[talk: Reality.]

Well.  It's been a few days ... where am I at?

BUSY.

I've redone my RHP site (launching April 1, 2012) ... pretty excited about that.  Why?  Oh, just because it's fun *grin* ... and because I feel like it really represents me well.  I like it ... so yeah, I'm excited.    I'm also in the process of redoing my RHP blog ... I've hummed and hawed about doing this for over a year ... but when Blogger is FREE, why would I pay??

Well ... I decided to put up the coin and buy a template that I can manipulate into what I want.  Why?  Because I wanted my blog to flow with my site - and for it to appear more professional.  Plus, my new blogsite allows me to do far more than my current Blogger one.  

And when I bought it, it gave me the option of using the template for another site (that being, this one).   But then I'd have to register Homemakingirl ... yadayadayada. I don't know ... this doesn't get near the traffic that I think it would need to, to do that.

Beh.  

Not worried about that today ... 

Instead, I've been getting dinner ready all day.  We're having both sets of parents over - and every thing I've made is right from my Make By Homemakingirl blog.  And I see that I've had over 900+ hits??  Crazy ... 

What else?  Well - I haven't been running.  Or exercising, for that matter.  Hmmm ... that's not entirely true.  For some reason if I haven't exercised intentionally in the last 2 days, I feel like I haven't done it ever.  So, yes.  I have exercised - like only three times in the last 7 days.  I've been riding the stationary bike ... (yuck).

And I've made an appointment with my doctor.

Why?

I've decided it's time to look into orthodics for my running shoes.  I haven't run much at all lately, and for some reason it feels like my shins are getting worse??  So sad, as I feel like everything goes a bit downhill for me when I don't run.  I know that I should be having a more diverse exercise schedule, but I just love running so much ... I hate that my ankles and shins are causing me so much grief.

I get down ... stop working out ... start eating nutella out of the jar ... get mad at myself ... eat another scoop *grin*.  Feel worse ... you know how it goes *laughing* ... 

So I have an appointment next week with my doctor, who will hopefully recommend a good place to go to get my legs/ankles FIXED.  I've talked to so many people, and they've all said that orthodics changed everything for them.

I hope it will for me too.

Have a great one ...

[talk: Me and My OnePiece.]

I'm going to be 38 soon.

Thirty-eight.

Really??  How is that possible??

Well .. it's the truth.  And I am at a happy place in my life ... I continue to learn about who I am, and am having fun with that.  Our kids are at a great age, I love our home - business is going well, and I after 20+ years - they still let me lead worship at church.  

Life is good.  I feel good.

And even the tiny battle I have with my body image is starting to mature, I think.  At least it is for today *grin*.  Things are changing, and I won't be able to stop it ... it's harder to lose those couple of pounds, like I used to do in a week.  But I am stronger and healthier than I have ever been in my life - even with the odd sugar binge.  It's pretty obvious that I'll never be taller *grin* ... my nose won't shrink *bigger grin* ... and my arms will alway be *cough* um, thick?  But God made me, and He made me well.

We were away in Arizona for a couple of weeks with friends ... and I brought 3 swimsuits.  One "tanning" bikini (that no one should ever witness me in ...); one two-piece that I can actually feel fairly confident in; and a one piece.

What did I wear?  The one piece.

Oh, it's super cute ... solid navy, strapless (for no tan-lines), rouched, with a white band around the top ... 

But ... it's a one piece.  That's for old people, right??

Well ... I came to the conclusion that no one ever sees my tummy, so why would I expose it for a tan?  And ... another reality is that I'm concerned about moles and the sun.  I don't know about you, but pregnancies put added moles on my body and, yeah, I don't like to mess with that.  

So, I've been covering up.

Now, maybe if I had a six-pack (is that what it's called on girls??), I'd prance around proudly.  But I don't ... so, instead, it's me and my one-piece.

And I felt GREAT :-))).  Although there are no pics of me in it to prove that I did ... thank goodness *wink*.  

I took this pic with Katia during a day at the water-slides in AZ.  You can kinda see the suit ... sorta.   More pics to come ... I took advantage of the freedom of my Iphone for most pics, and with them all already edited and ready-to-go, I'm not sure I want to even go through my Nikon pics ...

But I will *grin*.

Speaking of pics, please go check out my latest session with Shawn and Erica Miller on my RedHanded Photography blog HERE.  A preview ... 

Have a GREAT one :-) ... I will be tonight, for sure.

I have a date with Lady Antebellum, LIVE in Vancouver.   Oh yeah, baby.

[redhandedphotography: Feel Like A Winner!]

Last week I entered yet another "I Heart Faces" photo challenge.

And I'm SO excited ....

Click HERE to see how I did!!

Have a great one *grin* ...

(I think that's the shortest post EVER.)

[make: Angry Birds Birthday Cake.]

An Angry Birds birthday cake.

Really??

I need to stop asking my kids what kind of cake they want ... I've made aquariums, Cars race tracks, a treasure chest, Toy Story themed, a Little Einstein Rocket ... all kinds of cakes.  So when Josiah wanted an Angry Birds cake that he could PLAY on (like, a slingshot and the whole deal ...), I rolled my eyes.  Oh.  Boy.

Thank goodness for Google and all the amazing ideas that are out there *grin*!!  I searched and researched and this, THIS is what I came up with ....

Step One.  Bake some cakes *grin*.  I made two 9"round, one 9x9 and one ... well.  It's a 6" bowl, I think.

... I made a massive batch of buttercream frosting.  Coloured it green ... mmmmmm.

Then, I began the "staging" ... cutting the cakes, and trying to build.

Then out came the frosting ...

Then ... I kinda got lost in the process and forgot to take step-by-step pics *grin*.  But I need to tell you about the Angry Birds that I made.  Yes. I actually MADE them ... but seriously - they were fall-off-a-log-easy.  

I actually bought a block of pre-made fondant, how easy is that?? Then I took about a 2inch glob, picked a food colouring colour and rolled it into a ball.  So - for example - I made a red 2" ball.  Then I made an orange beak (I made an orange ball and took a bit from that), then white fondant for eye and the chest.  Then black fondant (again, a fondant ball dyed black) for the eyebrows and I bought a black-food-colouring pen for the eyeballs.  They were SO easy ... and so much fun.

I bought a few props ... some little shrubs, some rock candy ... a couple of fences.   The pigs' "blocks" were made out of Coffee Crisp chocolate bars.

And my FAVOURITE part is always to decorate.  To make the cake come alive ...

SO fun.

 

  

Then ... the next morning, as in every "birthday party morning" - Josiah came running down the stairs to see his cake.  Ok ... I changed my mind.  THIS is my favourite part.

 And ... he just stared at it.

 So.  That's my "Angry Birds Birthday Cake" for Josiah's 5th birthday.  And now I get a break until August *grin* ... 

Mattias wants a Lego cake *head smack*.  Good thing I have a few months to try and figure out what I'm going to do for that *grin*.

Have a great one!

[redhandedphotography: Melody Davis Photography.]

PHEWF!

I have finished up all of the images I took of my friend, Melody of Melody Davis Photography.  Her and I did a shoot in the Las Vegas desert, and I've been SO excited as I've been editing and processing her shoot.

If you're interested - head over to my RedHanded Photography blog HERE to view images. I'd love to know what you think - which image was your fave and why ... so please leave a comment *smile*!  

Have a great one!

[digiscrap: Pages Pages.]

WELL.  My friend, Shawna, gave me the ol' "... hey - where's the blogging been?" when I saw her last night at our church's Missions Banquet.

GAH. *grin*

Let me tell you ... I have been far from sluffing off ... in fact, I've been busier than ever - just not sure with what *grin*.  A lot of time has been going into the planning of my RedHanded Photography relaunch - scheduled for April 1, 2012.  I've got my new website well under way, along with new packages, new pricing and a new look.  EEK.  I love to create!!  But it's a biiiiiiig undertaking.

When you renovate - it leaks into everything.  I'm also having to redesign my business cards, my promotional material, my blog ... um.  What else??  Good grief.

I am also working on the photoshoot from last week's Las Vegas trip with my friend, Melody of Melody Davis Photography ... so much to show from that ... 

But for now?  Ah yes ... MORE  pages.  Yee gads and little fishes - would SOMEONE please stop me from taking so many photos???

*grin*.

Naw.  Don't.

And FYI ... there's an error on one of the pages ... can you find it?  (man. it's just more work for me to have to go back and fix it. super *grin*)

(click images to enlarge)

I hope you have a fantastic day ... mine is go - stop - go -stop all day ... including a photoshoot after lunch and an 8:30pm meeting with a wedding client.  But first?  Exercise.

Gah.

Have a great one!!