Crazy Weather

Wow!! It's mid-January and 52° here. Tuesday we had a dusting of snow and yesterday Spring like temps. Loving the warmer weather. Hope the rest of winter is as mild.

Enjoying the Heat

Baby is enjoying the cold weather we are finally getting. She is loving the heat from the wood stove. Actually so am I. Lol.

Selfie Time

The Capture Your 365 monthly photo challenge prompt for Jan 4th was "This is so me / Self-Portrait". Today I was playing with the camera in my phone and took a selfie. I usually don't do the selfie thing cause I'm too busy taking pictures of everything else. This photo is SO me. I'm sitting in my work truck wearing my orange hoodie and my Wally's work coat. I'd wear that everywhere but my BFF and daughter give me a hard time cause it doesn't flatter me but darn it's warm! I don't like being cold. Lol. 

January 4th - This is so Me / Self-Portrait

Capture Your 365 January Challenge

This month I've decided that I will complete a monthly challenge. I've done bits and pieces over the last several years but never completed a whole month. This month will be different. I'll start by completing a day. Then a week. Then I'll have a month done. I can eat an elephant one bite at a time. Doing the challenge for a month is my elephant. I can do this little by little - bite by bite. 

January 1st - Fresh Start

 I thought the first page of a notebook would be a great background. Fresh notebook and the quote about the Fresh Start just seem to fit the prompt.

January 2nd - One Word

 

 This picture is a contrast. The background is blurry but the word focus is clear. I used a low aperture setting and held an object in front of me for the camera to focus on then took a picture of my Christmas tree. I used my Samsung N5 to write my name and upload it to my computer. In Photo Shop I changed the background of the focus photo to be transparent and combined it with the photo of the blurry tree.  

 Today's prompt is "This is so me / Self-Portrait" and I haven't done it. I'm kind of at a loss of what to take so I'm going to put this one on the back burner and think about it. I can come back later and take a photo that will make the statement. Tomorrow's prompt is "Need This" and I can think of many items that will fit that prompt. Just have to go to Lowe's and take a picture of the Saw I want and I'll be good to go. Lol.

January Listers Gotta List Challenge

The last several months I've been "informally" doing the Reset Girl's Lister's Gotta List challenge. I make a short list in my planner and that was it. This month I decided to be more involved. I found instructions on how to make a notebook and decided to make my own. The little notebook was so easy to make and I'll be making more of these. I have completed lists for Jan 1st, 2nd and 3rd. My notebook is simple because I think if I get to elaborate I'll become overwhelmed and not complete the challenge. The list challenge really makes me think about things in my life.

 

Ornaments

This past Christmas was the first time in 8 years that I decided to decorate for the holiday. I either didn't live in a place where I had room for a tree or I had no family around and decided there wasn't any reason to decorate. When I unpacked my decorations last month I found that somehow I had misplaced all of them. Probably in one of the many moves I've made in the last few years. I had a quilted wall hanging, a table runner, tissue box cover and all my tree ornaments. Almost all of my decorations I had made. Luckily the tree skirt I made was packed with the tree so I didn't lose it. To say I was heartbroken about my loss would be an understatement. 

The only thing I could do was begin from scratch and start making decorations. I don't have all done that I want but I'll put them on my project list for next year. I did get most of the tree ornaments completed. The only ones I have left are rusted jingle bells - they are currently being "rusted". So here are the ornaments that decorated my tree.

 

 

Chillin' Out

Everyone at my place has found a spot to chill out. It's nice that they left me a spot to join them.

Herby, Sweet Pea, Baby and Rosie

 

 

FOCUS

 

 January 2 Capture Your 365 photo prompt is One Word. How perfect as that fits with the One Little Word class I'm taking. 

I used my Christmas Tree to create a Bokeh photo. I set my camera in Aperture Mode and set the aperture to the lowest setting I could. I held an item at arm's length and "forced" my camera to focus on it. I then took the picture so the lights and tree is blurry. To get my handwriting on the photo I used my Galaxy Samsung S5 note taking feature to write the word "focus" which I uploaded to my computer then cropped. I found a video on YouTube by Visual Broccoli called "Removing a Background in PhotoShop Elements" that taught how to remove a background in a photo and make it transparent. After I did that I placed my word on the Bakeh photo and saved. Took a little time to get the way I wanted the photo to look but I think turned out great. Makes the statement I wanted.

One Little Word 2016 - Focus

The first word I'd chosen was Relinquish because it also means to "Let go". The last year I've had some heartbreaking / shattering events happen and I've been stuck in yesterdays. Then Focus came to me. Focus on today. This moment in time. On what I'm currently doing. On school. On work. On my goals. On the projects I'm doing or wanting to do. And I realized that focusing will cause me to let go of yesterday. So FOCUS it is - "Focus on today and let go of yesterday." 

Buckle up for the ride. It's 2016.

                                        

I started 2015 heartbroken. I loved someone who didn't love me and I had to let go of the life I thought I would have.

But the Lord in His mercy and grace blessed me and replaced what I lost. And in His loving kindness added more.

The Lord answered a long time desire and provided me a position with VDOT. I love my job and enjoy the people I work with.

He gave me a house that has plenty of room  and land for Rosie, me and my family to enjoy. 

The Lord gave me the opportunity to spend time and bond with my newest granddaughter Emily who calls me "Nan". 

He gave me the ability to spend more time with Laura, Grayson, June and Lochlin and become closer to them. 

He provided me the opportunity to turn acquaintances into close friends. Gave me new good friends and I've become closer to my very best friends.

The Lord has given me the opportunity to enjoy having a horse in my life and the possibility and ability to own another in the future.

He is also slowly helping to heal and build a relationship between my mother and myself. 

I know there are more. The Lord blesses me in so many ways large and small but these are the biggest blessings that come to mind.

I'm starting 2016 in a much better place emotionally and physically and I look forward to all the New Year brings. 

Buckle up and Let the adventure begin. 

Happy New Year everyone!! May it be a great one for you.