Finding the Holiday Joy

Monday, February 28, 2011

Project 365 - Day 90

Today on the way out I noticed that not only are the daffodils blooming but so are the Bradford Pears, in three short days they're standing pretty full of white blooms.

Day 90

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Project 365 - Day 89

Princess Mermaid Melody wanted to sing outside and swing..............so we did :)


After looking thru all the pictures from Sunday I have changed my mind on the photo of the day. I love the photo above but it wasn't making me just for joy, I will work on this shot again in brighter weather. Later in the afternoon Punkin put on three dresses, her bathing suit bottoms and her Pappy's readers then road her like bike all over the porch. I asked for a picture and this is what I got :) Because it rained, my service goes out in the rain, I wasn't able to get on and check these photos out until this morning. The moment I saw this photo I thought This is the photo of the day!!

Day 89
(sorry for the confusion, I have been arguing with myself over changing my mind because I don't want to seem wishy washy but seeing that this is Day 89 and I haven't done this before I felt it was ok, besides it's my Project 365, I guess if it's hurting anyone it's me and I can totally live with that :)


Saturday, February 26, 2011

Project 365 - Day 88

A lazy day with Punkin :) She was thinking about taking a nap....

Day 88

Friday, February 25, 2011

Project 365 - Day 87

This morning on the way out I noticed the daffodils are blooming a sure sign that spring is on it's way. I dread the summer temps but spring is usually beautiful here in Texas, won't be long and we'll have blue blonnets lining the road sides too :) (I'm not great with flowers but I gave it a go)

Day 87

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Project 365 - Day 86

I just discovered Brighton has a bracelet alot like the Pandora ones........I want!

Day 86

Project 365 - Days 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 85

On Friday the 18th, I just on a plane headed to Aluquerque, New Mexico. Jamie, Barb and Phil were there to greet me, then we headed to meet up with Jean, Steve and Kay for dinner. We are at Little Anita's and while the food was delish the company was far superior!! After dinner we had dessert at Jean's then it was bed time, big day ahead!

Day 80 (Jamie, Kay, Barb, Jean and Me)

On the 19th, my birthday, I got up to Jean making me a birthday breakfast :) Her son, his wife and their daughter came over as well, it was a house full by 11:00am. By now Payton and Larry had made it in from Missouri. It was a wonderful morning :) At noon we headed north to Durango, a three hour drive with our group split up into two vehicles. We arrived in Durango just as the weather turned, it was raining and snow was perdicted for the night. After getting our train tickets, checking into the hotel we headed to a place called Ol Timers for dinner. Great burger if you ever get there for dinner! As a surprise I was given a slice of delish chocolate cake and sang too, dang near made me cry!!
Day 81

Early the next morning we set out for the train station, it was cold, overcast and snowing (very lightly), it had snowed during the night :) We departed the station at 7:30am, very exciting!! The train ride in all lasted about 10 hours, they provided drinks, eats and warmth. The entertainment, outside of us laughing our hinders off was without a doubt the train! We were given eleven stops, to deboard and take pictures as the train made two passes for our photographing pleasure. Some of the stops were insane! Above knee snow, cliffs, rivers and sheer drops offs. We climbed, hiked and hung on to whatever was handy. Cold!! but so much fun!!
Day 82

The morning after the train ride, we met up for breakfast then hit the streets of Durango for shopping and sight seeing, loads of pictures. Cold but not as cold as the day before. Some Starbucks and chocolate later we loaded up and headed south to Albuquerque. We laughed the entire way back!! It was so fun! Some LOL phrases are: Cream of anything, No pie, Larry-Steve and You'll like the way I make it. LOL, I'm laughing while typing this!! After arriving to Albuquerque we freshened up and met up at El Pintos for dinner, it was very good!! We laughed alot more, I cried I laughed so much!!! We sang to Jean, her early birthday dinner :)

Day 83
(Front left and around, Barb, Jamie, Payton, Larry, Steve, Jean, me and Phil)

I have to admit by the end of that night I was exhausted. We got up the next morning and it was just Jamie, Jean and myself. We ate a fantastic birthday breakfast at Weck's, this time it's Jean's birthday!! The pancakes were so big, very, very good. Jean drove us to the airport. Hugs and goodbyes! Jamie and I met up with Barb and Phil in the airport, Payton and Larry had just flown out. I was the last to leave. It was a fantastic weekend, Jean and Steve were fantastic hosts!! 

Day 84 (entry way to Jean's home)

I spend my first day back home doing laundry and unpacking, I did run to town for somethings and got to see Kyleigh while I was there. She let me take her picture, she wanted to take her little shovel with her so she was being orney in the photo :) I hadn't seen her for more than a week so it was a wonderful surprise to get a hug and love from her :)

Day 85

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Project 365 - Day 79

The gals at work gave me a birthday lunch early because I was going to be out of town tomorrow and Monday. Very nice of them. There was cake and gifties!! cards too!! Lana sent me a present over by courier, it was the movie My Blueberry Nights :) A week or so ago I was flipping thru the channels, one of the rare times that I actually had the remote control, and I saw this movie title My Blueberry Nights. I clicked on it and there looking gorgeous was Jude Law!! I love Jude Law! Love! I have a picture of him framed and in my office, I have been asked by people not familiar with Jude, if that's my husband, LOL! I always answer the same, I smile real big and say yes. This movie was so good, I texted Lana saying Hey, I'm watching a little movie called My Blueberry Nights with Jude Law and it's good. She texted back Me too!!! Too fun! So we watched, then the next day we talked about it too, we are diehard Cold Mountain fans, Jude was fantastic in that movie, it was the beginning of our affair, LOLOL!! What a great birthday present, I fully plan on watching it tonight as I pack and get ready for my trip. I know this picture isn't the greatest, work was busy, I was getting things ready for while I was gone and just couldn't think of anything but work...............and Jude :) Here is Day 79.

Day 79

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Project 365 - Day 78

I took a couple online photography classes and ended up meeting a couple really cool photo chicks. They have gotten me into looking at several blogs but lately the one that gets my juices flowing is The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, she is incredible!! Marvett, one of the photo cool chicks, went to a book signing of hers recently, sounds so great! In fact one of Marvett's photos was selected in one of the Pioneer Woman contests, very cool! I am going on a trip Friday and I always like to have a book that I haven't read from cover to cover to take with me. So inspired by Marvett I bought The Pioneer Womans cook book. I thought this book has to be my photo of the day, but instead of taking a picture of the book I decided to use the ol timer on Diego, 9 shots and most of my lunch hour later here is day 78.

Day 78

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Project 365 - Day 77

At 4:00pm I got up from my desk, annouced that I was taking a walk for a few minutes. I went outside, the first thing I noticed is it is beautiful outside, I love the wind and there's a great breeze blowing, plus you can hear the birds chirping all over. I walked down into the garden area, it's so pretty in there, I can hardly wait to see it in the spring. Loads of birdies but no squirrels this time. I did walk up on three teenagers, looking a little suspicious in my opinion. I walked passed them and found a birds nest, wish it had been low enough to see down into, it was just at the top of my head. I parked myself on a bench, just sat there feeling the breeze, listening. It was nice. Then I got back to my pondering, what would I photograph today, the nest? the three teens? the birdies? Wait! I have an idea. Here Is Day 77, my perch for about 10 minutes :)

Day 77

Sunshine :)

Sunday was a beautiful day, sunshine and wonderful breeze. I sat back and watched Punkin as she played, the wind was whipping her hair all about :)

Sunshine and a nice breeze :)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Project 365 - Day 76

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!! This was done on the fly here at the office :) Here is Day 76.

Day 76

Project 365 - Day 75

Sunday Randys folks came for a visit, they wanted to take Randy and I out to eat for our birthdays. Rider, Jana and Kimber came too. The whole family together, doesn't happen often these days. After hanging out at the house for a while, it was so beautiful outside, a cool breeze and sun, beautiful!! I took some pictures and then we headed to eat. Cole Mountain, a good ol mom and pa joint in Terrell, it was good eats too. I had chicken fried steak, yummo! and they gave us cheesecake for our birthdays, very good. I was stuffed!! Here is a picture from goofing outside, it's not a great photo but something about it pulls me in everytime I look at it, it's of Rider sitting in the boat, Kyleigh loves to pretend fish, Randy handed Kimber to Rider and they just looked so good together. Rider and his girls. The photo makes me think of those old photos mom has, all those snap shots of us fishing with Popa and his boats. Here is Day 75.
Day 75

Project 365 - Day 74

I went to a baby shower Saturday, for a friend of mine, Lori, her daughter is having a little boy next month. I loooove baby names, I love to look them up, to match them, just to ponder about names :) They are naming him one of may favs, Owen! I could not love that more. I haven't seen Lori in about 10 years, we have kept in touch thru email for about 5 years now, it was definitely time for a visit!! We didn't get to talk as much as we would have liked but it was good to see her. Something very annoying about her is that she's beautiful and looks exactly the same!! She was in my wedding years and years ago, I'll bet she can still wear that dress!! She's one of the sweetest people I know, very loyal. Here is a picture of Lori and her two grown daughters, even though my sons are grown (and our kids are roughly the same age) I still was amazed, they're grown!! when does all this happen!!

Cassi, Lori and Courtney (she's due in March:) Day 74

Friday, February 11, 2011

Project 365 - Day 73

Monday was one of the docs birthday, he still has not revealed his age, LOL!!! We decided to celebrate his birthday on Friday (today) because it was a non surgery, less hectic. We had Olive Garden, deeelish! and to top it off we had their famous Italian Lemon Cream Cake, OMGosh!! it is so good!! I will have a buzz for an hour after eating that cake!!! Yea!! we had a birthday so we could have some delish cake :) Here is Day 73.

Day 73

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Project 365 - Day 72

At 7:00 this morning when I went outside the yard and drive were still covered in the sleet from yesterday. I decided to take a picture of it because I am hoping by the time I get home tonight it will all be melted :) The high temp today is supposed to be in the mid 30's, maybe that and the sun being out will help. Our weekend is supposed to bring 60 and 70 degree temps, only in Texas right? Here is Day 72.

Day 72

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Project 365 - Day 71

Another ice storm rolled thru North Texas, geez I'm sick of it, so stressful having to figure out how to get to work, should I go, should I not. Randy decided he needed to go to the shop for a couple things, so he offered to drive me. At 9:15am we left the house, once again I underestimated how seriously bad it was outside. It was a solid sheet of ice the entire way, no kidding the whole way, I wasn't driving and I was still scared, took us two hours to get to my work and them another 45 to get to the shop. Here's Day 71 looking thru the windshield down ice covered hwy 80, the swirling snow blowing across was really kind of cool looking.

Day 71

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Project 365 - Day 70

Today has been a very busy day, I have loads and loads more work to  do before leaving tonight. I'm worried the bad weather is going to roll in and I won't be prepared. So I have been busting it to get things prepared and ahead. One of my co-workers got some bad news, her mother is not doing well and while she has known for weeks now the end is near it is still a very difficult process for her (anyone). I walked by her little station and saw this card sitting in her window and thought how fitting, here is Day 70.

Day 70

Monday, February 7, 2011

Project 365 - Day 69

We got to keep Ky until this morning (instead of the normal drop off on Sunday night), she slept with me and man, that baby will kick you right out of the bed!! I got her up this morning but she sure didn't want to. She perked up a little, when we got to the car she had to have her blanket stucked around her. Here is Day 69, she was saying I'm cold, Gigi, I'm cold.

Day 69

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Project 365 - Day 68

I decided to finish off the weekend of the other man in my life, my oldest son, Nick. He has the most beautiful eyes, I wish my photography were stellar enough to show you. Here is Day 68.

Day 68

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Project 365 - Day 66 and Day 67

Friday I had the day off, thankfully, because it snowed all night Thursday, we got up to at least a foot of snow! Craziness!! Really I love snow, love it, but the snow we've gotten this year and last have been crazy! I was supposed to go get Punkin but wasn't sure how I was going to do that, both Randy and Rider's trucks were stuck in the drive way. They worked and worked and got Riders truck out, we slapped one of the car seats in there and off we went. I have to admit I under esimated the bad weather..............it was a horrible scary drive that took an hour, it's normally a 15 minute drive. If we don't go get Punkin we won't get to see her, so the choices were limited. I was sick to my stomach when we finally got back to the house. I think it was my blood pressure because I had a bad headache too. Ok enough whining :) I did get some pictures:

My youngest son, Rider. A Cowboy thru and thru.  Day 66

My husband, Randy, being a goof this morning.  Day 67

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Project 365 - Day 65

Made it to work today to find that we have no heat, this is the second time in below freezing weather we've had no heat. I have to tell you that I was flat out mad, mainly because when we called the maintance guy, Roger, he didn't seem to think working in an office with patients in our coats, scarves and gloves was a big problem. He kept saying 'well I'm probably going to have to order some parts'. At noon, my hand were frzozen!, I called the main office and told them I was shutting our office down. I sent everyone home and called Roger, you've got until tomorrow to fix the heat or provide heating......I don't care about anything else, don't tell me why, don't explain it, I don't care! The complete lack of concern for our patients and staff has me as mad as I can get!! They have agreed to 'work on it'.
I am sitting in my office, finished eating lunch, have about 15 calls to make and 4 surgeries to get paperwork done on and then I am leaving as well. In honor of my frigid day here is Day 65.

Day 65

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Project 365 - Day 64

Today I drove to work, more like skated to work. It was a white knuckle drive! I have been here for 2 hours and am now headed home, so that I can get there before dark. Here is Day 64, this is what I faced when I pulled in off the service to get to the office, this is what the entire driveway and parking lot are like.............yikes!

Day 64

Project 365 - Day 63

North Texas was slammed with an Artic front on Monday night and all day Tuesday, so I was home all day, even got to see Punkin for a few hours :) I normally do chores but this time I goofed around alot, played with my camera, read some photography books and stitch. I took this picture with the 'available light' mid morning in my room. Here is Day 63.

Day 63

Project 365 - Day 62

I eat Sonic when I forget lunch from home, but sometimes I go just for some air and to have a moment to myself. It was pretty here Monday, I had a headache so I went there, pulled into a stall, rolled the window down and chilled for a few minutes. This was the view, here is Day 62.

Day 62

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

A sweet surprise visit today...

We got to see Punkin for a few minutes today, she's so much fun to be around. I took pictures, naturally, but the ones in my room I jacked the ISO up for, so gray outside the light wasn't great, but this one (even grainy) was worth a post ;) 

I'll post Day 62 and 63 tomorrow :)


Punkin :)

Ooops!

In preparation for the coming days weather I got in a hurry and forgot to post my Day 62 here yesterday. I will post it tomorrow when I have access to the original. The ice storm hit Dallas in full fashion and I am at home today, snow is fun, ice isn't!! Supposed to be in the single digits tomorrow, record cold temps. I love winter but I don't like all the dangerous things that happen during times like this. I get a little down because most people know how much I love winter and that's when I start getting the comments....is this what you wanted, I hate winter and you're crazy for liking it, how could anyone like this................. For the record I don't like bad things, I just enjoy cooler weather (there is a difference ya know). Maybe when it's 115 degrees out side I should ask the summer lovers 'hey hope you're happy', but I won't because I know that those kind of temps aren't what they are refering to when they say I love summer. Just sayin....