Blah

My great big welcome back to the Cottage last night was about as bad as it can get.

Sick, sick, sick.

Been in bed all day.

Hoping to return to the land of food eaters and vertical living tomorrow.

Miss you already

One thing I am desperately going to miss at the end of this 3 months is my morning swims.

Morning swims with the old folks especially.

Empty lanes.

Water aerobics music blasting in the corner.

Locker rooms full of 60 year olds talking about how many Facebook friends they have and what their newest ailment is.

All at the amazing indoor pool 5 minutes from my parents house.

I had to snap a picture of it as I left for the last time today.

I'm thinking it may be my favorite escape on future days off.

Mixing Bowl

I love the fact that we have a traffic snarl called The Mixing Bowl. Silly, I know. I also love the fact that I didn't get stuck in The Mixing Bowl today.

Side note: I'm headed home tomorrow. To my own bed. My own Cottage. My own roommate. And my computer is just about back to normal. Photoshop here I come.

It is settled

I'm moving here.

The question is....where might this be?

Guess

A peak at where I was today. Any guesses?

Listed

#1. I love hotdogs.

#2. Hotdogs are bad for you. This is well known.

#3. I seem to forget this every time I eat one.

#4. Milkmaid braids are one of the easiest ways to fix your hair.

#5. I found photos of my grandma in the 50's in milkmaid braids.

#6. My eyes are barely open.

#7. Why is this the norm for me?

#8. I slept in my own bed last night.

#9. First time in months.

#10. I woke up in the middle of the night and didn't know where I was.

#11. Our local CW channel pre-empted Vampire Diaries last night for a basketball game.

#12. My roommate and I are now officially in a feud with the CW.

#13. I'm headed to the big city tomorrow.

#14. Ferris Bueller day is what I'm calling it.

Yum

Oatmeal has become my favorite winter breakfast. Plain, boiled on the stove with my favorite mix in's. Today's were cranberries and bananas. No sweetener needed. So delicious.

drawn

I watched HP #7 Part 2 today.  Decided to be totally lazy and sit down and watch it, start to finish.  Mostly because it was a free rental on Amazon Instant and it was about to expire.  But second mostly....I've been wanting to watch it again after being disappointed by it the first time in the theater.  While it still wasn't my favorite one of the bunch (Order of the Phoenix is it for me, of the movies at least), it was a little better the second time.  Still not enough character developement.  So many small moments that were much better in my head or the emotions were conveyed differently than I would have done it. And still hated how they did the epilogue.  Oh, how I hated it!

Anyway....rambling in HP world, sorry......I jumped online to find this pin to post. 

(I have searched high and low for the source and can't fid it any where.  So sorry, amazing artist who drew this)

It has been stuck in my head since the moment I found it online.  Just loved the way it conveyed the whole tone of the epilogue that I loved (and not the one in the movie).

As I was looking around online, I found another amazing artist (Viria13 on deviantart [be warned: deviantart can be risque, so click with caution!]) with the most incredible work.  Seriously. I've been looking at her drawings all day.  I'm obsessed.... 

Harry and Ginny

The HP crew

The death of Fred

Harry and Ginny



 "Never Like This" Ginny, George (and Fred) (don't you just love how George looks kinda sad and happy at the same time)

Hermione, Harry and Ron

Oh, there are so many more, but I'll stop there.  If we're friends on Pinterest, I'm sure you are sick of all my HP pins from today, but I just couldn't help myself.  Her drawings captured me today.  Thank you, Viria.

I'm completely jealous of anyone who can draw like this.  To be able to get on to paper the worlds that are floating around in my head....that would be such a gift.  And to be able to draw them like this?  Wow.  I so, so wish I could. 

With him

A few more.  This time of the boy himself.  And the scenery too, of course.  I like to squeeze him in to show the immensity of the surroundings. 

Canyonlands.  Please excuse the dust on my lens.  It was kinda windy up here.  We were literally standing on the very edge of a huge cliff looking out over the canyons.  Notice he is taking a photo with one camera while another is slung over his left hip. Because one camera is never enough in our family. 

Arches.  You can pick him out by his mustard yellow coat.  So tiny in that big archway.  This place was incredible.  Absolutely awe-inspiring. 

All hipster.  Headed to Nancy.  Two cameras again.  Always two cameras.  And please note that back drop.  Um, wow. 

Canyonlands.  With his sister.  On that cliff edge again.  We were joking that our sister would have peed her pants and ran away the moment she happened upon this cliff.  She doesn't do heights.  We, on the other hand, sat there for a while with our feet hanging off the side tossing rocks over.  It was ridiculously humbling to be so small there. 
*note to self.  get rid of those old ugly yoga pants, please.

My favorite.  He had been longing (and mentioning about 5,000 times) how much he wanted to climb.  He's big into rock climbing right now.  So anytime he could scramble up a rock or two, he did.  And I, of course, took that opportunity to capture the moment on "film."   

This spot was icy cold.  It's funny because when my mom saw this photos, she was saying that when they were there several years ago it was 98 degrees outside and they about melted and had to run from the sun.  We actually ran to the sunshine just so we could feel our fingers again. 


Yes, I still have more photos.
Also, these are mostly SOOC.
 I bumped the contrast a bit on one of them, but other than that they are 100% the way God made it. 
Except for that darn dirt on my lens.

Because I've been thinking about Utah all week

Sundance starts Thursday.
The Bro is working major overtime prepping everything for the festival. 
All I can think about is how much I miss him.
Him and how much fun the Festival is with him. 
I'm going through Festival withdrawl this week.

So here are some photos to take the edge off....

More to come...
In the mean time,
Utah, I miss you and that kid I adore that's working at the Festival headquarters right now.
And selfishly, can I ask that all the movies be mediocre this year so I won't miss out on much?
Please?

This fine evening

I am sitting on the couch watching my favorite awards show...the Golden Globes. Anyone else love watching all those pretty dresses? I can't even imagine how beautiful they are in person.

Also, staring outside at this beautiful sky and saying "star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight."

Still very busy

See...

No excuse

I have no excuse for not posting.

I've been busy, but not so busy I can't squeeze in a sentence or two or even a photo.

Oops.

Bad Cottage Girl

Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta get back to "Tron Legacy" on my parents new Roku.

See...real busy.

free fallin'

My family is a roller coaster loving family.  Truly.  Since I was tall enough to get the top of my head to that "taller than this" line, I've been riding them. My first memory was the Super Duper Looper at Hershey Park.   I think my parents said I was about 4 years old.  "Start them young" was my their motto.  I must admit that my siblings and I are grateful now.  We can't get enough of them.

So while on this trip, we had to go on as many as we could squeeze in with 3 kids in tow that were too short to ride and a brother in law how doesn't care for them (what?!!).  I think the Manta in Sea World was the best coaster.  Yes, definitely.  It's a "lay face first looking at the ground" roller coaster. It feels like you are flying.  It.was.awesome.

I also love Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom.  Kraken in Sea World is pretty sweet too.  We did Rockin' Roller Coaster in Hollywood Studios, the Hulk and the Dragon Challenge (HP World) in at Islands of Adventure.  We tried Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (hello 2.5 hour wait), but it made both my mom and I motion sick.  I'm sure there are a few more I've forgotten, too.  (No Space Mountain or Thunder Mountain this time though because the lines were so long.  Sniff-sniff.)

I think our favorite though wasn't an actual "roller coaster," but has the same idea.  Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios (does anyone else still call it MGM?).  It's a drop ride where you free fall several times. The day my parents and I had a spur of the moment need to go back to Disney, we rode that thing 3 times.  Two of those times being back to back because there was no line and my mom just had to go on it again and how could my dad and I say no for goodness sake.

There is something so kid-like in screaming your head off and laughing hysterically at the same exact time.  It only happens on rides like that.  There is a certain glee that they bring that nothing else can compare with.  I love that feeling.  The terror of how "scary" it is and how absolutely funny it is to be weightless for 2 seconds when you are falling.  I'm smiling now just remembering it.  And I want to go back and ride it again this second.

Dear roller coasters,
We love you.
We hope to see you again really soon.


What about you?
Are you a roller coaster fan?
Or are you more the "safe on the non-moving ground" type of person?
Did your parents make you try them when you were young?

pretty, pretty

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I haven't been able to get this quilt out of my head.
The colors are perfection.
No, really. 
The colors. 
The colors!
And then the chevron.
And don't get me started on the other side.

Thank you Pinterest for making me obsess over something I have no skill to create. 
Thank you.

Nobody...is ever gonna bring me down

I've returned yet again.

I sang lots of showtunes in the car.

I think roadtrips require Broadway sing-a-longs.

Don't you?

Is there anything better than belting out "Defying Gravity" while you are sitting in rush hour traffic?

Well, of course there are better things, I suppose, but would anything else calm your need to break all the traffic laws and just drive on the shoulder. 

Speed by all those annoying people who chose to drive on the same exact road that you are at the same exact time. 

The nerve of them....

But singing...
"Masquerade,
Paper faces on parade,
Masquerade."

Yes, that feels much better.

Thankfully, all those people can't hear my silly singing voice.

They can, however, see my face as I really get into the words of the songs.

See it because we've now been driving next to each other at a 10 mph crawl for the last 20 miles.


Yes, these are the joys of showtunes in the car during rush hour traffic.

I want to go to there

Who's excited for tonight?!!

I admit I discovered the gem that is Downton Abbey later than most.  It was when it won the Emmy for  best mini-series last year.  But the moment I did, I was hooked. Absolutely smitten. 

 The set and the costumes.  The lighting.  Oh, the lighting is so very delicate and perfect.  

The dark downstairs and candle lit rooms upstairs.  

And Maggie Smith who is always perfection. She makes me laugh out loud with her comments on Americans (they live in wigwams, you know).

And then there is Downton herself.  I could take a million photos of that building and still find hidden corners of charm and delight.  I'm sure of it.

And because just one or two photos aren't enough, here are a few more....

Here's to new Downton Abbey and the feast for the eyes that is sure to abound!

ps...you can still watch season 1 online or on Netflix.  And if you haven't seen it, you should. 

You most definitely should.

souvenirs

The kids got to pick out a toy at one of the parks we went to.  My nephew got a stuffed dolphin from Sea World (his favorite park.  He loves sea animals).  My niece chose these from Disney World (her favorite park because she got to meet Tinkerbell).  How sweet.

I'm not much of a souvenir girl anymore.  My take-homes are my photos.  I just need to be better about printing them out and enjoying them in front of me.  That a goal for this year.  Printing out photos in various forms to enjoy them.  Then I can have gems like this one sitting around to make me smile when they catch my eye.  

Pool and notes

I've been thinking about our perfect Florida weather this week while I've been in the cold, cold land of long winters.  We had the weather I would ask for if I was placing an order at a drive-thru.  The warm sunshine.  The slightly cool breeze at night.  The almost-hot-enough-to-make-you-sweat, but not really too hot.  I think it will be the temperature in Heaven.  But then again, I love it hot, so it could be 90 degrees and I'd be perfectly happy.

We had a little pool at the house my parents rented for the week.  To say the kids loved it would be a gross understatement.  But I guess we all kinda loved it.  There's something that makes you feel almost devilish, swimming in the middle of the winter months.  Well, I guess that's true for those of us that have cold winter days to endure for 5 months of the year.  We used that pool quite a bit even with our long days at the parks.

On another note:  I'm finishing up Legend currently.  It's a slow start, but an interesting story.  Don't know if it will make the favorite list, but it's been a fun read.

Second note:  I missed Vampire Diaries last night and am cursing the ridiculous CW for not putting their shows online the day after they air.  Who waits a week to show an audience their show?  Who?!

Final note:  I'm beginning the grieving process about not going to Sundance this year.  I think it's finally hit me.  Oh, I'm going to miss it and miss spending that fun week with my brother!

Crooked little chimneys

The crooked chimneys.
They kill me.
Kill me.
The whimsicalness of them.
The way they look old and weathered.
How they seemed to lean in toward you like they were trying to let you in on their secrets.


I have so many photos to share from HP World.  Okay, not so many, but quite a few.  But I just can't stand to edit anymore without Photoshop.  They deserve the best.  So, I shall wait.

And I still haven't really worked out how to word what seeing it was like, so the words shall have to wait as well.  Until then, I'll just keep staring at those crooked little chimneys.  Staring and happily sighing each and every time.

365

As if I need one more reason to have an iphone, I found this on Photojojo.  Don't you just love that calendar full of images?!  Phone photos are just so easy.  I take so many, but my awful camera on my phone just drives me crazy most of the time.

I'm itchin' to try out one of these 365 projects again.  You can see my first attempt here.  I still love going back through those photos, seeing the everydayness of them.

One day....one day.  I'll be Instagramming and Photo365ing.

I've packed my bags for the 4th time.  Heading out to the frozen tundra to the abode of my sister and her munchkins.  A long, long drive, but worth it.  Definitely worth it.

I'll be adding the 5th state (places I've stayed at least one night or more) to my sabbatical list.  And I'm now entering the last 30 days of my 3 month adventure.  Can't even believe it.  How has it gone by so fast? 

I'll pop in when I can (read: when my sister lets me borrow her laptop).  Here's to long road trips with Harry Potter #7 (for the 27th time), Mark Driscoll and Matt Chandler sermons on the Zune. 

ps...I love this black and white version almost more than the color. 

pss...I still miss Photoshop.  So very much.  So...very...much.

Aim to reach

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Happy New Year to each and every one of you!

A brand new year.  With no mistakes in it.  No disappointments or heartaches.  Yes, they may come but so may the glee-filled, gasp giving ones too.  

As I was thinking today of what I want from this year, what goals I had, what things I wanted to accomplish.  The Lord kept quietly whispering to me things that are pretty much summed up in this verse,

"Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

Be gracious to me and answer me!

You have said, 'Seek my face.'

My heart says to you,

'Your face, Lord, do I seek.'

-Psalm 27:7-8

He has basically been saying that goals are good to have, sure.  But what He really truly wants for me is to seek HIM, not the things I want Him to accomplish this year.  Not a list of options for Him to give me.  (Lord, I'd really like to write a book this year. I'd really like to travel to a new place this year.  I'd really like to fall in love this year.  Those types of things.)  He wants me to just seek Him.  Seek His face.  Delight myself in HIM.  And this is His promise:

"Delight yourself in the Lord, 

And He will give you the desires of your heart." 

-Psalm 37:4

Those desires will be what He wants me to have because I am seeking HIM.  I'm running after HIM.  I'm laying aside the "wants" and "needs" for a God who loves me and longs to GIVE me those wants and needs.  

So that's my goal for this year.  Seek Him.  Know Him.  Become a woman who longs to be more like Him.  It's a lofty, high goal, but one that I aim for with my greatest effort.  

Here's to a brand new year, friends!

xoxo,

Cottage Girl