31/365: The Calm Before the Storm

We're less than 24 hours away from a snow-storm. Winter blues mixed with eager anticipation. Snowmen are a real possibility!

30/365: Little marvels and the joy of baking

I am so marveled by the footprint trails in our snow-covered backyard. I've known we have a bunny or two -- even managed to photograph one in the summer. But when I see these tracks, I still can't help but smile.

I opened a box of Tastefully Simple's beer bread and baked this tasty treat! It was delish!

Fellow bloggers: I had to include two shots today. You know how we take extra shots just in case and then the choice of which to post is a little hard. I took both of these with my Canon 85mm lens.

29/365: Ballerina bows

Today, we had my daughter's second ballet class. They let us watch today. She was so enthusiastic and loved every minute of it. I was only able to get a few faraway photos of her alone. So, I'm posting a photo of the bow they attached to her skirt (it's the school's thing to make all their outfits the same). Her uniform is such a delicate pink and reminds me of the wonder of delicate innocent, perfect little flowers. It's just yummy.

28/365: Capturing the mess

Trying to decide if I even need to explain?! No, I didn't open my mouth upon encountering this mess (like my hubby would!). I just grabbed the camera that was on the table next to it. As I started to shoot, the culprit came back to the scene of the crime!

27/365: Rearview mirror woes

Just recently, my two-year-old son has been refusing to nap at his regular time. So for the last three days, I've gone to pick up my daughter from preschool and as I pull up into our driveway--this is what I see in my rearview mirror. Two kiddos sleeping. Of course, this means, I've had to stay in the car for at least 15-30 minutes entertaining myself so they can get their nap on! This has got to stop! LOL

26/365: And when you smile...

Lately, my daughter has been requesting the Bruno Mars song, "Just the way you are." And, so many days we blast it on the iPod speakers and dance together. Even though, he's singing it to his girlfriend, for every parent out there, this song just makes you want to sing all the words to your daughter and hope that she always remembers just how amazing she is and always will be!

25/365: Brand-spanking new

I was so happy to find these over the weekend--in my size and on sale! Yippee! Alas, they have not been worn yet. The temperatures here have gotten down to -4F until today when it warmed up to 32F and everything got slushy. So, here they sit in the closet waiting for their first outing.

24/365: Looking for a different view

Looking around to see something I see everyday but choosing a different perspective--that was my goal. This is the chandelier in our two-story family room.

I was also trying to take on a creative challenge to take a photo where I was a "peeping Tom." I captured several photos through a doorway and then I came upon this scene. It's my toddler on our second floor landing looking down at the TV in the family room.

And yes, he's about to stick his hands down his pants. In his defense, he's got itchy dry winter skin! LOL (Notice this photo also has a different view of the same chandelier in the first photo.)

23/365: Got cake?

With daddy being home this weekend, we had a chance to officially celebrate my son's birthday with an ice cream cake.  Oh, and he's now sporting a new (very short) haircut.

22/365: My little ballerina

We took our daughter to her first ballet class. Parents are not allowed in her class (except on special observation days) so I was only able to capture her leaving for class and then returning. She'll be four soon, and seems like such a little lady in her ballet outfit.

21/365: Recording this for posterity

I was editing photos tonight when I caught a glance of my hubby's snack. Yes, this is really the snack he prepared himself. I was personally grossed out. Cheese, milk, M&Ms and a pretzel. "I needed salty to go with the sweet," he says.

20/365: Embracing the grain

We use that phrase to declare our love and acceptance of grainy or "noisy" photos. What some might consider an imperfect image, these grainy photos can also be beautiful, thought-provoking, evocative and are so much a part of a natural light photographer's world. Tonight, I reviewed the photos I took today and was not really happy with the captures. So I decided to take a quick shot of my frequent work station in all its grainy glory--cause life sometimes requires that we embrace the grain!

19/365: Little man is two

My little boy is two today! He devoured his cupcake and proceeded to ignore his mamarazzi.

Alas, I had trouble with the Lightscoop and my settings. I missed some shots. Not my best day behind the lens.

18/365: The Yumminess of Cupcakes

Tomorrow is my son's 2nd birthday. We'll be celebrating it over the coming weekend. But I just had to get a few cupcakes for him to have tomorrow. While he napped today, my daughter had a cupcake. I  couldn't resist seeing her enjoy her very own pink cupcake!

17/365: Four-legged Portraits

So I hung out with my doggies to try to capture their essence. Hope I did them justice! Candy is the long-haired Chihuahua, and Pookie is the white Havanese.

16/365: Playing around

I don't know who likes Thomas the Train and his friends more--my son or my husband! I thought I'd play around with "James" and the track, too, but in Lightroom and Photoshop Elements.

15/365: Fun in the Snow

Finally got my daughter out to play in the snow! She really enjoyed it and actually welcomed the camera. It was hard deciding which photo to post. 

P.S. I've changed the settings on the "Comments" so please let me know whether it lets you post comments or not. Thanks!

14/365: Selfie +

It's time to venture into self-portrait territory today! LOL Here I am hiding behind a new book I recently got thanks to the kindness of a fellow Clickin' Mom. I'm also sporting a new purple nail color that my three-year-old picked out just for me! I'm feeling particularly blessed.

13/365: Snow trail

The sun came out this afternoon and gave us blue skies after several days of winter grays. I took a very short walk to the trail behind our house just to snap these pictures.  I looked down to get a shot of my winter boots. Not too exciting. But I know my friends in Florida and family in Puerto Rico don't usually get this view. So here's what you are all missing!

12/365: More greens please

So I got on the Weight Watcher's site and found a recipe to use quite a bit of the baby spinach I bought the other day. I told my friend Josi that I felt I had lost my cooking mojo. Serving dinner today made me think my rut might have been a temporary one. At least we all agreed this recipe is a keeper.

11/365: New and improved

No, my sink is not usually empty. Tonight, the tile guy finally finished the backsplash four days after he started the job. I'm not sure how I feel about the backsplash matching the counter-top, which was completed almost two months ago. But I'm glad it's done, and in the end, I have a new and improved kitchen.

10/365: Cliches and Facing up to what had to be done

So there's a reason why this time of the year finds gym parking lots overflowing. Cliche or not, I gave in. Let's hope I don't become another cliche and give up before I should.

9/365: Not puzzling at all

Natalie really got into her Pinkalicious floor puzzle. She's a pro and takes great pride in her puzzles.

8/365: Fascinated by books

My little man loves to look through books. He's fascinated by what he sees and he takes his time with them. I just love watching him with books.

7/365: It is what it is.

We're not doing too well in this household. Kiddos and I are not 100% today. Wish it could be more exciting since it is a Friday. And, so I feel as uninspired as this lonely quesadilla. Here's wishing for a more uplifting weekend!

6/365: Snow. Here we go again.

It's a day of settling back into things. Outside the day was pretty dull for most of the day. It's been snowing since this afternoon. The bridge on the other side of our backyard is turning white. Just maybe it will snow enough for the kids to make a snowman over the weekend.

5/365: Three Kings

We're finally home from our vacation and road-trip just in time to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. We're looking forward to teaching our kids about Three Kings' Day.

We treasure the Three Kings hand-crafted in stone that we display on our mantelpiece since they were a gift from my aunt and uncle.

4/365: Found in Kentucky...

a Starbucks just off the highway north of Louisville, Kentucky! Yay! I know it doesn't seem like a biggie but when you've been driving up from Florida, and you don't see one so accessible since leaving the state--it gives you major cravings!

I have to admit this photo was not as easy to take as I thought! I had to take the camera off back-button focusing 
in order to take the picture with just one hand. LOL!

3/365: Road trip

Once again, our road trip home is a loooooong one. This Georgia road seemed to capture the sentiment.

2/365: End of vacation

We said goodbye to Grandma and to Florida today.

1/365: Strong new beginnings...

We began the New Year at Disney's Magic Kingdom. My first photo of the year was a snapshot of my family--or so I think. The time-date suggests it could have been a few seconds shy of 2011. So, my first photo post of the year will not be of that shot but of my first photography session of the year. The weather finally got warm enough for my sister to have her "fitness" photos taken. She's come a long way since she embarked on getting fit a year and a half ago. She was brave enough to let me capture her new body. I think her strength and determination show in the photos--and it's inspiring! I can't think of a better way to kick off the new year and my Project 365 Photoblog.