I have lots of pictures!!!

It's been a long time since I last posted...but I have lots of pictures to post.  So I have been taking pictures...just not posting them.  Ooops. In no particular order, because let's face it, we forget...here are my pics for project 366(and maybe even) a brief explanation!

About a year ago, we took in a stray...not the blond, the cat.  We've had the blond almost 15 years now.  ;) Anyway, she thought it would be fun to pose again with her baby--who has adopted me-- to show his growth.  I thought that was a great idea...

He's about twice his size as when we took him in.  He is feisty and quite psycho. In other words:  he fits right in.

What I thought was a big screw killing my tire, was actually a spark plug.

That changed my whole day plan.  But aside from a new tire...I got new shoes..  Too bad these weren't them.

I also wanted to show off a beautiful gift my brother had done for us.  I will honestly say I got more out of watching him as we opened it and oohed and ahhed over it--though it is beautiful--but the look on his face could not be put into words.

This artist rendering came from one of our wedding pictures.  It is a 16 x20.  We do not even have a large photo.  So this is a nice addition to our home. 

Emily made honor roll.  And we all could not be prouder.  Rich and I used to joke when we would see those bumper stickers...you know the ones, "My child is an honor roll student..."  And laughed really hard at the one that said, "My kid beat up your honor roll kid!"  And added we would be THOSE parents.  We are not.  We now have TWO honor roll kids!  And yes, we are proud. 

Frogs, boots, and silly cats

Over the past couple of days, I have taken some pictures for the blog yes.  With my phone.  Better than nothing.  The goal here is to use the good camera.  I digress. 

 I saw this big frog at Target on Friday night.  It was in a "go back" cart.  For 18 years now we have been giving my mom frogs.  All because her first year in her new home, it rained.  A lot.  Her backyard turned into a pond.  And she got frogs.  Lots.  So we started giving her frogs.  This guy is too big for her house.  But I had to send her a pic!

During that same trip, I wanted to look at shoes.  For fun.  I love shoes.  However cute shoes in my size are hard to come by.  It just so happened that they were having a sale.  50 and 70% off thank you very much.  So when I found these beauties in my size for $12, I grabbed them up.  Mine.  They were originally $35.  I bought other things and still spent less than the original cost!

Our gross silly cat got into his litter box after I had cleaned it.  I thought he was going to go potty.  Nope.  He decided to take a "litter" bath.  He rolled around in it the way he would if he was outside in the dirt.  Silly beast.

Some redecorating...

I am still in a lot of chaos, but I am reclaiming my space slowly.  I put my snow globe collection in a new place. 

 It's really grown!  It all started with "SteamBoat Willie!"

I moved my pictures that were on that shelf to my fireplace mantel.

In the future I plan to add something tall and decorative on the sides.

I didn't take this one.  Kristin did.  But I love it.

Will I keep up???

Project 366 and I am already 17 days behind...well I will say 15 since I took two in one day and one another.  ;)  I am not sure I will be true to this or not...but why not....here goes....deep breath as I dive in. 

Just a touch of the chaos I am in.

Ryan dances to Just Dance 3 on the Wii

A very nice (and much needed) haircut!

To be continued?

Light Room

Thanks to an awesome post with a tutorial by EmmyMom, I was able to do some new and different things with lightroom I hadn't known about before.  If you have it, check out her tut here.  If you do not, you can download the free version for 30 days here.

SOOC

Taken By Kristin

edited by me

I took this one two years ago.  This is SOOC

Thanks again, Emmy for the great tutorial.

Something Slinky...

Rich wanted to get me something slinky....

Monday Mugs

I had so much fun last week with Monday Mugs, that I wanted to do it again.  Lucky me the challenge was cell phones.  I say lucky because we went to a birthday party this weekend for the daughter of a friend from Rich's work.  I chose not to bring my camera.  Well it wasn't MY party.  Besides, that is why we have cell phones right?  To take pictures.  This party was for a three year old.  As in she turned three.  Part of the party included a bouncy house.  

It took him almost an hour and a half, but Ryan finally warmed up enough to go and play in the house.  Surprisingly, when the Dad of the girl summoned all the kids to pile in for a picture, Ryan stayed!  Yay!  All in all it was lots of fun.  Even for Ryan.

Sweets From My Sweet

I wanted to share how I was treated on a day we mostly scoff at in our house....

First, these were delivered.....

This came on Valentine's Day....Then the next night....

Chocolate covered strawberries!!! Yum. Yeah that top left one already has a bite taken out of it.

This is the largest strawberry in a half cup measuring cup

And the smallest also in a 1/2 cup.

Sweet Stuff

My daughter is starting her own meme with photos.  And being the good mother I am I am going to support her!

How sweet is he?

More sweetness

Sweetness in the most sweetest way...my sis with all her babies!

Reflections

Today I am participating in Monday Mugs over at Oswald Cuties.  Each Monday she gives a theme to follow.  The really cool part is you don't have to be a pro or even have a fancy schmancy camera.  Just take a picture based on the theme, post it and link up.  I was starting to chicken out thinking I am not good enough, but how else will I learn if I don't challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone?  So here I go...taking a few baby steps out of my comfort zone.

 

This one started out as her whole face, once I got it in PSP I liked more than I did when I saw it on the LCD screen.  Never delete a picture until you are sure. (Thanks Emmy!)  I cropped it is all.  

 

 

This one actually had Kristin in the shot on the car as well the in the window.  I chose to crop her actual body out because it was just the bottom half and I didn't like the way it looked.  This makes it more interesting to me.

Brand New

New hair, new clothes, new me.

Monday Mugs

I am participating in my first ever photo meme over at Oswald Cuties!  In her "Monday Mugs"  This week's assignment is minimalism.  Which she describes as  (photos with a little something and a whole lot of nothing. i.e. lots of white space)  My picture doesn't have "white" space per se, but it has quite a bit of space, and I found the capture fun and different.

 

Macro

I am hoping for some rain (we are told we will be getting some next month).  The rain will bring more flowers for me to shoot in the macro mode.  I enjoy that feature!!

Straight out of the camera.  

And me pretending to know what I am doing in Paint Shop Pro.

Cast On, Cast Off

Cast On

Cast Off

The Big Box

Forget toys and gadgets and things!  Just bring home a giant box and the kids will be entertained for days!

Thinking...

He's thinking...how much longer can I play with Mom's iPod!

A Manicure

Special treatment for me, from a special girl.  Kristin did my nails.

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve we partied

We played games

And had rootbeer floats and crackers and dips.  

At midnight we banged pots and made a bunch of noise.  I took a video with my new toy and it's too dark.  Oh well.  Just know that we were noisy both inside and out!  How was your New Year's?

The Nutcracker

Ryan was in his very first school production tonight.  I was really worried he would chicken out.  But he did it.  And he was so cute.  And I'm not just saying that either!  It's a long running tradition (17 years) actually at their school that the kindergarten classes do The Nutcracker.  It is my very favorite.  I have loved it since I was very young.  And tonight made me love it more.  Ryan's group was the Arabian Dancers.  I originally thought he was the Russian dancer group, but they wanted the kids to wear bright colors and baggy pants...like Aladdin. 

Can you see that yellow hat?  Front row...blue shirt black vest.  Yeah that's him.

I wish I could have gotten closer.

Swaying back and forth.  And then...

They swayed the other way! haha.  So fun.

See the yellow hat now?  hahaha

All in all, despite the cold temps-- it was done outside--it was well worth it.  All the kids were adorable.