Goldwing - Day Fifty-eight - February 27, 2012

Today was a bad day to get out and take pictures, but got tons yesterday while I was out and about on our "farm".  Jim and I are getting ready to go on a motorcycle trip next month with some awesome friends and he was cleaning it so I took some photos of it.  As you can tell, we have a Honda Goldwing and it's wonderful.  I can't wait to post some pictures of our trip, but that will have to wait a little bit longer :)

Yummy Cheese - Day Fifty-seven - February 26, 2012

On Sunday's, I usually make a big meal so we can have leftovers for a few days.  While we were grocery shopping on Friday, Jim said he wanted steak with mac & cheese.  I am a very good mac & cheese cook (yeah, I'm bragging here) and was happy to hear this is what he wanted.  Since Jared and Elizabeth no longer live here, we have been shrinking down our proportions a big, so instead of the 2 big blocks of cheese, have been only putting in 1 1/2 blocks.  As I was looking at the remaining cheese, thought I would take a picture of the marble in the cheese - Patrick put in the knife at the last minute and it appears to be a great addition.

Red leaf - Day Fifty-six - February 25, 2012

Today is a very windy day here in my neck of the woods, but ventured out to see what I could locate to take a picture of and came across this very interesting set of leaves.  Not only did the color catch my eye, but thought the fact that one lone leaf is standing up and the others are below the limb.  I just thought that was the best.

The bark of a tree - Day Fifty-five - February 24, 2012

I'm sure you guys may have discovered by now that I am a person who loves taking pictures of trees, so I wanted to get a different aspect of one today.  I got real close and took this but didn't realize until I got back and downloaded how much the green from the pines behind it came out.

4-leaf clover (well, sort of) - Day fifty-four - February 23, 2012

I found these poking through the leaves today and thought they were so neat looking, had to get a photo.  To me they look like a 4-leaf clover with interesting edges :)

Help Jared - Day Fifty-three - February 22, 2012

Jared started working at the Lexington YMCA when he was in high school and hasn't left :)  He started out as a counselor and is now the director of after school and summer-camp.  Yeah, my 26 year old son is a big kid, but I have received so many comments about how great he is, so he is obviously where God wanted him to be.  Today he was placed on the Dining Hall roof in order to raise $2,000.00 towards the Partners For Youth Program, so I asked him if I could use this photo as my photo of the day and he said "That's awesome.  Do it!"  So my photo of the day is Help Jared off the Roof :)  Also, if you would like to donate, that would be an added bonus - here is the site if you are interested in helping out a great cause.

My sweet young man - Day Fifty-two - February 21, 2012

As Patrick was practicing his trumpet, thought I would try and get a picture of his fingers playing it.  Well, I did get a few of those, but Patrick goes "I'm ready for my close-up Mr. Deville" so I took advantage of his willingness to let me take fun pictures of him.  I did have some with his glasses on, but they glared and didn't want him to move from his spot to get them (he would forget to get back to practicing) so I got this one along with a few more.  It just takes my breath away every time I look at photos of all three of our children because they grow up so fast.  I'm going to stop here so I won't go all teary-eyed on you guys.

Have a great evening.

Celebrating President's Day - Day Fifty-one - February 20, 2012

Today is President's Day here in the United States and since I have a huge fascination with the history of our country thought I would post a collage of Jim and I took the kids to DC back in 2010 to honor a few of the most respected presidents in past years (I know the Capitol isn't representing a specific president, but like the photo).  Even though we're not going to be able to go to DC this summer like we had hope (having to wait until Christmas 2012 so my friend and her daughter can go with us), we are excited about going to Jamestown, Williamsburg, Yorktown and Roanoke (The Lost Colony) to learn more about the discovery of our country - luckily, our 12 year old is as big of a history nut than I am :).

Happy President's Day and I hope you enjoy the evening.

Crystal raindrop - Day Fifty - February 19, 2012

Today is a rainy and stay inside day (crafting is definitely going on today) but wanted to again try out the new lens I got for Christmas and thought raindrops would be perfect.  I got this one and as I looking at it saw the reflection of the plant in it, which is so cool.  I think it looks like a pretty crystal.

Bird - Day Forty-nine - February 18, 2012

Since I saw the bird last week have been hoping for another opportunity to get a better picture; however, no luck yet.  I did get a picture of a bird (no clue what kind) flying away, so thought I would post that.  I'm determined to learn how to get better photos of birds :)

Early morning fog - Day Forty-eight - February 17, 2012

 It was such a foggy morning this morning and before I started work thought I would get out and take a quick picture.  I like how it caught the sun coming up between the fog and the trees.

It's a plane :) - Day Forty-seven - February 16, 2012

I heard the loud roar of a plane and wanted to try out the new lens Jim got me for Christmas - I wasn't disappointed :)  That lens makes everything so close.  I was disappointed, however, that the plane itself is so dark, but you can at least see the light on it.

Wow - Day Forty-six - February 15, 2012

Can you believe this sky?  Just beautiful.

Happy Valentine's Day - Day Forty-five - February 14, 2012

Today is the day of love :) however, Jim and I typically don't celebrate this holiday because he told me our first Valentine's Day 28 years ago that everyday you are with the person you love is valentine's day (I know, I'm married to a good guy).  As Patrick and I finished up our walk, we noticed it got cloudy during our walk and when I looked up, saw this heart shape in the sky and ran in to get my camera to snap it just before it went away.  I put Happy Valentine's Day under the cloud so you can get an idea of where it was.  I hope everyone has had a very wonderful Valentine's Day and to treat everyday as one because it should be celebrated everyday not just once a year.

Romans 8:28 - Day Forty-four - February 13, 2012

Today is a day to rejoice :)  A good friend of mine received very good news today and wanted to pass on this Bible verse because it seemed so fitting for today and all days.  This is to also say that I will continue keeping the family in my thoughts and prayers in the coming months and that everything, good and bad, all works well through Him. 

I'm so happy for you and your family Lori - we are here in SC doing the happiest dance ever for you all.

Good morning - Day Forty-three - February 12, 2012

When I got up this morning and started making Jim's coffee, looked out our kitchen window to find loads of birds in the driveway and since I am always trying to get good pictures of birds, wanted to give it a try again.  Well, as I walked outside in 26 degree weather in flip flops saw this beautiful red cardinal in a tree - I was so excited and so happy I had my zoom lens on my camera.  I can't get over how round this little bird is - it's just beautiful and such a brilliant red.   I hope you all have a great day.

Down on the ground - Day Forty-two - February 11, 2012

Well, my photo yesterday was looking up a tree, so thought I would do something different today and take a picture down on the ground.  What a different look :)

Look to the sky - Day Forty-one - February 10, 2012

Yesterday when I was coming back from my mother-in-laws' house, decided to look up instead of down at the ground for my photo inspiration and since I love trees, thought I would take one looking up a bare tree - this is the result (after some photo editing using Picnik - I'm going to miss them).

Tigger - Day Forty - February 9, 2012

Patrick has been on me to take a picture of our cat, Tigger, so I finally took one.  I caught her getting ready to eat and was so surprised when she didn't even flinch when I took her picture - she's a cool cat :)

Awaiting spring - Day Thirty-nine - February 8, 2012

I have been seeing a lot of birds nests lately so I am assuming momma & daddy birds are getting ready for spring.  Even though Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and says we're going to have 6 more weeks of winter (to be honest, it's been cold enough here not to dispute him), the birds don't seem to be listening.  I have not only seen the nests, but I am consistently hearing them sing (music to my ears).

YMCA - Day Thirty-eight - February 7, 2012

Tuesday is Patrick's leadership club meeting at the Lexington YMCA and is also a day he gets to spend some quality time with his big brother, Jared.  Jared is the director of the after school program and summer camp at the local Y, so he is so good about getting Patrick involved in it as well.  Tonight I decided to take my camera so I could get a picture of the Y sign to put in Patrick's scrapbook at the end of this year.  I played around with the editing while we still can get Picnik (I will be sad when it's gone, but there is a new place out there a friend told us about the other day - it's iPiccy and so far it has been fun as well).

Pine cone forest - Day Thirty-seven - February 6, 2012

Yesterday, I had posted a pine cone and Sherry had asked where I was from and mentioned that she had mini pine cones in her backyard, so as Patrick and I went on our walk today, decided to pick these up and make a pine cone forest.  These guys are HUGE - I measured them and the tallest one is 9" tall.  I am going to put them in a punch bowl and put them on my kitchen table - now I need to go find some greenery to put around them.  I know what I'll be doing tomorrow during our walk :)

Pine cones - Day Thirty-six - February 5, 2012

 

Well, as my previous post stated, we live in an area that has lots of pine tree, hence lots of pine cones.  I love pine cones and try to grab as many as I can throughout the year to place in my house and this will definitely be going in it :)

Green pine tree - Day Thirty-five - February 4, 2012

I just love how the green comes out in this picture.  I live in an area that is full of pine trees, so thought I would take advantage of that.

I love candles - Day Thirty-four - February 3, 2012

I just love candles and burn them all the time so I was getting ready to blow this one out but got the camera real quick to take a picture of the flame.  I thought it turned out pretty neat.

Well, look what we're going to be doing ... Day Thirty-three - February 2, 2012

At the beginning of this year, we made the decision to start doing better exercising (to me that is not a friendly word) and I saw a guy in the office who make a training schedule for me and Patrick (some of you may know this, but my husband, Jim, has ran 7 marathons and could have asked him, but I would have been worn out by the end of the 1st week, so thought it best to ask  someone outside the home - Jim really does mean well, but I really have to start very slow when it comes to the "E" word).  One of the goals we had was to participate in a 5k within 6 months and when I saw this one, thought well, it's not exactly 6 months, but what the heck, let's go for it, so here we go ... I told Patrick tonight after our 3 mile walk with Jim (see what I mean - he couldn't do the normal 1 mile we have been doing - LOL) that we are going to start walking more next week and by the end of February, we would be walking/running ... he was not very happy to hear this :)  I am determined to do this not only for myself but for Patrick as well.

MUD - Day Thirty-two - February 1, 2012

We got a heavy rainstorm a few days back and while we were walking back from our exercise walk, saw this mud track and wanted to see what it would look like in pictures.  I didn't realize until I downloaded it that there was a leaf in there as well, so I focused on it more because the rest of it looks sort of bland.  We are suppose to get more rain this weekend, so hopefully next week I can take a different look at the mud hole.