Days 54, 55, & 56 - Bad Blogger.

I admit...Project 365 really seemed like a great idea...when I didn't have a job. Now that I'm back to being a productive member of society (this may be a teeny bit of an overstatement) I feel like the worlds biggest slacker, running around the house at 10:15PM wishing I could finally sit down for the day, longing for eight long hours of slumber. Before I was working...I could spend hours trying to decide what to take my pictures of...and how I could set it up....right now, I'm just rushed to see what I could throw together.

I need to figure out what my problem is. I have my camera with me AT ALL TIMES so, one would think I could find something in my 15 hours a day I'm away from the house. I started this project so I could learn, not so I could take a picture of my drive home (here's where my husband gets mad at me) because I'm running out of time in my day, or because I'm lazy. Give me a couple days, friends....I promise this will get better.

Here's the shots for the last few days:

Day 54 - Trying to get a photo of Kitty, I got myself in the picture, too...on accident, I swear.

Day 55 - Lake effect snow hits the west suburbs. 30 miles from the lake. Argh.

Day 56 - I made some mini blueberry muffins after work today...I now know that mini-muffins are way more work than they're worth...they're about half a bite, and you would need to eat 12 of them if it really were your breakfast.

Day 53 - Winter Strikes Again!!

Day 53 - More snow in Chicago last night. YIPEEEEEE!!!!! I caught this outside the office this morning...all the branches on the trees are frozen right now, it's quite pretty!!!

Days 51 & 52 - Birthdays...

Day 51 - My Dad turns 65.

Day 52 - The cutest little girl in the world turns 3, and has a super cool Madagascar cake!!!

There's a bonus picture for today...showing off her "birthday girl" shirt.

Days 49 & 50...

Day 49.

Today, I was greeted with a stomach virus. Super!!! (sense the sarcasm?)

After a full day of feeling like I was going to die, I asked (forced) my super fantastic husband to take me to the ER when he arrived home from work. I was happy to find this tv in my "room", however, I was quickly saddened when there was no remote in sight. Sadly, I had to find out that the cute boy ice skater won this morning, when I woke up and still felt like I was going to die.

Day 50.

YAYYYYYYY!!! DAY 50!!!

Only 299 days left in Project 365!!!! Still sick, I wasn't planning to leave the house, but wanted to go out to the mailbox. When I arrived at my favorite pair of shoes ever (my Ugg's that I'd like to be buried in) I found a dog toy. I'm not sure if Guinness is trying to tell me something, but I'm pretty sure that's not where we keep the toys. Silly boy!!!

Days 47 & 48...

New job + busy week = this post.

The King of Hearts - day 47.

The Queen of Casa de Smith - Day 48.

Day 44, 45, 46...Loooooooove

I spent most of the weekend whining because I still feel like total crap...which, once again, does not make for good pictures. I'm sure video of me whining is something you are all hoping for, though.

I spent another quarter of the weekend watching the Olympics. I'm all about them. I remember when I was a kid watching them with my parents, enamored with everything they're about. I remember Mary Lou like it was yesterday...ohhh, how I loved 1984, and Los Angeles. That leotard with the red, white, and blue. I totally thought I was bound for the Olympics after that. I begged, and begged, and begged until my mom (still reluctant) put me in a gymnastics class at the park district, and I got so excited to go on Saturday mornings. What I didn't take into account is...I was chubby, and I had NO coordination. Balance beam + chubby girl + clumsy = bad idea. So, that fun lasted about 8 weeks. But, I still love the Olympics.

This weekend also brought Valentine's Day. I'll admit...until about three years ago, I was a bitter single girl, who hated all this day was about. I'm still not all that into the day, but it's nice to have a day to remind my husband how much I love him, and buy him a silly card. We didn't really do much, but we did get out to see "Sherlock", which I loved, and discovered today that there is talks of another movie with Robert Downey, Jr, and Jude Law. Yum.

Today's picture is just a simple rock...reminding me of V-Day.

Day 42 & 43 - Tired

Day 42 - I started a new job today, which really didn't give me a lot of subjects for my project. I met my husband for dinner, though, and this bear greeted us at the door of the restaurant. I'm totally going to look into getting one of these for home...it would scare the pants off the dog. (Wait...what kind of dog wears pants!?!?)

Day 43 - New job day 2. I hate the alarm clock, and I hate the cold even more than I did last week. It's REALLY cold outside when the sun hasn't come up. I'll admit, not having a real job for six months...makes one forget what it's like to get up really early, sit in traffic, and NOT fall asleep at stoplights. I took todays picture on my way home this evening...still wanting to fall asleep at all the stoplights...but able to catch this shot instead of napping.

Day 41 - COLD BELLY!!!

We got about a foot of snow yesterday!! When I woke up this morning, I was happy to see the sun, and I think Guinness was, too. When I let the little boy out...I quickly went to the front window to snap this picture...I knew the snow would be all the way up to his belly....and I knew it would be a great picture.

The cute boy might have a cold belly, but he really seems to love the snow!!!

Day 40 - Wintery Mess

Ugly day today...and another ugly day ahead of us. I'm soooooo over this crap!!

38 days till spring.

Day 38 & 39 - Sick. Yuck.

I admitted defeat that I was sick on Friday. I really didn't expect to still be feeling like total crap on Sunday, or even Monday. So, once again, two lazy pictures.

Day 38 - Superbowl Sunday - I convinced myself I felt good enough to go watch the Superbowl with our friends Jen & Louis. It was also Jen's birthday...21 again!!!! This photo is of their son, Matthew, who on a day where the thermometer hovers around 35, thinks it's far too warm in Chicagoland for him to wear a shirt, or socks. I love that you can see the blue in his face...not from freezing...but from the screen on his fancy DSi. Life is hard when you're four years old...isn't it??

Day 39 - Still sick. This blows. We also expect a zillion inches of snow over the next 36 hours...I really really love when my favorite shows (tonight, it's Castle) remind me the entire 60 minutes

that life is going to suck for a few days!!

Day 37 - Lobster

Another day spent in bed. Not much to take pictures of when you don't go any further than the bathroom. BUT - one of the best episodes of "Friends" was on this evening!! Those that know me, know how much I love that show, and those that don't know me...you would think there's seriously something wrong with me by the number of times this show is referenced in my daily life.

ANYWAY...this particular episode (The One with the Prom Video) is the one where Joey & Chandler become bracelet buddies, Monica julienne's tomatoes, and Phoebe insists that Ross is Rachel's lobster. Which is what the picture is when Rachel figures it out.

Day 36 - Aaaa-CHOOOO!! (and a new background)

I spent the majority of my day today with a kleenex within arms reach. My nose is red and dry, and my eyes are watery, and I sound like a seal when I cough...I hate being sick. (Though, who really likes it?!?!) So, for the first day in a really long time, I went back to bed. I brought the dog with me, and we crawled into our comfy bed with Kitty.

We went approximately two hours without Kitty smacking Guinness. I'd call that a success!!

In other news, I got a job offer yesterday!! I'm excited to go back to work, and REALLY REALLY REALLY excited to get a paycheck again!!!

I figured out how to change the background on my blog, so to be festive, I went with a Valentine's Day theme. My super fantastic husband thinks it's too girly. I bet he still reads it!!

Day 35 - Gray

Another sad, dreary day in Chicagoland. I really can't wait till summer comes back from the vacation it's been on...it's really starting to depress me. I drove down by the lake nearby today to take some pictures, and when I looked up, the sun was trying to come out. So, here's some proof that it actually tried.

Day 34 - Pink!!!

Okay, I'll be honest, I love pink. I also love cookies. So, when I saw these beautiful pink cookies at the grocery store yesterday, I HAD to buy them. Ohhh...the frosting...and the cookie...so so tasty. So, what better object for today, than this beauty.

I have to run...I'm getting crumbs on the keyboard....

BONUS POST!!!

A bonus post for today, folks...one of my favorite websites, photojojo.com is having a giveaway, and they'll give me an additional entry if I post this. I really really really really want the Fuji Instamax Camera...I do!! I do...I do!!! Can you imagine how fun my 365 would be if I had that???

http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/home/2010/2/3/giveaway-fuji-instax-mini-camera-or-slr-camera-bag.html

PS - Photojojo is where I learned of this 365 idea...great site, great ideas, great people. xoxoxo

Day 33 - Looooooove

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Author Unknown

I found this quote online today about your dog. I've been reminded lately how much pets are a part of our families, and how much a piece of your heart they have.

I grew up with dogs, they were always part of the family, and as soon as Guinness came into my life, he immediately fit in as a family member. He thinks he's a human, he tells you what he's whining about, he sleeps in our bed, he gives kisses when Mommy or Daddy are happy or sad...and more recently, he likes to sleep with his head on a pillow, under the covers.

That story is quite funny. One morning, my dear husbands alarm was going off, and he had hit snooze a couple times...Guinness had gotten out of bed, and stood next to Sean's side of the bed and whined a bit. Sean, of course, thought that he needed to go outside...so the second he got out of bed (and thankfully turned the alarm clock off) Guinness jumped right back in the bed, and laid down. Head on the pillow, and looked at Sean, as if to say "cover me up, Daddy!! It's cold!!!) Sean nudged me (still sleeping, of course), and said..."Look at him...he's a person!!"

Ooops...I should go let my little boy in...he's barking at the neighbors!!!

Day 32 - Disco Ball

I had a super busy day today, but I had a great idea while in the car...I was wearing what I like to call my "disco ball" necklace...and, I thought it would be a great thing to take a picture of. So, I did!! Just go ahead an ignore my reflection in the picture, okay? Great...thanks!!!!