Such a sweet sky.  I wonder who it was for.

Do you ever pine for that kind of impulsive, extravagant, sold-out kind of love?  The kind that spills over you with such emotion you want to scream it from a mountain top or write in the sky – so the whole world will know.

I LOVE this sky.  I wonder who wrote it.

Try this great game and how it can help teach your family to control the clutter in your home!

Get Clutter Jail here

Day 7:  Favorite

What more do I need to say?!

This is Gidget.  She is without a doubt the best dog in the world.

I really mean that.  Not exaggerating.  Won’t even get into counting the ways, too many.  She is simply the best!

Day 6: Makes You Smile

This is my husband on the right.  With his friend, Jay, on the left.  Wearing the same shirt.  At Disney World.  Dancing.  In the street.

Note:  The children are no where to be found – hiding in embarrassment.

My friend, Beth and I, we loved it.  It still makes me smile… and tear up.

Shortly after this visit, Jay discovered he had an aggressive, B-cell lymphoma.  His treatment is equally aggressive chemo – 6 rounds followed by a bone marrow transplant.

Mark took a trip to visit Jay and encourage him in between treatments.  I sent him with specific instructions to be a help and do some chores around the house for Beth.

This is definitely a posed shot.  My guess is they were just goofing around as usual but trying to prove to me that Mark was helping out around the house.

It makes me smile to know my husband can be “a friend who loves at all times, and a brother in times of adversity.”

And it makes Jay smile, too.

Remember my post about finding my wedding dress all sealed and safe when the house flooded?  Shortly after that post my childhood friend and bridesmaid came to visit for the weekend.  Another bridesmaid came over for dinner and well, the dress was too much of a temptation.

We cracked the 23 year old seal.

It took both of them to get it zipped.  I couldn’t breath.

But, I wore it then and I can wear it now  -  for a limited time.

All moms strive for excellence, but too many of us think only perfection is enough.

This new year, let’s try to focus on the positives of being a parent and encourage other moms everywhere!

Day 3: Something You Adore

It is rather coincidental that I have to declare adoration for something just days after I confess that I am not the adoring type – with my husband.  More to  work on.

This is Megan.  My firstborn.  I adore her.

She gives 110 percent to everything she does.  She pleases me in every way and amazes me every day.

She is ready for the world.  I am just not ready to let her go.

I drink my breakfast.  I use the liquid food pyramid to ensure a balanced breakfast.

Day 1: YOU

This is me through the eyes of Madison (the iMOM task manager, slave driver, non-creative, bottom line, sassy co-worker).

HMPH!  Why do I make so many faces?!  This picture is not unusual for me.  Have you ever uploaded video to YouTube?  When you do, it selects a frame from the video to be the frame cover for the video.  I am ALWAYS making a strange face.  Serious, check it out for yourself!  

I told you.  And that makes three things I can’t control – YouTube, my face and Madison.

Madison took this picture and I didn’t even notice.  What was I talking about?  I could not begin to guess.

So here is the perfect visual example of why my blog is called Susan – It’s Just Me!  Because just me is exactly what you will get – imperfection every time!

The challenge is on.  I am taking it.  I don’t think I have a choice since Madison (A.K.A. The Wrangler) has thrown down the gauntlet.  She is taking the 30 Day Photo Challenge and put a typically unflattering picture of me as the subject of Day 9 on her blog.  I didn’t know she was doing this, obviously.  On top of that she proceeded to describe for her readers her perception of our working relationship.  If she were my daughter she’d be grounded for a month!

I figure I need to show her how to take pictures and maybe get some revenge.  After all, I have a new camera that I need to break in – yep, I got that Nikon J1 I wanted for Christmas, my birthday, Valentines Day, and my anniversary, from my parents, Mark’s parents, and my children.  I am in gift debt for the next 365 days.

This could be good for me.  I may actually learn how to use my camera.

On the other hand, this is probably a strategy of Madison’s to wrangle me into writing more blogs.  In that case, she wins no matter what I do.

She kills me.