Put on some galoshes

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Get out in the arena people.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt

Get Naked

So lately I have been thinking a lot about vulnerability. Duh, I have a huge obsessive crush on Brene Brown so it just comes with the territory. I have come to the conclusion I am only sorta kinda good at vulnerability. Turns out I am more of a flasher. I will generally show you my vulnerability but only for a second and I might spring it on you. Poor you....just leaves you feeling confused. Naked to guarded in 2 seconds flat. In an attempt to be kind to and love myself no matter what I am working on it. My recipe for this is to take a lesson from my Ruby. Go ahead and jump around in the puddles. Yes your pants will get wet and your outfit ruined. Yes you will have uncomfortable squishy shoes for a while, but the question to ask yourself...WHO CARES? Only be concerned with the ones who are willing to hold your hand and jump with you.

Enjoy your life, take risks, don't be afraid...be vulnerable.

Ok enough with the sappy stuff. Here is some cool shit I have made or done in an effort to explore my limits.....turns out I have none :)

For my sweet friend Ailea I helped throw a "book" themed baby shower. It was really fun and we sat around and laughed and sewed super cute onesies for baby Omotosho. A couple little things I contributed where these suppppper cute Very Hungry Caterpillar cupcakes and "This book Belongs To" water bottles. I am getting pretty good at buttercream icing. I am glad to add that to my repartee - how else am I going to get a husband if I can't make a perfect buttercream icing? The other cutie pie cupcake I made for my bible study girls.

I also had some of my delicious girl friends over for some delicious turkey made with the above potion, I mean, above Turkey brine. It was a labor of love and one well worth it. Best freaking turkey ever. Go make it. Really, make anything from this woman.

I am also kicking ass at my "do it - your 30 for God sake" list.

Thus far have nailed:

1. Eat a dozen doughnuts

5. Love myself even if I don't

10.Get another tattoo )

Up next: 10k, 1/2 marathon, and sing in public.........

First things first. Here is some stuff I made in January. I made this Salted Caramel Cheesecake with a gingersnap crust and candied lemon zest from scratch for my sweet mother for her birthday. The top picture is a blackberry cheesecake I made for funsies for my small group. They both turned out pretty good. The blackberry one turned out the best. Cheesecake is definitely a learning process. So learn from my mistakes: ALWAYS use a spring pan and don't mix the crap out it. Texture is an important thing to pay attention to. But lets face it whatever texture you get, it is basically cream cheese and sugar. It is going to taste good.

I also made some "Biggest Loser" whip cream. It was basically egg whites, cream of Tartar, and agave nectar. It tasted pretty good. It will definitely take some getting used to seeing as though it taste like agave nectar and not sugar. Next time I will just buy fat free cool whip :)

I knitted scarf number 2.Tahdah!!!!! Number 3 I am working on and am going to felt....stay tuned. I know you are trembling with excitement. PS - why do all of my pictures look so ominous?

My creative process has led me to some good introspection. As well as the fabulous Brene Brown. Please click on the pretty pink picture at the bottom of the post to experience her.Trust me: watch it, then watch it again. Absorb it. Be changed. Be different.

Sooooooo something I teeter back and forth about is how I feel about myself. Sometimes daily :) So I am clinging with all I have to my recent thoughts of myself. I really am proud of who I am, the choices I have made and where I am in my life. (Choices disclaimer: even choices I have made that I am not proud of are done with, lessons learned, and now are part of who I am. so onward and upward :) .)

I really am great and soooooo blessed. Sweet Jesus has lavished love on me to no avail and I have an onslaught of so many around me who love me well, challenge me, and let me be me. I have to see so many people in my day to day who struggle to like themselves and who have been so gravely mistreated and rejected. So I have to honor them. I must always hold my head up in confidence. I so many times want to hide, ignore things, justify blah blah blah. But if I look at myself with sober eyes. I am good. I was created so well. I am not perfect and have damaged myself and not believed in myself. I can only work on myself: succeed and fail and repeat.

God is good to me - He has good plans for me - I lack no good thing. I look to the future with great anticipation. I have no shame. I have to fear. There will be things that suck, are hard, break my heart, and on and on. But there will be things that change me for the good, excite me, surprise the hell out of me, fill me with joy and life. So today let us lean into the discomfort and be vulnerable and honest with ourselves: God is good to me - He has good plans for me - I lack no good thing.