Good Morning, Sunday and Vinegar!

Sunday is reserved for church in my mind. It’s been that way my whole life. I look forward to seeing our friends and family, watching Biceps beat the heck out of the drums and spend time learning more about God.

Our church is growing rapidly and now has six services. Biceps drums in each service, so we are there most of the day. (But, we do take a tiny nap break in the middle.)

However, today Biceps is on duty and we only have the one car. Pictured above is my second favorite thing to do on a Sunday, but alas…it is not what I will be doing today.

My house needs a good scrubbing and I am the one to do it. I keep trying to convince the cats to start wearing dishcloth booties on their paws to help out, but they won’t have anything to do with that nonsense.

Today, I will be knee deep in vinegar, water, tea tree oil and sweat. But, I will be listening to praise and worship music and singing along.

So, it’s almost like I’m in church….with a little vinegar on the side. Happy Sunday!

What Biceps Does to Worry Me

I know I shouldn’t worry, but it’s that danged thorn in my flesh. Don’t shoot Bible bullets at me-I realize I have a problem. I know the things to meditate on, I know what to confess.

I know, I know, I know.

Biceps decided to leave a somewhat safe 11 year-long career to pursue firefighting. Don’t get me wrong, there were the occasional lightening storms during outdoor festivals, whiteouts while driving across North Dakota, bloody knuckles from smashing his bass guitar against an amp and the most dreaded thing of all-scantily clad groupies.

But he chose to become a firefighter and I supported him wholeheartedly. I was ecstatic that we would be home more often, knowing that I could go to church on a more regular basis. That I could be present for birthdays, births and bar mitzvahs. That I didn’t have to be surrounded by stinky boys.

However, this is what I am getting used to now.

I now hear tales of structure fires, trailer fires, Hazmat situations, donkey kicking doors in, medical emergencies and the like. I want to be tough and pretend as if I would like to hear all about it.

But imagine your loved one fighting a chemical fire while being weighed down with 50 pounds of gear in 108 degree temperature. This is how Biceps makes me worry.

This is when I grab my aged Bible and look for 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I think this will be my mantra for the rest of my life…or at least for the rest of Bicep’s fire career.

Observing the Sabbath

This is my plan for what will be going on in our house today. After a visit from the parents, several family get togethers, church and a picnic in the park-Biceps and I need some down time.

For a time, there will be snuggling.

Then, if one of us is a little rowdy (Max), we will go to our separate corners.

And while I write, Biceps will probably fall asleep on my lap and twitch his way to dreamland.

I call this a pretty perfect way to observe the Sabbath. Even God rested, why shouldn’t we?

PW’s Action Sets-Biceps Style

I can spend numerous hours clicking away at layers, color options, exposure settings and Action Sets inside of Photoshop CS5. I have fallen in love with the Pioneer Woman’s Action Sets. With the click of a button, Action Sets provide a basic foundation for a photo that can then be adjusted to your heart’s content.

I will be using my handsome hubby, Biceps, as my subject matter while I show off PW’s Action Sets. (He’s easy on the eyes and bites a lot less than the kittens…)

This is the RAW image straight from my camera. No adjusting has happened to this sweet face, yet.

Wanted for Handsomeness: Biceps
Reward: Icecream

I know, I’m a dork in love. At any rate, this is the Vintage Action Set in all its glory. I did lighten the photo a little, because Biceps was getting lost in the dark.

I used the Fresh and Colorful Action Set on this photo and adjusted the light layer to “vivid light”.

This is the Old West Action Set. It’s not the favorite choice for this photo, but I think it would come in handy for horse/barn/state fair applications. Cowboy hats, turkey legs and roller coasters need this action set.

I’m so partial to vintage photos, this might be my favorite. This Seventies Action Set is a bit of an unsung hero, washing out photos and not immediately catching the eye. But, I think this set brings a nostalgic feeling to most photos without overdoing it.

Thanks, Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond, for creating Action Sets that we can all use for free. I give a tip of the hat to you and a simultaneous bowing curtsy-which is rather hard to do if you think about it.