You Capture - Comfort

Comfort = Family = Love

To see more “you capture” photos, head on over to Kelli's.

You Capture - Quiet

This weeks You Capture theme over at I Should Be Folding Laundry is "Quiet".   To me books represent quiet.  I grab my cup of coffee, cup of tea or glass of wine and sit down to get taken away to another place or time, learn something new and ultimately relax and unwind.

I am currently reading The Space Between Us and thoroughly enjoying it.  A friend loaned me Plum Wine and I picked up The 19th Wife at a local used book store and I'm eager to start both.  If time allowed I could read all day!

You Capture - Shapes

The You Capture theme for this weeks challenge was SHAPES.  Here are pictures of some shapes I encountered during the week.

A Propane Tank

Rectangle, Circle, Modified Triangle (the on/off valve), Cylinder

 

A Car Tire

Circle, Pentagram Type Star

  

My daughters Bedroom Chair

Circles

  

and because it's always ALL ABOUT FOOD

 Homemade Pizza

Rectangle

(And for the record, this pizza was absolutely delicious! 1/2 mozarella and tomatoes 1/2 with eggplant!)

  

Homemade Chocolate Souffle

(Recipe from Ina Garten)

Circles

 

Visit more fun pictures of SHAPES at I Should Be Folding Laundry!

You Capture - Kisses

Each week Beth at I Should Be Folding Laundry has a "You Capture" challenge with a different theme.  This weeks theme is Kisses.  With Valentines Day and Sarah's 18th Birthday I had fun with this challenge. 

Sarah blew me a sweet kiss following a wonderful 18th birthday celebration!

My son, Jake, planted a sweet kiss on his girlfriends cheek!

And lastly this is one of my favorite pictures EVER, taken 18 years ago! Sarah, 1 week old, getting a kiss from her big sister Kristin, 21 months old!

For more fun pictures visit You Capture - Kisses

You Capture - Work

I thought this was a tough challenge this week.   How do you capture work?  According to Websters dictionary it's a noun, adjective and verb.  Do I take a picture of my computer, my 10 key, the washing machine, the cleaning supplies, my messy kitchen?   I didn't know where to begin.  Then I looked at it in the bigger of picture of things because to have work means that you are alive and breathing.  My body works every day pumping blood, firing neurons and delivering oxygen to organs among many other seemingly silent behind the scenes functions all while I go about my daily tasks whether it be - preparing taxes, doing a load of laundry, making phone calls or preparing a meal.  And my body does this day in and day out without a lot of intellectual thought about it on my part.  And it usually functions quite well.  And for that I'm grateful.  I exercise, try to eat right and for the most part get enough sleep - but I know I can do better and I should because my body is my vessel, what allows me to be who I am on a day to day to basis.  Without it, I'd be 6 feet under.  So, to capture the essence of WORK this week, I took these two pictures of what I do to keep my body working.  Today was a double duty day, I walked 3 1/2 miles with a friend - took us 55 minutes and I did a programmed workout on the exercise bike for 25 minutes. 

 

Check out more You Capture - Work pictures at I Should be Folding Laundry.

You Capture - Faces

This weeks You Capture challenge at I Should be Folding Laundry is FACES.  I was actually excited for this challenge and went to grab my canon digital rebel.  Turns out the batteries were dead and I have been hunting for the battery charger ever since.  I'm fairly sure it's around here, but where? My little point and shoot is great for certain things, but not faces.  My rebel excels in that area.

Since the battery charger is MIA, I armed myself with my little camera started taking pictures of one of my favorite subjects.  Sarah is my third child and an absolute delight.  She is funny, kind, empathetic and smart.  And she actually likes me, which is rare for a teenager.  Though she will be 18 in 2 weeks and reminds me of that frequently.  Can't believe my baby will soon be 18.  That will be another blog post for another day!

Here are some fun photos of a mini photo shoot we had in the kitchen. I will title this sequence

The Many Faces of Sarah :)

 

 

 I've read that the 3rd child is often the ham, the expressive one.  For our family that has proved true.  My older two, twins are sophomores in college and so it's just been me, her and my hubby at home.   And I'm loving it!  It will be hard when she departs for college in the fall.  I will miss her immensely.  If you want to read a witty entertaining blog about fashion, I suggest you hop over to Marvelous Bear which Sarah writes. The following few photos I took using my digital rebel for her senior photos. And since they are faces, they fit they theme!  Now, if only I can find my battery charger..uggg!

 

 

You Capture - Colors

My husband has a thing for flowers, and 3 beautiful roses (I selected the prettiest for the photo above!) were waiting for me at the hotel at the start of our 24 hour get-a-way.  I love roses and I love my husband. :)   Check out The You Capture Challenge for yourself at I Should Be Folding Laundry.

You Capture - Food

Food is my favorite subject because food and family go hand in hand.  I love to bake, cook and create. And I do so to nourish my family and friends - nourish their bodies and soul.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and it was hands down the best Thanksgiving ever.  There was no stress and I am serious when I say that. (Which is unusual because I can't ever think of a time in my 45 years when there hasn't been some stress on Thanksgiving!) We had  20 folks for dinner - one turkey, one turkey breast, lost of side dishes and everyone helped.  Everyone had a marvelous time - young and old!  There have been other thanksgivings that have been memorable, however, this one really takes the cake.  I am so thankful and grateful all 20 of us could be together and share the day.   After the meal was over, we set up the computer to Skype with Kathryn.  She is my niece and teaching in Japan right now.  We missed her dearly but it was wonderful to be able to see and talk to her!

I was so busy cooking, conversing and having fun that I only managed to snap a few pictures and only on my little point and shoot, which isn't nearly as nice as my Canon Rebel.  Regardless, you can see food and the people and for me, that's all that matters.

I have been noshing on left overs today and they are delicious!  Cheesecake with cranberry sauce and a glass of champagne for breakfast..YUM...doesn't get much better than that!

Enjoy the photos.  And see more at Beth's awesome website :)

Appetizers:

Shrimp, Smoked Salmon w/capers, cream cheese & onions, Skordalia & pita wedges and Champagne!

Baked Brie with sugar pecans and sliced apples (mouth watering delicious!!)

Time to Eat!

The whole family :)

The other end of the table!

Grown ups visiting after dinner :)

 Time for dessert:  pumpkin cheesecake, apple pie, German chocolate cake, cheesecake and rum soaked fruit (deliciously sinful I might add!)

Skype'ing with Kathryn!

All the family members get in on the Skype'ing!

And there's Kathryn - all the way in Japan! We missed her!!

You Capture: Sunrise/Sunset

My sunrise

This is my sunrise! My heavenly slippers. I usually sleep until 7 am and the sun has long risen. But even so, right now not much is more comforting that my cozy slippers. I have been wearing my slippers almost non-stop for the past month because of these painful injections I've been getting in my foot. I've recently had my 3rd sclerosing injection and will need 2 - 3 more. They hurt like hell, make my foot swell and feel as though a hammer has hit it.

The injections are for a morton's neuroma. I've had 4 cortisone injections with minimal relief and am trying these sclerosing injections which are basically an alcohol mixture injected (with a really huge need) directly into the nerve. The procedure hurts horribly, then for days to come my whole foot hurts and finally when it starts to feel better it's time for another shot. The goal is to kill the nerve which will reduce the neuroma and pain. If this doesn't work I will need surgery which I really don't want.

So right now, the slippers are my sunrise, the comfort in my day. Well, that and a cup of coffee in my favorite mug. In the morning it's coffee, it's evening it's tazo sweet orange tea. My kids gave me this mug about 5 years ago for my birthday and it's my favorite. This mug is my sunrise AND sunset!!

My sunrise & sunset

I recently found Beth's blog. It's really great and her You Capture challenge is fun. It will inspire me to take more photos (which I love doing), blog more and be more creative. Hopefully it will for you as well. Check our http://www.ishouldbefoldinglaundry.com/2009/11/you-capture-sunrisesunset.html for more!