Yes, I’m admitting it.  And maybe I should join Sore Losers Anonymous.  I am a sore L-O-S-E-R!  There, it’s said, it’s done, I’m cured!  I wish!  Although the reason I’m shooting this picture & not in it is because I was the first one out, I truly did enjoy our time with family and friends today.   Josh’s brother, Matt, & his beautiful bride, Emily, put on their long johns & snow clothes & walked to our house today to renovate the igloo, have dinner & play some games with us.  Unfortunately for me, we chose Monopoly.  Which, I think is mostly luck, but that’s just my opinion.  I mean come on, two times around the board & I wasn’t able to buy a single property!  Who has that bad of luck?!?!?  Okay, sore loserness is done…I’m over it….. *sigh*  So we enjoyed Matt & Emily’s company and were also treated with our neighbors Mary & Chris coming over AND bringing red velvet dinosaur cake!  We are so blessed!  For being in what seems like a perpetual blizzard, I feel very lucky to have all this family time with our little family, as well as with our friends & family who live so close by to make the snow seem a little less chilling.  Thanks guys!

I’m beat….g’night!

You might have guessed by the above photo that “they” are calling for snow again here in Maryland.  This is a bag of ice salt that my newest neighbors Mary & Chris are so generous in using on our shared walkway.  In fact, this last snow storm, Chris knew we were without Josh & they both cleared our sidewalk, our steps, and our car too!  What great neighbors we have here.  And even though I can hear when either side of me vacuums, or when they are watching a movie very loud, or when they get home late at night, I absolutely love it.  We love living here & wouldn’t trade it for the world.  This home is where we are supposed to be right now. (Oh, and I’m sure either side can definitely hear our loud selves too!)

Okay, and on another weather-related note:  Excuse me Mr. Punxsutawney Phil, but who in the heck do you think you are!  Have you EVER predicted an early Spring?  Huh, have ya?  Cause I’m getting a little peeved over here that my poor daffodils are poking their heads out of the ground due to the warm weather, cold weather, rain, snow, sleet, warm weather, snow, rain, snow, etc!  And my head isn’t handling these changes too well either!  *deep breath*  Okay, sorry little groundhog guy…I know you don’t control the weather.  Thanks for being my scapegoat.

Photos I’ve been looking at:  Samantha Alday.  Samantha is kind of sort of a real life friend, in a distant way.  I am friends with & used to shoot with her sister-in-law Stacy.  I enjoy reading Samantha’s 365 posts because she’s just darn funny & honest!  And she takes pretty good photos too!

Well, I guess you’ll know tomorrow if we get dumped on!  I’m off to accept pizza delivery & pump myself up for the premier of LOST tonight!  All are welcome to view it in the Sroka “theater” on 109 inches of pure goodness!  See y’all tonight!

Um, who else thought it would STILL be snowing here in Maryland at 5 o’clock?  I didn’t!  The snow is still coming down strong.  And then a quiet knock came on the front door and hello Robin & Chris!  What a welcome surprise!  Robin is my sister-in-law & Chris is her love.  They came by just to check on us & clean off the car.  Aren’t they sweet!  I made them pose for this photo before they cleaned off the car.  We tried to do the pose like the farm, his wife, & the pitchfork, but it was kinda cold.

Happy snow day!

Pam at work

Today I was given the opportunity to dip my toes back into the profession of teaching.  Although, this time, my student wasn’t a kindergartener, it was Pam.  Pam’s family and mine attended the same church for many years and I have gotten to reconnect with her daughter through the wonderful Facebook.  Right before Christmas, Leia (Pam’s daughter), contacted me about giving her mom some lessons on photography.  Now mind you, I don’t pretend to know all there is to know about photography, or to even know a little bit.  I pretty much get lucky in my opinion.  Nevertheless, I said yes and thought it would be fun to reconnect with Pam, and have some photo fun in these cold winter months.

We decided to take out a couple of newly engaged, soon-to-be-married, people that I happen to know!  Well, at least I know the male half of the couple.  CP’s dad was the pastor of the church I first attended when I arrived in Maryland in 1987, so I’ve known him for quite a while.  And he has grown up to be such a handsome, kind, wonderful man.  Know how I can tell?  It’s the way Sara gazes at him, cuddles up in his arms, and laughs at pretty  much everything he says and does.  I wish you both the best, and thank you for letting Pam & myself use you as our guinea pigs.