Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Christmas already, dear??

Now, I am starting to think about putting out our Christmas decorations. Why so early you ask: my grandma Turner is having a hip replacement surgery this Thursday. My dad and two of his sisters are taking off Thursday to take her and the rest of the days before Thanksgiving to be with her and bring her home. However, it is I that will be staying with her the two weeks following Thanksgiving. Which is good, because I don't get to spend enough time with that set of grandparents regularly, but scary... because I left Amber for a reason: not to be like them.

They are the hard-working, farmers. The grandmother that never had a job except taking care of her children, tending the garden, waking up at 5:30 to press out homemade biscuits, sweeping and moping the floors everyday because it was not her place to ask the menfolk to take off their muddy shoes before entering her house.

I remember spending summers out of school there. She watched all eight of us grandkids. And each day we would have buscuits, sausage or bacon, eggs or gravy for breakfast. An elaborate meal for lunch: chicken fried steak, fried okra, corn (off the cob cuz grandpa had no teeth!!). And just because she knew she could: a huge dinner for all of us... keeping us all there even the parents after their long day at work. If grandma had made dinner, we were all going to stay together. I never understood how someone who didn't have a dishwasher would cook so much!! Especially the way grandma served. She cooked in pots and pans, but then would transfer the food into a serving dish. Now, these weren't fancy serving dishes. Just big Correl bowls, large enough for the mashed potatoes and green beans. But, she would do it. In my mind: no dishwasher = using less dishes. But she did have dishwashers, now didn't she???? ME and the only other girl cousin: Ashley.

The boys were never EVER asked to do dishes. They would leave right after lunch with Pa and go check cattle or feed a bale of hay. He taught them the farmers life, grandma taught Ashley and I the farmer's wife's life.

I learned some of life's greatest lessons from them. You have to work for what you've got. But, I don't know that I ever heard the word's: I'm proud of you... or I love you from them. Well, I still haven't ever heard them from my grandpa, but I know he does. But, excitingly I have heard them from my grandma once or twice. But, never while I was there. It was when I decided I didn't want to be stuck in the house serving my husband and kids, but I wanted a career of my own. I decided to go to college and get a degree, then get a career and be my own person.

So, I did. I went to college: the best in the state, Oklahoma State University!! But somewhere along the lines things got smudged. I found the love of my life: Perry, A.K.A. The Husband. Falling in love and getting married wasn't on my list of things to do in college.... but it happened, and I did. Which is wonderful. So, I graduated with an agricultural communications degree. Got a job at a great magazine as an assistant editor... seemed like my life was going just the way I planned. But the drive was too far from our home. No problem, says the Husband, just quit and stay home.

Of course the roadmap of mine says, NEED CAREER. So I plunged forth with a hush, hushed dream of mine: photography. I love capturing a moment between people or a person... cause when you capture that moment on film you can actually re-live it, if even for a moment. As much as I am trying to get my photography career started, I've realized something along the way.

It's been a year now that I have not been working out of an office. And for that year I have made lunch everyday for my husband, and dinner (most days). I plan meals for friends and invite people over to entertain. I am a stay-at-home-wife... I've become her. I've become the woman I was so afraid of becoming. But, I LOVE IT!!! I love being here with my husband. I love the idea of having children and being able to stay home with them and care for them each day without the worry of a job or career to run off to. I love the fact that I learned from the best. And, then I become saddened that I didn't show her more appreciation. I didn't show her enough love or tell her Thank You for all the work she did helping to raise me, my brother & cousins.

I am honored to be going home for two weeks after Thanksgiving. I am honored to be staying with her and finally being able to show some reciprocal care for her, the way she once cared for me daily. It will be hard to do. Although we have the similarity of being stay-at-home-wifes, we still are VERY different. But, I'm looking forward to it now, more than dreading it.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

4 a.m.

OMG... it's even worse than I imagined. I thought it was 3:30 a.m. I woke up at 2:30 and have been lying here awake trying my hardest to go back to sleep. It's not working. I am wide-eyed and awake. I thought it was only an hour... I thought to myself, "Gripe. This obviously isn't working," So I thought at 3:30 in the morning, why not write about it. Then I open my computer and see that it is in face 4:30 in the morning.

I've been awake for two hours. USELESS.

I guess I have been sleeping really well lately because they give you some wonderful pain killers after surgery to make sure you do get plenty of rest. Well, I am feeling much better now and I don't particularly like the state of zombiness those pain killers put me in. So, I have quit them. Well, now I feel every cough, sneeze, deep breath, twinge, tweak, spasm, etc., going on in my surgical region. And that is making it extremely hard to sleep.

Lord have mercy on this poor, poor soul. Please let me sleep. I don't want to wake up the husband with all my tossing, turning & computer typing. lol

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Powell's day at the hospital

I had a small procedure done yesterday at the hospital. I had an anal fissure (basically a tear in my rectum) that my doctor had to surgically repair.

So, Perry and I got to the hospital yesterday at 12:30. Mind you I wasn't supposed to eat anything since midnight the night before... Perry had pancakes at like 9:30. So, I get taken back to the room to get into my hospital gown and checked out, then they bring Perry back. He gets to sit with me while they are giving the IV. Everything is going fine. He has to go back to the waiting room while they take me to the operating room. I remember all this, I remember being rolled down the hallway and into the or, being asked to roll over onto the table, the anesthesiologist putting the gas mask on. Then, I didn't know anything else had happened. I remember waking up in the recovery room. After I woke up the nurses checked my vitals and everything looked good, so they called Perry back. He came back and seemed just fine... then as the nurse told me I could get dressed, Perry started getting pale, and told me he didn't feel very well. He said he felt nauseus, sick. SO, he got up and was going to go find a bathroom... but didn't make it but two steps out of my room when he passed out and fell hard, hit his head on the floor (hard concrete). I started freaking out, trying to get to him as fast as I could, I was screaming and yelling for nurses... thank goodness we were in a hospital. They got to him quick and got him up into a chair, got him an ice pack, but noticed his head was bleeding a little bit, so they suggested he went to the ER to get checked over. By this time neither of us were very happy. lol I wanted to go with him, but I had just had surgery, so they weren't wanting to let me. Perry just wanted to get me home and in bed. So our nurses did everything they could to keep us updated on one another. They did an EKG, CT scan and sugar test on Perry. Everything turned out normal, except the EKG showed a slight abnormality, something about a ventricular block. They would like him to follow up with a cardiologist, but didn't seemed to worried because something like this had never happened before.

Now, aren't we a pretty couple?? LOL

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Whoa... it's been a while

To catch you up----Here's what's going on in our world:

We are having an Open House tomorrow from 1-3. So, we will have to find something to do with ourselves (and the dog) for two hours... away from the house and TV. (sad day) lol

But maybe that will give Perry a break from football. WE WATCHED IT ALL FREAKIN' DAY!!! Now, don't get me wrong. I love football. OSU football. But pretty sure we watched every game that was on today. Then, about 10:30----- Perry whipped out his Playstation and put in Madden 2002... or some football game like that!!! I'm so bored!!! I've been watching randomness on YouTube for the past four hours. SAD STORY...

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Today, and all days, I seek the Lord

I've had a humbling experience lately... I've revisited my spiritual side and realized that things go much better when I leave things to God and his timing. Why do I get so caught up in trying to manage my own life. I know that God has a plan and I need not rush it! I'm emotionally spent. A bunch of things are going on in our lives: selling our house, looking for a job, our cousins are about to be parents (that makes us jealous, well me, anyway), my "little sister" is pregnant (that makes ME jealous), we miss Oklahoma, we love Kansas, not looking for a job so we can move back to Oklahoma, planning on when we can start planning on a family of our own, not ready for a family of our own....

Do you see what I mean?? There are so many directions WE want to go when we realize WE need to slow down and let God handle it. Trust me, He knows what He is doing! I need to learn patience in the Lord. I'm very thankful I have my faith and I pray for the patience I need to get me through the next couple of months.

I leave you with my favorite song right now: Above All by Michael W. Smith

Above all powers
Above all kings
Above all nature
And all created things
Above all wisdom
And all the ways of man
You were here
Before the world began

Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders
The world has ever known
Above all wealth
And treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure
What You're worth

Crucified
Laid behind a stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose
Trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

still selling the house

I'm not happy about this "showing" process. I thought it would be simple. It wouldn't be a big deal to know that if an agent planned to show at 2:30 I would need to be gone (with Sadie) for at least 15 minutes or so. NO BIG DEAL... right?

Well, today the "showing" agency called to let me know that an agent wants to show the house from 2:30 to 4. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH A DOG FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF????? Grrrrrr.....

Monday, July 20, 2009

When selling a house...

Lots of things are going on in our lives right now! We have put the house up on the market and are going through "showings" right now. Which, has upheaved my normal routine! It's hard to get any work done when I get a phone call saying an agent is coming over soon...

We have a dog, Sadie. She runs free in the house. So, when an agent is coming over for a showing I have to gather up the dog and we go hide for 15-30 minutes or so. So, we've been going to the park just down the street and taking a long walk.

Our first experience with a "showing" happened this morning!!! Although, I didn't get a call saying anyone was coming over! They showed up while I was Hoola-Hooping in the living room!!* So I quickly gathered up Sadie and went for a walk.

I'm excited there are people asking about the house!!! Two showings already and it was put on the market Friday!!

*While at the Affair of the Hearts show this weekend in Tulsa, my sister-in-law and I bought hoola-hoops that are designed for exercise!! It's weighted with water. Fun, fun!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

my brother the high school senior



Last week I was able to spend the week in Chickasha with my family. The plus to that was I also got to schedule some senior portraits shoots! They were a blast!!! I have posted a ton of those pictures on my photography blog: TP Photography. BUT I will post these of my favorite little man on earth: my bubba, Matt.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Wedding season is here


Here are a few pictures form my latest wedding. I just love weddings! I wish I had a lot more to do this summer. Nothing is better than being a part of the most important day of someone's life. I can't wait 'til my next one: August 22, 2009. :)

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Big things are happenin'


Some big stuff is happenin' in my life! But I think the best is that I have finally put together Ashley's coffee table book from her wedding in April! Here's a sneak picture, but you can find more on my TP Photography blog.


Monday, June 8, 2009

Just when everything's looking up...

You get turned upside down!!! 

Since December I have been "working" from home. I edit and write stories for magazine I used to work for. It's called freelance. The only problem was for one of the editor's I was working for, she took the "free" part of freelance to heart. By the time I finally got some money out of her, they are now caught up for summer... because they are having smaller books they don't have as much editorial pages to fill. (The evil downfall of the economy has struck again.) 

With not as much editorial work to do, I have been trying to focus on photography. It's been really great! Well, actually, it's been really slow. But, what jobs I do get has been great!! Two weddings so far, an Easter pictorial of the twins, and I have lined out some senior portraits for later this summer. 

I've also been booked to work at one of the cattle association's junior nationals this summer. It will be one week, but it will pay fair and I will be really busy! 

She has also asked me to do three stories ... by THURSDAY!!!

But, on top of that all--- I took a job as a photographer in a portrait studio located in our Target. Training will start sometime this week, after my drug test passes through the system!

That's right folks! I had to go pee in a cup! But, I didn't really do too hot!! I barely got any in the cup. Most fell down my hand, then ran up my arm!!! GROSS!!! The woman was like, "Honey, you barely covered the line!!" 

I've heard you have to pee in a cup a lot when you get pregnant and go in for check-ups. 

Wonderful!


Friday, June 5, 2009

You're the icing on my cake....

Last month my husband's aunt passed away. She has three daughters all around honey-do's and my age. The older two have two boys each, under the age of 4. Let me tell ya!!! That makes for a rowdy bunch when they are all together!! But, I love it! 

Before their Mimi passed away she had bought cupcake pans in the shapes of bugs: lady bugs, grasshoppers, butterflies and dragonflies. So, as a special family way to try to explain to the boys that Mimi wouldn't be able to make the cupcakes with them we made cupcakes and let the boys do their own frosting. It was a blast! I think the boys had fun too! 






Even the girls helped!! :) 




Wednesday, June 3, 2009

just doin' some laundry

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean", she said. "She doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."
Her husband looked on, but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.
About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:  "Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this."  The husband said, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows."  
And so it is with life: what we see when watching others depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Twilight Saga: New Moon movie trailer

It's FINALLY here!!! The trailer to the new Twilight movie: New Moon! I was really lame and watched the entirety of the MTV Movie Awards tonight, just because I heard a rumor that the New Moon movie trailer was being shown. I basically had to watch all two hours of the awards show to wait for it, but that's OK. 

I love the Twilight series so much that I am including a link to YouTube so that you, too, can watch the trailer!! Join me in my love for Edward Cullen and Jacob Black: 


Friday, May 29, 2009

Turney Maternity

Honey-do's cousin and his wife are expecting their first baby! At 28 weeks, I talked Callie into allowing me to do a few maternity pictures while we were together... for I might not see her again til after the baby is born!! Here's a sneak peak of the pictures I took! But more pictures from that day are up on my photography blog: TP Photography.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

My baby brother's how old?

I'm throwing myself completely into my photography this week! I am dishing out some new flyers to post around my local community to try to get the upcoming seniors interested in senior portraits! You can see the flyer and more stuff on my photography at tpphotography.wordpress.com.


I created a flyer on the fly — no pun intended, haha — to e-mail to my brother to pass out around his school! Tomorrow is his last day as a junior at Amber-Pocasset high school!!! He and all his friends are about to become seniors!!! I can't believe he is growing up!! Can you believe this little guy is now a senior??


Monday, May 4, 2009

Art Project '09

Today I am very proud of myself! Honey-do and I are in the process of making the house ready to "show" when we put it up for sale. I bought new bedding for the guest bedroom and my mother-in-law purchased some great used furniture for the room as well! I don't have pictures of the new furniture, but it will be black and the bedding is white, with black-and-white throw pillows. I'm adding a drop of red to give it a bit more color! 
For art for the room, instead of purchasing pre-made art or pictures I did it myself!! :) This is a little project I saw on HGTV!! I LOVE THAT CHANNEL!!! :) This is the before:


and this one below shows the finished projects!!!! :) They may not be perfect, but I am happy with them!! 


Monday, April 27, 2009

Before and After

Here's a before shot of me.... this is from when I was in High school..... I miss this body:
But, here is me now... this picture is from two weekends ago at my cousin Ashley's wedding.

I'm the one on the far right. 

Now, I realize that I am not as active as I was while in high school, so I probably won't ever be that skinny again... but, a girl can hope and dream... right??

I'm off to the gym!!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Lazy Sunday

I'm working on Ashley's wedding pictures today, while honey-do went to the office to work for a couple of hours. :( B-O-R-I-N-G
I hate when he leaves me alone AGAIN on the weekends. I tolerate it during the week because it is his job, and I appreciate being able to stay home to focus on what I love most: photography. But weekends are supposed to be time for us to spend together... not time for him to go to work again and "catch up." 

Oh well.. I found some wonderful photoshop actions at CoffeeTeaPhotography.com. Check it out:



Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Haney/Martin Wedding


This weekend my cousin Ashley got married! I was her wedding photographer!!! I had a blast! Here's a sneak peak!! More photos are posted on my photo blog: tpphotography.wordpress.com. Go check them out!! 


Monday, April 6, 2009

Busy, busy weekend

Honey-do and I traveled to Oklahoma this weekend to spend time with friends. That was much needed!!! We each went to a bachelor and bachelorette party in OKC!!! My cousin, Ashley, is getting married in two weeks. I went to her party with a great group of girls I went to high school with!!!! FUN!!! Honey-do went with the groom, Jeffrey, and all the guys that we graduated with to the bachelor party!! I am so glad that my friends took him in as one of their own! I think they had a great time too! 


But, before we partied, we were spent the morning with cousins, Tim and Tracy, and their little ones. It's Easter time and new suits just had to be showed-off!! I took family photos for them and will have the fun shots up on my photo blog later this week: tpphotography.wordpress.com. But, here is a sneak-peak, just for you!




Thursday, March 26, 2009

How to sell a house while the housing market is terrible...

You don't even try. Or maybe you do. 

Honey-do and I have been contemplating what we need to do to make ourselves ready to move back to Oklahoma. We aren't in a real, big hurry to get back.... but then again we are. We are ready to start a family. However, we aren't really wanting to start one while we are up here. We are too close to our families to have a baby while living 300+ miles away from them. It's not fair to them or to us. We want our parents close enough to drop by to see the baby or to pick them up for the afternoon, just to spoil them. That's how we grew up and it's how we want our children to grow up, too.

So, with that being said.... we have to start thinking about how to make ourselves mentally, and financially, ready to move back to Oklahoma. The biggest thing weighing us down is owning our house here. 

The housing market it terrible and there are four other houses for sale in our neighborhood alone, not to mention the numerous For Sale signs we see as we drive up and down the main streets in this town. 

So our newest question is where do we start? Any advice????

Looking back...

I enjoy looking back at past posts I have written to see if any predictions I made have come true, or if any promises I have made myself have come true.... I often find myself disappointed. 

I did not do a Spring Cleaning on my house! ;) I started to, really... but it became more of a tidy up, instead of a real cleaning like I need to do.

As for my weight issue.... I have hired a personal trainer!!! I go to the YMCA pretty much daily. He doesn't work out with me EVERY time I am there, but he does hold me accountable for my daily routines. I am lifting some weights and working out on the elliptical machines daily. HOPEFULLY, I will continue this promise to you, my readers, and most importantly, myself. 


Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Spring Cleaning

As if this week didn't start out bad enough, Honey-do's dad's cousin Char's husband died last night. (That was a mouth-full, sorry.) Most families wouldn't feel the hurt of a "distant" relation such as Marv. But, our family is super tight-knit. I love that. So, we are feeling a little droopy in the drawers for Cousin Char and her family. 

Such a sad week. We are traveling back to Oklahoma this week for my friend's dad's funeral. But the end of the week will be happy for us too. We will be going to Honey-do's grandparents' farm to see his cousin and his wife, who we found out are expecting their first baby!!! So exciting. Callie is already 17 weeks along, so she is starting to show a little. We are very excited to see them this weekend. They moved to Dalhart, Texas, and we haven't seen them since Thanksgiving! 

So, what am I doing today? Cleaning my house. :( boo
I figured it is time for a little bit of "Spring Cleaning." We'll see how far I get today, before Honey-do gets home and we leave for the funeral tomorrow. 

Wish me luck!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Bad, bad Monday

They always say Monday is the worst day of the week. This week that statement holds true to me. 

Matt, my best friend from high school, had bad news when he got up this morning. His dad suffered a massive heart attack and died on the way to work this morning. 

News traveled fast. Our mutual friend, Telia, called me to let me know and I called Jeff, another good friend, right after. Apparently, Matt isn't doing too well. But of course, would you expect him to be doing good? I would be a basket case if I found out my dad died. I feel awful that I can't be there for Matt, but he knows that I am here. 

Second bad Monday affect: my mom's favorite boss ever died this weekend. She was really good friends with his daughter, and I used to be close to his granddaughter. 

Third bad Monday thing: I found out a friend from college, Kayla's mom, Lana, suffered a stroke a couple weeks ago. She's still being fed through an IV and is still not walking. The doctors don't know what caused the stroke and are still doing tests to find out the cause. Kayla has put college on hold to stay home and take care of her. 

Fourth thing: Honey-do came home from work worried about his job. His company is performing its first round of layoffs this week. :( Not the engineers yet, but the marketing, PR, HR, and call center positions. He said that if they don't pick up new products soon, the engineers could be next. :( That is scary for us. 

Hopefully, things will get better. All this and it's only 1 p.m. Surely, nothing else bad can happen today. 

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

bored.

Health wise, I guess I am fine. I just need to keep working out more and eat healthier, but that is every big girl's problem, right? 

We have had a couple pregnancy scares, but they were all negative. And we have decided to use birth control again, because we want me to be "healthier" before I get pregnant. 

Not to mention, we want to save money. Perry doesn't feel confident enough with our current money situation to bring a baby into the mix. Not to mention he would rather wait til we are ready to move back to Tulsa, if we are truly going to move back in another year or two.

So, that basically means, I have another year or two to lose weight, and get a great job for better "experience," or truly figure out what I want to be when I grow up. 

I don't think I like "working from home."

I feel extremely lazy most of the time... I don't really do anything. And I feel like I haven't done much work. But, I do work.

I really miss being in the office though. I miss having friends. 

I honestly don't have any here in Kansas. I have Perry, and that is great. I love him. Whole-heartedly. But I don't have a girlfriend to go shopping with or grab a bite... 

(went outside to grab the dog)

Just talked to the neighbor for a little more than an hour. I guess Kansas isn't that bad after all! 


Friday, January 23, 2009

Homesick

I'm having the most horrible day. It's one of those days where everything I do or say seems to make the people surrounding me upset, and that makes me upset. It's one of those days that makes me wish to be back in Oklahoma so very badly. 

I want to be able to see my mom, or my nana. I wish I could be closer to them. I hate that if I want to see them I have to drive 6+ hours just to get there. I could really use a hug from my Papa... even if he doesn't know why... he always makes me feel better with a hug from him. 

I love that Honey-do is happy here. I love that his job makes me happy. I love our house. I love being with him. But, I miss my family. I miss his family. 

Honey-do's mother has been sick for a week or so and I wish I could make her some soup. Or go over and make his father dinner so she doesn't have to worry about it. Not to mention, I know how badly she is missing her son right now and wants to be able to see him, too. 

Maybe I'm just being a big baby. I guess I am. But is it wrong to be so homesick? 

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Thank You, Mr. President

Now, I am not a very political person. At all. But I can sincerely say that I was moved by President Obama's inaugural address. He such an eloquent public speaker. I was very proud to be an American today. On this day we have experienced a bit of American history that can never be taken away from us. A black man has stepped into the highest elected position: Barack Obama is the leader of the Free World. 

If you aren't the least bit proud by this day, you aren't a true American.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Rambling

I've always been a decent writer. I mean, I was in magazine publication. I am still, sorta. But, writing has never been something I have ever been really fond of. Especially forced writing. (Yes, forced writing is what I mean. Forced writing: when you HAVE to do it.)

Remember back to your high school English class where your teacher told you that you were to write a 1,500 word essay on Shakespeare. That is where my loathe — scratch that... loathe is too strong a word — STRONG HATRED of forced writing began. 

I went to college for communications. Not necessarily writing. However, our senior capstone class was producing a magazine. Each student researched a wrote a story for the magazine. Then followed it through production laying out the text and graphics. That was the fun part for me. Arranging the words on the page, but not necessarily writing them. 

Now, don't get me wrong. I like writing ... sometimes. I enjoy it when it is my idea. I did well with my Cowboy Journal story for college because it was my story idea and about something I cared about. 

But, I learned while working for the large cattle breed magazine I was an assistant editor, that you can't always choose the stories you want. And that made me realize that I wasn't in the right job for me. 

So, now. I am working from home. (Still writing for the magazine.) But, I am trying to spread my wings and figure out what it is that I really want to be when I grow up, so to speak. 

As of now, I am really leaning towards photography. I sincerely hope this dream of mine works out. I am photographing a couple weddings this year and am looking forward to getting a whole slew (is that the correct spelling?) of clients. 

So keep me in your thoughts and prayers. Because, as you can see ... I have a lot of issues to work out these days.

On a lighter note ... Honey-do and I joined a gym!!! The real diet and exercise program begins now!!!