The project so far...

I finished my first month of Project 365. I'm a bit surprised that I managed to take a picture every day. I was pretty sure it would be a big Fail for sure. I got behind with posting the photos a few times, but I caught up eventually.

So what I've learned so far from the project........

I have a lot to learn about my camera and I'm glad I've got the rest of the year to do it, because that's probably how long it's going to take. I actually borrowed some photography books from the library last week. They make NO sense to me whatsoever, and I still don't understand what ISO means exactly, but I'm going to keep trying to learn.

The project has helped me to slow down. I look at things differently. I think in moments more often. I stay in the present more often. I look for stories during my day. It's funny, for several years now, I've tried to practice mindfulness (pretty casually, I should add). But ever since having kids, I've all but forgotten it; I get so caught up in the flurry of things to do, things I need to do, things I haven't done that I should have, etc, etc. So often, I'm everywhere but right now, and I know that means that I miss things. This project is helping me slow down and see more again. It really is. I think it was just what I needed.

One of my favourite places to visit on a weekend. White Feather Country Store is about 15 minutes north of us on one of the country roads. It started out as just a little market that sold farm fresh eggs and when my mom and I started visiting years ago, it was a little market with a bit of a gift shop attached. Well now, it's a huuuuuge building with a big big gift shop area and they still sell their fresh eggs and tons of other foods. On a weekend, the crowd is huge. People driving in from the city wearing their 'weekend outfits', looking around as though it's an amusement attraction ;)

Hayden picked out some Valentine cards for his class and I bought some peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies and a cookbook. I have to remember to go there more often though. They have so much freezer food and it's all very fresh and made in Ontario. Good stuff :)

I bought this book yesterday. Damn you, Oprah. I know it will tell me what I already know or sensed. But now it's just going to be harder to avoid. Sigh.

Pizza Sauce or Poison?

Only time will tell. I made myself some nice little english muffin pizzas this afternoon for lunch. As I finished the first half of my mini pizza I suddenly realized where I took the pizza sauce from. NOT the same place that I put it the other day in the fridge. What does this mean, you ask? It means I used an OLD bottle of pizza sauce. I don't know how old; could be 6 months, could be 2 years.

Let me expand on this by telling you that I have some "issues" shall we say, around food. A bit of paranoia about expired, contaminated, or otherwise bad food. I suppose you could say I probably qualify as having a mild phobia around food contamination. This is not good. It doesn't help to live with a person who basically believes that no food can go bad, and if it can go bad, you can probably just cook the 'bad' out. Wrong on so many levels.

The body scan begins.....is that a stomach cramp? A slight wave of nausea? Is that a malaise I'm feeling???

Is that a gecko on your shoulder?

This is one of the little 'prizes' that Maddie likes to carry around with her everywhere....one of those stretchy, rubber geckos. It's Hayden's of course :)

We have a stair climber now. She's not nearly as cautious as her brother was though. With Hayden, I never had to feel overly nervous because he was so cautious. Not the case with this little one. She doesn't seem to have much concern for gravity. It makes for some rapid heartbeats sometimes. She'll stand right up, hands-free on a stair and then suddenly just FALL. Needless to say, we're right behind her all the time.

Oh, the poor little thing....already she just wants SO much to be able to do everything her brother does. She tries so hard! She follows him everywhere, and her favourite things to play with are toys that she has seen her brother playing with (i.e. "White Guy")