Photo-a-Day + Link-up | January {week four}

ONE | Reading the Word.

TWO | Thrift store treasures!  I'm especially excited about finding the little chalkboard!  The small shelf and the wood frames will be repainted.

THREE | Smudge on the woodshed roof.

FOUR | Baking.

FIVE | Alex serenades Bonnie with his ukulele.  Seriously loving the look on Bonnie's face. *grin*

SIX | My new/first camera tripod!  So excited!!

SEVEN | I finally put this vinyl decal above the doorway to the kitchen.  I really, really love it there.

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Now it's your turn!  

Post your photo-a-day pictures on your blog, then share the link in the link-y below!

Link-up Rules:

Follow my blog via GFC, Bloglovin', or email - so you can keep updated on link-up info!
Include a link to my blog in your post.

Please link to your photo post, not your blog home page.

Most of all, have fun exploring and sharing the world around you through your camera lens!

This link-y will be open until February 6th, so you have a whole week to get your post up and share your photos.

Thanks for linking up!  I can't wait to see your photos for this week!

Outfit // Purple Winter

l-r: Seven, Margaret, Helen, and Maggie.

Ferdinand, our Columbia ram.  Such a sweetie!

o u t f i t

purple slouch hat // gifted

plaid scarf // gifted

jean jacket // gifted

purple sweater // Kohls (rather long ago)

jeans // Old Navy (ThredUp)

mud boots // who knows

It's been so warm here lately - well, compared to really cold - so during my afternoon walk I decided to try taking outfit photos myself.  Hank is pretty good with my camera, but since he's gone during the day it makes that option unrealistic.  At least until summer when it stays light longer.  So, I'm going to take them myself.  It is admittedly really strange, smiling and posing for your camera.  But pretty fun, too!  The dog thinks it's fun, running around with me.  She thinks it's a game and wants to play, too. *smile*

And I think this is the first outfit that I've styled pants.  I'm sure there are other pictures of me wearing pants, but not in an outfit post.  I love wearing jeans during the cold winter months, even though skirts will always be my favorite.  Sometimes, you just want the freedom.

Are you a skirts or jeans or both girl?

Do you take your outfit photos yourself?

I want to know!

Photo-a-Day + Link-up | January {week three}

ONE & TWO | Jenga with my bro.  This is the game that I received at my bridal shower - everyone wrote words of wisdom about marriage on the blocks.  Love it!

THREE | These hot sauce packets caught our eye. *smile*

FOUR & FIVE | Eagle watching!  It was really windy, and the eagles were high above the lake, enjoying the currents.  I used my 55mm-200mm lens, but Hank gets the credit for the above picture.

SIX | An embroidery project - it's a line from Alice in Wonderland, one of my favorites.

SEVEN | Duck eggs!

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Now it's your turn!  

Post your photo-a-day pictures on your blog, then share the link in the link-y below!

Link-up Rules:

Follow my blog via GFC, Bloglovin', or email - so you can keep updated on link-up info!
Include a link to my blog in your post.

Please link to your photo post, not your blog home page.

Most of all, have fun exploring and sharing the world around you through your camera lens!

This link-y will be open until January 30th, so you have a whole week to get your post up and share your photos.

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Who will link-up this week?  I can't wait to see!

It's Awesome + Shop Sale

It's awesome doing an "It's awesome" post!  It's been a while!

It's awesome talking to my nieces on the phone.  I can't always understand what they're saying, but they seem happy as long as I'm excited to listen to them.

It's awesome coming home from Open Arms and find that Hank has used his day off to do 4 loads of laundry and do all of the dishes and bake chocolate chip cookies!

It's awesome having a husband that awesome.  He blesses and encourages me every day and I'm so thankful for him.

It's awesome having time to revamp the blog, which is what I'll be working on soon. Stay tuned!

It's awesome that I also have time to work on new products for the shop - stay tuned for that as well!

It's awesome just being alive.  Having eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to love others as Christ loves me.  Taking time to appreciate the little things in life.

It's awesome that my ducks are laying again.  Seriously awesome...and yummy!

It's awesome that I'm going to crochet day at Jenny's again!  Today is our first one since...June?  Yikes!  I'm so excited!  It's even more fun now that Jenny is my sister and Heather is my cousin. :)

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So, after all that awesome, I have a quick shop announcement...

Yes, this is your last chance to own a Wool & Whatnot bow slouch hat!

30% off from Jan 24th - Feb 14th, and then they're gone.

During the closeout sale, you'll save on the rest of my winter inventory - embroidered gloves and ruffle scarves!  I'm discontinuing most of the ruffle scarf colors, so this will be your last chance for those, too.

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I'd better hurry up and get ready to go to crochet day.  Have a lovely day, everyone!

What's awesome in your life?  I want to know!

Photo-A-Day + Link-up | January {week two}

ONE | Through my kitchen window.  Ignore the dirtiness of the window.  I thank you.

TWO | Return of the purple tulip!  I may or may not have squealed, "Ooh!  Pretty flowers!!" while at the grocery store with Hank, so he had to buy them for me. *wink*

THREE | Smudge the kitty sitting around with Emma and Phrionnsa.

FOUR | Our wedding vows.  Pastor Paul did such a beautiful job on the ceremony and vows.

FIVE | My "craft room", such as it is.  Needs a bit of organizing.

SIX | Bonnie napping in front of the stove.

SEVEN | Our cute little house.

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Now it's your turn!  

Post your photo-a-day pictures on your blog, then share the link in the link-y below!

Link-up Rules:

Follow my blog via GFC, Bloglovin', or email - so you can keep updated on link-up info!
Include a link to my blog in your post.

Please link to your photo post, not your blog home page.

Most of all, have fun exploring and sharing the world around you through your camera lens!

This link-y will be open until January 23rd, so you have a whole week to get your post up and share your photos.

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I can't wait to see your photos!

Photo-a-Day + News | January {week one}

This first week and a half of 2015 has been incredible.  If this is any indication of how the rest or the year will unfold, it's going to be a fantastic one!

The delightful and fabulous news, is that my bestie is engaged! *huge smile*  I'm so, so happy for my dearest Kellie.  Praise the Lord for bringing them together!  I rejoice in this new adventure that Kellie and Christopher are beginning together, and I'm more than  a little excited to be the Matron of Honor. *grin*

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ONE | Hank's brother came from Wisconsin for Christmas and they had fun shooting guns when he visited our house.

TWO | The Bonnie dog.

THREE | Smudge, the kitty cat.  She's supposed to be outside...but when the cats away, the mice will play!  Except, it's the cat who's playing, so that makes Hank a...oh, never mind.

FOUR | Sheepies!  The black face on the left is Ellie and the smaller one is her daughter Seven.  In the front (l-r) are Helen, Phrionnsa (pronounced "Frunsa" which is Gaelic for "princess"), and Laura.

FIVE | Ta-da!  The diffuser!

SIX | Some intense thank you note writing has been going on here.  The end is near...one way or the other!

SEVEN | We've caught this family of elk munching our hay several times!

EIGHT | This horse gets loose and comes visit the next door buffet, too.  We just lead him back home and leave him there.

NINE | Beautiful hand dyed wool yarn from my sister-in-law Molly.

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We finally got some real snow...after Christmas.  *sigh*  There was a tiny bit of snow Christmas morning, which was enough to put us in the Christmas spirit, but not real snow.  This, is real snow.

I reintroduced Hank to Psych this past week.  We watched the pilot episode while we were courting, but didn't have time for anything more.  Only a few episodes into Season 1, and Hank is wanting to watch the show every evening.  A Psych-O is born! *grin*

Originally, I thought essential oils sounded, well...silly.  At the very least, they couldn't be as amazing as so many people say they are.  That point of view was altered when I had an ear infection and my sister-in-law gave me some Lemon oil to use.  The discomfort was pretty much gone within a day.  So, we ordered a starter pack from Young Living and are learning a bit about essential oils.  We just got the diffuser, and I love it.  I'm hoping it will help with my headaches and the winter dryness that makes me stuffy.

Photo a day might be a bit sporadic until I get my new camera battery charger in the mail.  I misplaced mine (yeah, I lost it) somewhere during our honeymoon travels. *sheepish smile*

And that's all I can think of to share right now.  Hank should be home any minute now and I can't wait to give him a big hug and a kiss!

What do you think of turning this year's photo-a-day into a link-up?
Would you link-up?  I want to know!

Twenty Fourteen in Review

In January  I started Photo a Day, got the flu, attended my dear friend Hannah's beautiful Christ centered wedding, and chronicled walks in the snow.

In February  I went to swing dances, thawed out my cold toes, bemoaned my single state on Valentine's Day, celebrated my bro's 22nd birthday with minion cupcakes, shared some outfits I word to church, and enjoyed Game Night.

In March  I turned a quarter of a century old (25 - yikes!), was very surprised by a surprise party thrown by Kellie and Alex, welcomed sweet baby lambs into the world, and slept in the shower one night with my bottle lamb.

In April  Hank asked to court me (on April 1st;) and we began getting to know each other with the intention of marriage, we spent Easter with his family, went for hikes, went sheep shearing together, danced, hauled hay, and had fun shooting guns.

In May  I shared outfit posts, Hank gave me purple tulips, and I updated you on my life in general.  Apparently this was a busy month for me and a boring month on the blog. ;)

In June  I crocheted a wedding present for my (now) sister-in-law Jenny, helped Hank clear brush and put up fence around his property, played Candy Land with Kellie and Alex, went off-roading in Alex's Miata, enjoyed Grandma Barb and Aunt Liz's visit, shot a shotgun for the first time, took pictures of my sheep in the orchard, and more sheep shearing with Hank.

In July  Hank asked me to marry him.  I said yes and began planning our wedding.  I shared more about Grandma and Aunt Liz's visit, spent the 4th of July fishing and 4 wheeling with Hank at his grandparent's, celebrated Hank's birthday, was one of the photographers at Jenny's wedding, and worked on the perimeter fence on our property some more.

In August  I recapped July in photos, sent out wedding invitations,  and went into overdrive planning our wedding.

In September  I shared our engagement photos, and wondered where time had gone.

In October  Hank and I were married (Oct. 4th), went on our honeymoon, and began life as a married couple.  I didn't post at all. :}

In November I shared a few photos from our wedding, got my shop ready for Black Friday, and spent Thanksgiving with Hank's family.

In December I gave you a mini pictorial house tour, said "I love being married!", spent Christmas with my family, and went square dancing on New Years Eve.

2014 was an amazing year.  And that is an understatement.

If I learned one thing during twenty fourteen, it is that when you surrender everything, step back, and allow the Lord to work, He does wonderful things.  I give Him all the credit, praise, and glory for everything that happened this past year and I'm excited to see what He has planned for me (and Hank) in 2015!

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And now, my goals for TWENTY FIFTEEN.

• Read through the Bible - Hank and I are both doing this together.  I'm excited!
• Pray more - I want to focus on faithfully praying for others.
• Read more - I usually read at least 50 books a year, and last year...well, it was pathetic.
• Dance more - can't get enough!
• Play my mandolin more - yes, that again. ;)

On this blog I'd like to...

• Photo a Day was so much fun, I'm going to do it again!
• Share more outfit posts
• More movie reviews (thanks for the suggestion, Winnie!)
• Be more faithful to respond to your lovely comments! :)

And that's pretty much it.

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Happy New Year, my dear readers!  I'm looking forward to sharing 2015 with you!

What are some of your goals for this year?  I want to know!