Creative Sunday

I took advantage of the long Labor Day weekend to spend an ENTIRE day in my scraproom creating pages. It felt so good to be among patterned paper, scissors, glue dots, and cardstock again. I haven't been consistent about scrapbooking lately, so this day was a welcome return to my little creative world.

I took Stacy Julian's class Twelve at Big Picture Classes at the beginning of the year. Although the live part of the class is over, there is an ongoing assignment to continue to create twelve layouts a month in each of twelve different categories ("you," "holidays," "family stories," etc.). I was diligent in getting my layouts done each month through May, and then I got off track. I have thoroughly enjoyed this challenge because it encourages me to create pages and tell stories on topics that I would not normally explore. Here are two of those layouts:

Recently my dad gave me a huge box of old photos, most of them from when my sister and I were little. The box sat in the basement for a while because I didn't know what to do with all of those pictures. I mulled over several possibilities, all of which seemed overwhelming. I couldn't imagine scanning all of those photos or organizing them into albums. So I just started scrapping them. Once I got over the fear of cropping them and adhering them to a page, I had such fun making these layouts. This page is one that I made based on a sketch at Simple Scrapper. Almost all of the supplies I used are from My Mind's Eye.

I normally wouldn't scrap a page about a place, unless it was somewhere we went on a vacation or field trip. But one of the categories in Twelve is "places," and our church is definitely a place that plays a huge role in our lives. This layout was inspired by Shimelle Lane's beautifully layered and embellished pages. Again, I used mostly paper and embellishments from My Mind's Eye.

The Dilemma of Healthy Eating

Lately I have made a huge effort to get our family eating healthier. I have bought whole food and grain cookbooks, read numerous blog posts about eating locally, and stocked my pantry with items like amaranth flour and agave nectar. Last week, I even made the hour trek into Winston-Salem to the Whole Foods Market to bask in aisle after aisle of everything organic, grass-fed, and devoid of high fructose corn syrup. It was wonderful.

Today, however, I read the following in Foreign Policy magazine:

"The trendiest new staple at your local Whole Foods is probably quinoa, an Andean grain so high in minerals, protein, and amino acids that the FAO says it can be substituted for mother's milk. Quinoa was introduced to the North American market three decades ago, but since 2000 it has really taken off, with the price jumping nearly sevenfold. That's great news for the Bolivian farmers who produce the vast majority of the world's supply, but it may be bad news for the country's health. With their country now exporting around 90 percent of its quinoa crop, many Bolivians simply can't afford it anymore. Domestic quinoa consumption has fallen 34 percent in the last five years, and health officials fear a rise in obesity rates as Bolivians abandon the highly nutritious grain they've enjoyed since the time of the Incas and switch to imported staples like rice and white bread. President Evo Morales's government has even designated quinoa a 'strategic' foodstuff and included it in a subsidized food parcel for pregnant women. But more drastic measures may be needed to keep up with the insatiable demand of Western foodies."

I have a whole container full of quinoa and I have made some very tasty quinoa muffins that even my children like. I felt so great about giving my kids such a nutritious breakfast. But how am I supposed to feel now? I may be snapping up the quinoa, using it to make myself feel better physically and mentally, and at the same time robbing a Bolivian family of a staple of their diet. I realize that the farmers who grow the quinoa are probably much better off now that there is a huge demand for a once lowly crop. I am glad for all of the fair trade efforts that exist today. But I can't help feeling guilty for the fact that I may be driving another family into subsisting on white rice and bread--the exact thing I am trying to avoid with my family.

Happy New Year!

We spent a quiet Christmas and New Year's on the farm this year. The kids got new cameras from Santa and the horses got peppermint treats (which they love). Happy New Year!

Halloween 2009

We had a rather different Halloween this year. We usually make a special trip to the pumpkin patch, carve Jack-o-lanterns, then go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween night. This year, we barely had time to get to the pumpkin patch, we didn't get a chance to carve Jack-o-lanterns, and we went Trick-or-Treating on the day before Halloween in downtown Madison. It was rainy and dreary on Halloween, so we stayed in and watched movies. Not our usual traditions, but it worked for us this year. I did manage to get some cute photos!

Fall on the Farm

We knew this place was beautiful in the spring when we moved in. There were trees budding and flowers blooming (especially honeysuckles) everywhere. The farm was even more wonderful in the summer when all things turned leafy and thickly green. But fall has been the most spectacular season yet. The blazing reds, yellows, and oranges surrounding us have been amazing. The pictures below are some views from our back porch.

Letters to God, Part II

Last week we were invited to see this movie, Letters to God, as it was screened for a group of investors and supporters in Greensboro (see link below). It is an amazingly moving story. Even though there are sad parts, the film has such a message of hope. Be on the lookout for its release in the spring!

Letters to God, a Possibility Pictures Production

Letters to God, a Possibility Pictures Production

This is a new movie coming out in March 2010, produced by a client of Dan's. This company also made the very successful movies Facing the Giants and Fireproof.

Ride! Swim! Run! Shoot!

On the weekend of September 11-13, Alex and Margaux participated in their very first regional Pony Club rally--the Tetrathalon. The Tet rally is made up of four phases--stadium jumping, swimming, cross-country running, and shooting with air pistols. Our club was the host, so I learned a lot about attending a rally as well as what it takes to put on a rally. The rally was held at the Sedgefield Show Grounds, a local hunter arena. The grounds are gorgeous and we received lots of compliments on the setting. The weather was also wonderful--bright, sunny days but not too hot or humid.

Participants began arriving from all over North and South Carolina on Friday afternoon. The kids settled in the horses that were staying overnight, walked the jump course, had a pizza party, and took the written test. The jog out (vet check) began bright and early on Saturday morning. Alex and Margaux rode shortly after lunch. Alex had a perfect ride--no faults! He got second place only due to a slightly slower time. Margaux had a couple of faults, but the crowd cheered loudly as she climbed up on the fence at the slip rail to re-mount her horse. The jump course at Tet is supposed to somewhat reflect obstacles one might encounter while riding in the open. Riders have to open, go through, and close a gate. They also have to dismount, take down the top rail of a fence, walk the ponies over, replace the fence rail, and then get back on. Margaux, being vertically challenged, had to improvise, using the fence as an impromtu mounting block, when she got back on Jazz.

The kids swam Saturday evening at the local Y. On Sunday morning, everyone headed over to Hester Park to run. Afterwards, the participants completed the shooting phase. Margaux had some trouble with the swimming phase, which left her in fifth place overall. But she did win the "Pony Poop" award. Apparently she was very concerned when Jazz did not immediately poop in her stall while awaiting their turn to ride. She made sure that all of the officials knew that she was keeping a close eye on her pony and they all were very glad when Margaux reported that her pony finally did her business. Alex came in second overall, with first places in shooting and running. It was a great weekend--enjoy the pictures!

Tet Rally Practice

Next weekend, September 11-13, Alex and Margaux will be competing in their very first Pony Club rally. Our local Pony Club is hosting the Carolina Region Tetrathalon Rally. The kids will be riding, swimming, running, and shooting. They have been working hard on jumping courses and shooting air pistols. Last weekend, they had a practice at one of the coach's farm. The pictures below are a preview of the upcoming rally!

Photoshop Fun

I have been taking an online Photoshop class to learn how to do all kinds of things with my pictures. Here are my first few projects. Enjoy!

Pony Club Camp

Alex, Margaux, and I spent June 17-21 at Pony Club Camp at FENCE (Foothills Equestrian and Nature Center) in Tryon, NC. FENCE is a beautiful place--huge arenas, cross country courses, and a steeplechase track. We left on a rainy Wednesday morning, but it was sunny, hot, and muggy by the time we arrived. Alex and Margaux had lessons all week with some really great instructors. We attempted to camp on the grounds, but after rain the first night, I chickened out and checked into a hotel. Alex's favorite activity was learning polocrosse and Margaux loved going on a trail ride and galloping along the steeplechase track. The week was intensely hot and the ponies hated staying in stalls so much, but overall we had a great time. The kids were able to do all kinds of different riding. They really benefitted from the focused instruction. Here are some pictures from the trip.

Horse Show

We spent most of the day today at a horse show put on by Alex and Margaux's trainer. The kids did fantastic! Their ponies were very well behaved and their riding was spectacular. Alex won two 1st place ribbons, a 2nd, and a 3rd. Margaux won THREE 1st place ribbons and a 5th place. Dan and I were extremely proud!

Pony Club Rating

Recently, Alex and Margaux rated up in Pony Club. They have been active in the local club of the United States Pony Club for about about 1 1/2 years now. I am really impressed with the whole Pony Club philosophy of teaching young riders. The organization focuses on the entire process of owning, caring for, and riding a horse safely and correctly. Alex and Margaux are really enjoying being part of a group of kids who love horses as much as they do. As part of the club, the kids are rated up as they learn more about horses and attain higher riding skills. The first levels are the D-levels--D1, D2, and D3. In April, Alex and Margaux both went up to D2. We were very proud of them! Pictures are below.