Chicken

I’ve been missing in action for a little while, but let me catch you up on the happenings of scruggland: working, and working, and working. Oh an somewhere in that mix this chicken happened (via charley). It’s nice coming home to food after working for 12 hours.

Snarl.

Sniff noses.

Who will you be for the day?

The leader. The follower.

Your place in life is established at each new meeting.

Happenstance that this human life

where judgment is cast

and people fail and succeed daily

revolves around the same greeting.

Is today at peace?

or will you challenge your opposition?

Columbia Called, she wants you to know it’s Christmas

Any thoughts?

Occupiers at the Columbia State house:

(photo peeps: D80, 3 seconds,  f 6.3, 22mm, ISO 250)

The Charleston Aquarium

Nannying is so cool. The other day I got to go to the aquarium for free.  It’s been a long time since I’ve gone and we both enjoyed it. There are so many things for the kids to do: a play ground for the two’s and under, a boat replica, interactive exhibits. My favorite thing was an octopus under large broad piece of glass…those things are just fascinating in every way. I didn’t take my camera, so I took a bunch of crappy Ipod pictures, BUT a lady told me that they allow pictures so I’m coming back better armed. The exhibits are all very well thought out to show off the creatures in them. The albino alligator for example is in a very dark painted swamp with thunderstorm simulation and lights that make him glow a faint pearlescent shimmer.  My ward had a blast naming the colors and playing with the sounds buttons and screens. His favorite by far was the woodland room with a log you can crawl through and a fake stream….well that and pointing to every fish and shouting “nemo!”

and here we will take a small moment to appreciate the mural artists:

oh yeah I got a new tripod for my birthday

To test it out I took some emo pictures… not intentionally emo…but nonetheless.

I’m sitting on our clothes hamper.

My camera doesn’t handle ISO well so you get a lot of grain.

Speaking of grain, it actually helps hide your acne. I should know.

I’m wearing charley’s sweater.

He gave me the tripod, along with the new Florence and the Machine Cd, and a Compact Card carrier. None of which I hinted at at all. They were perfect gifts, which just goes to show that Charley is one of the best gift givers I’ve ever met. He will go out of his way to come up with wonderful gifts. It makes me feel very inadequate when it comes to returning the gifts. I’m horrible at that kind of thing.

When we first met and became friends, I mentioned how much I love glass bottles, and the very next day he brought me a pretty green bottle with a parrot on it. A few days later he gave me some chocolate…and it was pretty much love from there on out. Some of his most awesome gifts over the years:

1. Juneau (can’t top that one)

2. surprise picnics on the beach

3. a cup full of acorns and a note that said “I’m nuts about you”  (no really. )

4. socks that say “baa humbug”

5. my Wacom tablet

6. Poems

7. lots of ben and jerry’s phish food

8. stuffed animal dragon

Pretty much all of his gifts are about thoughtfulness which is why they are so sweet. It’s not about the stuff, it’s because he has such a serving heart. One time he tool all my shifts when I worked in the cafeteria so I could have a day off to sleep. Another time I was sick so he dropped off tissues, movies, and ice cream at my house. Wisdom teeth out, he brought by bubble bath in a my little pony container and books to read. I think you guys get the point. I’m a lucky woman.

so sleepy….

Love it like a nerd.

photoshop layers

I did this one night in photoshop a while ago. It’s a combo of a bunch of layers and some work with the Tablet. It looks like a lousy video game menu, but there was no purpose or direction in doing this except to learn. A few of the textures and ink splots are mine, but a few of them came from freebies on the internet.

Way better than planking … fake equestrian

Well…it’s been another holiday on the road, and can we say thank goodness for gas stations with amazingly lush fields next to them. On my way back from Columbia I couldn’t help but to take a picture of this green lovely (since everything else is SC is kind of dry and crunchy looking right now). BUT what to do with such a wonderful field….oh I know…take awkward self timer photos! (Really fast, while hoping no one is looking, and drive away looking innocent).

And since it was thanksgiving and all.

here are a few things I’m grateful for at the moment:

1. Daddies (it’s his birthday today!)

2. Mommies (who made thanksgiving dinner)

3. Brothers (we’ll throw them in so they don’t get left out)

4. friends

5. friends

6. socks

7. electric blankets

8. non-rambunctious dog to come home too (this is more in my imagination).

9. patient husbands (and yes numerically, he does come before socks and electric blankets in the ol rating of things).

Pet Gingerbreads

Charley made some gingerbread dough so we could use our new cookie cutters.

Bruno:

Juneau:

and Elle:

We realize this last one was a stretch, but she’s supposed to be in her usual swatting stance. It’s the squirrel cookie cutter minus the tail.