reflective

For some reason I have been very reflective today.
Maybe it's because we had our "end-of-year" meeting at work today where we reflected on our accomplishments and challenges and looked forward to what's ahead.

Or maybe it's because my dear friend had a big interview today that will change her life tremendously whether she gets the job or not.

Or maybe it's that this angel who landed in our lives last year will be turning one on Saturday:

Whatever has made me feel this way, it has made me so thankful for the many many blessings in my life.  I am amazed at how God works in my life and those around me.  There have been so many times I have been angry at God for not answering my prayers the way I want them answered (because, you know, I am so much smarter than God!!!) DUH.  When something happens in my life to change my circumstances I realize He is so much more awesome than I can even wrap my mind around!

Switching gears, because that is how my mind works sometimes, I want to congratulate my friend Jenny on finally starting her blog after having it for two years!!!  She is ambitious as she has a goal of blogging every day this week.  Cheers for Jenny! Go Jenny!!! *cartwheel* OUCH.
Cannon Family 

What are you reflecting on this week?
A special graduate making a new transition?
Your Mom or mother figure?
Whatever you are reflecting on I hope it brings peace and joy in your life.

Weekend away

I took a short weekend vacation last weekend to Orlando to see my favorite middle stepchild and her husband. 

Brooke & Rob!

It was such a welcomed break from my day to day and I was excited that they asked me to photograph their baby bump pics of my sweet little grandson, River. :)

It was also the first visit to their new home that they purchased last year.  I am so happy for them and what their future lives hold. 

 

I arrived Friday afternoon and Brooke and I went to eat at Mitchell's Fish Market - where Rob is working part-time. In fact, we did a lot of eating while I was there (if you know me, you know that is no surprise!) 

I also experienced Mellow Mushroom pizza and a local haunt, PR's Taco Palace. 

Besides spending time with B & R, my most favorite part of the trip was the few hours I spent with this view:

Ahhhhh, the beach! My most favorite place to be.  There is no better place to relax & refresh in my opinion. There is something about the salt air and feeling the sand on my skin that just makes me feel so great!  I could use several more days of that view quite honestly. 

We had two great days of taking photos.  The first day we took a more casual approach at a walking trail near their house with a little creek or "river" (get it?)  On day two we found a great background at Loch Haven Park and the Orlando Museum of American Art. We also found a fantastic little part in Winter Park on a lake that ended up being another hidden gem.  Here are few more pics of B & R and baby River a/k/a "the bump" :)

I cannot wait until the next time I am there and can share pictures of River on this side of the bump! :) 

My favorite color

What is your favorite?

RED?

BLUE?

PINK?

ORANGE?

CHARTREUSE?

For me, I just cannot pinpoint my favorite.
So when someone asks me what my favorite color is, I simply say ROY G. BIV! (this was how I learned the colors of the rainbow)

I decided I would celebrate my favorite color with an updated profile picture for my social media profiles.

I love spring and the vivid colors that come along with it.  It is truly a gift from God to see the Earth come to life.

Thank you Lord for the blessing of color!

A year of Firsts

It has been so much fun to watch Carlee have all the "firsts" that all children have at one point or another. 
First tooth
First words
First food
and of course many first holidays throughout their first year.

Last weekend, Carlee and I (Grammy) had our first outing to the park together.  It was a pretty quick trip as we were meeting PeePaw to eat, but we had fun. That kid just enjoys everything. I love that about her.  She is social, not afraid, and just takes everything in. 

Of course we had a little photoshoot at the park so I thought I would share those.

I must explain what she is doing in the pic above...whistling. Yes, whistling! It is the funniest thing. She learned to whistle a month or so ago and does it pretty regularly now.  She calls up the horses and their dog, Jill.  Her little personality just cracks me up! Definitely a character. :)

Carlee had another first today...the Easter Bunny!

She was totally un-phased and fairly un-impressed quite honestly.

She did enjoy the whole egg hunt thing. Didn't really figure out you are suppose to run around and gather as many eggs as you can, but I am sure that will come with time. ;)  She did love the eggs and finding what was inside.

Luckily she had Blakeley to help her gather eggs.  Thanks so much Blakes. :) (She even forfeited her own age group's hunt to help Carlee...what a sweet girl)

I love this sweet pea!

Want to get back...

to the real reason I began blogging 6 years ago. 

Really, it began as a way to connect to other crafty folks, but it has morphed into more over the years and quite frankly, not really interesting to me.  As blogging has become a way for many others to sustain a home based business or a popularity contest of how many followers one can get, I kind of got caught up in that and forgot it is simply a way to keep a record of my life, however boring or exciting it may be at any given time; or how crafty I am or how cool my photos are. 

I was wanting to look up something from our Florida vacation a few years again and knowing I blogged about it, it made me think of all the little details I have been missing in my life by not having something fabulous to blog about.  

WHAT AM I THINKING???

I have this incredible little angel that will soon be a year old and I am missing recording so many details of her life. 

So I hereby commit to blogging my boring life and all my adventures 

in Grammy-hood. :)

things are brewing

Many possibilities right now in my life.
Do not want to jinx anything, but there are new things on the horizon....

I can feel things moving in a positive direction.
Many of those things are going to take me being proactive and working for them.

I am ready.

still my bub

My sweet Angus has been the baby around here for many years and with this face in the picture now, he feels a little jealous I'm afraid. 

In fact, I worry when Carlee is here because I definitely do not want him to bite her. He is the alpha of the household and is extremely jealous of anyone or anything that I may show attention to or that shows attention toward me. 

Although I cannot and will not tolerate him being ugly toward Carlee, I do sympathize with him somewhat since he doesn't really understand and has never had to.  He's 11 and that saying of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" definitely applies in this situation.  The really sad part is that Carlee wants to love on him and pet him - she is an animal lover all the way!

I do not know how to change this behavior.  I welcome any tips or pointers!

In the meantime, I decided we needed a little photoshoot.  :)

I love you my sweet bub!

paint+animals+quotes

I have a thing for paint.

I also have a thing for animals.

I may also have a thing for meaningful and memorable quotes.

Put them all together and you have the following:

Some recent canvases I did for my dearest friends (aka prends)

For my flamingo loving prend, Judy:

and for my horse loving prend, Karla:

(both of these pictures are from Judy & Karla's Facebook - I did not take pics before gifting them.)

I had such joy doing both of these pieces, especially knowing how much they would be appreciated and treasured.  Both of these chicks are special to me and we have been through so much over the past few years...good times and bad times, I knew I could count on them.

I have just completed another canvas for a gift - this one is for my stepmom for her birthday (which was last month - I know, I'm always late!)

She and my Dad gave me Angus for my birthday, and she recently got her own mini schnauzer and has fallen head over heels in love with Scruffy!  I thought she needed a little animal art to don her walls.

This one is a little different because I added a little sparkle with none other than GLITTER!!!

weeeeeeee

I already have some ideas for future projects like this.

(and, yes, I have blogged more than once today - it's a snow day, what can I say!)

Hello February - okay, mid-February

Well, at least I'm keeping it to less than a month since my last post. 

Okay, let's re-evaluate those New Year's resolutions goals, shall we?

Failed: 

• The P52 - I did one week...WTHeck?  After doing two years...faithfully, of my own 52WP and I could only get through one week.
• Dave Ramsey's debt free life....yeah, who was I fooling! (not totally giving up on this one yet.)

So far, so good:

• My365 iPhone project. Love doing this to capture a little piece of my day.
• Living more green and more frugal. Still making my own laundry soap and loving it.  I used all the soap made with Fels Naptha so made the second batch with  Zote.  {SIDENOTE: Although I like the smell and ease of grating of the Zote better, the Fels dissolves much better}
• Continue to dabble in some couponing, a little menu planning and putting at least one thing in the freezer per week, so I call that fairly successful! Just have not been menu planning and blogging for accountablity.  I need to change that!
• Reading my Bible through. I'm using my Bible app on my phone and have gotten behind a few times, but have caught up.  I'm determined this year - I have started this and not completed it for several years.

So what about you?
Have you re-evaluated your goals?

My friend Laura

Calling Laura "my friend Laura" is pretty much an inside joke stemming from conversations between my husband and me.

I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to photograph Laura and her family several times. She is one of my many friends who has had such faith in my photography business and the growth thereof.  I feel extremely blessed to call her my friend.  She is one of my prayer warriors that I call on and always know she will pray for whatever I request.  I do the same for her. How comforting...

I wanted to share some of her latest family shots.

When we first met, she only had Abbie and she was just a little fart. Now, there are three little rugrats with Ty and sweet Ms. Callie Sue. 

I love those kids, I tell you! When Abbie was little I taught her how to give the peace sign and say "peace out". I'm glad I could have a part in her proper raising! LOL

Can you imagine these little angels acting like this???  (Sorry, Laura)   hehehe

Let's just say, this photoshoot was quite interesting!  :)

I am so glad to have "my friend Laura" and her family in my life!