running through january

i have been doing a lot of searching this month. searching for a meaning to my life or direction of where it needs to go. i am wanting to work more on my photography and head my life in a direction that i love, instead of just getting by for the money or social status. i have decided in the fall to go back to school for photography.

 i am self taught and know that i can only grow by going to school. this is one of my first pictures taken digitally in 2002 when i lived in colorado.

i decided i will not be shooting any more weddings, because they don't make me happy. i stress about every moment and then it takes me days and days to edit. i don't feel like i have creative control and everything is too posy for me. so now i will focus on fine-art photography and child/family photography. my goal this year is to get at least one of my works into a magazine and hopefully my freelance career will take off. i love traveling and hope someday to do travel photography.

i did post some new photos in my etsy shop! i don't do very well with keeping up with it; 1) because i am really critical of how others view things i love and 2) i get sad if no one buys anything...BUT SCREW IT! i love it and if you do too, then AWESOME, if you don't then it is ok.

so what is happening today? i am meeting up with the lovely Maryam from pamplemousse! for some pictures. i am very excited to take some pictures of her and her little one. i am recovering a little from yesterday, i made homemade pizza (from scratch) and it turned out wonderful and from kaitlyn having her first official sleepover with her friend. it is nice having someone to keep her busy throughout the day!

i took them and her friends little brother to sonic for drinks and it was fun having 3 kiddos to hang out with. makes me very excited to have kids! anyways, i am blabbering! have a great sunday and wonderful week!

jan 1 photo challenge

2012....wwhhhhaaattt???

Well another year has gone by...No resolutions, because lets face it...I am horrible at keeping them. No weight loss, no job helping to save the world, no paint job in my living room.

Currently I am feeling a little down on myself for no changes. I don't like change, I don't like feeling like a failure when I don't follow through with something. This year, I am going to try and just LIVE. Be the best person I can be each day, make small goals I know I can do to build up my self confidence that I can do things that scare me, bring my art back and not care what everyone else thinks of it.

I hope you are around for these items. I will do 12 monthly goals, one for each month. Might be a new recipe, a new place to visit or buying a stupid mirror for our downstairs bathroom that we can't seem to find cause we are too picky.

I will post these as soon as I figure them out...cause I am procrastinator and I don't mind it.

I did "borrow" this from the lovely Jamie at Inspired Mess. It will go over a little what happened in my life last year.

1. What's the best thing that happened in 2011? We got engaged (for the 2nd time) in Austin over Valentine's weekend. We rekindled our relationship and continue to work on it everyday. I got to go to Montana for a family reunion.

2. What was the most difficult thing? We went through an extreme rough patch and I thought the engagement was off. I lost/left my amazing job to go to one that makes me sad and still trying to find a new one. I came off depression/anxiety medicine for the first time in 3 years and am struggling with life sometimes being hard.
3. What 3 words would you use to describe your 2011? learning, exhausted and hopeful.
4. What were the best books you read? The Hunger Games trilogy. I kinda have an obsession now and want to get a arrow tattoo and learn archary.
5. What was your favorite movie you watched? The Help, but it still wasn't as awesome as the book.
6. How did you change/grow during the year? I have learned that I can't pretend that life is ok and do whatever I want. Sometimes we wish life was all glitter and parties. Sometimes we want to stay in our beds all day and wish the world would disappear just so we don't have to face it. It is a hard realization when you have to grow up to a certain point and suck it up.
7. What was your favorite new discovery? Jillian Michaels' podcast. She is awesome and sometime I hope to meet her and make her proud.
8. Did you have a word or phrase of the year? How did you fulfill your word or phrase? Nope, other than Treat people how you want to be treated. But I have learned that sometimes you need to stop caring so much when people don't give a shit about you. I am awesome and will do great things...now i just have to figure out what those great things are. Is professional cookie eater an option?
 

 

Happy New Year my friends! Be the best you!

 

Potato Kielbasa Skillet

One thing that I love about pinterest (you should follow me...hint hint), is the recipes. See I am one of those people that is a visual eater. Whenever I go to restaurants, I always look at what the waiter is bringing the table next to me and then wanting to ask them what they ordered and if I could try it...lol. I have never done it, but could you imagine if I did.

I love being able to first see what the food looks like, then look at the recipe to see if it will be something I like. This recipe seemed to have yummy stuff in it and we like smoked sausage in our house.

I didn't take pictures of cooking it, but of the final product. The boy said it was one of his favorite meals and he has a picky palette.

Potato Kielbasa Skillet

original recipe by Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 pound red potatoes, cubed
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3/4 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions

• Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes or until tender; drain.
• In a large skillet, saute kielbasa and onion in oil until onion is tender. Add potatoes; saute 3-5 minutes longer or until kielbasa and potatoes are lightly browned.
• Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme and pepper; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add spinach and bacon; cook and stir until spinach is wilted.

Almost an impulse purchase...

Yep and it would have been for me to play with!

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cute tuesday

animals in hoodies edition - could it get anymore cuter??

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i am contemplating not doing cute tuesday anymore...do you think it should stick around?

december goals

free people christmas window

december goals

: get all christmas postcards out by the 10th:

: go to christmas village:

: go to the gym at least 2 times a week:

: post 2 recipes a week:

: try to get scarfs done:

: do shimmelle's journal christmas this year!:

: neighbor gifts done by 16th:

lots of goals and to dos this month. my hope is to stay focused and not lose momentum and sleep until christmas eve! wouldn't that be nice?

what is your top goals this month?

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