Focus On Life Week 50 ~ Lights

The topic for December is "Tis the season" and this week's prompt is lights.  I had fun playing with the camera this week.  The last photo is from playing around in Picmonkey, which was also fun!

Last week's prompt was chaos.  Shylee was trying to untangle the beads for the tree.  We ended up not using them!

I hope you're enjoying the lights of the season.  It's one of my favorite things.

xo Annette xo

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Focus On Life Week 46 ~ Faith(ful)

Hope you're having a spectacular weekend!

xo Annette xo

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Focus On Life Week 45 ~ Grateful

I have missed participating in Focus On Life.  Sometimes life just gets in the way of what you want to do.

The topic for November is ...ful.  This week's prompt is grateful.  I try to live my life with gratitude.  Everyday, I find something to be grateful for.  It's too easy to focus on the negative and everything that is going wrong, but when I deliberately look for something to be thankful for,  I feel better and it becomes easier to put everything in perspective.

Today, I'm grateful the sun was shining.  It's bad enough that it gets dark so early since changing the time, but when it's cloudy all day for days on end I get depressed and a little grumpy!

What are you grateful for today?

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo Annette xo

192.  health insurance

193.  old movies

194.  new movies

195.  sunshiny days  

196.  phone conversations with a 6 year old

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A Good Day

It was one of those days that was good from start to finish.  We got up early and drove three hours so Michael could work at the home office and I could see my girls.  I enjoy the drive in the fall because the turning trees can be breathtaking.  I took all the tree pictures through the windshield!  It's a good day when that drive is enjoyable!

One of the iconic landmarks of Baltimore is the smoke stack.  I've tried so many times to capture it and this is the first one that turned out half way decent.  It's always a good day when a picture turns out!  Especially through the window!

I only got to see Erin for about an hour before she had to leave to go to Shylee's Halloween parade at school and put in some volunteer hours.  But that was okay because I got to spend the afternoon with a friend.  And it's always a good day when I get to hang out with one of my favorite people.

I picked up Michael at work and we headed back to Erin's to see Shylee dressed up for trick or treating.  She was so proud of her Elsa shoes to go with her dress.  It was fun for me to see her get made up and witness her almost uncontrollable excitement for the evening.  It's always a good day when I get to see her completely happy!

What is a good day for you?

I hope today is a good one!

xo Annette xo

187. a friend who gets me

188. getting a doctor appointment a week out instead of 3 months away

189. good days

190.  being a grandma

191.  pure joy and excitement

Happy Mail

You may remember a while back when I posted about the pay it forward art making project that I signed up for.  Well, I recently received my art project from Kathy at Kluless.  Kathy is a junking junkie and maker of all kinds of beautiful mixed media art and more.  I knew that whatever she decided to make for this project would be fabulous and I was right!  Oh my, this journal is beautiful and full of inspiring pages.  I was in awe as I turned each page, running my fingers over the paper and carefully pulling out the contents of the the pockets and envelope.  There is so much creativity and inspiration in this journal and I absolutely love it!  Thank you again, Kathy!

As if that wasn't enough, Kathy also included some vintage packs of rick rack and buttons.  She knows what I love!

I hope you have a marvelous week!

xo Annette xo

184.  cruise control in the car

185.  happy mail

186.  handmade art

Wordless Wednesday ~ A Recent Rainy Day

Happy Wednesday!

xo Annette xo

180.  orange scones and butternut squash soup

181.  my thoughtful husband

182.  another successful published book for my friend

183.  fall

I've been away from my little blog but it was for a good reason.  I went and stayed with Erin and Shylee for a few weeks while Dan was away at school.  Erin's new job wasn't very accommodating with her schedule, so it was Grandma to the rescue!  It was also a time of unplugging and paying attention to those around me.

Shylee is in first grade and I got to be a part of her school life for the first time.  Helping her with her homework was such a treat (for me at least!).  Watching her struggle to understand and then seeing her face light up when she finally 'got it' was priceless.  What a privilege it is to be a grandma!

It's been a beautiful fall this year.  I took these pictures a couple of weeks ago and should go out again with the camera because everywhere you look is glorious fall color.  It might not be my favorite season but it certainly is beautiful.

I hope you've all been well and hope you have a great week!

xo Annette xo

174.  cool crisp days of fall

175.  reconnecting with an old friend

176.  high tea at the tea room

177.  chocolate strawberry tea

178.  spending 4 weeks with Erin and Shylee

179.  helping with first grade homework

Focus On Life Week 37 ~ Window(s)

Our theme for September is 'simplicity'.  Last week's topic was door and this week is window.  I went to the pictures I took in Charleston, SC a few years ago, because I loved the doors and windows in that city.  So here's my photos for this week and last.

Click on the link to see more windows!

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

xo Annette xo

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Focus On Life Week 35 ~ Lazy Days of Summer

We've had such an unusual summer...not as hot, less humid.  I'm not complaining.  In fact I've been outside more this summer than in the past.  I've also been lazier this summer but didn't want to post a picture of ME being lazy, haha!  So I found this one of Shylee that I took last summer when we went on vacation.

I missed last week but here is my photo for "about the ground".  It's been quite dry the past month and the leaves are turning yellow and falling to the ground.  It looks like fall but it's not.

I hope you're enjoying the weekend!

Check out more lazy days of summer by clicking on the links below.

xo Annette xo

169.  new glasses

170. new sunglasses

171.  a diabetes support group that is encouraging and supportive

172.  realizing I'm not alone in my struggles

173.  making progress in physical therapy

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Focus On Life Week 33 ~ The View of Above

This week Sally says to change our photo taking perspective and look up.

We were walking along the boardwalk in Solomon's and I was watching the seagulls hoping to get a good shot when I spotted this bird.  I thought it was a hawk until it started hovering and I realized it was an osprey.  I'm so used to seeing seagulls that I wonder how many times I've missed seeing an osprey because I don't usually look up.  It was fascinating to watch.

Click on the links below to see more views of above.

Have a great weekend!

xo Annette xo

166.  feeling good

167.  watching  a good movie

168.  physical therapy that's working

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Focus On Life Week 32 ~ Fresh Air

Our theme for August is "outside" and this week's prompt is "fresh air".  We've had a very mild summer.  It's been hot and humid but nothing like it usually is.  By August, the grass is turning brown and everything just looks dry and tired.  Not this August.  Everything is green and the flowers are still beautiful and full.  My crape myrtle tree is fuller and lusher than ever.  I never get tired of going out front in the fresh air and seeing this beauty.

I missed last week.  We've been having internet problems for the last few weeks and I'm just now getting caught up with blogs and blogging.  The prompt last week was "outside the box".  I took it literally and snapped a shot of the lace I took out of the box trying to find just the right piece.

Click on the links below to see more fresh air!

I hope your weekend is everything you want it to be!

xo Annette xo

161.  weekends

162.  getting healthy

163.  finding an unexpected treasure

164.  lunch with Erin on the water

165.  looking through old photographs and reminiscing

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Focus On Life Week 29 ~ Celebrate Sweetness

To me, there is nothing sweeter than a child sleeping.  They look so angelic, so peaceful, so innocent, so....sweet!  And seeing my granddaughter and her grandpa together is sweet too.  Especially when she falls off her bike and he's there to pick her up.

Click the links below to see more sweetness!

xo Annette xo

161.  another week with Shylee

162.  tickles and giggles

163.  relief to find no sign of diabetes in my eyes

164.  hearing an old song that triggers good memories

165.  sleeping through the night

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Focus On Life Week 28 ~ Celebrate the Season

Summer is my second favorite season after spring.  I love the hours and hours of daylight, the fresh fruits and vegetables, and not being restricted by a coat!  I'm just happy it's not winter!

While walking along the Patuxent River, I captured these shots of summer.

You can click on the links below to see more celebrations of the season.

xo Annette xo

156.  the silliness of a six year old

157.  playing with my camera

158.  an ice cold drink that quenches thirst

159.  a cooling breeze on a hot humid afternoon

160.  the sunshine on my face

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