Photography

For those of you who aren't friends with me on Facebook (Hi! Jennifer!), I now have my photography site up and running. I'm really excited for this new journey. I've had some time to reflect on why I love photography and if this is something I really wanted to keep pursuing. Which hasn't been easy. There have been challenges and days that I doubt every thing I've done. But my camera has become my friend and provided an outlet- emotionally and creatively and I couldn't turn my back on it now.

www.meganmetcalfphotography.com

Maple Cotton Candy= pure deliciousness

I believe here in New England, carnivals are taken seriously. Let's take the Big E for example. It's where all 6 NE states come together for 3 weeks and host a carnival/fair/4-H extravaganza! It's insaneo in the braino. Cony wasn't able to come (poor guy was sick and had lots of work to catch up on) but I went with our GA/CT friends. I ate all my weeks worth of calories and don't regret it a second and saw so many people- I don't know a word to describe how many.

I will probably not do it again. It's expensive and way too many people. However, I had a wonderful time with the friends and who doesn't love a carnival?

(Don't know who these peeps are...)

This was a really cool competition. Woman driving a wagon team and we ain't taking a beat up wagon, we are talking.. pimped out wagons!

This so should have won 1st place.. but got 7th! Really judges!?

Can you see all the people??? And this was just one small section..

Each state has a house with different vendors that represent what the state is known for and I learned a few things about Connecticut.. Lego's and PEZ were invented here. In Vermont's house, we tested some cheese of course AND tasted Maple Cotton Candy? Ever heard of it?? It's out of this world delicious.

Me and my 'creative hat' (at least that's how Cony refers to it) and our friends cute daughter. I'm glad I have friends who let me borrow their kids.

Don't you love her expression? Pure happiness.

Carnivals at night are the best!

These corn dog stands had 6", 12" and 18" long corn dogs. I wish I was kidding and wish I had taken a photo so you would believe me.

The Truth about Yankees

I never thought I would say this in my lifetime... but these dam Yankee's are pretty amazing. I know, can you believe I just said that??

The members of our ward have shown us so much love and compassion and have made us feel right at home. Today I was brought to tears. Gwen (the woman who is SO much better than Martha) found us after church and said she had a little something in her car for us. I was thinking, "Yay! Fresh fruit or veggies". However, she took us back with giving us a 6 pack of Hosmer Mountain Birch Beer because Cony wasn't able to try it at the BBQ (it's like root beer but clear), a box of fresh picked apples and the newest Yankee magazine. I'm not sure which one I love more. The magazine has the top 25 towns to visit for the fall foliage and can not wait to visit these places.

It's almost like she knew that I was feeling a little beat down and needed a little pick-me up. See, it took all my energy this morning to get out of bed because I got the worse hair cut known to man yesterday. Ok, maybe that was a little dramatic.. but it's pretty darn close to being the worse. I'm talking, holes in my hair, completely UNeven and not at all what I asked for. If you are a man you won't understand this, but our hair is sacred and can affect how we feel about ourselves. I'm still unsure what to do. Do I call her and have her fix it? Do I ask for a refund because I can't afford to pay someone else to fix her mess? Or do I just shave my head?? And I'm seriously looking for some answers... please!!

Anywho.. let's go back to happy thoughts. The Sunday after we gave our talks back in August a gentlemen at church (whom I had never met) came early to give us a list of his favorite places to eat all around the state, a map of the state and a brochure on the biggest fair/carnival around.. the Big E. I was tickled pink. This is why we have a blog, so I can share these things but mostly so I don't forget the sweet moments in life.

If you look closely to the list of restaurants you can see he used a type writer. Simply adorable.

We needed to make dessert for our dinner date today, so what do you do when you just a received a box of apples? That's right, make apple crisp. Yum.

So there you have it folks. I not only live in Yankeeville, but am growing very fond of the people. I think it's like anywhere you go- depending if you live in the country or the city, you're bound to have different experiences with people. For us, right now, I'm grateful we live in the country.

I'm falling in love...

That's right, I'm falling in love with the North. BUT I have a feeling once winter comes around, I'll be changing my mind. They say that since it was such a 'hot' summer, the winter's going to be really cold. The leaves are already falling off the trees and that doesn't normally happen until October. I'm really not looking forward to the winter. Period.

However, until those really cold days come, I'm gonna live it up with the amazing fall weather and festivals. Today was spent picking raspberries. I'm hoping to make a few jars of jam. I think I have 2 loyal friends that leave comments, so I might send them a jar.

There are a few things we are still getting used to...

*People take 10 minutes to make a right or left hand turn.

*There's only 1 area code.. so no one types it on signs or windows.

*Campus is crazy busy at night. Students walking or working out, but not just at night, ALL the time. This shocked me.

*We hardly see any African American's.

*Slow drivers.

*I've only seen 1 football field!!

*Everyone seems to have a farm and sells produce. Most even go with the honesty policy- where they leave a box for money.

This is the trail I go running. One side is a reservoir and the other side is a small airport. The sunset here is one of the most beautiful I've seen.

Nauvoo

Nauvoo is a very special place and I'm so thankful that Cony and I were able to experience it together. I wish there was a way for my camera to capture the tender feelings of this place or at least a way to bottle them up for safe keeping.

During lunch we saw this family march around on the main street playing the bagpipes... and it was surreal. How they can make beautiful music like that and march to a beat is beyond me. Dad would have loved seeing this!!

We trusted Emily to take a photo of us. Seems simple enough...

There we go! She can be taught!

Couldn't get enough of him.

It's Fall, y'all!

Never thought I would say it saddens me that summer is officially over. I love me some Fall weather, but I'm not looking forward to what comes after this glorious weather. We had the best summer, we were unemployed & poor and have never been happier.

Even with our unemployment status we were able to create many wonderful memories. (savings is a wonderful thing to have!!!) We started with a little stop to Washington D.C. on our way to the Big Willi and had the best time with the Hammock's. We were able to get a personal tour of the Capitol and saw Nancy Pelosi & Ron Paul.

At the end of July we had cabin fever and decided to head towards Chicago and Nauvoo to meet up with my mom and sista on their way home to Georgia from Idaho. We aren't ones for making rash decisions but when you've got the fever.. you aren't thinking straight. Very pleased we went and it always helps to have family in random places that let you stay with em'. It's lovely really.

We love Chicago! It's big, clean and you see people on jet skis & boats cruising through the center of the city. What other city has that??

Anchor from a submarine. Yay for Squids!

Inspire & Uplift

I'm always on the hunt to find things that inspire me and uplift my spirit, because honestly sometimes it's easy for discouraging thoughts to consume me.

Lately I've been tapping into my love for design 'personality'. My goal was to make this apartment a place we could walk into and love. Especially since I spend a good amount of time here. I have lots of ideas still filling my brain and will share my projects as we go along, because this is my blog and I can do what I want.

I have a very strong testimony of making a house a home. A home should be your safe haven and a place that you can feel encouragement and inspiration. For me, I can't feel good about life if my house is not in order. I personally don't understand how people can live & function to their full potential in chaos. Period. My home affects me deeply. One of my favorite scriptures is in Doctrine & Covenants...

'Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God' 88:119

My new motto is 'Inspire & Uplift'. I'm doing away with things in my life that can't do either.

Today's project inspired by my new motto...

Please welcome my new favorite vintage item. Found this at another tag sale yesterday and grabbed it as quickly as I could.