It's 'Pink Week' at I Heart Faces -- LOVE HER!

Love her...

Eight years ago this Christmas I repossessed the symbol of strength, grace, faith, and courage I'd designed for my mom when she commemorated her "1st Boob Birthday" (as she called it!). When she was told her battle was over she asked what I wanted of hers. I asked her if I could have the ring I'd given her the year before...but that wasn't the only thing she left me with.

Through her pain and fight I learned so much about who I am, can become, and where I came from. I learned just how truly cool my mom always was...even when I was too young to admit it. She didn't complain; she worried mostly about leaving her family, at just a few months over 50 years old. She died on Christmas Eve, totally fitting to her heart for Jesus and love for the Christmas season.

Below is a symbol of how I see her when I seek her...always young, always strong. I wear that ring on a necklace my dad gave her when I was little and it features a welded gold ribbon with a ruby in the loop, (for her July "Boob Birth-stone"), and an inscription of the day she lost part of her body, but grew in character, hope, and grace.

...miss you mom.

You can help save moms, sisters, wives, and daughters.

Visit The Breast Cancer Site daily and "click" to get sponsors to pay for mammograms.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18...'til then...

Thank you, I Heart Faces, for allowing us to share our photos and hearts for Breast Cancer Awareness!

Jared & Cari = Family-o-Five!

So fun to finally meet with my cousin and his beautiful family for fall family portraits! It was a beautiful day for pictures at Bridgeport, even if the water was a little chilly for bare-tootsies! Thank you for letting me capture these for you all. :)

..."Bob" the tiny lizard-pet who joined our session.

God bless!

Meet Robert & Jamie and family!

Thank you to Rob & Jamie for inviting me out to your beautiful Penn Valley property for your fall family photo shoot! :) I enjoyed meeting you all and I hope I did justice to each of your unique personalities and charming, fun-loving nature.

...and congratulations to the newly engaged couple...

...daddy's li'l sweetheart sure was a camera-ham!

I Heart Faces--My Dinner Recipe--Beans a la Charra, Pippi-style

How ironic that just weeks ago I had a whole day off and decided to photograph a recipe into a story! So a simple transfer from my Facebook to this site, and...wow! Now I've participated in my second iheartfaces weekly challenge. And, I know it wasn't a requirement this time, BUT, there happens to be a face, my face, in one of the photos...not to mention my precious Pippen, who is always part of my kitchen creations---in the most FDA approved manner of course. ;)

The full recipe of these yummy southwest-flavored beans is from Chevy's Restaurant's 'Beans a la Charra'. MMmmm!

First, you'll need an onion and several cloves of garlic...

Soak a bunch of pinto beans over night to get plump.

Praise the good dog for not being under foot ;)

Chop bacon and fry it til just crispy...

...remind the puppy-girl that frying bacon doesn't mean a forest fire is coming...

sizzling...

Sing praises that you didn't burn the bacon losing track of time playing with your camera...

...keep singing...

Chop about half an onion (red is the best!).

okay...so extra onion isn't always a bad thing.

Peel garlic cloves.

Chop garlic...MMM!

...now the bacon is just right.

Yes, it's done sizzling...for now.

Add onion and garlic...

...and jalepenos!

...keep sizzling!

Measure the Cumin (my Dad teased my Mom once for pronouncing it funny...I know there's great debate, but I prefer "que-min"...I think my Dad says "coo-min")...

...and measure the chili powder (I usually eye-ball spices, but the spoons are nice for composition) ;) (Notice self-portrait?)

Add those spices!

Patiently wait to go outside until it's safe to leave the stove...

Add some water from the beans that soaked overnight.

Loosen any spices or browned bits from the pan.

Add the beans and soaking water and realize you should have chosen a bigger pan or pot!

Heat up another burner with a big pot to transfer the overflowing beans before they make a mess!

(Discard the trash.)

Double check the recipe again...on track!

Yawn...or just look damn cute while you wait for the pot to boil.

...a watched pot doesn't boil. ;)

Be a good kitchen helper and cheer-leader. Avoid stepping or sitting on the cold floors at all costs and pose nicely for a cute picture.

Then be crazy and jump wildly to the carpet before you touch the cold floor too long! LOL SAFE! PHEW!

Allow the beans to come to a full rolling boil.

...keep waiting.

Once at a boil reduce heat; simmer for 1-2 hours until the beans are soft and it smells up your house. (I usually cover it, but then you couldn't see the bubbles, could you?!)

When the beans are soft, stir in about a teaspoon of salt and simmer another couple minutes.

...shoot a photo using your left hand to support AND trigger the shutter, while your camera is mounted with an off-camera flash...and PRAY that you don't splatter the lens or drop the camera! Giggle quietly to yourself about what a dork you are for enjoying this little project. ;)

Serve beans and position your spoon so that it's visually pleasing in your composition. MMM!

Enjoy!

Thank you for reading my little story. Be blessed!