New projects!

Just signed myself up for Paint The Moon's Let's Do 52 Project! http://paintthemoon.net/blog/2011/01/lets-do-52-paint-the-moon-photo-a-week-project-photoshop-actions/

I have taken 2 photography classes now to try to learn to use my camera to the best of it's abilities...One with the amazing Amy Ro of http://www.amyrophotography.com/ . If you have never seen her work, check it out. Her class was really good for me, very hands on, and she explained things in ways we could easily understand and apply IRL when we're out shooting.

I also took a class with my friend Kath Connerton. You can check out her work here : http://www.connertonphotography.com
Kath also did a fantastic job in explaining things to us in ways we could understand and was very helpful in giving us tips to improve our shots when we went out shooting around town.

So with these 2 classes under my belt, you would think I would be better then I am! HA! I will say I think I can generally compose a good shot and have taken some great shots of my girls but I am def. not where I want to be so...

One of my goals for this winter was to work on my photography and until now, I have been a big giant slacker! I am hoping this project will get my creative juices flowing again and I will learn some new things along the way! Can't wait to get started! I'll definitely share my weekly pics with you!

My Friday Favorites!

Here are a few things I can't get enough of from the past week...

First of all, I LOVE this song, and this duo only makes it all the more sweeter! Their youtube video got them an appearance on Ellen where the dad couldn't have been nicer and the little girl was just too adorable waving and wanting to run out and hug the crowd!



Second, I can't get enough of my babe in the pic we took after her fever broke. She is still no where near 100% sadly but the fever is gone so thank goodness for small miracles!



A big favorite of ours from the past week were these AMAZING Salted Caramel Cupcakes! They were passed on to me from my friend Erin over at http://citymouseinacountryhouse.blogspot.com/ She originally got the recipe from here:
http://www.joyshope.com/2010/06/salted-caramel-cupcakes.html I made a batch and the girls and I promptly became cupcake fairies and delivered some to family and friends! They are AMAZING, but I did not need to eat 27 cupcakes and that is exactly what I would have done if they all stayed in my house! The cupcakes were a big hit all around!

I bought a pair of Danskin fleece pants at Kohl's the other day with my Kohl's Cash! Oh! Fleece pants! Why did I wait so long to buy you?! I'm sure my husband just loves them, but frankly, I don't care! HA! Do you have a pair? If not...GO, NOW! Stop reading and go buy yourself a pair!

And just for a little bit of fun and a whole lot of sexy, here is one of my perennial favorites! The oh so sexy Charlie Hunnam, aka Jax Teller on Sons of Anarchy! If you are not watching Sons of Anarchy on FX...YOU MUST! I am counting down to the start of Season 4!



And finally, my last favorite for this Friday, Girl Scout Cookies! I am the troop leader for my oldest daughter's 1st grade troop. We just finished up our cookie sales for the year and she sold a total of 210 boxes! And when I say she, I mean me! HA! She did do a great job asking our family members and made a few phone calls to family members we don't see regularly, but the majority of our sales came from my fabulous, generous FaceBook friends! Thank you again to everyone who bought cookies! The girls are all so appreciative!

Happy Friday everyone! What are some of your favorites from your past week?! Make sure you take the time to enjoy the things that make you happy!

Sick Days & Snow Days

During her fever induced stupor.

Well, my stocking up on craft supplies for the weekend didn't go as planned. My poor baby was a little out of sorts Tuesday afternoon, complained her ear hurt when she went to bed that night, and by early Wednesday morning, she was a full blown MESS! Poor thing! When she gets an ear infection, it hits her like a ton of bricks. Her older sister is also on antibiotics for an ear infection but the only symptom she had was ear pain. My poor little monkey spent the majority of Wednesday completely oblivious to what was going on around her. I'm sure if I asked, she wouldn't have any recollection of our trip to the doctor. Her fever FINALLY broke early last night. She is still super snuggly and definitely not her usual bubbly self but...a great improvement from where we were this time yesterday.

The fever FINALLY broke!

In other ever so exciting news, it's yet another snow day here at the homestead. Good lord we've gotten a lot of snow this winter! I am hoping the babe will be up for a little snow fun this afternoon because the oldest is chomping at the bit to get outside. It's that gorgeous looking snow that is a PITA to shovel cause it's so heavy...Thank goodness for the plowman and my hubby who is out there right now shoveling the walks and cleaning off the cars. He has to head in to work shortly but we would definitely rather have him home and cozy with us.

The sun is shining, my little is slowly getting better, (she just crawled up in my lap and says hi!) and we are warm and cozy in our jammies! Life is good!

Snow, snow, and...oh, MORE SNOW!

Apparently we moved to northern New England, and no one told us! We got an awesome storm right after Christmas which was great because the kids played outside almost everyday for the rest of their school vacation...But I feel like it hasn't stopped snowing since! (I know, a slight exaggeration, but we just aren't used to this much snow!) It's snowing right now, which somehow appeared on the 7 day forecast last night as a dusting but we have over an inch and it's still coming down pretty steady. We have a storm coming in Wednesday night that is one of those we always seem to get...It could be nothing, or it could be THE BIG ONE!



Either way, we are trying to make the best of it all! I am NOT a winter person but this winter has been pretty great! Christmas vacation was filled with lots of fabulous family time at home. My husband was able to take the week off, the girls got along great all week, and I was so sad when it was time to get back to the reality of school and work. We have had lots of sledding play dates and since we don't have a hill in our yard, the girls had a great time making make-shift sledding hills out of our monstrous piles of snow from the snow plow! It was HILARIOUS to watch the kids go flying across the driveway on their discs!



I am hoping to get out to the store today to stock up on some craft supplies for the weekend. I am assuming Thursday will be a snow day and they already have this Friday off for an in-service day for the teachers so...Another long weekend on the horizon...We are going to attempt some cute yarn hearts I saw in Family Fun this month. I can't seem to find them on the web site but here is a link to some other adorable Valentine crafts they have posted! http://familyfun.go.com/valentines-day/valentines-day-gifts-gallery-83824



What's the weather where you are? Are you enjoying your winter?! Are you starting your prep for Valentine's Day? How do you celebrate with your family?

Here Goes Nothing...or something!

I am finally taking the plunge into the blogosphere! I follow quite a few blogs and have quite a few friends these days with their own blogs. A few things I am hoping to do with the blog...Improve my writing and photography skills, write about my life, (hubby, kiddos, pets, house, gardens, crafts, cooking...) and I suppose whatever else may come up along the way! Wish me luck and come along for the ride!