my mom

Mom - she is my best friend, role model, teacher, counselor, comforter.

today

Today I woke up at 5:30 and got to the gym for a good, early morning workout. I am really happiest when my day starts off with an elevated heart rate. I also practiced with my camera's self-timer. Today was just a "normal" day but it's fun to document the day to day things that I am doing. Maybe someday when I am old, these "normal" things will seem quite exciting. Hmm, okay maybe when I'm REALLY old these things will seem exciting, right now, I'm just content with the day to day.

Pit Master

Since I just told you a little about my Dad I wanted to put up a picture of what he does best : BBQ. I have to be one of the only girls that has a Dad that makes his own Father's Day meal, and loves doing it. At our house, he is the pit master.

Goals for Me and My Camera

1. Take more pictures, at least one per day

2. Learn to use Photoshop to edit said pictures

3. Have my camera with me more often than not

4. Take golf pictures of Dad and Andrew

5. Pictures of Mom, her hands in particular

Bro Jeep, Jeep Li, "Quite A..."

With Father's Day coming I thought it fitting to sit and reflect on who my Dad is. Sometimes, I wonder if we are actually related and then I look at my wide feet, short stature, bad eyes and realize, that yes, I am in fact one of his. It seems that the physical traits that I dislike the most about myself seem to have resulted from Mom's wussy genes giving up to Dad's and saying, "okay okay you win,.... again, our child can have your thin hair, fine, but don't say I didn't warn you."

This is not to say that Dad doesn't have a fist load of amazing qualities, it just seems that he was unable to pass the most desirable ones on to me. I I often tease him that all of my bad traits I got from him, which we all know is a lie because I got my attitude from Mom, but graciously, he never points this out.

One of the things that amazes me about my Dad is his ability to talk to anyone and everyone (and enjoy it!). He truly enjoys getting other people going and unlike me, new people don't make him the least bit nervous. To him they are an opportunity to make someone laugh. One of the ways that Dad connects with people is to give them a name. He has several names for himself, but also nicknames most of the people that he meets. This is a little about my Dad and his "names."

With all of my Dad's pseudo names you would think that he worked for the CIA instead of the railroad. Jeep, Bro Jeep, Jeep Li, "Quite A," are all things that he responds to. He doesn't do well with anything formal, Mr. Labberton never has suited him, neither does his given name of James Theodore. If you have never heard the story about how my Dad came to be called Jeep ask me, or him, about it, it will make you smile. But as for the other names that he has acquired...

One night I walked into his bedroom and he looked at me and said, "I'm thinking about changing my name." Hmmm...why would a man that doesn't even go by his real name need to change it now that he's 54 years old? Okay. He goes on to explain to me that he's "thinking of changing it to 'Quite A'...because he is 'Quite a Catch'." I about died laughing. Does he really lay awake at night and think of these things?

When he is BBQing he insists on being called "Bro Jeep," ironing and he's to be called "Jeep Li." Out of all of my Dad's silly names, I am thankful (despite my wide feet) that I am the one that gets to call him my Dad.

Aunt Jody's Salsa

Here is a picture of the salsa and of my cilantro crop!

At a graduation party this past Saturday for Andrew's cousin, his aunt had made some A+ salsa. Chunky, fresh, spicy...delicious. Watching my crop of cilantro go buckwild I decided to make a batch up. A word to the wise, or the wimps if you will: those dang serrano peppers are hot! I put in half and let me tell you, I had tears running down my face after a few bites.


Aunt Jody's Chunky Salsa
5-10 roma tomatoes
2-3 regular tomatoes
1 serrano pepper
1/4 head cabbage
2-3 limes squeezed
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 T. sea salt
1/2 t. sugar
2 cloves garlic
1/2 red onion
1 t. pepper
Chop in food processor. Enjoy!



Thanks Jody!

Photo Op

I just got a new camera. A friend from high school had taken some amazing pictures of Steph and I and our mothers and once I saw her camera I was totally addicted! I decided that before I find a house that I want to buy I'd better purchase the camera.

I have been trying to take as many pictures as possible to play with my new camera. So far, I'm not much better than I was with the ol' point and shoot model, but I'm working on it! The only problem is that it seems that my best shots are always of food! What is that about? People seem shy, cats walk off but food, it's always there for me. So here are a few of my pictures so far.