A & O Pick Apples

Sunday Orion and I enjoyed a great afternoon at Aamodt's Apple Orchard & Vineyard. I've never been to a vineyard before, this was my first taste. It was really pretty, and such a fun afternoon to spend together. We walked around, sampled cider, picked apples, and took pictures. We also hit a local nearby pumpkin stand and picked out some for carving. Here's a few pictures from the day:

I love fall colors in the Midwest.

Picking out the perfect one

Me & Hubby outside the vineyard building, so much fun!

Later, that day when we got home Bentley and I spent the afternoon playing in the yard. He's so cute, and so much fun.

4 months old already!

Playing with Bentley

The girls give back...

This past Saturday I took 10 Miss Twin Cities contestants to Feed My Starving Children in Eagan to pack boxes of food for children over seas. This year we really wanted to do a service orientated project, and get the girls involved in the community. I thought this would be perfect for the occasion. Early Saturday morning we met, and joined several other groups at the Eagan location to pack food. I was so proud and excited for the girls that showed up. It was great to see them all there smiling and ready to go at 9 AM! They all had great attitudes and were so wonderful all morning long!
After two hours we along with the other groups packed 80 boxes of food, which added up to be about 3000 meals that will be shipped over seas! These particular meals will be shipped to Haiti to feed children there. Here's a few pictures of the girls from Saturday:

All the girls just before orientation at the Eagan location. We watched a video about some history of the program, and heard about where the food goes from when they ship it out.

Group 1, packaging food. L to R: Lindsay, Sara, Kelsey and Sara
Elizabeth shows off her cleaning skills!

Group 2, L to R: Nadia, Kayla, Jenna and Janette

Next up for the girls; they will have their 1st rehearsal on Oct. 5th at the dance studio where they will learn the opening production number. One week from yesterday we'll crown a new Miss Twin Cities and start and amazing new year! Just in case you're keeping up here's a few appearances and the schedule till crowning:

Sunday Oct. 5th Rehearsal Production @ Denise Yackel Dance Studio

Wednesday- Friday Oct. 8th- 10th Dress Rearshals

Friday Oct. 10th Twin Cities Live Taping

Saturday Oct. 11th Interviews in the AM

Pageant 6:30 PM @ The Paul & Shelia Wellstone Center St. Paul, MN

It's going to be an exciting week!!

440

It's been 440 days since we got married! Can you believe it?!!! 440 days and we're still in love! We're planning a cruise next summer for our 2nd wedding anniversary! I'm so excited it's going to be a ton of fun. I hope everyone in life finds as much love, and happiness as Orion and I have!

Fantastic Friday

It's Friday folks, it's a slow day at work, and Friday's are my least favorite day at the job! It's empty mostly in my office, I am unmotivated it's true. So today's blog is about nothing really.... kinda like a good Seinfeld episode. So today is about fun, fashion, and dreaming of the weekend here at my desk. Love, Love, Love actress Mariska Hargitay! She's my favorite detective on SVU, and well period. Even though her character Olivia kicks but on t.v., Mariska kicks but too in real life with her 'Happy Heart Foundation' which provides help and support, for human trafficking victims. PS- and I love her in this yellow dress from the Emmys.

I thought actress Brooke Shields looked lovely in this mermaid number at the Emmys on Sunday night! She makes me want to have long hair again, and make it brown. Her Crest commercials have been tying me over till Lipstick Jungle comes back on.

Christina Applegate, here's what I love about this girl; just a few days after her double mastectomy to over come breast cancer she's out there already. I admire her strength and grace through the whole ordeal, she's not in the safe zone yet, but she's living her life for the now and everyday. We should all be more like that. Plus, she looks stunning!

Lauren Conrad, I don't care what you say I love THE HILLS, and I think LC is just great! She's a real girl who's making her dreams come true. Sure she's a Hollywood gal now, but once upon a time she was just a girl from California who's trying to make her dreams come true. From one California girl to another, I love that she's pursuing her dreams!

Actress Jennifer Carpenter, she's fast becoming the queen of scary movies. I watched one of her scary movies once, I don't know why I hate scary movies, and let me tell you it was scary! But, I do love this orange dress she's wearing. She looks pretty fantastic!
Love this couple! Patrick and Jillian Dempsy! They are one of my favorite Hollywood couples, forget all the break ups and make ups in the Hills, this couple stays out of the lime light for the most part, Patrick is an actress and Jillian is a Co-Exec for Avon. They stay at home with their twin boys, and oldest daughter. They live life, and every now and then get dressed up and let photogs take their picture. They aren't about the hype and I love that. They don't sell their babies pictures for millions, they don't move all over the place, and love to be in the publications. They are just a sweet couple, who have been together forever.

This weekend, I will be crazy busy.... as always pretty much. I am just gearing up for a crazy October! What you may ask? Tonight, I'll be spending the evening with one of my favorite ladies Miss Elizabeth, helping her prepare for Miss Twin Cities in just a few short weeks. Saturday, it's off to meet the rest of the Miss TC girls and go to Feed My Starving Children for a few hours and pack food. Sunday, Hubby and I are going to make it out to Stillwater for their Hot Air Balloon Festival. It's going to be packed but so fun.

DWTS

After a long awaited summer it's back! Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) is back for it's 7th season! I couldn't be more excited! It's coming back with a 3 night season premier, 2 dances in 3 days, and a double elimination! Can you believe it?!!

I watched both Monday and Tuesday nights, and now tonight will be the second elimination in 3 days! I can't wait. My favorite celeb this season has to be the wonderful Brooke Burke. My favorite pro has always been Cheryl Burke. But I must say Cloris Leachman has to go. She's a great lady, but not a dancer, and is a little too goofy for me, she needs to go tonight! And yes, some people play fantasy football but I play Fantasy Dancing!

Wordless Wednesday

I totally stole this idea from Dana's blog Just Talk! I figured since I love pictures so much, taking them, looking at them, and just getting ideas. I wanted to weekly post a picture, tell you my thoughts, and give you the photos credit. Well, maybe I won't talk.... that might defeat the purpose of "wordless."

Anyway here's the first weeks installment:

photo credit: Dana Bradley Photography

Daily Flickr

I'm Flickr obsessed these days, as you already know! I found this little jewel today. Isn't this cute? I love the colors, and the creativity behind this. I'm for sure stealing this idea for something. photo credit: Flickr member SammyV22

Apple Orchard

This past Saturday I went with Becky and her son to an apple orchard. It was an experience, after getting lost trying to find it for a couple hours we finally made it there! It was hot, really fun, and a great day for taking pictures. Jump on over to my photography blog to see more pictures from the day! I had way to much fun that day with Becky and her son Chaz. Next time we're going to our hubby's! I love fall!

Pretty Pictures

{ little red riding hood}
{ hallmark card}

{ lollipop}

{ playful}

photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/prettyinpink1/

Meet my newest indulgence: Flickr. I've been loving getting ideas from other photogs like myself. These are a few pretty pics I found today. I hope you enjoy them. Find me on Flickr and let me know what you think. I'd love to get your feedback!

New Look!

After much anticipation, and lots of hard work; my photography business finally has new logos and a new look. I just posted them this morning! Check them out, I'd love to hear your feedback.

Log on to the blog at http://andreaworleyphotography.blogspot.com

Check out the website at www.photosbyandrea.com

I'm super excited about them, and I can't wait to have business cards printed now with an all new look. It's going to be really fun!!

I can't take any of the design credit, I just take the pictures. All design credit goes to Courtney Feia. Check out her at http://courtneyfeia.blogspot.com

Fall in Love.....

photo credits "Pretty in Pink" on Flickr

I love this one......

These give new meaning to the phrase "falling in love" I didn't take these pictures, I found them on Flickr.com and I just thought they were so adorable! I love the colors, I love that you can tell these two people are so in love they can't even stand it. The kind of love that makes you go weak in the kness, and makes other people sick! We all should love like that, and be loved that way. Don't you think?

We made the List!

Good news..... we made the blog list at http://www.nataliegrant.com/ check us out there too!!! I love Natalie Grant, and read her blog often. I'm glad she's a fan of 'Worley House' just as much as I am!! ;)

How's my grass?

My friend Julie always says, " If the grass is greener on the other side, maybe you should water your grass!"

Which leaves me to the question: How's my grass?

Have I (we) been thinking that others have it better than I do? Am I wanting things in life, wanting more from life because it's what I want, or because others have it? Do I have things because I need them? Or because I want them?

Hey... don't get me wrong here it's ok to have wants, dreams, and desires for your life, marriage, and friendships. But, what I am talking about here is the excess! The excess things in life, more stuff that we really don't need in life, but have because we want to.

My most recent example of this, that has brought me to question "the grass" in my life is; my Blackberry. I got a Blackberry Pearl about a month ago, my beloved Pink Pearl has brought me to question. I've had a love/hate relationship with it ever since. I love it because it has a cool phone book, and I have my phone and calendar all in one. I hate it because it's slow at times, you have to re-set it once a month, and it's a little more expensive than I really think phone service should be, and it doesn't have some features that I thought a Blackberry should or would when I got it. So because it doesn't exactly have what I wanted it to do, it makes me question do I really need it?

I've wanted it for a long time, thinking that it would make my life easier, and less complicated. But in reality, all it's done is make it more. It's more money, I admit I'm constantly on it, and really who needs to be on their phone that much?

It makes me think maybe simple is better!? Maybe planners are really my thing, and not the Blackberry. It makes me think, maybe I don't want people to have access to me all the time via email & the phone. It makes me think, maybe my grass was already green to begin with. I just didn't see it.

Now I know you maybe telling yourself this is silly to compare life to that of my pink Pearl... but I think I'm learning some valuable lessons here about myself. Less is more sometimes. And sometimes having the fanciest things, or the latest gadget doesn't make us really happy.

That kind of happiness can only be found in Jesus. That kind of completeness and wholeness can only be found in peace through him. And... I'm pretty sure Jesus doesn't rely on his Blackberry.

He wants us to be happy in who he's created us to be. Content in the way he's made us. Not striving for something that man or China can give us. But something only he can give us.

It's time to get simple folks! It's time to water your grass!

Tina takes on Sara!

I've been saying for weeks now how much Sara Palin & Tina Fey look a like! I knew there would be a spoof in the works for the writers at SNL. And they did! (they'd be crazy not to, it's just to funny) In case you missed the opener season of this years SNL here's the video again:

Truly hilarious! Tina Fey and Amy Phoeler team up to do impressions of Hilary and Sara! It makes me laugh so hard. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Weekend Update:

We were supposed to head to Iowa this weekend, but instead had a change of plans and decided to stay close to home. I thought things would slow down during this month, but I am realizing they aren't going to till after October, and that's ok.
* Friday, Hubby and I grabbed Chinese food, movies, and stayed in for the night. It was so nice to just relax after a crazy week.
* Saturday, we got up early and made breakfast together. I left that morning for a pedicure, while my amazing Hubby cleaned the house. I made it home by 11 am just in time for Hawkeye kick off! I sat on the couch for a few hours watching my team kick ISU! We won 17-5! I was so excited! It was a good afternoon.
* Saturday late afternoon, I was inspired to make meals ahead of time to have on hand for the freezer! I was a cooking machine. I made 2 pans of lasagna to freeze. Apple crisp for my hubby, and dinner that night for us and a friend! I must say, as nice as it was cooking that much was tiring.
* Saturday night we chilled in front of the t.v. for the OU football game. It was a full day of FB in our house, watching both of our favorite teams. They both won, and we are just glad they never play each other! That would be a house divided.
* Sunday, after church I headed out for the day to spend it with the contestants of this years' Miss Twin Cities competition. 16 amazing young women, we spent of day of prep. Getting together to answer questions, do mock interviews, and give them tips & tricks for hair, make-up and wardrobe. It was a fun afternoon. Next up for the girls; our service project on Sept. 27th with FMSC. It's going to be a good year, if you haven't gotten your tickets for the show visit www.misstwincities.com
I love my weekends, this next week is low key with nothing to do this coming weekend at all... it could change but I am looking forward to a weekend of nothing!
xoxo

One Thing?

What's the one thing that you do for yourself? Not for your hubby or your kids, but the one thing that makes you relaxed and happy, and is an indulgence for YOU?

Maybe it's getting away to your nearest coffee shop and reading a book and taking time away, maybe it's your hubby taking the kids for an afternoon while you stay at home and chill?

Mine is pedicures! Oh... how I love pedicures. It's the one thing I do for myself more than anything else. I don't shop often, I only hit sales. But I love a good pedicure. I get them about once every couple months. They are the one thing that makes me feel pampered and relaxed!

Saturday morning Hubby and I made breakfast together, and about 9 am I headed out in my comfy velour to get a pedicure! I was only one in the nail salon, had it all to myself. They were playing 'Saved by the Bell' re-runs when I walked in. I sat there, sipped my water, read magazines, and felt like I was in heaven! (pretty sure pedicures will be in heaven)

Now my toes are a fancy shade of red!

What ever "it" is that you're doing for yourself....make sure you find something and do it as often as you can. Everyone needs a little me time every now and then!

xoxo

a little dilemma....

You may have remembered my bridesmaid dress for Jimmy & Jessie's wedding from this post, the dress is awesome and I am excited to wear it. But, here's my dilemma..... it's the shoes. I've already bought a pair for the dress but then I found these wonders at a store I like to call Target! They are super chic, and classy heels in mocha brown! Don't they just sound awesome?! And now, I'm just not sure what to do? Take the others back, and get the new ones? Or just stick with the ones I already have? I know it's trivial!

So what would this blog be like without pictures? Come on, people I'd never....... Here's my choices.......

This is the pair I'm looking at, and entertaining the idea of......

And here's the pair I already bought..... they are sensible and can wear them again, and again....

So here's where the blog comes in..... let me know your thoughts. Which pair do you like?