The 59th Year

I spent last night thinking about this morning.  Reflecting over the past year and what I had and hadn't accomplished.  Isn't that what birthdays are about?  We look back on the past year and look ahead to the upcoming year.  A taking stock, so to speak. 

Last year, I told myself it was time to put myself out there.  Take some chances.   Take some risks and see what happened.   I kinda, sorta did that.

I jumped in with both feet and entered a photography contest in January.

I didn't win a ribbon!



I also agreed to join the Healthy Wage weight loss challenge with some of my fellow writers over at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.  I lost ten pounds, but we didn't win any money. 

Are you seeing a pattern here?

I did do some things that were great.  At least they were great in my book. 

I covered the Self Magazine Workout in the Park event in Chicago for Shrinking Jeans.  Dolvett Quince from The Biggest Loser TV show was there.

2013 will be my 40th class reunion.  I have never been to one.  Over the last year, I have been going to some mini reunions.  We have started going out for breakfast or drinks or dinner.  Our last one was over Thanksgiving weekend.  Some get togethers are bigger and some are smaller, but I sure am glad I started going.  I forgot how much I enjoyed these special friends. 

I went on a vacation with one of my very best friends to New York City for ten days.  This is us right before our carriage ride through Central Park.  Notice that we have on matching shirts.  I think that was how we got to be on TV at the Today Show that morning.  Vickie is one of the best people you will ever meet and I can't think of anyone I would have rather had the New York experience with.  We had the most amazing and awesome time and with the exception of a few guilt pangs the night before we left, I didn't feel guilty about leaving my family for that long.  If you know me, that was huge! 

After my ten day adventure in NYC, I met up with Dick in Baltimore and we headed out on our own seven day adventure.  We spent several days in Washington DC.   From there, we went on to spend time in Pennsylvania and Ohio.   It was our first real vacation without kids and it was fantastic.  Not to mention the fact that I had never been away from my kids for 17 days in a row ever.  Let me tell you though, the really hard part was being away from the grandkids for 17 days.

I found the courage to go out on the Sky Deck at Willis Tower in Chicago with three wonderful friends.  Bari, Christy and Melissa,  you guys are the best.

I walked some 5k's and I was proud to be the team captain for Vickie's Chickies at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.  Our team raised over a $1000.

There were some things that happened that weren't good, but you have to expect that too. 

I think you get the idea.  All in all, I had a pretty good year.

So, as I sit here tonight, I am thinking about my 59th year.  What will I do to make my mark on this year?  Being 58 is something to be celebrated.  How will I celebrate?

The first thing I am going to do is enter that photography contest again in January.  Maybe this will be my year.  Are you with me, Jan? 

The second thing I did was lose my mind!  I have signed myself up to walk the mini marathon in Indianapolis in May.  This is going to take some training, but I can do this.  With or without my mind!  I have two friends who lost their minds with me, so that will help.

So my friends, this is the start of my 59th year.  I know there will be more adventures.  There will be more fun.  There will  be more time with family and friends.  There will be more photography.  There will just be "more"!  I am excited about that.

This 59th year is looking pretty darn good already!

Printcopia Review and Giveaway

With the help of random.org, our lucky winner is #15 which is rearick7958.  I'll be sending you an email tonight to get your info to send to Printcopia.  Thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations to our winner.

I love surprises.  I especially love them when they are unexpected.  I came home from work one day to an email from Allison at Printcopia about doing a review and giveaway of a canvas print.  If you read this blog at all, you know this offer is right up my alley.  Of course, I said yes.

I emailed Allison and in no time at all, I had a code for a free 8x10 canvas print.  Now came the really hard part.  How do I choose a picture for a canvas print from the 1000's and 1000's of pictures I have?  It took me awhile, but I finally decided on a family picture from our vacation at the lake this summer.

I went to www.printcopia.com and entered my code and completed the process of making my canvas print.  It was simple as simple could be.  In what seemed like only days, I had my canvas print and it was beautiful.  I loved it and so has everyone who has seen it since.  It is hanging proudly in my family room.  Printcopia also print canvas photos, acrylic prints, panoramic photos, and so much more.

Here is the part where I apologize for not having a picture of my canvas here to show you.  I tried and tried to get a good shot of it, but I couldn't do it justice.  If I got it so there wasn't a glare, the colors were all wrong.  If I got the colors right, there was a glare.  You'll just have to take my word for it.  My canvas print is beautiful. 

Printcopia has sister sites that work much the same as the canvas print site.  They do car magnets, custom banners and cheap signs. 

Now comes the fun part.  Allison gave me an 8x10 canvas print for one of you to win.  To enter, leave me a comment telling what picture you would turn into a canvas print.  This is mandatory.  For extra entries, become a follower of this blog, follow me on Facebook and post about the giveaway.  Follow me on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway.  That's three extra entries.  Please leave a seperate comment for each entry and be sure to leave me an email to reach you,  if you win.  I will pick a winner using random.org on the evening of December 7.  Best of luck.

   I received a canvas print to review.   All opinions are my own.

You Capture / Animals

I have been out of the You Capture loop for a bit.

Here's my attempt to get back in.

Here we have Hoss playing a little flag football with the family.

The birds were having a little party at the new bird feeder.

A gull that was just sitting around by the Chicago River.

Animals abound at Beth's

Disney Pixar Brave Review and Giveaway

UPDATE

Using random.org, the winner of the Brave Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition is Leslie.  I will be emailing you soon to get your address to send to get your prize to you asap!  Thank you all for entering.  Stop back next week when I will have another review and giveaway for you.

    The very first Disney princess movie I remember seeing was Sleeping Beauty.  I was around five years old and I was hooked.  I loved Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip.  I loved the fairies, especially Meriweather.  I was introduced to Cinderella and Snow White and loved them as well.  They were all princesses who needed to be rescued. 

    It wasn't until 1989 and I had daughters of my own that Disney princesses began to take on a new attitude.  I remember sitting in the theatre with my three daughters and a friend and her daughter and being very pleasantly surprised at Ariel in The Little Mermaid.  She had a mind of her own and she wasn't content to do what everyone thought she should.  Close on her heels came Belle from Beauty and the Beast and Jasmine in Aladdin.  They too had plans for themselves that didn't include what other people planned for them.  I loved that they had a mind of there own.  They were perfect role models for my girls

    Now, it's 2012 and enter Merida.  She's the newest princess to the Disney collection in the movie, Brave.  Merida is a plucky little thing who not only has a mind of her own, but she doesn't need a prince to complete her.  Merida is a head strong princess who has no patience for her mother's way of finding her a suitor.  Defying her mother, she disappears into the forest and spys will-o'-the-wisps.  According to Scottish tradition,  these unearthly spirits might lead one to his or her destiny.  They lead Merida to a witch who is asked by Merida to change her mother.  What ensues is a chaotic adventure with twists and turns at every junction.

    I watched Brave with my 25 year old daughter and my four year old and six year old granddaughters.  Brave was a hit all the way across the board.  My daughter thought it was ground breaking in some of the content that has never been in a Disney movie before.  The grand kids loved it.  They both had favorite parts.   One of them was one of the parts my daughter thought was ground breaking.  I don't want to reveal too much of the story for those of you who haven't seen it yet.

    I have no doubt that Brave is a movie that we will watch over and over.  It was a beautiful, touching and exciting story with amazing scenery.  The Scottish highlands never looked so inviting.  As with many Disney movies, the end will tug at your heartstrings.  I have come to expect that from Disney and love it.

    The good news is that I have a copy of the Brave Five-Disc Ultimate Collector's Edition  (Blu-ray 3D / Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy) to give away to one of my readers.  All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment telling me who your favorite Disney princess is and why.  The giveaway will run through Friday, November 9.   The winner will be chosen using random.org.   Be sure to leave me your email in the comment, so I can get in touch with you if you win.   Also, if you comment under anonymous, please leave me your name.

    Best of luck to everyone.  Now, go ahead and comment away!!  

      I received a copy of this film to review.   All opinions are my own.

Notre Dame Trip Pictures with Victory March

Dick and I took a trip to Notre Dame last week to just bum around the campus and take some pictures.  I took a million of them.  I picked an assortment for you to look at while you listen to the Notre Dame Fight Song.  It is getting close to game time.  I can't wait to watch them make it 9 - 0 !!!!

The reflecting pond.

The Basilica.

Inside the Basilica.

The ceiling is amazing!

One last inside shot.

One of the many fountains.

The Golden Dome from a distance.

The lake

Some friends we met on the lake.

The Grotto.  Not the best shot, but I felt like I was intruding when people are there praying.

Read Knute Rockne's statistics.  I don't think you will ever find another coach like that.

The Golden Dome close up.

We saw lots of signs in the windows.  I love this one.  My thoughts exactly!

Dick and I with Lou!

Not the best shot of Touchdown Jesus because it was so sunny that day.

And what's a trip to Notre Dame without a stop at the bookstore.

23 minutes to kick off.  Let's shake down some thunder!!

Go ND !!!!!!

Quick Thoughts

Good morning!  Just a couple quick thoughts for you before I get started on this very busy Saturday.

I have two awesome reviews and giveaways coming up in the next few weeks, so you'll want to keep an eye out for those.

Dick and I took a day trip to Notre Dame to wander the campus and take tons of pictures.  We had a great time.  Hopefully, by tomorrow night, I'll be able to do a picture post about that place.  We love it there so much!

Our granddaughter, Lizzy turns four tomorrow.  That just doesn't seem possible. 

We had all three grand kids spend the night on Thursday.  That was a first and it turned out fine.  Jack (age 2) only missed his mommy once at 5:30 a.m.

I had a Gold Rush Girls party last night.  Was that ever fun.  I think it is the first home party ever where you leave with money instead of spending money.  If you ever get invited to one, GO.  They are awesome.

I watch my Feedjit on the sidebar of this blog all the time.  I wonder who all these people are that come here.  If you would be so kind, could you leave a comment and tell me who you are.  The curiosity is killing me.  Let's just call it my personal "delurking" day.

Time to get moving.  I have a full day and night ahead and I have a 5k Zombie Dash to get to. 

I hope you all have a great weekend!

I leave you with a picture from our ND trip. 

GO ND!!!  8 - 0 is in your future!

Down Memory Lane

It was a perfect fall day.  The sun was warm and the air was crisp.  The temperature was in the 50's.  I decided it was a great day for a walk with my camera.

I took my normal route and headed toward town.  It was the European Market downtown.  Lots of people and vendors.  I passed the gazebo in the park.

I kept on walking but, when I got to Morgan Avenue instead of going straight, I turned left.  I found myself walking down this very familiar hill.  I must have walked up and down this hill a million times as a kid.  You see, I was heading into my old neighborhood.

At the bottom of the hill is Coffee Creek.  I spent so much time in that creek as a kid.  We waded and caught crawdads.  A few times, I even came out with a leech or two on me.  I loved playing down there with my friends.  Do kids still do this, I wonder?

The trees were beautiful.

Each one prettier than the one before it.

But then, I found what I was looking for.  This is the house that I grew up in.  I love this house.  I met the people who live there now a few years ago.  They said I was welcome to come and see the house anytime.  I said no thank you.  Some things you just never want to change and I want to remember that house just the way it was.

If I close my eyes, I can see it.  My dad reading the newspaper on the front porch.  Mom cooking dinner in the kitchen.  My sisters getting ready for their dates.  My brother playing in the back yard with his friends.  And me, sliding down the bannister.  Oh, how I loved to do that.  It was actually the very last thing I did when I left that house when mom sold it.  I was 26 years old and I cried while I did it.  I miss that house, but I sure do love the memories.

Five Question Friday

Five Question Friday

Welcome to another week of Five Questions.  It is looking to be another semi busy weekend, but not too bad.  I'm meeting up with a cousin who is in town, going to a Gold Rush Girls party and of course, watching the Notre Dame football game.  They are 5 - 0!!  I'd like to get in a little hiking, but they are predicting rain.  Maybe I'll get some house cleaning done instaed.  Hope everyone has a good weekend.  Now, on to my answers.

1. Did you have any homecoming traditions?

Nothing really stands out in my mind except going to the football game and then to the homecoming dance.

2. Do you ask your spouse before spending money?
Only if it is a signifigant amount of money  A couple hundred dollars doesn't require any conversation about it.

3. If you could be famous for something what would it be?
My dad always told us to dream big, so why not.  I would love to be known as the person who cured cancer.  I have been touched by this disease too many times in my life and I would love to see it wiped out.

4. Have you ever seriously thought you were going crazy?
No, thank goodness.  I may have said I was going crazy before, but I never really meant it.

5. How do you eat your steak? Burger? (as in, well done, medium, still moo-ing...)

Medium well please.  Just a little pink in the middle.  There is nothing worse than cutting into what looks like a beautiful staek and having it bleed all over your plate.

Living Life in the Moment

Friday, I read a most amazing post over at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.  My friend Mel wrote a post that really got me thinking about how I live my life behind the camera.  I spend far too much time worrying about if my hair is fixed, if I have on make up and if I look too fat to be in front of the camera.  Some day, I'm not going to be here and my kids and grandkids aren't going to have any pictures of me with them. I am always the one taking the pictures.  That stops now.  I made a point of putting myself in the pictures this weekend.  They aren't great.  I didn't take them, so maybe they are a little blurry, but I don't care.  I am in them and was having a great time in front of the camera.  I plan to make this my goal for the rest of my life.  I will still take pictures because that is something I love to do, but I will also turn the camera over to other people to.  I will be in the pictures from now on.

Natalie spent the night on Friday and we just had fun. I let Abby take pictures of us.  Being happy. 

Loving on my precious girl.

 Being silly with my girl.

I let Natalie take pictures of Abby and I. 

A picture of my friend Vickie and I at the breast cancer walk.

A picture of me with our team for the walk, Vickie's Chickies!

The lessen for me in this past few days is that it doesn't matter one little bit what I look like in the pictures.  What matters is that I was in the picture and not behind the camera.  I was

"living life in the moment"

and I will continue to do that.  There is nothing more important than being present in your own life.  Thank you so much, Mel for this most important reminder. 

Walking with the Chicks

Vickie's Chickies 2011

Sunday, I am walking in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.  The picture above is of our team from last year.  Doing this walk is very near and dear to my heart.  Vickie of Vickie's Chickies fame is one of my very best friends in the whole world and she is fighting cancer for the second time in eight years.  

Vickie does this with the utmost grace and inspiration of anyone I know.  If you didn't know she was sick, you would never guess it.  She works a full time job as a first grade teacher.  She is the caregiver to her father and mother-in-law.  She is the first person to help anyone that needs it.  She is my own personal Energizer Bunny.  You never ever hear her ask "why me?"

Vickie is a piece of my heart and I love her.  I do this walk every year for her.  If you could find it in your heart to donate to our team and help us meet our goal, I would be forever grateful.  No amount is too small or too big.  Please click on the link and donate.  Thank you so much!!