Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Me?

What do Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and I have in common?

We are all Artists!

I went to a "Painting with a Twist" painting party a few weeks ago with some friends and loved it! We painted "Looking Up".

I fell in love with painting. I ran out to Hobby Lobby and bought painting supplies and an easel!

Here are few of my masterpieces (so far...)

This one is my take on a Claude Monet painting "waterlillies".

I tried a method I learned when I was a kid. The cross is put on with a long piece of yarn!


I googled "how to paint an evergreen tree" and this is the result. It turned into a winter theme. I think I will hang this as a Christmas decoration.

I bought a book of "Venice" paintings and copied one. I have more to go, but I think this one turned out pretty good.

I wanted to redo the orginal "Looking Up" that I did, I thought it was pretty dark and ominous. So, I redid it.

I am painting more tomorrow.

Look out family and friends, you may be getting paintings for your Christmas presents.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, No, It's the Blue Angels!

On October 30th, I went to the Alliance Airport Airshow and watched the Blue Angels! (My Favorite). Here are some great pictures from that day.

The Thunderbirds didnt fly that day, but they had one out on display!

There was a huge crowd!

The blue Angels before they took off.

This a good picture of all 6- there are two close, but if you look lower you can see the group of 4 circling around! So fun...

Awesome close ups... Lucky!

Here are some of my favorites.

Wish this one had been a half a second later.... oh well.

I loved this one. Had a blast this year. Next year, I would like to go with my dad! Sorry you couldnt make it this year.

Blog Confessional

Dear Friends and Family, Its been 6 months since my last blog!

Phweeeew. 6 months. A lot has happened so get ready. In the next few days I will post it all. And, I will get back to work posting the 'boring' details of my life as a traveller!

First of all, I am out of Sherman. Enough said, lets not talk about it anymore.

I then went to downtown Ft. Worth and stayed in a downtown apartment. It was great but on the 4th floor of a building- lots of stairs or a slow elevator... but not bad.

I loved the view from this apartment! But...

My contract in Ft. Worth ended quickly due to staffing, so I moved to north to Keller - Again!

I moved into an apartment in Keller and went to work in Denton at a hospital.





I am doing inpatient work with adults. I like the work and I met some great friends. I am going to spend the holidays here in Keller area and then on to other adventures. (Possibly Florida!?)



That was the quick version of my work adventures!

Bluebonnets, Lake Texoma and Denison Dam, Oh My.

This weekend I decided to travel around and find Lake Texoma and some Texas Bluebonnets! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend.

This one is the boat I want to own someday, on Lake Texoma.

Sitting on the cliffs of Lake Texoma, getting some sun and relaxing for a few hours.



Denison Dam. It forms Lake Texoma. I drove over it about half way before I realized I was on it! I am so observant.... uhhh. Its pretty big and impressive.

On the other side of the dam is a field of bluebonnets! Griffin got his picture taken in the bluebonnets! Yes, I was "that" person- taking pictures of the dog in the field. There were other people out there with thier kids and families, but Griffin is my family!

This one is my FAVORITE! He is a little Lion! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

My version of art...

There are so many bluebonnets here, it was a fun afternoon. He really liked running through them. He also wanted to eat them. ooops

It was a fun weekend.

Quick Update from Sherman

Hi Everybody!


I miss Grapevine, Keller and all that goes with it! The move went well- I got one carload up here and have more stuff hiding in my sister and brother-n-law's guest room! I got to Sherman and moved into a hotel for 2 nights. That was fun, it was up in Denison (only about 15 min north of Sherman).


I got to pick up keys to the apartment on Monday after work since, thankfully, I seem to be able to get off work between 330 and 430 every day. I couldn't stay in the apartment on Monday because my housewares were not here yet and I discovered that the apartment did not have a shower rod! Have you ever heard of an apartment "not including" that before? Thats what they told me... oh well, they are not expensive.


So Today, Tuesday, I picked up a shower rod, some minor groceries and finally got to come "home". My rented furniture is pretty nice this time, I have aqua blue couches!



Lastly- I miss my puppy dog!!! He is vacationing at Sara's and Austin's house and probably doesnt even know that I am not there. He loves it there, but I want him up here with me. Friday cant come fast enough when I can head back to Keller to get him!

OMG- I've never done that before!

So, I am sort of lame, I know. On my way home tonight I was listening to the radio and a guy was on talking about learning how to whistle.

Its silly, but I have never known how to whistle, and I have tried, really tried!

So, while driving home tonight, I am practicing in my car. And....

I did it! three times- I whistled.

I am not sure if the fact that I whistled for the first time, or the fact that I am so excited about it is more pathetic- but I dont care. Now, this was not part of my 40 by 40 list, but it should have been! I had sort of given up- thinking it was never possible...

Ok, now everybody laugh together! Dont worry, I am too- I just read back what I wrote. But, I really am happy that I did it... not sure if I will be able to do it again- I'll keep practicing.

So much news, so little time

I finally have a place to go in two weeks! I am moving to Sherman Texas, a small town just south of the Texas/ Oklahoma border. Its tiny but its there. I am going up there for three months, then who knows... lets see where the wind takes me....


The good news is that I am not going to be far from Dallas Fort Worth were alot of my friends live. I am going to miss them- REALLY REALLY miss them. Who am I going to call to go to Target with??? Who am I going to plan 5K's with and then not show up???
But, I will more than likley be in the area on most weekends. So, I am not Gone!, just not close.
Here are just a few people that I have met while being here- thanks for making the past year so great!

Cheryl, Carly and Freddy (not in picture, sorry)

What a cute baby!

Melissa- what a year we had here- 60 miles never hurt so much- ouch feet! But it was SOOO TOTALLY WORTH EVERY STEP!

The football game/ poker tournament gang! Until next season!

Oh the ladies from OCH! I would never have been here this long if it werent for all of you! Great people to work with, great people to know and call friends.

(snow day- while at work- we played!)

Neiman Marcus lighting

Teresa's bachelorette night- just one of the pictures... pretty fun night

Natalie's wedding- all the girls!

Michael and Kasen

Kelley and Kinsey!

Michelle and Rachael

Jessica, Me, Melissa

Kristina at the airshow- thanks again for going!

Lots of friends- how did I get so lucky this past year!

Texas Snow Storm!

Nearly everyone I know is posting about the snow on the ground! In Virginia my friends are talking about the 40 Plus inches on the ground and more to come! (So glad I dont live up there anymore)

But here in Texas, we got 13 inches yesterday! IN TEXAS! **Well, I am guessing its 13 inches, the news is reporting 12.4 inches at the airport, but in my yard- I measured with a ruler. The ruler sinks down into the snow and is covered up by about an inch, so I say its 13 inches of snow.

In my apartment complex on Thursday afternoon, I helped build a snow man on the basketball court outside my back door. Its over 6 feet tall and sadly was leaning so much that it fell over by the end of the night, but it was so much fun to make!

This is the view of our pool, deck area. It makes me wish for summer time...

Thursday and Friday were fun, Griffin and I put on our coats and went for a walk/ run in the snow. We had fun. This is Griffin running through the courtyard on Thursday.

Here is Griffin on Friday, after all the snow had finally fell. 13 inches- its too much for Griffin, he was not a fan. I had fun dragging him along with me though.

On Thursday at work, we were pretty slow and decided to go out and build snowmen and throw snowballs at each other. What a job I have- I have a great time with these girls and am REALLY not looking forward to leaving them in March! Right after taking this picture, Walker, the therapy dog on the left ate the snowmen's candy eyes and noses!