My Week 77

This week certainly made me wonder if it was Spring.....or Winter.

March 12th was a boring old Monday. I managed to grab a shot in my yard of some lily leaves sprouting up. I was going for the raindrops as it had been raining....and raining and raining.

March 13th was a HUGE surprise. We awoke to 6 inches of snow! WOW! What a treat. First real snow this year. Most snow we've had in ages. I took several shots of Sugar playing in the snow and shared them HERE. I took this shot of some snow hanging on the wire fence in our yard. This snow was so WET and heavy! There was sooooo much damage to the trees in our area. We lost power at Midnight on the 13th.

March 14th brought much of the same. Melting snow.....and still no power. Sugar had school.....and I had work. The Hubby borrowed a generator from a friend to get our fridge going. We were enjoying our wood heat, and making the best of it.

March 15th had us back to the normal type of March weather. Rain....and plenty of it. There was flooding everywhere. I took a bit of time off work in the afternoon to go to counseling. It was a good appointment. At the front desk, they have a basket of folded up colored paper. Each one has a thought for the day. THIS was what I got, and it was fitting. I took this shot in my truck under my rear view mirror. A good friend sent this to me a few years ago. I think of her each time I see it.

March 16th ....well....it rained. That is all I can remember. I had let the entire day go by without taking a photo, and just looked outside, and saw my topsy turvy hanging from the eves....missing the tomato plant from the summer. It was drip drip dripping........

March 17th....was Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sugar Bear dressed me up, and she took few shots of me. We spent the day together cleaning house and playing games. It was good to be together. I am always feeling better after time spent with my girl. ♥

March 18th was a quiet Sunday. We went into the small town close to our home to gather groceries. I finally made an effort to make some Kale Chips. I've been hearing about them for ages, and I have to say, "not bad". In fact....rather good. Sugar wanted none of them, but that doesn't surprise me in the least. She is very choosy. I took this shot of the kale when it was ready to go in the oven.

I am soooooooooooooo ready for some beautiful weather. I just know it is coming soon....right. Maybe next week.

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week Twelve

Theme for the week: Memories

Well, I had an exceptionally hard week. Seriously....icky. So I didn't even try to pull off the theme. I literally just set my camera on the window sill.....set the timer and grabbed a few shots of me....as is....on a Saturday morning. I suppose these are the days my daughter will remember most anyhow. We are creating memories each and every moment. It's all about the wonderful memories I hope she will have when she catches sight of a photo of her mama. Will she remember this face....with the messy hair....and the big nose? I'm guessing she will. :)

Next week's theme/prompt is.......WORK. (why did I choose this one...sigh)

There are many ways to go with this theme. Can't wait to try it out.

If it wasn't for you.....

I just don't know what I'd do.

My dearest Sugar Bear. You are the brilliant light that leads me through the darkness. There are days when I just can't imagine getting out of bed without the promise of seeing your face. I am so very grateful that I can always count on YOU to be that amazing source of JOY I so desperately need in my life.

Your beauty, both inside and out, finds a way of making each and every moment we are together simply better than the next. I cherish our hurried mornings where you make it seem not so brief. I miss your presence while I struggle through my day. Often just the thought of you can get me one step closer to where I want to be. It pulls me out of the muck....and onto solid ground. Reuniting with you is like a breath of fresh air. Holding your hand.....hearing your voice......kissing your face.....it is healing to my soul.

Mama's is in a hard place. I've been there before. I hate that I wrote that 1.5 years ago....and I'm still feeling relatively the same. There has been ups and downs along the way, but nothing compares to this right now.

I am smart enough to know when I need help, and I am in counseling. This is a good thing. I always know when I'm really ready for change when I take this step.

I refuse to let something change who I fundamentally am. I refuse to let something change the person I deserve to be.....who Sugar Bear deserves as a mother. I just can't let ANYTHING destroy my inner light.

That would be BAD!

Sugar Bear believes in me. Through her, I have had the great opportunity to make myself a better person. I have used my love for my child to encourage myself to strive for excellence of heart.

Without this amazing little honey, I fear that I would just accept.....and let myself die a little each day. Instead, I pull myself up by the boot straps and move forward with what really.....REALLY matters.

Thank you, Sugar Bear! You are the gift that keeps on giving. You are the light that keeps on shining. You are my inspiration, and for that I am forever grateful.

It may not look like it....but my LIFE IS GOOD! and it will be even better....soon!

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.

~ Samuel Smiles

My Week 76

March 5th....umm.....well....I have no idea what we did, but I do know that in the evening, I found Sugar Bear sitting on the counter in the bathroom organizing her hair stuff. I don't know what has gotten into her lately....maybe it's just a "SEVEN" sort of thing, but she is totally into organizing. ANYTHING......AND EVERYTHING. It keeps her occupied for hours. Can't say that I mind.





March 6th brought the first snow of the winter....maybe it was the first snow of the spring. It was a dusting....but it was lovely. I snapped this shot first thing in the morning as we jumped in the truck headed out for our day.





March 7th was a BIG day for me. I was LOOPED! yes.....so very LOOPED for most of the day. As you can see in the photograph, I was subjected to the joys of an IV. TWICE....because the first one failed. Typical for me. UGH. Soooooo not a fan. I sported a fancy green and brown bruise on my hand for a week. All so that I might be knocked out for a short period of time while my sweet Gyno removed a fun little polyp from my cervix. It was a delight. I'm sure I said all sort of humorous stuff while under the influence. It doesn't take much to make me goofy....and drugs are no exception. Good Times!





March 8th was spent in a pretty normal way for Sugar Bear, but I spent the day home alone....in bed.......crying. There is just something about anaesthetic that makes me an emotional mess the very next day. First day....I'm a hoot! Second day.......so depressed. ugh. Everything made me cry. Not fun. I picked up Sugar after Dance, and snapped a shot of her with Dr. Peanut. This is a little elephant that nurse Cassie dressed up for me to give Sugar Bear after my day surgery. It was so sweet of her, and Sugar loves him.




March 9th was NO SCHOOL for the Sug....and this always brings joy to her heart. Especially when it means she gets to go to her old daycare. She misses her care giver so much, and it is always a treat to see her friends. I grabbed this shot outside her daycare. I am sooo soooo soooo ready for Spring.





March 10th brought about 5 hours of driving, but it was so worth it. We had a little family reunion. I always enjoy seeing family. This time in particular was lovely, as I got a chance to hold some babies. It doesn't get better than that. Spending time with this cute little cousins was such a treat. So cute.





March 11th was spent helping my parents back-up their computer. It has been a long time coming, and completely amazing that their dinosaur of a computer hasn't given up the goose yet. I feel good knowing I've protected their data. Then Sugar Bear and I traveled back home to prepare for our week. We did take a few moment to nab a cattail for her "show and share" at school that week. For some reason it must have reminded her of a baton, because it brought out the marching goofiness in her. What a ham sandwich. ♥

whew....I'm almost caught up, yes? My husband needs to get back to work (shrimp season is coming soon), because I rarely have time to keep up with my blog and scrapbooking these days. eeekkkkk....I'm getting so very behind. Promised myself I wouldn't do that this year.

March brings.......snow!

We woke to snow recently. Our first real snow this winter......actually our first REAL snow here since 1965, or so I hear. WE got 5-6 inches. It was stunning out there, and we enjoyed it very much. What a fun spring surprise.

The Snow

See the snow

Its a blanket, soft and white

Falling slow

Covering the world, making it bright

Hear the snow

Crunching underneath feet

Children throw

The snow in the street

Smell the snow

The freshening scent

As the steady flow

Makes my heart content

Feel the snow

Powdery, it freezes your toes

As the blanket starts to grow

And the cold wind blows

Taste the snow

The way it makes the world look clean

Still cold though,

Makes the world, a beautiful scene

Love the snow

When I see it snowing all day

I just know

That everything is going to be okay

~Katniss Everdeen

We had a blast making a SNOW WOMAN! We made it up on our deck so as to not have dog poop involved. :)

Gosh I love love LOVE this kid!

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week Eleven

The theme/prompt for this past week was: Full Body Shot

I was both excited and full on dreading this theme. I had several ideas of what I wanted to do, but it rained and snowed and rained this week....so I didn't really get much of a chance to pull any of them off. I am not a fan of my WHOLE body these days. I've been doing some serious stress eating for...ummmm.....several.....several months, and I'm on the heavy side of where I like to be. So, I find myself reluctant to get shots of my body, but one of the reasons I want to do this project is so that I can't hide from reality, and that my daughter has the photos of her mama as she remembers me.

So.....being that I delayed getting a shot all week, we set to getting the photo today. Sugar was my stylist....and photographer. Gotta love this girl. She has me not looking quite so bad.

Here is the shot that I chose for this week, because it is fun....a bit different, and a bit creative.

Here is a shot that actually shows my whole body in the more traditional way. I look a bit grumpy, but it was just the glare from the sun. I'm squinting.

The theme/prompt for next week is: MEMORIES

I can't wait to see what YOU come up with.

My Week 75

February 27th was a fairly typical Monday, if breeding rabbits is on every 7 year old's "to do list". It is time to start making those babies, and Sugar Bear was WAYYYYYYYYYYYY more involved this year. She stood there and rooted them on. While I think it is GREAT....it also had it's awkward moments, like when the male gets so darn excited he mounts the wrong end of the female and Sugar would yell out, "OH Come ON! Where did you learn to do this, Mace?" tee hee....or when the female would mount the male, and Sugar Bear would yell out, "Take that! Now you know what it feels like!" Seriously....it was educational.....for EVERYONE. :) I snapped this shot of Sugar's boots and colorful leggings as she stood at the rabbit hutches. We can't wait for the babies to be here. Only 28-32 days.

February 28th was a scramble around and figure out schedules sort of day. Tuesday and Thursday are our late days, and this time it was really late. After Dance class we traveled to a town nearby to eat pizza, then install a car seat in a friend's car so that she might take my Sugar Bear to school for me the next day. I'm BLESSED with amazing friends. Thank you, H!

February 29th was Leap Day.....an extra day! Something special, so while I traveled south with a friend for work....we tried not to DIE! There were hail storms allllllll day, and we came upon THREE wrecks because of it. I have post-traumatic stress with it come to hail. Just over a year ago I wrecked my truck on hail....traveling the exact same road. Thank goodness my friend, W, was driving and she was very careful, and cognisant of my stress. She got us there safely. During our meeting I became parched. I had the honor of using a vending machine for the first time since.....ummmm college. Yeah...I'm all sheltered like that. They were out of water, so I also go the opportunity to try something NEW. This is my first vitamin water. It was alright. I'll stick with regular water, though.

March 1st was uneventful...I think. So strange the weather around here is. Hailing up a storm one day.....and glorious sun the next. I nabbed this shot outside Sugar's dance class. There are few things I adore more than spring tree blossoms with a little bit of sun flare. ♥

March 2nd was a tough day at work.......I'm not sure I've had such a tough day in a long long long time. Lucky for me......it was still lovely outside when we got home, and Sugar Bear and Ivy were up for some outdoor time. I was snapping the shutter left and right, and the light was so beautiful. Sugar bent to give Ivy a hug, and I encouraged her to pose with our big moose of an Ivy. This photo comes almost exactly a year after Ivy came into our hearts. I can't believe how big she is these days. She is about 80 lbs, and luckily....she is settling into her age, and isn't chewing everything up anymore. YES!

March 3rd was a stay home sort of day. This photo blesses my heart. This is US.....the way we are together. Both in our jammies late in the day......fooling around for some giggles. The truth is...I was doing the morning dishes while Sugar Bear was entertaining herself in her room. She called me into her room, and found her with her blankets stuffed in her pants to make a "big bottom". I cracked up and ran for my camera. She refused to let me take the shot. Later in the day, I asked her if she'd let me take a photo of her "big bottom" if I had one as well. She agreed, and oh my granny.....we had some good laughs together. LIFE WILL ALWAYS BE GOOD as long as my girl is by my side. ♥

March 4th started out in the house....but at some point I whacked myself in the head and said, "Corey......get thee outside!" So we wrapped up some cookie for our neighbor and took them over to her house. I walked....Sugar rode her bike....Ivy ran along, and we had such a wonderful afternoon outside. I'm starting to feel the healing powers of the sun.

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week Ten

Theme/Prompt: OUTSIDE

I had some big ideas for this week, but it got away from me....the week that is. Next thing I knew...it was Saturday and I didn't have a single shot. Saturday was crazy busy with driving....seeing family....and driving some more. So...I asked Sugar Bear to grab a shot of me along the road that leads to our house on Sunday. She did a good job, I think. My hair is a disaster, but being that I hadn't combed it in like 38 hours, I think I look pretty good. tee hee

Next week's theme/prompt is: FULL BODY SHOT

Again, no linky...just leave a comment saying that you are participating. Thanks!

My Week 74

February 20th was frozen yogurt Monday. :) it might be a new weekly date for me and my girl. We can't help it.

February 21st was eat 654 donut day! I'm really not sure why I'm gaining weight. .....hmmmm, any ideas?

February 22nd was take a break at the library day after work and school. Such a peaceful place to regroup after a tough day.

February 23rd was a normal sort of Thursday. I arrived a little later to work because I just couldn't pass up an opportunity to snap some blossoms after dropping Sugar Bear off at the bus stop. I just love this time of year.

February 24th couldn't get her fast enough. After work and school, Sugar was itching to do some painting on pottery from her birthday. She set to work....and I took some pics. Her yellow vase turned out lovely. I'll have to nab a shot of it with some spring flowers in the next month or so.

February 25th was a day of cleaning for me. I cleaned...and cleaned and cleaned. Sugar played solitaire....and mahjong, and.....spider solitaire. I just taught her how to play those in the last few months, and she enjoys them.

February 26th was Sunday.....and I can't remember exactly....but I'm pretty sure we went into town to grocery shop. We stopped along our road on the way back to take some nature shots. It was a quiet weekend.

oh man....I need to go better about getting these done earlier. I forget so easily what we did.

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week NINE

The theme/prompt was: EYES

The theme/prompt for next week is: OUTSIDE

It has been a bit of a headache to get the Linky thing up...and since people weren't really linking up, Please just leave a comment if you are playing along. Oh....leave a comment even if you aren't. :) Always loving hearing from friends.

My Week 73

February 13th was a pretty typical Monday, aside from having the opportunity to grab a shot of the entirely finished 100 Day Project. I love that she had so much fun with it.

February 14th is VALENTINES day, of course. My sweet girl had a heart in her hair all day, and my heart in her hands, as usual. She gave me a lovely card she made at school. The Hubby got me a teddy bear and a beautiful new necklace. It was a super duper LOVELY day for certain. I gave Sugar Bear some new heart earrings. I didn't get a shot of them, though. I'll have to do that soon.

February 15th was a day that took toooooooooooooooooo long, for Sugar Bear. She couldn't wait to stop by the pottery place to pick up the Valentine's gift she made for me. She was OVER the top excited. I love it. Such a sweet little snail. ♥

February 16th it rained and rained. We've been getting a lot of rain lately, but we soooooooooooo need it. After dance, Sugar Bear picked up several cherry blossoms from under the tree outside the dance school. I started shoot some pics of the flowers, and then noticed that the lights from oncoming cars made some magic happen. I had to line things up just right....and the photos filled my heart with the joy that the simple things can bring.

February 17th went by with very little moments of interest. I nearly forgot to get a shot, so I quickly snapped a few of my new necklace. I was in a hurry, and it shows. I didn't get one decent shot. It is a beautiful heart with a mother/child at the bottom. So perfect for me. Sugar Bear went up to my parent's farm for the weekend. I had a nice evening alone with a good book.

February 18th was a day spent in front of the computer working on photos that are long overdue. I truly get aggravated with myself when I procrastinate too long. Later that night, I headed into town to join some hysterically funny ladies for an evening of goofy chit chat and laughs. It was exactly what I needed.

February 19th felt like a second Saturday, since Monday was going to be a holiday at home. Gosh, I love 3-day weekends. ♥ I worked on photos most the day, and then headed into town once again to meet an entirely different group of friends for a movie and dinner date. We saw, "This Means War", and I walked away with a GIANT crush on Tom Hardy. We had Mexican food for dinner, and my friend, Kim is always a source of smiles.