30 Day Challenge - Day 16

Picture That Can Always Make You Smile.

I have a great love for nature and sunrises and sunsets always make me smile. In fact, when I see a really beautiful sunrise or sunset I will clap and cheer on Mother Nature.

Today is my birthday and this picture makes me smile because I'm so very excited about my cake!!

This is a picture of me and my Dad when we took a family trip to Florida one Christmas and one day we went out to the beach. I've given so much representation to my mom and sister and others in this series, but I want everybody to know how important my dad is to me. There are so many things that I see in myself I have learned from my Dad.

30 Day Challenge - Day 15

A Picture of Someone You Could Never Imagine Your Life Without.

I know I have been giving lots and lots of shout outs to my family, but they are SOOO very important to me and it wasn't until I started going through this challenge that I realized the impact they were on my life.

I decided that my mom is one of the many people that I can't imagine my life without. I wanted to include all the other men, women, and children that I've acknowledged throughout my blog, but then it becomes a repeat of every other post.

As I was debating who I should acknowledge in this post, I went to my mom's site and she had a picture there that is the EXACT same picture that I used in my post (actually two of her pictures) and I realized how much she and I think alike. Both of my parents have had a big impact on who I am today. But I have a really close relationship with my mom. Don't get me wrong she drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes, but who doesn't.... Mom has the advantage of watching me and learning my moods over many, many years and she knows when to back off and give me ABBA time.

Not only does Mom KNOW me, but she has also taught me so much. She has taught me an incredible appreciation for art and literature. She has given me the support to become the strong, independent woman that I am. She taught me the joys of laughing until I cry and crying until I laugh. She has taught me to respect myself, my fellow humans, and Mother Earth. I've watched her since I was a little girl standup for those in need. She has always been an amazing role model in her word and actions.

To put it mildly, I love her!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 14

Picture that Makes You Laugh

A Young Kathleen wearing my old Texas A&M sweatshirt.... Oh, if she would only realize her destiny and go there!!

I LOVE this picture of me and my grandpa. There is no telling what we are laughing at, but that man had a great laugh and even though he was rough and gruff with us grandkids, I know there was so much love there!!

My Dad used to be able to do headstands in the middle of the floor and I always thought that was like magic!! (By the way, the socks that he is wearing in this picture with his pants tucked in are wool socks he had when stationed in Alaska in the Air Force. At some point when I was in college, I some how got my hands on them and I wore those socks into nothing. When I finally threw them away the heels and toes were completely gone.)

This is my mom, sister, and me one Halloween....Do you see a theme of just how wack-a-do my mom is?!? But, come on, how could this picture NOT make you laugh?!?

30 Day Challenge - Day 13

A picture of your favorite band or artist

I do not have a favorite band that I would want to represent here. I appreciate lots of bands and lots of music and my "favorite" may change from one day to the next. I do, however, have some favorite artists.

I LOVE Georgia O'Keeffe. Her paintings, her life, her essence inspire me and I don't have the worlds to appropriately explain how much I love her and her work. My mom is a huge fan of hers as well, so I don't know if my original love was because of my wanting to emulate my mother; but I know now as an adult that it isn't just my mother's influence.

However, if I'm going to call out an artist that I can actually imagine being, I would have to say Freddy Moran. I tried to find her website, but she doesn't seem to have one.... This is a woman who is not afraid of color and has stated that "red is a neutral". I took a class from her many years ago and loved it. She uses color and pattern in a whimsical manner that is so very, very free and really does inspire me. I want to be able to be that free with my quilting.

Of course, two of my favorite artists are my Mom and Dad (and yes, Dad, you ARE an artist).

30 Day Challenge - Day 12

Picture of Something you Love

Chocolate Shoes.... Well, I love chocolate and I love shoes, so when I found an image of shoes made out of chocolate, I couldn't resist!!

Duh.... My family. This is a shot of our recent trip out to Big Bend area up in the Davis Mountains.

So, this one is a little strange.... It isn't that I don't love peppers, although they aren't my FAVORITE food in the world, but I'm not showing this picture as a love for the food... Instead, what this picture represents is my love of color and especially those found in nature. Give me lots and lots of color and it really does bring a HUGE smile to my face.

Funny thing is, that I made a trip to Target the other day and after I got home I was looking at what I bought and it was black pants, grey sweater, black t-shirt, grey t-shirt, white lamp bases, black lamp shades.... am I seeing trend....

30 Day Challenge - Day 11

A picture of something you hate. In actuality, I hate all violence.... I have nothing else to say.

30 Day Challenge - Day 10

Picture of the Person you do the Most Messed Up Things With

The Queen - Enough said...

Jill and Sam - Who else could get me to go camping and actually enjoy it!!

Angelia and Seamus - High School friend and her husband. These are my Faire people. They've convinced me on more than one occasion to put on a corset... Angie had me doing some very wacky things in high school, such as trick-or-treating as Seniors. We at least did let the little kids get their treats before we started going around.

My Mom... Yes, this is my mom, dressed up like a gorilla.
I would have to define what "most messed up things" would be. I was never really a hell raiser. I rarely got into trouble. I wasn't one of those kids who rebelled and snuck out of the house, etc. I did drink in high school, but that was probably my only vice. These are, however, some of the people that I have had the best time with over time. I would have a picture of my sister up here as well, but yesterday's blog was dedicated to her, so I need to give a little bit of a shout out to those other people who I've been known to go a little crazy with.