A challenge afoot

Though I never had the chance to write about it, I took an 8 week photo class back in January.  Since that ended I've had a bad case of "lazy photographer."  I just don't take pictures like I used to and it makes me sad.  I've done the photo challenges before but I just end up doing most or all of it on my phone, (which is fine, we can still be creative with our phones) but I need experience with my DSLR.  So thanks to faithful pinterest, I found a photo challenge to make myself take more pictures! 

 

The website wasn't anything special but I just really liked these prompts.  These are things that will expand my mind and make me think outside the box-think creatively.  So I'm setting my own rules for it and going for it!

I'm going to give myself two weeks for each prompt-I can take as many photos as I want in that two weeks

I'm going to do it in order so I don't skip the hard ones and never get back to them 

I'm going to take them all on my DSLR

I'm going to be sharing them on here and as well as what I'm learning through this challenge

So let the games, commence!    Sunday, April 28th is my start date! 

10 things you should know about me

I'm a terrible blogger, I know!  In January my computer hard drive died and I somehow survived without my faithful booger for a few weeks.  After it was fixed, I just never picked up the blogging thing again.  Makes me sad :(  I really wish I could keep it up because I love it!  And I love sharing the things I'm learning and growing in.  Soooo one of my favorite bloggers did a list of 10 things you should know about me today, so I'm gonna be a copycat and do the same as well as share some Instagram happiness!  

1.  I love blogging and secretly (Not so secretly) dream of doing it hard core every day, someday.  

2.  When I was young and stuck-up, I said I would never shop in thrift stores, but now that I'm old and poor, I work at a thrift store and absolutely love digging through people's junk and finding hidden treasures!  
 

3.  I don't know what I'm going to do if I my kids turn out not cute....

4.  The 8 key on my computer is broken so I have to punch it like 6 times before it works

5.  I. Love.  Pictures.  And I'm not just talking about taking pictures, printed pictures in my hand are my new obsession....more on that later.  

6.  I love old things.  Vintage, antique, classic things get me all excited and giddy.  

7.  Someday I wanna life in Tennessee and Colorado.   

....that key that doesn't work.  I need more reasons to take pictures so tell me to take yours!  

9.  Nothing is more peaceful to me then a spring/summer rain storm.  

10.  I love coffee....but I think I actually just love the sugar in coffee and the fact that it's so classy.  

 Oh yes....and 11.....I love good hair days and wish I could always feel this excited and happy about my hair!

Just a few...

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your family friends!  I'll share just a few photos today that sum up my week.

This GAME!  My brother got it and it's pretty much been played non-stop since then.  

The wrapping mess which has now become post-wrapping mess of boxes and paper covering our living room

Presents under the tree!

Little missy dancing ballet

Baking!  Or cleaning up...

Fake fire and real stockings

LOTS of snow!  This was when it had just started snowing Christmas eve.  We've gotten a few inches since then and more on it's way!

Yummy food and awesome Christmas light bokeh!

This was part of my gift, a family joke and a key chain camera that makes camera sounds!

Les Miserables!  Saw it Christmas night with some friends and wow, if you haven't seen it, it's SO worth it!  Amazing and so moving!

There she is!  World's ugliest tree :)

Favorite gift!  A nikkor 50mm prime lens!  I'm stoked!  and SO excited to start taking pictures with it!

More pictures to come!  Including the story of the ugliest Christmas tree and where we got it from!  Enjoy your weekend and New Years Eve!

Tis the season...

Tis the season to be jolly, to shop, to laugh, to bake, to watch cheesy Christmas movies, to eat WAY to much food, to hug, to love, to share, to create, and to bask in the wonder of this holiday. 

I've found myself the last week saying to myself, "I can't think about that or feel that way, it's Christmas and I need to enjoy every little minute of this time."  I was amazed as I fell asleep last night that in two short nights, it would all be over.  On Tuesday night, I'll fall asleep and say, "That was a great Christmas," and we'll move on with life.  I'm constantly amazed at how fast things seem to pass. 

There are things I'm putting aside today, things in my heart I can't put words to.  Pains, worries, fears, hurts, desires, and longings.  Beside those things, today is Christmas eve, this is how it is, and this is what I want to remember.  I want to remember the excitement still in my heart for Christmas morning, the excitement in my little sister to get presents!  The cookie decorating, the terrible Christmas music,  my stuffed belly, the yummy smell of bread, the wrapping paper, the movies.  And I want to capture these moments in pictures!  No I don't have the lens or the speedlight or the tri-pod I want yet, but I have a camera, and this moment is now.  So I will take pictures, I will not like some of them, but I will look back someday and remember these moments, these precious, beautiful moments! 

I'll leave you with just a few pictures that describe some the pre- Christmas excitement happening around here:

(Still need to take a picture with presents under it and fully decorated)

Amen!

Yes, Mexican is perfect Christmas food!

SNOW!!  We were blessed with a little snow the other day and some of it is still on the ground.  There is a chance for more tonight so we are praying hard!

Mexican Crock pot chicken!

 I LOVE Mexican food.  And I LOVE chicken.  I found this sweet recipe website with healthy meals to make and I decided to try some out.  A lot of the recipes have lots of veggies in them, as well as low carb/fat items!  Which is awesome!  So I decided to try a recipe using the crock pot.  It was super easy, and pretty healthy.  And best of all, it was yummy!  Even my brothers liked it!  haha so I took a few pictures to share this with you all.

First of all, our kitchen has TERRIBLE lighting so it's not easy taking pictures.  Pretty much any time I want to take pictures of something I make, I have to put it on the table which then gets light from the window.  Even then it has to be pretty bright to get a good picture.  I'm looking forward to purchasing a speed light in the near future :)  Which will help with that!

Here are my Ingredients:

 

We even got our little photo bomber in there!  And of course, it's wouldn't be complete without our chicken! 

Then, it's as easy as opening some cans, and putting them in the good old crock pot!

 

You start by putting the chicken in the bottom so it can get the most heat to cook all the way through.  

Then you add a large can of tomatoes

 A can of black beans

A can of Mexican chili beans which are SO good by the way!

Don't forget, you don't stir any of it together.  You want them to all layer perfectly so the chicken can cook and the spices will seep down and cook in.  Next it calls for a package of taco seasoning.  I also found on this website an awesome recipe for taco seasoning so instead of buying it, why not just use the spices that are already in your cupboard?

 

Here is the magic mix: 

Taco Seasoning: 2 T chili powder, 1 1/2 T cumin, 1 1/2 T paprika, 1 T onion powder, 1T garlic powder, 1/8 to 1/4 t cayenne pepper. 2 T of this will flavor 1 pound of beef, turkey, or chicken.  

  Add that on top of the beans

 Then add a can of black olives, and a can of green chilies!

Then you put a lid on it, turn it on low, and cook for 7-8 hours.  After 7-8 hours, take the chicken out of the bottom, and shred it into bite size pieces and put it back in.  Stir it all together, and enjoy!  I cut my chicken up, and let it cook for another 30 minutes just ensure it was thoroughly cooked.  I also turned my heat up to high in the last hour so I would plan on 8+ hours for cooking.  

Serve with some chips, sour cream, cheese or however you like your Mexican food

And ENJOY!

Famliy Portraits

A LONGGGG time ago (Ok, like a month ago) I took family pictures of my family.  I also took some individual shots of the kids which are now hanging in my grandparents house :)

So here they are for you to enjoy!