Life is Crazy, but God is Good.

Life has been a little hectic for me lately.

This week, my darling husband and I have been dealing with a few obstacles. We found mold growing in our bedroom, and have subsequently been sleeping on our front room floor. The mold problem has resulted in us needing to move because of not knowing where it is coming from and also because of the possibility of it returning. Erik has asthma, so living in a home with a mold problem is just not an option. We have lived here for 2 months, and now it is time to move... Oh well.

The mold also caused some significant damage to our belongings... Our mattress and box spring: ruined. Our shelving for our clothes: destroyed. Our nightstands: in the dump. All of my shoes (yes I said ALL OF MY SHOES): gone forever. Unfortunately, all of these things had damage from the mold and moisture that was just not repairable. So, that will cost us a pretty penny to replace!

On top of that, last week, my Grandma was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She had a radical hysterectomy yesterday. So far, it looks like the cancer was just in her uterus, so hopefully no further treatment will be needed. But, if chemo or radiation is needed, my Grandma is up for it. she is 69 years old, and told us the other day that she plans on being around until she is at least 80. That sounds good to me Grandma! I am praying (and I hope you will too) that the tests come back with good results, and that I will have my grandma around for many years to come.

So, to say the least, this week has been a bit overwhelming. But you know what? I'm doing okay. We have had great friends praying for us, offering advice, and just helping us out in general. I am so grateful for that! There is one person in particular that has really been such a great friend. And that is this girl right here:

This is Catie, and she is amazing. The day we found the mold, she came over and helped me completely clear out that bedroom. It was just her and I, as I wouldn't let Erik anywhere near that room with his asthma. So Catie and I, we moved all the furniture out of the room, and took it to the dump. Then, we took out all of our clothes, blankets, sheets, etc., bagged them up, and started doing load after load of laundry (when you have mold spores in a room, anything that can be washed needs to be, in order to kill the mold spores). Catie took a number of bags to her house and did many, many loads of our laundry. She gave me a hug when I whined that I didn't want to move again, and she drove around with me for 4 hours helping us find a new home. This girl is such a good friend, and I would have been lost without her this week!

Another great help this week has been my ceramics class. It is so therapeutic and really helps to release my stress! I have been having a blast building some beautiful pieces, and I can't wait to do even more. I truly look forward to that class every Tuesday.

Most of all, my greatest help and comfort has come from The Lord. I know, above all, that God has a plan in store for us. I know that there is a reason that we need to move again, and I know that it is all part of God's plan. That gives me so much hope and peace. If I didn't know those things, I would be so lost in frustration that I wouldn't be able to think straight! Instead, I am comforted by the fact that God is in control, and I am just asking for his wisdom and guidance through this. I hope and pray that when you are dealing with stress and uncertainty in your life, that you turn to The All Mighty God for your source of comfort and strength. There just isn't anything better than what he provides. Take peace in that, my friends. I know I do.

~Amber

I'm a Master of.... ummmm.... hmmmm....

Kelly over at The Startup Wife gave me a blogging award! My first blogging award!

Yay me!! I am supposed to list six things that I am a master at..... ummmmm.... idunno.

She actually tagged me for this award a couple days ago, but I have been procrastinating on posting about it because I'm not sure what I am a master of....

OH WAIT! THAT'S IT! I am a master of PROCRASTINATION!

Okay, so there is one. Only five more to go!

I guess to be honest I have a hard time saying I am a master of anything, because I still have so much to learn about all of the things that I love to do. Photography, cooking, baking, creating... all things that I love to do, and am pretty good at, but I still am so far from being a "master." And so, I will refer to some people that I love dearly in order to see what they think I am a master of. It seems so much less egotistical if someone else says I am a master!

My husband said I am a master all things cake. Baking, designing, decorating, etc. I hardly think I am a master, but I will take it! Thanks Love. You make my smile. :-)

My friend Catie said I am a master of baking. I told her to try again because Erik already took that answer. Ha! So, Catie says I am a master of crafts. I believe that would be most likely meaning the jewelry I have been making. Someday I will post my jewelry on here.... hopefully someday in the very near future!

I called my Momma, and she said I am a master of communication. I like that answer. My Momma knows me well. I do love to communicate (ie. I talk a lot), but I also just believe that communication is key. Many problems and disagreements between family and friends can be settled with just a little more communication! I am pretty good at talking with people and resolving conflict through communication. Thanks Mom. I wouldn't have thought of that.

Next up, Mom's fiance Mark. Mark said I am a master of creativity. Aw, thanks Mark! I do love to be creative, and to use my creativity to capture and make beautiful things. I get my creativity from your future wife, by the way.

And finally, the sixth thing that I am a master of comes from my adorable little brother, Zachary. Zack man says that I am a master of planning parties. That might just be my favorite answer yet! Every year, Zack gets to pick a theme for his party, and Mom and I go all out to plan a great party for him. That includes decorations, food, prizes, games, and a cake of course! As soon as his party is over, he starts thinking of what he wants the theme to be next year. We have done that since he was 5 or so. It's always so much fun!

I guess that's it! Those are the six things I am a master of. And what about you? What are you a master of? Leave a comment and let me know! For now, I will tag some fellow bloggers so that they can play along to.

1. Liza at yelizabeta

2. Lena at Rick and Lena

3. Brooke at Fun with Fuentes

4. Catie at Feeling a Little Bloggy

5. Amanda at Amanda Pratt Photography

6. Samantha at My Babbling Brook

The Rules:
1. List 6 things you are a master in.

2. Pass it on to 6 bloggers you think are masters at friendship, and make blogging so awesome.

Just some pictures

I've been a bit sick this week, so tonight my post will just be some pictures that I have been playing with in Photoshop. I am really enjoying using and learning about this program, and I can't wait to do even more with it! Enjoy!

Holly Berries covered in snow

Mt. Shasta, after the storm

Hot Air Balloon Sillouette

A beautiful rainbow

And what better way to end the day than with a gorgeous sunset...

Goodnight.

~Amber

Birthdays & Baby Showers

The last few weeks have been surprisingly busy, and also a lot of fun. We have had two very full weekends in a row, with the weeks prior filled with planning and getting ready for those weekends. First, we had my Mom's 50th birthday, which I showed some pictures from earlier last week. Below are some more pictures of her wonderful birthday weekend.

My beautiful Momma. The birthday girl.

Make a wish!

Eating her cupcakes.

The cupcakes. Lemon cake, lemon curd filling, and white chocolate lemon frosting. Yum!

This is Mom's favorite of the cakes I make, and it will also be one of the layers in her wedding cake in February.

Months ago, we all asked Mom what she wanted for her 50th birthday. She wasn't sure for awhile, and then she thought of something. She called me one day and said, "I know what I want for my birthday.... I want 50 presents!! One for each year of my life!" And so, our family began planning a birthday celebration that would include 50 presents for my wonderful Mom who deserves that, and oh so much more.

Mom in her new Pea Coat. One of her 50 gifts!

She had gifts big and small, from wine & cooking tools, to bath & body products, to clothes, and family pictures. It was so much fun to see her open all of them, and see how much thought everyone had put into her gifts.

All of Mom's presents.

We just had a small party, which included our immediate family, and some close friends. We made mexican food and margaritas, and just had a great time. We had great music, thanks to the musicians in the family, and later in the evening we had some great laughs while playing games.

My Momma and I.

Mom and my adorable little brother, Zachary.

My nephew Colton, with Mom and Zack.

Overall, I would say it was a huge success. Happy 50th birthday Mom. You are truly and amazing woman, and I am so very blessed to call you not only my Mom, but also my best friend.

I love you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following weekend, Erik and I traveled down to Sacramento for a baby shower for our dear friends, Christine & Andrew. Christine and Andrew have an adorable little boy, Oliver, and a little girl on the way, Lucy. Here are some highlights from the baby shower. Christine, I am planning on sending you a CD with all the pictures I have very soon!!

A precious baby blanket.

Miss Christine, looking beautiful!

Here is the cake I made for the shower. I decided to go with a small cake on the top tier, and then cupcakes below. This worked out perfectly, as there were enough cupcakes for everyone, and Christine was able to take the small cake home to enjoy! At Christine's request, the cake was a yummy combination of marble cake, raspberry filling, and white chocolate buttercream. The cupcakes were the same. I hope you loved it Christine!

Christine's cousin hosted the shower, and she did an amazing job! Her home was decorated so beautifully. All the little touches really came together for a wonderful shower. Here are some of my favorite things.

The sweet little favors.

The beautiful centerpieces and table decor.

The adorable baby clothes hung around the room. These mittens were my favorite!

The beautiful pink Gerber Daisies placed all over.

Precious pink pacifiers hanging from the chandelier.

And baby Lucy's name over the fireplace. This was just gorgeous!

Christine & Andrew, it was so great to see you both and celebrate with you. We can't wait to see baby Lucy the next time we visit! Congratulations on a beautiful little family!

Our whole weekend was really wonderful. It is always so nice for us to go visit our friends in the Sacramento area. We may not get to see them as often as we used to, but that makes our time together even more special and enjoyable!

Okay, that's it for me for tonight. I am working on some more pictures in photoshop, and can't wait to post more on that later... until then, Goodnight!

~Amber

Playing in Photoshop

My Photoshop class has started, but we have not actually done anything in Photoshop yet... hopefully next week! In the mean time, I figured I would just mess around with Photoshop a bit, and see what I could teach myself. Here are a few pictures that I have been playing with this evening.

A beautiful flower

The same flower, with a vintage effect added.

Sunset at the lookout near Medicine Lake.

Another evenings sunset at the same spot.

Hopefully we will be starting some lessons in our class next week and then perhaps I will actually know what I am doing! Not too bad for starting out though!

This week has been crazy... My Mom and family left on Monday, and Tuesday was spent recovering from the weekend. Catie and I attempted to go to our ceramics class Tuesday evening, but we were caught in a crazy storm. So, instead of playing with clay, we were playing in the snow and putting chains on the car. The storm has still not stopped, and it is supposed to keep snowing through the weekend! Crazy! Today was spent shopping, cleaning, and baking. I am making a cake & cupcakes for my friend Christine's baby shower on Saturday. Pink is the color for little baby Lucy! Christine has requested marble cake with raspberry filling. Sounds good to me! I got started today, and am excited to continue tomorrow morning. Tomorrow will have lots of baking, along with some organizing. Now I just have to pray that the weather clears up enough for us to get on the road Friday morning!!

**yawn** Ohhh, I am sleepy.

Okay, I think it is time for bed now. If I plan on getting anything done tomorrow I must sleep!

~Amber

A Preview of Blogs to Come....

I don't know about you, but I have had a busy, busy week and weekend! Luckily, a lot was accomplished, and Mom's birthday was a great success… Great food, great music, fun games, and of course, tons of love and laughter! Below are some highlights of the weekend so far. I will post more details and pictures this week. Enjoy!!

This is my little brother. He decided to hang out with our dogs in their crate. He is a big dork.

This is my Momma. Isn’t she beautiful! Ooohhh, and don’t those cupcakes look yummy?? Yes, I made them. More on those later…

Speaking of cupcakes… this is my brig brother Dustin and I, after the great cupcake fight of 2010. mmmmm frosting…..

Here is Mom, by her huge stack of presents. A gift for every year of her life, plus a couple extras!

And of course, no party is complete without music! We have my hubby on the left playing guitar, my brother on the drums, and his friend Bubba on the right also on guitar. Mom’s fiancé Mark also plays the drums, so he and Dustin switched off throughout the night.

That’s all for now. I will have much more later. Have a great weekend everyone!

~Amber

Classes, Cleaning, & Birthday Parties.

Classes started this week at College of the Siskiyous. I finished up my AA last semester, so now I am just taking some classes for fun. I am taking an online Photoshop class and a ceramics class and I am super excited about both. My first ceramics class was tonight, and I am so glad I signed up for it! Tonight, we made our stamps that we will use to stamp the bottom of our pieces so our stuff doesn't get mixed up. It was just a little project, but it was so much fun and so relaxing and therapeutic! I can't wait to really get into both classes and learn more about both of these art forms. I will definitely have some posts in the future revolving around these classes, and what I am learning in them. Yay for learning new things!

Ah, so I have not been posting nearly as much as I would like on this little blog of mine. Soon... soon... At this point, I am simply not posting because I have not yet made good use of my new camera, so I don't have any pictures to post. I don't take pictures a lot of the time because I feel like everything around me is so unorganized and chaotic that I can't even imagine taking pictures. But not for long...

I am on a mission of home organization. This is a little hard for me, as I am naturally kind of a messy person... But, it is coming along. Our living room is now just how I like it, and we have managed to keep it that way for a few weeks now. Yay! Our office/guest room/craft room is getting there, but there are a lot of things to fit in a small place, so it is a bit overwhelming at time. This week, that will change.

You see, my Momma, soon to be Step-Dad (Mark), and adorable little brother (Zachary), will be coming to visit this weekend to celebrate my Momma's 50th Birthday. Happy Birthday Momma!

Momma, Zachary, & Mark. I know, I know. I have the most adorable little brother on earth. Trust me, he knows it too. :-)

That means the office/guest room/craft room needs to be cleaned, organized, and ready for company by Friday afternoon. Part of that process is painting my new desk... but that might have to wait another week or so due to less than perfect weather. :-( Oh well. The room will still look fabulous without a perfectly re-painted desk! Ohhh yes, and I also need to prepare things for Mom's party, and make her an a.m.a.z.i.n.g. cake. Oh, I will be busy, busy, busy.

On that note, these are my goals for the rest of the week:

1. Purge many items that are still boxed, and will most likely never be used anyways.

2. Find homes for all the items that are not being donated/sold/thrown away. ORGANIZE!

3. Wash/fold/put away much laundry.

4. Wrap mucho presents

5. Make a birthday cake

6. Make some jewelry for my Momma

7. Clean, clean, clean. Oh, and clean.

I think all that is pretty doable. I work best under pressure anyways! Plus, I am really excited about how nice it will be to really be fully 'moved in' (i.e. no boxes!) and also to actually know where all of our stuff is for once! I am also excited about making Mom's cake, and hopefully recording the process here. That may take up a few posts, so be sure to come back by and check in this week and next! For now, I am going to go get some rest so that I can wake up early tomorrow and get to work!

Good night all!

~Amber