merry christmas

from my family to yours....

merry

christmas!

wishing you health, wealth and happiness to you and your family in the coming year!

christmas eve

on this eve of the birth of jesus
it brings me back to the first christmas
and why we celebrate christmas in the first place

some recent conversations have really made me contemplate why so many people celebrate christmas when they don't even believe in God
but then i see what christmas has become and realize most people probably don't know what the season is even about

it irritates me how the whole season has become so much about consumerism
and how much money the stores can make
and how much money people can spend and go in debt
and how much we shouldn't use "christ" as we might offend someone

i'm fairly sure that's not what He had in mind that first christmas
but instead, it should be a time to remember the ultimate gift we were given - a baby
and what he did for us
and to think about the people we love
and somehow give them a small token
to let them know how much we care about them, too

it doesn't matter how much you spend
or if you get the hottest item
but that you spend quality time with the ones you love
and love the one that is the reason for the season

my new obsession

have you ever wanted to try to paint
but convinced you have no artistic ability?
you need painting with a twist
i don't know how they do it but they make everyone an artist!

i've already been twice
once for a private party in texas

oops - crooked picture

once while i was in tampa for work

which was fun getting back home on the plane
apparently it counts as a carry-on if it's not in another bag
whatever...

they're currently in 15 states
so go look it up and get to one in an area near you
STAT!
believe me you'll be amazed at how great your painting will look
no matter what your skill set is

there are so many more i want to do
i'll share them with you as i do more

i'd love to see yours too if you go - email it to me...

**********************************
two more things...

1. this is NOT a paid advertisement - just wanted to share a new awesome thing i found
2. to answer a reader question - duke is a yorkie-poo (yorkshire terrier and poodle mix)

post-processing - week 2

i had noticed after i reduced the resolution on the week 1 photos that it made it hard to see the difference in the before and after
and thanks for the comments confirming it's not just my eyes either
so i took a different approach for week 2

for week two we learned how to turn a picture black and white
and how to do layers
and how to add back color to your black and white photo

here are the before and afters i made...

i really enjoyed this technique
which do you prefer?
what would you change in them?

happy birthday to...

today is duke's birthday!!!
or so i made up
because i don't actually know his birthday
but either way - he's 8 years old now

duke didn't have the best start
but as sean tells him all the time, he doesn't know just how good he has it now

back in 2003 i knew i was ready to take the responsibility leap
so i asked my friend that worked at a vet to be on the lookout
the phone call came
some cuties had been confiscated by an animal control officer from a puppy mill
a boy and a girl - the girl was already spoken for - but not the boy
he had tape worms and fleas and was weaned too early
but he was so teeny-tiny and timid
and as another friend put it "you know he's coming home with you..."
and that he did!

and my life hasn't been the same since - in a good way
he's quite the traveler - we often say he's been to more states than most people
we've lost count now
he's even been outside the country now

his favorite things are:
car rides

playing ball

and napping

his greatest memory to date is the day he helped Sean ask his mommy to marry him

he's officially his daddy now - he got adopted when we got married
he was even a part of our big day - yes, we're those kind of people

and now we're off for a birthday treat - can you guess what it is...

happy birthday dukie!  here's to many, many, many more years!

are you the happiest person in america

during one of my work trips i came across an article in usa today
(cuz it comes free every morning outside my hotel door)
it claimed this lady was the happiest person in america
being how i had been feeling not so happy
i just had to read what "made people happy"

i was a little appalled when i read the criteria
which is said to have come from healthways science and well-being research

work

• college degree, some graduate school; professional or executive class
• family income of $120,000+
• commute under 10 minutes
• professional full-time job

health

• good physical and emotional health
• bmi (body mass index) under 30 (obesity = 30 or more)
• exercises 30-45 minutes, 6 days a week

relationships

• married and never divorced
• 2 children, gives birth between ages 27-36
• no caregiving for young children or sickly parents, in-laws, spouse
• has 4-12 intimate friends

some of these items i find interesting
like making over 120,000 makes you happy
or exercising 6 days as week makes you happy
and apparently you have to have had kids but no longer care for them to be happy

it says you can find an expanded checklist at yourlife.usatoday.com but i couldn't find it

what are your thoughts?  do you find happiness in these things?  if not, what do you find happiness in?

what i'm reading now

i'm actually reading two books at once right now
one for fun
and one for knowledge
book names are links again

11/22/63 - this is the newest stephen king book (who happens to live in maine) and actually, sad to say, the first one i've read (although right this second "bag of bones" is recording on the dvr).  i hate time travel movies so was guessing i wouldn't like this book but sean read it and couldn't put it down so i thought i'd give it a shot.  it's about a guy that goes back in time and tries to save kennedy from being shot.  king leaves no questions unanswered - like how do you get money.  i'm hooked and about 40% through the book.  with no work travel the rest of the year (doing the no-work-travel-dance!) that means no airplane rides so i probably won't finish it until next year (can you believe that's only a couple of weeks away?!?!).

Integrative Nutrition:  Feed Your Hunger for Health and Happiness - one of my friends is a holistic health counselor and this was offered for free on her website last month.  i love the approach to health and happiness this takes.  it's a wealth of information about what food is and what it should be.  i've already started to make some changes and can already see a difference (and i've actually lost a little weight too).  after i finish up the book (although not a prerequisite), which i'm about 40% through, i'll be setting up my counseling sessions.  can't wait to see what the new year will bring with this new way of thinking!  if you're interested in checking out her services head on over to her website, Healthy Weigh to Live, and schedule a free initial consultation (if you don't live in her area, no biggie, she also offers phone or skype!).

on my kindle

another benefit to traveling so much is all the little perks
a while back the hotel brand i usually stay at ran a special
for every so many stays you got an amazon gift card
i "lucked out" and stayed enough to get a gift card with enough on it for a kindle!
and since i got it i've read more than the last 20 years combined
so here's what i've been reading
(the book names are links in case you're interested in any of them - i get nothing by recommending them to you - i just want to pass along a recommendation)

The Hunger Games Trilogy - i think this is technically a children's book but i just couldn't put it down.  i decided to read it based on a recommendation from a friend.  it's about a post-apocalyptic word where children are forced to fight to the death in the "hunger games" by the government.  i can't wait for the first movie to come out in march.

Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) - after seeing everyone in the airport with this book and after the recommendation of a fellow passenger i decided to take this trilogy on (they're really thick books and that usually deters me but thanks to the kindle i have no idea how thick the book is!).  the whole series is about a super old murder and trying to solve it.  if you can get past the names and that you'll never be able to pronounce them you won't be able to put it down.  i've already watched the swedish movie version and can't wait for american version later this month!

One Day - this was also recommended by a friend.  the writing was very clever.  each chapter was the same day but a different year and it followed the lives of two individuals.  i really enjoyed this and yet another book that became a movie.  it's at the top of my netflix list.

The Glass Castle - also recommended by a friend it's a true story of a girl and her unorthodox childhood and upbringing.  it made me realize my upbringing wasn't so bad.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - this is another one with a very unique writing style (and another recommended by a friend).  the entire book is written as letters.  once i got used to the writing style i really enjoyed this book.

Gunn's Golden Rules - yea, i read it - i admit it.  i liked reading the "backstage" stuff from project runway - the rest, eh...

Room:  A Novel - this one i saw an ad for when we were in london for new years.  another one written strange - from a 5 year old.  it's about a woman that was kidnapped and had a baby while in captivation.  it was highly predictable and not the best book i've ever read.

what have you read recently that you would recommend?  i'm always looking for a good book to read.

post-processing - week 1

i've been taking another online photography class
don't know what i was thinking doing it during december
but i am - and i'm two weeks behind
this one is about enhancing your photos after you've already taken them
i don't feel like i have a very good eye for this
so i thought i'd show y'all and see what you think
before

after

before

after

before

after

before

after

thoughts?  what would you change?
keep in mind this is only from week 1 where we learn the basics

key west - random sights

this is my final posting about our trip to key west
it was a great time...and beautiful and sunny and a nice climate and fun and relaxing
and if you've never been - book your ticket now
and drive the 7 mile bridge
and get some kino shoes - just don't go when the cruise ship lets off
enjoy the hodge-podge of sights from our trip!

the boat races

our time in key west happened to coincide with the speed boat races

we didn't plan that
they take the boats in and out of the water with cranes!

it disturbed my spa time by closing down the path to get to sunset key

my dream boat

and disturbed the peace during my massage by being so load

but also offered us a little entertainment by watching

and hitting up the parade on duval

unfortunately multiple people died in the races
they're soooooo fast!

and it's soooooo very dangerous
and is exactly why i am soooooo scared by sean's new toy

i'm so glad we were not watching when the accidents happened

better 1, better 2

this may be my all-time favorite picture i took from our trip to key west
but i can't decide which i like better
so i thought i'd ask you...

better 1?

better 2?

practicing in key west

while in key west i did take a couple minutes to practice using the macro lens i figured out i had
enjoy!

these totally remind me of paintings
so i really need to get back into learning how to paint
so i can try making my own version with paint
good thing i went to painting with a twist today