It's September now, but you wouldn't know by feeling the air outside. Today it finally cooled down, but we've been riding over 100 all summer. I love sunshine, but even I was getting a little burnt out.
Our Labor Day was anything but filled with labor. Tony & Katie came in from Houston so Friday night we hit the lake. We stayed out until nightfall and watched the sunset fade into the stars. We sat out on the boat just talking. Saturday Katie and I woke up early to shop! I took her to some of my favorite places in Plano and Addison... she spent way too much money and I was proud!!! Then the boys went to the Oregon vs. LSU game so Katie and I crafted the day away. We made homemade coasters and watched TV. It was so relaxing that we didn't wish to move off the couch! After the game the crew came back and made us go out. I could have gone in my pajamas if it was up to me! We had a nice time out playing darts and just enjoying everyone. We decided Sunday we would play war with the wind on the lake. It was a crazy idea. No one could kneeboard or tube... anything... so we just sat on the lake in the boat sunning for a few hours. I got stung by a bee... a first for me! Mean bee. That night we drove to Little Elm to Matt and Keilly's for a family dinner. All of Matt's family was in from Philadelphia and I just loved listening to them. We ate way too much food. And today there was even more food. We all went over to Nick's parents' house for some yummy food.
Needless to say I think my bed will feel lovely tonight. I've been working on a 9/11 memorial slideshow all night. I think it is going to pull some heartstrings... or I hope it will. In 2001 I lost my mother and then we had 9/11 so it's such a surreal year to me. Both things seem like just yesterday... yet seem a million years away. Ten years holds a lot of experience in life. The slideshow is all about 9/11 and the children growing up in today's world.
Anyway... I guess the biggest thing to document is football season is back. Nick is obsessed with college football so I will hear about it for the next few months. I'll be hosting a few Red Raider Roadshows this year, but we haven't decided which games. My photographer, Mitchell just got his own radio show in East Texas!!! So proud of him! I hope he does some hosting with me on the YouTube show because he is really good. The clock is winding down as the wind slowly howls outside. I'm already excited to bust out the fall attire!!!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Epiphany of the Sunshine
God wants us to suffer. Yes, it's in the Bible. I say this to grab the attention of those out there wondering why they should be a practicing Christian if this is in the Bible, but just follow my lead here... Romans 5:3-4 says we must "also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Well, I sure would like to lead a life where this verse just isn't true. Can't I pick and choose which verses I follow? I picked and chose which paragraphs to memorize in my college textbooks. Oh, but what about those chapters you didn't read? Did you get those answers right on the test? Did it help you remember in the next lesson to read every line so you were stronger when it came to knowing the passage? There are days full of sunshine when our lives just cannot seem to get any brighter. There are also days full of clouds when we are not sure the rain will ever stop.
I had an epiphany that led me to see a part of me. I have always tried to control my own life. God has always tried to let me realize He is in control. My life for 12 years was all about basketball. I would practice for hours in my backyard. Yes, I did many other things in school and was involved in everything imaginable, but my true love was basketball. My freshman year of high school I tore my ACL at the end of the year. I remember telling my mother I didn't want to talk about it or be asked about it; I just wanted to deal with it and move on. I feverishly worked that summer in rehab. I worked so hard that I was back in October ready to play. I was never the same again in speed, but I hit my goal. Then my senior year in high school the third game of the year I tore it again... (Maybe God was telling me I should wear my brace that He made my parents pay thousands of dollars for!)... Anyway, I was so angry and thought life was over. I didn't want to go through it again. I just wanted to fast forward. So instead of wallowing in my own self pity I decided to get involved with theater. Everyone did it and I never could because of the season. At the end of the year I had gained one of the best experiences in my life through theater. I could have played that year and not played much because my coach wanted to build a team of freshman... another story... and been miserable all year... but, I moved on. I think that is what life is about...
Not to my point yet, but hang around and I'll explain... I realized I have always gone for what I want. Sometimes God cut it short and it angered me, but I kept moving. I always said I wanted to work at Joe's Crab Shack. So in college I landed a job there. I didn't really enjoy it, but I did what I said I was going to do! I wanted to be a news reporter so I found myself driving all around Texas handing out my video resume. Showing up at the office! God told me I had to do it. I landed my positions in Abilene and Tyler at the news stations because I had driven there and shown up for an unscheduled interview. I decided to leave the profession of news to pursue a more "normal" lifestyle so I moved to Dallas just knowing somehow I'd figure it all out. I could even equate this in small parts of life. The other day I wanted some Chinese food. What did I do? Oh... drive and search for a restaurant... and enjoyed every ounce. Then I wanted a snow cone. I never see snow cone stands. I got on my computer and found me a snow cone stand and went for it! I realize God is in control and I often try to take control thinking He isn't doing a good enough job. I used to tell Nick that God wasn't a genie. We cannot try to figure out his next step either. I don't like to wait and I don't enjoy feeling as if God is ignoring me at times. But, He said I would suffer for hope. Yes, all of that suffering in the Bible verse leads to hope. I get very upset at times when I reflect on these things and say, "God, why would you want me to suffer any more? You took my Mom when I was nineteen; Is that not good enough for you?" I cannot hear His audible answer, but I know deep down there are reasons I do not understand. If she was here life could not unfold in the way it has... I could rehash everything that has come on this journey after her death, but we know there was good taken from it and we have a new family. I realized the other day after thinking of Grandmommy's death at the end of March... I spoke with her all of the time and I desperately miss our talks; BUT, as you realize this summer has been HOT. 18 days of over 100 degrees! She hated the heat. She would say she was miserable and it made her ill. Do you realize God took her RIGHT BEFORE the heat began to rise? Do you realize God let Mom raise me 18 years and be off at college before he took her? Now I can say that in one breathe, but in the next breath wonder why God didn't think I needed her now at 29 years old when everyone is best friends with their parents? Am I just so full of wisdom that I didn't need that? Only God knows the answer.
In the sermon the preacher talked about listening to a child pray. When I listen to my five year old niece pray she thanks God for everyone at the table, the food, the house, the dog... on and on. Why can't our hearts be that pure? We sit in despair worrying about all of the clouds. We forget about the sunshine behind those clouds. Are we not surrounded by loved ones? Are we not eating a nice meal?
I'm talking to myself in a sense through these verses. When the clouds hit I am a strong young lady. After everything I have been through I never stopped moving. I must say my faith and my support system are the only things that get me through the tough stuff. Though I am tough at times I fall flat on my face in my faith. I am angry and I want a fix. I want out of this pain and I want it right now. I want God to tell me what He wants me to learn and LET ME OUT. I say this on my end, but what if on the other end God is saying, "I'm giving you perseverance, character and hope so just hold your horses."
I had an epiphany that led me to see a part of me. I have always tried to control my own life. God has always tried to let me realize He is in control. My life for 12 years was all about basketball. I would practice for hours in my backyard. Yes, I did many other things in school and was involved in everything imaginable, but my true love was basketball. My freshman year of high school I tore my ACL at the end of the year. I remember telling my mother I didn't want to talk about it or be asked about it; I just wanted to deal with it and move on. I feverishly worked that summer in rehab. I worked so hard that I was back in October ready to play. I was never the same again in speed, but I hit my goal. Then my senior year in high school the third game of the year I tore it again... (Maybe God was telling me I should wear my brace that He made my parents pay thousands of dollars for!)... Anyway, I was so angry and thought life was over. I didn't want to go through it again. I just wanted to fast forward. So instead of wallowing in my own self pity I decided to get involved with theater. Everyone did it and I never could because of the season. At the end of the year I had gained one of the best experiences in my life through theater. I could have played that year and not played much because my coach wanted to build a team of freshman... another story... and been miserable all year... but, I moved on. I think that is what life is about...
Not to my point yet, but hang around and I'll explain... I realized I have always gone for what I want. Sometimes God cut it short and it angered me, but I kept moving. I always said I wanted to work at Joe's Crab Shack. So in college I landed a job there. I didn't really enjoy it, but I did what I said I was going to do! I wanted to be a news reporter so I found myself driving all around Texas handing out my video resume. Showing up at the office! God told me I had to do it. I landed my positions in Abilene and Tyler at the news stations because I had driven there and shown up for an unscheduled interview. I decided to leave the profession of news to pursue a more "normal" lifestyle so I moved to Dallas just knowing somehow I'd figure it all out. I could even equate this in small parts of life. The other day I wanted some Chinese food. What did I do? Oh... drive and search for a restaurant... and enjoyed every ounce. Then I wanted a snow cone. I never see snow cone stands. I got on my computer and found me a snow cone stand and went for it! I realize God is in control and I often try to take control thinking He isn't doing a good enough job. I used to tell Nick that God wasn't a genie. We cannot try to figure out his next step either. I don't like to wait and I don't enjoy feeling as if God is ignoring me at times. But, He said I would suffer for hope. Yes, all of that suffering in the Bible verse leads to hope. I get very upset at times when I reflect on these things and say, "God, why would you want me to suffer any more? You took my Mom when I was nineteen; Is that not good enough for you?" I cannot hear His audible answer, but I know deep down there are reasons I do not understand. If she was here life could not unfold in the way it has... I could rehash everything that has come on this journey after her death, but we know there was good taken from it and we have a new family. I realized the other day after thinking of Grandmommy's death at the end of March... I spoke with her all of the time and I desperately miss our talks; BUT, as you realize this summer has been HOT. 18 days of over 100 degrees! She hated the heat. She would say she was miserable and it made her ill. Do you realize God took her RIGHT BEFORE the heat began to rise? Do you realize God let Mom raise me 18 years and be off at college before he took her? Now I can say that in one breathe, but in the next breath wonder why God didn't think I needed her now at 29 years old when everyone is best friends with their parents? Am I just so full of wisdom that I didn't need that? Only God knows the answer.
In the sermon the preacher talked about listening to a child pray. When I listen to my five year old niece pray she thanks God for everyone at the table, the food, the house, the dog... on and on. Why can't our hearts be that pure? We sit in despair worrying about all of the clouds. We forget about the sunshine behind those clouds. Are we not surrounded by loved ones? Are we not eating a nice meal?
I'm talking to myself in a sense through these verses. When the clouds hit I am a strong young lady. After everything I have been through I never stopped moving. I must say my faith and my support system are the only things that get me through the tough stuff. Though I am tough at times I fall flat on my face in my faith. I am angry and I want a fix. I want out of this pain and I want it right now. I want God to tell me what He wants me to learn and LET ME OUT. I say this on my end, but what if on the other end God is saying, "I'm giving you perseverance, character and hope so just hold your horses."
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Sunshine is my Drug

Sunshine is my drug. I just simply could not live without it. This drug has kept me hopping lately. Summer has been busy and exciting!
Last week Nick and I got last minute tickets to Rihanna... Floor seats... oh dear. The show was great and she is a spectacular performer, but halfway through it a light caught fire. Not cool. We laughed at the people freaking out running out the doors. We just slowly left as they made us leave. We even played a bit on the firetruck outside!!!


After the excitement of Rihanna... remember I have only been to Lady Gaga and Christian concerts... Anna and I got the chance to go to Britney Spears - floor seats again!!! Surreal!!! We had such a blast. I'm not a Britney fan as I don't enjoy that she never sings live, but I did enjoy the performance as a whole. We danced and sang and laughed the entire time. What a great night!!!





We've sure been keeping busy as well as you can see in the photos below. Anna hosted a pasta and wine night. She and her brother cooked us up an Italian extravaganza!




We also have tried to get to the lake as much as possible. Last weekend Nick and I took out Andrea, Anna, Chelsea and Austin. We were in the "party cove" just swimming and hanging out. A man swam over and asked if we had seen this man and he described him... we had not... Come to find out the man was missing. I kept thinking he must be on another boat as it is a crowded area and you don't just go "missing." Then the patrols came in and began searching... we all sat around for a bit in the water watching and asking questions, but they finally made us all leave. I found out in the newspaper he had jumped in and never resurfaced. We didn't understand why no one could save him. It was very sad. Needless to say after that happened our spirits were a little sapped.
Anyway... I believe it is the 16th day in the row of over 100 temperatures. I know I say sunshine is my drug, but they also say addiction kills ya... I just might be ready for a cloudy day! Until it comes I shall enjoy my addiction.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Heart of a Home
I am headed West in the morning. Home as you call it. But, it isn't the "home" I plan to dedicate this blog to at the time... There are different definitions according to the song in my slideshow. Anyway... before I get to that... My stepmommy is turning 50 so her daughter has come in from North Dakota with her three kids and my stepbrother and his wife are coming in with their two girls from Oklahoma. We are going to have an amazing family weekend! Before I get there I am making a detour through Snyder to go through Grandmommy's house. Being the only grandchild when your mother has passed does not have perks. Yes, I get half of everything... but, I do not like the business side of things. I do not like going through one's things. I just want to honor her memory forever so I want to have things of hers that will remain timeless and be given to my own grandchildren. It doesn't help that being in her home where "she" always was and always greeted me at the door is quite strange.
The word "home" is once again used.
I began piecing together a slideshow of "The House That Built Me." When I say I am going "home" I am now going to Midland, Texas. My Dad and Brenda live there now, but it is not my hometown. I consider it home now as they are my heart and my blood and they are there in their existence. In my heart the home that built me is in Big Spring, Texas. After Mom passed we all moved on with our lives because we must... that home then became more of just a house. The essence of our small three person family was forever changed. Once Dad and Brenda united we all knew they had to build their own home together. Of course, they could have stayed in the Cecilia Street home forever and built it in their hearts, but there would always be a tiny piece of their own missing. We all have to move on and build our own heart of a home. A home is place where you make your life with your family. I told a friend the other day how much I respected her now looking back. Her house was tiny and in it lived five people. She and her brother shared a room while her mother and other brother slept in the other room while the father was usually away on business. They never thought twice about it. They are the closest family I have ever known. I had friends living in mansions with many rooms. I wonder if it was a true home in their heart?
I get upset when people from West Texas forget our roots. We are raised to be "downhome good folk." Some move to the Metroplex and get sucked into the Northpark life of millionaires and mansions. Drive this car. Look this way. Have this house in that neighborhood. Sometimes I will lose myself telling Nick what all he needs do to do his house. I start talking about flooring and columns being ripped out and painting certain colors. I forget that growing up I never once thought about it. I grew up in an amazing house with large rooms and wonderful color. It wasn't a mansion and I never thought about it. Dad and Mom had a new living area built, a huge dream bathroom... always building and changing it as the times flew by... It was perfect to us. The times I remember in that house were filled with happiness. Crazy memories. Funny memories. Lovely memories. Did you know I cut a huge gash in my leg while making my parents' bed because I was standing on the bed and rammed into the light? Did you know I was so excited to put a handprint in the basketball court cement in the backyard, but I scratched the inside of my eye and by the time I got home from the doctor could only scratch my name with a nail in the cement and that is why there is no handprint? Did you know my parents said in order for me to be in a sorority I had to paint the exterior of the house before college so I spent the summer in my bikini getting a tan and painting that house? Oh boy... Did you know...
Cecilia Street is a memory embedded in my mind. The house that built me was built with help by our amazing neighbors whom I still enjoy visiting... and my next door neighbor, Cody is my best guy friend and lives right here in Dallas with me. I pray one day to have a neighborhood such as this where my children can run and play and enjoy the day. I pray I can give them the same childhood my parents gave me. No, it wouldn't have mattered if we lived in a box or a huge house on a hill... anywhere I was with them would have been the same home. Mom pulling up in the driveway honking numerous times as I ran out to help her with the groceries. Dad climbing in the tree looking down at me in amazement at her heroic tree climbing pops. Mom yelling at the end of the hall as I was in a totally different room for me to get back and turn out that light. Yes... all in a home.
There are many different types of homes. Since I moved away from Cecilia Street I made a few my own. Living in the dorms in a tiny room among amazing friends at Texas Tech. Moving to the apartments and then a little house with sorority sisters enjoying our days together. Moving off on my own to Abilene, Tyler and then Dallas. All making homes my own. And one day... building a heart of a home with my loved ones.
The word "home" is once again used.
I began piecing together a slideshow of "The House That Built Me." When I say I am going "home" I am now going to Midland, Texas. My Dad and Brenda live there now, but it is not my hometown. I consider it home now as they are my heart and my blood and they are there in their existence. In my heart the home that built me is in Big Spring, Texas. After Mom passed we all moved on with our lives because we must... that home then became more of just a house. The essence of our small three person family was forever changed. Once Dad and Brenda united we all knew they had to build their own home together. Of course, they could have stayed in the Cecilia Street home forever and built it in their hearts, but there would always be a tiny piece of their own missing. We all have to move on and build our own heart of a home. A home is place where you make your life with your family. I told a friend the other day how much I respected her now looking back. Her house was tiny and in it lived five people. She and her brother shared a room while her mother and other brother slept in the other room while the father was usually away on business. They never thought twice about it. They are the closest family I have ever known. I had friends living in mansions with many rooms. I wonder if it was a true home in their heart?
I get upset when people from West Texas forget our roots. We are raised to be "downhome good folk." Some move to the Metroplex and get sucked into the Northpark life of millionaires and mansions. Drive this car. Look this way. Have this house in that neighborhood. Sometimes I will lose myself telling Nick what all he needs do to do his house. I start talking about flooring and columns being ripped out and painting certain colors. I forget that growing up I never once thought about it. I grew up in an amazing house with large rooms and wonderful color. It wasn't a mansion and I never thought about it. Dad and Mom had a new living area built, a huge dream bathroom... always building and changing it as the times flew by... It was perfect to us. The times I remember in that house were filled with happiness. Crazy memories. Funny memories. Lovely memories. Did you know I cut a huge gash in my leg while making my parents' bed because I was standing on the bed and rammed into the light? Did you know I was so excited to put a handprint in the basketball court cement in the backyard, but I scratched the inside of my eye and by the time I got home from the doctor could only scratch my name with a nail in the cement and that is why there is no handprint? Did you know my parents said in order for me to be in a sorority I had to paint the exterior of the house before college so I spent the summer in my bikini getting a tan and painting that house? Oh boy... Did you know...
Cecilia Street is a memory embedded in my mind. The house that built me was built with help by our amazing neighbors whom I still enjoy visiting... and my next door neighbor, Cody is my best guy friend and lives right here in Dallas with me. I pray one day to have a neighborhood such as this where my children can run and play and enjoy the day. I pray I can give them the same childhood my parents gave me. No, it wouldn't have mattered if we lived in a box or a huge house on a hill... anywhere I was with them would have been the same home. Mom pulling up in the driveway honking numerous times as I ran out to help her with the groceries. Dad climbing in the tree looking down at me in amazement at her heroic tree climbing pops. Mom yelling at the end of the hall as I was in a totally different room for me to get back and turn out that light. Yes... all in a home.
There are many different types of homes. Since I moved away from Cecilia Street I made a few my own. Living in the dorms in a tiny room among amazing friends at Texas Tech. Moving to the apartments and then a little house with sorority sisters enjoying our days together. Moving off on my own to Abilene, Tyler and then Dallas. All making homes my own. And one day... building a heart of a home with my loved ones.
Blair's Surprise 30th Birthday
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Media Diva Productions
WWWW.MEDIADIVAPRODUCTIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM
I launched a blog for my slideshow productions. Yes, launched. I feel so professional. You see, for the past few months my friends have been bugging me to do slideshows for others because I did it for fun. I would spend hours and hours on slideshows with video and photos for my loved ones just to put online. Anna, my friend who is a wedding planner told me she has clients paying like $400 for this type of thing... What??!! I feel horrible charging that much when it is so easy for me. So I decided I'd charge about $50 - $200 depending on the work. I did one for a friend of his kid's sports highlights with all video. It took me a few days, but it was a test so I did it for $10! Then it was too large to email the file so I cannot show it off!!! He says Jaxon shows it to everyone and he watched it over and over. That is why I do it.
Why did I call it Media Diva Productions? Well, forever the name J. Gray Productions rang. NO, I am not married, but I liked it! Nick laughed and I told him I could tell people he was my business partner. It rhymed! Then J.A. Productions... boring... so I have named my normal blog after "diva" and it is just a joke with me all of the time so I decided to keep the theme going. And it's catchy!
I started this a looong time ago... When my mom turned 43 I was in eighth grade and I placed all of these photos up and filmed them with our little camcorder. I had music going in the background. She cried and cried. I was excited! So after that I figured out how to piece together video and music for my basketball highlights. I even got to where I would make slideshows for friends for graduation and birthdays. Then when I was a news reporter we edited our own stories. I got to use high level technology to piece together my news stories. If you want to know how old I am when I first went into news we did tape to tape editing... it was difficult! Then we went into non linear editing with all of the computer software.
So for my birthday Nick got me an editing software equivalent to what I used in Tyler and Abilene and Dad and Brenda got to me equipment to change old VCR tapes into DVDs. I have had the best time working on home videos and slideshows for others. So it's just for fun for me. I made one yesterday that for a woman's husband and she said she cried and cried. Victory!!! My best friend wants me to do one of her baby's first year of life... I shall tackle that next, but that will take a while! Choosing music... finding photos... all that jazz! I love it!!! It's so worth it in the end.
Anyway... so I'm becoming a shameless plug of my passion. If anyone you know needs some crying in their life... of happiness... here I am... I would love to charge $400... ha... I'm wondering if they do all of the actual photos and videos and give you lots and lots of extras because that might be insane to me. If it's straight photos I charge $50. If it's a lot of videos and photos and music and mixtures I charge $100 to $150. I hate talking money. I'll put my newest one on here. I pieced it together to show a sample for Father's Day. Not sure Dad has watched it yet! He has seen me make him a thousand things with photos and he deserves it. Maybe soon I'll have business cards. Anna wants to pass them out to clients. I guess they are used to paying $500 for this so boo ya!!! Haha... I'm learning to follow my passions in life. God gives us gifts for a reason. I guess one of my gifts is making people cry. And that's a pretty good gift!!!
I launched a blog for my slideshow productions. Yes, launched. I feel so professional. You see, for the past few months my friends have been bugging me to do slideshows for others because I did it for fun. I would spend hours and hours on slideshows with video and photos for my loved ones just to put online. Anna, my friend who is a wedding planner told me she has clients paying like $400 for this type of thing... What??!! I feel horrible charging that much when it is so easy for me. So I decided I'd charge about $50 - $200 depending on the work. I did one for a friend of his kid's sports highlights with all video. It took me a few days, but it was a test so I did it for $10! Then it was too large to email the file so I cannot show it off!!! He says Jaxon shows it to everyone and he watched it over and over. That is why I do it.
Why did I call it Media Diva Productions? Well, forever the name J. Gray Productions rang. NO, I am not married, but I liked it! Nick laughed and I told him I could tell people he was my business partner. It rhymed! Then J.A. Productions... boring... so I have named my normal blog after "diva" and it is just a joke with me all of the time so I decided to keep the theme going. And it's catchy!
I started this a looong time ago... When my mom turned 43 I was in eighth grade and I placed all of these photos up and filmed them with our little camcorder. I had music going in the background. She cried and cried. I was excited! So after that I figured out how to piece together video and music for my basketball highlights. I even got to where I would make slideshows for friends for graduation and birthdays. Then when I was a news reporter we edited our own stories. I got to use high level technology to piece together my news stories. If you want to know how old I am when I first went into news we did tape to tape editing... it was difficult! Then we went into non linear editing with all of the computer software.
So for my birthday Nick got me an editing software equivalent to what I used in Tyler and Abilene and Dad and Brenda got to me equipment to change old VCR tapes into DVDs. I have had the best time working on home videos and slideshows for others. So it's just for fun for me. I made one yesterday that for a woman's husband and she said she cried and cried. Victory!!! My best friend wants me to do one of her baby's first year of life... I shall tackle that next, but that will take a while! Choosing music... finding photos... all that jazz! I love it!!! It's so worth it in the end.
Anyway... so I'm becoming a shameless plug of my passion. If anyone you know needs some crying in their life... of happiness... here I am... I would love to charge $400... ha... I'm wondering if they do all of the actual photos and videos and give you lots and lots of extras because that might be insane to me. If it's straight photos I charge $50. If it's a lot of videos and photos and music and mixtures I charge $100 to $150. I hate talking money. I'll put my newest one on here. I pieced it together to show a sample for Father's Day. Not sure Dad has watched it yet! He has seen me make him a thousand things with photos and he deserves it. Maybe soon I'll have business cards. Anna wants to pass them out to clients. I guess they are used to paying $500 for this so boo ya!!! Haha... I'm learning to follow my passions in life. God gives us gifts for a reason. I guess one of my gifts is making people cry. And that's a pretty good gift!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)







