273/365 day 19: something orange

I walked by these bushes by the pool a week or two ago and knew I had to use it for "something orange" day. Thankfully, the berries are still on them. I don't know what they are but they're pretty.


I couldn't decide between the cropped and uncropped so I'm posting both :-)

272/365 day 18: my shoes

When it gets too cold for flip flops, these become my favorites.


They're looking kind of sad. Maybe I should buy a new pair ;-)

271/365 day 17: technology

I had an idea for this but decided it was dorky. So I had to think some more. I started to wonder what, exactly, "technology" meant. I know what I think of when the word is brought up. But, what about this?


No? Okay, how about this.


I can check my email, stay connected on facebook, read a book, listen to music, order a pizza, play scrabble with a friend in Michigan, track a walk or bike ride, text Matthew or call my mother.....and if the lights go out? No problem, there's a flash light too.

270/365 day 16: long exposure

A long exposure of a busy street at night is on my list of photos I want to try someday. It will have to stay on the list for now because I did not have time to do it today. So I decided to try something a little different. This was a bit harder than I thought it would be and I discovered I'm not very good at long exposure shots.


Emaleigh spinning
ISO100, f16, ss 2.0s.

269/365 day 15:silhouette

268/365 day 14: eyes

Emaleigh and Matthew got their blue eyes from me.


They also look more like me than their dad. When I was pregnant with Joshua, I said it would be nice if he looked at least a little like his dad, maybe had his beautiful brown eyes.


I got my wish on that one. The only part of me he got is his hair color. He's Joe's mini me. I love it :-)

267/365 day 13: me with 13 things

I thought about this one for awhile today. There were a few different ways I could go with this and I wasn't sure which direction I wanted to take. In the end, I decided to go with the things that keep me "sane," are a stress reliever, provide a bit of escape or keep me connected to the people I love.

I have always loved books. Getting lost in another time and place, another life. I love it. I've included some of my favorites from when I was growing up, a current favorite and the one I am reading now.

My ipod. Music is a must. I almost always have music on and I'm usually singing along {badly}. Music can take me back to a specific time and place, remind me of someone I love, calm me down or energize me.

The computer....it's my connection to family and friends, even friends I have never met IRL and probably never will. Those that are far away and those that live right down the street or across town. It's a source of entertainment, information and education. And yes, I spend way too much time on it.

And my phone. Another connection to those I love.





I was able to get a sunset tonight, kind of. So here is day 12 as well.

266/365 day 12.....

Day 12 was sunset. I have a hard time getting sunset photos. Where we live is very low and there are often trees, houses and/or hills in the way. We had a softball game tonight at 7, right when the sun would be setting. I took my camera with me but......hey! Look at this cute mushroom I found this afternoon ;-)

I will try to get the sunset tomorrow. Along with day 13, though I have no idea what I'm going to do for that. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

265/365 day 11: something blue

I don't wear much jewelry. But Teresa sent this to me {it's not a talking toaster but it'll do ;-)} and I absolutely love it!



Since there isn't much blue on it, I decided to take a 2nd photo for the day. Joshua's favorite color is blue. I just bought him a new hoodie and his only request was that it be blue. And he loves his scooter.

264/365 day 10: childhood memory

I've been thinking about today's subject since I first read the list for the challenge. I knew today would be a difficult one to accomplish. Not because I can't think of any childhood memories. But because they are so hard to translate into a current photo.

I thought of Sunday afternoon drives with my parents and sister, walks in the woods or along the lake, cross country skiing with my family, going to the sand dunes with my grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins. My dad reading to my sister and I before school each morning. Helping my grandma in her garden, picking raspberries or snapping the ends off bowls of green beans. Feeding the ducks with my other grandparents or my grandpa taking my sister and me for ice cream downtown. Spending the night with either set of grandparents. Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthday celebrations. Trips to Chicago or Mackinac Island. Summer camp and VBS. Youth group retreats and lock ins. Talking about life and God in the car or on the sail boat with my dad. My dad playing the guitar and singing to my sister and me. Riding bikes to my friend's houses or around the lake. Going to the beach and running through the sprinklers. Sleep overs with friends.

And then, as I was driving to the store yesterday, I thought about Bargain Hunter. And Teresa. Teresa and I have known each other for 33 years now. She is and has always been my best friend. And she is a part of most of my childhood memories. Our husbands hate to play Taboo with us because one of us will say “remember that one time at camp where Anne found a....” and the other will fill in “dead body!” and we'll totally win the game. Bargain Hunter was Teresa's game. I didn't own it. So we played it at her house. Fairly often. And we'd get a bit competitive about it. I'm not sure who started it (I think I did but Teresa will have to weigh in) but Bargain Hunter is where the talking toaster was born. And it still carries on today.

This is the card I got on Saturday with a gift she sent me. This wouldn't mean a thing to anyone else but I literally laughed out loud when I opened it.

I didn't think a gift tag was especially exciting so I am posting a 2nd photo. This is another game we played with another friend, Kim. Kim was ruthless at Monopoly and always beat us, badly.

I still don't own Bargain Hunter but we got it out a few years ago when we were visiting Teresa and her family. We felt the need to introduce Emaleigh to the game. If anyone has it, I will buy it from you! LOL. I think I'll put it on my Christmas list this year......

263/365 day 9: Someone I love

I wanted to get Joe and all three kids but that just didn't work out in the schedule for today. So I went with just one of my babies.

For those of you who don't know him, this is Matthew. He is my middle child. At 12, he is almost as tall as me and wears a size {men's} 10.5 shoe. He loves baseball, hanging out with friends, music and learning to cook. He's my helper, my sweet, silly boy. He will argue about everything and anything, until he drives you insane. We joke that he should be a lawyer because he will argue whether he is right or not.

And he absolutely loves to do this....

262/365 day 8: A bad habit

Procrastination.

I have always been a procrastinator. In school, I would wait till the last minute to write that paper for English class. Now, I put off laundry or grocery shopping until I have to do it in favor of playing on the computer or reading a good book. I tell myself I work better under pressure ;-)

My mother would be horrified if she saw this......



Ugh, putting myself out there, aren't I? Can I say that since this was taken earlier today, the counter has been cleaned off, the dishes have been done, the dishwasher has been run, several loads of laundry have been washed, dried and folded {though not put away}. The cat litter box has been changed and the floors have been swept. Because I was feeling a bit guilty {and like a slob}. And just in case my mother happens to see this.

261/365 30 day challenge, day 7

Fruit
This isn't what I wanted to do today but it's the only fruit we had in the house and I did not have time to go to the store. So we are stuck with the grapes :-)



Hope y'all had a great weekend!

260/365 30 day challenge, day 6

From a Low Angle
Matthew had a scrimmage this morning. Despite the chilly weather, he and his team played well. He got one of the few hits of the game and it was even a home run. He was beyond happy-it's his first :-)

I'm sure the other parents wondered why I was on the ground, as low as I could go, to get this shot. LOL

259/365 30 day challenge, day 5

From a High Angle
This was haaarrrrdddd {said in my best whiny 3 year old voice}
I thought I'd go to a nearby pond that has a dock over part of it and see if I could get anything there.


Not bad but even though I was standing up on part of the railing, it doesn't look very "high."

So I thought I'd try to get the cat looking down from partway up the stairs. Have you ever tried to get a 7 month old {crazy} kitten to cooperate for a picture? This is how well that worked.....


Okay. It's time to go with the back up plan. I let Alex out in the backyard, went upstairs and opened Matthew's window, leaned out and called his name. Thank goodness Joshua was not at home to see me doing this.

I was able to get Alex in one of his favorite spots, which I wouldn't have been able to do if I'd tried it from the ground-he gets up and gets his ball as soon as anyone steps outside. Please excuse our sad excuse for grass.....

258/365 30 day challenge, day 4

Something Green
With all the green outside, this shouldn't have been that hard. But none of it was that interesting....leaves, grass, plants. I thought these little acorns were kind of cute though.

257/365 30 day challenge, day 3

Clouds
I couldn't decide between these so I'm posting both. The first is from about 7 this morning....



And the 2nd is from this evening...

256/365 30 day challenge, day 2

What I wore today
This challenge might be the end of me-2 SPs in a row! lol I don't enjoy shopping (nothing ever fits right), have almost no sense of fashion and am really perfectly happy in a pair of shorts or jeans and a t-shirt or tank top. I'd rather not wear shoes but flip flops are a favorite if it's warm enough. I rarely go anywhere that would require dressing up.

255/365 30 day challenge, day 1

Self portrait
There are a few things on the list that are going to be a challenge for me and the self portraits are right up at the top. I do not enjoy being on the front end of the camera. I'm not as adorable as the rest of y'all. Most of the time I can ignore that and go on with my happy life. Until I have to find a decent angle to take a selfie. Until I have to sit and edit me. Anyway, all that to say that self portraits are hard for me.

I knew what I wanted to do but accomplishing that was harder than it should have been. It's not perfect but I'll take it. I sure am missing the remote I had with my xti......

254/365 never forget

I struggled with what I would post today. Even sitting here watching the 9/11 special on tv with the kids, who were way too young at the time to remember any of it, I still don't have the words to express the emotions that are still there.

253/365 fall ball

Yep, it's that time again. Fall baseball and softball has started.

252/365

I had no ideas yesterday so I wandered around the front yard with my camera for a few minutes. Noticed the sun shining through the tree and decided to go with another starburst shot.

251/365 beautiful weather and a 30 day challenge

The weather this week has been gorgeous. We've been able to open up the windows and let the fresh air in. We are not the only ones who are enjoying it. Cloud has found a new favorite spot.



Mrs. Fun posted a 30 day challenge the other day and asked others to join in. I've been struggling with ideas/motivation/inspiration so I really like the idea. Anyone else want to join in?

She is starting on Monday, which sounds good to me. I'll need till then to figure out a decent self portrait idea and to plan something cute to wear for day 2 ;-)

250/365 homework stinks

Homework, projects, getting up and going to bed early, making lunches, schedules. Ugh.

249/365 blue skies

are always behind the storm clouds. That's not always easy to remember though, is it?

248/365

The pose was his idea <3

247/365 neighborhood kickball

Em and I went to see The Help this afternoon with Bobbie, Taylor and my SIL Becky. I don't normally go see a movie after I've read the book because I get annoyed when they change things. This one, though, was so good! If you haven't seen it yet, you have to go. Now ;-)

After dinner I realized I hadn't taken a picture yet today. Matthew was down at Jen and Tony's house playing kickball with Tony and some other boys. So I wandered down there with my camera to talk to Jen and watch them play. We are really enjoying the cooler weather and seeing people outside again.

246/365

Can you tell that he didn't want to cooperate for a picture?


We spent the evening with friends, watching college football. I don't care at all about football but it was a good time :-)

245/365 junior mints

Chocolate and mint have to be one of the best combinations ever.

244/365 he said

they were mini apples and asked if we could plant them in the backyard.