Gratituesday: a made bed

Gratituesday is a weekly blog post (that I try to keep up with) I got involved with over here. You should join, too! If you do, be sure to let me know in the comments as I would love to read what you write about. If you have been reading my blog for a while now, you know my mantra. It's the simple things in life that matter.

Yessss.

So today's Gratituesday? I am loving having a made bed.

A made bed is kind of like the little sister to a clean kitchen sink for me. Everything in the world is just right when the kitchen sink is clean and my bed is made. The house is peaceful... my to-do list is complete... the dogs are behaving...  and everything is in it's place! Okay... maybe life really isn't like that... but who cares, the bed is made! The kitchen sink is clean!

My perspective on my day is different. It brings peace in my heart. And it makes me happy.

So today? Today my bed is made and I am grateful for it.

What are you grateful for this week?

January Self Portrait | Personal

While a general (smart phone, at that) 365 project is enough of a challenge for me, there are people out there taking 365 self portraits this year. Talk about a huge challenge. I greatly admire their dedication and creativity to take and edit a picture of the same subject every single day.  I have really been inspired by a lot of the self portrait projects I have seen the past few years... some I have seen have absolutely blown me away. I know that taking self portraits is one of the first things artists attempt to help them practice creativity. It is usually the first step or assignment in any workshop, class, or project. So here's my confession: I hardly ever take self-portraits anymore. I used to take them... until myspace got popular and I simply got weirded out with people thinking I stood around in my bathroom all day taking pictures of myself. (Where else is there a large mirror at my disposal?) Although I do remember being particularly proud of this little gem back in 2005:

Oh yeah. I took that baby with my little Nikon Coolpix I got for my birthday that year! (See? I was once a Nikon girl!) And in the WalMart parking lot, no less. Ahhh... we all start somewhere. :)

Anyway, so all that to say... Welcome to my new 12 month project. One of my items on my 101 in 1001 list is to complete 12 consecutive months of a monthly photo project and since I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I prefer to start most projects at the beginning of the year. I'll be taking 12 self portraits this year and posting one at the end of each month. I hope to be able to stretch my creative wings and try a few new things with this project... we'll see how it goes!

January 2011 | texture

Gratituesday: All the small things

Gratituesday is a weekly blog post (that I try to keep up with) I got involved with over here. You should join, too! If you do, be sure to let me know in the comments as I would love to read what you write about. Happy Tuesday, Friends.

I should have written this entry this morning... when I was in a yucky mood that inspired this little diddy. Taking the time to write a blog post about the good things in life always plays a little mind trick on me, usually turning my frown upside down. I am sure those with whom I interacted with today probably would have appreciated my frown have a flip to it. (Good thing they love me regardless. ;))

Tonight... I am grateful for things that are good for my soul. I know, pretty broad topic. The past few days have been a little rocky. I honestly don't know if it's nutrition related or what... but I have been Cranky with a capital C. I'm talking... the kind of cranky where even I know I am being ridiculous. But, there have been a few things that have helped me stop and smell the roses, per se... and this week, I am grateful for them.

Specifically...

This song:

My church family that continually embraces me and reminds me what real love is.

All the people and conversations that have fallen into place perfectly over the past few days (err, God's provision, really)... helping me find peace about a big decision.

Good (non-project-interrupting) weather today.

That Tommy tells me like it is. =)

So... this week... I am grateful for all the small things! Here's to hoping I'll get a great night sleep tonight that'll knock this cranky attitude out of me.

What are you grateful for this week?

taking the train | personal

Well, it’s only January and I am knocking things off of my 101 in 1001 list left and right! Although I shouldn’t get too far ahead of myself since I only have 50 items on the list so far. But, I am excited to cross another item off of it! # 39. Take a trip on a train.

Last Tuesday night I boarded a train to Atlanta to spend a few days with Tommy while he was down there for work. If I’m being honest, I actually almost missed it. Had you been there to see me, you would have totally been able to tell I was a complete newbie. Oops! Lucky for me everyone who was already on the train was asleep, so I didn't have to do any sort of walk-of-shame. :) I took the red-eye (is it called that if it’s a train?) through the night and arrived in Atlanta in the morning.

Overall it was a great experience. Purchasing my ticket, boarding, and riding the train was overall a LOT less stressful than dealing with an airport. The attendants were super laid back and there was plenty of space for me to sleep comfortably in my seat and actually tuck my oversized purse in my seat with me. The pop-up foot rests were a treat, too! While there is a luggage limit, you would have to be moving to a new town to reach it (you can bring whatever you can carry). And though I didn’t take advantage of one of the available beds in a sleeping car, I can definitely appreciate that the option was there.

The best part of the whole thing was that the cost of the train ticket was less than half the cost of a one-way flight from Lynchburg to Atlanta. You can’t beat that! Taking a trip on a train is definitely something I hope to do again in the future... especially because each passenger has their very own electrical outlet right at their seat! Can you say a working trip? Yesss.

And because all posts are more interesting with photos... here's one of my 365 shots taken while I was in Atlanta at Condesa Coffee. This is, hands down, the best coffee I have ever had in my entire life.

Gratituesday: dog sitters!

Gratituesday is a weekly blog post (that I try to keep up with) I got involved with over here. You should join, too! If you do, be sure to let me know in the comments as I would love to read what you write about. Tommy and I travel a lot. Between my job and his, we are basically required to do so. On top of that, we like to travel. We have family and friends all over the country and we have done our fair share of traveling internationally (I'll give Tommy credit for doing much more international travel than me). With traveling comes the regular routine of tying up loose ends before leaving town... packing bags... loading hard drives with work (and entertainment), and finding dog and house sitters.

This week... I am so, so grateful for our troop of dog sitters. Between family, friends, and care.com (for real!) we have a fantastic circle of people who love our pups as much as we do. I love that we can call any one of these people at the last minute to take care of our pups! I know our dogs are safe, comfortable, and taken good care of while we are away and the security that offers us is priceless.

Tonight I'm boarding a train to Atlanta to join Tommy at a work conference (through Friday) and I am so grateful that our dogs (and our home) are safe in the care of trustworthy people.

What are you grateful for this week?