Back From Break

Where have I been? Absent from here, that's for sure. I have been on "Winter Break" from school for just over a week, and have enjoyed every minute of it. I couldn't get myself motivated to blog on these days--lacking motivation in that department. New Year's Resolution? Ha, yeah right. I have an early January birthday, so have learned to never set myself up for failure like that. I can't wait to share what I've been up to over break, and maybe you'll gather some inspiration, ideas, or links to use. Caution: complete randomness ahead.

1.) First, I read a couple good books:
Set in South Africa during the Apartheid, the story of a young boy who encounters many interesting characters while coming of age, facing racism, and recognizing the power one possesses.
Way better than I expected. The story is not focused just on race, but on the adventures of this interesting and inspiring family.



2.) Then did some intense research on photography. I used these sites:

Pioneer Woman Photography has some great explanations and tips. She claims not to be an expert, but her pictures show otherwise.

Two Peas in a Bucket has a downloadable 12 week course that you can reference or print in PDF form. I love the format and have printed out the first couple weeks to try.

Turns out I'm still not that awesome of a photographer. But I'm working on it!
3.) We celebrated Christmas with family, and I spent lots of time with this special little man.


4.) Stocked up the deep freezer for maternity leave.

I found recipes and information on this LiveJournal. I was able to make and freeze almost 20 meals in about 4 hours (spread over two days, let's be real, I'm hugely prego and slow moving) and it cost less than $150. The food looked so good I kept wanting to eat one of them that day. Didn't give in, only because the husband was there and I didn't want to look weak.

The pic above is from the livejournal and looks a lot neater than my kitchen did at any point of preparation.

5. Prepared for baby number two

Eek! Holy nesting session. Busted out all the gear for baby, and have the car seat all set to go. That's right, sitting out in the open, ready for me to grab at a moment's notice. Because that's totally how childbirth goes--one minute you're in labor, the next you have a baby. At least I feel prepared. What is that called when you can recognize the "crazy" but don't do anything about it? Oh yeah, pregnancy.

6. Pinned a "few" things.

Dare you to stop by Pinterest for just a few minutes. I have found the site incredibly helpful. When I'm feeling crafty, I hit up Pinterest and get to crafting (usually).

7.) Organized and backed up months of photos

So this doesn't really seem like a task I should blog about, but it took so freaking long that I feel justified listing it. I need all my picture folders meticulously organized, which is painful. Someday I will be thankful for this. Also, take this as a friendly reminder to back up your pictures and documents :)


I hope you gathered at least one idea by reading today! I am blessed to have had such a long break from school as well as a toddler who takes long naps. Have a great day.