For an Owensboro, Kentucky native, the second weekend of May does not just mean Mother’s Day weekend. It also means BBQ Festival and rain. Why rain? Because everyone knows it always rains during the BBQ Festival. Always. This past weekend, of course, did not disappoint.

It was all rain, though. We went up Friday night, to meet up with some friends, and then took Lil Saturday to eat, browse venders and ride some carnival rides. Even if you don’t like BBQ, you still go to the festival. Everyone does. Actually people from all over do. In case you didn’t know, Owensboro is the BBQ Capital of the World. Supposedly we’re the burgoo capital, now, too? So, its a chance to see lots of people you haven’t in a long time.

The festival is held down by the river and hosts a plethora of food and craft venders. There are car shows, pageants, carnival rides and so. many. people. Churches, restaurants and other organizations compete for cooking competitions. Mostly BBQ but I think probably burgoo along with who knows what else. You can find fried anything, corncob on a stick, foot-long corn dogs, the best philly cheesesteak, mutton, pulled pork, chicken, carnival food and so much more to stuff your face with.

Since we’re moving, though, this could be our last time attending for a while. Unless we’re able to sneak home for a Mother’s Day visit, sometime.

I used to strongly dislike Owensboro. It felt like a cage. Even when I was only visiting I felt like it was some sort of walled city that let people in, but few out. Closed off the the world and refusing to really evolve much. Owensboro isn’t a small town, per-say  maybe a small city, though. None the less, I was relieved to get out when we managed to break away to Bowling Green.

As we drove to, from, and around Owensboro this weekend, though, I think we made peace with each other.  Though I have no desire to move back there {right now} its home. And I find that it really does have beauty to be seen. I’ve always loved the historic district with its big old Victorian houses. Its yellow fields of what I assume to be golden rods. The big blue bridge to Indiana, which I hear they are closing for fresh paint. Riding around town with the sun down and the radio up. And though the people there drive me crazy, some of them aren’t so bad. Some of them actually hold a very dear place in my heart.

I’m not ready to say goodbye to Owensboro, just yet, though. I actually plan to spend a week or two doing so before Lil and I head south.

1 banana • 1cup oatmeal • 4 egg whites • 2tsp vanilla • 1tsp honey

I’ve been really curious about a pancake recipe I saw on Pinterest. This morning, I tried it. It was super easy, delicious and mega healthy. Lil loved it, too, which is a huge plus. I used this pancake recipe but doubled the ingredients and added a teaspoon of honey. It made five small/medium cakes.

Recently, using Pinterest, I’ve also made my own whipped body butter lotion using plain ole coconut oil. I love the way my skin feels because of it.

We made fried eggplant sandwiches with a little help from this recipe.  I’ve actually made that twice now and the family loves ‘em. I love when they like the healthy stuff!

This “stained glass” craft is something I’d like to try with Lilie Jo this summer.

And I sent this bag tutorial to my sister-in-law hoping she might like me enough to make one for me. Not just for a yoga mat {bc I have two bags} but just for a bag in general. A girl can never have too many, right?

Have you attempted recreating any Pins lately??

Trees are budding, flowers are blooming, temperatures are rising and Spring is in full swing. Change is in the air and I can’t quite figure out if its just the seasons or something in me, too. This girl just can’t sit still, huh? Whether its inspiration, eating habits, routines, or profession related, I feel like I’m constantly itching for something fresh and new. Funny considering my fear of change. But hey, I’m a woman, after all. I like to call it growth.

I’m antsy in my career, itching in my location and absolutely starving creatively. My mind feels stale and unfulfilled, like part of me is missing. I finally promised myself to intentionally pull out my pencil and paper to doodle and draw more with plans of pulling my ink and brushes back out. I’ve been wantint to experiement with watercolor for several months now, anyway. Why not start with the basics of technique with black and white only, which I already have {and save money}. I’ve been playing more with lines and patterns than illustrations. Also, I took my camera everywhere this weekend, as I’ve missed playing with the natural light.

I think what I really need is a getaway. A change of scenery to get away from the repetition which has me in such a rut. My mind needs renewed and refreshed. Alas, it will be at least Summer ’til we can get away like that. I foresee a day trip to Nashville in the very near future, at least, though.

But for now, I’ll just have to keep trucking along, knocking on every potential door of opportunity I come to. Eventually someone will answer the right one. The sooner, the better.

Here I am posting more than once within a month. Can you remember the last time that happened? That was meant to be a rhetorical question, smarty-pants. A change in my posting frequency can always be a sign of a change(s) in my life. Yep, you got it: I’ve been going through some more changes.

My full time management position has once again effected my school schedule and professional plan. I just can’t make the schedules work together. Not with Lilie Jo waiting at home.

I’ve dropped out completely, now, with the intentions of finishing online. Will it happen this semester? Don’t think so. This year? I hope so. Am I happy about? Ehh. You know me.

I won’t lie, though, I was feeling pretty defeated and discouraged when I first came to the conclusion. I may even be guilty of sulking a bit. But then I kicked myself in the tush and made a change of focus and perspective. Not to mention some encouragement from some really amazing people. Turns out, the pros out-weigh the cons:

• More stable day-to-day home life and routine
• More family time
• More energy
• Less running around
• Less chaotic schedules
• Less stress {all different kinds}
• More time for me {reading, blogging, photography, short trips, crafts}
• More time to serve at church

I’ll be able to focus more of my time and energy into doing the best I can with the career I have now. I’m in a great position and making decent money. Not to mention, this job will look great on a resume, so why not make the best of it and really give it my all? Who knows where it may take me.

And get this: my church just hit a big milestone. For the past year, we’ve been meeting in a theater, which has been very limiting and required us to set up and tear down every week. This past Sunday, though, we tore down for the last time and moved to a permanent location.

How coincidental is that? We’ll now have more freedom to do and more opportunities for growth. Now I’m certain Someone is trying to keep us here {instead of moving away like we originally planned}. These changes give me the opportunity to serve and give more of my time and talents to RLC.

More time for my family {home and church} makes this decision conclusion worth it.

The rumors are true. Meghann Chapman owns an eReader. Can you believe it? I’m still getting used to the idea, myself. I’ve been hesitant of the whole idea since they first arrived on the seen.  Though I’m still finishing up a physical book and don’t intend for it to be my last.

Reading is just about the words and putting a story in your head. Its the whole experience. Mental and physical. The touch and smell of the book. Wondering where its been and who’s hands have held it before.

The new gadget definitely has my book list jumbled, though. What to read first? And then what after that? The options are limitless and the prices are lower. Not to mention I plan to take total advantage of the library{ies} without ever leaving my couch. Not to say that’s a good thing. I’m sure once Summer hits, little lady and I will be banging down their doors once more.

Speaking of little ladies: Lilie Jo actually became the owner of an ebook before me! She used one of her Barnes and Noble gift cards to buy a Brave book and the first of the Fancy Nancy series. Yes, its my toy, but I can’t help but share. I find it especially handy on the road and at the grocery store.

So, as for that 2013 book list? I’m still working on it, but I’ll share a few I know of for sure:

• Great Gatsby {probably first since the movie is so quickly approaching}
• The Last Original Wife {Dottie Frank‘s new one to debut in June}
• Bringing Up BeBe {an American mother’s lessons in French parenting styles}
• Gone Girl {my not-so-wicked stepmother said it was a hard one to put down}
• Hunger Games Trilogy {at least the last two}
• Mermaid Garden {one which has caught my eye several times at the bookstore–maybe because it was mermaid in the title}
• The 5 Love Languages {I’ve read most of it, but would like to go back through it with Bill}

That’s all I have for now. I have so many lists of books to read laying around, I don’t know if I could condense them all into one. Actually, that’s one of my favorite features of the eReader so far, the wish list. I just throw them in my imaginary cart, as I browse, and its there to purchase {or search the library for} when I’m ready for a new read.

What’s on your reading this for this year?

Oh my goodness, darlin’! This past weekend, we had our first ever legitimate family photo session. This customer could not be happier. I want to share some of my favorites that weren’t already posted on Facebook.

We went to a sweet lady I know in the Bowling Green area. I met Allison through one of my close friends, Autumn. She’d actually taken her girls to Allison a few times, herself. I’ve checked out her website several times just for the fun of it. So, when it came time for family photos, I knew exactly who I wanted to do them. Especially when that very week, she notified me of a photo contest she was putting on. That really sealed the deal right there.

We picked the location rather last minute. Another good friend of mine had actually posted a drive-by photo of this old condemned house just outside of town. As soon as I saw the photo, I knew that was it. I hurried to pull the location out of her so Billy and I could go check it out for ourselves. It was love at first sight, I guess you could say.

I feel like Allison really caught the love and togetherness of our little family. We’re an intimate little unit. We’re definitely not the ideal or perfect family, by any means. A little rough around the edges. Its a result of divorce, remarriage, three last names, ex-military, every other weekends away, self-improvement, sometimes chaos, crazy schedules and any number of other things at any given moment. But I like to think of it as ‘character.’ Like an old house. Lived in, worn, enjoyed to the last drop…. seasoned.

You know the saying “home is where the heart is?” Well, my heart is with them. Where they go, I go.  Where I go, they go. Our family may be little, but its strong and so full of character and love. I couldn’t be more blessed.

So, if you’re ever in the Bowling Green area and looking for a photographer, look Allison Wicker up. I can pretty much promise you won’t be disappointed. I can’t wait to get her work up on the walls.

Hey friends! Today, I have something awesome to share with my local readers. Have you taken your family/friends to Lost River Cave yet? Their short trails are perfect for nature walking without driving too far. With the leaves turning and the air just right, its the perfect time of year to take advantage of all they have to offer.

Right now, they have the Scarecrow Trail going on, too. Several organizations around the community have put together their own scarecrows to decorate the wooded trails. This coming Saturday {October 20} they have free pumpkin painting lessons.

Right now, on SnagMob, you can get an UH-mazing deal on cave boat tours. Go there now to get in on this offer before it runs out. And while you’re there, if you haven’t already, go ahead and sign up so you don’t miss out on any more of their deals.

Snagmob seems to always have the best deals for local businesses. And that’s not the only reason they’re awesome! They give a portion of their profits back to local non-profit organizations.

A lot, yet very little, seems to be going on lately. We’re constantly running around with different schedules to keep up with.

Lilie Jo is on Fall Break this week and is spending part of it with Grandma and Aunt Ariel. Here, on the homefront, we’re planning and preparing for out little camping trip coming up this weekend. We’re taking Lil Jo to Mammoth Cave for the first time. Its the perfect time of year for camping and I’m stoked.  We’ll only being staying one night and day since we need to be up so early Sunday mornings, but I’m sure we’ll have lots of fun.

Work lately–deep breath–is not even going to be touched in this post. I’d rather keep only the good energy here.  Catch my drift?

Moving on.

One day last week, Lilie and I set off for a trip to the park. The air was a tad crisp, the wind was perfect and our moods were high.  Lilie Jo, her crazy curls and that blissful smile of hers had me reaching for my camera. I wanted to capture the pure essence of Fall in that little one. We didn’t try sprucing the hair of putting on the “perfect” outfit. We just grabbed the camera and climbed some trees.

I finally got my Five-years-old/Fall pictures.  Mama is pleased.

Lilie Jo is so full of life and every now and then I just need to borrow some of it to blow back into my sails. The energy is bad, at work, and its really hard sometimes most times to remember the reason I took the position. I like the job, its self, its just the mass amount of negative attitudes. There are so many of them and its so easy to get caught up in the mess.

But then I get to come home to this magical little creature–and pumpkin muffins. Some snuggles and silliness usually melts away the bad vibes–for a little while.

This past weekend, my parents visited from Omaha.  Every year, my family puts on a golf scramble in the name of my late uncle, Tony Chapman.  A child with a serious medical condition is chosen to receive the proceeds from the tournament each year.

This year, a sweet little girl with a tumor the size of a softball in her brain, was the recipient.  Harlie is a bold, beautiful and bright little girl. She was all over the golf course and full of energy.  And adorable to boot.  I encourage you to learn more about Harlie, her family and her journey at HopeforHarlie.org.  There’s also a place to donate online.

For 14 years, I have helped put on the scramble.  This year, though, I actually played.  It was my first golf tournament, ever, and the last time I had played was last summer {twice maybe}.  Lets be honest, I’m not much of a golfer.  I like it and want to play more, but I just end up having too many excuses or just flat out forget when the time is good.

Needless to say, I was only there for the company and fun.  I was not disappointed.  My team consisted of Billy, Teeyl, a friend of ours and myself.  The exciting part is that they even used a couple of my hits.  Turns out, Teeyl isn’t just good at teaching elementary education. I felt like she helped me a lot, here.

It was an awesome Sunday, though not restful in the slightest.  I felt a twinge of pain in my arms early this week.  What a wimp, right? But check out this beautiful sunset we ended the day with.  Ok, well, right before a delicious dinner, of course.

In case you didn’t notice, I haven’t been around much lately.  Since I’ve gone back to the salon {full time}, volunteered to take on an extra responsibility or two for our amazing church, I’ve found I don’t want to spend much more time on anything other than my family/home.

So, what have I been up to lately?

1. Spending as much time as possible soaking up the sunshine in my favorite spot.
2. After hours, with my love.
3. Trying to keep as much of the same eating habits as when cooking was my job.
4. Driving across southern Kentucky to help out a salon in need.
5. Enjoying the quiet morning hours before the clients start rolling in.
6. Goofing off and helping my favorite lady figure out life as a kindergardener.
7. Trying not to feel like this.
8. And drinking too much of this.

Leading the salon is a job full of never ending works-in-progress.  I go nonstop while I’m there and yet at the same time see little finished when I leave.  I’m a person that likes to finish a project before moving on to the next.  I like the satisfaction of completion; closure, maybe? So this new way of working is taking some adjusting. I’m trying to find my routine, there. Not to mention build trust, respect and rapport with my stylists. They need a lot of lovin’ in there.

I’m only taking two classes this semester: Copy & Layout and Women’s Studies {Billy is thrilled about the latter}.  Two is still more than enough. I guess I’m a bit surprised by how mentally exhausting my job is. I’m going to have to work my butt off to stay organized and sain, this semester. Full night’s rest, proper eating habits and Sundays will be my saving grace. We’ve been mattress shopping, so that will help, too.

Basically, I’m apologizing for my recent absence, my lack of posting. I’m also apologizing for the fact that I don’t see it getting much better any time soon. Forgive me if I only post once or twice a week. I’m also keeping up with social media for another entity.

I hope you’ll keep up with me in other ways, though. I post daily on my Twitter and Instagram {@littlewishball}.

Will you be trying anything new in the near future? Are you nervous or worried about how you’ll handle it? I’m stressin’ over here, darlin’! Who’s with me?!