I ♥ Faces - All Things Babies

This week's I ♥ Faces Photography Challenge is "All Things Babies" - not just limited to little babies, either - baby animals, baby accessories, anything baby!

Since I just visited my sister and her cute little newborn, I have lots of pictures of little Felix to choose from. I chose a B&W version of me holding Felix by the window. My sister, Michele had tagged the photo as a "Favorite" in flickr, so she must like it.



If you have any photos that are baby related, be sure to enter!

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102/365 - Featured on The Pioneer Woman!

I opened up my email this morning to the most exciting news - my friend, Lee, congratulated me for being featured on The Pioneer Woman's Photography website! She is running a Macro Challenge and picked one of my photos:



I am totally blown away by this honor, especially looking at the other incredible entries. Go check them out!

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Wrapping up 2009, Moving into 2010

Once in a Blue Moon

Wow, how can it be the eve of yet another new year? What’s in store for 2010 (I’m going to call it “twenty-ten” instead of “two thousand and ten” – less syllables – simpler)? I’m hoping for more fun and adventures, with a heavy dose of family angst as the kiddos transition more into their adolescence years. I finished up Project 365, and plan to dive straight into Project 365 – Volume 2. This year, I’ll allow myself some latitude and I may miss a day here and there, but my general goal will be to continue growing in the photographic documentation of our little lives out here on the prairie.

I also plan to participate in Weekly Gratitude and add in a monthly (maybe even weekly) photo mosaic. I may scale back on my monthly 12 on 12 (maybe move it to a 8 on 8). We’ll just play it by ear.

And what about my One Word for 2010? My One Word in 2009 was “Balance” and I still contend it is a very appropriate word in our busy, hectic lives. For 2010, I seriously considered “Focus”, after all, Focus allows one to see clearly, adds discipline and order. But I realize I already have “Balance” and “Focus”, and I what I really need to do is “Relax” more. There, I said it. Relax. Chill. Stop Stressing over stuff. I think I’ll be happier for it, and the entire family, too.

So look for some additional ramblings and more pictures. If I miss a day here or there, it's because I'll trying to "Relax". Best wishes for a prosperous New Year!

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I ♥ Faces Photo Challenge - Pets Only

I actually have an entry for this week's I ♥ Faces Photo Challenge. I don't normally shoot faces (probably because my closest subjects have become allergic to the camera), but this week's theme is Pets!
Of course, I have plenty of Hannah pictures to choose from, so Erica and I perused through our collection to pick this classic:



So check out I ♥ Faces and enter your pet photo!

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160/365 - Morning Light

At Shutter Sisters, today's blog entry challenged the reader to take pictures in the morning hours, inspired by the photography collection, A Year of Mornings - 3191 Miles Apart by Stephanie Congden Barnes and Maria Vettese.

I personally love mornings - so peaceful and serene, full of promise of the day to come. It's my preferred time to hit the road with my running shoes. I am blessed by each sunrise I experience and then by the warm light that emanates from the ball moving upwards in the sky.

So today, after my morning run, I took these pictures of the water iris in our pond.

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137/365 - Favorite Greens

Today I took pictures to fulfill a challenge to take pictures of all things green - green being my favorite color.

With Spring in full force, it is not hard to spot all shades of green, and I sought to capture different hues - light, dark, forest, chartreuse, lime, just to name a few.

A few from the garden:

The leaves of the cranesbill (flowers may be seen here).


The parrots feather survived the winter in the pond.


Variegated hosta

Then some pictures while I watched Brian's baseball game (unfortunately, they lost again, but Brian hit a single and a double while at bat).

My favorite fizzy drink - lime, of course!


Earphones tucked in my camera bag. Yes, I picked them because of the color!

All in all, another busy day. What's your favorite color? Challenge yourself to capture it in images.

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The Word

The end of the year brings out all sorts of lists: Best of...., Worst of...., Favorite this and that...., Goals and Resolutions for the coming year, etc, etc. I'm not one to make resolutions, but goals and "forward looking" aspirations are fine, and I was happy to find a fun, yet thoughtful spin on making more of oneself in 2009 on Sheri's blog - One Word for 2009. The concept of One Word originates from Ali Edward's Blog:

Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2009?

It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.

I didn't have to think very long or hard about what My Word should be, probably because it's been My Word for a very long time. The Word? Balance. Something I have strived for over my life as a daughter, sister, friend, student, musician, employee, wife, and mother. Something I continue to work at. Balance between work and play. Balance of my finances, my home, my hobbies, myself. In a world of extremes, Balance keeps it from teetering over the edge into the abyss.

What's your Word going to be? My hope is that Your Word is not just for 2009, but becomes a part of You.

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Choosing Joy - December's Challenge

Sherry, who initiated November's Gratitude Challenge has issued a new challenge for December, and I am excited because it is such a great concept. She also added a twist that dovetails perfectly into my "Photo of the Day (POTD)" endeavor.

Here are the details, copied directly from Sherry's Blog Post:

1. This will officially start on December 3rd and will end on December 31.
2. The challenge of this blog will be similar to our Gratitude Blog idea. Look for JOY each day and blog about it. It might be something as big as attending a wedding or as small as how cozy your slippers feel...it's up to you. CHOOSE to find joy.each.day.
3. There are a few extra challenges for this one too...don't worry - don't stress....have fun! Those that complete the journaling AND the photos will be able to be have their name in the drawing for the prize TWICE.
Each week, you must post at least 3 photos based on the themes below.
Week 1 (Dec. 1 - 6) - LOVE
Week 2 (Dec. 7 - 13) - RED
Week 3 (Dec. 14 - 20) -GLITTER/SHINE
Week 4 (Dec. 21 - 27) - FAMILY
Week 5 (Dec. 28 - 31) - PEACE

I hope you will join me or at least stop by once in a while to see what Joy we find this holiday season.

Peace and Blessings!

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Gratitude Post 23 - Gloves and Hats and Scarfs (oh my!)

Even though the beginning of November spoiled us with temperatures in the 70's, it is now "business as usual" - cold, sometimes damp, sometimes sunny, but always windy (that's what you get living on the edge of a cornfield). Now is the time I am grateful for all of those gloves / mittens / scarves to help keep us warm.

But more important is my cold weather running gear:


At a minimum, I wear my running pants, a base top layer under my windbreaker, an earband and gloves. The past Saturday, with the temperatures barely hitting 20 and a stiff southerly wind, I wore a 2nd layer of pants, and two long sleeved layers under the jacket. It's the wind around here that really makes it tough to stay motivated. But my winter gear makes it possible and keeps me warm. Once you get going, it's not too bad!

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Gratitude Post 21 - The Extra Refrigerator

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I spent an hour in the grocery store today, weaving my way around the numerous food gatherers, holiday displays and stock boys. Yeah, the store was definitely crowded this afternoon.

Once I got all of the food back home, I realized how useful our 2nd refrigerator is during the holidays when an abundance of food is prepared. Our 2nd refrigerator sits in the garage and it now full with a big turkey, lots of drinks and other "overflow" from the main fridge. In fact, I don't know how my mother ever managed with a single fridge (they probably didn't keep cases of soda on hand!). All I know is the 2nd refrigerator will be pretty full these next two months. And that's why we hold on to it!

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Gratitude Post 19 - The Library

We are fortunate to have a wonderful library system. In addition to a brand new library building, we are able to request books, magazine, DVDs, and CDs through the website that houses a database of all the local library systems. This means if our city library does not have a particular item, it searches the other libraries in the area.



Another nice service is the Bookmobile - the Library on Wheels. The Bookmobile stops in several neighborhoods, including ours. We bring the kids and they browse and check out books. When I request an item, I have it sent to the Bookmobile where I pick it up. I don't have to drive out to the library (although it is a nice facility).

I am thankful for these services and resources that enrich our lives.

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Gratitude Post 18 - Brian's 3rd Grade Class

And his awesome teacher.

I received the dreaded "I'm not feeling good, Mommy" around 9:30 this morning. By the time I reached the school, Brian was sitting in the front office, looking quite peaked. We went to collect his belongings from his class, but while doing so, Brian's tummy turned for the worst and, yep, he "urped" a bit of his breakfast up on the classroom floor.

His teacher, Mrs. O, was totally unfazed - she was so concerned and sympathetic for Brian's predicament. A total class act. Brian's little episode created only a little bit of excitement in the class, and Mrs. O maintained the students' focus on their classroom tasks.

Later on (after more puking, dry heaving, puking and finally a nice nap), Brian's friend George delivered a stack of "Get Well" cards made by each of the students in his class. This thoughtful gesture was initiated by the students themselves. The cards are really cute - I'll have to scan one or two in tomorrow. It speaks volumes for the kids in his class, that they are concerned about the well being of their fellow student.

Mrs. O also called us at home this evening to check on Brian. Again, what a nice gesture that made all of us feel good inside. It's now 8pm and I am happy to say that Brian is back to his normal self and we end today more appreciative of his little 3rd grade classmates and wonderful teacher.

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Gratitude Post 17 - My Daily Cup

Ah, it's time for the coffee gratitude post.

Just last night, Scott was accosting me about my vast collection of coffee flavoring syrups. I have 5 different flavors - Almond, Hazelnut, Chocolate, Pumpkin Spice and Mango (even though the Mango is strictly for iced tea).
To be honest, in the past year, I have developed into a bit of a coffee and tea snob.
For coffee, it has to be Starbucks coffee. Just recently I decided that whole bean is superior to the pre-ground stuff.
For tea, it has to be loose leaf, and I really enjoy Fortnum and Mason's teas.

Here is what I am currently drinking - Sumatra blend.



Decaf - because I weaned myself off caffeine when I was pregnant and decided to stay off caffeine as much as possible. If I have a regular cup of coffee, I am a total spaz.

I grind in the Magic Bullet just before brewing in my french press. Nice and strong. 1/2 and 1/2 and a shot of flavor. Perfect for cold November mornings.

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Gratitude Post 15 - No place like home

Doesn't look bad, eh? That's because you can't see the plethora of cars!

Following on the heels of my Wicked, Chicago post (really, it was a post about the SUV, but it involved driving to Chicago), I am grateful for the little college community we live in, amongst the corn and the soybeans, the flat, windy prairie, but most of all, for the traffic (or lack there of) here.

The traffic in Chicago, is in a word, crazy. I don't know how people commute into the city every day. And it doesn't matter what time of day, night, weekday, weekend - the traffic is always crazy.

More like reality

Compare the above with our "rush hour":


Yeah, no comparison.

My commute is a 25 mile easy jaunt down the highway. The biggest thing we have to worry about is the combine and grain trucks during the fall harvest. And they are easy to pass.

That's why I am grateful for our own "windy city".

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Gratitude Post 14 - A sweet ride

This would have been Saturday's post, if I had more time and access to the computer.

On Saturday, a group of us "double X chromosomes" traveled to Chicago to see the longest running Broadway Musical for the Windy City, "Wicked". I had seen the musical in 2007, and since the show is in its last 10 weeks of production at the Oriental Theatre, thought Erica would enjoy it. We took her friend Kathleen, Kathleen's sister and Kathleen's mother along.

This is where the gratitude comes in - depending upon traffic, it can take 3 hours to get up to Chi-Town's Theatre. 5 people in a cramped car just doesn't cut it. So we were all thankful we had the Tahoe to take us safely there and back. The girls stayed entertained with "in-flight" movies which allowed the two moms to relax and chat.

An added bonus is that it didn't cost us $120 in gas to drive there - our gas prices are below $1.80/gallon now, a price point I don't recall seeing in the past 3 years.

Overall, we had a great time at the show - I enjoyed it more this second time around and the girls enjoyed their first professional theatre experience. We even got to see the Christmas decorations at the Macy's (former Marshall Fields).


Wicked only runs until January 25, 2009. If you can get to the beautiful Oriental Theatre, you have a short time before it flies out of the Windy City.

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Gratitude Post 13 - TGIF!

I had to get up early yesterday (5:00) and today (5:30), so I am glad today is Friday!
Even though we had a day off on Tuesday, it still feels like it has been a long week.
Hope your Friday has been a good one.

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Gratitude Post 12 - The Daily Grind

The title sounds negative, but it really isn't meant to be - today I am thankful for my job at a company called Cabot Corporation, founded in 1882 by Godfrey Lowell Cabot. (no, it's not the cheese company, but I Love Cabot Cheese)

Scott and I came to Cabot 6 years ago, after 13 years with the behemoth known as General Electric. The sheer chance of both of us landing jobs at the same time for the same company made the decision to leave GE easy. (I have since come to realize the odds of this occurrence are really slim). I have the added bonus of working 30 hours a week, which allows me to be at home when the kids get out of school.

Our facility manufactures a product called Fumed Silica which is used in paints, caulks, cosmetics, printer toners, pharmaceuticals and computer chip polishing slurries. Working in a manufacturing facility is quite fascinating - making product every day, around the clock - one feels a concrete sense of accomplishment. The pictures at the top of the post represent the Fumed Silica and its various applications.

My job has afforded me numerous opportunities to work with people around the globe, and I have had the good fortune to travel to Germany, the UK, and China. Funny thing about my job vs Scott's job - I get to travel and he doesn't, but he doesn't want to travel! So I guess that works out well for us.

I chose today's gratitude after hearing about the news that Creative Memories has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection. This is a scrapbooking company with ties to many people who, like me, preserve photographs and their stories through scrapbooks.
I know the various scrapbook bulletin boards are buzzing with this news - this news, plus the myriad of other bad economic news "du jour" (name your company - Circuit City, Ford, GM, even GE) adds anxiety in an already jittery atmosphere.

Yeah, Cabot is not 100% immune to the current economic landscape, but I have reason think positively. And for that, I am grateful.

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Gratitude 11 - Friends

"The better part of one's life consists of his friendships."
- Abraham Lincoln

Today I am thankful for the friends in my life - they are there to support me, help me and tell me the truth (even if the truth hurts).

I wish I could write something more profound, but the profound has escaped me today. I just know that I can call on my friends and know why they are my friends.

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Gratitude 10 - Remember

Today I am thankful for the servicemen and women who fought and served our Nation. What a tremendous sacrifice many have made in order to keep the US a free and mighty country.
Thank You - without you, we wouldn't enjoy the freedoms we have today.

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Gratitude 9 - Music to My Ears

“Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.” - anonymous

12 pitches, 8 notes - I find it amazing such simplicity serves as the building blocks for countless symphonies, arrangements and songs spanning from the beginning of time.

A day doesn't go by that isn't touched by music - it has always been a major facet of who I am. I remember singing to the radio as a young child (The Carpenters - I still know all the words to their songs), I started playing violin in 3rd grade and piano in the 4th grade. There is nothing more immersing than creating music through an instrument or one's voice. I am fortunate to have had such wonderful musical experiences.

Music has the ability to lift my spirits, sooth my mind or calm my nerves. It can make me laugh, make me cry, pump me up and make me dance. A song can bring me back in time, flooding me with memories, both good and bad.

Yes, I am one of "those folks" who drives down the highway, singing to the radio. Actually, I sing to the songs on my iPod, but you get the picture. Sometimes I'll sing a song over and over again, just so I get the words right with the music. It's good for you - I believe lots of endorphins are released while I belt out the lyrics to my favorite artists.

Today I am grateful for music - for what it has given me and what it will continue to provide.

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