The Pajama Game - Becoming Poopsie

It has been quiet on the blog front, but not quiet in real life, that's for sure. The biggest thing that has filled my days has been local Masquer's Theater's production of The Pajama Game. I was cast as Poopsie in August, and we just finished up 5 weeks of shows. Friday and Saturday night and then a matinee on Sundays. Phew! It was a lot of work...but sooo rewarding. 

Becoming Poopsie was such a fun journey. She is a fun-loving flirt with a fondness for Monday mornings and a pep in her step that could make anyone smile. Poopsie works with her best friends at the Sleep Tite Pajama factory in Ohio, and they are all in a battle for a 7 and a half cent raise. The play is set in the 50's so we had a set full of vintage sewing machines, terrific bright colors, lots of polka dots and a cast wearing amazing, time period costumes. And I got my hair and white as possible, cuz that's how Poopsie would do it. 

I also had the privilege of doing the poster and program design for this production. And I got to be on the poster!! It was so neat seeing my work up all around town. I had a lot of fun working with 50's colors and fonts and vintage sewing ephemera to create the designs. Then I made little personal invitations for each character to share on Facebook and text to their friends to invite them to see the show. They were a big hit. 

I had 8 costume changes, including a pink pair of pajamas and some adorable houndstooth pants.  This play is full of amazing songs, great dance numbers, funny one-liners and characters you can't help but fall in love with. Another great part of this play was having Chris in the cast too. Our characters got to flirt a little and it made it extra special. 

Also I got to be in a special dance number called Steam Heat with 4 other girls. We wore fishnet stockings, black shorts, white button up shirts, bow ties and bowler hats. It was probably the most rehearsed musical number in Masquer's history, but it was so much fun. Glad I got to be a part of it. 

Here are some of my favorite images from the play. My friend Marta came to the show and took some of me so I would be able to have the memory of being Poopsie forever. I love these pictures. 

I am so grateful to my dear friend, and director Holli for casting me as Poopsie and believing that I could do her justice. It was a highlight of my year. I made some new great friends and loved sharing this journey with them. 

Turning 28 years old…

Today I turn 28 years old. For some reason this one is a hard one for me. I am in my “late 20’s” now and it feels strange to say that. Is there more that I should have accomplished by now? Am I doing an okay job at being an “adult”? These are the things I’ve been thinking about as this day got closer and closer.

But I found the answer in creating this list… my list of 27 things I learned at 27. I’ve done this every year since I was 17. That’s a decade of lessons learned and chronicled. You can see a few of my other lists here.

I’m glad again for the chance to stop and look back on the past year and pull all the truths out of the trials. To see that I did grow and learn and change and become a better person and step into being the adult version of myself, even though it feels strange.

So here is my list for this year…

1. My favorite part of driving a bright yellow VW Bug is everyone else who sees it and smiles (or gives their friend a “slug-bug”).
2. I am blessed to be part of a fabulous team of talented people at NICA and to have the chance to learn from them as we tackle projects and work together.
3. I am still a poet and an artist.
4. Jehovah always provides exactly what we need. I’ll never forget my hands shaking so badly as I tried to unwrap my new Bible and the amazing 3 days we spent at the International Convention in Seattle. #greyisthenewblack
5. Clothes that fit right can make you feel how you’ve always wanted to feel, and CAbi does that so well.
6. Sometimes the answer is to put a little purple in your hair.
7. Sharing my home with my in-laws has been the biggest test I’ve ever faced, but it taught me endurance and patience and kindness.
8. You should never binge eat Red Vines. Or Cool Ranch Doritos for that matter…
9. Mobile offices are the best kind of offices.
10. “Always rejoice in the Lord. Again I will say: Rejoice! Let your reasonableness become known to all men.” –Phil 4:4,5
11. Life as a Platinum Blonde is as good as I hoped it would be.
12. Brush scripting is a skill I learned that I will continue to use and develop because it brings me joy.
13. Cabbage steaks are too delicious to describe. You’ll just have to try them for yourself.
14. I love stovetop popcorn with lots of butter and salt!
15. I can do 200 squats in one day! And it does wonders for my backside.
16. My husband expresses his love for me by supporting my dreams and realized that to keep growing I need new equipment. I love my new camera so much! 
17. The #bestjobever includes driving home with the top down after a satisfying day of work.
18. A house full of music is my favorite kind of house.
19. Boats make the best hotels.
20. Death is a harsh reality of life.
21. I love taking pictures of couples in love; especially those celebrating anniversaries.
22. Camel rides are just about as fun as elephant rides.
23. #transformationtuesday posts are so helpful to keep our weightloss journey in perspective and encourage us to keep going.
24. Home is where Chris is.
25. Glad to be an official “iPhone-ographer” with the purchase of my very first iPhone this year…it has become my main camera for capturing everyday life.
26. Finding a tribe of like-minded people can be inspiring and motivational.
27. The best thing is to do the kind thing.

Now & Then

I recently fell down the rabbit hole online (through Pinterest, of course!) and came across this really great meme called Now & Then. Some of the ones I saw were srslyliz, bedsidesign, and fernaly. I thought I was a super cute way to look back and see how some things change and some things stay the same… and might give you a little bit of insight into my personality.

Here is my take on Now & Then. I thought back about 10-12 years ago when I was 16/17.

Some of the things that stayed the same…obviously my attraction to Christian Bale (from Little Women to Batman!), trying different things with my hair, my love of music and watching shows about families, music and spies.

Things that are different…the way I approach each day has changed, and I also don’t have time to read my Nancy Drew books much anymore. My perspectives and priorities have matured a bit I think. But that comes with getting older.

Such a fun way to look back, right?!

Did you learn something you didn’t know about me?
Try this post idea yourself and share your link in the comments. I’d love to see your Now & Then too!

Addicted to my CAbi Multi-topper

Hi guys…long time no blog, right?! I’m not going to apologize or make excuses, just say Hi, and nice to see you!  

I am so excited about something new and I just had to share. I was invited to a CAbi party by my friend Marta 3 weeks ago. It was my first CAbi experience and I really had no idea what was going to happen. I knew it was clothes, but once I got to the party location I realized it was so much more. The group of ladies who got together were shown a whole season’s worth of clothes and then we got to try them all on! Super cool.

It was actually a really huge moment for me… I have lost over 60 lbs these last few months, and to go to a clothes party with my friends, try on sizes of clothes I’ve never fit into before, look and, more importantly, feel amazing… I was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness. Toni, the CAbi consultant was truly a gem and gave me a moment I’ll never forget that night. Pretty powerful stuff. Of course I wasn’t going to buy everything I fit into (even though I wanted to!) but I was drawn to some key, super cool pieces.

One of those pieces is their Multi-topper. To look at it, it seems kind of like a poncho with sleeves. But there are multiple, innovative ways to wear this garment. It can be a shirt, a sweater, a scarf, a skirt or whatever you can come up with. I just had to have one of these. So I ordered it and got it last Thursday. I literally have wore it every day in a different way since! I’ve been posting to instagram, but just wanted to share here too.  

I already worn it as a sweater, a long duster jacket, a dress, a shawl sweater, a halter top, a cowl-neck sweater and a scarf. I’m pretty much in love with this thing. I’ve been having lots of fun with it and just wanted to share.

I’m hosting my own CAbi party in a couple weeks and I can’t wait to share these amazing clothes and this multi-topper with my friends.

Have you ever been to a CAbi party?
What is your favorite item of clothing?

The light of autumn

Chris took some pictures of me in our backyard and I love how they turned out. I feel like I'm seeing myself through new eyes...like I'm discovering who I am all over again. Love this journey and love this season.

Do you remember to get pictures of yourself often?
Big moments and little moments can be celebrated through photography!

This girl is an ENFJ

Have you ever taken the Jung typology test and determined your profile type? I was really looking forward to this prompt for #blogtember and the results I got were so spot-on, it was amazing!

I am and ENFJ = Dominant: Extraverted feeling, Auxiliary: Introverted intuition, Tertiary: Extraverted sensing and  Inferior: Introverted thinking.

Here are some quotes from the profile that really stood out to me as true and gave me a new insight into my personality.

“ENFJs are global learners. They see the big picture. The ENFJs focus is expansive. Some can juggle an amazing number of responsibilities or projects simultaneously. Many ENFJs have tremendous entrepreneurial ability.”
-This really feels like me. I have so many projects and interests and things going. And I love it that way! I love to be immersed in a project, but still in the back of my mind me working on other things too. Its like the image below, exactly! That is why I love my job with NICA. We are knee deep in big projects, but always planning and creating things for the future too. Totally fulfills me in that way.

“ENFJs are called “Givers.” As an ENFJ, you're primary mode of living is focused externally, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit into your personal value system. Your secondary mode is internal, where you take things in primarily via your intuition. ENFJs are people-focused individuals. They live in the world of people possibilities. More so than any other type, they have excellent people skills. They understand and care about people, and have a special talent for bringing out the best in others. ENFJ's main interest in life is giving love, support, and a good time to other people. They are focused on understanding, supporting, and encouraging others. They make things happen for people, and get their best personal satisfaction from this.”
-That line about “best personal satisfaction” is so spot on for me. I think it’s a huge part of why I love photography so much. I am able to give something to people that they might not have even known they needed until they go through the experience and have their images. I truly enjoy giving of myself, and putting my all into each interaction.

“ENFJs know and appreciate people, however, they are apt to neglect themselves and their own needs for the needs of others. They have thinner psychological boundaries than most, and are at risk for being hurt or even abused by less sensitive people. ENFJs often take on more of the burdens of others than they can bear. As giving and caring as the ENFJ is, they need to remember to value their own needs as well as the needs of others.”
-Now this is something I need to work on, remembering my own needs too. I feel a lot of guilt when I shop for myself, or just need some alone time. But I know that when I take the time to refuel, I am able to build myself up and have more to give to others after.

So now its your turn! Go take the quiz and learn all sort of things about yourself too. It’s pretty neat to learn your strengths and weaknesses and how you can leverage them. Come back and share what you are. I’d love to hear!

#blogtember

Day 5 Prompt: Take this short personality test and respond to your results.

Just a little bit less…

A few months ago something clicked inside me…it felt like the body that I inhabit wasn’t really mine. It felt like something I was stuck inside and being weighed down by. I knew it had to change…I knew we had to change. Our bad eating habits and lack of exercise had brought us both to this point. As my health started to become a real issue, and Chris was in constant pain we decided to make a change.

With encouragement from a family member we decided to give the HCG program a try. We had seen good results that others were having and thought this might be just the thing to jumpstart our weight loss and be the catalyst to the healthy lifestyle we were desperate for.

And it was exactly what we needed. Using the HCG program we were able to loose 75lbs together and 17.5” total each. And it has completely changed the way we look at food. We still enjoy food and enjoy cooking together, but its not the focus…it’s the fuel that enables us to do everything else we want to do in life together.

We wanted to share some before and after pictures of our journey so far. These are before and after the HCG program. We’ve still have work to reach our goals…but these progress pictures are so encouraging!

We are headed in the right direction now…making better choices about food and what we put into our bodies. We are conscious of what we take in instead of eating without thinking and just because its easy, like before. It is possible for food to be healthy and convenient…it just takes some pre-planning and better shopping. We have discovered some new amazing recipes that I know will remain our favorite meals for a long time.

And the best part of this has been doing it together. We have always been a great team, but to see that teamwork applied to getting healthy has made me cherish it even more. We encourage each other and care for each other and that’s what going to be the most important thing moving forward. Caring for ourselves and each other. I love Chris so much, and I want us both to be healthy together for a long long time.

This is just the beginning…we still have a ways to go to reach our goals, but the difference this time than any other times we’d tried to loose weight in the past, is that its beyond that. Its not just about the weight…its about life. Living better lives; healthier lives. We have altered our approach to life and it feels so good. I’m taking back my body…claiming it as my own again. Making my body do what I want, not being limited by what my body will let me do. Feeling beautiful in my own skin.

Always, Sometimes, Never

I always wear mascara.
I always try to remember people’s names.
I always have had Jewel’s song “You were meant for me” as my ringback tone.
I always kiss my husband goodnight.
I always send thank you cards.

I sometimes drink coffee and sometimes drink tea.
I sometimes paint my nails to feel fancy.
I sometimes remember to move the seat back for Chris in the car.
I sometimes stay up late and sometimes wake up really early.
I sometimes wish I was better in the kitchen.

I never eat spicy food.
I never get everything accomplished in the day that I want to.
I never leave the house without my phone.
I never drink without a straw if I have the option.
I’ll never take the love I’ve found for granted.

And I just can’t get enough of my little scruffy puppy!

Me in 10 words or less

Creative.
Brave.
Trustworthy.
Intuitive.
Eager.
Decisive.
Loveable.
Appreciative.
Giving.
Inspirational.

This prompt was rather interesting to me…it could be a list of 10 words or a sentence about myself with 10 words. I decided to go with a list of words.  I don’t know in what context I would be “selling myself” (as per the title of today’s prompt) but I appreciated the encouragement to be a bit introspective.

“Blog Every Day in May” challenge. Day 11: Sell yourself in 10 words or less.

Around here

What’s on my….

VANITY: A bookmark with a scripture on it I was given at my grandmother’s memorial, a photographer’s business card, 3 bottles of perfume and the elephant necklace Marta gave me.

PERSONAL TO-DO LIST: Get back to blogging more, taking pictures with my big camera, finish last week’s Project Life spread and hug my husband…that’s an important one!

FRIDGE SHELVES: Rice milk, Spanish olives, homemade Caesar salad dressing, cream cheese with no bagels to put it on and eggs for Chris that I wish I could eat too.

ITINERARY: Opening weekend of Fahrenheit 451 (the play Chris is in) and Special Assembly Day all in the same weekend. Also looking forward to our employee appreciation even in Spokane in May and then heading up to Canada in June for our anniversary and the convention.

FANTASY ITINERARY: Sleep… perhaps on a cruise ship.

PLAYLIST: Kacey Musgraves and episodes of The Voice.

NIGHTSTAND: Vicks vapor rub to help me sleep and all the bobby pins that I take out of my hair. That’s where they end up. And everything else has been moved to “puppy proof” the bedroom. He got to my glasses…that didn’t make me too happy.

PHONE: Pictures and videos of my puppy. Texts from my mom and my love and messages about my cousin’s new baby girl.

TOP 5 LIST: 1) Working from home full time. 2) Recognizing contentment. 3) Enough time and money to make our house into what we imagine. 4) Health for me and my husband. 5) Being brave.

BUCKET LIST: Take Chris to Maui. Write music together. Spend more time with my family. Try different types of food.

MIND: Medical bills piling up. My huge to-do list. Looking forward to visiting and sitting by my mom at the assembly on Saturday. Hoping to get to Wenatchee to see the new baby. Wishing we could put a fence up in our yard.

WALLS: I have my clock collection (but pared down quite a bit) in the living room and a big inspiration board in my office.

LIQUOR SHELF: Wine from our wedding with special labels, some Captain Morgan’s and Fetzer Gewürztraminer (my favorite).

LAST CREDIT CARD STATEMENT: Car tires and alignment and groceries.

SCREENSAVER: The fliqlo clock. I love the simplicity of it and haven’t changed it in years.

TV EVERY NIGHT: We don’t have regular TV anymore, and we rarely watch it during the week (which was the point of getting rid of our Dish). But I do catch some shows on HULU. I’m liking Go On and Nashville right now.

A fun fill-in-the-blank post idea from Kal. What are your answers?

The days that make you smile

I have had a some really great ones lately…days that make me smile so hard my cheeks hurt and pray in thanks of the wonderful ways that God makes things happen.

I am grateful for goose bump moments and connections that you never thought you’d make. For phone calls that change the momentum and direction of life and bring everything into perspective. For visits with family and generous gifts that make a hard thing a little bit easier. And for new glasses….they’re not ‘rose-colored’ but things sure do look brighter as I look through them.

Incredible opera productions are making me happy, and time spent with friends, and the beginning of spring, and eating amazing food, and coming home to a little bit of a lawn started in the backyard. I love grandma’s that bring little puppies new toys and work opportunities that speak to my heart. I savor the chance the slow down and take it all in for just a moment and write about it…these days that make me smile, and…

The way he loves me through it all.

A cut and a color

Back in December I was just checking Instagram one day like I love to do, and stumbled across this picture in Becky Higgins’ stream. And I instantly thought… “That is totally my next hair style!”

Luckily the darling lady was tagged in the picture, so I clicked over to her Instagram feed and was so excited to find tons of pictures of her sweet hair cut and lots of different ways that she styles it. Her name is Becki and she is the founder of Whippy Cake. You can follow her Instagram HERE. She also has a few hair tutorials on YouTube!

So of course I showed the pictures to Hannah, my cousin and hairstylist, and she said that the texture of my hair would be perfect for the cut! So I started making plans, deciding what products to try and dreaming of short hair. And on Monday the 21st we made it happen!

I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!

I’ve had it short for a week now, and I am loving the texture of, how playful it is and yet still really feminine. I can’t wait to try a few more of Becki’s tutorials and see how it looks with curls and lots of volume. Its not the exact color I was going for yet, but my hair was pretty dark, so it will take a couple more processes and it will be perfect. Hannah did such a great job. I am so excited about this style!

And my little puppy Gibson had to get in on the photo action too! He is just the cutest thing. I’m pretty smitten. Look at that face!!

What is the most drastic change of style you’ve ever done?
Do you like short hair? Would you try it?

Life at this moment

I am currently:

Drinking…peach iced tea, but contemplating a glass of wine after the long day I had.

Watching…Downton Abbey on HULU while I work.

Wearing…very soft pj’s that my mom gave me and my slippers. Pretty cozy!

Reading…the Bible book of Ruth for my daily bible reading and I have a few books from the library that I’m deciding if I really want to read them.

Weather…has been extremely cold the last few days here. Icy roads and parking lots, but they say its supposed to be 30 degrees again by the weekend, and that’s an improvement!

Wanting…to complete my blog posts about my One Little Word. I have a summary of how flourish was a huge part of 2012 and another post introducing my word for 2013. I’m excited to share.

Thinking… about blog design and coding. Its taken over every spare spot in my brain lately. I wish I could get over this hump of learning and just know how to do what I want to do.

Wishing… for the Seafoam edition of Project Life to be available on Amazon soon. I am going to try it this year, and I think that color story that Elise designed is just perfect.

Feeling… anxious for a new hair cut. I’m in love with Becki of Whippy Cake’s hair. I’ve been stalking her instagram for styling ideas and I’m hoping Hannah and I can get together soon to make it happen.

Deciding…what color to pain the big wall in our house. We have a few swatches taped up, and I think we’ve agreed on the one that we’ll choose. Looking forward to doing some more decorating and making our house a home.

Enjoying… my job. I have so much fun and feel fulfilled in my work, even on long days like this.

Loving…my husband. I’m such a lucky girl to have that guy in my life.

What are you up to currently?
Link me to your blog so I can see how you’ve been!

New hair in November

As the season changed I felt the itch to change my hair again too. I had kept it blonde since April, which if you know me (or have read this blog for any length of time) you know that’s a long time for me to have the same hairstyle! Chris really likes it short, so I knew I would get a bit of a trim and keep the shape pretty much the same. But I did decide it was time for a darker color.

So my cousin (and hairstylist frequently mentioned in these posts) Hannah and I picked out a really rich brown color and planned to balayage on the highlights. That is where the highlights are painted onto the hair, instead of done with foils. The end result is really natural and not streaky at all. I love how it came out.

I’m loving fall with my dark hair. And thankfully, the snow melted away rather quickly and the weather has been mostly warm all this month. A lovely November, if I do say so myself. I have been busy with the transition from lots of free time at my old job to no time to be online aside from working on my blog design projects. So my blog has been a little quiet lately. But things are going so good. I am thoroughly enjoying my new job and I know when I look back at this time in my life I will smile. It might not be as well documented, but it is good.

How has your November been?
Do you like to change your hair with the seasons?
What is a new trend or technique you’d like to try?

A week to remember

I am back to work today after an amazing week of training in Spokane. It was great to be in the city again for a bit and I am so excited to be a part of the team at Horizon Credit Union. I had fun getting back into the swing of dressing up a bit and wearing professional clothes again, so I wanted to share my outfits from the week.

I wore my new favorite blazer on Monday… I just love how it fits. And then I found some cute purple pants at Target, so I wore those on Thursday. Everything I wore was from Maurices, Target and Burlington Coat Factory. Those are my favorite stores. And if you look closely you might notice the other new thing that I got on Tuesday night: a new phone! I was due for an upgrade so I went ahead and got the Samsung Galaxy S III. I have a hard time with letting go of things (even when they barely work anymore…) so it took some convincing and a really good deal for me to make the switch. But I am so happy with my new phone!

I also took the opportunity of my time in the city to meet up with some of my friends that live there. And go to my favorite (and new favorite) restaurants. My nights were full of great food and encouraging conversations and my days were full of learning.

I know that this last week will be on that I remember for a long time. I felt like I was coming home and starting anew all at the same time. I love the financial industry and the values and member service based philosophy of this credit union. I think its going to be a very good fit for me and my personality.

The group that I was in training with was awesome. We had a lot of fun together and left with so many inside jokes and many important lessons: like remembering to check the expiration date on your cans of pop. I felt like a valuable member of the team at Horizon from day one and my skills and knowledge of the industry were utilized at training. I was able to help explain federal regulations and reporting, bring money handling and customer service experience to the table and it made me feel so good. I learned a lot from the instructors and made some new friends. “Yeah Buddy!”

It was such a terrific week!

And now I’m back home with Chris (thank goodness!) and in my branch again working with members. I am grateful for this opportunity and can’t wait to watch life and my new career flourish.

What’s your favorite thing to wear when you dress up?
Do you have dreams of making a change in your life?
What’s holding you back from moving onward and upward?
I’d love to hear about your experiences with changes…

Me, Myself and I

Yay! It’s the 3rd Tuesday of the month which means to things: 1) its time for this month’s fun “all-about-me” style link-up and 2) I don’t have to think too hard for a blog post today. Phew! Thanks ladies for another great round of questions. Visit here for more information about the link-up and how to participate.

1) What is your favorite season? Explain.
I love autumn…like viscerally love autumn. Its when I feel the most like me. I always have felt that. Something about the turning leaves and the colors and the crisp air and the scarfs just makes me feel at home. Someone once told me “October looks good on you” and it kinda stuck with me. This month is my favorite.

2) Talk about a moment that changed your life.
3 weeks ago when I got the call and was offered my new job at the credit union. Everything came together better then I could have ever hoped for, and I know that this will be a pivotal moment from which all future amazing things stem from. I can’t wait for the rest of this journey. I can’t wait to look back and see just what was changed by this moment.

3) If you could be a Crayola crayon, what color would you be and why?
I would choose the color purple. It’s currently my favorite color to use and to wear. I love my purple walls in my office and the purple on my blog. It’s what I find myself drawn to lately.

4) Describe yourself and a superhero: superpower, name, sidekick, etc?
If I had a superpower I would want to be able to make everyone see just how beautiful they really are. In my opinion, far too many people don’t see their own beauty and value. I would want to change that. And have super-sonic hearing…but that’s probably just because I’m deaf in one ear.  

5) If I had all the money in the world, but could only shop at 3 stores, where would I want to shop?
I’m going to say Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory and IKEA. Food, clothing and shelter. All bases covered!

Now its your turn! Create a post answering the questions and join the link-up! It’s a fun monthly one that’s been interesting to be a part of. I’ve learned lots about my favorite bloggers and found people that had answers like mine. Its like that C.S. Lewis quote: “Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another: “You too? I thought I was the only one!