31/365 - I missed a day

Since I missed this day I thought I'd just add one photo I love (and a place I miss). It's the Valley of Fire in Las Vegas. Such an amazing place!

30/365 - Bowling

29/365 - The famous Red Arrow

The story behind this place is under the photo! Food was great! Small place, but really neat! So many famous people have visited this place and apparently I sat in the same seat as the Berenaked ladies!



Red Arrow Diner History (copied from their website)

The Red Arrow Diner first opened its doors in Manchester, NH back in 1922! The original founder was David Lamontagne. At one point in time, there were a total of 5 Red Arrow locations throughout the city. The name Levi Letendre also goes hand in hand with the Red Arrow. Levi worked for the Red Arrow for many years, then eventually bought it from the Lamontagnes, and ran it successfully until his retirement in 1978. His legacy continues to carry on at the Red Arrow. After a few more owners, and then finally in early 1987, the Red Arrow Diner was for sale and vacant for the first time since 1922. That is when Carol Sheehan purchased it and brought the diner back to life!

The local diner is often the focal point of the community, and the Red Arrow is certainly no different. We have always been on the cutting edge in the diner area. In May of '98 we made the decision to go 'smoke-free'. This was absolutely unheard of in the diner business, but we did our research. Although it was a little nerve racking, especially when we were picketed in the wee hours before we went smoke-free! Well, things just sky-rocketed from there, then in September of that same year we were 'Voted one of the top ten diners in the country' by USA Today. To this day people travel from all over the world to visit us. Ask to see our guest book and check it out for yourself. Then in 2000 the Red Arrow Diner was finally named a Manchester, NH City Landmark!

Mention politics, and you will see anyone and everyone at the Red Arrow! This past primary was no different. We were followed by WashingtonPost.com and wow what a hoopla it was! 95% of the candidates visited the diner - some of them even twice - they like the food so much. We even saw the likes of Diane Sawyer, who walked in the front door and immediately scoped out our Dinah Fingers!

The Red Arrow has undergone many transformations since the early days, but one thing will never change... and that is keeping up the quality and consistency that The Lamontagne's began back in 1922. We continue to strive each and every day to provide you with the very best the Red Arrow 24 Hr. Diner has to offer!

28/365 - More white stuff

Well, just as I was about to jump in my car and take a drive to find something fun to photograph today - this started! I don't think it's supposed to amount to anything, but ....

27/365 - Happy 24th Birthday

My niece turned 24 today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KHANDICE!

26/365 - Reading

Amelia struggled in Kinder with reading. I even chose to hold her back a year before moving forward to 1st grade because of her struggles. I'm sure glad I did. Last year it clicked about half way through the year. Now she can read chapter books with little help. She loves to read now!

25/365 - Bitch Wine

24/365 - A princess and her frog

23/365 - Yahtzee

This morning Amelia and I tried to teach Ashton to play Toy Story Yahtzee. He loved to shake the dice - he actually really really loved to shake the dice! He would get so excited he'd start screaming (his happy scream) and clapping! It was adorable! Amelia had a blast. She loves to play games. Tonight I'm going to have another go at UNO with her after Ashton goes down! She loves that game!

22/365 - A is for Ashton

It's only appropriate I make Ashton my 365 for today. It has been one heck of a day! He woke at 1 am and wouldn't go back down until almost 4:30 (the wonderful joke Autism plays on some of us mothers .. we don't need sleep). Ashton is never affected by the little sleep he gets everyday... me on the other hand - I'll never adjust! He's been in such a mood since coming home from school to. Tantrum after tantrum! Bedtime can't come fast enough and mommy needs a bottle (or two) of wine! So here he is ... in his usual attire, nakedness! One thing you'll always hear me saying in my house is "where's your underwear", lol

21/365 - Hey there kitty kitty

I about died when I saw my Aunts cat come walking in the room! She had her shaved and with winter and all ... well she needed to keep warm! Hysterical!

20/365 - Lonley red tree

Today I had to take a drive to Lexington, MA to Hanscomb Air Force Base. My goodness is Lexington a beautiful town! It's Historic. I saw this lonely red tree right there in front of the Battle Road. If you don't know anything about Lexington/Concord, MA here is a link.


Concord Lexington Battles

19/365 - Will it ever end?

I'm starting to believe we're going to be buried alive in this stuff!

18/365 - beautiful disaster

I woke up to a winter wonderland this morning! The snow is so wet and heavy! The trees are all bent over. It looks so beautiful, but boy, what a disaster!!!

17/365 - Haircut

I took Ashton to get a haircut today. Look how cute he looks with his new cut! I love this boys hair! He did fairly well to! Hopefully a new trend for future haircuts! He also pulled out his other front tooth the other day! I love a toothless smile! :)

16/365 - Self Portrait

Yeah. This is all I got for today folks! :) Sorry for the boring self portrait post ... I promise to make it up to you tomorrow! :)

15/365 - Mad Libs

I'm cheating - I took this last night. I have a busy day today and not sure if I'll get around to taking a photo. Idf I do I may change this post all together! Anyway, my daughter and I were playing Mad Libs last night. Talk about belly laughing! It was so funny!

14/365 - Spinning

I've always wanted to try this! I hate the way I look here, but I always hate the way I look in pictures - so whatever! I thought this came out cool enough to share! If you want to try this yourself here are my settings -

SS/15
f/10
ISO/1000
430EX flash set to 1/8

13/365 - for all of you Dunkin lovers

As you all know I am a Starbucks chic all the way! I love my Soy Quad White Mocha No Whip - THANK YOU! Sometimes when I really need to wake up I'll order 4 shots of espresso over ice (that's my summer drink to). Well, there are days I have to settle for DD .. days like today when I had the kids and couldn't drag them into Target ... so here is my 365 today .... Dunkin Donuts :(



By the way, YAY me for keeping up with this! :)

12/365 - Fisheye fun

I am going to have a blast with this lens, fo sho! Camera is working now - it was my lens that broke (thank goodness)! My poor 50mm 1.4 will be missed while she's in for repair. It'll give me time to learn my Fisheye over the next couple weeks :)



I had to add another! I can't wait to play with this lens! So much fun!

11/365 - Broken camera

I had a little accident with my camera today (sniff sniff)! So I'm posting a picture from the other day. Hopefully I'm not out of commission for too long! :)

10/365 - Yummy beer!

Need I say more :)

9/365 - Road Trip

Newport, RI - A friend and I took a ride out there. Gosh was it such a beautiful place! The mansions were INSANE! The beaches were beautiful. Amazing!

8/365 - Catching snowflakes

I can't believe I have already followed through for 8 days with my 365! I never made it this far, lol. I'm having so much more fun this year because I want to break every photography rule there is and get creative. I feel like I can take an almost perfect (or at least decent) photo - if I want to and if I put the work into it. But I want to take photos that are creative, fun, and over the top photoshopped! :) These past few days I have really stepped out of my norm. So here is my photo today - bad crop and all - Amelia so excited catching snow flakes! Her smile says it all ....

7/365 - Starbucks YAY!

I don't know who was more excited - me or Amelia. Of course she showed her excitement, and well, I'm not going to jump up and down hollering YAY STARBUCKS. She did that for me :) It's a bit of a shock not having one on every corner .... something I don't think I'll ever get used to. We found this one in a Target. Apparently there are only a handful of Starbucks in a wide spread area :( Boo to that! So here is my 365 for today! Amelia enjoying her hot chocolate with whip cream. She swears there is nothing better. That's my girl!



I used Maggie's presets again (bliss) :)

6/365 - Wood Puzzle

I love Melissa & Doug toys - apparently so do my children! :)



I used Maggie's Bliss preset in Lightroom and I added a haze layer, with a little pop, and warmed it up in photoshop!

5/365 - Very Merry UN Birthday!

As most of you know that visit my blog, Ashton has Autism. He still doesn't understand how to celebrate different holidays and birthdays - These times are even very stressful and come with a lot of change and over stimulation. So I like to "practice" with him during the year with just us, so that when the time comes at least he's familiar with what's going on and that part of the celebration can be more predictable to him. Anyway this is my 365 for the day! Our very merry UN birthday :)



Also I want to add that I was chosen to be a Lightroom tester for Maggie Fortson - her actions are beautiful! I used the Polaroid on these with VERY little tweaking! Here is a link to her Flickr page. http://www.flickr.com/photos/vanishingsun/

4/365 - trip down memory lane

I took a little drive today. I thought it would be neat to see some of the places I grew up. I wanted to get so much more, but I didn't have time. I'll have to do this again! I haven't seen a lot of these places in over 10 years. So much has changed!

The road I spent most my life on:



The house I lived in - still white with red doors! The only difference is the entire front is missing all the big bushes that used to be there! Those worked to my advantage :)



Elementary School (Main Dunstable)



My Middle School - Elm Street Jr. High



The famous Motel 6 .. hotel parties!!! My mom got to know the owner quite well!



My very first apartment (with no roommates)

3/365 - Snowed in

So we played some card games today! I can't wait for this weather to get better so we can get out of the house! The snow is beautiful though and we're making the best of it :)

2/365 - Winter Wonderland

This snow hasn't let up and I don't think there is an end in sight! I guess Mother Nature had plans for me when she heard I was returning. She was thinking since I hadn't seen snow in almost 10 years lets give this girl what's she's been missing ALL AT ONCE!



I'll post more later :)

1/365 - family!

Just getting to meet my cousin for the first time was amazing! Seeing my aunt after, oh at least 20 years, awesome! Here is Amelia with her 2nd cousin Lauren!