Fabulous Blog?? Really?

I got an award!!! I can't even believe it!

How sweet! Thanx LoriAnn aka Ellay !

The award requests that I list five addictions and present the award to 5 fabulous blogs.

So, I would say I'm addicted to 1) coffee w/ cream & sugar, 2) digital scrapbookin', 3) my family, 4) photography, 5) ultra fine pens. These are in alphabetical order. Why? Because "no particular order" sounded casual and careless. ;)

And I would like to present this award to 1) Candace - she has extremely beautiful children and talent galore in her scrap LOs, 2) Deb - she is diligent & interesting in her 365 project and I like that!!, 3) Imzadi - turtles, tattoos, and always interesting stuff , 4) Brenda - I just totally love looking at the cute stuff her kids do , and 5) Rebecca - her's is not a 365, but it's packed with digi scrap stuff and very cool tunes!!

Friends from long ago and far away

Jeff, Carrie, and Joshua. We met these three people in 1998. We were on our way to Kodiak, Alaska, courtesy of the US Coast Guard. We were in Bellingham, WA getting ready to board a three day ferry venture along the way. While we were sitting in the staging area we came across another Coast Guard family. Who within a matter of minutes, unbeknownst to us, had become a part of our lives, and our family for the rest of our lives.

We shared meals, fishing trips, hikes, tears, holidays, laughter and love. We spent 3 years in the same neighborhood, on the same island in Alaska. Then in 2001 Jeff, Carrie and Joshua got their orders. They were leaving Kodiak, going to Mobile, AL. And they went. In 2002 we left Kodiak and went to Ft. Dix, NJ. In 2003 we went to AL and stayed with them for about 3 weeks while Mike had a Coast Guard school to attend on Jeff's base.

In 2004 Jeff, Carrie, and Joshua moved to VA. They added to the family with Melaina Rose. In 2005 we all got together for my 40th birthday party, which was held in Virginia. In 2006 Mike retired from the Coast Guard and we moved to VA. We're not in the same town, matter of fact we're well over an hour away. We get together from time to time to laugh, eat good food, drink some beer, play some Trivial Pursuit or Scrabble and to be friends!!

Last night they were in town, and we went out for pizza, came back to the house; the kids played guitar hero for a while and the adults just hung out talking, laughing and being friends up close and in the present!

51 degrees

That's what the temperature was when I ventured out to the back yard today, with camera in hand. I stood for a few mintues just looking and really taking the scene in. It was refreshing to take in the smell of it all. As soon as I'm done with this I'm going back out to enjoy the sunset.

My photos today are refreshing too -- or I think so anyway! It's a compilation of a few of the goodies that my backyard holds. And of course one photo of me at the computer enjoying my handiwork.

My backyard is a haven to me. It's pretty secluded and a bit natural / woodsy. In the spring and fall I almost live out there with a great glass of wine, or a cold beer, or sometimes sweet tea, just kicked back in my glider.

Ok, my friends have arrived from out of town. Maybe I'll take some pix of them and post more later!!

Hangin' out

Hangin' out in the living room.

The dog watching me,
watching the cat,
who was oblivious to everyone except herself.

And the dog is licking his chops!

First day back at work and I'm ready for bed.
Maybe I'll do a little crocheting before.

Seriously tho', I have to get out a bit and get some more creative photos. It's just toooo darn cold!

A do nothing day.

Today was a real do nothing day.

Well, not really "nothing", I did have to take Mallory to the orthodontist.
Then we picked up some Chick-fil-a for our enjoyment during the inauguration.


Then I took a nap.


I also enjoyed the look of my new den wall!!
Photo of the day -- me, enjoying my fresh wall.

Before and After

This is, I mean, WAS our den wall. A wall of many memories, mostly our time in Alaska. Photos of us with great big salmon, and a tiny halibut, pix of the girls boating and biking, some wildlife. Just awesome stuff, in my heart anyway. Not necessarily in the eyes of others.

LOL

Anyway, while we were in Williamsburg yesterday I had my mom go out with me to pick a paint color. After much discussion and consideration Mike & I had decided it was time for something fresh. So my mom, who is very good at the whole "decor" thing helped.

I do love the color and the fresh look, but I miss my photos. *sigh*

But here's the new den wall... I'm hoping it will get mom's seal of approval! ; )

I DID IT!!!

Well I've finally made some progress on customizing my blog!

These flowers are all extracted from photos that I have taken, and I am SO excited that I DID IT!!!!

How I hate to click the "x" now but I have to get up and moving 'cause DH and I are doing some den painting and such today.

Technical Difficulties

Well, after staying up until 2 in the morning trying to figure out how to add a custom, made by me, background to my blog. Then heading off to my parents' house for the day and forgetting my camera when I had fun plans for photos. I used the camera on my phone for several photos.

Technology is really on my last nerve at the moment! I have yet to get the &@#+! background to work out. And now I can not get my phone photos to my email!!!! I tried asking my dear sweet teenager, but she is completely consumed with a movie and a sleepover friend to patiently help me out!

I could rant on for a few more paragraphs but I will just end with my photo of the day and call it a night! ; )

It's a photo of my phone that is holding my other photos captive!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow we are painting a wall in our den! That should make for some more interesting pix!

Workin' for a livin' ... or a car!

Today's photo is of dd#1 -- heading out to work. "Why are you taking pictures of me like this?" she asked seeming a bit annoyed! 20 years from now I hope she'll look back at the photo and laugh, remembering the fun & laughter she had with her co-workers and the end prize of knowing that she really earned something worthwhile -- her first car!!

Mike and I are very proud of her. Although it was a struggle to get her to get out and look for a job, she's been dedicated and even eager most days. She's been employed since August and her financial goal will be a real photo to treasure!!! More on Ali and her accomplishment to follow.

OUCH!!

Today I've been babying my knee! With EQUATE's version of NeoSporin, I'm trying to keep it moist and clean. You can see the bruising too! Uuuugh!

The other leg has a huge bruise that is about 7 inches long and 1 inch wide. I'm thankful that my tumble didn't leave me with any facial cuts or bruises!!

It was a take it easy, scrappin' kinda day. I'm posting my scrap cre8ions on my cre8ive blog. Go take a peek... http://t3r3sagetscre8ive.blogspot.com/

Yesterday

I missed posting yesterday, so I am using a photo that I had on my computer.

Yesterday I fell. I was at work when the most graceful side of me came out.

Here is where I was sitting -- my desk. ----->

I had left a draw out, I had a file in my hand when I stood up and turned to my right. That's when my left leg caught on the drawer sending me crashing down on my right knee, my neck and shoulders took the brunt of the fall as my head crashed full force into the copy machine!!

I was a laughable moment at first but within about 30 minutes I had stopped laughing so much and began moaning in pain. I ended up at the doctor. I got a shot of Toradol (sp?), an anti-inflamatory, plus a tetnus shot, I guess because of the open wound on my right knee. The doctor put a splint on my left wrist, gave me an icepack for the bruising and swelling that covered a large area on my left shin from hitting the drawer. I have 2 Rx to ease the aches and pain.

I'm ok, just SORE!! And frustrated with the limitations of the pain.

Real Simple

I love this magazine!!

I love the photos.
I really love the "new uses for old things".

Today I took it with me to the gym to read while I was on the treadmill. (Yes, it was a lazy, takin' it easy kinda uphill walk today as I've been sickly for about 10 days or so and haven't felt like the gym at all. I am ok with it! ; ) The gym will not be a yoke of guilt for me. )

So anyway, I was walking and reading and walking and reading...

I found an article that has lightened the weight of one of my guilt yokes!!

It's a story about a girl who has ALL of her life loved to sleep -- sometimes 12 or 15 hours at a time! THAT's ME!!! Not me in the article, but me in the sense that I also love to sleep. I totally enjoy a nap almost anytime. And to sleep-in uninterrupted until I feel like waking up is a priceless treasure to me! Just like the girl in the article, there is no depression or illness, just a pure love of sleep.

And you might say, "how wasteful of your time", I just don't see it that way. My social calendar is not such that I am missing out on anything. Also I don't neglect any other responsibilities when I want to nap or sleep in. So I say (as Nike would say) to anyone who loves some sleep "JUST DO IT"! Of course not when you are operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery!! roflmao

There are also always GOOD recipes in this magazine! Although I do not love to cook!

358 more to go

Today makes my 7th day of the 365 blog project.

I'm totally proud of myself!

Most people who love to take photographs are not usually the subject of the photographs. Probably due to the shortness of the average human arm, adding to it the fact that it's hard to know what shot you're getting if the camera is backward and cockeyed.

So... my thought for today was ME. I thought I should get in front of the camera instead of being behind it. So I did. I made the time to set it up with the timer and positioning. Sometimes I was caught by people entering the room and sometimes I was just posing like any goofy self-portrait taking goof would do. The end result... me, just me. I had a few silly chuckles out of the time I spent and now someday my kids might come across these pix and say, "who took these?"

Sunday, I go to church

Today is Sunday and of course I went to church.

As I sit in my seat, usually on one of the back rows, listening to the message for the week, I am always intrigued by this wall. The wall reaches up and up and as you can see at the top is a large stained glass. The wall is powerful. And Pastor Bo who's no small man seems that way in comparison. Many times his message can be as strong as this organized stack of rocks.

The rocks in this wall and the wall itself make me think of various things. Sometimes I think on the representation of strength. It can also make me ponder little things in life fit together. The time it must have taken to construct it, what do the workers talk about or did one person work alone with their thoughts. The wall really draws me in and always seems to make me feel good. (Does that sound weird?)

At the top of the wall is an amazing window. It's a blending of Christian symbols. Some of the pieces seem so intricate and sometimes not really right in my eye. I love it none the less, and I guess that's because it is the "symbol" that says MY CHURCH. My church is a place I love to go. And that's what I do on Sunday, I go to church. And sometimes I go on other days too! ; )

Do you need to know the numbers??

As I was reaching for my breakfast this morning something caught my eye. Now mind you I'm not a health nut but I have become aware of the labels and what numbers I should be looking out for.

I love fresh veggies, almost all of them. I much prefer something from the grill than from the fry daddy. And I usually always choose water over a soda.

This morning however I was feeling a little "bad", like I wanted something yummy, sweet and my photo of the day makes me feel like it was "bad karma" to have that treat I wanted to give myself. Whadda you think???

Now mind you I didn't even buy that Count Chocula cereal. My mom gave it to my 2 dd at Halloween!!! Can you say "spooooooky" that the one day I want to eat the "bad" cereal it's numbers are hidden, to the back, unlike the Cheerios (frosted & regular) and the Special K???

I ate it anyway, and enjoyed every last drop of that chocolaty milk that was soy by the way. ;)

tee hee hee

Family Tree

<--- Here's mine.

Actually this is just symbolic to me, a daily reminder of the people that are so connected to my life, but not a tangible part of my daily life.

This is just the current "limbs and branches" with one or two nuts in the bunch. Much of my tree has passed on. At one time in my life that I can actually remember having 2 great grandmas, 1 great grandad, and 1 set of grandparents alive and in my life as a young adult.

I'd love to get into the geneology of my real family tree someday.

This tree was a birthday gift from my husband a few years ago. I really love it and I love all those it represents.

Capturing the CAT

Sassy... oh man, she lives up to her name!

She is a cat that my 2 dd brought home one morning before school, begging me to help her, begging me to keep her. "Someone has just left her here." they declared.

Here at the time was on base housing, Fort Dix, NJ, Ash Street to be exact. She was a tiny bag of bones when they handed her to me. So 1 vet visit, 2 prescriptions and 3 hundred dollars later she was our Sassy cat!

And then there was that "other" vet visit, to help Sassy become a non-multiplying, furniture-friendly feline!! But she weathered it all with the exact same disposition - sassy!!

So one of my "I'm so bored" compulsions is to try and capture a great photo of her. I'd really even settle for a good photo of her. It's an unending challenge.

But here is my attempt for today! (I have to say I was quite pleased with the tiny tongue capture, which of course was PURE luck!!)

WOW!! 365 is now a work in progress!

Adding my second photo of Oliver watching me, watching Mallory play guitar hero with her dad before dinner.

rofl

PL3AS3D! : D

I have (or I think I have) began to make some progress on this blog stuff. It really tickles me! ;)

Now I'm attempting to add a photo or two... let's see.

The photo was taken today of Mallory playing Guitar Hero with her dad before dinner.

Now I'm testing it.

Wednesday aka HUMP DAY!!

I love being on the downhill slide of an exhausting week. Although I don't like wishing time away.

Went to bed right after work yesterday feeling achey, tired and suffering from a nasty sore throat and a threatening head cold. This morning I feel a bit brighter.

Hopefully this evening I can work on getting this creative project in order. Ha!
Actually I'm just going to keep chugging along, I can't go back and "edit" the days. So I plan to get a 365 project underway today!!

:)

Cold, dreary day

I have a nasty sore throat, aches and I'm tired.

Cold and dreary day out.

Cozied up in bed.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

project 365 or in my case 360

Since today is January 5th, I'm a bit behind in the project. However not so far behind that it's too late to bother. I'm IN!!

So here I go -- and I'll start with a photo tomorrow!

First, I'm still new to this blog stuff. I'm sure I'm missing lots of features and I'm frustrated at the difficulty I'm having in adding some creativity to the look of it. But for now I'm just going with it!

First day back at work after the 2 week holiday break. I'm exhausted!! It was good to get back, to see people and interact -- just a little chaotic.

The Echanted Studio Scrap Gallery is finally open and THAT is a thrill!!! So I need to get my stuff posted! :)