B - O - R - E - D - O - M

Let me just say that my life right now is so dull and boring that I can hardly stand it.  My husband asks me today what I have posted on my blog lately and I tell him "nothing because I don't have anything to write about".  His response?  "Well you haven't done anything lately TO write about".   He's right!  I haven't... we haven't.  Like a bear I have been in hibernation.   The weather has kept us mostly in doors.  Lack of money and little vacation time has also kept us mostly in doors.  And I seriously need a vacation about now.  I often dream of being in someplace warm like Hawaii.   Heck, I would even be happy with going to the "The Happiest Place on Earth". Disneyland.  Anywhere, where it is not cold and there is no snow!  I can dream can't I? 

Ahhhhhh!

Very Happy!

I spend the majority of my day(s) doing "something" in trying to find a job.  And let me tell you... that is getting REALLY BORING.  When I am not doing that I am studying for the sunday lesson I teach, practicing the piano, goofing off on facebook, reading your blogs, watching TV, and spending whatever time I can with my husband in the evening before he goes to work.   I have also been learning the art of Couponing (that can take up some serious time). 

The weather hasn't made it possible for us to go anywhere new, fun, or interesting.  The most exciting times I have are taking a walk, going to the grocery store, and on Monday's when my husband has the day off, we try to do something like thrift or antique shopping (more like browsing), or to the movies.  Today we went to the bookstore where I purchased a new book, and we went to the movies and saw Edge of Darkness  (BTW - good "action filled" movie, but a little gory in parts).

I need to get more yarn so I can start another aphgan. I need to work on some photography, but I can't seem to find anything of interest to photo when there is nothing but snow and ice and I have already taken all those kinds of photos that I want right now.  I should catch up on scrapbooking but I just don't have an interest in that right now either.  I will probably start working on our taxes this week even though whatever refund there is will be paying back taxes from previous years.  I will be making Valentine Cookies tomorrow so I can send them off to my kids.  And I will also do my visiting teaching sometime this week.  Other than that, there is nothing to look forward to anytime soon.  Summer can't come soon enough. 

I can't wait for the snow to melt so we can go hiking, fishing, camping, paragliding, visit Ghost Towns and Yellowstone, white water rafting and horse back riding, exploring the Lewis & Clark Caverns, and maybe even head over to Mt. Rushmore.  THEN I will have something to write about.  And I can't wait!  But first.... Old Man Winter needs to give us a break and go on his own vacation so I can start mine. 

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY!

This is what pays the bills....

It's also what brought us to Montana.   

Yup, you guessed it!  My husband's job.  Thats my sweety right there!  :)

We are grateful for his job. It pays the bills and provides a fairly comfortable lifestyle.

 

It brought us to Montana where his job is more stable.  And even though he drives every night (M-F) about 470 miles round trip, at least he is home everyday, and I am grateful.

Even though the economy has been rough, rather than laying off their drivers, they cut out things like bonuses and company parties, which didn't make a lot of people very happy, but I am glad because at least my husband still has a job.

We are blessed and I am grateful!

Next time you go to the store, think about how the stuff you buy gets there. And remember, to thank a Trucker. They are out there risking their lives on our highways, days, nights, weekends, holidays, in good weather and in very bad weather. Some truckers are gone for days, weeks and months at a time, leaving their families behind, just so you and I can purchase the items we need.

Yes.... let's all thank our Truckers!

Group Blog Thursday - Spread Some Joy!!

I love the topic for this week's Group Blog.  This week's challenge is to share a video of something, whether it's a song, commercial, movie...whatever, that always makes you happy, no matter what you're feeling. 

Those of you who know me probably know that I have a dog named Daisy, who is a Dachshund.  This girl brings me so much joy and happiness.  If you have ever owned a dachshund, you know they have special characteristics that make them such cute, and loving dogs with wonderful personalities. 

And so I want to Spread Some Joy by sharing this video, in particular because it always seems to bring a smile to my face and I find myself giggling every time I watch it, and because I hope that it will make you smile and laugh as well. 

** You will have pause my playlist so you can hear this video (sorry).  You can find it at the bottom of my blog. 




If you want to join in the fun or just see what others are posting, head on over to Stephanies' blog. 

"Not Me" Monday!

Well it's here!  The day of the week to share our "Not Me" moments from last week.  Let's see what I can come up with. 

I have spent the last several weeks looking for a job.  I think most of us hate looking for work.  But "Not Me"!  I love it! (Not really).  That is why it was Not Me who on the one day last week when I was supposed to go into job service to take my application package for a particular job, chose to stay home instead.  It was "Not Me" who would sabotauge myself and it was "Not Me" who just wanted to stay home and do nothing but lay on the couch and watch TV.  It was Not Me who just could not bring myself to do anything towards finding a job that day.  It was "Not Me" who was so tired, bored, exhausted from all my efforts into looking for work that I would definately not sabotauge myself and my efforts on that particular day.  I swear, I would never do that! 

It was Not Me who ended up with extreme back pain on Saturday that I thought I was having a Kidney Stone or Kidney Infection, and then realized the next day when the pain wasn't quite so bad and the symptoms of either stones or infection never appeared, that it was probably just a pulled muscle from shoveling snow.  It was Not Me who would totally forget she shoveled snow that day.  It was Not Me who would automatically think that it must be something other than just back pain.  It was Not Me who would jump to conclusions like that even if it did feel like something worse and different than a pulled muscle.  Nope, it couldn't have been me.  I just would never ever do that! 

This blog carnival was created by Mckmama.  If you would like join in or read what other's are saying, hop on over to her blog to link up. 

Thanks to some amazing friends

I have some amazing friends.  Friends that I have known for a while and friends that I have met by blogging.  To every single one you, THANK YOU.  You are amazing and I am so grateful for your kind words and thoughtful remarks that touch my heart and inspire me.  You have lifted my spirits and have helped me to see and feel that things will be okay.  The words "thank you" just doesn't express enough of how I feel about you.   I want you  to know that I know how blessed I am by your friendship.  I love you all. 

Out walking with my camera

I decided I wanted to practice with some photography and editing.  So I decided to go out walking with my camera yesterday.   And these are some of the pictures I took of the winter foliage around my neighborhood.  Then I played with them a little just to see what I could do and how they would turn out.  There are several pictures here and I hope you don't mind viewing them and letting me know which ones you like and/or critiquing me and giving me some comments or suggestions. 

I am a novice at this and just want to learn more about digital photography, editing, as well as learning all the functions of my camera. 

I did have fun and the getting out and breathing some fresh air made me feel so much better.

1.1

Added color and a soft focus

1.2

B&W with Focal Color

2.2

Original - No Edit

2.2

Soft Focus

3.1

Graduated Tint

3.2

Lightened it up a bit

4.1

Soft Focus

4.2

Added more color to the sky

5.1

B&W with Focal Point

5.2

Sepia

6.1

Graduated Tint

6.2

Full Tint with Soft Focus

6.3

Focal Point

7.1

Soft Focus

7.2

Added a little Shadow

7.3

Lightened up a bit

8.1

Sepia

8.2

Color Saturation

Just a Random shot of this crow w/focal point

Footprints in the snow

Thanks for taking the time to review and to comment.