January 2014 // Report Card

I thought giving myself a monthly report card would help me to stay on top of my goals for this year.  Here's my first one.  I'm almost afraid to see how this turns out... *covers eyes*  I've also included a few photos from events that didn't get a proper post.

Photo a Day & Weekly Posting |  I'd have to give myself an A for this goal.  I've been doing pretty good., except for when I was sick.  Haven't gotten around to setting up the blog for sponsors/adds, but we're only one month in.  I've got time.  *chuckles*

New Year's Eve Swing Dance!

One Cross Stitch a Month | A big, fat zero (or F) on this!  However, I was sick for a good part of this month, which kept me from going to the fabric store and buying some necessary supplies.  Tell you what, next time I'm in town I'm going to stop at the fabric store.  I'm going to do it!

Freckles

Movie "Fast" on Sundays |  This, I have been doing.  Aside from when I was sick...I was to miserable to do anything else.  Also, I was so sick I didn't realize it was Sunday.  So I'm going to give myself an A for this one. *grin*

Laura's Going Away/Birthday Party - I miss you so much, girl! :(

Buy Less Clothes |  I've done quite well on this.  No thrift store visits.  I did buy one skirt from eShakti, but that was because I had gift card credits that had to be used up.  You wouldn't want me to let those go to waste, would you?! ;)  I'll give myself an A. *wink*

Invest in Items for my Hope Chest | Nothing to report.

Practice my Mandolin |  Also nothing to report.  I get an F.

Hannah & Jason's Wedding

Keep up on House Cleaning | Aside from when I had the flu, I've been getting a lot of cleaning done.  A+ for me!! *big grin*

Spend More Time in the Word |  I have been getting so much more out of my Bible studies lately.  It's been so good to dig deeper, to really study a passage until I thoroughly understand it.  The Lord is so good to me.  So patient and faithful.

And that's it!  On the whole, I didn't do to bad.  We'll see what February has in store for me. *smile*

If you made any, how are you doing with your 2014 goals?  I want to know!

Snapshots // Meet Jack

Darling, darling Jack.  I do love him so!  Oh, that's right...you don't know who Jack is, do you?

Allow me to introduce you to "Jack", my new camera!!  He's a Nikon D3100 DSLR, which is the kind of camera Kellie's "Algy" is.  And seeing as Kellie's my bestie and our cameras are "brothers", what better name could I bestow upon my darling but Jack Worthing?  Algernon Moncrieff and Jack Worthing are both characters from Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.  Jack is marvelous!  And he is mine and I love him dearly.

After a few preliminary indoor shots (my daddy had the honor of taking the first picture), Jack and I went for a walk and captured the scenery through his eyes...er, lens.  I am so, so thankful that I invested in a really good camera!  It makes all the difference in the world, as my snowflake photoshoot demonstrates.  Jack later accompanied me to Bible study, where we took pictures of pumpkin pie and one of my favorite little girls, Annie.  Using a good camera doesn't automatically mean you'll take fantastic pictures...but boy, it sure helps! *grin*

Which is your favorite picture?  I want to know!

Snapshots // Autumn 2013

Just random snapshots from September - November that haven't made it to the blog until now.  Enjoy!

Game Night at Laura's house = awesomeness

Merlin with his glow stick collar. ;)

Newport Bluegrass Festival

Surprise packages from dear friends.  Thank you, Winnie!

Tilda with Ty

Poor picture quality, but Bonnie and Merlin looked so cute I had to share it anyway.

Yep, that's me - I got to drag the fields this year.  Tractors are fun!

Guy Fawkes Day...don't ask what we did with our scarecrow once he had a head.  You probably don't want to know...but it was epic.  Just sayin'... ;)

Fall has moved along much  more slowly than my summer did.  It's nice to have a break from all of the hurry.  I must say, it was starting to wear me out!  Now there's time to focus on sticking to my house cleaning schedule (it's more like guidelines than actual rules...), getting the shop stocked and ready for Black Friday, working on Christmas gifts, and getting to bed earlier.  Ha! Like that last one actually happens!  Anyway, it's been a pleasantly restful fall this year, and I'm loving it.

What have you been loving about this fall?  I want to know!

p.s.
I've been thinking that I should have a blog party sometime soon...actually, I just now had that thought.  It's been over a year since my last one.  Any ideas for themes?  I'm thinking of aiming for late March...maybe coincide it with my shop's 3rd anniversary.  Anyway, I'll be thinking about it.