Goodbye 2010

I don't think I've ever been so ready for a fresh new year to begin. I have been making a mental list of all of the things I want to accomplish in 2011. I've really never been one to make New Years resolutions because I know that once the hype of the season is gone, usually the resolutions are quickly forgotten. I do however have many things in my life that I want to accomplish and change, so I am taking the opportunity of this fresh new year ahead to work towards them.

This year has been a great year in so many ways, yet it has also been one of the worst and most stressful years to date. I have been dealing with several health issues since August that I haven't talked about here yet. The entire ordeal stressed me out so badly that I didn't know how much more I could handle. This was all, of course, on top of still trying to find a job and being unemployed for so long that my unemployment benefits are coming to an end within the next six weeks. There is so much more to this situation and maybe I will talk more about it here soon, but over the past few weeks I have realized more than ever that I need to leave this all in Gods hands because he is in control. Worrying has never and will never helped a thing, so I have let it all go and I believe that God will see me through each and every thing I am up against.

I have decided to focus instead on the good things that have happened this past year. I have continued to learn about photography and actually saw one of my dreams come to life when I had my both my first photo shoot and my first wedding last May. That was a goal that I wrote down over a year ago and sometimes I can't believe that it actually happened. Which reminds me, I am so behind on posting photos from other shoots I've done - it's officially on my to-do list :) I've always been the type of person who has good plans and good intentions, but rarely do I follow through on them when it comes to doing things for myself (when I make a commitment to others, I always keep my word). So, I am proud that becoming a photographer is one goal that I have accomplished this year.

I will be putting together a post this weekend highlighting some of my favorite photos of 2010. I wish you all a safe, healthy, and happy New Year! Thanks for sticking with me this year!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I just wanted to say a quick Happy Thanksgiving to those of you celebrating it today.  I did most of the cooking again this year (with some help from Mom & Dad too) and I've been up since 5:30 this morning.  I have had a really nice, relaxing day with my family and now I think it might just be time for a nap!  And later, some chocolate cream pie ;)

Wordless Wednesday

The long drive home

The photo that started it all

This is the photo that started it all for me. At the time I had a Kodak Easyshare camera and stopped by a nice little park to take some pictures. I knew nothing at all about photography but had always loved taking photos. I just didn't know where to start or what to take pictures of.

I was walking down a path next to the lake and saw this magazine laying on the ground. It was open to this page saying 'Be Inspired' and when I saw it I immediately took a photo of it because that was exactly what I needed - inspiration. After that day, I began taking more and more photos of everything and anything. Leaves, flowers, grass, clouds...you name it. It was then that I started seeing things differently and finally felt inspired.

Sweet tooth

Emeril managed to sneak a candy corn from the candy dish. I think he has a bigger sweet tooth than us! We try not to give him much of anything that has sugar or is fattening, but sometimes he outsmarts us and helps himself ;)

November Rewind: Hummingbirds

We had a couple families of hummingbirds that took up residence in our backyard this summer.  There appeared to be several different breeds of them, one of which was pretty aggressive.  The little bird would sit up on a tree branch and guard the feeder, and as soon as another hummer would come to eat, it would fly down and dive-bomb the poor bird and chase it around the yard.  It was something to watch!

We did some research and learned that hummingbirds can be very territorial. One day while we were outside there were six or seven of them flying around the feeder and chasing each other away.  It was like a war zone! lol  We were able to capture it on video which you can view at the bottom of this post :)

Man, I gotta get out of this town...

NaBloPoMo: Day 13

Question: Post a photograph that means something to you and then tell us why you chose it. (It can be your photo or someone else's.)

L.A. at night by Ian Rheuter

I found this photo online last year and immediately loved it.  I have had a fascination with California since I was in my early teens and I have always sworn that I will make it there someday (even if it's only to visit).  There is just something about L.A./California that draws me to it.  It's not about the celebrities for me.  Maybe it's just the fact that it's SO different than where I live (R.I.).  I would love to see the pacific ocean sunsets, red rock canyons, the deserts...everything.  I just feel like there's nothing here for me in this tiny little state of mine.

Anyone else remember this 1990's song?

L.A. Song

Question of the day: Music

NaBloPoMo:  Day 12

Question:  What was your favorite song this year?  Five years ago?  Ten years ago?  Twenty?

I love music, so I had a very hard time choosing just one favorite.  Favorite song of 2010 has been 'Use Somebody' by Kings of Leon.  I never get tired of hearing it :)





Five years ago it was (don't laugh) 'Drop It Like It's Hot' by Snoop Dogg.  I don't know what got into me because I do not and have never liked rap music.





Ten years ago it was 'Bye Bye Bye' by *NSYNC.  I LOVED that song.  I was a little late in discovering NSYNC's music but once I did, I was hooked.  Their 'No Strings Attached' tour was my first concert ever and I remember it like it was last week.  I had a blast!  I can't believe that was ten years ago...jeez, I'm getting old.





Twenty years ago...I was nine and my favorite song was 'Tonight' by New Kids On The Block'.  I can still vividly remember being at a rollerskating rink on a school field trip.  As I was skating, this song was playing and I remember being so happy.




I just went on a fun trip down memory lane :)  If you want to participate, feel free to copy the question and post your answers on your blog.  I'd love to see some of your favorites!  And, just for good measure, here is the song that tied as my favorite for this year:

'Chasing Pirates' by Norah Jones

Chapstick anyone?

I bought this quite a while ago and recently found it in my desk when I was looking for my lip balm.  I used it a few times that day and was glad I found it again. 'Oooh, it smells so good!  Just like lemons!  And my lips feel really soft now.'  So I continued using it on my lips for several days.  That is, until I went to pick up the container to put some on and happened to (finally) notice the words 'Lemon Butter CUTICLE Cream'.  The description:  'A soothing blend of natural ingredients for intensive care of dry cuticles, brittle nails, and chapped, cracked fingertips'.



All I could do was laugh.  I will attribute this little mix-up to the lack of sleep lately.  Yeah, that must be it ;)  On a brighter note, I did find my REAL lip balm.  Just as a side note, this is THE best lip balm I have ever used.  Even better than the cuticle cream ;)

{almost} Wordless Wednesday

The Reservoir at dusk

p.s. I was going to keep this 'wordless' but I just wanted to mention what happened yesterday.  I took my Mom to the E.R. yesterday afternoon.  She woke up extremely dizzy and lightheaded and felt nauseous.  Even after laying down again and eating some breakfast, she felt no better.  Hours had passed and she still felt like everything was spinning when she would get up, try to walk, or move her head a certain way.  The E.R. doctor said she had Vertigo and she gave her a Valium which helped her feel a little better.  She left with a prescription for more Valium in case the Vertigo returns and she has to follow up with a doctor if it does.  Thankfully she is feeling much better today :)

p.p.s. I fell asleep pretty quickly last night and slept right through the night until 8:30 this morning! Let's pray for another night like that :)

Quick post

I am laying here in bed and just realized I forgot to post today. Spent much of the day today in the Emergency Room and by the time we got done with dinner and things settled down it was after 8 pm. I'm so tired and decided to get to bed early tonight (11:30 is really early for me). I have been having alot of trouble sleeping for over a month now. I stay up late waiting for my body to get tired and when I do finally go to bed, I will sometimes lay there until 3 or 4 am wide awake. I just want a good night of sleep, so I hope I can drift off to sleep and stay that way for the next 8 hours or so :)

Goodnight to you all!

Determination

This little woodpecker kept trying to get to the remaining piece of suet but just couldn't reach it.  When all else failed, he squeezed himself into the wire holder and sat on top of the suet eating his heart out.  That's determination.  It's something I wish I had more of.  I'm working on it ;)



If at first you don't succeed...

try

and try again

Trader Joe's anyone?

Have any of you ever been to Trader Joe's?  I saw this 'unofficial' commercial for them a while back and I've also heard some good things about their products/store.  It looks like a very interesting place and since they opened a Trader Joe's in my state last year, I have been wanting to go there.

I want to start eating healthier and I'm interested in learning more about all-natural and organic food.  I was just reading about grass-fed beef and how much better it is for you, as well as free-range chickens and turkeys. I am clueless about this stuff so I'm going to do some more reading about it to learn more.  I also want to take a trip to Whole Foods to see what they have there.  As I've said before, I'm always up for trying new things, but I definitely don't want to get started with buying organic foods if there truly isn't much of a benefit to it.  Any wisdom or advice for me?  :)

A cats life

Sometimes I wish I could trade places with him.  Imagine having a life so simple?  Eat, sleep, meow...sleep, get a treat, nap, eat, and sleep some more.  Have a stressful day?  It's nothing that a nap can't fix ;)

November Rewind: August

I mentioned the other day that I would be looking back at some of the photos I've taken this year that never made it to this blog.  Today I am posting some of the photos from a family photo shoot I had in August.  This spring, my former co-worker Katharina asked if I would take some portraits when her family visited her from this summer from Germany.  It was the first time they would all be together in five years.  I jumped at the chance to do it and it turned out to be the most fun I have had on a photo shoot yet!  The entire family was great and made my job so easy.  They would just put themselves into different positions and you could tell they were having fun and didn't mind being photographed.  Here are some of my favorite shots from that day:

Top left to right:  Katharina, her sister and her niece, and their mother.

Bottom left to right:  Katharina's husband Russ, her brother-in-law, father, and her brother.