Project 365/2011 - Day 1

Here we go!  Off to a new year of pictures!

Day 1 - January 1

Dinnertime for the horses as the sun sets...I love how Ruby's little head is peeking out from under Ginger's neck!  

I'm trying my new lens, to edit my photos well, and using photo hosting in the hopes the quality translates better onscreen.

Until next time...

O Great God

I can think of no better prayer or focus for me in 2011.  This Puritan prayer was tweaked a little and made into a beautiful hymn we sing at church sometimes (which is featured in the video below).  The song and the prayer are so full of theology and doctrine it's incredible!  The song, especially, seems to 'cover it all' for me - please take the time to listen!


O God of the highest heaven


Occupy the throne of my heart,
take full possession and reign supreme,
law low every rebel lust,
let no vile passion resist they holy war;
manifest Thy mighty power,
and make me thine forever.


Thou art worthy to be praised with my every breath,
loved with my every faculty of soul,
served with my every act of life.


Thou hast loved me, espoused me, received me,
purchased, washed, favored, clothed, adorned me,
when I was worthless, vile, soiled, polluted.


I was dead in iniquities,
having no eyes to see Thee,
no ears to hear Thee,
no taste to relish Thy joys,
no intelligence to know Thee;


But Thy spirit has quickened me,
has brought me into a new world as a new creature,
has given me spiritual perception,
has opened to me Thy Word as light, guide, solace, joy.


Thy presence is to me a treasure of unending peace;


No provocation can part me from Thy sympathy,
for Thou has drawn me with cords of love,
of my hopes, and my vocation.


Keep me, for I cannot keep myself;


Protect me that no evil befall me;


Let me lay aside every sin admired of many;


Help me to walk by Thy side,
lean on Thy arm,
hold converse with Thee,


That henceforth I may be salt of the earth and a blessing to all.









Happy New Year!


Until next time...

Project 365 - Days 361-366

Okay, so obviously, I miscounted somewhere.  But you know what!?  I can't believe I'm only one day off!  So, I'm actually rather proud of myself!  Here are the last few pictures of the year - all of which were taken on my new camera...

Day 361 - December 26

And here it is!  A Nikon D3100.  We were looking at other cameras but this one was a lower entry price compared to the others and has a fun 'guide' feature to help you get the perfect shot. Anyway, it seemed to have all the bells and whistles as the more expensive cameras just at a better price!  Hopefully my pictures will start reflecting a better camera, lens and photographer!

Day 362 - December 27

Here's our little resident cutie-pie.  I was playing around with my camera, taking some close up pictures and got this gem...

Day 363 - December 28

Just before they left to go home, we got one last picture in with the cousins.  Jack was feeling the effects of a cold and teething so his Mom had to hold him in the picture (otherwise he started crying ;-(  But we got one good one where everyone was smiling AND looking at the camera!  Yea!

On a side note, I think I'm going to have to research how to get the best optimized pictures to post on the web (without having a huge file size) as I notice the pictures are not looking nearly as good once uploaded as they did on my computer!  If anyone has any tips, please let me know!

Day 364 - December 29

We had three deer visit our backyard - two of them bucks!  The lens that came with the camera couldn't get too close of the deer through the window.  But I bought a new lens the other day with an awesome zoom so I'm hoping the deer return soon so I can take some new, close-up pictures! 

Day 365 - December 30

Warm golden sunrise.  Well, it wasn't warm outside but the colors were warm!  Already, I am loving the wide angle on this lens compared to my point and shoot.  NOW you can get a better idea of the vast expanse of the sky...

Day 366 - December 31

This is my view most of the time when I'm blogging or on the computer for anything and I thought it a fitting way to end this year of pictures - as it will most like begin the next year as well!

Happy New Year and thank you for sticking with me through this year of daily photos!!!

Until next time...

Project 365 - Days 354-360

Day 354/365 - December 19

I took Belle out today to let her stretch her legs and she found a pile of manure that she was very intent on smelling.  Then she would lift her head and make this face!  Funny girl!

Day 355/365 - December 20

While grainy, this photo shows that I've decorated most of the house so far.  The tree has been up for awhile but it might be it's last year since we can't get several rows of lights to work anymore!  We've had this monster 12-footer for 6 years now so it's definitely saved us money over the years (versus buying a live 12-foot tree each year!).  

Day 356/365 - December 21

This was actually from a few days ago (but I needed a filler).  We gave Ava my old Zire (one of the first electronic organizers they came out with - it had a Palm OS).  Anyway, she was/is obsessed with it!  Oh my, we might have created a monster!

Day 357/365 - December 22

Our holiday guests have arrived and the cutest one in the bunch posed for an adorable picture with my two girls.  The animal hat theme sure looked cute!  On a side note, I noticed after everyone left and I had a chance to look through my pictures, that my point and shoot took a lot of blurry, out of focus pictures.  I'm sure the lens just needs a good cleaning but I sure am glad I got a new DSLR for Christmas to hopefully start taking some better shots!

Day 358/365 - December 23

While not everyone was looking at the camera, this was the best picture I got of Grandma with the grandkids that were on hand this year!

Day 359/365 - December 24

Being the technologically advanced family that we are, I read the Christmas story (aka the story of Jesus' birth) from the ESV Bible I have loaded on my iPhone, after our Christmas Eve service and before opening presents!

Day 360/365 - December 25

Here is our family picture for the holidays!  Everyone but Jack is looking at the camera...but a pretty decent picture nonetheless.  We took this picture with my new camera and while I'm still getting the hang of the settings and such, I already appreciate the wider angle and finally a picture that is in focus!

Until next time...

Project 365 - Days 347-353

Day 347/365 - December 12

After a wonderful morning service at church, we returned home and in the evening made Christmas sugar cookies while watching/listening to our church's Christmas concert live on the web.  Fun, cozy evening!

Day 348/365 - December 13

Ava put the first gift of the season under the tree.  She used the money she earned over the year doing chores to buy a gift for everyone who was coming for Christmas.  So sweet!

Day 349/365 - December 14

Jason had some free time this week so we picked Ava up from school and headed right into town for dinner and a movie!  "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" was an exciting, good movie though reviews are mixed on how it followed the book.  I can't comment as I've never read the book!

Day 350/365 - December 15

Today was our follow up with the neurosurgeon at Children's Hospital in Dallas.  He reiterated what he said at our first appointment 6 months ago, that he feels Amelia is doing so well, that the risks of surgery far outweigh the potential benefits.  So, we are free to continue on in life.  No more follow ups needed unless we see a marked regression!  Yea!  A definite answer to prayer!

Day 351/365 - December 16

Every year, on the last ballet lesson before Christmas, Ava's teacher allows the parents to sit in on class so they can see how their child is progressing, what the dances the class is working on, etc.  A sort of informal recital.  Ava is doing much better in her dancing (she is the one in the bright pink in the front ;-)  and it's always fun to see all the other dancers together.

Day 352/365 - December 17

We made our annual trip to the Gaylord to see Santa.  Amelia was much more happy to see Santa and sit on his lap then she was last year! 

Day 353/365 - December 18

Another gorgeous sunset to end the day and end this week of Project 365!

Until next time...

Project 365 - Days 340-346

Day 340 - December 5

The girls made these cute ornaments I found at Target while I decorated the tree.  (And yes that was to keep them busy so they would not want to decorate our main tree ;-)

Day 341 - December 6

Is it just my bad luck that the same year we acquire 5 new horses, no hay gets mowed or baled on our property so now I'm having to BUY all my hay?  *sigh*  It's going to be a l o n g winter!

Day 342 - December 7

These are the ill-fated poinsettias I referred to in my last post.  Poor plants.  They revived a bit when I brought them back in but I don't really have much of a green thumb anyway so they were doomed from the beginning.

Day 343 - December 8

Amelia and I spent a long 2 hours at the car dealership waiting for the oil to be changed.  Luckily, they had some toys there that she made good use of!

Day 344 - December 9

I broke down and bought Jason a massage chair for his birthday earlier this year.  Yeah, I know, the salesman really had to twist my arm!  Anyway, there are few things more wonderful than this chair and recently, the girls have discovered it.  Here, my oldest comfort-queen, Ava, commandeered the chair with eye mask and blanket in tow.  Oh my. I think we're in for it!

Day 345 - December 10

The nights (and days) are getting colder around here so when I left a horse blanket laying on the cold, concrete barn floor for a minute, my cat quickly claimed it for his own warm, comfortable bed.

Day 346 - December 11

Jason and I were in downtown Ft Worth for his company's Christmas Party and I snapped this picture of Sundance Square as we walked by.  It was so festive and I really wanted to bring the girls back because one of the horse drawn carriages going around was a large, Christmas lighted pumpkin-coach, fit for a princess, that I knew Ava would love.  However, Christmas activities didn't provide us an opportunity but I hope to do that next year! 

Until next time...