Dreams really do come true . . .

Today I got to play with a real live Princess. We played "bubbles" under the table which was covered with pink plastic table clothes. We ate candy sprinkles and made foam animals. We played and played until my heals could no longer keep up.

Then we energized with this fantastic cake! You didn't have to just settle for one flavor it was strawberry on one side, white on one side, chocolate on another and banana was there too.

and my hope for you is that your life will be this perfect always. I love you sweetie and thanks for being my play mate for awhile.

That's me . . .

tired and all. This is the best I have to offer today. I've been editing pictures all day - there has to be an easier way!
'night!

Thankful

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow. ~Edward Sandford Martin

At my In-Laws home for a festivities that tantilize the pallete and a day to get together with family and enjoy.

So, so much to be grateful for . . .

Warmth

It's like 19 degrees F. out here and as I'm walking in this evening I notice this garden fairy that didn't get put away for the winter. She has a light shining right above her head and although she's not the prettiest thing she looks magical in the cold and dark evening. So I run in get my camera and spend the next 15 minutes outside taking night photography.

Then I come in to find this . . . . .

LAZY DOGS! Don't they know they have fur to keep them warm? Seriously - how would they survive in the wild?
Don't worry girls no need to get up it's just ME! The nerve of these pampered pooches. Well they gave me something to write about.

For those of you who celebrate . . .Happy Thanksgiving. For those of you who don't . . .Have a great day while we Americans have a holiday.

Dried flower

"A garden requires patient labor and attention. Plants do not grow merely to satisfy ambitions or to fulfill good intentions. They thrive because someone expended effort on them. "
Liberty Hyde Bailey

My family has always told me I have a "green thumb" what ever that means. I plant seeds, they grow. I plant flowers, they grow. House plants are no exception. I mean you just have to remember to water them - but not too much. Thin them out, give them food and some sunshine. There you have it. It's the reason that every fall I'm left with the problem of what to do with so many house plants because they have multiplied over the summer. I have several house plants that very few people have seen bloom. Here is a picture of a dried "flower" Not sure what it's called, but I was cleaning them out today and there it was. Thought I'd take a picture before I threw it away.

Now I'm looking for homes for half of my house plants - cause as much and I love plants and flowers I hate clutter and they are starting to clutter my windows and floor. Sadly, they have to go.

Pumpkin pies

Dave makes the best pumpkin pie ever. Here he has started "gathering" the ingredients. He will spend alot of time on Wednesday preparing and baking pies to take to his moms house for thanksgiving dinner - Yummy!

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart

It's cold out there

DH is missing the camping season already! So if he wants to be outside hanging out . . this is the only way to do it. Controlled fire pit. It's sitting in the driveway and he's staying warm by it.

After a super long/rough week . . . 29/365

I end it like this . . .

CHEERS!

Smash cake and new studio

Mr. S.M.W is turning 1! Hard to believe it. He's so dang cute. We had so much fun letting him play with his cake. Thanks Jenn & Todd.

28/365

Still messing around trying to get the studio together for my photo shoot tomorrow. Too much to do - too little time.
Picture taken with my doe skin backdrop (Joann's) and only the lights on my Charlie Brown Christmas Trees.

Hoping to have better pictures to post tomorrow. Off to catch some "zzzz's."

27/365

"The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don't know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.” Author unknown

My week thus far has been a whirlwind of activity. Work and work some more. I've been getting home pretty late and can barely catch up on house chores much less getting creative with my 365.
Today I get home and my hubby surprised me with this . . . .

What is it? It's my former 3 Season room. Lots and lots of windows very hot in the summer very cold in the winter(luckily it does have a heater). Surrounded by lots and lots of trees. I/we have always loved this room.

We have talked about it for awhile and we both agreed that it would be a perfect starter studio for me. So my dear hubby pulled out all of the furniture and other "stuff" that has occupied this room for many years and he tore down the counter top that took up about 4 feet of space and he started putting up the chocolate brown, black out curtains. It will "only" take 20 panels to cover all of the windows. The room measures 12X20. By tomorrow I should have the basic set up all done, including backdrops. He says he has another surprise for me but I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what it is. Oh the suspense!

So there my "dream" is a step closer. Not exactly the best picture but there is a peek into my life this week.
Maybe next week we can catch up on what has been going on. Miss you all.

Laundry - 26 of 365

How super exciting! Today you get to see my laundry. Well, these are mostly my bathing suits (yes I have a lot of them) and my beach clothes. I hardly ever throw my clothes in the dryer. The exceptions are denim and sweatshirts. Almost everything else I hang to dry. I'm almost caught up with my laundry from vacation. Woohooo!

Here is for the week I was on vacation . . .

and unable to connect to the wireless. I have taken pictures every single day!


Find what brings you joy and go there.-- Jan Phillips



Monday, November 10, 2008
Just arrived in Mexico and wanted a quick picture of the ocean.
Tuesday November 11, 2008
These beautiful sunsets last exactly 15 minutes this time of the year. 6:15p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Then that beautiful ball of fire settles in "behind" the ocean. Meanwhile it's a great time to take pictures.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Just some R&R time with my drink, watching yet another beautiful sunset.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

This lovely couple celebrated their 45th Wedding anniversary in Mexico with their children, grandchildren and US!

They've watch the sunset every year (during their Anniversary week) in Mexico for about the past 18 years.

Friday, November 14, 2008. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. This church actually has a huge silver crown that can be seen from a distance. It is an amazing church to look at.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

We took a walk to the Sea Turtle Farm (federally protected because they are becoming extinct). We got no turtle action but we did goof around alot. Here is the group I was traveling with.

Sunday, November 16, 2008.

On their wedding Anniversary after the ceremony. Such a fun couple.

Monday, November 17, 2008

As I got up to walk my last walk around the pool and the beach I noticed what I had missed before . . . the shadows and reflections of the palm trees in the pool.

A new twist on pretzels - 25 of 365

Tuesday, November 18, 2008.
Sorry it's been really hectic since I've been back and it's the only thing I could think to post about - LOL

No quote today.

So you can say that I'm very conscientious of what I eat (most of the time), but I have a weakness for late night salty snacking. I recently found these pretzels. Yummy. Tonight I'm finishing this bag off. Buffalo Wing flavor which means it's just a bit spicy! Other flavors they have are garlic, original, everything and the last I haven't and won't try it's honey mustard and onion.
They are really good and only 1.5 grams of fat per serving.b

Welcoming

Welcoming table at a wedding. Since the pictures were taken at midnight or after - this counts for Sundays entry.

But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads.
Albert Camus

Colors

Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower. Albert Camus

Just sharing a moment in my life . . .

The things she comes up with. My granddaughter, Isabella. She will be 2 November 23, 2008. She brings so much joy into my life. Here she found a box I carried the groceries in and immediately put a pillow, her sippy cup and a blanket. She put the box in front of the T.V. and there she is . . .relaxing.

Does the conversion look o.k.?

Three keys to more abundant living: caring about others, daring for others, sharing with others. --William A. Ward

from Charity Focus" charityfocus.org

Preparation . . .

Tonight I'm packing and getting ready for a wedding this weekend and vacation starting on Sunday. Seven days of sand, sun and relaxation. Mexico - here we come.

Sunscreen - check
sunglasses - check
bathing suits - check

“Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer.”

Play with photo shop.

P.S. I'm loving my studio lights and my light meter.

New stuff 12/365

I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.
Vincent Van Gogh

Gotta love DIY Photography see for yourself. This is what Dave and I did last night.







This is the result. A Muslin backdrop for under $20.00. Do you think it works? I love it. I'm anxious to set up my actual studio and get some willing subjects in there. Meanwhile my poor little Doxy is the subject. She's a little fuzzy right now. I used my new lights and my home made backdrop. She's approximately 5 feet away from the backdrop and I used 2 lights.

11/365 On My way . . .

This is my lame attempt at sharing my "new equipment" I have studio lights with umbrellas, those can be used as soft boxes too, I just bought a backdrop stand and that awesome blue seamless paper backdrop. I have a couple of other things coming in like a real soft box (yay) and I'm working on 2 backdrops today. Yes, I'm working on those. I'll share those later.

So don't laugh at my model, he's not charging me and he sat still for me. Oh yeah, I know I'm supposed to drag the paper down further but I didn't want to dirty it.




To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.Anatole France:

A Milestone . . .

There you have it another great milestone in my life. Yeah those little red reading glasses. READING glasses. The eye doctor says it happens (eh ehmmm clearing the throat) at a certain age.

Well, I don't mind as long as I can still wear my red heals (and the black ones and the brown ones and the pink ones etc. etc).



The purpose of life is to fight maturity.
Dick Werthimer

Sun Therapy

I'm having a "blah" day. A day where I feel my photography is not moving fast enough. A day where my "to do list" is longer than my day. A day where I'm fighting off (and I'll win I tell you!) that downer feeling.

So, Mr. Wonderful, pulled out his Old Fashioned Pancake recipe (I tell you he's definitely a keeper), and we pulled out the antique dishes and I ate sitting in the sun outside. Lucky for me it's a beautiful fall day in Indiana today.

A little sun therapy is all I needed to get things back into perspective.



“Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move forward the life that God intended for you with grace, strength, courage, and confidence.” Og Mandino


Please note that the table cloth hanging on the chair belonged to Dave's grandmother. It was given to her in Poland, for a wedding gift. I estimate it's over 80 years old. Somehow, we were lucky enough to end up with it.
Also, just for fun, see if you can find the bee that was coming in for a landing in my picture.

Grateful

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful. Buddha

Today I will share something very personal.
My son is in the Marines and he returned from Iraq about 8 months ago. While he was on leave he left his class A uniform at our home. The class A for the Marines is the dark blue blazer with gold buttons. Some other metal badges he's earned and dress slacks. Although I told him he should take his uniform with him he said he wouldn't be needing it.

Well as moms know best - he called me and told me he needed his uniform can I mail it to the base in California. Of coarse I will.

On the way to the post office the top lid opened and the sun shined on the buttons and the glare caught my eyes. I looked down and almost fell to my knees. I have never been so grateful in all of my life. . . . I was mailing my son his uniform in a box instead of receiving it in a box. I was overwhelmed with emotion and just had to stop and thank God for protecting my son while he was at war. To bad I didn't have my camera with me so instead I give you this.