be content with all the "seasons" of life...

tonight, at mission church's prayer meeting...there was a statement that touched on being content with all the different seasons of life.
i'm not good at this.
i tend to look toward the "next best thing", which i think is a reoccurring theme in today's society. (so it's no wonder.)

but when bad things happen, no matter how bad...it always makes you thankful for the good times. always.

"new beginnings are often disguised as painful endings."
- lao tzu.

"all great changes are preceded by chaos."
- deepak chopra.

thrifty thursday.

:)
hopefully, this segment will become a regular. (and as such...more up-to-date.)
due to my love for most all things vintage, my deep nostalgia obsession, and the rush of stumbling upon something perfectly your taste-yet reasonably priced...i LOVE antique malls and small thrift stores, etc. (i get very overwhelmed tryin to shop at goodwills, salvation armies, and savers. ha.)

this summer, on our way to chicago, for the first time ever we stopped through my dad's hometown of council bluffs, iowa to literally drive down memory lane. right across the highway in omaha (my friend-kelly's hometown), they have this adorable, strictly-vintage shop called the flying worm vintage. sifting through all the racks of clothes, i found this GEM for $10. so exciting. never would've found it in a kansas shop; it wouldn't have even made it on a rack around here. haha.

1988 ncaa champions. das right.

a few weeks ago, my brother needed help finding a great outfit for thrift store prom over at midam i took him to ATC in westport and, obviously, i tried a few things on of my own.
i came out with these happenin, vintage, plaid, high-waisted bellbottoms for $9. (that was a lot of adjectives.)

photo courtesy of: cindy foster.

two weeks ago, my friend-becky and i went to the granada in lawrence and saw first aid kit (they were absolutely amazing. duh. seriously, go see them.) but first, we stopped in at aladdin cafe for some dinner, urban for some shoppin, and sylas & maddy's for some ice cream.
i came out of urban with these fricken-awesome, high-waisted, bellbottomed levis for $5. (they originally were $98, yall. be impressed.)

i also got those platforms for $8 from forever yesterday.

a couple weekends ago, we visited my mom's sister and her family in o'fallon, missouri--right outside of st. louis. occasionally, we'll go to cottleville and stop by a few little (mostly vintage) shops. this time around, we went to four quarters, and i picked up this cute, vintage, yellow tea pot for $15. :) :) :)  i LOVE it.

my mom has a blue one just like it!! :)

we also stopped by this brand new chocolate bar, vanbuskirk artisanal. so delicious!! and super unique!! chocolates, coffee, cheese fondue, and homemade ice cream. the whole feel reminded me a little of quay coffee. (and if you haven't tried THAT killer place, do it now.)

(pee.ess: shout-out to my bff, trisha marie; it's her birthday today. yeah, girl--get crunk.)

i wonder as i wander...

as a continuation of yesterday's post, i will leave yall with this gypsy proverb::
we are all wanderers on this earth.
our hearts are full of wonder, and our souls are deep with dreams.

my dreams, unconventional as they seem...

i've never felt compelled to follow the crowd.

i listen. and analyze. and like to figure stuff out for myself.

this has been the result to a plethora of interesting and sometimes unwanted interpretations by my acquaintances.

i have been called a free spirit. i have been called a rebel. i have been called a noncomformist. i have been called reckless. i have been called a hippie. i have been called unconventional.

all, from a certain perspective, could be viewed as positive and/or negative...depending on your desired persona.

i have grown accustomed to the realization that people will think whatever they want to think.

you can live your entire life a specific way...striving to not only seem but completely and truly be a certain way. and people can somehow get the impression that you are the complete opposite.
(this is a different entry for a different day.)

maybe you think i'm bitter...

but it's just facts based off 23 years of my over-analyzed life experience.

at the current stage of life i'm in...this is all very relevant.

only this time, it is not necessarily by choice.

most of my surrounding peers are progressively transitioning into their adult lives in their adult jobs with their adult relationships.

due to a series of unfortunate events, my life is not following that same time frame.

i have no doubt that God has a plan that is greater than anything i can imagine because i know that those events are were only temporarily seemingly unfortunate. (another different entry for a different day.)

i say all this to say, i shot three different photo sessions this past week.

-and, now more than ever, i am completely sure that i want to be doing this the rest of my life.

i have such a passion for photography.

i love being able to capture stories on film (and/or memory cards), and knowing that these precious people will cherish those images and pass them on to their children's children's children.

it makes me feel like i'm playing a part in preserving history. (cheesy, but true.)

i love meeting and further building relationships with people.

and i love spending my time outside, surrounded by God's creations. (sidenote: autumn is such a magical time in the midwest.)

if i can somehow incorporate serving the Lord along the way, i will have it made. i could not ask for more than that.

so.

i will sit back...and see where this unconventional dream of a journey takes me.
and choose to enjoy the ride.

this might be my last chance...

Father, hear my prayer::

i need the perfect words--words that he will hear and know they're straight from you.

i don't know what to say;

i only know it hurts to see my only friend slowly fade away.

so maybe this time, i'll speak the words of life with your fire in my eyes,

but that old familiar fear is tearin at my words;

what am i so afraid of...??

cause here i go again, talkin bout the rain and mullin over things that won't live past today,

and as i dance around the truth, time is not his friend;

this might be my last chance to tell him that You love him,

but here i go again...

Lord, you love him so;

You gave your only Son.

if he will just believe, he will never die.

but how then will he know what he has never heard??

Lord, he has never seen mirrored in my life...

so maybe this time, i'll speak the words of life with your fire in my eyes,

but that old familiar fear is tearin at my words;

what am i so afraid of...??

cause here i go again, talkin bout the rain and mullin over things that won't live past today,

and as i dance around the truth, time is not his friend;

this might be my last chance to tell him that You love him,

but here i go again...

You love him.

You love him.

what am i so afraid of...??

how then will he know what he has never heard??

what's for dinner...??

as i've been cooking (and baking) more during these past few years, i've realized how beneficial it is.
it is definitely an outlet for me.
my brain does not wander while i'm making the dishes; i have to focus very hard because it does not come as easily to me as other acts do. the measuring, and mixing, and stirring, and molding, and timing...to a "perfectionist," (i use quotations because it only applies to certain things...most things though,) i need to pay close attention during each step to ensure a perfect outcome.
i've kind of had a rough past few days (which i will spare you the details on because i want this blog to be strictly positively-driven and ever-encouraging.)...today making these haystacks, and then helping my mom with the potato soup for my family, really served as a type of coping mechanism that i was really thankful for and really needed.
it took my mind off everything, and it also actually made me feel good after finishing; it turned my day around. i felt accomplished. and productive. and i always like to see smiles on my family's faces when they see what i made and enjoy eating it. it's comparable to serving, in a way, actually.

these haystacks are a fun little treat during the fall; i had them at many a halloween party growing up. and they are especially easy...which is great for you college-kids. ;)

Haystacks!!
(made about 18 stacks; depending on how large you mold them.)

this recipe calls for:
-1 (12 oz) bag of chow mein
-2 (11 oz) bags of whatever chips ya like...be it butterscotch, peanut butter, or chocolate. (i made three different batches, so i could do all three.)

directions:
-melt chips, one bag at a time, in microwave...stirring at 30 second intervals until fully melted.
-pour over chow mein.
-mix, however you can to try not to break/crush the noodles.
-form into "haystack" clumps.
-let sit and dry on wax/contact paper. (or can be chilled in refrigerator to speed up process.)

ambition.

“for what it’s worth: it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. i hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, i hope you have the strength to start all over again.”
- eric roth.

my friends are talented.

So. i'll let yall in on the know...

the people i know are really talented.
like really.
friends and family.
it's ridiculous really.
musicians, writers, athletes, artists, actors, photographers, chefs, designers, models, caregivers, comedians, theologians, philosophers, geniuses.
i love it. they truly inspire me.
i love how many different and unique gifts God allows people to have...and how differently each individual chooses to use them for His glory. it's just amazing to me the daily run-in with such the variety.

i'm not quite sure how to embed this, (so if somebody knows, hit me up,) but this is ross wooten's video of kelly & jordan-her man, singin their pretty-little hearts out on a song that jordan wrote. i lived with kelly for two years in college in a suite of six girls altogether; yes, living with five other girls can get a little crazy at times...but you get to know those people better than you ever could otherwise. you emote on such a deeper level. and you learn so much.
i loved those four years. i got to live with some of my very-best friends, and i wouldn't trade that time for the world. :) now we are at that stage in our lives where everyone is getting married, (and literally everyone is getting married,) so we won't ever live together again, but i am so thankful for that quality time and all those little moments--and i am so incredibly blessed to have them all in my life. they have helped mold me into the person i am today.
there is no doubt God knew what He was doin that day my cousin-lauren and i "randomly" got placed in spindle 205.

these are a few of my favorite thinnngsss...

i'm going to start a new segment. (this blog is fairly new; just bare with me with all the "new segment" stuff.)
first friday of each month, i'll share ten of my favorite things/moments/traditions that occur every year...as well as what i'm looking forward to specifically during the next 22-31 days ahead.

- o c t o b e r -

1. football season. it just has to be #1, yall.

source.

2. scary movie time. i used to be obsessed with scary movies in high school; i would even watch them by myself. kind of creepy. whenever there was a friday that fell on the 13th, i would insist on some sort of gathering of people to watch a-or multiple-scary movies. (what's your favorite...??)

source.

3. 13 nights of halloween. i LOVE hocus pocus. i love the addams family. i love beetlejuice. i love the nightmare before Christmas. i love matilda. i love edward scissorhands.

source.

4. finding a halloween costume. go hard or go home. i'm fond of the themed go at it...whenever if ever i get married (and then have kids), i am all set for all the costume ideas i'll need. haha.

my cousin, lauren, and me back in 2003 as grammas. duh.

5. pumpkin patches. :) whether it be red barn farm, louisburg cider mill, or gardner's with the pumpkin cannon...i love em. plus, ya can't beat a good hayride when the air is crisp and the sun is warm.
6. and corn mazes. gotta be dark; gotta get lost; gotta be scared.

foster children of the corn.

7. pumpkin carving. it's tradish in my family.

carvin some pumpkins with fellow midamericans, while i was away at school in 2009.

8. trick-or-treating. duh. however, since it's unacceptable now...luckily, i still have haystacks (next week's wfdw), candy corn & peanuts, roasted pumpkin seeds, etc.

source.

9. the future. looking forward to becoming old people with my brothers and scaring the crap out of little children on the 31st of october every year.

look out kiddies. (2007.)

10. and of course...fall means leaves changing. mmm. i'd say i love boot weather, but it's always boot weather for me. ;)

source.
(ps, this is obviously my future home.)

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this specific month i will be...
-attending mission church's official meetings every tuesday; contact me if you are interested!! i am so super excited about it.
-helping one of my best friends plan her upcoming wedding. :)
-celebrating two of my cousins' birthdaaaysss.
-going to stl to watch my little cousins play some ball.
-celebrating one of my best friend's birthdays.
-hopefully goin to the chiefs--raiders game. hollaaaaa.

not adequate...?? DIY!!

it is no secret i am incredibly fond of the 60's & 70's; i was seriously born in the wrong era.
-my most favorite bands include the beatles, led zeppelin, and lynyrd skynyrd.
-frijid pink's "house of the rising sun" is probably my favorite song of all time.
-i wanted to be a hippie for halloween just about every year in elementary school.
-i grew up wearing my mom's old jeans and tee-shirts from high school. (she was very small. haha.) 
-i could easily keep going.

my mother and her two sisters are very nostalgic, which has rubbed off on me...including their own nostalgia and love for all things "retro" and "vintage". (retro and vintage are obviously relative terms though; it is a very weird feeling when you see a toy you played with as a child labeled "vintage" at a thrift store.) (and on another note, my intense nostalgia plays into my aforementioned hoarding-tendencies.)

i have been - o b s e s s e d - with these free people jeans ever since i saw them on the website. (along with all things free people, for that matter.)

however, there were a couple problems. one was the price. ($150 is a little much for me to pay for jeans at this moment in time.) one was their absence in my local store. (i'm fond of trying clothing on; i have a difficult body shape to please.) and one was the reviews. (each said they were an odd fit; too long all around.)
so obviously...i ordered some. ha. after drooling over them all summer long, i couldn't take it anymore.
they arrived today; i can't even button them, let alone pull them up over my hips. haaa--it was a sight to see.
BUT...in order to accept my "less is more" attitude and become more thrifty, i've decided to make my own. and with having them in hand for the next 29 days, i have a tangible template. i accept this challenge. hold me to it, yall.

WHAT'S for dinner...??

wow, i am so sorry, yall.
things got a little crazy round here.
i finally understand why all these bloggers can't possibly update every day. (while the wonderwomen (seriously) at a beautiful mess make it look so easy...sigh.)

NOW...i have made two batches of these oatmeal cookies in the past week for two different occasions.
the first being, Ritz has officially closed forever...and to celebrate i mean, mourn. duh... (but really, celebrate) my departure, I made a batch.
the second occasion being, we finally had our long-time-comin "cousin night" over here. (my entire family is extremely & ridiculously close...and equally busy.)

my lovely aunt nan makes these most every year for Christmas; they are a request at many family gatherings and are also given as part of, or the whole of, a birthday gift to many. aka: people love these things.

Aunt Nan's Oatmeal Cookieeesss!! (or opeymeal, as i used to say as a wee one.) (makes about 60 cookies!!)

the recipe calls for:
-1 c. softened butter (i used margarine; don't.)
-1 c. brown sugar
-1 c. white sugar
-2 well-beaten eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp salt
-1 tsp baking soda
-1 1/2 c. flour
-2  c. oats

directions:
-set the oven to 350F.
-cream butter and sugars together.
-add eggs, vanilla, salt, baking soda; stir well.
-add flour (1/2 c. at a time).
-add oats (1 c. at a time).
-bake 8-10 minutes. (there were so many times, with only twelve fifteen cookies on each sheet, that this step became the ultimate experiment with our oven...however, i still was not completely pleased with the outcome of any. at one point, i cooked a set for 11 even. practice makes perfect, i guess.)

aunt nan's hints:: do not overbake; bake on parchment paper (most definitely); small spoonfulls (absolutely).
mckenzi's hint:: leave plenty of time to cool down before stacking...unless you want one, giant oatmeal cookie. then, you're golden.

needless to say, they were a big hit...on both accounts. they were all gobbled up before i could snap a decent photo of them.
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i shall try to get my "what's for dinner" segment back on schedule from now on.
if tomorrow, whooo knooowsss what'll-it-be... ;)

now all's i got to do with myself is find a new job...
-preferably a photo assistant with some local photographer. wish me luck!!