I took this picture during bath-time where we then rushed off to meet Russ at work for lunch. On our way back home for naps, I witnessed a pretty bad accident. What was so terrifying about this accident was if one or two things had been different it very well could have been us. Someone ran a red light, and if the car that had gotten hit (that was right next to me) wasn't there, I'm pretty confident we would have been T-boned pretty hard right at Clara's carseat. All of the car's airbags deployed, so I can't imagine what would have happened. A few seconds could have changed everything. I seriously shudder every time I think about it. 

It had been a stressful week, but these are the moments that put everything else into perspective. At the end of the day, all that matters is that my family is safe, sound and happy. I'm hoping I can keep this lesson in mind next time Max throws his sippy cup and spills juice on my brand new area rug. :) 

... yup that happened. 

But for real. Some things just aren't worth losing sleep over. The end. 

She loves her baskets.

My #1 drink thief!

A Blog About Love

Have you ever stumbled upon a blog/website/book/show that you just could not stop thinking about? When that happens you just want to tell everyone you know about it. Well that's how I feel about my most recent stumble, A Blog about Love. Their blog really is all about love -- how to love, what to do when you don't feel loved, how to be a better spouse, family member, friend, and so much more.

One night last week I just could not sleep. I was upset, angry, sad, frustrated, among other things. Basically, I had a lot on my mind. So I sat in my bed and started reading their blog from the beginning. I woke up the next morning and already felt like a different person. Without sounding too corny, I really feel like this blog came into my life for a reason. I am 100% inspired by these two people, and within the 5 days I have devoured everything on their blog, I truly feel like I'm one step closer to the person I want to be. I'm happier. Less things "bug" me. I'm choosing to be happy, because let's be honest, who wants to choose the opposite?

These two have definitely been handed their fair share of trials. Long story short, Mara's husband of 7 years left her (after years of going back and forth between telling her he didn't "really" love her or wasn't attracted to her), all the while dealing with infertility for nearly 5 years. After she was divorced, her friend introduced her to Danny Kofoed by a friend (who's wife of 4 years had also left him). They lived in different cities so their relationship basically started out via email. They fell in love quickly. They were both so excited to be in love once again. Their outlook on life was incredibly positive, and continues to be that way, even after dealing with infertility once again. Like I said, lots of trials.

Some of the posts that have been my go-to for inspiration as of late include:

+ How to keep a marriage glued
+ Choosing to not be offended by silly things people say
+ Best Beauty Secret in the world
+ AMAZING marriage tips
+ Feeling Spirituality in your life
+ The "Little" trials of life -- we've all got 'em
+ Working on being the best {future} mother I can
+ Being grateful for what I DO have, not dwelling on what I don't
+ Learning how to not react in a negative way

... And so much more. Seriously, I kind of want to be her BFF. Her writing is so genuine, kind, and honest. And come on, she's got rockin' style. Just give the blog a try, won't you? I hope you enjoy as much as I do. :)

My Thoughts Exactly.

via

I'm Grateful

Today I heard an amazing lesson at church. I sat there almost the entire time nodding my head thinking, "this is EXACTLY what I need to hear right now!!" You know what it was about? Gratitude. This emotion is so easily swept under the table and put aside for later. Later, as when life slows down a bit, that huge trial finally ends, or that thing we keep asking for finally happens. But life doesn't work like that.

An amazing lady stood up and talked about her young son who passed away about a month ago. She spoke of how she is grateful she never took one day she had with him for granted. How amazing would it be to say that? He was mentally disabled and required a lot of extra attention, but he had the sweetest, kindest, happiest countenance. Most understandably, she misses him dearly. She then spoke of how the biggest lesson she has learned this month is that life is short. You may have some people in your life that you are grateful for, and think "I need to let them know someday how grateful I am for them." That someday needs to be today, because, like she said, life is short. I was humbled and inspired to get to work and let those I love know how grateful I am for them, because after all:

Take a few minutes today to write a thank you note or drop a line to someone you love, expressing your gratitude for them in your life. I'm pretty sure you won't regret it. :)

picture via

It's over. It's finally over.

This is how we're feeling right now. We are both jumping for joy (literally and figuratively) that this weekend has come. Before I go any further can I please talk about how funny this picture is? First of all, how freaky does my leg look? I didn't know I could/should bend like that? Is that normal? Also, Russ's face is very, very animated... almost creepy. Everything about it just kind of cracks me up.

Ok, moving on. Why are we jumping for joy? Let me tell you. This is the first Sunday where it isn't the "night before Russ leaves." Russ has been traveling with work for almost 3 months. Think back to New Years Day... yep, that's how long it's been. He spent 2 months working at Dell in North Austin, 2 weeks in Denver, and this last week he was in Dallas. He'd leave Monday mornings and come home Friday nights. This is one aspect of our lives that I haven't revealed to the world wide web, for obvious reasons. I have literally been living alone for nearly 3 months.

Luckily I have a job that keeps me busy during the day, but the nights have been rough. I hang out alone, come home to an empty house, go to bed alone, and wake up alone. I can honestly say this has been the hardest and loneliest 3 months of my life, and I am so, so, so glad it's over. I'm not usually that dramatic of a person, but even I knew it was bad when I would randomly cry on the way to work, sitting at work, or at home. Geez, just writing that sounds dramatic, but it's true. It has tested me in ways I didn't think possible -- it has tested my optimism, patience, our marriage, our communication, and more. It has also proven that I would be terrible in any long-distance relationship. It's been hard on both of us. For Russ, he has been on the road, living in hotel rooms and eating out for almost every meal (which gets old fast). I, on the other hand, have been living alone in a city with no husband or family. Yes, I have friends (and amazing ones at that), but they have husbands and families of their own that I didn't want to impose on.

But it's over. For now.

I'm sorry for airing out my dirty laundry, but it's my blog and writing this kind of stuff down every once and a while is therapeutic. Isn't it funny how you can look at someone's life (via blogs/facebook/etc.) and think their life is peachy-keen, only to find out they have been fighting the biggest battle up to that point in their life? Yep, that's been this here blog as of late.

Thanks for being there for me, my friends. You know who you are.

It WILL work out

You wanna hear something crazy? Sometimes life doesn't work out how you want it. Oh wait, we all already knew that.

Even though sometimes its hard, I'm still grateful someone else with an eternal perspective is in control. Lately it seems as if so many of my family members and friends (and even yours truly) have been reminded of this amazing lesson. It's a hard one to learn, and it's even more hard to just sit there and watch as those you love struggle through some of life's toughest trials.

But here's the happy part. Somehow everything always works out. Perhaps not in the timeframe or means in which we originally intended, but in the way our loving Heavenly Father knows is best. I read this quote on a friend's blog today, and it put everything in perspective... again. It seems as if I need constant reminders about this. I'll share it here, in case you are anything like me and need a reminder as well.

Dear 2010,

It's been a holiday season whirlwind, and I feel as if I have finally had a little time to reflect on the fact that you have come and gone. And along with that, a new year is here.

We managed to squeeze in a lot of activities into you, but aside from all the fun trips or events we attended, the biggest thing to show is personal growth. I've learned so much about myself, my husband, my family, friends, relationships with all of the prior listed, the Savior, trials, patience, communication, endurance, hard work, and forgiveness. But without getting too serious, in no particular order, some of the things that made me happy in 2010 include:

    Europe
    Modern Family
    Becoming a stronger and faster runner
    Harry Potter (visiting the theme park, seeing the movie, and re-reading some books)
    Russell
    Visiting/being visited by family
    Surviving my first tax season, and my first full year in a "real job"
    Crafting
    Becoming a better cook

Because there is always room for improvement, I would like to document some goals (aka resolutions) for 2011 -- more to benefit myself than anything. I know if I don't consciously write it down, it's nothing more than a wish in my mind.

    Drink more water
    Run another 1/2 Marathon
    Save more, spend less
    Perform more small acts of service for those around me
    Make another quilt
    Similar to the above, channel my crafty side even more!
    Gossip less, love others more
    Get better at taking pictures
    Be positive (no one likes a Negative Nancy)
    Stop and smell the roses ... or should I say the dandelions?

Goodbye 2010. But I'm glad you're here, 2011. I look forward to what you have in store.

            Love Always,

   Camille

My Graduation Quilt

My mom is an amazing seamstress and quilter. When Brittney, Jace, and I graduated from high school, it was tradition for my mom to make us a quilt to take to college. She would spend hours making something to help us remember her and our home in Spokane as we embarked on our new adventure with college.

When I was getting ready to go to college, I opened my quilt from mom. You know the first thing I said? "Thanks Mom, but these weren't the colors I wanted for my dorm room." Can we say BRAT?!? Thinking of how I responded to this gesture still makes me sick. My mom reacted with class and didn't make a big deal of the situation, and I went on my merry way. A few hours later I went out to the front porch and found my mom with tears streaming down her face. My heart broke. She had put so much time and love into that quilt, and I dismissed it without gratitude. How selfish I felt. We spent a few hours on that porch talking about life, growing up, leaving home, and more. My mom and I grew closer that evening on the porch. Even though I am still disgusted when I think of how I initially acted, I am grateful for this experience because I learned so much from my mom, how she handled the situation, what she taught me, and the mother-daughter/friend relationship I treasure.

I ended up using this quilt on my bed in college for many, many years. Every time I felt a twinge of homesickness, I would look at the quilt and remember my mom and her amazing love for me. This quilt is now one of my most prized possessions.

Why am I telling you this story? We are at my in-laws house where we still have some boxes we are keeping here for storage. I was digging through one box this evening, and found this quilt. Tears came to my eyes. I love this quilt. It is coming home with me to Texas.

The Provo Tabernacle

I'm sure most of you have already heard about the Provo Tabernacle. For those of you who haven't, and have no clue what I'm talking about, the Provo Tabernacle is a historic building in downtown Provo that was built in 1883 by the early members and pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was an absolutely beautiful building that held so much history and memories. Church meetings, concerts, and city events were held in this building. When living in Provo, my apartment was just a few blocks away, allowing a good number of our meetings to be held there. In fact, Russ and I went to a church meeting at the tabernacle in one of the first few weeks we were dating (proof below). We had run into a friend of Russell's, who apparently texted Russ "predicting" we were going to get married. Russ of course didn't tell me that at the time... it would have freaked me out. But hey, he was right. (And can I take a moment to point out those amazing mountains? sigh.)

ANYWAY.... back to the point... I was shocked and sad to hear that the building burnt down early Friday morning. It will be a miracle if they can salvage it. This morning I read of a story about the "Second Coming" photo of Christ by Harry Anderson that partially survived the fire. The entire photo was burned except the middle, where "coincidentally" Christ is painted. I thought this story was inspiring and thought-provoking. I think I may have gotten a few goosebumps from this picture.

image via

You can read the article here.

Complete coincidence or not, isn't that amazing? Seeing this picture was a perfect way to start off our Sunday. I love Sundays and the opportunity we have to stop and reflect on everything we have to be grateful for, because we all know we do not stop to do it enough. This picture is a great reminder to keep Christ the center of Christmas. Wow.

A Week of Thanks

Can you believe Thanksgiving is this week!?!? When did that creep up so fast?? Either way, I'm so excited for this time of year. I know we are supposed to have a heart full of gratitude year-round, but I love how people around the world stop and take time to express gratitude especially at this time of year. I have so, so, so many things I am grateful for.

But rather than bore you all with a list of things I am grateful for, today I want to express my gratitude for my little brother. I look forward to his weekly emails and letters like a kid on Christmas morning. They're full of crazy Japanese stories, uplifting experiences from his mission, and funny Jace-isms. His optimism, faith, and perseverance is so inspiring. I hope to be like my little brother someday.

Being in Japan has apparently made Jace appreciate American food. He does love the food in Japan, but he has become especially obsessed with Navajo Tacos. He claims Mom used to make these all the time, but we are all a little surprised by this random obsession that he references nearly every week. I honestly don't remember eating these all the time growing up. But hey, whatever makes him happy. Look at that smiling face! I miss that goofy grin like no other. And man... I hope my little bro' doesn't show me up in the kitchen when he gets back. He's got that skillet flip down!

I am grateful for Jace and his example to me. I am grateful that I have a good relationship with my siblings. Family is really what it's all about, isn't it?

Now it's your turn -- What are you thankful for?

Be Kind

This quote has always been one of my favorites. Even though it's easy to get sucked up into your own little bubble we call life, it's good to be reminded to step out of the bubble time and again. As you can read in the previous post, things have been a little hairy around these parts. I have been stressed and worried -- two words that easily translate to "worrying only about myself."

Coming to work this morning and catching up on emails/blogs/etc. has reminded me that everyone is fighting their own battle. You may remember dear Sheri who is battling with cancer right now. Her daughter, Lindsay, touched on this idea perfectly in the latest Sheri update (click on link to read, it's a good one), and since I read her post I have not been able to get this quote by Plato out of my head.

Before I ramble too much longer, I just want to express my gratitude for everything we have been given. I am blown away at how blessed we are in so many facets of life. I am grateful for our families, friends, the Lord, our house (invaded or not), this holiday season, the cooler weather, and most importantly... life. Life is good, amidst the individual battles and all.

{Picture via}

Chapters

It's moving day my friends! Somehow everything we own got put into boxes/some sort of transportable form in the two short evenings I had to pack. Whew! (Thanks again to Megan and Andrea. I owe you guys big.)

Russ & crew moved everything today while I went to work. (We owe you guys, too!) Where would we be without friends? I'll tell you where we'd be. Still in our apartment.

{Enter sentimental Camille}

It's kind of crazy that Russ and I are now on home #2 as a family. We are closing chapter 1, the chapter of our first apartment in Texas. The apartment that held a newly married couple who came to Texas with no friends, only one job, and one month of married life behind them. We are starting this next chapter in a house, but this time with lots of amazing friends, TWO jobs, and over a year of marriage! I can only imagine what the future holds.

As for the near future? The Lewis and Milne families! Russell's sister (and her cute family) and his parents are coming to party Texas style for the blessed Labor Day weekend and to help us break in the new house. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend that is labor free. 'Cause that's how it should be.

Oh, Joy

I saw this quote on one of my favorite blogs I follow, Ashley Anne - Under the Sycamore. Her blog is filled with beautiful pictures, inspiring ideas, and uplifting thoughts. Every post is a treat. But this particular quote really hit home for me.

It is human nature to compare. It's amazing how quickly we can go from being so proud and satisfied at something we have accomplished, the state of being we have found, or the joy we have reached to feeling completely... Inept. Inadequate. Falling short. Unhappy. That joy was stolen.

Unfortunately, I find myself doing this on a regular basis. Say I just finish a great run, and feel so proud that I reached that goal distance, or improved my time. Then I hear about someone else that did the same amount just a smidge faster, or went considerably longer... and suddenly my run was not enough. I'm not good enough. I have to be better. Why can't I hold on to the original self-satisfaction I once obtained?

Today's modern world of blogs, TV, movies, you name it, sets up a stage where we can ALWAYS compare ourselves to someone elses life... even though the view we see is not the whole picture. Ever since I read this quote, I have been thinking about joy. Joy is happiness. Felicity. Contentedness. I want to strive to stop comparing. I want to embrace and hold on to the joy I feel from what I achieve, what I do, and most of all, for who I am. I am Camille Elise Lewis, and knowing that brings me joy.

Picture via

Make Up Your Mind

So we all know how sometimes life doesn't always go the way we expected it to, right? Yes, I'm pretty sure we have all learned this time and time again. But the craziest thing about this fact of life is that somehow, someway, it always works out. It's all about the attitude you keep. Mr. Abe Lincoln knew this to be true, and expressed it so well with the following quote:

 via

If you're wondering if I'm going somewhere with this, I'm not really. Life is really good, and I am so grateful for everything I have. I mean, let's be honest, if I had it my way I would, for example, be able to see my family whenever I want. I could have been there to help celebrate Stu's birthday, and tagged along with Brittney and Stu as they saw Sir Paul McCartney the other night (yes, I know, they saw a Beatle, and I did not. And I am so happy for them, but would be lying if I wasn't a smidge jealous). Or, Russ and I could have gone to the Lewis family reunion at the beautiful Aspen Grove near Sundance and shared those precious memories with the rest of his family. Or, I could be up in Spokane with my parents, spending our free time boating on the lake, which is one of my favorite places to be in the world.

But alas, real life is here, and you know what? It's good. It's really good. If I have learned anything in the last year of my life, it's that sometimes you need to make up your mind to be happy, and after you do this it's pretty much a guarantee that your outlook on life will be a bit brighter.

One Smart Woman

Got this email at work today, and I literally laughed out loud. Ask my office buddy, I did.  

Barbara Walters, of 20/20, did a story on gender roles in Kabul, Afghanistan, several years before the Afghan conflict.  She noted that women customarily walked five paces behind their husbands.

She recently returned to Kabul and observed that women still walk behind their husbands.  Despite the overthrow of the oppressive Taliban regime, the women now seem to, and are happy to, maintain the old custom.

Ms. Walters approached one of the Afghani women and asked, 'Why do you now seem happy with an old custom that you once tried so desperately to change?'

The woman looked Ms. Walters straight in the eyes, and without hesitation said, "Land Mines."

Moral of the story is (no matter what language you speak or where you go), BEHIND EVERY MAN THERE IS A SMART WOMAN.

In other news, I apologize for the lack of blog posts. Usually when Russell goes out of town I blog like there's no tomorrow. But this time not so much. These last few weeks have crawled by having him gone. It sure does get lonely after a while! Maybe I need to invest in one of these:

I wonder if that will do the trick? Well, instead I have kept myself busy by painting a certain craft desk a bright and cheery yellow (picture soon to come), and drooling over craft sites with craft projects I only aspire to do. If only there was an endless amount of time, money, and space to create and display these craft projects... Anyone else feel the same way?

Dad Day

“The older I get, the smarter my father seems to get.” ― Tim Russert

Isn't it the truth??

I hope every father in the world feels honored and loved on this day and all the days to come. The role of a father is invaluable to a child. They provide a source of strength, security, and protection, among many other things.

As I have gotten a little older, I have thought about my own upbringing, and the man I am honored to call my Dad. My dad is my hero. He has so many traits and qualities I hope to emulate in my own life. He has taught me so much -- by both his words and his example. 

I miss my Dad like crazy. I haven't seen him since CHRISTMAS, and we have yet another month till we get to spend a few days together. It's really hard being apart for so long, but in a way I feel we have gotten closer. 








On the same vein, I feel so blessed to have married into a family with yet another amazing example of a father. I have learned so much in the last year or so of our marriage as I have watched and observed my father-in-law in his day-to-day actions. He puts pride in everything he does... whether it be his job, house, or his family. Thank you, Randal, for supporting Russell and I in everything we do!

We really are so blessed to have two amazing men to honor on this Father's Day. Thank you for everything you do for us. We love you!

Mothers Day

On the way to church today, I passed a graveyard and couldn't help but notice the huge amount of people paying respects to their deceased mothers. This just made me think about how powerful an impact mothers everywhere have. Ever person on this planet is a product of how their mother raised them. From the way they wash dishes to the moral beliefs they hold. I have especially noticed this since I have gotten married. Camille notices little things that I do and we realize that they are because of my mother. I have seen the same in her, (diet coke anyone?). Both of our mothers are great influences in our lives and can be attributed for many of the great qualities we have. I believe that mothers everywhere have the ability to make the world a better place, and I am grateful for those who do so. Camille follows a blog of one particular mother who we feel has made this world a better place. See the video below.

On Winning Things

I won something today! In the midst of preparing millions of state returns for some ginormous law firm, I got a call from "Thai Chili" telling me that I won a free lunch! Last week when Russ and I tried out this restaurant (which was amazing, by the way), we thought it'd be fun to throw our business cards into those business card raffles. First of all, kind of cool that I have a business card to give away, and second of all, why not? Who doesn't love getting something for nothing? Winning is such a fulfilling feeling.

I'm honestly just relieved to know my good luck has not completely worn off. For a few years I won all sorts of drawings, but I have had a slight 3 or 4 year drought. One of the most exciting nights of my life was my High School all-nighter. Yes, I said it. At this little shin-dig I won the following:

• $150 cash
• Gym membership, combined with a basket full of exercise goodies (weights, exercise ball, yoga mat -- which I still use)
• Blanket -- which still keeps me warm
• Lamp -- which still gives light
• Car 

Yes, I won a car. It was a '78 Ford Tempo in the most horrid color of maroon, but I still won a car. I ended up selling it to a friend for $1,000. So really, I won $1,150. 


In other news, I saw the most beautiful sunrise on the way to work today. You know the kind where the sun looks absolutely huge and everything is an incredible mixture of oranges, reds, and yellows? Yeah, it kind of took my breath away. Also, I got to read a letter from my brother who is IN the land of the rising sun, so that is cool, too.


I also must say Happy St. Patty's day my friends. Did you know Leprechauns are REAL? I need to pull out my flute to help homeboy find the gold. Confused yet? Take a look:

Sunday ramblings.

There is something soothing about the cloudy sky outside of our window as we lazily lay around on this Sunday morning. I love Sundays.

I worked my first Saturday during tax season yesterday. I liked it only because I got to wear jeans and converse to the office.

So happy because after a week of resting and icing, I was able to run 9 miles again yesterday. Hooray for bodies healing themselves. Even happier because Russ ran them with me.

To accompany the cloudy sky outside, I am going to make THIS SOUP since my awesome sister-in-law recommended it so highly.

I think we found one of Russ's new favorite restaurants -- Ruby Tuesday. It's amazing how something so simple as a cherry coke and "triple prime cheddar burger" makes a man so happy.

I can no longer stay awake during movies. I only made it half-way through Sherlock Holmes last night. Wimp.

I miss my family, but am so happy that my sister is coming in a few weeks.

Sea World has opened again. Must visit ASAP.

Sometimes I wish I could see what I would be like if I was a cartoon. My brother-in-law, Stuart, just got made into a cartoon. It's totally awesome, and I'm slightly jealous. See for yourself:

...Take It Back to the Start...

I've never really been into this show in the past, but I am this time. I keep hearing a lot of my favorite songs... which might be part of the reason I am locked in. Last night Ms. Katelyn Epperly totally won my vote when she sang "The Scientist" by Coldplay, a song with so many memories for me. Her voice rocks. She almost brought me to tears, which would have been embarrassing, since I was definitely watching it in the gym. Go Camille.

Anyway, take a look at this girl and her white piano.

(Click HERE to watch Mr. Chris Martin sing it himself. Totally captivating.)