31/365: One Month Down...

Eleven more months to go. Why not have a sunset for the last day of January??

The sun is starting to stay up longer each day. You may not notice, but someone who is spying for a sun picture every day sure does! This sunset wasn't the colorful kind. It was the type of sunset that reminds you of heaven. The sun touched every cloud and stayed a bright golden sun until the end. However, don't let this picture fool you; it was a blustery, windy, cold day!!

30/365: Happy Feet

Today was a bittersweet day for reasons I won't fully disclose. I sit here unable to find the words that can truly capture the emotion of today. There were many laughs, tears, and reflection. An amazingly talented person is moving on to touch even more lives. We're so sad to lose him, but we are so happy for all the lives he has yet to change.

In the words of Dr. Seuss, "...So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right with your left. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.) KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!"

What better way to cope with this change than to celebrate and dance! To new beginnings....

29/365: Tummy Tuesday

After work, I met some girlfriends for a pedicure and dinner. We always seem to plan one of those nights when someone is pregnant.... which is often! ;)

Today's "Tummy Tuesday" picture - my view of my pedicure with a 32 week belly!

28/365: Macro Monday

Finally a macro. I think? It's the best kind of macro I can get with my lens choices. Not the most exciting picture, but something I need to practice!

And to document my Monday... grocery shopping. It's increasingly more difficult at 8 months pregnant!

27/365: Baby Shower

Today, I was blessed to have an amazing shower thrown in our baby girl's honor. We are so incredibly lucky to have so many family and friends in our lives who already love this little girl so much. Thanks to all of you who were there, in person or in spirit. It was a great day!

One of my many favorite things was this plate that everyone signed. What an adorable keepsake!

I nearly forgot!! Dustin put the crib together today and Grayson was found sitting in the crib. I pulled out my camera to catch him and he tried to get away, but I still have proof that he was a naughty kitty! This cracks me up!

26/365: Snowy Field

This property is the land behind the photo I took on Day 7. I just love how the field rolls with the hills. It looks so much more beautiful with a dusting of snow.

25/365: Snowy Friday

The snow arrived exactly when the weathermen said; just in time for the car ride home. The snow was drifty and had a look of fog. It certainly wasn't conducive to shooting a beautiful farm photo today. Besides, I was more concerned about getting home than stopping in the weather to get a photo of a barn or farm property. 

So, the 4 (almost 5) of us are enjoying the snow from inside tonight! I'll break the rules and get a farm picture on another day. 

24/365: Frozen Lake

Today was a day that I'm glad I even got a picture of the day. Fortunately, I turned around during my morning commute to very quickly get this shot. Is it going to make my top 10 of my project 365? Probably not, but still glad I got it!

This is Lake Nockamixon. Every morning I drive by and love how the sun hits the lake. I definitely didn't get a favorite shot... maybe another day. Some days just won't allow a ton of photog time!

23/365: A Horse of Course

Typically, I don't have my picture of the day until late. Every now and then, I can get one in the morning; otherwise, I'm on the hunt from the time I leave work to the time I go to bed. As I drove home today, I focused on driving as I peripherally spotted any possible photo of the day opportunity. This horse caught my eye as I drove on a tight country road with absolutely no shoulders. I actually said aloud, "Wow, that's a pretty horse, but there's no place to pull over." I kept driving and knew I'd kick myself if I didn't find a way to get a picture of that handsome horse. I turned around and parked about a 1/4 mile down the road. After grabbing my camera, I climbed under branches and started trucking across this person's private property. (This Project 365 is definitely turning me into crazy camera lady!). Finally, I reached this horse. It's as if he knew I had a camera... he posed for me the whole time.

This is my first shot. I love it because of the other horse galloping in the background.

Oh, and did I mention I did this all in 16 degree weather (not including the wind chill factor)?! Brrrr.

22/365: Tummy Tuesday

31 weeks. The lighting is bad and focus isn't perfect.... but that's one beautiful baby! Can't wait to meet her <3

21/365: Self-Portrait

Clearly my theme of Macro Monday isn't panning out. I'm okay with this... there are no rules in a 365!

Today is a self-portrait. Being behind the camera so often, I should probably make a point to take more of these.

20/365: Happy Place

We all have our happy place. Guess what? Dogs do too. Most of my Sunday was devoted to cleaning. As I cleaned, Riley seemed "mopey". He paced from window to window looking outside and just didn't seem settled. Even after spending time out back, he just wasn't in a happy place. So, I decided to put cleaning on hold and took Riley for a walk. Somehow, animals have the intuition to just know. Before I even peeped the W word, Riley began happily galloping around the house with a big smile on his face. It's just what he wanted.

While walking, I had him stop so I could try my best to snap a couple shots... while holding the leash and keeping my balance as I crouched with a 30 week pregnant belly. These pictures capture happy Riley at its best. He was moving his head side to side taking in all the smells while basking in the sun.

Now, he's happily napping! ..... back to cleaning.....

19/365: Lazy Saturday Morning

It's one of those cozy Saturday mornings where all four of us are relaxing. After all, Mommy and Daddy's Saturday mornings of peace and quiet are numbered!

As Dustin and I were enjoying our coffee on the couch, watching real estate shows, I spotted Riley and Grayson actually sharing space in front of the fire. This may not sound like a big deal, but it is. Grayson is the dominant one in the house... yes, the cat. He calls the shots, so the fact that he allowed Riley in "his space" was a blue moon kind of moment.

Aren't they adorable? As I tried to get a shot with them both in it (this was hard to do because of how the sun was hitting Riley's face), the sweet moment proved to be short lived.

18/365: Favorite Farm Friday

This property always looks so beautiful during the sunrise. Thank goodness for some sun! It's been too many days since we've seen it!

17/365: After School Snack

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is your picture of the day. Between work and the gloomy day (again!), this was one of the most exciting parts of the day! Apples and peanut butter never fail as a good "go to" snack! Yum! 

16/365: 2 Hour Delay

Remember when you were in elementary school and your mom or dad would come in the room and tell you that you have a two hour delay or that it was a snow day? Well, that feeling is exactly the same when you're an educator... I don't care how old you are!

I knew we were expecting some sleet overnight, but I wasn't hopeful for a delay. After all, I didn't want to get my hopes up! Then, my cell phone started ringing at 5 am and I knew exactly what that call was! With giddy excitement, I rolled over and changed my alarm clock to 2 hours later. Okay, it was actually less than 2 hours later because I wanted to enjoy my breakfast and small (less than 200 mg of caffeine!) cup of joe. And that's just what I did.

I woke up to our tree glazed in frozen rain. I love this look. I had a tough time choosing which picture was the best, so you get two!

15/365: Tummy Tuesday

30 weeks today. Time is flying! I have so much love for this little person and this man; I have such a happy heart.

14/365: (Almost) Macro Monday

I have yet to offer a macro shot on Macro Monday, but this is only the second Monday in the year, so give me credit! Tonight's picture... dinner. Dustin and I were supposed to have this last night, but he got caught at work. So, my handsomely amazing husband had dinner ready and just about cooked when I got home! Yum! It wasn't a medium rare steak, but this cooked steak will do until after I can pop this baby out (which is coming way too soon!).

And the stud chef <3

13/365: Sunday

It was a busy Sunday. Despite sleeping well, I still felt like a truck hit me when I woke up. I think I can accredit this to the third trimester! Dustin was called into work this morning, so I did my Sunday routine alone. Church, grocery store, laundry, dishes, ran errands, visited a friend.... despite all of this, I just didn't see a picture of the day opportunity. Once I got home, I changed into comfy sweats and took a few minutes to sit on the couch (the baby asked me to). Riley immediately snuggled up with me. Despite being a love bug, he doesn't get this cuddly every day, so I just had to take a picture. Fortunately, my camera was on the coffee table. Between Riley on my lap and this pregnant belly, I could just reach it. I did my best to guess the settings, put it on automatic focus and set the timer. This is what I got. It's not the most artistic or perfect settings, but it's a real moment picture and I love it.

12/365: Impromptu Lunch Date

Layne and I have been friends since high school. Despite not talking regularly or seeing each other as much as we'd like, we've remained solid, loyal friends. As we get older, it becomes harder and harder to schedule get togethers. Between family priorities and work, we haven't made a date for far too long.

I got a text this morning from Layne asking if I was free to have lunch with her and her daughter Avery. Turned out I was! I love impromptu plans!

And I can't believe how big Avery is. She's (almost) 3 going on 15! Cute as a button.

11/365: Farm Friday

I've been eyeing up so many farms for Fridays, I could hardly wait for Friday to arrive to take a picture of one! Much to my dismay, it turned out to be a crummy, rainy, drizzly day. I couldn't believe it! On my way home, I immediately started brainstorming pictures I could take once I got home. During my ride, the rain let up a little bit so I kept my eyes peeled on farms. I passed one, that I had never noticed despite passing it at least once a day. It was a brown wooden barn that was on its last leg, ready to crumble to the ground. It matched the day! I immediately assumed it was a vacant property, so I turned around to go back and take a picture. When I passed the house on the property, I saw a car in the driveway and lights on. Figured! I certainly didn't have the courage to be the weirdo photographer lady to pull into their driveway and start taking pictures of their dilapidated barn! I let out a good "humph!" and kept driving and brainstorming a different picture of the day assuming that my Farm Friday was a wash. Then, I passed a farm that was set off the road. This property is one I typically don't gawk at, but I decided to pull over and take some shots since it was likely to be my only opportunity between rain and the sun going down.

I like the run down look it has.

10/365: Loungin' by the Fire

Another day, another picture. I find myself regularly wanting to take pictures of the sun and our little fur kids, and I'm not sure why. On the way home, as I admired the sun setting, I found the answer to this question. During my work week and days, the only time I'm outside (during the winter) is my drive to and from work. The whole ride, I get to watch the sun rise and set. I don't see just a little bit of a sunrise and sunset, I literally get to watch the entire thing. I mentally take pictures my entire car ride. Once I get home, I come home to my fur kids, and usually my handsome husband too (when he's not working overtime!). So, there you have it. I don't have (too much of) an obsession with the sun and my pets, they are simply the most exciting part of my work days!

With that said, guess what the picture of the day is?? After looking at two long and hard, I chose this one. By the way, this might be the last image I get at this low level. It's getting quite difficult finding a way to get onto the floor and looking through the view finder with this growing belly!

I was just about to plug my camera into my computer when I saw G in his nightly spot, completely stretched out on the dog bed in front of the fire. He's just such a sweet boy!

And the runner up was today's sunset. It was so beautiful driving home, but I didn't quite capture the image I wanted. By the time I turned around, parked the car and walked to the right spot for the picture, the sun set a little more than I had wanted. Still beautiful though!

9/365: Riley John

Today is officially the first day of my 365 that I had no idea what photo I wanted to post. I also have to come to the conclusion that some days will be amazing photos, and some days will be so-so photos. This is one of those days.

Can you believe I caught another amazing sunrise today? (posted below) Despite how beautiful the day began, I wanted to post something new. After an incredibly long day at work my brain was fried. Do I take a picture of dinner? Do I take a picture of my feet up by the fire since I can't fathom doing more than that tonight? When all else fails, take a picture of Riley, our sweet puppy.

I pulled out my new 50mm and had the toughest time focusing! (Practice makes perfect, right?!) Between Riley not staying still, accidentally metering off of his black nose, bad lighting, and his snout being so far away from his face that I couldn't get his entire face into focus, I just couldn't get it! If you're friends with me on facebook, you know that I can get some pretty great shots of this adorable face, but tonight, it just wasn't happening. However, I want to be true to "the picture of the day" so this is it. Meet Riley. We love him into a million pieces

Though this picture is a blooper and a great example of how tough it is to get his entire face into focus with the right settings, it has to be just about the cutest picture I've ever taken of him, so I had to share.

.... and here is how the day started! Is it possible to post too many sunrise (or sunset) pictures in a 365? If not, I'll keep them coming!

8/365: Tummy Tuesday

You guessed it, another theme day! At least until approximately March 26th. Tuesday is the turning day each week of my pregnancy. Today marks 29 weeks. Being pregnant is one of the most amazing things I have ever done and I've been cherishing every single minute. Despite becoming increasingly excited to meet this little babe, I'm becoming sad knowing that my pregnancy is reaching the end. We'll see how I feel at 39 weeks though!

Here's your first Tummy Tuesday picture of the day. Hopefully, I can come up with 10-11 more ideas of how to capture this growing bump!

7/365: Another Sunrise

Today completes the first week (of 52!) of my project 365. It's also a Monday. In keeping themes in mind, I thought I'd make Monday,"Macro Monday". Macro is shooting an object extremely close-up. I've even seen some photographers play "guess that macro." I'm still planning on doing this for my Monday theme, but I caught another sunrise that I simply couldn't pass up. In catching this sunrise, I'm also cheating by showing you one of my favorite farms, but so be it! I'm going to show it to you again another time from a different angle; just you wait.

I chose to show you the shot I took SOOTC (straight out of the camera). No editing whatsoever. The sunrise was that beautiful. As I continued driving, the pink sky painted everything it touched. It was amazing. I'm so glad I stopped to smell the roses this morning!

6/365: Grayson

Meet Grayson. He also goes by G-man, G-money and just plain G. He's our sweet 4 year old Siamese cat with a personality I couldn't possibly define in a set of words. You'd have to meet him to understand. (Very soon, you'll meet Riley. He's our Irish Setter with just as much personality).

In preparing for our baby on the way, what nursery would be complete without a glider? Do you have any idea how expensive they are? If not, go to any major baby store and check the price tags. Knowing that this glider will either hardly be used, or only used for a couple years, there is no way Dustin and I would agree to pay that price tag. Thank God for Craigslist!

Dustin found this top of the line glider for a good price and brought it home today. Grayson has been all over it; we're suspecting this family had a cat too.

Oh, and yes, I'm putting my name on my pictures from now on! :)

5/365: Sun flare

Waking up to a Saturday with no plans (yay!) I had no idea what my picture of the day would be. After a nice visit from my mom, I grabbed my camera and simply walked around the house taking pictures. The sun was coming in the windows making long shadows on the floor; from there, I ended up outside taking pictures of shadows. Then, I looked up, hit the shutter button a few times and found my picture of the day. Sun flare never gets old! 

4/365: Favorite Farm Friday

Doing a 365 sounds exciting and inspiring for anyone who enjoys taking pictures and capturing moments, professional photag or not. However, I'm sure by day 20, anyone would start to feel a little overwhelmed at the thought of how many more pictures there are to take in the year. Anticipating this inevitable reality, I decided to do some reading on tips in completing a successful 365. A tip that made a lot of sense to me was to try and create themes. Themes will help keep you focused and make it easier to find a picture to take on certain days. Of course the themes don't have to happen throughout the entire year, and no one will hunt you down if you don't stick to that theme on that particular day, but it will certainly help filter those nagging "what picture do I take today?!" thoughts.

With this in mind, I've decided to make Fridays my favorite farm days. Why you ask? Well, I live in Lehigh County and work in Bucks County. Do you know how many farms I pass in a given day?? Me neither, but I know it's a lot, and I love every.single.one. I have a 50 minute drive to work. I'm constantly asked, "Do you hate it?" No, I don't. In fact, I really enjoy it. I pass countless farms and drive through a beautiful lake/park all on gorgeous windy country roads. I get to see every sunrise and sunset... most, anyway, and I get to enjoy everything these two counties have to offer in my 100 minutes of driving every day.

Okay.... do me a favor. Remind me of the above paragraph in a few months when I'm driving away from my brand new baby left at day care!!

So, now, the first farm. I decided on my way to work that this would be my first farm picture. For some reason, it pulls at my heart strings more than the others. After last minute phone calls at work, a student missing the bus (why does this always happen on a Friday?), and getting stuck behind a state trooper, I was SO happy to be able to make it to this farm before the sun was completely down. This farm became vacant close to when we moved here a little over a year ago. Every time I drive by it, I'm always stunned by its beauty and personality as it sits so still and empty. This barn is accompanied by a gorgeous farm home across the street and several fields and horse stables behind it. I hope to see horses grazing the fields again soon. This property is the most charismatic on fall mornings when fog gets caught in the valley and sits low on the ground. I promise to capture that image one day, 365 or not!

Happy Friday!

3/365: January Sunrise

I pulled my car out of the garage this morning to let it warm up and walked out to this beautiful sunrise. Glad I could capture it!

2/365: My best friend

Meet Dustin. He's my best friend, my husband. What a handsome guy he is!

1/365: Twenty Thirteen

This picture was taken at approximately 12:03 am, January 1, 2013. What better first picture for my Project 365? Dustin and I have rung in the New Year with Paul and Kara for 3 consecutive years now. We had a low key night relaxing and sharing some great laughs. Our dogs joined the fun too! Riley's nose just made the shot... see him?

We wish all of our family and friends a very blessed 2013!