New Home!

Laura's Lines has a new home on the internet!

Future posts will now be made at: http://lbshutterbug.wordpress.com/

See you there!

Recent Events...

It's been a little while since I last posted! I've taken lots of pictures over the past month or so and thought I'd share some of them with you as a pictorial summary of recent days.

Some of my friends and I have been getting together almost weekly for many years (I've lost count how many). In June we had the opportunity to participate in a photoshoot with a professional photographer at a beautiful public park in Washington. The lighting was fantastic, the photographer amazing, and a great time was had by all. Here's just a sampling of the beautiful pictures!

Photos courtesy of KAB Photography.

  

  

The next adventure was another concert...but this time....with FREE TICKETS that I won from a local radio station. I had been lamenting to my friend K that it would be so much fun to win concert tickets sometime, but so far I had not been that fortunate, and lo and behold, a few weeks later I got some tickets to see The Josh Abbott Band (a Texas-Country group). I was not very familiar with them prior to the concert, but K is a huge fan, and I am pleased to say that I am now a big fan, too! Check out their music if you haven't heard of them....you just might enjoy it, too!

Since it was a small venue, a small crowd and a not-as-well-known band, we got to stand on the floor right under the stage. So...first tickets won to a concert, and first time to be on the floor for a concert, too. Double whammie, and a great time with my friends K and E.

 

 

Also in July, I had the opportunity to go on a beautiful hike with a group of friends from church in celebration of my friend K's birthday. It's views like this one that make me thankful that I live where I live (I may not repeat that sentiment come the middle of winter.....).

This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend time with a friend from high school who lives on the other side of the country. She was in town and we went to a local art festival and ate dinner at Texas Roadhouse (one of my favorite places!). M, P and I (all pictured below) were in a group in high school called Young Ladies Literary Society (YLLS), where we would read books and then discuss them, eat snacks and hang out. Great memories! A couple days later I had a chance to get frozen yogurt with P and our friend J (also a member of YLLS), and the evening was so nice, I had to take a picture. Enjoy!

And that is a picture of recent happenings in my life. Stay tuned for the next installment..... :)

Happy Independence Day!

It's a beautiful Independence Day. The sun is shining, the grass is green, and I decided it would be a good time to take Reba outside for some fresh air and pictures in her patriotic scarf (she's an All-American dog, what can I say?!).

We started by trying to play frisbee. She loves to catch the frisbee. Unfortunately either the wind is blowing, or I'm a really bad frisbee thrower (probably the latter), because it didn't take long before the frisbee landed on the roof and slid into the gutter. Oops.

So with no frisbee to play with, my little fur-friend decided to roll in the grass - her favorite thing to do on a sunny day when she is outside. Then she let me take a few pictures. Not too many, mind you - she was more interested in sniffing the grass, and trying to avoid the camera lens (I am convinced she knows when I'm trying to take her picture, and looks away on purpose). But here's a few pictures of Reba, wishing you a Happy Fourth of July!

Josh Turner, Round 2

Last time I saw Josh Turner (in 2010 - my first country concert!), I said that if he was in town again, I would go see him in a heartbeat. Well, last night I got to do just that, although he wasn't quite "in town" and we had a little bit of a drive to get there!

Josh Turner is not the first artist I have seen twice, because technically I've seen MercyMe and Tenth Avenue North twice, thanks to the Rock and Worship Roadshow. But Josh Turner is by far my favorite artist that I've seen twice. And I'd see him yet another time if given the opportunity!

The second time around was even better than the first. With the release of Punching Bag about a year ago, Josh Turner not only has his hits that have been around for several years, but he also has a whole new album to add to his repertoire. So it was fun to hear old favorites, and some new ones, too.

What also made this concert fun, was the 2.5 hour drive to get there. So it was a grand adventure, and without further adieu, here's some pictures (because you know I took some....and you probably would rather see pictures than read a novel, anyway.....).

Singing "I Wouldn't Be a Man"

What a voice!

The venue.

Such a great evening!

My concert buddy. I love this girl, and am so glad she moved to the northwest!

The Josh Turner truck!

We didn't get to meet Josh himself, but we did get to meet some of his band members. This fellow hails from Austin, Texas, via London, England, so he has an awesome accent. We had to get a picture since my friend, K, is also a Texan. :)

Was it worth it? You bet. And if you get the chance to see Josh Turner live in concert - do it. He puts on a show you will greatly enjoy!

The Blessing of Sunshine.

I've been feeling very blessed lately, in many different ways. Today, I was feeling blessed to live where I live because, well, it's beautiful - especially in the summer! I must admit that I am still not a fan of snow after about the first month or so. Give me sunshine and a blue sky anyway. I guess that is the California girl in me.

I have a 1-hour lunch break. Oftentimes I run errands, or go walk around a local grocery story (fun, huh?). Sometimes, in the winter, I just stay at work and eat in the staff lounge. Today, I decided to go to the park.

We have many parks in this town. Some are prettier than others. One of my favorites has a beautiful man-made pond right smack dab in the middle of it. As you can see from the picture, it also has a fountain. You might also notice the swan. Believe it or not, it's fake. I didn't believe it at first, either, but trust me - the thing is a floating, plastic piece of art, designed to scare the geese away (not so sure it works).

The park makes for a pretty great place to plant oneself for awhile to read a book. And that is exactly what I did today. All the benches were occupied by others with the same great idea, so I found a nice flat rock amongst a forest of irises, pulled out my ham sandwich and my book, donned my sunglasses, took off my sweater, and felt very refreshed about 30 minutes later. Eventually I put away my book and took a walk around the pond. It's a decent sized pond, so also makes a nice place to walk to get a little exercise.

Needless to say, I had a delightful hour enjoying God's beautiful creation and feeling blessed to live in such a lovely area.

Where did you eat lunch today?

Cheeseball!

Last spring, I helped a friend plan an engagement party/Bridal shower for her sister and her sister's fiance. She was looking for interesting things to serve, and I suggested a cheeseball. This is the recipe we settled on, and I have made it several times since then. As it has become a favorite of mine, I thought I would share the recipe with all of you.

Cheeseball

2 8-oz packages cream cheese, softened

2 c (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

3 Tbsp. finely chopped green onions

¼ cup finely chopped bell pepper

2 tsp season salt*

1 small can crushed pineapple, drained very, very very well

½ cup pecan pieces

Combine all ingredients, except pecans, in mixing bowl and mix well. Chill for several hours or overnight, then form into a ball. Coat cheeseball in pecans and chill for several more hours. Serve with crackers. Can also be served in a bowl, without the pecans/cheeseball shape.

*I usually add this ingredient. However, when I made this last night to take to an event this weekend, I omitted the season salt as I needed to make sure it was gluten free and I couldn't find anything on the bottle saying season salt was gluten free. I since did a google search to find out that Lawry's Season Salt is, indeed, gluten free. But the cheeseball is just as good with no salt, or a little table salt thrown in, too.

The Piano Guys

If you have not yet been introduced to the amazingness that is The Piano Guys...allow me to introduce you.

Dear blog readers.....The Piano Guys.

The Piano Guys....allow me to introduce you to my blog readers, who I'm sure will become big fans.

The Piano Guys actually consists of a piano guy, and a cello guy (and a bunch of backup guys). As they say, the first thing you should do after naming your group "The Piano Guys" is go find a cellist (ha ha ha). They do instrumental covers of popular songs, and then they do a music video that usually features the most beautiful scenery you've ever seen.

They released a new video this week. Their version of "Home" by Phillip Phillips (of American Idol fame). I like the original song....but I LOVE The Piano Guys version. They took a good song and made it amazing. Enjoy!



Other The Piano Guys Favorites:
1. What Makes You Beautiful (originally performed by OneDirection)
2. A Thousand Years (originally performed by Christina Perri)
3. Peponi [Paradise] (originally performed by Coldplay)
4. Beethoven's Five Secrets (a mashup of Beethoven's 5th Symphony and Secrets by One Republic)
5. Over The Rainbow/Simple Gifts (based on the version by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and the Shaker hymn)

Actually...just visit their channel. Everything they put out is fantastic.

Happy Listening!

I Just Gotta Say.....

....There is not much that smells better than fresh cut lilacs in the spring.

I love this time of year!

Book Review: The Bridesmaid (Beverly Lewis)

When updating my “Book Reviews” tab, I realized that somehow (don’t ask me how!) my review of The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis never got published! I loved this book so how the review never got shared is beyond me….let me remedy that now!

The Bridesmaid is the second book in Beverly Lewis's Home to Hickory Hollow series. This book is special in that we met the main character, Joanna, in the first book in the series, The Fiddler. While the series takes place in a location familiar to readers of other Lewis novels, and while each book can stand alone with its own story, it was really nice to hear Joanna's story, having gotten to know her in the first book.

Joanna Kurtz is the classic story of "always a bridesmaid, never a bride." While she has stood up with many of her friends at the altar, she has never had the opportunity to stand up as a bride.

Joanna meets Eben Troyer, and falls in love. The only problem is Eben lives in Indiana....and his plan to marry Joanna depends on his brother. See, his brother has gone off to the English world, and unless he returns, Eben can't leave his family in Indiana. 

There is also a side story in the book, also focusing on Joanna, on the fact that she is a writer. She writes stories. And that is certainly not encouraged in the Amish community! In fact it is frowned upon.....will it backfire on her? And will Joanna become a bride, finally? You'll have to read to find out.

As usual, I enjoyed this book. Another winning series from Beverly Lewis!

I received this book from Bethany House publishers. The opinions in my review are entirely my own.

Book Review: Courting Cate (Leslie Gould)

I believe that Courting Cate is the first book I've read by Leslie Gould, and I heartily enjoyed it. An Courting Cate tells the story of Cate and her sister Betsy, who live with their father, a widower, on his farm. Betsy is outgoing. Cate, on the other hand? She somewhat resembles her namesake from Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.
easy read,

The problem is that their father will not let Betsy marry until Cate, the older sister, has married. This would be fine except that, while Betsy has no trouble finding a potential suitor, Cate has lots of trouble. She is not the most agreeable person in the world, and has driven away every possible suitor, for one reason or another.

Then Pete Treger arrives on the scene. Pete is, of course, attracted to Betsy (as is every other bachelor in the area) but once he realizes he is not the only one knocking on Betsy's door, he goes after Cate. Cate, meanwhile, has decided she needs to start finding a man so that poor Betsy can finally get married, too.

Will Cate find love? I'll let you read the book to find that out.

I enjoyed this book. As mentioned previously, it was an easy read....perfect reading material for a rainy day, or a summer day under a nice shade tree. I enjoyed the subtle references to The Taming of the Shrew. I'm eager to try reading some more of Leslie Gould's books.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House publishers. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: The Guardian (Beverly Lewis)

Janette Oke is the author who hooked me on Christian Fiction, and Beverly Lewis is the author who hooked me on Amish Fiction. Whenever Beverly Lewis comes out with a new book, I am eager to dig in. The Guardian is the third book in the Home to Hickory Hollow series. While some characters may seem familiar from previous series', the stories and protagonists are brand new. I've enjoyed the entire series, but this post is not to talk about the series as a whole, but rather about The Guardian.

In the book, we meet Maryanna, a young Amish widow, who dotes on her youngest daughter, Sarah. Sarah is a quiet, sweet little girl, spoiled, in many ways. One night while the family is returning home from a function, Sarah falls out of the buggy and it is not until the family returns home that they realize what has happened. The Amish search for her, but to no avail.

Meanwhile, we meet Jodi...a 20-something teacher, who is housesitting for her cousins in Pennsylvania. One day while out on a run, Jodi stumbles upon little Sarah. She returns Sarah to her home, and makes some new friends.

I won't spoil the storyline with more details. I will just say that, as with every other Beverly Lewis book I've ready, I loved this one. The storyline drew me in, and I was transported to Lancaster County. I recommend this book if you are a Beverly Lewis fan, a Christian/Amish Fiction fan, or just want an easy book to read. You don't need to have read the previous two books in the series - each one can easily stand on its own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers (thank you!!!!). The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Happy Spring!

Happy Spring, blog readers!

I know it has been awhile.....and now that Spring has Sprung I thought it would be nice to share some pictures from around our yard. The lighting was just perfect this afternoon - overcast. Enjoy!

  

 

Happy Birthday, Cody!

Happy Birthday to this big lovable boy. Today he turns 13 (or, as I like to say, 13 going on 91, which is how old he is in dog years). He is a sweet boy and we are blessed to have him as a member of our family.

Happy Birthday, Cody!

March 6, 2013

Chair. My lovely friend KF relaxing at our small group Bible study last night.

#fmsphotoaday #chair #biblestudy

March 4, 2013

Prompt was "lucky," and I feel lucky in so many ways with this big fella. Lucky that he has been our dog for the last 13 years. Lucky that he is still around. Lucky that he doesn't talk because if he did I'm sure he could tell all sorts of stories based on the things I've told him while crying into his fur. I love you, Cody, and I sure will miss you when you're gone (but I'm trying not to think about that hopefully far-off day!).

#fmsphotoaday #lucky #cody #labradorretriever

March 3, 2013

"I'll hold the lock and you hold the key."

#fmsphotoaday #key

March 2, 2013 - And Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Blueberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars 

(see below for the recipe)

#fmsphotoaday #imadethis #cheesecake

Blueberry & White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Source: Tasty Kitchen

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Serves: 16

Ingredients

For the crust:

1-1/2 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

2 Tablespoons Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

6 Tablespoons Butter

For the filling:

8 oz. White Chocolate (I used a Ghiradelli bar)

16 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature

2 whole Large Eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (I used Vanilla Bean Paste)

1-1/4 cup Fresh Blueberries

Powdered Sugar for dusting the finished bars

What You Need To Do

Preheat oven to 325℉.

Fold a 16" long piece of foil to an 8"x"16" strip and place in an 8" square pan, leaving overhang on 2 sides. Repeat with another sheet of foil in opposite direction, lining pan completely. Spray bottom of foil lightly with nonstick spray and set aside.

For the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and stir to completely combine. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Set on a wire rack to cool.

For the filling: In a small bowl, gently melt the white chocolate in the microwave, taking care to not let it scorch (I did 30-second increments on 50% power). Set aside to cool completely (do not do this step too early in advance or your chocolate will start to harden back up again).

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 or 2 minutes. Add the eggs and sugar and beat on medium speed until just combined. Add the cooled white chocolate and vanilla and beat again. Spread mixture evenly over the baked crust and tap the pan gently on the counter to settle it in.

Sprinkle the top with blueberries and press them in ever so slightly with the back of a spoon, so that the blueberries are almost level with the cheesecake filling. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cheesecake wobbles just slightly through the center, and the edges are just a bit golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Then, place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight to chill thoroughly. Once set, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan by pulling up on the foil lining. Slice into bars and dust with powdered sugar.

I have been wanting to do a post about Les Mis

Les Miserables. 

One of the longest running musicals on Broadway...and now a major motion picture.

I admit that I am a new fan of Les Miserables. I saw a high school theatrical version a couple years ago which I enjoyed, and I have enjoyed listening to the music from time to time. But I was completely stoked to hear that they were turning this 8-Tony-Award-Winning musical into a major motion picture.

The movie was out for a full week before I got to see it. I heard mixed reviews: from some that it was the best movie they had seen. From others that there were parts they wish they hadn't had to see, which dampened their excitement (and I can't argue with that). I was expecting it to be an emotional movie. I was expecting to cry (amazingly I didn't, and I'm still not quite sure how I accomplished that). What I was not expecting was for it to be so powerful. While I managed to keep dry eyes, I was overcome with emotion. In fact I could not stop thinking about the movie and the story for at least two weeks. I am very eager for the movie to come out on DVD or Netflix so I can watch it again.

The music of the musical is powerful. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, let me give you a heads up that it is literally all singing. I suppose that makes it more of an opera. I loved it, some may hate it. Just be forewarned. Also know that this means I will be referencing music in my post. I will try to link to the song on YouTube when I can.

I'm not here to give a summary of the movie. You can find summaries online any number of places. I want to keep this post slightly shorter by letting someone else do the summarizing and just sharing my thoughts on the power of the music in the movie as that is what impacted me.

The main characters are Javert (played by Russell Crowe), Jean Valjean (Prisoner #24601 - played by Hugh Jackman), Fantine (played by Anne Hathaway), Eponine (played by Samantha Barks), and a handful of other characters.

-----

There is one song in particular that is a rather iconic piece. I had heard it many times. I had sung along with it in my car. Susan Boyle sang it on Britain's Got Talent and became famous. I had seen it sung when I saw the musical as a stage play. But the song did not really impact me until I saw it on the big screen. Until I heard the emotion that Anne Hathaway used in the role of Fantine. Until I saw the circumstances that caused the song. It's a controversial scene. Those who didn't like the movie didn't like this scene. In fact I know of one couple who left in the middle of the movie during this scene. I didn't like the scene either, but I think it was necessary. The scene shows Fantine who, recently out of a job, resorts to becoming a lady of the night as she thinks it is the only way she will be able to earn money to support her young daughter who is living with an innkeeper and his wife (who, incidentally, do not care for her at all). The scene is slightly graphic, showing Fantine having teeth pulled to make money, and cutting off her long, beautiful hair, and other things are implied (the movie is rated PG-13). She has reached rock bottom and realizes that the idyllic life she had once imagined is not the way life really is. It is at that point that she sings the well-known lyrics of "I Dreamed a Dream."

There was a time when men were kind

When their voices were soft

And their words inviting

There was a time when love was blind

And the world was a song

And the song exciting

I dreamed a dream in time gone by

When hope was high

And life worth living

I dreamed that love would never die

I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid

And dreams were made and used and wasted

There was no ransom to be paid

No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night

With their voices soft as thunder

As they tear your hope apart

As they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side

He filled my days with endless wonder

He took my childhood in his stride

But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me

That we wil live the years together

But there are dreams that cannot be

And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be

So different from this hell I'm living

So different now from what it seemed

Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

Fantine has reached the point at which she can go no lower. Life did not turn out how she envisioned it would. She does not want to do what she does, but she feels she has no other choice. Unfortunately this situation is not limited to the mid-1800s. Situations like this happen today all over our world and somehow this scene in the movie made me realize just how bleak of a situation it was, and continues to be for many.

March 1, 2013

 

When given the prompt of "L is for...." and your name starts with L, well, you must take a selfie. I also couldn't resist showing you that I wore a short-sleeve top today. And I even went a good part of the day without wearing a sweater. Yes, we got up to 50-degrees today and I'm not complaining at all!!!

(I apologize for using my bathroom mirror for the pictures....I wasn't quite sure how else to best take a picture in a short window of time)

#fmsphotoaday #Lisfor... #Laura #selfie

Stuff Dogs Do

The other night I walked into the other room to find my dog lying on the floor, seemingly reading the Bible.....

Follow Friday!

Twitterers do "Follow Friday," and I thought I'd do something similar on my blog today by sharing two of my favorite blogs.

A Thousand Little Choices
I've only spent a few hours total with K, the author of A Thousand Little Choices, but if she didn't now live all the way across the country I'm confident we would be coffee buddies at least occasionally! K is very real as she shares her adventures with her new husband and their new life in Philadelphia. She is an aspiring Martha Stewart who shares delicious-sounding recipes, beautiful pictures, and a dose of encouragement. I appreciate K's writing style and her optimism about life. Even when things seem rough, she sees the positive....something I could use help with! Thank you, K, for sharing your heart on your blog. :) (and next time you are out this way...we should totally get together for coffee!)

Elm Street Life
I've never met Whitney of Elm Street Life, and I don't comment on her posts all that often, so she probably wouldn't know me from Eve, but oh how I love to visit her blog. Whitney is a creative genius who comes up with the cutest purses, jewelry, etc (which she sells on Etsy at her store, Brighter Day). She, too, writes with a contagious optimism, and she is a new mom to a precious little baby boy. I enjoy reading about her adventures and seeing her newly crafted items...I wish I was half as creative as she. Check out Whitney's blog....you'll enjoy it!

I'm always on the hunt for new blogs to visit. What is your favorite blog?

February 11, 2013

In lieu of a picture today (since I kind of forgot to take one...oops!), I am going to take today's post in a bit of a different direction.

---

I'm a bit of a worrier, and I'll be the first to admit it. I've gotten slightly better over the last year or so but I still have things to work on. So I had to smile when I sat down tonight to do my homework for the small group Bible study I'm part of and found the chapter to be titled "Scared," and essentially dealing with conquering fears and worries, and learning to more fully trust God (since He is in control, after all!).

Anyway, this brought to mind a couple quotes I had written down in my notebook at one time or another, so I thought I'd share them. Hopefully they will be an encouragement to you.

"Worry and fretting and obsessing about the future - even if it is a pseudo-holy worry that attempts to discern the will of God - will not add one single hour to your life, and it certainly will not add any happiness or holiness, either."

- Kevin DeYoung, Just Do Something

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control. These behaviors communicate it's okay to sin...they reek of arrogance."

- Francis Chan, Crazy Love

If you, too, are a worrier, hopefully these quotes can help put things in perspective. And remember, "which of you, by being anxious, can add a single hour to his span of life?" (Matthew 6:27 ESV)

Here's to a lovely, worry-free week!