Just a little Piece of Peace.

In a world of chaos and strife, you can always turn to Christ for peace.

http://mabrystudios.typepad.com/reflections_of_christ/

Enjoy this short clip from the Reflections of Christ Exhibit. One word: B-E-A-UTIFUL!

Saved By the Bell

I seem to recall a similar lapse in blogging in the not so distant past. It was right around January, coincidentally when school started up again. Oh, the start of a new school year- a.k.a. the beginning of endless chaos, grading and meetings. But I Love it...OK, maybe I like it right now... OK, maybe I can't wait until the final bell rings on Friday so I can start to enjoy my labor-less Labor day! ...More to come when I can keep my eyes open past 7:30pm.

Just Another Day in the Valley of the Sun

I got in my car the other day only to stumble on this terrifying image displayed on my dash:

Bring it on you big ball of gas!

You can still be grateful in this heat!

Roxy- the spoiled family dog.

Abreva for those pesky cold sores. This stuff is amazing!

Sofia- She's now a month old! This isn't how her face normally looks. She's just tired of all the paparazzi.

Our uber patient and marvelous realtor's! I highly recommend them to anyone.
Summer monsoon storms in AZ

In God I Trust

In keeping with tradition, James and I can usually be found eating on holidays, special occasions, etc... and this 4th of July was no exception. We started the day off with Breakfast with my family, and then just continued our feast for the remainder of the day, ending up in Casa Grande watching fire works and munching on kettle corn and licorice with the Zamora clan. Below is a rare snap shot of us in action. Normally, we don't stop long enough for someone to capture such a proud moment!

Anyway, spending time with family, endless munching and fireworks are great, but I just finished a U.S. and Arizona Constitution course and have a new found understanding and respect for the framers of the constitution. Just like the Prophets in the scriptures, these men had the future in mind and they trusted in God. On Sunday we sang The Star Spangled Banner -James thought we were at a baseball game, I was thrilled! The first verse is highly overrated, however the other verses are beautifully constructed and very powerful. I have posted them below for your reading pleasure:

O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.O say, does that star-spangled banner yet waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

O thus be it ever when free-men shall standBetween their lov'd home and the war's desolation;Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued landPraise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,And this be our motto: “In God is our trust!”And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall waveO'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

It is increasingly imperative that we put our trust in God, and do what we can to preserve this great nation. I would be remiss if I didn't have a day committed to fireworks and good American food; I need a celebration to carry me from Easter to Thanksgiving!

Here are some pics from the fireworks show:

The Manly Can Can

Don't send a lame eCard.
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There's only one Ho for me!

She's the honches to my jowls, the the flip to my flop, the heckle to my jeckle, the chap to my stick, the Burt's to my bees, the wo to my man, and the Wetzel to my pretzel! The one and only (thank goodness)... Holly! Happy stinkin' birthday Woman! Here's a look at some of our finer moments!

Pazookies at Oregano's

Being the life of the party on Halloween- I was Willy Wonka, she was a flapper. Let it be known that we both had dates! Mine was my lab partner, and Holly's was my cousin, but hey- they totally count!
Cheesecake from the Factory itself!

Eating...again! This time I think it was pancakes!
Trying on ridiculous outfits at Neiman Marcus. Holly looks angelic while I resemble a cheap hooker.

Washing our cars and blue-raspberry icee's.

Weddings...not to each other!
Another famous birthday bash in the Pope room at Bucca. Sometimes things can get a little out of hand!
This is what happens when you spend one too many Friday nights together (single and alone).
Another Friday night...Isn't this face amazing?
Another Six Flag's adventure.

Totally unplanned- the same chonie's on the same day! Don't ask me how we figured it out...

If you haven't already guess, we can usually be found near the food and drinks. Happy sipping!Sometimes we like to take jaunts on haunted ships with creepy tour guides named Derek.

The life jackets over the clothes must have been an experimental fashion statement... or preparing for a muster drill! Notice the upside down sunglasses. I apparently didn't!
The result of a digital camera with too much memory.

The morning after...

The complete anthology will be available in paperback in the spring of 2009.