Saturday, January 30, 2010

Project 364 ~ Week 5

Ok, honestly, by December 31st of last year, I was kind of glad that Project 365 was over. No more having to figure out what my picture of the day was. No more staying up late on Saturday nights because I had forgotten to post my pictures for the week. But mostly I was glad to never have to hear "Mom, seriously, put your camera away already!"

Yep, I was glad it was over. Then a funny thing happened. I started finding myself seeing something and thinking "Wow, that'd be a great 365 picture. By last week, I realized I missed it. I realized that it was fun to now look back over the years pictures and be reminded of something I may have easily overlooked or completely forgotten about.

By Wednesday of this past week, I went through my photos and found the pictures I wanted to use, because I was making the commitment and getting back in the game. I am not going to try to do an entire months worth to get me caught up, but I'll do a summary of sorts for January. So enough rambling, lets get to it:



I have been doing a lot of reading that is overwhelmingly in favor of eating a gluten-free/sugar-free diet for help with Fibromyalgia symptoms. Even if it doesn't help, I know it's a much healthier way for me to eat, so that's another commitment I made. It's been a challenge, but there has also been some fun as I learn to cook (without burning everything ha!).

One of my favorite breakfast meals now is scrambled egg beaters with some form of meat (usually diced ham), a variety of veggies, and just a little bit of cheese sprinkled in. Then I add in a side of fruit. Yum!



Out of all my new favorite dishes, is GF/SF homemade pizza. I found frozen crusts that are ah-MAZ-ing. I spray them with Pam with Olive Oil, top them with whatever I want, and in 15 min my mouth is in heaven. Seriously, it's so good that I don't miss delivery pizza at all.



Gabby was found to have bladder stones, so she had surgery for that. On the evening after her surgery I found her laying on the couch shivering, so being the "spoiled dog enabler" that I am, I laid her on top of this blanket, which had a heating pad on "warm" under it. I thought she still looked cold, so I grabbed jays sweatshirt and laid it over her. She never moved the rest of the night. :)



Then 2 days later, I was off to the vet again. Remember the kitten "Oliver" from last year that Chelsea bottle fed? He has been living with her and her other cat at her apartment. Well, little baby Oliver is 6 months old already and it was time for him to be neutered. Chelsea had classes from 8am to 7pm, so I offered to drop him off and pick him up. He was a happy kitty when I got to the apartment the night before....



But when I brought him to our house after his "delicate procedure", he was anything but happy. He hissed and growled at me if I even tried to open the crate door. Guess I can't blame him. ha!



It has been so cold outside (ridiculously cold!) that there have been days when the dogs don't even wait for me to take off their sweaters after they have been let out. They run right back into the living room and find anything they can to snuggle down into.



I came home from getting groceries on evening to hear these words everyone woman dreads to hear as soon as I walked in the back door. "Don't worry honey". And they were followed by "This will be great once I get it all done."

It" turned out to be a canvas golf net that he was suspending from the ceiling in what was formerly known as our family sunroom. This is why I call it the "Man Cave".




I even found this sign to give Jay for Christmas to hang out there.




Oh for snow pictures! I honestly do not remember EVER having a year with this much snow. One day we had a couple of visitors out behind our house. Two little lady pheasants were out for a stroll. In this picture, that is a 6' fence and as you can see, the snow is well above that. This little pheasant walked across from the old kennel yard into our yard that is supposed to be for the dogs.



While watching her walking around, I noticed her friend popped up to see what was going on. This drift is right outside our sliding doors and covers over half our deck. Ms. Pheasant would look around, and then she'd watch me for a bit. Eventually they continued on with their walk.



There have been many school day cancellations this year, which also means sporting events have been canceled as well. When time and schedules permit, schools work together to try to find a day to make-up the missed games. We still have had plenty to go to, and many more yet to attend. Since so many games are having to be made-up, many times schools will have multiple games being played on the same day, so elementary or junior high gyms are used.

This shows Jay coaching his team at a rec center gym used by a neighboring school.



Here is a shot of Austin at one of his games that I snagged with my phone. He is #31 in the front.



When Austin isn't busy playing in the JV games, he plays in the pep band for the Varsity games.
See the blond girl up top? Austin is directly in front of her playing his trumpet.



We made a road trip one weekend to Minneapolis to the Mall of America. Ashley's college dance team was in a competition up there, so we went to cheer her and the team on. Chelsea went along with us. She was feeling quite silly that day and was acting like she was on a modeling shoot. LOL



I came home one day to find Jay unclogging the very slow drain in my bathroom, and then he even cleaned the entire shower area for me. I love this man of mine!



Besides all the major amounts of snow we have been getting, January has also brought us other forms of weather we have totally delighted in (yes, that was sarcasm lol)

Here we have a picture of our dining window, covered in ice. Every single window in our home was covered in ice, as well as everything that was outdoors, including roads (groan). There were countless accidents and road closings on multiple days.



We have also had lots of deep, thick, heavy fog. Our gravel roads have been mostly snow covered. The ditches are full of snow. Everything is white. When you add in a white, pea soup thick sky full of fog on top of that, it makes it very hard to drive, as you can see in this picture.



And then we've also had frost. Thick, heavy, but beautiful frost. While I don't like the cold biting air, the trees do look absolutely gorgeous covered in frost.



Ever have this kind of conversation at your house:
Me: Honey, you look really tired, why don't you go to bed?"
Jay: Not yet, it's only 9:00.
And then 5 minutes later you find him like this. lol




Well there you have it...our summary for January. Sorry I'm late for joining in...I just hope I'm not too late. :)

16 comments:

Darla said...

oh my you caught some wonderful moments! and great pictures of the weather too. glad you are joining, i was just wondering if i really wanted to do this again, and i decided to just tough it out. it'll be worth it the first time something wonderful happens and i wish i were documenting. it's a little addictive i think. i loved your month in photos!!!

Kelly said...

I am SO glad you decided to participate. I've been feeling like something was missing from my blog reading on Sundays.

I absolutely love the snow pictures. Although I'm sure you're getting kinda tired of it. It sure is pretty. We can't seem to even get a dusting down here in Georgia. Oh, well.

Kim said...

Welcome back! Gotta tell you, just looking at those pictures of ice and snow helped cool me down :-) I've been sweltering in the high 90s up to 104° heat and IT FELT EVEN HOTTER. Ugh. This morning it rained and cooled down but now it's 1:30, the sun is back out in full force and it's already 86° and still climbing. Wanna trade some of my heat for some of your cold? :-)

Lots of wonderful photos and you did a great job re-capping the month! So glad you decided to join us again :-)

Rebecca Jo said...

Oh mercy - that ice covered door just gave me chills...

I love all your fur-babies... mine are all snuggled with me in blankets all weekend too - they dont like the cold either!

I knew this Project 365 was going to be addicting... glad to see you ventured back though...

LuAnn said...

Welcome back !!!!

So glad you are joining us again. I loved the update on your family and all your pictures!!!

That was a project in itself to get all that together.

Skoots1moM said...

such great shots...love the icy tree, especially...cute doggies :)

sara said...

yea!!!! I am so glad you decided to jump back in!!! I really missed your posts!!!

ok, so my measly amount of ice and snow looks pretty pathetic next to yours!!!!

did you ever check out that blog I gave you for gluten free? that pizza looked great!!!

mom and dad said...

WONDERFUL!! you do such a great job of writing and wonderful to enjoy your 'lifes' happenings. thank you for sharing. wly

Lisa said...

I was wondering where you were. Your breakfast looks delicious! Beautiful snow pics except I know its not as fun as it looks.

Willys and Elizabeth (Lizzie) said...

Glad you started back up again :-)

The Davidson Den said...

Welcome! (I'm new this year.) I am a fellow animal-lover, though I currently have no pets to prove it. Does four kids count??

Chel said...

Dena,
What a pleasure to have you join and read your wonderful commentaries!! I loved it!! And the pictures were gorgeous. I myself am going to find out what exactly I need to eat and do NOT need to eat. I thought I had found a test on your blog to see about something related to food. Perhaps not. hmm.
Well glad you're in!
Chel

Tori said...

Between the animals and the food, I think I would love to be at your house! I love the picture of your "warmed" dog. Too cute!

The Bug said...

Mmm - that pizza looks really great! I'm kind of a pizza fanatic & it would be really helpful if I would just make my own sometimes...

Cathy said...

The pizza looks so good. I told hubby I want to make it this weekend. I love your dogs. They are so cute. Gabby on the couch is adorable. I only participated in project 365 for a short time last year. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better this year.

Marice said...

great series of photos! i agree that pizza is mouth-watering :)

u may view mine here