Myrtle Beach, SC

This blog post won't be very long, and I'm sure nobody reads it.  I guess it just suffices as a journal of some sort for me.

Made it to Myrtle Beach on August 5, 2011.  Found a studio apartment, which is horrible living conditions...carpet is so dirty, you can't walk with barefeet or socks on, as they will be black very fast....so gross!  No kitchen, so can't cook food, needless to say I am becoming mal nourished.  Still hoping to find an electric skillet that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  There is a microwave and a SMALL fridge, but nothing else to speak of for a "kitchen".  It's a block from the beach though, which is  nice (unless a hurricane is coming).  There is also a pool, but it's getting too late in the season to swim now.  I am looking forward to the mild winter for a change!!! I don't mind a bit of snow, or even a few inches, it will melt fast.  I am so glad to not have to witness ice storm first to slate the roads with ice and then snow so much it causes drifts so high you can't open your door to the house!  I am HAPPY to be rid of that!  The last month had been fairly warm, but great over all.  I got a tan, which is slowly wearing off now, and will have it again next summer.  I will be DARK next summer, as I will have all summer to tan (on my free time of course!).

Anyway, I will try and upload some pictures later of the beach, they are on the other computer (the desktop) as I am on the (falling apart) Toshiba Laptop right now and all my pictures are on the desktop.  But check out the other blog for the Photography business (if in fact there is anyone that reads this blog) and check out some portraits I did since arriving here!

Ciao
Crystal

Life is moving so fast, and it's GREAT

Like the title says, "life is moving so fast, and it's great".   We are MOVING AGAIN!  Hopefully our LAST move....but who knows, we are travelers at heart.  Gypsies almost, if you will.

We have only lived in Phillipsburg, Kansas for a few short months, and time has flown by.  Tamko hired, and laid off, dozens of people.  I don't know why they can't just realize that ALL companies at one point or another, have slower periods than fast.  But it's no reason to fire people and make them struggle for an income.  We were making almost $5,000 a month on that job, and well, we don't have a lot to show for it!  We spent too much.  LESSON LEARNED......

So we are moving to the East Coast.  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!  My husband, Mike, and I both really love the Ocean and the beach.   Mike has yet to see the East Coast, Atlantic  Ocean.  I have seen it and I love it!  The air is so different out there, and I love the way the ocean smells!

There are a ton of job opportunities available, and I have heard nothing bad about the town, or towns surrounding it.  The locals get treated very well by restaurants, and venues from all over the town.  The economy is in great shape, one of the best in the United States.

We have a GREAT apartment/condo there at a place called The Alexan Withers Preserve.  Expensive, but worth it.  Great layout of apartment, well maintained, pool, cabana house, grills, close to business district and beach.

I will be working still in Photography, and my husband will be working in Retail Customer Service.  I am very much looking forward to posting pictures from Myrtle Beach on here, and hope to keep up with the site often.

Don't forget to add http://www.facebook.com/photographyandart to follow my work.

Ciao-
Mrs. B

New Camera and lens

So April 30th I was able to purchase the Nikon D3100 DSLR camera!  I am in LOVE with it!  And today, I received the Tamron 70-300mm Tele-Macro lens.  It's taken some getting used to, realizing how far I need to be from the subject, but it's GREAT for nature photography.  So to take pictures of the animals without scaring them off cause I need to be closer.  I don't need to be so close with this lens.  Some examples are below as well as basic photography in nature taken with the wonderful Nikon D3100!!

Tornado Season!!!!

It is Tornado Season once again....my FAVORITE time of year.  Mostly for the excitement and photographic opportunities!  I have a GREAT camera this year, and will be taking lots of photos from storms that roll through Phillipsburg, KS.  I even downloaded the Storm Chaser App on my Android Phone to keep up with the  Mesoscale and Radars when I am away from home.

Below are some archived pictures from 2008 to 2010.  ALL PICTURES ARE COPYRIGHTED AND NOT INTENDED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE THAN TO VIEW ON MY PAGE.  DO NOT COPY OR USE FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM ME, THE OWNER.  You can email me at mrsbennett23@gmail.com if you are interested in using any of my pictures.  I will, and have in the past, sue you for copyright theft if you take my pictures without permission.

With that being said...please enjoy viewing my archived photos.

Home Sweet Home

This weekend, April 8 - 9, 2011, Mike and I will be moving into our temporary residence in Phillipsburg, Ks.  We found a very nice rental for only $300 a month plus utilities.  We got our lawn mower and will be taking care of the lawn as well.  I am considering planting some yellow tulips out front by the red fence.  We will only be renting this place for about a year or so.  We are saving up for 2 things.  My surgery to UNtie my tubes so we can have a baby, and to put a large down payment on a house we found and hope that nobody else gets to it by the time we are ready to buy it!  Pictures of each are below with captions so you know which one is which.  I think this town will be peaceful, and it seems like the folks there are pretty friendly.  Which is a big change from the city I live in now.  A lot of people are pretty selfish in Hays.  Anyway.....I am NOT looking forward to packing up and moving again, but I am looking forward to starting a new chapter in our lives!  GOD thank you!!!

Ciao for now~
Mrs. B

The house we are renting is on the RIGHT side with the red fence.

And this is the house we are looking into buying!  Where we will have our family in!  We have lots of plans for this house, and I just get so excited when I see it in my head, how beautiful our future will be! 

Hilarious Video found on Youtube

I just HAD to share this! I'm sure a lot of you have seen the video of the twin boys talking to each other...THIS is a video with translations that are just hilarious! *WARNING ADULT LANGUAGE* (well captioned language) This had me rolling in laughter! 

A Brand New Start

God has been SOOOOOO good to us!!!  My husband, Mike, got a job, a very good paying job in Phillipsburg, Ks.  It's an hour and a half north of where we live now, but we are eager to make the move!  The job has to keep him a minimum of 8 weeks.  If they like him, they will keep him on permanently!!!  He is going to do everything in his power to make sure he gets to keep that job!  It pays $20.45/hr!!!!!

I have found a couple houses we are interested in buying.  One is 35 miles South of Pburg, but it's an amazing house and it's just our style and price!  Mike said he is willing to drive the distance back and forth to have this house.  So we are going to work hard on getting it!  We will be able to buy a nicer car, and afford to have nice things, and drive back and forth to visit my family and our friends!!!  I am so anxious I could just scream!!!

The picture below is of the town of Phillipsburg. It's small, but just right.  And we can drive to Kearney, Nebraska for Wal Mart and other places we need that are bigger!  Nebraska doesn't have food tax, so that will be a good grocery bill for us!!

Okay, so we are moving in 2 weeks!!! I'll keep the blog posted as often as I can!  And definitely will post pictures of the new house!

Ciao,
Mrs. B

Things I create

Other than my photography business, I create pieces of art.  Abstract more or less.  It is a release for me, emotionally.  Sometimes I just need to hide, get away from people, and life, and this is how I do that.  Below are a few pieces I have done over the last week.  They are for sale, sizes up to 16x20 printed on whichever type of paper or canvas you choose.  Prices vary, just leave me a comment with a way to get a hold of you in return and I will give you a list of prices.  Thanks!

Mrs. B

 My Bleeding Heart

 Another Break in the Wall

 Art is....

Torn to Pieces 

Strep Throat

Okay, so I am living proof that tonsils CAN grow back after being removed.  However, they weren't fully removed and a piece was left.  Even the SMALLEST piece that is left, is a tissue, and it regenerates.  so BOTH of my tonsils have grown back, after 6 years, and are infected...again.  Another rarity.  In any case...they look gross, and hurt like hell.  Been drinking Decaf Green Tea with honey and lemon and Alkaseltzer of course, all day.  Waiting for the Nurse to call me back in the  morning and let me know what my blood work says.  So they can get the antibiotic in me and get me on my way to recovery, so that I don't have to have surgery again!

This is a picture of my tonsils taken just after midnight on March 3, 2011.  You can see the white bump on the one tonsil, and that is the Strep.  Really painful, and annoying.  Anyway, just gotta keep praying this goes away fast and I don't have problems again.

Date Night!

It's been a while since my Husband and I have had a Date Night!  We had a lot of fun.  Food was so gross, but we made it through with snacks at the movies!  We went out the a Chinese Buffet for dinner, then walked around the Mall and window shopped.  However, we found this GREAT Pea Coat for Mike. I am tellin ya, he has to have it!  It is marked down to $50 from $150.  I mean that's a $100 Discount!  WOW! He looks so fantastic in it.  It's amazing!

Then we went to the Movie Theater, and watched this HILARIOUS movie called "Hall Pass".  If you are a married couple, you HAVE to see this movie! So funny.  From the beginning we were laughing already!  Definitely worth the money to pay to see in Theaters, and then buy when it comes out on DVD.

Now we are home, and getting ready to drink some Green Tea and I am getting a MASSAGE!!!!  Wonderful Date night!  I really love my Husband, and so glad to share my life with him!

Till Next Time,

Mrs. B

Moving on with life....

We have worked through a lot of issues in our marriage thus far.  We still have issues, but we are still learning about each other.  That is something couples do for years, and years, and years.  We do love each other very much.

A lot has happened since my last post.  Mike came home mid January 2011.  We moved into a house, and added a new member to our family.  Charlie.  Charlie is a one and a half year old Jenday Conure.  He is very noisy, but he is very loving and very smart!   This is Charlie:

My husband and I have been doing pretty good recently with communication and listening to each other's needs in the marriage.  We are growing everyday and learning to love better.  

Valentine's Day was superb!  My husband, (Mike), bought me flowers, made breakfast (french toast in the shape of hearts!), drew me a bath with aromatherapy and candles and my FAVORITE chocolates.  Then I got an hour long massage with this wonderful smelling massage oil that warmed up on the body.  It really relaxed my back muscles!  So sweet! These are the flowers he bought me. They are actually light purple daisies, but this picture I took of one of the daisy's really stands out to me! 

And these are some chocolates I had on Valentine's Day (that I decided to get creative with)

So yeah, life has been going pretty good since we figured out some of our issues, holding us back in our marriage.  It's been grand!

Also, it's been a year and a half or so, since we owned a vehicle.  And on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, we bought a truck, TOGETHER (the first time we have owed anything together!).  It isn't much of a truck, it's old, but it's OURS!  And that's what matters!  It's a rusted out, yellow, 1976 Chevy Luv truck.  It's a 2 seater, 4 speed truck.  It's cute, and it's transportation finally!  Instead of always calling friends for rides or attempting to catch a ride from the public transportation (which isn't always available).  It's nice to have this freedom all to often taken for granted!  I don't have a picture of it yet, but will try to remember to post on later.  (in an edit). 

I have renamed my photography business to fit my lifestyle and family.  I am proud to announce :

Well that's all for now.  I will keep trying to update more often.  Got a lot coming up for our future.  It's a long life ahead of us.  And we are going to make the best of it.  

Till next time, 

Mrs. B

Another ending

Smith Center didn't work out.  It didn't take long for that to end.  My marriage is very well broken also.  We JUST got married.....it's so upsetting that my husband is still so afraid of getting hurt, he makes it happen to others (ie: ME).

When you are married, you seriously can't sweat the small stuff.  If it's a tiny argument.  DONT make it into a bigger one and destroy your marriage over something that would have been forgotten about in a couple hours.  It's not worth forgetting why you love each other.  And please, please, don't EVER go to your mommy or daddy or any relative with your issues. Because they will be against your spouse and will be hateful and make things worse.

In the Bible it says in Matthew 19:6.    "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."

And I say "let no man or woman" Cause my mother in law is a BEAST!  I am sure many women feel this way about their husband's mothers.  Marry to please God. Marriage must involve three persons: God, the husband and the wife. Enter the marriage relationship fully realizing the life long commitment and that God forbids divorce (Matt. 5:32; 19:9). Choose your marriage partner carefully. One should never enter a relationship, as intimate as marriage, with those who refuse to honor Jesus as Lord (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

For marriage to be the joyous relationship that God intended, the husband and wife must never take one another for granted. We must allow the light of love to endure within hearts that are open to a loving Father and His Son. Thoughtfulness, gratitude, and concern for one another must be ever present in a marriage. Perhaps the following practical rules for a happy married life will make marriage the life long union that God intended it to be (Eph. 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7).

~ Never both be angry at once.
~ Never talk at one another.
~ Never yell at one another, unless the house is on fire.
~ Let each one strive to yield more often to do the wishes of the other.
~ Let self-denial be the daily aim and practice of each.
~ Never taunt with a past mistake.
~ Neglect the whole world rather than one another.
~ Never make a remark at the expense of one another.
~ Never part for a day without kind words to think of during absence.
~ Never meet without a loving welcome.
~ Never let the sun go down on your wrath.
~ Never forget that marriage is ordained of God, and that His blessings alone can make it what it ought to be.