Day 10

(The complete list of days is here.)

A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with

Well... ehm... Wait, what?

Apparently I'm not that cool or something, because I wasn't exactly sure what "messed up" was referring to.  Normally when I encounter slang terms that I don't know urbandictionary.com saves the day (...do I sound like a baby-boomer trying to be cool?  Idk.  whatevs.).

Messed Up
1. to be wasted or drunk. (see wasted).  2. to be beaten up badly.  3. something that is strange or weird.  4. unjust, lacking fairness, unfortunate  5. description of a situation where someone purposely does something to complicate the life of someone else  6. in ruins  
"look at that 6 legged freak, that is messed up!"  "Your mom won't let you go out of state for college? That's messed up."  "You told the teacher that I did it? That's messed up."

Helpful? Not so much.  However, for the sake of moving forward I'll choose #3 (since 1,2,5 and 6 don't apply).  So, now what is something strange or weird that I do with someone else?  Moe* might hate me for this, but the first thought that came to mind was eating an entire jar of pickles or pickled okra together... and then drinking the juice.  That's right, Moe and I like pickle juice**.

It's probably not fair that I reveal this "messed up" thing about her without her permission...
hope the blindfold is enough for her to remain anonymous (and forgive me!!)

*Moe is a pseudonym to protect the innocent from their "messed up"-ness being revealed

**Disclaimer:  I haven't drank either pickle juice or pickled okra juice in several years.  I'm not sure if I'd still be able to handle the sour/salt combo--it makes me pucker and salivate just thinking about it!

Day 9

(click here to see the complete list)

a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

(c) 2004 LMS*

Jesus Christ has gotten me through more than any other person.  I am reconciled to the God of the Universe because of Jesus.  My relationship with the Creator is set right, because Jesus lived the life I could not live and died the death I should have died.  No one else could offer me a way to God--that's why Jesus has gotten me through the most.


"But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we've compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ."

(Romans 3:21-24, MSG)

*Since Jesus lived over 2,000 years ago, there aren't any actual pictures of him.  This is a charcoal drawing I did in high school.

Day 8

(Click here to see the complete list.)

A Picture that Makes You Laugh


Well, if you haven't noticed so far, I haven't been taking the "a picture" part very seriously.  This post is no exception.  There are funny stories behind some of these, or funny expressions contained in most of them.  It's hard to choose just one picture, when so many make me laugh!

Three Musketeers!

I love these boys!

If you've ever played buffalo hunt,
you know why this is funny/why you have to laugh.

This was a funny night.
Sorry about the embarrassing pic, girls!

Oh Eli, so upset that his big sis was graduating.

What did the other picture look like?

Miss you girls soooo much!

So many fun memories!

Day 7

A Picture of Your Most Treasured Item

my wedding ring

Image (c) Cathy Mores Photography

Day 6

A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day


This one is tough.  At first, I though I'd pick someone famous, but I'm not sure if I could stand being famous for even a day!  Then, I thought that maybe I'd pick someone with a really cool job.  But, I think I'd like to go back in time and pick someone from history.  Leonardo da Vinci?  Well, it might be weird to be a guy.  So that also takes out Dietrich Bonhoeffer, C.S. Lewis, Martin Luther...


I think I will choose Mary Magdalene (the Christ-follower).

And, if I get to pick the day, I'm choosing the first Easter.  That's the day that Mary found the tomb empty and reported it to Peter and the disciples.  She believed that someone had stolen his body from the tomb, and she was pretty upset about it.  But then Jesus appeared to her (in his flesh and bones body), comforted her, and told her that he is ascending into heaven (just like he said he would).  Then, she goes to the disciples and tells them, "I have seen the Lord!"  See John 20:1-18.


P.S.  Although the common belief is that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, scripture doesn't specifically say that.  It only describes her as a sinner.  I thought I should point that out as I say that I'd like to live a day in her shoes.

Day 5

(See Day 0 for a complete list of photos.)


A picture of your favorite memory


All of my memories with Handsome are my favorite.  Let's begin.

Our First Date - FH Spring Formal ('07)

Our Engagement! (Dec. 26th, 2009)

Our Wedding!!! (August 7, 2010)
Image (c) Cathy Mores Photography

Day 4

(To see the complete list, click here)


A picture of your night


I know I didn't make the rules, but this one's a little weird.  A picture of night is a black square, right?  Maybe with stars.


Maybe a picture of my night is just me sleeping?  That happens every night.  I'm not very good at staying up late.  In fact, it took me several years (middle school?) to be able to stay up for New Years--even though I was so excited and tried really hard!

Lainie and I, circa 1991

Although these next pictures are not at night specifically, they are of me sleeping.  At football games.  My freshman year.

You see, when you're a freshman it is your job to reserve seats for the upperclassmen at football games.  This means getting to the stadium several hours before it opens, running down the steps and laying on the seats.  At this point, you still have a couple hours before the game starts.  Tired, yet?

Here is something else I did at night once.

Most often, though, I spend my evenings/nights...

...doing homework!

Day 3

(No idea what's going on?  See Day 0.)


A picture of the cast from your favorite show


Today is a tough one.  If you know me well, you know that I don't watch much television.  We didn't have cable growing up, and, now, Nathan and I don't have a TV.

There's only one "show" we really watch--ESPN (online).  And the cast?

Fight, you K-State Wildcats

For Alma Mater fight-fight-fight!

Glory in the combat

For the purple and the white.

Faithful to our colors

We will ever be,

Fighting ever fighting for a

Wildcat victory!

Go State!

Images courtesy of www.kstatesports.com.

Day Dos

(Have no idea where this came from?  See Day 0.)

A Picture of You and the Person You Have Been Closest with the Longest


Well, this wasn't a hard decision*.  They had the upper-hand, raising me and all.  No one else has been around as long as they have.

Es mi madre y mi padre!

They're wonderful parents!

Image (c) Cathy Mores Photography
(That means you better not steal it.)

*Well, it was kind of a hard decision, because there are a couple people who I've been friends with for a LONG time.  The runners up are the two friends I've had the longest!

Michele - 20 years!

Mandy - 17 years

Love you two!!!

Day 1

(Note: The motivation/rules for this post are in a previous post. See Day 0.)

A Picture of Me with 15 Facts

Now, in my opinion, fifteen facts can become tedious and boring.  However, I didn't make the rules, so maybe you'll learn something new today!

2nd or 3rd Grade School Photo

1. The earth is round-ish and mostly spherical, while an ellipsoid more closely matches the shape.
2. Six is a perfect number.
3. Whether or not there are any odd perfect numbers is an unsolved math problem.
4. The number Pi is easily approximated to a few decimal places by using a random number generator and a circle inscribed in a square (see next fact if you disagree with me).
5. An opinion becomes a fact if there is unanimous agreement in the room.
6. Nathan's not home right now.
7. Thus, Butterfingers are the most delicious candy ever created, is a fact (Nathan would disagree... but he's not here to!)
8. Two is the only even prime number.
9. Iron is the element with the highest bonding energy per nucleon.
10. Young's Modulus, E, is a material property that relates stress and strain.
11. 2 = 10, if 2 is in decimal and 10 is in binary.
12. Kansas State is in the NCAA tournament this year.
13. There are 15 items in this list.
14. Acrylic paint is waterproof when dry, and water-soluble when wet.
15. A medium cup of coffee at Caribou costs $2.06 with tax. (BOO.)

30 Days: Day 0

Alright, friends.  Because it is all-the-rage and oh-so-trendy (and I am so about everything trendy...) I've decided to blog through the "30 Days" Photo list.

Here's the list to start things off

• Day 01 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts
• Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
• Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
• Day 04 - A picture of your night
• Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
• Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
• Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item
• Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh
• Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
• Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with
• Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
• Day 12 - A picture of something you love
• Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
• Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
• Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
• Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
• Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
• Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
• Day 19 - A picture of a letter
• Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
• Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
• Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at
• Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
• Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change
• Day 25 - A picture of your day
• Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
• Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member
• Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of
• Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
• Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

P.S. I love lists.

Make it: Tablecloth

"Why buy it when I can make it?"

It may be one of my mantras, and it is definitely another confession of mine.  There are only a few things I won't attempt to make myself: clothes, tortillas, cheese, and mayonnaise (though I wouldn't consider that an exhaustive list).  Most everything else my little engineer mind relishes in creating from scratch, seeing parts come together to make a beautiful, useful whole.

I began browsing a few months ago when I decided we needed a tablecloth, but I couldn't find anything I liked.  The options were either too formal, too flashy, too expensive, or just ugly.

What's an girl to do?  Make her own, of course.  The internet proved somewhat useful as I found a large following of crafty homemakers with a plethora of advice on home-made tablecloths.  The catch was that I didn't have access to a sewing machine--so I had to get creative.  Back in the recesses of my mind, I remembered a craft mom and I did where we used Stitch-Witchery, a net-like fusing fabric.  Hobby Lobby carried it in 5/8" tape, which proved perfect for the hemming.

Fabric Details:  This lovely fabric was $4/yard (on clearance from $30/yard), and is extra-wide (54").  I have approximately a 6" drop on all sides.  My table is oval, but I chose to leave the tablecloth square, because it seemed too difficult to round the corners.  (Note:  Wash your fabric before you sew it.)

Finishing Details:

• Measure the length and width of the table.
• Add double the drop length (6" + 6" = 12") to each dimension.
• Add width of hem (2" + 2" = 4") to each dimension.
• Cut cloth to dimension.*
• Starting at corner, measure a 1" fold and iron (fabric-only, at this point) along the entire side.
• You now have two options:
• Pin and sew across the edge
• Working with ~12" sections of Stitch-Witchery (I used heavy-duty), iron for 10 sec. each side with steam setting.
• Repeat for all four sides.

To make sure my hem was secure & wouldn't fray, I did a second fold & hem around the edge.  I found the fabric was too thick at the edges, so I hand-stitched them.

*If your fabric isn't wide enough:

• Buy double the length you need and cut it in half (hamburger style)
• Place one piece on top of the other, pattern-side in & sew long edges (creating a cylinder)
• Bring sewn edges together to find the middle of one piece and make a mark down the middle with a fabric marker (alternatively, you could iron to form a crease).
• Cut along the mark, and now you have double-wide fabric!

P.S.  I got these five books for $3.50 at the public library book sale today.  (Basically a STEAL!)  Titles are as follows: The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges, The Frugal Gourmet Cooks with Wine by Jeff Smith, Thomas Aquinas: Selected Writings edited by Rev. Father M. C. D'Arcy, Flatland by Edwin A. Abbot, Freezing and Canning Cookbook by Food Editors of Farm Journal, and a recipe book for my Tupperwave Stack Cooker.

P.P.S.  This goes with another personal mantra, "Why pay full price when I can get it used for much less?"