{Creative Corner} DIY Advent Calendar

On December 1st we began our advent calendar. I was inspired by Martha Stewart and made a stocking advent calendar.





We have enjoyed counting the days and getting a stocking each day. It is fun way to count down to Christmas.

{Creative Corner} Crafty Inspiration

I have neglected this blog for sometime. I am so sorry blog. I've spent more time blogging with Baby Bear and not much for me. I recently gave in and joined pinterest. It is a great website where many other bloggers share their ideas and crafts. Here are a few things I have been inspired to make.

I made these cards for Baby Bear's teachers (inspired by eighteen25) and packaged it along with a coffee cup and some treats (I forgot to get a picture of the final product) as a holiday gift.






For Baby Bear's class mates, I made these little cards that they could color along with a few crayons. Here is a picture of the inside of the card.

{Photo Corner} Week 12 and 13: The Big Apple

Since I was on vacation in NYC, I didn't get to post pictures. But I took a lot and so here are a few (some taken by me and some by Papa Bear, since I Baby Bear needed a bit of attention, Papa Bear had more control of the camera than I did).

Central Park.





A New York City evening.



Tourists at the museum.



The Empire State Building.





At Times Square.





For more pictures of our trip to the Big Apple, check out Baby Bear's blog.

{Photo Corner} Week 11: Lesson 5 Composition

I am a bit behind on my lessons, but that is fine. I just have to take it all one step at a time. Lesson 5 is on composition and gives 6 tips to help compose a photos:

1. Keep it simple - eliminate distractions
   
2. Apply the rule of thirds
3. Keep an eye on the horizon
4. Frame your subject
5. Fill the frame
6. Try a new perspective

Here are a few of the tips in action. A nice and easy lesson.

Fill the frame.



Keep it simple (and fill the frame).



Rule of thirds.

{Photo Corner} Week 9 and 10: Catching Up

I have fallen way behind on my pictures. I've been so busy with work and life that I haven't had much time to blog. So here I am catching up. I got a new lens for my birthday and have been playing with it.

So to catch up here are photos for week 9 and 10 of my 52 week challenge.







And my favorite picture.



I am enjoying this new lens. It is definitely nicer quality photos from my kit lens.

Ash Wednesday: The beginning of 40 days

Today is Ash Wednesday marking the start of the Lenten season. I admit that I have not been the best Catholic. In fact, since Baby Bear was born I have only been to mass a handful of times. I really need to get back to church. Luckily, they held a mass at the colleges and I was able to go during lunch to get my ashes.

I still plan to observe Lent as I always do. I am planning to give up sweets; meaning candy, treats, chocolate, ice cream, etc. I also plan to collect one item of my belongings each day to give to Goodwill or other charitable causes. So the idea is that by the end of the 40 days of Lent, I should have 40 items, whether it be clothing or trinkets or anything else to donate. The caveat is that it has to be my belonging not Baby Bear's or Papa Bear's. It would be way to easy to give away a bunch of Baby Bear's clothing and toys. I have way too many material possessions and this is one way for me to give to those who don't have as much.

{Photo Corner} Week 8: Celebrating 36

Yesterday was my birthday. We didn't do much this year to celebrate, just laid low. Papa Bear had class in the evening and I ended up having to work. I usually try to take the day off for my birthday but I was just too busy at work. Besides we are going to New York in 17 days for work and play, so I figured I would take the time off then and Papa Bear and I can celebrate both our birthdays in New York since his birthday is towards the end of March.

Papa Bear watched Baby Bear yesterday and brought her to work to meet me for lunch. It is always nice to see my Baby Bear. I received some really nice messages from friends on facebook and cards from my lola and BFF. It was a mellow and beautiful day.

Papa Bear got me a new lens for my camera, the nifty fifty. I can't wait for it to come and to try it out. From what I hear it is worlds better than the kit lens that I have been using.

I got some gorgeous flowers from my mother-in-law. And here are those beautiful flowers...

Desert Dash 2011 - rain

I was planning on running the Desert Dash 5K in Parker, AZ. We drove out to Parker to meet up with some friends, but on Saturday morning we woke up to pouring rain. So I opted out of running. The run is in the desert in dirt and all uphill, there was no way I was going to be able to run that. I am just not that hard core. I am bummed because I was looking forward to it, but I was not willing to run in pouring rain. A little drizzle and running on asphalt or cement, no problem but I was not looking to do a mud run.

{Photo Corner} Week 7: A little behind

I am a little behind with posting pictures. Here of Baby Bear's little friend she made this weekend.



This is Cornelius, he is a sweet pug. I'll hopefully get back to the lessons soon. Life happens and it has been crazy busy.

{Fitness Corner} Sometimes life happens

I have been doing well to keep my routine going. This week, I have been focusing on training for a 5K. I haven't been training hard or anything, but just shifting gears from strength training to running more. I've been able to keep it up with 4-5 days a week of working out, which has been great and leaves me feeling good.

Well, it looks like things might have to change. My workout time at the gym is before work. Well I am going to have to alter my workout schedule since I was just asked to join a weekly research team meeting on Wednesday mornings. So this meeting is probably going to cut into my workout time. My workout time is timed just so that I can drop Baby Bear off at daycare, workout for 20-30 minutes (depends on how cooperative Baby Bear was that morning in getting out the door on time), shower and get ready, and then walk to my office (it is nice having a nice gym on campus). Having a meeting in the mornings means either cutting my workout time or not working out that morning.

I will see how I might be able to manage it. It is not the end of the world. Wednesdays I also do yoga, so I get two workouts in that day. So it might not be so bad. But it is a bit disappointing since I am not a fan of morning meetings. Work is work and I have to do it and be a team player