Life’s too short not to take pictures!

RIGHT now is countdown time for the Chicago Marathon = 25 days, 23 hours, 12 min until we stand in the elite coral... Me as Wonder Woman and my friend Cara as Batgirl (more on that story)!  I have raised close to $1300 -- only $800 from my goal!  Please support my efforts if you can! :)  Every donation counts.   Check out my story -- I updated it yesterday --- :)

Here are some cool running quotes that have been shared with me lately --- I love them!
From Jennie B 

From Charlie

And from my favorite singlet

I appreciate your visit and feedback as always!

For more SWEET shots go to: 

And for some funny stuff with virtual post its -- check out:

To participate follow these simple steps.....

Step 1 - Mark it on your calendar it is Post it Tuesday! What a great concept by "Supah" - author of the FAMOUS Adventures of a Wanna Be Supah Mommy. She has it all outlined here on her blog and then every Tuesday she collects the links to what others are "posting" on their blogs. It is a great way to visit other blogs of interest and check out the virtual neighborhood!

Step 2 - Think of your own post its - inspirational, facts, thoughts - whatever is top of mind right now, today and something worth sharing (or not). :)

Step 3 - Make your own post it here

Step 4 - Post it to your blog

Step 5 - Share your link with Supah - her link is at the bottom of this post --  or me in my comment section.

Leave me a note if you stopped by -- I love to hear your comments!

Scavenger Hunt: September 12, 2010

It's Scavenger Hunt time again!  Here are my selections for the week.  Please leave a comment if you stop by!  I love comments.  Thanks for checking out my photos!


Landscape
On my trek in search of rock (and yes, there is plenty of rock in my town) - I took this shot of the landscape in the woods with the rock wall.  :)

Power line
This is my morning running trail where I go with Oakley - up 3 hills and to the right, through the woods and back home!  It is a beautiful spot!

Newspaper
A feature interview in the Metro East PLUS section of the Republican, our local paper was signed by our State Speaker of the House, laminated and mailed to me.  I am proud of my accomplishments as a TOP New England master runner and this article did a great job of highlighting my achievements right before running the Marine Corps Marathon last fall.

Link HERE to read the full article.  :)

Pose 

My favorite little model Schuyler, running around in his jammies, posing as I was trying to photograph our leather loveseats for sale  -- now posted on Craigslist!  Let me know if you are interested! :) Can't wait for the new sectional!  ;)

Hobby
Is cooking a hobby?  I love this wok shot and thought that cooking is definitely one of my many hobbies that I love to share!  Although this is a photo of Alex's creation when we visited in New York last weekend.  Here is a LINK to all my recipes posted here on my blog --- yummy stuff!

Thanks for stopping by - link up to Ashley to share your selection or just to check out some more fabulous photos on "blog photo world" !  

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate. 
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. 
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive 
4. Link up with Ashley by clicking on the button each Sunday 
5. Have fun!

The BEST ice cream EVER! --- You Capture Signs!

This week at You Capture they have challenged us to take photos of signs.  Here is my favorite sign in the neighborhood. A great sign is something that catches your eye ---- makes you WANT to stop there and Cindy's Drive-in does just that!  The colorful signs and building are just so fun!  The ice cream is amazing and there is a playground in the back!  Schuyler's sister Samantha took her here when he was 5 and he just LOVES to go here as much as possible during the season.  So sad at the end of the fall season they close for the winter.

:)

Please leave a comment if you stop by -- thanks for visiting me!  :)

For more sign photos and to link up and play -- click on the YOU capture link button below.  :)
 Have a super day!

Black & White Wednesday: Sugarland Concert & the LOVE Flag

Happiness is being with friends, listening to some amazing music and a lot of "firsts" for our eight year old Schuyer --- first time to Coopertown, NY and first time at a "real" concert!

We were so excited to be able to go to a Sugarland Concert this past weekend in Cooperstown with our dear friends Alex & Betty Ma.  Their son Harrison & Schuyler are good friends and have a great time together.  It was Alex's 1/2 sister Winnie who gave us the VIP treatment with early entry to the concert, tickets and the best positioning where we sat RIGHT at the stage.  As the masses filled in we had to stand up on the lawn... and the music began.  It was amazing!  I don't know if I have ever been front and center at a concert.  It was Schuyler's first ever concert (besides the Wiggles!) and he was having a blast - although he got real tired near the end from standing for 2 1/2 hours.  The opening band was pretty good, but the 2nd band was "Little Big Town" and they rocked!  It was so fun to watch the energy in the country music and a line up of such great talent.

I took some fun shots of the boys jumping in front of their trailer that carries all their gear.  The boys were replicating Jennifer & Kristian from the photo on the side.  Check these photos out!  :)

SUGARLAND ROCKS!

 It was more like rock than country...  but truly a great sound and a GREAT band!  Jennifer - the lead singer is so full of life and energy, it was so much more than the CD that I bought --- we were all so truly impressed and had a blast!  We have been singing the songs non-stop since we left.  :)

Near the end of the show up on stage Jennifer paints a white sheet flag with the word love while they sing.  Harrison and Schuyler were all set up by Winnie to meet her at the stage and carry the flag through the crowd.  There were about 5000 people there (or more) and it was a crazy, but proud and exciting moment for the boys.  Betty followed them and stayed with them and I tried like crazy with Winnie's little camera to get some photos with not much luck.   They wouldn't allow my camera (because of the removable lens?) in the concert so I borrowed Winnie's camera.  (I haven't got the photos from her, but I can't wait because i did get some great shots!)

SO here is a photo of Harrison & Schuyler with the flag and some fun shots of Harrison carrying the flag around the yard for my B&W Weds post!  Enjoy.  AND please leave a comment if you stop by...

Linking up to Black & White Wednesday - more great B&W photos check it out!


And to Pastor Girl Ponderings --- all my photos have a Happiness is theme ---- so check out the other links to some fun happy photos!

Scavenger Hunt: September 5, 2010

It's Scavenger Hunt time again!
We had such an amazing weekend going to the Sugarland Concert and spending time at Alex & Betty's house that I am late getting my scavenger hunt photos taken and posted!  I did get my camera out and take some shots at the concert and in New York, but only a couple fit the line up so hope to use them later this week and share our experience.  It was an amazing weekend!

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate. 
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. 
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive (although I'm not too strict about it - I do my best to take fresh shots). 
4. Link up with Ashley on Sunday (link through the button)
5. Have fun!

Now for my interpretation of the items this week:

Red
These beautiful flowers we pass on the way to the boat in Hadley, MA.  I love the red against the blue sky.

Homespace

Our going on 3 year landscaping project in our backyard.  This rock is so beautiful and we cleared off the land and dirt out there so it is so bright.  The kids love jumping around and playing on the rocks.  We love to sit in the screened in porch -- our beautiful homespace!

This rock was a LOT of work (as you can see my sweet husband in the background) to get to this point.  We love it!  And there is of course more to do.  Almost done!

Fence
From one of my favorite 6 mile running loops - "The Orchard Hill Loop" on Orchard Hill Road in our town.  There is this amazing horse farm that you can see the landscape for miles and miles.  The white fences are so beautiful and the horses in the fields just help to make this spot picturesque.  I ventured there in my car today with my camera and captured this wonderful peaceful spot. :)

Rock

There is a lot of rock in our town.  There are many rock fences along the way headed on the back roads up to the Quabbin Reservoir.  This one neighborhood has rock fences at almost every home along the way.  Historically the rock fences were to mark the land boundary between the farms.  I love rock walls.

Sharp
At our friend's Alex & Betty's this weekend the jalapeno was fresh from the garden and into the chicken fajita recipe!  This is Alex's favorite knife and you can see the Wok in the background getting the meal ready!

Please leave a note if you stop by and let me know what you think of my photos!  Thanks for stopping by!

Black & White Wednesday: First Day of 3rd Grade!

Schuyler is ready!

Trek to the school bus

 Ready for another great school year!  

At Work & Play: In a Yellow House

In honor of Labor Day the "In a Yellow House" Photo Challenge is "At Work & Play".  Coincidentally this is in conjunction with Schuyler's first day of school and since he is my FAVORITE model (alongside my husband Steve) --- I am posting my favorite work & play photos of my little boy, who is now going into 3rd grade and growing like a weed!


So here he is at PLAY in his 3 favorite activities:
Soccer:

Cub Scouts:

Ski Racing:

And here he is on Wednesday going back to "work" headed to 3rd grade!

Thanks for stopping by --- I love these photos and every single memory!  He is such a joy to watch grow and learn.  I am a very proud mom!

Please leave a comment if you stop by!

Happy First Day of School to all of you moms out there too!