To go, or not to go? That is the question of the day!

The dresses...

Playing...

with my settings!  My little sister (she's 11) is the best at coming up with games and activities for my kids whenever we go to my parents house.  This weekend we spent a lot of time there and I was able to relax knowing she had them and they were having fun.  I snuck down into the basement to see what they were up to.

Black and White beauty...

I find it so funny that me, the color loving photographer, is wanting to change everything to b/w today.  And what's even funnier is this client of mine who had a baby 10 weeks ago said to me that she wanted to go with a B/W theme to help hide her post baby body, but then after seeing how great lots of bright color looked, she'd decided to go with color.  I don't know, sometimes it might just be the mood I'm in or maybe, it's that I need to change it up or maybe, it's that little blondies with gorgeous dark eyes look perfect in b/w.

High Five!

We're outta here...

for dinner.  In case you didn't see my facebook status, I was crazy busy yesterday and only managed to get half my list of things done. Which meant come dinner time, I had no way of coming up with anything except things like mac and cheese.  The kids, wouldn't agree to any of my "quick fix" ideas for dinner so I gave in and off we went to Rock Creek Pizza Co.

I'm on pins and needles...

I'm stressing just a little.  I've never used a pattern, and here I am following the directions and have the cutest dresses... BUT this last step, the step of "shirring" has me going crazy!!!  It's not working.  It's not nearly as easy as the rest of the dress was to make.  WOW!!

Beauty just outside my back door...

This morning brought so much beauty.  I couldn't decide which was more gorgeous, my big tree covered in snow or the amazingly blue sky behind it.  I grabbed my camera, slid open my back door and shot these from inside my kitchen.  I forget the beauty that snow brings.  I seem to focus on my dislike of it for the obvious reasons (it's so cold and I hate driving in it), but really it's gorgeous.  I love this challenge for the reason that it makes me really focus on what's going on around me.  I'm looking at things with more depth rather than just letting it fly right on by.  This was one of those days as I starred at the snow topped houses, trees and even power lines as I drove my daughter to school.  It was a gorgeous view the whole way there.  Any other time, I wouldn't have noticed anything except the slush on the ground that I was having to drive carefully in.  So for this I am grateful!

Getting there...

Saturday morning breakfast...

All the leaves are BLACK and the sky is grey...

Future Thanksgiving dresses...

A painful day...

After checking her and finding out she had a fever, I went upstairs, grabbed the phone to call hubby.  I was carrying her with me and on the way down we slid.  Her chin hit the top, tile stair and I hit HARD and slid the rest of the way down.  I was scared to look at her.  The sound of her hitting the tile and not knowing what it was that hit, had me so afraid to look at her.  Would she have missing teeth?  A gash on her head with blood gushing out?  Soon it was apparent it was her chin.  Then I wondered, was it broken?  Was it going to swell up and be black and blue?  Oh, being a mother is painful sometimes.  Because I had the phone in my hand, I was able to make a call immediately and talk to my husband.  But now it was about the fever AND the fall!  Ouch!  We sat ALL day on the couch.  I didn't mind the excuse to just sit.  I needed a day to just sit.  But that means, I didn't get up for a picture of anything but our feet.  I think it's fine though, she has cute little toes that need to be repainted!  Maybe tomorrow.

Please keep this one a secret!

This one is SO not a great image!  First, the fact that I'm in it (eeek, super scary) and second that this is hardly creative or a well crafted image.  Tonight, Suzanne and I had the opportunity to go listen to Scott Bourne an amazing speaker who is an incredibly amazing photographer.  He's published several books and is known for his wildlife photography all over!  He was so inspiring and spoke about making pictures rather than taking pictures.  His journey to make a particular picture he had seen in his mind took him 12 years to do, and oh so worth it.  But... so much for that tonight.  This was all about just taking a picture so I could post one for today in the challenge.  I do have to say that although this is a horrible image it does sum up Suzanne and I quite well.  At the end of every photo camp, photo walk, photo group we tend to get silly and sometimes that turns into creativity, and other times it's just silliness.  Tonight was no different.  It went something like this...

me:  Suzanne, I haven't taken a picture for today.

Suzanne:  Let's take one.

me:  Okay, hold up your book and go like this, like it's a big secret.

Suzanne won one of Scott Bourne's books, "88 Secrets to Wildlife Photography"

I held up my camera with my very unsteady, left hand and it pointed at us, click... and this is the picture of the day.

As I laid in bed tonight, I cringed at the thought that this was my picture for the day.  Suddenly, new, creative, better ideas came to mind.  Why didn't I think of that sooner?  This is the reason I'm doing this challenge, so I can get better at thinking on the spot.  I want creativity to become more natural and instantaneous.  Right now, I can always think of something but sometimes that thought is later when it's too late.  I want the ideas to come to me at a moments notice.  This is a lesson for me.  I need spend less time taking pictures and more time making pictures.  Thank you Scott Bourne!

Simply love!

As I was online working on Christmas cards and even doing some online Christmas shopping I heard some giggling from around the corner.  PERFECT!  I grabbed my camera!  These two in my laundry basket were playing and giggling.  She kept trying to kiss him and after every one he'd say "EEEeeew!"  Then she would giggle the cutest giggle!  Why am I searching for the perfect Christmas present when all they need is a laundry basket and each other.  Simple life is the best!

Sunday smells so good!

I love this time of  year, it seems food is the center of fall and winter for me.  I think cause it's cold and snowy outside there's more time for baking.  I love making cookies for the holidays or trying a new recipe this time of year.   Thanksgiving dinner is just around the corner and there couldn't be a more perfect holiday for me.  I love food!  Sunday, I whipped up some delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  I think next time I'll add some cream cheese frosting to them.  I love the smell it creates in my home after baking some delicious treat!  If only it lasted longer maybe I wouldn't have to make them so often, cause I just love the smell!

Fall turns to Winter...

The perfect picture to begin my journey, a image of change.  This is a change for ME.  I'm normally the girl that says, "I'll start on Monday, or I'll make the change on Jan 1."  I've been accused of being a "January joiner" before and I'm not going to let that happen ever again.  We never know what tomorrow will bring, so I am making a change and starting today.

It's official...

I've taken on the 365 challenge, to post a picture every single day.  I am extremely excited.  I'm a bit scared to take on such a challenge, but I'm anxious to get going.  I have so many thoughts running through my head.  It's helping me be more creative and to think about the little things in my every day life.  This is good.  The thing that will push me is the end result.  I can't wait to have a book of all these pictures, a picture journal of my life over this next year.  Time flies by so quickly, it's the best way for me to keep track of my real life and then have a way to remember it all.  I haven't decided if this will be just pictures or if I'll feel the need to add some comments along with it.  Maybe it will be a bit of both.  In any case, it will be me.  My life in progress...

What's inspired me?  My first teacher Carin Davis, her decision to do this and the link to this post.