Living and Loving Every Minute of It!

My Week 84

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Thu, 24 May 2012 23:28:00 +0000

May 7th was......ummmmmm....Monday! ack.....It is bad that my computer was down, and I am unable to remember anything awesome about this day. It appears that the sky was gray. I remember taking this photo as I walked from my truck to the house when I got home from work. I also remember that we had prepared a "show and share" presentation for Sugar about Rhododendrons. Did you know that honey made from the nectar of a Rhododendrons can be toxic and make people sick? Interesting, yes? (oh yes...now I remember.) I had tons of energy, so I mowed the lawn AND washed my truck after work. That sort of thing NEVER happens.

May 8th was a busy, busy, busy day. I grabbed a quick snap of Sugar Bear and I reflected on our newly clean truck. I am horrible about washing my truck. It had been 6 months.

May 9th Sugar Bear and I were surprised to find that The Hubby had made a temporary home for our baby quail. He worked so hard to make it safe for them. He even buried the wire so animals could dig through to get them. It ain't pretty....but it worked.

May 10th we were honored to attend an open house for a couple wonderful photographer friends. They had a great photo exhibit at one of our local libraries. It looked GREAT! We were so proud of our girls. :)

May 11th was THE.BEST.DAY.EVER! Okay....so maybe not the best day, but it was fantabulous. ♥ There was a Mother's Day Tea in the First Grade Class, and it blessed my heart a thousand times over. Sugar Bear makes everything better. EVERYTHING! I am the luckiest mama in the world. I had to use flash to get the shot, as the lights were off in the class. We had candlelight tea. :) After the tea, we joined a mama/daughter set of friends to go see "Chimpanzee" in the theatre. ♥ Perfect for Mother's Day weekend.

May 12th...wellll....I can't remember exactly what we did, but I do remember spending a good deal of time outside. Sugar has been playing outside so very much these days. It's the way it should be. :)

May 13th was HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! ♥ ♥ ♥ WE spent the majority of the morning outside loving on nature, and then we went to a local student production of "Hansel and Gretel". After....a mama/daughter dinner out. It couldn't have been better. Sugar presented me with a darling Elephant (piggy) bank she painted just for me. She knows I love elephants. I've got a good kid. Yes I do. ♥

My Week 83

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:43:00 +0000

April 30th was a rainy....icky Monday. I had like ZERO motivation, so I just grabbed a shot of raindrops on a spider web on my deck. We have like 62345157 spiders around our place. I am so used to all the webs, I hardly even notice them anymore. The rain did make them more interesting.

May 1st lifted my heart. The sun came out, and brought the Spring joy with it. I don't think anything special happened for Sugar Bear or myself, but the sun was enough.

May 2nd I helped out at a Car Seat Clinic. WE didn't have many folks stop by to have their carseat checks. It is my 10 year experience that most people assume they are transporting their children correctly, and about 95% of them are wrong. There is quite nearly ALWAYS something they could do differently to make their children safer in the vehicle. So after wrappin that up, I treated myself to one of my favorite sandwiches EVER. I adore the Scarlett Turkey. yum...yum...yum!

May 3rd was a normal old Thursday. It was a treat to come home to find the jump rope I ordered for the Sugar had arrived in the mail. She set to jumpin'! The photos crack me up. So many faces. :)

May 4th was a FAB Friday! A wonderfully thoughtful friend spent some time with Sugar Bear at the local pottery place, so that she could paint something for me for Mother's day. Sugar was doubly excited because it meant spending time with her friend that she doesn't see often enough since changing schools this year. While Sugar Bear painted pottery, I wandered around downtown with some friends celebrating their birthdays. It was perfect. ♥ I love this shot I got of Sugar and her friend goofing around. Life is good.

May 5th was a quite perfect day at home. We hadn't had a chance to plant flowers for our deck yet this season. I'm so glad we finally did it. It is such a treasured tradition for me and my girl. Our deck is looking so much more summery. We love it.

May 6th brought us to a really fantastic birthday party for a first grade friend. It was a traditional tea party. What a great experience it was for my girl. She was the pickiest eater present. I think it was good for her to see all the other kiddos diving in to try new things. She was the only one that doesn't like tea. I can't blame her. I don't drink the stuff either.

My Week 82

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Tue, 22 May 2012 02:01:00 +0000

April 23rd was a normal Monday. Sugar was OVER the top excited to show me the pot holder she finished up knitting at school. It is her first complete project. She is so very proud. It was an EARLY Mother's Day gift. My favorite color as well.

April 24th I left work early to give some newborn photography a go. This little punkin gave me a run for my money. He absolutely WOULD.NOT.SLEEP. Newborns make 83 bazzilion faces when they are awake, and their little limbs never stop moving. WOW what a challenge. I did adore this little yawn though. So cute.

April 25th was yet another typical Wednesday. Sugar Bear hangs out at a friend's house on Wednesday afternoons. She loves it. She surprised me with the amazing chalkboard drawing when I stopped to pick her up. I love, love, love it.

April 26th found me ready to give the newborn little honey another try. We ramped up the heat, and mama nursed him like crazy, and we finally got him to sleep. Sigh......so much easier. whew.....

April 27th was a friday. And.....I played with baby bunnies when I got home from work. And that's all I remember. It's been toooooooo long.

April 28th was a stunning day. The Hubby, Ivy dog, Sugar Bear and I went for a hike along the coast. It was perfect. I love days like that.

April 29th was another birthday party. April was the month of kid birthday parties for sure. We had one every single weekend, and sometimes two. This was a pool party, and the kids LOVED it. Sugar hadn't been in the water since summer, so she was super duper excited. I nabbed lots of shots but this one of a friend's little brother caught my eye. He is over the top adorable. ♥

52 Weeks of ME 2012~ Week 20

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:30:00 +0000

The theme/prompt for this week was: Hobbies or Interests

I am pleased to announce that I'm back up and running with my computer. It was so hard to be without for so long. My main hobby (photography) is really hard to continue without my computer. I now have 63 bazzillion photos to deal with.

I did manage to get a shot for this week's theme today. It was fun to do a multiple exposure for this. I have lots of hobbies and interests.

Pets....particularly BABY BUNNIES!

Knitting or crocheting

Photography

and Reading.

So much to do....so little time. That's why I love the multiple exposure for this one. I am always struggling to figure out how I can get more done in a day. I wish I could do it alllllll at the same time.

52 Weeks of Me 2012~ Week 19

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:25:00 +0000

The theme/prompt for the week was: Upside Down

This I had some fun with. I do hate that I realized how old I've become, and how I can't hange from my knees without dying from extreme PAIN. sigh...... I did manage to get a bit upside down for the shot though.

Sugar had fun helping me with this one. :)

52 weeks of me 2012~ week 18

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sat, 19 May 2012 19:22:00 +0000

The theme was supposed to be: The Rule of Thirds

But my computer died, and I was feeling a bit depressed/anxious about it, and just plain didn't take the time to nab a shot for the week. However, after giving our truck it's first bath in like 5 months, I took a silly shot of Sugar Bear and I in the reflection. It had been AGES since we could see ourselves in our pretty truck's blue paint. Living on a gravel road has made me pretty lazy about washing the truck. It just gets dirty again a day later. I have no motivation to keep up with it.

Dead in the Water

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:46:00 +0000

So.....I mighta, shoulda, coulda mentioned this two weeks ago....but my computer at home is dead. That's why I have been MIA. Hoping to be back in action in a week or so. :)

Been snapping pics....I'll have a lot of catching up to do.

Have a great Mother's day weekend!

My Week 81

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:28:00 +0000

April 16th was a pretty typical Monday. Sugar Bear and I rushed home to get some fun time with the baby quail and the baby bunnies. I know I've said it before, but seriously.....there is nothing better than some free time with baby animals. They just have this way of snuggling into your soul and cleaning out the ick that the world tried to put there. The sweet innocence is just hard to beat. ♥

April 17th was a plain old Tuesday with nothing really special going on. I was at a complete loss for what to photograph, so I just nabbed a shot of getting the mail. It's something I do everyday, but it rarely is a cause of joy these days. Nothing fun ever comes in the mail anymore. This particular day we did get Sugar's Highlight magazine. It is usually pretty fun. Sugar loves to get mail.

April 18th found us at the library after work/school. That is always a PLUS for our day. I took this shot of the tree blossom petals the litter the streets this time of year. It is the BEST type of litter. :) Spring is good.

April 19th was a busy busy day for me at work, and the normal Thursday plan for Sugar fell through, so she spent a bit of time at work with me. I enjoyed some quiet reading time while she was in dance class, and we rushed home to feed the baby birds. They are growing like weeds.

April 20th was a jammed packed day starting with an early morning, and ending with a late night. A friend took Sugar into school, so that I could head the opposite direction to an all staff training for work. I rushed back to town at the end of the day to grab my Sugar, have a fast dinner, and then head back to the school to see the Talent Show. Oh my....it was fun. So many sweet acts. One of my favorites I captured here. Two lovely 5th graders I know choreographed a dance, and did such a wonderful job performing it. Stunning. It was a 3 hour show, and we got home soooooooo late, but it was worth it.

April 21st was just as jammed packed as the day before, which is unusual for a Saturday. I volunteered out at Sugar's School from 9:30-2:30pm, while Sugar Bear ran around enjoying the beautiful day of Soccer games. Sugar doesn't play soccer, as she is very prone to side-aches. She does like watching her friends play though, so that it fun. I worked the snack shack, and had fun socializing with new and old friends. As soon as I wrapped up the shack, we jetted off to the Pottery Company for a little 6 year old's birthday party. This is the monkey Sugar painted. So cute, cute, CUTE! I can't wait to see it when it is fired. :)

April 22nd was a glorious day. Sugar Bear played outside while I mowed the lawn. We caught frogs, cuddled bunnies, and just plain had an amazing day. It reminded me so much of Summer that I got itching for summer sooooooooooooooo bad. I can't wait. The frog in this picture is by far the biggest frog we have found in our yard. I loved him. He had the coolest eyes. I love spending the day with nature.

52 Weeks of me 2012~ Week Seventeen

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 02:18:00 +0000

The theme/prompt for the week was: Circles

I'm willing to admit that somehow....someway.....I completely forgot about this project this week. It fly right out of my mind. Hard to believe when I've been doing this for almost a year and a half. Saturday the family went for a walk, and it dawned on me early on that I forgot to look for a circles shot this week, so I mentioned it to Sugar Bear and told her to keep an eye out. She had some darn good ideas, too. The best moment was we walked out onto a huge rock and all around us were holes in the rocks, many of which were circles, and Sugar exclaimed, "They are EVERYWHERE!"

She nabbed this shot of me, enCIRCLING our dog in my arms. :)

The theme/prompt for this coming week is: Rule of Thirds

Have a great week!

A froggy friend

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:08:00 +0000

We found this lovely frog in our yard this weekend. It was much bigger than the usual frogs we find. Sugar Bear was a little intimidated by it. She wanted to just look at it awhile before handling it, so I put it in her favorite tree. When she was finally ready to hold him, and grabbed him up, shot a quick picture or two of him in my hand, and then he jumped.....and made a break for it. He disappeared in a wink of an eye. Poor Sugar never got her chance. Here are some frog jokes I used to try to cheer her up.

Why are frogs so happy?

They eat watever bugs them!

What's green and red?

A very mad frog.

What do you say to a hitch-hiking frog?

Hop in!

What do frogs do with paper?

Rip-it!

How does a frog feel when he has a broken leg?

Unhoppy.

What do you call a frog that crosses the road, jumps in a puddle, and crosses the road again?

A dirty double-crosser!

Why did the frog go to the hospital?

He needed a "hopperation"!

tee hee

52 Weeks of Me 2012~ Week Sixteen

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:05:00 +0000

The theme/prompt for the week was: Looking In

Okay...okay...okay....so guess what? I really cheated this week! I had a real hum dinger of a busy week, and just didn't get around to taking a picture for the week. BUT.....a few weeks back, I took like 67 bazillion, so I nabbed one of those that fits the theme. :) I don't want this project to be a chore, so I'm easy about things like that. Gotta do what I gotta do. The theme/prompt for the coming week is...........CIRCLES! oooooo interesting. I have NO idea what I'm gonna do.

My Week 80

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:16:00 +0000

April 9th was......ummmmmmm a Monday. Yup....that's all I remember. I have no idea why we were outside by our Walnut tree, or why I snapped this particular shot, but I'm glad I did. I can never get over how grown up my girl is getting. sigh........

April 10th was a busy Tuesday, but there is always time for a quick stop by the library.....which is where I found this tiny, delicate flowers. I love to take photos like this because most people walk right by this teeny tiny little wonders with out even thinking twice about them, but like to remember to look closer at the world around me. When I do....I'm never disappointed.

April 11th was clipping along nicely....until I got a phone call from Sugar's school saying that she had a rash?????? and suddenly she vomited while we were still on the phone. I rushed out to the school to find her feeling quite a bit better, but still rashy. It looked like hives to me. We went home, and I gave her some benadryl. She felt so much better, and we spent some sunny time with the baby bunnies. That particular activity can heal anything.

April 12th started with good health, or so we thought. Soon, Sugar was covered in HUGE, HORRIBLE hives. I could have posted a hive shot, but I chose the one of Sugar waiting to see her doctor instead. At this point the benadryl I gave her had finally kicked in and the hives were retreating. We are unsure of the cause but I know I'm hoping they never come back. They were awful.

April 13th was FINALLY Friday! whew......Sugar was able to stay at school with only some minor hives appearing. The doctor had her on benadryl for the day. She felt fine. I got some much needed work done, and we were both so very glad to get home, and spend more time with baby bun buns! :) These darn bunnies are so adorable.

April 14th was a busy sort of happy day. Sugar was hive free! woo hoo......and we spent the morning observing, and loving on some new babies in our house. Baby quail. Don't ask......I have no idea why we have them. The Hubby just does such things. They are darn cute though, and Sugar Bear is in love with the runt. His/her name is Pip. :) Later we attended a really fun birthday party for a little classmate at the local bowling alley. Good times.

April 15th brought Sunday to us much too quickly, but we made the most of it. We attended yet another classmate's birthday. This time....it was at the park. The weather was overcast, but doable. I nabbed this shot of Sugar playing on the park equipment. She enjoyed some fun active time with her friends.

woo hoo....I'm all caught up! That feels good.

Week 79

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:23:00 +0000

April 2nd was a beautiful Monday. It is such a blessing to have daylight and sun when we get home from our day. We love having time to enjoy the outdoors together. Sugar has been spending more time outside on her swingset and climbing trees lately. It is so wonderful. That's what life should be about . I spent time getting us ready for our strange week. There was much packing involved.

April 3rd was a pretty typical day for Sugar Bear ending with a not so typical Tuesday night sleep over at her cousin's house. I, on the other hand, spent a good portion of my day traveling east....alone....through some snow. The roads were clear, and the music was good. I had just purchased "The Civil Wars" cd, and was LOVING it! I arrived at my conference destination in plenty of time for a nap, dinner, and reading in bed. It was lovely.

April 4th, I awoke to some fresh snow on the world around me, and I had to snap a few pictures before my conference began. It was a good day of learning, and after lunch many of my co-workers joined the conference party, and we settled into a condo for the rest of the week.

April 5th was an entire day of trainings for me, and sadly Sugar Bear spent her day really sick. I got a call first thing in the morning letting me know that she had been up all night ill. Grandma was there to take good care of her, but she wanted her mama, and I missed her. I stayed focus on my work, and enjoyed a great class on "Dealing with Change" where they provided chocolate and toys. :)

April 6th Sugar Bear was still sick......and missing me. It is so hard to be away when she isn't well. I had a morning of trainings, and then head back home through the beautiful snowy mountains.

April 7th we were all back together and prepping for Easter. We colored hot boiled eggs with crayons. I didn't have any dye. It was fun, and pretty. We played with baby bunnies, and just had a relaxing day at home. Loved it. Sugar was feeling better, but still not 100%.

April 8th was Easter in the rain......per usual. Sugar made the best of her egg hunt though, and she found 25 out of 26. That last one.....we might find this summer. :) She was feeling quite a bit better, so we headed into town to my brother's house for an Easter dinner with my family. Sugar enjoyed some time with her cousins.

52 weeks of me 2012~ Week Fifteen

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:09:00 +0000

The theme/prompt for the week was: Shadow

I didn't get too creative this week. I was just lucky the sun came out a few times to even give me the opportunity. :)

Next time, I'll take off the bulky sweatshirt before getting the shot. tee hee....I look so plump around the middle.

Next week's Theme/Prompt is: LOOKING IN

Sugar Bear.......

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:04:00 +0000

- is SEVEN years old. How can that be?

- is my bestest little friend. I am her mother.....but she is definitely my favorite person in the whole wide world. It is my greatest hope that it always stays that way.

- has amazing hair. I waited soooooooooooooooooo long for that hair to show up, and oh how it takes my breath away with it's multi-colored, highlighted loveliness. I am sad to report that she wants to cut it this summer. It is KILLING me, but we'll do it and give it to Lock for Love.

- blesses my heart each and every single day with her continued, all encompassing, love for her mama. She looks at me with eyes so full of love, that I often feel like I can see her soul.

- loves yogurt, spaghetti, and fruit. She is a pretty choosy eater, but I'm mostly to blame for that. One thing I love about this girl is her ability to stop eating when she is satisfied. She won't eat something for the sake of eating it. She turns down dessert or a treat nearly 50% of the time. Wish I had that control.

-loves to listen to Adele, and more recently, The Civil Wars. She has good taste in music.

- is growing into her new teeth. It has been a hard transition with these new BIGGER teeth, but her smile still lights up the world of those she blesses with it. It changed her little face, but it isn't the outside that truly shines....it's what's on the inside that makes her the amazing girl she is.

- is brave and strong. She most recently was sick with vomiting while I was away for several days. While she prefers to nearly crawl back inside me when she is not feeling well, she will also just buck right up and take care of herself. She got ill in the middle of the night, and decided not to wake her grandma, and just clean herself up and go back to sleep. It is times like this when I can't deny she is growing up.

- likes school, but isn't an over achiever. She just doesn't like anything more than anything else. You can ask her, "want to go to the park?" and you'll get nearly the same reaction if you asked her, "want to go take a bath?" She is willing to do most things, but doesn't show GREAT enthusiasm for anything in particular. It is never a chore to get her to go to school, but she doesn't get all giddy about it either. She isn't a fan of reading, but is progressing.

- prides herself in being quite a funny little person. She will always be "my little ham sandwich". She continues to be shy around people, but one of her main coping mechanisms is humor. She has been using this technique since she was about two years of age. She LOVES to make people of all ages laugh. Lately, I've noticed how much she enjoys making her friends laugh. She can be a real goofball. She appreciates a good Ol' corny kid joke. A favorite right now: Why did Tigger look in in the toilet?...........He was looking for Pooh! tee hee

- is tenderhearted, but not overly emotional. I have NEVER seen her mad. oh wait....once when she was like 18 months she threw a tantrum. Other than that.....she is the most even keeled person EVER. She cares deeply, but is able to be reasonable, and is one of the most understanding individuals I have ever met.

- loves the colors BLUE, PURPLE, and GREEN. She tolerates pink, but would really love to do without it. She isn't a foo foo sort of girl, and only asks to wear a dress once in a rare while. In fact, she never really cares what she is wearing. I still pick out her clothes for her (blush).

- is really enjoying the rare sunny days we've had lately. I love to see her outside playing with our dog, or climbing a tree, or singing loudly as she swings back and forth on her swing set. That's what childhood should be about. Nothing rocks our world more than some time before dinner hanging out with the newest babies bunnies. ♥

- deserves so much more that I can ever give her. Of all the things I've ever done.....creating this special little person tops them all. She has given me FAR more than I'll ever be able to repay. ♥ I am one VERY lucky mama!

I love my little Sugar Bear to the moon and back.....and more than all the stars in the sky.

Week 78

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:47:00 +0000

ACK! I've let myself get behind again. I ALWAYS take the pics. ALWAYS, but haven't really been on my computer much recently, and find myself so behind on the editing, and blogging. I soooooooooo need to catch up. This is from ages ago, it seems.

March 19th was a "go here do this" sort of day. It was a week of half day classes for the Sugar and suddenly, there was no bussing. Luckily, I have wonderful friends. I took this shot downtown when I went to pick up Sugar Bear. I love daffodils. They certainly remind me of Spring. After this shot, we headed back to work, and Sugar Bear accompanied me to an evening meeting for my work. She was a big helper, and even helped me present my Dental training in front of strangers. This was a BIG step for my shy girl.

March 20th was the beginning of "observation week" at the dance school. I have to great pleasure of getting to see my little honey dance. I always look forward to this time of the year, so that I can nab some shots of her dancing. :) Here she is in her recital costume. They were trying them on for the first time. She was so excited to get to choose the color this year. Blue is by far her favorite color.

March 21st.....ummmm....was a Wednesday. That's pretty much all I remember of it. I know I took this photo of an enchilada dish I made in my pressure cooker. I had forgotten to get a shot during the rest of the day....so a dinner shot it was. I love this dish. So easy.

March 22nd was the last day of Observation. I adore this shot I got of Sugar dancing. I take 62 bazillion, and finally get the shot I was looking for. ♥ This time of year.....Sugar Bear grows a bit tired of dance class. I just tell her we are on the home stretch, and she makes it through. Can't wait for recital.

March 23rd was the Friday before Spring Break. I had planned to have Sugar Bear go to my brother's house after school to play with her cousins so that I could go see The Hunger Games movie. Then....my brother fell ill. I had to make some last minute pleas from friends, and someone came through. I feel like I'm always the one asking favors, and I hope that someday I can repay them. My nieces and SIL were sad that Sugar didn't come over, and asked us to stop by real quick. They had made this chalk art for her before they found out she wasn't coming. I grabbed a quick shot of Sugar with the art. It was awesome.

March 24th was a stay home and get things done sort of Saturday (as far as I can remember). I do know that Sugar Bear entertained herself with her Bendaroos nearly all afternoon. She made this cute little scene. It says, "What a life for a flower".

March 25th we met a friend, and attended a local show called, "Little Ol' Big Band". It was great. We had a chance to see two friends and an acquaintance perform. This photo is of a beautiful friend of ours belting out her song. What a treat. Afterwards, we went out to dinner together. It was a perfect sort of Sunday.

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week Fourteen

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 03:37:00 +0000

The theme/prompt for the week was: UNDERNEATH

AGAIN, I had hopes of taking my time and really coming up with something fun for this theme. I spent the week traveling, and hoped to really jump into the project while I was away. ALAS....I didn't. I totally forgot about it. I am such a forgetful person. Soooooo I found myself in a rush on Saturday. I tried a few ideas, and nothing was really what I was looking for, but I'll post two of the ones I got, regardless.

This one was taken by my little Sugar Bear. I was up in a tree, and she was Underneath me.

For this one....I was laying on top of the monkey bars, and Sugar Bear was underneath.

The theme/prompt for next week is: SHADOW

I feel almost Famous

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:34:00 +0000

Hey there Friends! I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo over the top excited to share some BIG BIG BIG news. It makes me feel quite nearly famous.

You see, I have some really really really awesome friends that have done something so very special. I'm bursting at the seams to share. I "met" Megan and Laura over 8 years ago on a pretty well known website called, Babycenter. We were all pregnant with our first child, and seeking some companionship through out our pregnancy. We ended up on the same "birth board" with our children being due January of 2005. After the birth of our girls (yes....we all had girls.) several of us, (about 100) decided to go to a private board so that we could get to know each other better, and share more of our lives in a safe fashion.

We quite literally learned to be a mother together, and I am so very grateful to have been learning right along side such truly amazing women. I can't tell you how much I have appreciated both of these gentle loving mamas in my life.

I am so proud to announce that they are taking their amazing knowledge and skill and sharing it with the world. These ladies wrote a book....oh yes they did, and it is for sale as we speak on AMAZON! oh my gosh.....I love it. I am so pleased to be able to say that I knew them BEFORE they knew anything. tee hee....just kidding. Both of these fabulous ladies knew a lot going into this journey of parenthood, and now, with practice....they know so much more.

Please go HERE and read all about their fabulous book.

They are having a big "book buying party" tomorrow, so if you feel so inclined.....buy one up....or refer a friend to it. I just know it is going to be a best seller.

I'm so proud of you, Megan and Laura! You deserve the very best! ♥

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week Thirteen

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:02:00 +0000

Theme/Prompt of the week was: WORK

I was home on Spring Break on week....and boy oh boy did I NEED it. Such a great time at home.

I almost forgot to get my shot. IN fact.....I only took this a few hours ago when I started thinking about going to work tomorrow. yeah.....I make this face when I think of it. sigh...

The photo has double meaning though. You might have noticed that only one of my finger nails are decorated. I'm testing it to see if it WORKS. I have super oily nails or something because NO nail polish stays on my nails for longer than 1/2 a day, and EXPENSIVE fake nails...I've tried several times....and they come off in 3-4 days. UGH. I gave up ages ago. My SIL is into the new Jamberry nail wraps, and really wanted me to try it, so she did one nail for me yesterday. While I hope it sticks....I feel a bit odd with only the one done. Time will tell....if it will WORK!

The theme/prompt for next week is: Underneath

I'm hoping for inspiration on this one. :)

My Week 77

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 04:20:00 +0000

This week certainly made me wonder if it was Spring.....or Winter.

March 12th was a boring old Monday. I managed to grab a shot in my yard of some lily leaves sprouting up. I was going for the raindrops as it had been raining....and raining and raining.

March 13th was a HUGE surprise. We awoke to 6 inches of snow! WOW! What a treat. First real snow this year. Most snow we've had in ages. I took several shots of Sugar playing in the snow and shared them HERE. I took this shot of some snow hanging on the wire fence in our yard. This snow was so WET and heavy! There was sooooo much damage to the trees in our area. We lost power at Midnight on the 13th.

March 14th brought much of the same. Melting snow.....and still no power. Sugar had school.....and I had work. The Hubby borrowed a generator from a friend to get our fridge going. We were enjoying our wood heat, and making the best of it.

March 15th had us back to the normal type of March weather. Rain....and plenty of it. There was flooding everywhere. I took a bit of time off work in the afternoon to go to counseling. It was a good appointment. At the front desk, they have a basket of folded up colored paper. Each one has a thought for the day. THIS was what I got, and it was fitting. I took this shot in my truck under my rear view mirror. A good friend sent this to me a few years ago. I think of her each time I see it.

March 16th ....well....it rained. That is all I can remember. I had let the entire day go by without taking a photo, and just looked outside, and saw my topsy turvy hanging from the eves....missing the tomato plant from the summer. It was drip drip dripping........

March 17th....was Happy St. Patrick's Day! Sugar Bear dressed me up, and she took few shots of me. We spent the day together cleaning house and playing games. It was good to be together. I am always feeling better after time spent with my girl. ♥

March 18th was a quiet Sunday. We went into the small town close to our home to gather groceries. I finally made an effort to make some Kale Chips. I've been hearing about them for ages, and I have to say, "not bad". In fact....rather good. Sugar wanted none of them, but that doesn't surprise me in the least. She is very choosy. I took this shot of the kale when it was ready to go in the oven.

I am soooooooooooooo ready for some beautiful weather. I just know it is coming soon....right. Maybe next week.

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week Twelve

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 22:22:00 +0000

Theme for the week: Memories

Well, I had an exceptionally hard week. Seriously....icky. So I didn't even try to pull off the theme. I literally just set my camera on the window sill.....set the timer and grabbed a few shots of me....as is....on a Saturday morning. I suppose these are the days my daughter will remember most anyhow. We are creating memories each and every moment. It's all about the wonderful memories I hope she will have when she catches sight of a photo of her mama. Will she remember this face....with the messy hair....and the big nose? I'm guessing she will. :)

Next week's theme/prompt is.......WORK. (why did I choose this one...sigh)

There are many ways to go with this theme. Can't wait to try it out.

If it wasn't for you.....

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 01:37:00 +0000

I just don't know what I'd do.

My dearest Sugar Bear. You are the brilliant light that leads me through the darkness. There are days when I just can't imagine getting out of bed without the promise of seeing your face. I am so very grateful that I can always count on YOU to be that amazing source of JOY I so desperately need in my life.

Your beauty, both inside and out, finds a way of making each and every moment we are together simply better than the next. I cherish our hurried mornings where you make it seem not so brief. I miss your presence while I struggle through my day. Often just the thought of you can get me one step closer to where I want to be. It pulls me out of the muck....and onto solid ground. Reuniting with you is like a breath of fresh air. Holding your hand.....hearing your voice......kissing your face.....it is healing to my soul.

Mama's is in a hard place. I've been there before. I hate that I wrote that 1.5 years ago....and I'm still feeling relatively the same. There has been ups and downs along the way, but nothing compares to this right now.

I am smart enough to know when I need help, and I am in counseling. This is a good thing. I always know when I'm really ready for change when I take this step.

I refuse to let something change who I fundamentally am. I refuse to let something change the person I deserve to be.....who Sugar Bear deserves as a mother. I just can't let ANYTHING destroy my inner light.

That would be BAD!

Sugar Bear believes in me. Through her, I have had the great opportunity to make myself a better person. I have used my love for my child to encourage myself to strive for excellence of heart.

Without this amazing little honey, I fear that I would just accept.....and let myself die a little each day. Instead, I pull myself up by the boot straps and move forward with what really.....REALLY matters.

Thank you, Sugar Bear! You are the gift that keeps on giving. You are the light that keeps on shining. You are my inspiration, and for that I am forever grateful.

It may not look like it....but my LIFE IS GOOD! and it will be even better....soon!

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.

~ Samuel Smiles

My Week 76

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 04:38:00 +0000

March 5th....umm.....well....I have no idea what we did, but I do know that in the evening, I found Sugar Bear sitting on the counter in the bathroom organizing her hair stuff. I don't know what has gotten into her lately....maybe it's just a "SEVEN" sort of thing, but she is totally into organizing. ANYTHING......AND EVERYTHING. It keeps her occupied for hours. Can't say that I mind.

March 6th brought the first snow of the winter....maybe it was the first snow of the spring. It was a dusting....but it was lovely. I snapped this shot first thing in the morning as we jumped in the truck headed out for our day.

March 7th was a BIG day for me. I was LOOPED! yes.....so very LOOPED for most of the day. As you can see in the photograph, I was subjected to the joys of an IV. TWICE....because the first one failed. Typical for me. UGH. Soooooo not a fan. I sported a fancy green and brown bruise on my hand for a week. All so that I might be knocked out for a short period of time while my sweet Gyno removed a fun little polyp from my cervix. It was a delight. I'm sure I said all sort of humorous stuff while under the influence. It doesn't take much to make me goofy....and drugs are no exception. Good Times!

March 8th was spent in a pretty normal way for Sugar Bear, but I spent the day home alone....in bed.......crying. There is just something about anaesthetic that makes me an emotional mess the very next day. First day....I'm a hoot! Second day.......so depressed. ugh. Everything made me cry. Not fun. I picked up Sugar after Dance, and snapped a shot of her with Dr. Peanut. This is a little elephant that nurse Cassie dressed up for me to give Sugar Bear after my day surgery. It was so sweet of her, and Sugar loves him.

March 9th was NO SCHOOL for the Sug....and this always brings joy to her heart. Especially when it means she gets to go to her old daycare. She misses her care giver so much, and it is always a treat to see her friends. I grabbed this shot outside her daycare. I am sooo soooo soooo ready for Spring.

March 10th brought about 5 hours of driving, but it was so worth it. We had a little family reunion. I always enjoy seeing family. This time in particular was lovely, as I got a chance to hold some babies. It doesn't get better than that. Spending time with this cute little cousins was such a treat. So cute.

March 11th was spent helping my parents back-up their computer. It has been a long time coming, and completely amazing that their dinosaur of a computer hasn't given up the goose yet. I feel good knowing I've protected their data. Then Sugar Bear and I traveled back home to prepare for our week. We did take a few moment to nab a cattail for her "show and share" at school that week. For some reason it must have reminded her of a baton, because it brought out the marching goofiness in her. What a ham sandwich. ♥

whew....I'm almost caught up, yes? My husband needs to get back to work (shrimp season is coming soon), because I rarely have time to keep up with my blog and scrapbooking these days. eeekkkkk....I'm getting so very behind. Promised myself I wouldn't do that this year.

March brings.......snow!

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:28:00 +0000

We woke to snow recently. Our first real snow this winter......actually our first REAL snow here since 1965, or so I hear. WE got 5-6 inches. It was stunning out there, and we enjoyed it very much. What a fun spring surprise.

The Snow

See the snow

Its a blanket, soft and white

Falling slow

Covering the world, making it bright

Hear the snow

Crunching underneath feet

Children throw

The snow in the street

Smell the snow

The freshening scent

As the steady flow

Makes my heart content

Feel the snow

Powdery, it freezes your toes

As the blanket starts to grow

And the cold wind blows

Taste the snow

The way it makes the world look clean

Still cold though,

Makes the world, a beautiful scene

Love the snow

When I see it snowing all day

I just know

That everything is going to be okay

~Katniss Everdeen

We had a blast making a SNOW WOMAN! We made it up on our deck so as to not have dog poop involved. :)

Gosh I love love LOVE this kid!

52 Weeks of ME 2012- Week Eleven

noreply@blogger.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:30:00 +0000

The theme/prompt for this past week was: Full Body Shot

I was both excited and full on dreading this theme. I had several ideas of what I wanted to do, but it rained and snowed and rained this week....so I didn't really get much of a chance to pull any of them off. I am not a fan of my WHOLE body these days. I've been doing some serious stress eating for...ummmm.....several.....several months, and I'm on the heavy side of where I like to be. So, I find myself reluctant to get shots of my body, but one of the reasons I want to do this project is so that I can't hide from reality, and that my daughter has the photos of her mama as she remembers me.

So.....being that I delayed getting a shot all week, we set to getting the photo today. Sugar was my stylist....and photographer. Gotta love this girl. She has me not looking quite so bad.

Here is the shot that I chose for this week, because it is fun....a bit different, and a bit creative.

Here is a shot that actually shows my whole body in the more traditional way. I look a bit grumpy, but it was just the glare from the sun. I'm squinting.

The theme/prompt for next week is: MEMORIES

I can't wait to see what YOU come up with.