6. "Chores"

The topic for this particular day (oh, the 6th day...  a bit ago) is "Chores."  I saw some comments from other random users that this one may be particularly hard.  I really didn't think so...  the day came...  I took a picture of what I was doing that was "chore" related.  I also took pictures of my broom in the closet - since I do that about four times a day, everyday.  As photos go, this one was more interesting to me.  Hope you like it.

*I missed a few topics and such last week...  I haven't decided if I'll go back or not.  :)

4. "Tree"

Muskingum Park, November 2011

Dogwood Blooms, Miller Manor, April 2011

Since I didn't take these specifically for the project, I thought I'd give you two.  I didn't go out in search of tree photos this weekend.  Which is sad because I love trees!!  But, life happens.... and these pictures haven't seen any love yet.  :)

Enjoy.

2. "Water"

I've made this photo a day thing a chance to really just use my camera.  Although I read something somewhere that said... if you plan to take on a photo a day challenge, set up your picture and take it.  The statement referred to not getting caught up in taking 100s of photos and then having the chore of sorting through all of them.
The theme for day #2 is Water.  We live in a river town.  "TO THE RIVER!" I said to Zoey.  If my camera battery hadn't died, I would have taken and taken and taken....  still I had trouble sorting through what I did take.  :)

But I thought these birds and big giant "stick" were fun.  I also like the bridge reflection.  The water was really high yesterday - still is.



**A big shout out to my friend, Leslie, too!!  She had her fifth baby yesterday!  And who knows, she might literally have had a water birth too. ;)  xo

1. "Something that makes you smile"

Zoey.

Dancing.
Dancing with Zoey.
Watching this beautiful little soul enjoy music in such a way that she is taken by it. 
Wearing a cape. 

All makes me smile!  I hope it makes you smile too.

*Remember to leave a comment with your photo a day challenge.  Or simply write to say HI!  (I like comments.) 

Sisterly blog challenge

Yesterday Seesta posted this on my facebook page:

We decided to DO IT!  And we decided that it's all for fun, no pressure - if you miss one, don't hide in shame just jump back in - it's only a month...  kinda thing.

Do you want to join in?!  If so, just take a picture that relates to the topic or word of the day.  You don't need a fancy camera.  You don't need a blog.  Hell, you could DRAW the images...  you could WRITE a description...  I'm just thinking CREATE something.  You get me?!

If you feel like jumping in here with me (and Seeesta), just leave a comment with a link to your creation (or your phone number to set up a time to show me your drawing!)  ;)

Let's get creative.  Let's get to thinking... and having FUN!!!

Weeee!

Autumn.

This reminds me of The Secret Garden - discovering the doorway...

Running with delight.

*Note to self:  I didn't "process" any of these... yet.  I may have to print some for the walls of the Manor. 
**Note to family:  If you want specific pictures for Christmas/Solstice gifts, please let me know.  (That goes for any type of picture, not just these.)  xoxo 

Photos: Playing in the leaves

I'll take a break from the Watoga series to bring you...  total cuteness!!  total beauty!!  Total photos (sort of)...

 Zoey and I played in the leaves many times this autumn.  These pictures (and more "artsy-fartsy" ones to come) were taken on November 4th.  Not too bad on the turnover time.  ;) 

joy.

laughter.

oh, those eyes...

Weeee!

Memorial Day at Sun Valley, Part Two

Here are a few pictures of randomness and fun from Memorial Day.  (And SUPER UBER CUTE...)

I forgot my sandles at home... so I ended up wearing Tracy's around.  (Her feet are two sizes smaller than mine.  She didn't seem to mind.)  :)

The clothesline.

I came into the kitchen from outside to find Tracy and Keith in a bit of a baffled awe...  It seems Mom couldn't get the cardboard box open with her fingers, so she used a pair or scissors to STAB it.  Normally a fine idea (at least for those of us that are quick to rage).... not so much for pressurized cans...

"The fallen."

 After a day of sunscreen, sprinklers, and juciy watrermelon...  I figured this kiddo of mine needed a bath.  Instead of cleaning out the tub (that hasn't been used in more than a decade...  most likely more than two), I found this old washtub.  Zoey LOVED it!  I was just going to sponge her off, but she decided to sit.  :)  Reminds me of when we'd bathe her in the giant sink here at the Manor...

Adorable!!  (Delia helped me... that is her foot in the pic.)

Washtub toes.

There are more super cute tub photos... but I just don't feel like putting those up on the webbie-web.  If you'd like to see them, stop by the manor with some kind of food item (I'll provide the mojitos) and plan to sit for a spell.  :)  

Now, THIS captures a moment!

.

Cafe Du Monde by Dooce

If only my screen was big enough to see this in all of it's beautiful coffee/sweet treat/neat-o-photog-ness! 

overwhelmed.

stomach-gnawing...

paralyzed

by possibilities

and fear

and jealousy

at times, rage
...
at what
of whom
...
me.
and
you.

Cee-gars and friendly faces

My sweet husband has a birthday coming up.  He's turning 32.  To some, this isn't a "special" birthday..  or at least special enough...  It's not 21 or 30 or 40 or 50...  But, to me, any and every birthday is special.  :)  So, when said dear sweet husband requested a party (which he hasn't ever before)...  I said...  "um, do we really know enough people to warrant a party?!"  HA!  And then I said... "If you want it, YOU GOT IT!"  :) 

His birthday isn't until the 30th (shared with Uncle Jim, Joey, Ben, Cameron, and a host of others I'm sure)... but we have close friends hosting a big shin-dig that weekend (um, this weekend)...  so we decided to party early!!

Here's the photographic evidence!

Here are the cigars!  I made them!  Yep, I did!

More cigars.  Have you noticed yet that they are made of chocolate?!  Even the bartender couldn't tell.  He was trying to find a place for people to smoke them.  He told John that people might be able to go out on the roof?!  HA! 

The happy couple.  **A couple of people used my camera.  So there were more than 300 picctures...most out of focus!  :)

Holly acting as Jackie Chan!  Hilarious!! (Chan DVDs were part of a bday gift.)

Some friends!!  (When I put this up on FB, I said it would have been even a better picture had I realized my camera was smarter than me... it picked super cool focus on Holly's face and everyone else is blurry!  Oh well...  I'm learning.   AND, how good does Holly look!?!)  :)

One of my favorites!  This is my friend, Cat.  Her New Year's Resolution was to get me out more.  I'm ok with that!  :)

The birthday boy!!  Isn't he cute!?!  :)

This is Scott.  I'm not sure if he'd like this picture, but I think it looks pretty cool.  (John wants to see it in black and white...  I'll do that when I get my fancy dancy photo software...  oh, yeah, and that new computer!  someday...) ;)

Cat and her hubby, Joe.  I just love this picture.  It captures a moment.  So fresh and real.  So cute!!



This isn't any great photo, but it has some great people in it!! 



The dessert table!!  I made the chocolate covered pretzels into "cigars."  I made my first ever from-scratch cupcakes.  The brownies were for fun.  The candles (not lit yet) are a MUST for any Miller party.  The napkins...  (I never took a picture of the napkins!!) Well, I hand-stamped a cigar box on each one.  :)  The tables were decorated with candles and giant magazine ads featuring cigars, liquor, watches, and a few cars.  :)  -Thanks, Cigar Aficionado.

All in all we had such a wonderful time!!  It makes me want to have more parties!  Well, it makes me want to GO to more parties!!  And, it makes me think I should bring back the summer birthdays luau THIS summer...hmmm...?!?  :)

*Special thanks to my Mother in Law for missing the party and hanging out here with Zoey.  (Even though I did have a nice, responsible teenager that I truly trust available to sit...  she's even YMCA certified...  Next time, Joyce...  When you're ready.)  ;)  xoxo

Winter Windowsill Tea Party

In the wide world of the internet, one of the blogs I read (SouleMama) has this thing she does every Friday: {this moment}.  That is where she posts a picture about a moment from the week that she'd like to remember or pause to reflect on or whatever...  it's posted without words.  It expresses the feeling, the mood....  it's pretty cool. 

I thought I'd try that.  ....however....  could you imagine me without words?!  Or geesh, even she me picking ONE picture?! 

I tried. 

Then I thought about the Grandmas...  And just how cute some of these pictures are that I sorted.  I thought, gee, those Grandmas (and Aunts and Cousins...) sure would like some MORE pictures.  And it is MY blog...  If I want to write...  so....  Here's my {moment(s)}: 

I love this one because of the feeling, the faint colors of the lights in the tree, the pigtails!!

Cute.

Here, I believe she was telling me something... Perhaps what we were drinking?!

This was another choice for my ONE {this moment}.  It just captured that little bit of time.

Here are some just for fun - trying out my camera -shots.  I'm still not used to my new lens (or my old one for that matter)...  so I just keep shooting and every once in a while, I get one in focus!  ha!

None of these shots are photoshoped or messed with...  the computer John got me for Christmas is currently in a box, ready to be returned for a full refund...  so, I still can't load any fancy software or see on a pretty and bright screen....  (although the day or two that I could look at a big BRIGHT pretty screen were wonderful and made me realize I shouldn't even try to mess with my pictures until I can actually SEE the process.)  So, enjoy what's here and perhaps one day, when I have time (and not ignoring my toddler, as now)... I'll be able to make them all fancy and light-corrected and what not.  :) 

Paper snowflakes and Princess tea sets on our jumping bed of BIG pillows.  (and a hula hoop thrown in... 'cause that's how we roll.)

Winter lights, tea party sights, paper snowflakes fill our (days and) nights!

**Oh and for the archivists, these pictures were taken on Tuesday, the 11th.

Outtakes!

Here are some outtakes from the mini photo session I pulled together this morning for our Christmas card...  Actually the whole thing could be considered one big outtake - because I was just messing around.  She's not even "dressed up" for a special card.  But then I decided, to just roll with it and order anyway!!  This is real life Christmas, baby!!

I almost used this one as part of the card -simply because it's the face she makes at me a bunch lately.  "Real Life, yo!"

This one is simply titled "Bored."

Too bad this one wasn't in focus - or exposed properly! :)

One of a series of "Runaway" shots....

More evidence of how the whole thing went this morning... :) 

Bribery....

And, just in case you were checking out my house...  We still haven't put any ornaments on the tree.  We might just skip it this year.  Zoey and the cats are doing really well not messing with anything as it is...  and while at Grandma Pat's house, she tried to take every ornament off.  I think I can handle the simple beauty of just lights this year... skip the possibility of something getting broken or eaten or chased around the floor at night (that'd be by the cats).  :)  Or we may put up a few way at the top (like we did when the cats were kittens), but eh...  we shall see. 

And nope, my furniture isn't usually like this...  but moving everything makes a mean area to pretend to ice skate and we frequently move things around for massive dance parties in the afternoon!! 

In the runaway shot you can see the balled up quilts on the hearth...  Usually those are spread out for two reasons...  1) an attempt to keep some cold air out and 2) a slight buffer in case Zoey would happen to fall. 

Oh and none of these pictures have been edited... like at. all.  I'm just not into it - especially without the proper equipment.

Those are just a few of my secrets!!  Happy almost Solstice and Christmas!!