Big Truth Photo's

Here are a couple shot of the band shoot i did for the music man. I love the tractor one. I't's silly, a bit different and definitely show their fun side. They change up their get ups depending on the song. Sometimes its a hat that blinks or crazy sun glasses and sometimes it's both.

This photo is from their gig Saturday night where there played to a packed house, several hundred people came by to have fun with them. 

This weekend we celebrated the music man's birthday and my parents wedding anniversary. We got to spend time with family and a surprise visit from our best friends. I didn't get any further on completing my shopping or crafting for Christmas so i guess i better get going. Lots to do this week, how was your weekend? Are you ready for the holiday?

A storm that originated from Alaska

is visiting us and it cold outside! I'm feeling very thankful for our warm fireplace, that all of our animals are inside their dry comfy spots and for the water that is visiting my garden.

Life is SO good!

A Map, highlighter and me

A few months ago we found out that the music man and his band will be playing in Phoenix AZ for New Years. It didn't take me long to spin this gig of his into a photo op adventure for he and I and began planning our trip. With days to explore the slot canyons of Page,  a winters view of the Grand Canyon and the warm weather and red rocks of  Sedona.  I haven't been to any of these places but the photos I've seen online are amazing and I am so excited!

So I've spent some time with my highlighter pen and a map. I've mapped it several times over and included a different route in case of storms so we have a good plan B if needed. A few reservations have been made the rest,  we decided to wing. The trailer is winterized in case we hit snow and/or freezing temps that we expect to.

Of course these areas require certain lenses to capture them.  The slot canyons are very narrow and we have to hike into them. Due the small spaces I'll be using my awesome wide angle 10 -24 that i picked up last summer and hopefully a brand new lens. I have been saving FOREVER well not really but it feels like... for a 24 70 mm so i can hone in on details and swap in and out with my wide angle. I'm planning on using both lenses at horseshoe bend and the grand canyon as well and am now super close to being able to pick it up.

Since the music man always drives I'll a have tons of knitting time too. Right now I'm working on Christmas gifts but plan to make significant progress on my winters blanket as well. So with just a few weeks left before we head out i am so excited!

This weekend i stepped away from the map and shot an original artist showcase and band photos for the music man. I hope to have post production done on both of these this week and will share some once done.

How is your Christmas shopping coming along, are you ready? I'm not even close but have big plans of making progress on it this week, fingers crossed...

morning movement

I strapped on my tennies with purpose this morning and hit the road. The smell of a neighbors fireplace, the sound of birds chirping and the cool crisp air against my face was perfect. I forgot how much i love and need this time,  to pray, clear my head and burn a few calories, yep just what i needed. 

Over summer time our weather here is so hot that i stopped my daily walks.  You know that saying once you stop working out its hard to get going again? Well no doubt that's me and now I'm paying the price big time.

I have been pushing myself for the last few months and working more in hopes of achieving some financial goals for myself and my family. Unfortunately, my back is paying for this and i haven't felt well since.  The longer days sitting down at the computer have left me in a lot of pain and unmotivated to work out rendering a few extra pounds.

I'd like to think this morning was day one in getting myself back to a healthy balance. A nice reminder that my body and mind must come before other things otherwise it just gets messy and todays walk was exactly the reminder i needed to motivate myself and push forward.

*Edited
I sat down and typed this post a few days ago so fast forwarding to today...
I made it four days in and at lunch Friday Chancie stepped on my foot and broke my little toe.... I'm super bummed and disapointed that there will be no walking for a few days or monday dancing this week.  Fingers crossed that I'll be able to get my tennies back on soon and pick back up this new little morning groove I've started.

getting in the spirit

Thanksgiving was awesome, we have so so much to be thankful for. We're back home now and the Fall decorations are put away. Thanks to the music man and J bug my Christmas decorations are down from the attic and beginning to roll their way into the house.  Ohhhhh i love this time of year! I have decided again this year to scale back my decorations as my life's plate is still overflowing and i haven't been feeling all that good. I need to keep it simple and remember what this time of year is about for me so I've picked out a few of my fav's. The tree is up and the stockings are out.

With gingerbread scent in the air and my morning cup of Joe I've been working on my gift list. 

Hobo's not impressed with my list

Jacks isn't either

But i think Honey might be and i definitely am.

Our Thankgiving adventure

J Bug helped me make a video with my photos from our mini vacation to the coast. Technology ain't got nothin on me, at least when there's a young adult around hehe. Please note video does have music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P44QQbn5960&feature=youtu.be

Hair cut day!

Yesterday Chancie got his winter hair cut. I'm guessing this is the first time he has every had anything like this done. He did wonderfully well too. The idea of shaving off his furry winter coat is to help him dry faster and keep clean while the days are cooler and shorter. He has a roof over him and nice warm blanket to snuggle in and stay warm at night.

Ready. Set. Go... This is Michelle and she's just got started, first pass with the clipper. Chancie is doing so good thanks to Sue for giving him a little Ace to take the edge off.

Look at all that hair! He is still standing very well, i think he likes the clippers sort of like a message. At one point he was so relaxed that his halter was holding his head up.

I super love this little heart on his butt. Isn't is awesome! So cute! A horse tattoo except made with hair instead of ink.

Cute

Cuteness

Cutie Patootie

Cuteoliscious (perhaps a new word?)

Okay i know, I'll move on.

All done. Rinsed, drying and getting some more love from the music man while waiting for me to get his blanket on.

What a couple of handsome guys!

 

Today we are off to spend the afternoon at my parents to celebrate Thanksgiving and enjoy our meal with family.  This year, we get to enjoy two Turkey days. We have so much to be thankful for. Today with family and for us, later this week we'll be heading out with the trailer to the beach. The plan is to smoke a turkey, eat lot of lasagna, then work some of it off by paddle boarding and bike riding so we can make room for more of course. There will be lots of time to relax and walk around with my camera too.  

 

I've gotta get going but before i do, i wanted to wish you a happy thanksgiving and thank you for visiting my space,  i really do love that you swing by.

 

hugs,

Jen

 

What to do

What do you do when the transmission in a Monkey's Rodeo is slipping and the thing wont pass smog...  Call a salvage yard and wait to send it off to the junk yard for a long rest. In the meantime the music man found a super great "new to her" car that they picked up last night.  An 06' Kia Sorento that gets 30 miles to the gallon. That should help save her a few bucks on gas while driving to school and work so thas's good. I believe it will be a much more reliable car for too which makes me super happy, nothing worse than worrying about her out on the roads.

What do you do when the kids are gone, the music man is busy and you have some time... Play in the dirt of course.  My freshly weeded garden just received a couple yards of beautiful composted clean soil ready for transplants and winter seeds. The weather is drizzly, cold and i love it! Perfect planting weather and i was able to get everything on my list in the ground.

lettuce, both arugula, bibb and romaine

rainbow chard ~  i just pulled out last years plants at the end of summer. This was by far the most single plant harvest i have ever had. This thing kept producing for almost a year, even made it through the HOT summer!

cabbage
brussels sprouts
sweet peas
carrots
onion, both red and sweet walla walla
brocolini
spinach ~ tons of spinach yum!

I am excited and hoping for better results this year now that I'm working on top of the stripped decomposed granite that is common in our hood.  Fingers crossed that the feeding and composting I've done for a year now and adding the new soil will do the trick.

What else to do when the weather is cool, knit knit and knit. I have been making up for lost time with my needles and am feeling so thankful for the much needed quieting of my mind that it brings.

a few thankful thoughts of the week

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. Elmer Davis

Last Sunday was Orphan Sunday at church were we sponsor several orphanages in Africa.  The week before,  hurricane Sandy and Benghazi a few weeks before that has has me thinking about where i live.

I am thankful for God's grace and good fortune of being born here in this country. Finding some peace in knowing that no matter who is president it's all part of a bigger picture. This country, the land of the free and of endless opportunities. The land with amazing people who give money and their able hands to help neighbors in need.

Fall is my favorite season of the year, the weather, colorful leaves, sweaters, boots of course... winter veggies but mostly because it's the time of year when giving thanks to the blessing in life are first on most peoples mind.

Today, I'm most thankful to the men and women in the armed forces.  I am so thankful for all of those who fought to give us freedom in the past and for all those who continue the fight to keep us free in a growing world of mayhem.

 

We're enjoying a nice weekend, the music man and i. The kids are gone and the house is quiet. I was able to spend some much needed time in the garden yesterday.  I hope to finish planting my onions today after a short  ride with Chance. I'll be dropping off the wedding photo's before plopping my butt on the couch for some football later this afternoon with knitting needles in hand. Perhaps with a warm bowl of Pasta Fagoli too.  It's cold here, as i type this morning it's 30 out.  I'll be doing all this with thankful thoughts and much appreciation for our soldiers who protect us in the awesome land we live in.

Happy Veterans day
Jen

Got Mojo.... back

Life over here is busy and full of goodness. The evenings are down right cool and the days have cooled enough that i have once again found my mojo and am ready to bust a move. This week I've weeded my garden.The girls have been enjoying their days hanging out in there before i begin planting our winter seeds and transplants next week. 

I've been back to my pre summertime lunches with Chance. He is super furry and looks like a stuffed animal with his winters coat already. He'll be getting a shave a in the next couple weeks when it gets a bit cooler and needs his blanket.

 Monkey and i went line dancing (photo by monkey) and i finished the wedding edits. I am so happy with how they turned out and proud of myself.  Today i went to an International Equestrian Cross Country Event that included some Olympian riders and had a great time. I was totally blown away by the talent of the horses and their riders.

Aren't they beautiful! I love the expressions of the riders. We also have a new addition to our family.....

Meet Miss Honey... Monkey adopted this cute little girl from friends of ours who were fostering her.  I'll be back with pics from her lil photo shoot soon haha. 

I'm feeling so thankful to be living here in our hood and all for the people we've met over the last year.  Life is SO good, thank you God.