Project 52 l Week 8

Week 8 ; Bright

I was hoping to get out and snap some shots of the grass during golden hour for this week, but that plan didn't quite work out. Some days I was busy and couldn't get out. Plus, when I actually looked at the grass, I realized it wasn't going to be the prettiest picture. I remembered grass looking very crisp, green, and alive. The grass we have is…not. It's just dead and sad looking. (Don't get me wrong, I'm still happy to actually see it because that doesn't happen during February up here.)

With that gone, I had to get creative and decided to derive something bright from the natural light I got through the window. A lot of people had awesome pictures of brightly colored things, but we don't really have anything bright in our house. We are very neutral, soft, and natural looking people and our home reflects that. So, I worked with what I had and got this.

I decided, too, that freelensing would be great for this week. It's not the brightest here, what with there being clouds all the time, and shooting with my lens off the camera allows me to let in more light than the camera would normally. Hence, a brighter image. The technique delivered and the result was a picture of Morris napping on his favorite chair in front of what little sunlight we have. I got a beautiful, soft, bright, and airy image that far succeeded my expectations. Truthfully, too, I don't think I could've gotten a better image, even if I was able to shoot something outside.

Meet Penelope!

Meet Our Newest, Queen Penelope!

After weeks and weeks of deliberation and many visits to the colony room at the satellite location of the SPCA, yesterday was the day and we adopted this beauty. We initially met her at the SPCA in December, but ruled her out because she had claws and our little Morris didn't. She had a little bit of an attitude, too, so we thought it wasn't going to work out.

But then she showed up at the colony room and she won our hearts with her grumpy little growls, her weird hops when she plays, and the fact that she is, indeed, an exact female version of Mo. And won them more and more, week after week. We realized that she was meant to be ours when James asked me what I would do if I went there one day and she wasn't there anymore. My response was I'd cry and it was then that we knew. 

And now, we're a family of four! Mo is upset that he's no longer an only child and Penelope has found that her favorite place is under anything and we think both of them are hysterical with their antics. They're bound to realize that they're soul mates sooner or later.

Dream of Californication

Back in November or December of last year, a friend of ours had the brilliant idea of doing an "apartment hop" and calling it Winterfest. The concept is pretty much one of a bar hop, only using our apartments instead of bars since we all live in the same complex and relatively close to each other (there are three of us on the same street if that gives you an idea of how close we are). Each home got to host their own mini party and attach a theme to it; i.e. a summer themed home could have snacks you eat during the summer, summery decorations, summer drinks, music, etc.

This finally happened this past weekend and it was a BLAST. Any time with our TACP family is a good one, but this was exceptional. Imagine guys snowshoeing from house to house, people climbing up mountains of snow to get to the next house being with great difficulty due to being waist deep in snow, and my husband doing all of this in shorts. 

Why was he in shorts, you ask? Because our theme was CALIFORNIA! Of course. We were the second house and he had the smart idea to not change before going to all the other houses. This resulted in severe comedy and very, very red shins for him. We had so much fun decorating our house, though. It was my idea to do the CA theme and most of the decoration work came from James. Weeks went into this, and even more thought. Truthfully, we wanted to do much more than we did. We're talking about having celebrity cut out's of Charlie Sheen and our dear Governator, making Hollywood stars to go down on the kitchen floor, and figuring out how to have In N Out for our food. That would've cost way too much money, though, so we ex'd those out and stuck with simpler things.

Obviously, the pot plants were for comedy. Everyone thinks of marijuana when they hear California, so it had to be done. They were a hit, too, and made their way into a few pictures. The palm trees were actually mostly free(!), as a local carpet company donated one of the big cardboard rolls that comes in the center of a roll of carpet. For food, we did chips and guacamole because, hello, just add an avocado to something and it becomes Californian. We also had crackers and cheese because Napa Valley is so well known, so we figured having wine type of snacks would be appropriate, too. And to accompany all of these perfect decorations was a slideshow of pictures of California and a whole California playlist. Think Beach Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Katy Perry. 

It was pure California bliss in the middle of bliss-less New York. Summer in the middle of winter (because CA has no winter…haha). And our California flag is still hanging up about the tv. That probably won't come down for a while.

Also, I guess this is kind of a mini house tour? Now that our house is clean, I can and WILL do a full dining/living room tour soon. Once all of the decorations are down, anyway. 

Project 52 l Week 7

Week 7 l focused

I have two images for the theme this week! A good improvement from being so creatively stuck and struggling for images the past few weeks.

This weekend, we were having an apartment crawl and, of course, our theme was California. In the first picture, you can see James working on what would become a US 101 sign. Already, I knew that my image for "focused" would come from there, but that notion was solidified when Morris came. As always, he was looking for love in the wrong places and at the wrong time. He's notorious for head butting the both of us and stepping on us in the middle of the night because he wants loves. It was no different. His little mind decided it would be a good idea to lay in the center of the paper while James was working, thinking it would be perfect and that he would have to pet him because he just got in the way of business. He was wrong, but it was cute and he ended up just settling there. So, James was focused on working and Mo was focused on getting attention.

My second image wasn't even intended for this, but I knew it needed to accompany this week's theme because it was perfect. All the color pops, my ring looks outstanding, and the blur is just beautiful. It's the obvious focus of the photo. But on top of that, I was proposed to three years ago yesterday. I've been in love with this ring before my husband even intended to put it on my finger. I always seem to love it more, though, and focus on it more year after year on Valentine's Day. This man still has my focus, too, even after being together for over 5 years. It just fit perfectly with this theme, and I couldn't not include it. 

Happy Love Day!

Happy Valentine's Day, dear reader! Today is the day of flowers, chocolate, hallmark cards, and love! 

We started our day today at 6 am, when I got up for work and James got up because his internal clock won't let him sleep in. Wonderful way to start the day, yes? As I'm not a morning person, not really, but I do enjoy my job, so there's the good that outweighs the bad.

In all truth, it was more of a normal day than anything. We went grocery shopping, had dinner at a pizza place, and we pretty much went about our normal daily routines. That's just how it is in our household, though. The two of us aren't strong believers in Valentine's Day because, well, we love each other every day. I don't love him more just because it's Valentine's Day. I love him just the same, and vice versa. But, it is a day for everyone to remember that they're loved, whether in a relationship or not, and I think that's a good notion. As is the notion that not only does at least one person out there love you and appreciate you for being you, but it's a day to remember that you should love yourself and others, too. Today and every day.

What was different, though, was my husband showing up at the office with a vase of sunflowers in hand to tell me happy V-Day. That's not a usual thing and even better than people seeing how wonderful my man is, is being able to reminisce on our dating days. Back in our baby days, James would show up at my job randomly with a flower in hand, usually a sunflower. Being the good man he is, he knows I don't like red roses. An unconventional and free-spirited flower for an unconventional and free-spirited girl. Seeing him holding a whole vase made me feel like I was 18 again and gave me an absurd amount of butterflies. And seriously, I was actually unable to focus on what I was doing for a good five minutes. Charmer, he is.

Our day is over, now, with the two of us proving to be like an old married couple by tiring out before 10 in the evening. For us, I would say this was a successful and wonderful holiday. 

Love Dates

In honor of Valentine's Day, I've been inspired to write this post! I got the idea from a friend of mine, Brianna (see her blog here!), who had made a post about her own "love dates" with her husband. Like her, I loved it and thought what better thing to blog around love day than this? The idea is to tell the story of our relationship through significant dates, so here it is!

10 January 2009

James and I began talking extensively while he was deployed to Iraq. For those of you who are assuming we had an online relationship, think again because we knew each other for many years before the start of our "relationship" began. And, fun fact, I still have the very first messages we sent to each other.

9 May 2009

James came home after his deployment on leave and we went on our first date (we were such babies!). Macaroni Grill followed by Baskin Robbins, and then time spent just talking and getting to know each other face to face. 

July 2009

James, sadly, had to go back to Drum. He left with my heart, though, and had me completely smitten. I "forgot" to give back his dog tags, which he knew but was okay with since some of the information on them was wrong and he needed new ones.

January 2010

Part of James's job sent him to a school Vegas for career progression. He was there for about 4-5 weeks and drove all the way from there to our home town. It was that weekend when he taught me more about his job and it was then that I realized that I could handle that lifestyle should I be lucky enough to get to that point one day.

2 July - 20 July 2010

Again, James came back home on leave, this time before his second deployment, and first one to Afghanistan. It was also during this time when I decided to take my first vacation on my own, and I flew back to New York with him on my way to New Hampshire to visit my best friend. It was during this month that I visited Watertown for the first time, saw his home, where he worked, met some of his friends, and experienced where I would eventually move to. 

January 2011

At the end of this month, James came home from his second deployment. With how worried I was throughout his time in country, how upset I was when I missed a call, and how deeply I cared that he was safe and how hard I prayed, I knew this was the man for me. 

14 February 2011

James came home and proposed to me with the most beautiful ring and the most perfect proposal for me. Unbeknownst to me, he had called multiple times and spent the better part of the month on the phone with where he bought my ring from, making sure that my ring was perfect and working out every detail, while he was deployed. Also, this would be the last time he left California without me by his side.

9 July 2011

I got to marry this incredible man. This was, by far, one of the happiest days of my life. The only days that rival this was the day he proposed and each day that he came home from a deployment safely. 

photo courtesy of Megan Eliza Photography

13 July 2011

James and I traveled back to New York together and I saw our home for the first time. We also got word that he would deploying two months from then and I would get to live in a whole new place by myself, without my husband. Thanks, Air Force. 

5 September 2011

He left for Afghanistan for a second time and I cried my eyes out that day. Sending him off and watching the bus leave was a whole new hurt. I'm eternally grateful that I never have to feel that specific hurt again because this would be his last deployment.

7 February 2012

I cried again that day, this time tears of joy. James came home, safe and sound. 

Since then, we've experience tons of things together that we never really had the opportunity to. We had our first Christmas as a married couple and as a family, we went home together for the first time, took so many trips and got to go on our honeymoon, we got to spend birthdays together without the stress of an impending absence, and we got to live life as married people. We got to live together. It's been rough and it's been serenely comfortable at times, but they've been our times. Our relationship is unique and different and non-conventional, but I love that. It's our relationship, our story, and that makes it so imperfectly special to me. I wouldn't change any of this, not one single piece. 

Excuse the mush mush gush gush, but this is real and it's my heart. We're talking about my best friend and the person I chose to spend my weird, but phenomenal, life with. At the end of every day, I smile knowing that I get to crawl into bed with him and sleep with his warmth at my side, just because it's him. I kind of get to get sappy, sometimes, especially because I am blessed to be this guy's wife. 

Project 52 l Week 6

week 6 ; paradise

I am not living in paradise right now. At all. We've had somewhere around 2 or 3 feet of snow fall over the past four days, and it's been non-stop. Today (Sunday) was the first day when I haven't woken up to snow falling. And I will admit, I do like to watch the snow fall. It's very peaceful, what with it descending so quietly and gently. Two of my favorite things to do are just sit on the couch with a mug of tea in the evening, watching it float down to the ground, and looking out of the car window and seeing snowflakes stick to the rim, which lets you see what makes each snowflake unique and the detailed shapes of every, single one. The "myth" that every snowflake is different isn't a myth at all, and it amazes me that nature customizes these little crystalline structures.

It gets old, though. Very quickly. Especially after 4 days. So this is what I've realized:

My paradise consists of very little of this white stuff, and a whole lot of sunlight and flare. And if that white stuff DOES have to be here, it could at least be light and fluffy, light enough to be able to see each individual snowflake.

Project 52 l Week 5

Week 5's theme was "Noise." 

I'm sure at first glance, this doesn't convey "noise" at all. In all truths, our household isn't a loud one. James and I are the only two in our house, and then we have Morris, who is even quieter than the both of us. There aren't any dogs running around and barking, no kids doing what kids do and being loud, and our only pet barely makes noise at all.

Summed up, we have a very noiseless house. 

This picture came from an everyday occurrence where Mo sneaks away from us and goes to sleep. Not a peep coming from this little one as he goes away to a quiet, noiseless room for nap time.

For him, a lack of noise is a good thing.