My Flower Photo

I had so much fun entering a picture (or two) in the last PW photo assignment contest, I decided to do it again. Guess what, one of my photos was chosen! Not only was it selected but it is also the featured photo for the post (each post has a photo that represents it, mine is the photo people see for that post). *swoon*

Winning of course would be nice but I never expect that will happen. I think just getting selected to be part of the group is what is the most exciting to me. I even find the photo submission and the anticipation of the group selection to be fun. I think I may be hooked!

Wordless Wednesday: shadow kitteh

chai latte {in an instant}

My co-worker got one of these Keurig single serving coffee makers for Christmas. Since the department coffee maker is best left untouched due to it's current hazardous health status, she brought it in to use at work. Being the super awesome person that she is, she is letting me use it. 

These machines are pretty cool. I love that you can make a fresh cup of coffee in only a couple of minutes. No more people griping about making (and buying) coffee and other people drinking it all. This is much more fair to everyone. If you want to drink coffee, you bring your own and make your own.

So since I now have this cool little machine at my disposal, I went out to see what flavor options are available and found they have Chai Latte. These little k-cups are the easiest way I have come across to make a great chai latte. No more 1/2 milk, 1/2 mix, etc. etc. Just pour in 10 ounces of water, pop in one of the k-cups and push the BREW button. Wait two minutes and you have a nice hot cup to start your day, or your afternoon. Instant chai. What an awesome start to my mornings.

I hear there is a reusable basket for these machines. I think I may need to invest in one. Although I don't really want to give up the chai and go with straight coffee anytime soon. I wonder if the reusable baskets work with loose tea. Have you used one of these machines? What flavors do you like the best?

Tea is a cup of life

Did you know that January is National Hot Tea Month? 

No? 

Well now you do. So go and enjoy a cup (or two) today.

Wordless Wednesday: A cloud cannot cast a shadow unless the sun is shining beyond it

Whoo hoo! Whoo hoo!

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I never expected to have one of my photos selected to be in the running for The Pioneer Woman's food photo contest, much less two. Yep! That's right I said two! 

A second photo of mine was chosen to be among the final group of photos, Group 5. Can I just tell you...I am flying on cloud 9 over here. 

Here is the other photo that was chosen. It's the photo I took of my birthday cake from last year.

Whoo hoo!

This week I submitted a few photos for The Pioneer Woman's current photo assignment: Food!  Since I have a ton of these types of photos, you know...of food, I thought I would submit a couple. 

Looking at the awesome quality of the photos she selected for groups 1-3, I never even hoped to think that one of my photos would be among the selected. Then yesterday I received a comment on one of my photos congratulating me on my photo being chosen. So off I went to check out the website and there it was, my cereal photo had been chosen for group 4!  I can't tell you just how exciting this is for me. I never expected this. I am beyond excited!

My photo is 3rd from the top of the post

Wordless Wednesday: iron curl

2010: A year in yarn

I worked on quite a few yarny projects during the course of the year but only completed a total of 5 projects in 2010. I think that may be the most I have ever completed in a year.

The craftiness comes and goes, it is never constant. It takes me forever to complete a project and when I say forever I mostly mean never. I am really good at starting, finishing on the other hand ...eh not so good.

It all started with Herman. A cute fluffy baby blanket crocheted for a co-worker's baby shower. I love the softness of the yarn but it was a real pain to work with. I do have quite a bit left over so I am not yet ready to state that I will never work with this yarn again. But once it's gone....

For Christmas I knitted scarves for my nieces. I used the same pattern for each (just a simple garter stitch scarf with bulky yarn) but personalized them by using their favorite colors. Finding yarns in their favorite colors had me working with some yarns I had not used before. Not just the brand and type of yarn but the colors were new. Surprisingly for me, I actually loved working with the bright colors and my have to incorporate them in some future projects.

The Ravelry links with info on pattern & yarn for each are listed below:

Britt's Charcoal Berry

Nat's Nothing Rhymes with Purple scarf

Jordie's Lime Surprise

Madi's Pretty in Pink

I think the smallness of the projects really helped in being able to finish so many this year. I didn't have a chance to get bored. It didn't hurt either that all items were gifts and had to be completed by a specific date.

My goal for 2011 is to actually finish a project that is just for me.

2010: A year in photos

I didn't think all that much happened in 2010 but once I started looking through the photos from the year I realized that was not the case. If it weren't for the photos, I would not have remembered. Especially since I posted even less on my blog this year. Now I am kind of rethinking my decision not to do a 365 day project for 2011. Without the photos how am I supposed to remember?

January

The husband turned 40 and there was snow on the mountains.

February

I had a birthday (Mention will not be made of which one) and our yard exploded with green (Yep! In February!).

March

Someone turned 18. Yikes! I feel old now!

April

I colored Easter eggs with my niece and a couple of my nephews and we had a family picnic at Madera Canyon.

May

The husband built an awesome new gate for the backyard and I had to report for jury duty.

June

Spent lots of time downtown for jury duty and at work I got to play surgeon.

July

Our house got a new tree. Isn't she lovely?

August

August brought lots of stormy weather and poor Cairo got sick.

September

The husband and I celebrated 13-years of marriage and 4-months of jury duty came to an end. 

October

We went to Fall Ball.

November

We spent Thanksgiving with the husband's family and the leaves on our tree started to turn yellow (just a little bit).

December

December brought lots of family gatherings. Christmas Eve at my parents' and Christmas dinner at our place just to name a couple. This year the husband made his prime rib and his yummy special salad.

All in all it was a good year. I wonder what 2011 will bring.