  Working with a bunch of older people taught me how to interact with the professional world.   There are people who I've worked with that are great...and people who I have worked with that personality-wise I don't get along with.  Over the past years, I have learned how to work with those people better and better.  It was a long learning curve for a while, but after a few years, it's gotten easier!

6.  It's Who You Know!

Let's face it.  It's true.  I probably wouldn't have gotten some of the opportunities I have gotten if it wasn't for a name.  It is what it is.  Point being--network and get to know people.  You sometimes need their help.

5.  Your Reputation is Who You Are

My reputation proceeds me.

4. Defuse Things Through Humor

People are going to say things to your face--at the mall, at the library, at the bar, at church--good or bad.    When it's good thank people for their kind words.  When people say bad things, like calling you a funeral dirge, or outs the fact you didn't have time for preludes on Facebook--laugh it off! Some of those people mean well, but don't know how to be graceful.

3.  People Stare

It's true...when you play at a church where the instruments are in the front.  People stare.  They notice when you don't wear Packer Colors the weekend of a home game and they notice when you look tired.  People are always watching, even when they shouldn't be!  So look excited and you'll convince yourself you are excited!

2.  It's Not All About You

Your job is important, but it isn't all about you!  The point of music ministry is to take the song that has scriptural words and convey it to the congregation in a meaningful way.    That's bigger than you.  Sometimes you have to step aside and let others do the task because they are more equipped to do the job.  It is what it is.  If you want that task, then make strides to earn the trust of the higher ups so you have that opportunity as well!  As long as the message gets across, that's all that matters!

1.  The number 1 lesson I learned:  BE YOURSELF!  I love playing music, but when I was younger, I didn't really think it was so cool.  That was because nobody else seemed to "get it."  I felt super depressed in college because nobody got it.  It seemed that people actually were making fun of the fact I had this passion and excitement.  It really got me down and got me into stuff that I regret doing to this day.  However, after some road turns and interventions with God, those circumstances changed.  In result, I changed as a person.    I became more comfortable being myself.  There are still people that don't "get" what I do or appreciate my passion for it, but I don't care!:)  I <3 being myself!

So that's it!  Thanks Res for 11 great years!  Here's to more!

<3
Em

The Adventure of [Brittany] Salsa

Hey All!

I hope everybody had a great week!  Mine was pretty crazy!

Every week, I plan out my meals to help me budget my grocery money for the week.  I tend to also try to make foods with ingredients that are in season.  Well, this is the season for corn!  I can get 4 stalks of corn for 1.00!

Hence in celebration, I made the infamous salsa that I call "Brittany Salsa."  That's not it's real name...but I don't know this recipes real name.    I call it "Brittany Salsa" because one night I was over at Brittany's house and she made this for me to eat.  It was super yummy!  Hence the name.

So how I made Brittany Salsa.

1) Cut up a lot of corn! I never cut stalks of corn before.  However, after reading about it, it was simple and easy to do!  

2) Then I added avocado to the mix!

3) Then add some cherry tomatoes.    These tomatoes are from my potted tomato plant.   Boy where they super fresh!

4) Then add some black beans!  I only had a mega sized black bean, so I just added half of the case.  I also made sure I drained the entire can before adding the beans.

5) Then you are going to add Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil! Keep adding and mixing until you think it tastes great! I usually have more olive oil and balsamic vinegar!

6) Add some salt and pepper to taste!  (Or if you are like me, don't add salt because I don't like salt!  Plus it's bad for me heart!)

 
7) Viola! I have eaten this hot or cold and it's great both ways!

I really like using the Bucky Badger Whole Wheat Tortilla Shells.  They are low in calorie and full of nutrients!  All and all one serving of this (not including the tortilla) is about 75-100 calories depending on how many servings you make.  (My findings were from entering in information to MyFitnessPal.com).   Usually I can get about 8 servings out of a dish using the measurements from this blog entry.  This all lasts about a week in my fridge...because I tend to make it in such large quantities!   It's quick, easy and yummy too! 

Enjoy!

<3 Em