Today is the first day I have turned on the central air in almost 2 weeks. We have been very lucky to have had a mild spring despite all the pollen. But today was way too humid and rain is on its way and I just couldn't stand it.

I have been surfing the net and checking out my fave scrapkit designers to see what good sales they will have this weekend for iNSD. Quite a few are having some awesome sales. Others not so good...so that is sorta disappointing...but that's ok.

Here's my photos for P365 for Wed and Thu.

Day 118-Wednesday

Love the honeysuckles in my yard.

I practicing taking photos from a different perspective and thought this one turned out pretty nifty.

Day 119

I thought the evening sun looked really pretty shining through the trees in my driveway.
I think I am also going to go through my links list and all the blogs I like that don't have any regular updates anymore I will be deleting them. Sorry ahead of time to anyone I delete.
Thanx for peeking in today.
Balinda

I am one of those "wannabe" photographers. When I grow up...I would like to do that semi-seriously. I devour any info about photography tips and tricks. But in the meantime...I am just having fun. This past year I was very lucky to take Candice Stringham's Oh Shoot! class over at the Jessica Sprague forum. I only had a Kodak bridge camera but I learned so so much about using manual mode. I have since acquired an Olympus E-420. I was hesitant about the purchase cuz it seems everyone leans toward a Nikon or Canon. I, however, am finding that this nifty DSLR is a joy to photograph with. Another thing I learned over at Jessica Sprague forum is how to really use photo textures. They are ever so much fun! Especially if you layer a bunch and play with the opacity levels and blend modes on your layers. So while I was out today taking some photos and contemplating what my photo for Project 365 will be today, I photographed some things in my yard that I thought would be some cool photo textures. Since this weekend is iNSD, I wanted to share. I have met so many generous people on the www that this is my way of "paying it forward".

Now...on to the freebies!!!

This is with textures b+c+d all on overlay blend mode and about 50% opacity.


You can click on the image to view larger.

Ok...I know I am not the ONLY one in the whole world that has let their fridge become toxic. And that's toxic with a capital "T". It's not that mine was really messy...by no means was it cluttered....I was just growing a few science experiments in it. I didn't even wanna clean the dishes...so...thank goodness alot of them were cheapo plastic ware ones and I could just toss them in the garbage. Now the garbage can is on the back porch...lid tightly sealed until it quits raining and I can see how fast I can dump and run into one of our big cans until dump day. Yes...I said dump day...the wonderful day my hubby loads it all up and hauls it to the city dump cuz we don't have trash pickup. I sorta feel bad...but then I start thinking about all the stinky clothes I will wash of his...and it takes me longer to wash than him to drive and dump...so I think it's a fair trade.

Monday night was Progress Report night at my daughters school. She did NOT want me to go. So her father picked her up from school and I went alone. She usually goes with me..but I wanted to see what she might be hiding from me. The answer is NOTHING. Her teachers praised her for working hard and in general just being a great student. She doesn't get the best grades but she works hard for the ones she does get and that's what is mattering to me and the fact that she is learning. School is really hard for her and eventhough she is not officially diagnosed with ADD....I have learned she thrives on routine and I have jumped through numerous hoops and testings for her to get into the schools 504 program. She stays in a regular classroom but has access to multiplication tables and formulas for math and gets longer to take a test if necessary...and a few other things. I didn't want a "free ride" for her because she is very intelligent...I just find that she learns differently and needs more interactive and hands on time. I so wish my ex would agree to let me home school but that's a battle I have long ago lost and now at 14...she will not want to leave her friends.

I am blessed that she has teachers that really care.

On to my Project 365 photos...

Day 116

I think the hummingbirds would like me to clean their feeder before putting them out.

Day 117
I have severe insomnia and do the majority of all my cleaning at night. sometimes ya just gotta go with what works. Well....this didn't work out so well...I broke a pretty wall hanging that my friend Ebeth gave me for my Bday this year. It was just leaned up against the wall on top of the pantry...and I slid the pantry over to sweep and BAM! it broke....I am an sooooo bummed over it. =(..
And My Goodness..if you have read all of my posting...you deserve a cookie!

Thanx for peeking in!

Balinda

The weekend was good...alot better than what I expected actually. It was forcasted for us to have severe storms/high winds/tornadic type weather. It did blow through but it skirted north of us. We got rain, which I don't mind but the storms...well...I could do without. Since hubby worked his extra job Fri/Sat..that left me and DD some much needed girly time. We mostly just hung out and I let her catch up on her FB, email etc while I did some much needed cleaning on my bathroom. We didn't even turn on the TV until we watched movies Saturday night. It was so peaceful without it blaring. I could go w/o TV....I just don't...but the hubby does keep it blaring when he is home.

Church service was wonderful Sunday. My fave is sunday evening service because we get to pick our own songs to sing. It just has a little bit of a different vibe that I like. I always leave uplifted for the week.

Right after lunch though me and Shaina cleaned some junk outta my car and this was our surprise when we opened the trunk lid. I am thinking they just wanted to hitch hike to walmart or something.

On to the P365 photos though...

This is Day 114.....Movies for movie night.
and Day 115
Shaina loaded down with a few things to go visit her Dad for one more week.

Today was super busy. That's what I get for sitting on tushy all day Thursday and not doing anything...well I did do a few things but I sure wasn't breaking a sweat. I was able to get all my banking done which I really wished I had done yesterday....I forget how busy banks are on Fridays. I also ran by walmart to pickup a few items and some photos I had dropped off last week to process. One set was a roll of film and the other was a disposable camera. Film rolls are always a surprise to what's on them and this one was no different. It was Christmas about 3 years ago. I was wondering why I didn't have many photos of that Christmas. Now I know..lol. It was a great find. The disposable was Shaina's from church camp last summer. And believe me, she let me know I was little late in getting them done. LOL! But she was glad to have them.

My hubby started a flower bed for me in the front yard....now ur thinking awwwww how sweet, right. Well the key word is "started" . He laid some boards we had been saving to use for them so it would be a raised bed and he dug all the top layer of grass off of it. That's it. And it's been like that for 6 weeks. I am thinking he is not going to do anything else to it for me. So with that in mind, I scoped out some flowers in the garden center at walmart. I settled on a couple of azalea's that are supposed to bloom spring, summer and fall. With the rain we are getting I am thinking it will be a good time to plant. I will also discard the idea of raised beds on that side of my house. Mainly cuz just digging a hole is easier. I know I will need a couple more to fill my space but I will know better how many I will need after planting the first two.

While I was taking some photos for my picture of the day I snapped a few of my miniature rose bush by my porch walkway. This is such a hardy little bush. I never prune it nor have I fertilized it and it just grows bigger and bigger every year and it's loaded with blooms. If only my larger roses would do this.

Photo of the Day time....Day 112.

This is a photo that I need to scan and return to my Mom. It's me at 7 weeks and was very recently retrieved from my Grandparents house. It has my Grandmothers handwriting on the back of it that I will scan also.

And it won't be long before the photo restoration class at JessicaSprague.com will start and I can put it to good use with this one.

Day 113

My azaleas. I wasn't sure which color I liked the best so I got a light pink one and an orangish redish colored one. I think azaleas ore one of the prettiest things you can plant. And one of the easiest to maintain.

I went to see my Grandfather today. For the most part, he was doing good. Mind you, he doesn't know what day of the week it is or even realize he is in a nursing home at this point. He seemed content and even happy at some parts of our visit. He told me that he cooked some eggs and a cake for breakfast and it was good and he had just gotton through petting his pet bull. He worked on a farm for a long time after he hurt himself logging and could not do that job anymore. I did get a bit peeved that his house slippers are ALREADY missing >Insert a very mad face here<. This is on top of a lost jacket and a lost denture plate. Keep in mind that today marked 7 days of him being there. So the shirts I was gonna take up to him, I have decided to keep here because I figure eventually his things will be lost and if I keep some here I will at least have some to replace them w/o busting the wallet. So a good visit was had despite some of the aggravation.

On a very upbeat note...I took my hiney back to church tonite. I had fallen out of going because of me caring for my Grandfather and then when he was in the hospitol I didn't go because I had fallen out of the habit. My church family is WONDERFUL because they sent word tons of ways they were thinking and praying for our family. I spoke to my pastor and told him that even though I had not been to church since beginning of February, it was a tremendous comfort to know that they were there for us. So tonite at service I gave praise that I was just there and then the scripture we studied really spoke to my heart. It will be one that I will give some more study over.

And here is my Picture of the Day.

Day 111 is a tiny wild mushroom. Sometimes you have to just pay attention and look close to see the simply beauties of nature.

Thanx for peeking in today!

Balinda

I have not done too terribly much today except gossip on the phone. I slept in a bit which ruined my plans for going to see Grandpa this morning. I did do alot yesterday which afforded me this luxury. On of the things I started tackling was the room my Grandfather was staying in. This is the hot mess it's been in for about a month. And it reflects the state of mind I have been in with him. I have been putting off cleaning and putting it back in order I guess because it's hard for me to come to terms that he MUST stay in the nursing home now. Once I put it back in order kinda finalizes that fact for me. But I did start. Not finished though. Still gotta change out curtains, add back pictures on the wall, rugs, nightstands etc.

So the Before

and the in Progress which becomes my picture of the day for

Day 109 of P365
and today's photo
Day 110
is a cute little lizard. I always know spring is in full force when they are scurringing all over my front porch.


Thanx for peeking in today!
Balinda

Saturday was an emotional day for me. One of my brother's is supposed to move into my grandparents house. My problem with it all is that he doesn't even try to go see him..whether it was when he was living with me, the hospitol or the nursing home. I could really just write a book about it all but I won't. So at this point on Sunday after many heated words I don't know if he is moving there or not. And to be honest...I am to the point with both my brother's that I just don't want anything to do with them. I cannot count the ways I have helped my parents out with my youngest brother and his "problems" or let his SO come stay with us because of their drama. Then the years of putting up with my other brother's junkie wife (now ex) and now his NEW one who apparently can do no wrong. I am not perfect by no means but when you are the oldest that apparently means you get the blame of "acting" better than everyone else when you don't participate in the family drama. But wait...I said I wasn't gonna get into it all...it's just sad when you come to the realization that it's better for your own immediate family to NOT interact with your side of the family tree.

In spite of family yuckiness...I have kept up with my Project 365

Day 108

My daughter gave this to me yesterday.

Day 107

My DD (middle) with her cousins.

Day 106
My Grandfather and me at the new nursing home.

The biggest monkey off my back this week has been getting our taxes done up. DH job was to collect all info that we needed so that I could just grab and go with it all. Did NOT happen. And with him working off in Missouri it's not like I can just have him go collect it for me..so it was a real scavenger hunt until I could get him on the phone to help me out. Then when I was gonna get started on them for real....the internet goes down...I was almost in tears...and getting a real paniky feeling. I mean we paid the bill...or so I thought...so after awhile I get on the phone to our provider and while on hold, it comes back up and yes I did check our balance owed and we were current. WHEW!

My Grandfather gets out of the hospitol tomorrow. They will transport him to the Nursing home he will live in. So I suppose that's what I will be doing tomorrow. Making sure he gets settled and taking the rest of his belongings that he is allowed to have. So please say a small prayer for us that he gets settled comfortably and is happy.

I have tried to make a scrapbook page all week. It just would not happen. So I snooped around the forum over at Scrapbookgraphics and found this link about Lomography photography. It's pretty neat. Check it out here. After playing around with some photos..the mojo came back and I created this page.

Supplies

Denim Blues kit by Flergs

Template by NeeNee from March featured package (modified and flipped)

www.scrapbookgraphics.com

Font DJB Tweenybopper by Darcy Baldwin

www.sweetshoppedesigns.com

I used the freebie Lomography action on these photos from sparklehorse.

Enjoy the links and see ya's next time.

Balinda

Saturday was absolutely perfect weather-wise. My allergies keep me from getting the full enjoyment out of beautiful days like this but that's ok.....I just adore them.

I got a phone call from one of my very best friends this week that I had sorta fell out of touch with. It just seemed that everytime I called her someone would beep into our conversation and she would have to jet out. I suppose I just got tired of it and quit calling. But over the Easter holiday I really had her on my mind alot and thinking I should give her a call. But I didn't. Funny thing is she called me on Tuesday and we had a gab fest and got caught up with each other. We do have plans to make plans for lunch etc...since this weekend her sister turned 16 and family obligations came first.

Shaina has been spending time with her father alot lately. I suppose we have an unconventional custody agreement in that we let her "float" from one home to the other. Mine is her primary home but when she gets in the mood to stay for an extended time at his house....all is good. Don't get me wrong...I talk to her almost DAILY cuz I miss her and I am checking that her school work is being done properly. She has been over staying with him for about a month with nights here and there with me and I am getting ready for her to come home big time. But I won't put that pressure on her because I know she will be back soon. I just never wanted her (or her brother) to ever feel "torn" or the need to pick one parent over the other.

We did spend a delightful time together Saturday just hanging out and she caught up on her emails and FB games since she has no internet access at her father's house. I sent my little point and shoot Olympus back with her so she could take pictures of her activities (or whatever fascinates her 14 yo mind these days). I sure she will bring me a camera full of photos of her dogs, her horse and any other stray animal she comes across.

I just purchased an Olympus E-420 DSLR and am still learning my way around it.

Here's a photo of the squirrels' favorite tree.

Shaina wearing the clover flower necklace I showed her how to make. I told her how I used to make them with my friends on the playground at grade school.

I remember Easter's as a child as being full of fun, family and lotsa eggs to hunt. My favorite Easter's were to be had at my Grandma Weaver's house. It was because my Mama had 5 sister's and 1 brother which made it a house full when everyone got together. To be honest, I don't remember too much about dying eggs (my mother would die if she knew that...good thing she doesn't read my blog) but I do remember the excitement and the pure JOY of the egg hunt. I never won a prize egg nor did I ever find the most. And we wouldn't hide the eggs just once either...they got hid numerous times. Then when we were all exhausted and tired of the hunt...we commenced to eating the eggs. It's really a wonder we all did not have food poisoning..considering how cracked those eggs got during the hiding and where some of those hiding places ended up being...LOL!

I don't have that large of a family..so it's almost a given that my kids do the egg hiding bit at my ex's. Of course my son is in college and my daughter has decided that she is a hider and not a seeker now...but she's allowed to still seek if she wants. =) Since this year DH had to leave for work on Sunday, we had Easter dinner Saturday night and dyed some eggs for them to hide Sunday. Christopher (in green) invited his friend Colt (in orange) over since he didn't have any big plans for the night. The kids got pretty creative in the egg decorating...some sparkles, some hearts and even a couple of LSU ones.

here's a few photos of my gang having a great night.