Day 19/366

I ended up in the urgent care after work today with what turned out to just be a horrible cold but what felt like the beginning of the end of me. I probably caught airplane cooties from my trip to Florida even though I practically overdosed on Airborne. A blast of Vitamin C my a$$.

Day 18/366

I happen to look up at this note today that was taped to my office wall and noticed it coincidentally had today's date. A co-worker and friend had it taped to her wall and gave it to me when she left our organization last year. This affirmation not only came right on time for what I was going through today but it also is a great reminder of what I should be doing everyday...Letting Go, Letting God.

Day 17/366

Before leaving Florida to go back home I made my brother Amon show me his Purple Heart. I've never seen it since he received it a couple of years ago and he humbly never talks about it. On the day he "earned" his Purple Heart in Afghanistan, he lost three friends that he valiantly tried to save despite almost losing his own life. I can only imagine how he felt that day. I know he would give anything to have them back...even this honor.

Day 16/366

After spending most of the day shopping at the Destin outlets I decided to spend my last night in slumber party mode with the kids. Popcorn..check. Kid friendly movies..check. New footed pajamas for everyone..double check! That's me with the monkey feet by the way. :)

Day 15/366

It may have only been 67 degrees in Destin Florida today but it was still a gorgeous day at the beach. The sun was shining, the waves were crashing and the water was a clear and amazing blue. I realize I feel my most peaceful, my most beautiful, and my most "at home" near the ocean. But no ocean is wide enough nor magnificent enough to compare to the amount of love I feel for my little ones.

Day 14/366

What this trip to Florida was all about..Spending time with my family and celebrating my niece Aliana's 7th birthday. It was filled with Barbie dolls, Barbie decor and a beautiful Barbie cake. Truly the stuff little girl dreams are made of.

Day 13/366

While visiting my brother and his family in Florida I went to a friend's baby shower with my sister n law Claudia. Something about being around all the joyful expectant mothers (half the women there) and looking at all the cute baby clothes and other adorable newborn swag pulled at my heart strings and made me really happy to be a part of welcoming their blessing. Nonetheless, I am even more happy that the only cute clothes and swag that I get to indulge in nowadays....are my own.

Day 12/366

This is my interpretation of this week's photo challenge "Think Up". I had 20 minutes before my flight from DC to Fort Walton Beach Florida departed and I am a notoriously nervous flyer so liquid courage always helps. Being  in the airport afforded me several opportunities to take pictures of airplanes but that would have been too obvious. Lucky for me the bartender was heavy handed so not only was I "Think(ing) Up" after this Long Island Ice Tea I was feeling pretty "Up" as well. :)

Day 11/366

This!!.. my friends is what you get when you come out of your doctor's office TWO MINUTES after the meter ran out. DC parking authorities will now be $100 richer. I hope they choke on it!!! :(

Day 10/366

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly. - Andy Rooney  


There is definitely a lot less glory in the messes made 2 weeks after Christmas day.

Day 9/366

1st snow of the season in the DC area today and it actually stuck a little. Just when I decided to go to lunch it started to really come down. It was sooo pretty looking at it from my office window not so much through my glasses.

Day 8/366

I went to my first Masquerade party last night and had a great time. The mask is a keeper! :)

Day 7/366

Two months after hernia surgery I am taking my first steps back in the gym. After searching for an hour I finally found my shoes under the bed... Dusty and longing to feel the outside world.

Day 6/366

This was left on my desk this morning. Someone is trying to sabotage my diet....Bastards!

Day 5/366

Today was a Kors and cuffs kind of day.

Day 4/366

Lunch with my ginger haired workmate and friend Robby.

Day 3/366

Sarcasm..embodied.

Day 2/366

The intention was to buy one coat but I somehow came home with two. Indecisiveness can be a very expensive personality trait.

Day 1/366

Nothing like starting off the New Year right by eating black eyed peas (for luck) made by friends (with love) and the experience of standing together hand in hand in a gratitude circle feeling blessed and hopeful about the future.

Reflections in the Puddles

The last time I posted was a year ago and no, the irony is not lost on me. I promise to do better this time..really. Part of my motivation is coming from joining a Facebook group called Project 365, Picture a Day 2012. We challenge each other to take a picture a day for the whole year.  Want to join? Need some pointers? Here's a great way to start.  I'm not a photographer, I just like to take pictures and I do so with a crummy Sony Cyber shot and my BlackBerry. But what I lack in fancy equipment I make up for with artistic enthusiasm. The point isnt to take amazing pictures everyday but to make the effort to document your year.

After just a week of participating in this project I realize how hyper aware I am of my surroundings. From the time I wake up I'm looking around trying to find the "perfect shot". In doing so, I'm noticing EVERYTHING. How the sun shines through the trees, the rhythm of the headlights during traffic, how my reflection looks in a rain puddle.

So while most of the pictures will be ordinary and mundane and by no means awe-inspiring I hope to be able to write about not only how I felt in the moment of that picture but to open myself up to writing about other experiences as well.

Here's to capturing extraordinary pictures and living even more extraordinary lives.