PAD Jan. 14: A Handful

I am trying really hard to watch what I eat. Trying to keep in mind that I have to strictly limit my carbs. This means my snacks need to be as healthy as possible. 

I love tomatoes and usually this time of year it's near impossible to find decent tomatoes but I managed to find some really good grape tomatoes this past weekend.  A handful of them are a great snack.

My other photo prompt today was supposed to be something I do daily.  Since I really didn't think it would be appropriate or a pretty sight to take a picture while showering I figured a picture representing brushing my teeth would be better.  After all, I do that twice a day instead of just once. So, every day I brush my teeth.

I have been told the toothpaste blob looks like a dolphin.  It wasn't done on porpoise (see what I did there) but it adds a little something extra to the photo.

PAD Jan. 13: Lunch and A Building

So I found another photo a day challenge I liked the look of so now I'm playing around with two PADs.

Today I had lunch with my friend Tina. We hung out for a few hours. We always have a good time and always find lots to talk about.  We ate at St. Louis Bread Company (Panera to the rest of the world). I had Cheddar Broccoli soup and grilled cheese.  I forgot about my photo prompt until after I had already finished eating.

I had planned on raking a picture of part of the strip mall once we got outside but then I was too busy enjoying hanging out with my friend that I forgot that too. So, I decided to get one of my daughter's Nano Block buildings and take a picture of that.

PAD Jan. 12: Begins With T

It started snowing yesterday afternoon and has been snowing ever since.  We've gotten close to a foot of snow so far. We haven't had a snow like this in about 8 years. Last year we had a decent snow in March, but it still wasn't like this.

The PAD topic for today was "begins with t." So, I took a picture of our picnic table in our back yard with snow piled up on it.

My 50th

Today was my 50th birthday. That is so hard for me to believe.  I still have just as many insecurities as I did 30 years ago. I still have so many things that confuse me about life. I still feel like a teenager.  How in the world can I be a half a century old already? Shouldn't I have more things figured out by now?

It was a snowy birthday, which  isn't too surprising or unusual since it is January.  We dismissed from school early due to the weather today.  But, it was already nasty on the roads.  It took me 20 minutes to drive from work to the highway which usually takes no more than 5 minutes.  The highway was already snow packed but I managed to make it home safely and it only took about 25 minutes longer than usual.

We went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse tonight.  I had a filet mignon, ceaser salad and steamed vegetables.  It was yummy. I always order medium well. So, I took a picture of it after I cut into it so I could use it for today's PAD which is pink.

It continues to snow.  It is supposed to snow all night and all day tomorrow.  This is probably going to delay Michaela going back to school.

We haven't had snow like this on my birthday for about eight years. The kids and I were all off school for a snow day on my birthday that year and I took them sledding.  This year Caleb and I both had early dismissal. Michaela was working with Michael. So, we went out to eat after they got home from work. 

I got money from my in laws that I am putting with the money they gave me for Christmas to buy a Samsung watch. Hopefully I will be able to do that this weekend.

PAD Jan. 10: Play

I have always loved Scottish Terriers.  My dad brought home the Scottie I grew up with when I was three. My husband and I got our first Scottie two years before our daughter was born.  Fourteen years later we got two more.

I love their attitude.  I love their short little legs. I love their big noses and pointy ears. I love their expressive faces. I love their loyalty.  I love they way they lay on their tummies with their back legs out behind them. We call it frogging. And, I love hown hard they play.

This is our Izzy. She is the older of the two that we have now, but she's the more playful one and she loves her pig.

PAD Jan. 9: This or That

We were allowed to wear jeans to work today so I was also able to wear a shirt that doesn't really go with dress pants.  I had two that I was trying to choose from.

One has sparklies and a tie dyed type look. I haven't been able to wear it in a while but have recently lost a significant amount of weight so now I can wear it. The other is purple (my favorite color) and says "Made in 1969." My 50th birthday is on Friday so I chose the purple one.

PAD Jan. 8: Quirky

I really had a hard time coming up with an idea for this one. So, I just decided to use one of my Snapchat selfies.

I used to hate selfies and any pictures taken of me. I have lost around 60 pounds and am not as self conscious about having my picture taken.  It still isn't my favorite thing, but I can deal with it enough to do something like this .

PAD Jan. 7: Look Up!

I took a little bit different approach to today's photo a day topic. Instead of looking up with my camera I am sharing a picture of my son looking up.

This was taken at his swim meet this weekend. He swam four events on Saturday and four events on Sunday. It was a great meet for him as he dropped time in all but one event and that one event he swam his seed time.

I love taking pictures at swim meets. I always try to get some of him behind the blocks waiting for his heat as well as him actually swimming. Quite often I get some really good shots of him before he is in the water. I think watching your kids do what they love is one of the best parts  of being a parent.

PAD Jan. 6: Breakfast

My daughter started swimming when she was in 6th grade. Three years later my son started swimming. So, we have been a swim family for 9 years.

Anyone who doesn't have kids who swim year round for a club team really has no idea what this entails. Dance parents and gymnastics parents understand because those are very much like being a swim parent.

It means daily and some times more practices. It means the pool becomes your second home. It means traveling and staying in hotels several weekends a year. It means spending four to five hours sitting in bleachers or crash areas to see your child swim a total of about 5 minutes or to watch them swim a mile after an already long weekend. It means getting up long before the sun just to make sure your kid can be in the pool for a 6:30 am warm up time. It means eating concession stand food for breakfast while inhaling chlorine fumes.

PAD Jan. 5: A Fave Thing

I am very blessed to have had the privilege of teaching hundreds of great kids. I really love my job and love the path my career has taken me.

I currently teach computers, yearbook and leadership to middle schoolers.  Something I never thought I would like.  But, I love my middle schoolers.  They are so much fun to be around.

Right before Christmas break 2017 one of my 7th graders brought me this amazing gift. It's an Artic cup wrapped in red with a Warrior head on it. If you don't know the glory of an Artic (or Yeti) cup you are missing out. Your drink stays cold all day and there is actually still ice in the cup after 18 hours. My Artic cup has become one of my fave things.