Yearly Archives: 2011

1. Me! – picture of yourself (you don’t have to show your face). What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2011?
   I’m most proud of obtaining my new job, I guess. I love what I am doing and enjoy it very much.
   
2. I Love You – picture of your husband, boyfriend, children, pets, etc.
   My hubs and my son <3
    
3. Still Laughing… – a moment you’re still laughing about now…tell us a story.
   This summer a group of friends and I went down to Boston to take a tour of the harbor and go out to dinner. It was a lovely afternoon and evening until we went to go on the tour and one set of friends had purchased tickets to the wrong boat company. It all worked out just fine, thankfully, and I laugh at the whole situation now!
   
   
4. Winter Wonderland – a picture that reflects Winter.
   This is from January 2011 – my little man wasn’t so sure what to think the first time we went out while it was actually snowing (hard).
   
5. Birthday – share a birthday picture (your own or someone you love).
   Collin turned 3 this year – cannot believe it.
   
6. Friends - a picture with friends (this could be your friends or your children with their friends).
   This photo is from the 4th of July. We had some fun with sparklers and all took turns writing things in the sky. This is my friend, Nicole, and I love the way “Hope” turned out.
   
7. I Was Inspired… – could be a picture of your inspiration (person or thing), or inspired by…
   These words inspire me to persevere. I need them a lot.
   
8. Spring Fever – a picture that reflects Spring.
   Growth, color, flowers, fresh air – I absolutely love this image.
   
9. Travel or Vacation - a picture taken on vacation or on a recent travel experience…even if it was only a few miles away.
   In April we took a trip to Myrtle Beach, to visit my brother, and had a great time. It was beautiful there.
   
10. Summer Days – a picture that reflects Summer.
    We spent many days playing in the backyard, running through the sprinkler, and laughing together <3
    
11. A Day In My Life – a picture of a typical day in your life.
    Toys, clutter, chaos… totally normal.
    
12. All Smiles - a picture that makes you smile or of smiling faces.
    This picture is just hilarious to me. I laugh every time I see it.
    
13. Autumn Harvest – a picture that reflects Autumn/Fall.
    Pumpkins, farm stands, hayrides… love Fall.
    
14. Family or Home – a picture of your family or a picture that represents family/home for you.
    Just the 3 of us.
    
15. Celebrate! - a picture that reflects a celebration.
    Around here we celebrate Old Home Days with a big carnival!
    
16. Let’s Do It Again… – a picture of something you’d like to do again soon.
    Head to the beach again. Love it there.
    
17. I Miss You - a picture of someone or something you really miss.
    I don’t have a great picture but I will say I’ve been missing my Papa like crazy lately. I just need a hug from him.
18. Beautiful – a picture of someone or something you find beautiful.
    Sunset, ocean, city – all beautiful.
    
19. Dress Up – this might be a picture from Halloween or not…but someone who is all dressed up!
    Rrrrrrrr Matey!
    
20. Macro – share your favorite macro or close-up image.
    Love this water drop.
    
21. Holidays – a picture from the Holiday of your choice.
    Love Christmas Tree bokeh!
    
22. My Favorite – share your favorite picture or memory from 2011.
    Our beach trip was a great time – one of my favorite times from 2011. Love this shot of the moon over the ocean.
    
23. Don’t Ever Change – something you love about yourself, someone, or something that you never want to change.
    I’m pretty sure this may have been my answer last year, but I hope my son continues to be his goofy self, continues making us laugh all the time, and continues to be so happy.
    
24. Just Because…So There! – share any picture(s) that you really want to share, but doesn’t fit in any other category.
    
25. Hopes and Dreams - share what you hope to come or dream for 2012. Feel free to share an image of your choice.
    I am hoping for a prosperous, successful year with lots of growth for my family.
    

I was driving home with Collin yesterday and we were talking about his day. I talked to Brian quickly on my phone and Collin was just chillin’ in the back seat. As I was telling Brian about a gift I got yesterday (a giant box of chocolates – JUST what I need!) Collin chimed in and said “Mama? When we get home can I have some budge?”

Budge = Fudge.

I have no idea where he got budge from, but it just about the cutest thing I could possibly hear. Brian and I were both cracking up, and that makes me smile.

Its really hard to correct him when his mistakes are so darn adorable.

My whole house is getting sick. How’s that for some holiday cheer? Ha.

In all seriousness, the cheer is here. I was wrapping some gifts last night and thought about the upcoming week and all we have in store.

Sure, I have a ton of presents left to wrap, I still need to get to the store for one last extravaganza of last-minute items, stocking stuffers, and cooking supplies for next weekend. Sure, I still don’t know if Collin even has pants that are going to fit him to go with the sweater we got for Christmas services, and I’m not sure when exactly I’m going to get our house clean to have round two of Christmas next Monday. But it will all get done. I think.

Despite all that I am feeling great. My brother comes home tonight – its been four months since we last saw him and to say we’re excited is an understatement. Collin is SO excited about Christmas this year, it just makes me feel so young again, to watch him filled with so much joy. Its just so much fun and it never fails to remind me how blessed we are, no matter what troubles are holding us down, that we get to spend this time of year with family and friends who love us. Nothing can take that away from us.

Now if only we could have a little bit of snow to really make it feel like the holidays are here!

There are dishes to be done. The dust bunnies are overtaking the homeland. Laundry is piled higher than Mount Washington. The trash needs to be emptied… in the kitchen AND the two bathrooms.

The list goes on.

Sometimes I am just too tired to manage it all every night. Or even every other night. Forget all that, sometimes it is a challenge to simply get a meal on the table.

I am tired. Exhausted. Completely and utterly exhausted.

This is a busy time of year for everyone. Add in a photography business and it multiplies two-fold. Add in colds, shopping, animals wanting to share the warm cozy bed at night, and a pre-schooler who occasionally needs some reinforcement that their big-boy bed is in fact comfy and they are just fine at 2am and it becomes overwhelming.

I was thinking about how much I miss reading last night. I have been so busy that I haven’t read a book in months, and I miss it. A lot. I’m going to the library today to change that. But that isn’t the point. The point is that I have been so busy. I kind of hate it and love it all at the same time.

Now that my busy season with photography is winding down I am looking forward to a good book, being a little lazy every now and again, and fighting off those dust bunnies with a vengeance.

I haven’t been excited to come home and play games or blocks or trains with my son, I haven’t been able to really look forward to watching shows with my husband at night, I haven’t been able to wind down with a few pages of a good read before bed. Sometimes I’m just too tired.