Flower Power

At Utah State University (USU) while studying my undergraduate degree in Agricultural Education, I had the opportunity to take classes in floral design. Actually Paul was also able to do it too and you can see a picture of him still on my department's website.  You can see his face is just loving every minute of it. :)

I absolutely LOVE creating floral arrangements, boutonnieres, corsages, etc.  When I taught in VA I was able to teach a Floral Design course and had a blast using hands on approaches to help develop the students' potential.  I love it so much that if a teaching or extension position doesn't open in NC when Paul gets back, I may just work as a florist!

So when my sister got married last week, I was honored to create her centerpiece for the reception as well as the girls' and her bouquets.  Since she had over 50 corsages and boutonnieres I was very thankful she had a flower shop complete those because I would have been stuck in a back room all day Thursday and Friday getting those things done!

Here are the pictures! Beware I took them in the utility room of the church (AKA my workshop) and so the lighting is horrible.  I am sure the photographer got better shots so I will steal them one day...

Don't the red chords look lovely with the purple flowers? ;)

Laura's colors were eggplant, silver, and off white.  This shot makes the arrangement look bottom heavy so I am hoping the photographer got a better angle.

Top shot of Laura's bouquet.

Side shot of Laura's bouquet.

Bridesmaids bouquets.

I urge anyone wanting to learn things from floral design to photography to take a class! I never thought I would be able to accomplish or even enjoy it, but I was pleasantly surprised!  I also think the Interior Design course I took in college helped a little with colors, textures, etc so expand your horizons and have fun!

What Are You Living For?

I follow Women Living Well Ministries' blog in which the author brings little tidbits to help christian women live to their fullest. Courtney has little ideas for your own personal christian walk to quick hair ideas for busy women.

Today she posted a video that was too good not to share. I urge you to check it out.

What Are You Living For?

Christmas All Year Long!

So it hit me today.  When I came to North Dakota, I left my house all decorated for Christmas.  I did all the "long term" preparations to make sure it was okay to be left for awhile, but because life was so hectic I never took the decorations down. 

I am thinking that a quarter inch of dust is a good guess of how much will be there when I go back. 

The even better part to this story... I have a friend checking on my house multiple times a month so for her it will be Christmas all year long!

RIP Semper Combat Gumby

This is from Paul and is too good not to post:

Ive got some bad news, Combat Gumby went MIA today in a flurry of small children outside the Bazaar.  Combat Gumby had accompanied me on numerous combat patrols, and covered my six in several photo ops, and was taken along with my pocket knife and almost my GPS, Watch, Multitool (insert all other gear here), he gallantly gave his plastic for his country.  His service is in the highest keeping of Hasbro (Mattell?) traditions.

* Not Actual Semper Combat Gumby.  We are still awaiting the release of the crucial photos that document the disappearance of Semper Combat Gumby. *

Semper Combat Gumby

20 Jan 2012 - 5 Mar 2012

OEF Veteran, Rest in Peace

The combat camera guy got some good pictures of me getting mauled by the school kids, it was pretty funny, except for my stuff they stole.  "HEY YOU DANG KIDS!" {remember that Geico commercial with the old man on the tractor yelling at woodchucks? Our family has it's own inside joke of that...} 

Lt Vandenbos giving high fives to the children before Semper Combat Gumby gave his life for the cause.

Technology According to the Villagers

According to the Afghan Villagers that Paul was talking with, our jets are flown by highly skilled and trained mice.

They do look pretty tiny from earth's view...

Also, depending on the size of our drones they are operated by military working cats or dogs.

I'd say this is a "dog" size drone.

Finally, when showing a villager his house on a map he denied it was his house. He insisted that his house was "this big" (insert hand gestures), not that tiny.

I wonder if those dots are bugs?

According to Paul, many of the "village people" have mind sets of the fifteenth century.  Certainly gives you a new outlook on what must be going through their minds when they see our military roll up with all their contraptions.