January Evaluation

                At the end of each month I am going to check in with an update on my goals.  I am going to evaluate my progress or lack thereof for each goal.

1. Scrapbooking - I feel really good about my scrapping progress this month.  I host two scrapbooking challenges and participate in those as well as two others.  These challenges help me to meet my scrapbooking goal.  One of the challenges sometimes allows me to create more than one layout.  There are still 2 days left in the month and I have plans to complete at least 10 more layouts.
2. Photography - For the month of January I focused on taking pictures of food and sharing those pictures.  I feel as if I have accomplished my goal for the month.  I have acquired tips to help me take better pictures of food with my different lenses and on different visual levels.  I plan to continue to work on my food picture taking skills as the year progresses.
3. Eat healthy and exercise regularly - This is the goal that I will struggle with the most.  I have had my good days and my bad days.  I have not done a very good job of tracking my food intake, so I have not done as well there as would have liked.  As for exercise, I have made it to the YMCA 4-5 times a week and have done the planned workout.  Except this week, I made it only once.  I need to go even if I am the only one going.  All I can do is get up each day and strive to do better than the day before.
4. Reading - I finished two books this month.  The first one was The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom.  The book was about Eddie, who was moments away from his death when the story begins.  We go through his final moments, his funeral and life for his friends after he has gone.  There are flashbacks to his birthdays at various times in his life.  We follow Eddie through heaven as he encounters five pivitol people from his life.  Each person's life and death has played a part in Eddie's own life.  Each has a story to tell, a secret to reveal and a lesson to share.  Eddie begins to understand his life and brings closure to those he meets in heaven.  I really enjoyed this book.  With each experience and each lesson learned I questioned my own life.  It made me think about what I need to do to make more of my life.  For book number two I read The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.  This was an interesting book, which I did enjoy except for all the bad language.  The book would have been just as good without all of that.  I love a good mystery/thriller/suspense book.  This story was about Rachel, a divorced alcoholic, who observes Megan through the window on the train during her commute to London.  Megan lives just doors down from where Rachel once lived.  Now Rachel's ex-husband, his new wife and their daughter continue to live there.  Megan disappears and Rachel thinks she saw something that might help figure out what happened.  However, not everything is as it seems.

                  January was a good month, a good start to a new year.  Each month will continue to build upon the last and 2016 will continue to be a good year.

                  Nothing is impossible, the word itself says "I'm possible"! - Audrey Hepburn

 

Food-tography

I have wanted a DSLR camera for many years, but I could not bring myself to spend a lot of money on a camera.  I have always loved photography and have become more and more interested recently.  With Lauren getting interested in photography and the editing process I have become more interested myself.  She asked for a camera for Christmas.  I really wanted one too, so originally we planned to share one.  Then I was like I do not want to share, I want my own camera.  Therefore, Lauren and I both got a DSLR camera for Christmas.

Since I knew that I was getting a camera for Christmas I have been collecting techniques and tips on Pinterest and in a binder where I have printed tips, techniques and lesson to have close at hand.  I took an online photography class even before I got my camera.  For the month of January the photography technique that I want to learn/develop is to photograph food. 

One of the blogs that I found was Capture Your 365 by Katrina Kennedy.  I had been debating about whether or not I was going to continue to scrapbook or take a different approach.  I thought about doing my own Project 365.  What is Project 365 you ask?  Well, it is committing to take picture every day for a whole year.  Essentially you are making a photo diary.   

During the month of December Katrina was offering a seven lesson photography class called “Capture Your Holidays”.  I decided to take the class.  Lesson 5 was “Capture Food & Drink”.  There were five specific things for us to think about when shooting food and drink; find the light; shoot at eye level, just above, or straight down; give your photos context; adjust your white balance and focus on the front of the plate or one-third in.

Here are some of the picture I have taken of food this month.  

Carmel Streusel Cheesecake Bars

 

Miso Soup with Spring Rolls and Crab Wontons

 

Lauren decorating a cake with Cherry Blossoms

 

Lemon Bread, Pumpkin Bread, Banana Bread, Zucchini Bread and Double Chocolate Swirl Bread

 

The Start of a New Year

                As a new year begins it is time to evaluate the past year.  Was it a good one?  What do I want to change?  Did I accomplish what I wanted?  Was I happy?  Then I take those answers and try to figure out what I want this New Year to be like and set goals accordingly.

                Sometimes I feel as if I am just coasting through life with no purpose.  As you grow up you work towards finding the right one to marry in the temple and to have a family.  But once that has been accomplished the question is asked, “Now what?”

                This year will be the year to live with a purpose and to be happy.  My goals are simple and most of them are a carryover from last year.  This year I plan to:

1.       Stay current with scrapbooking.  I will not always have something to scrap every day, but I will take time each day to evaluate where I am and scrap.

2.       Learn at least one new photography technique each month, practice it and share it.

3.       Eat healthy and exercise regularly.  I will plan healthy meals and not have food in the house that will detract from establishing healthy eating habits.  I will go to the YMCA at least five times a week and do a combination of cardio and weights.

4.       Read at least 15 books this year.

Fiction

1.       The Five People You Meet in Heaven

2.       Flashforward

3.       All the Light We Cannot See

4.       The Girl on the Train

5.       Paper Towns

Nonfiction

1.       I Am Malala

2.       The 7 Habits That Will Change Your Life Forever

3.       Unbroken

4.       Believe in What You’re Doing, Believe in Who You Are

5.       The Crossroads of Should and Must Find and Follow Your Passion

Classic

1.       The Secret Garden

2.       The Three Musketeers

3.       Oliver Twist

4.       Les Miserables

5.       The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

As the year progresses, goals will be added and goals will be modified.  This will be a good year.  This will be a year of positive change.  This will be a year of happiness.

                Lauren gave me two cute little books of quotes and inspiration for Christmas.  One of the quotes is my theme of 2016 “Think Happy, Be Happy.” 

                You are the sum of your thoughts.  Therefore, think happy and you’ll be happy.