Christmas pictures!!!!!!

Project 365 Day 4

Today's homework was focus, so I was messing around trying my best to get that sharp focus that other photographers get on the eyes....and I think this try was my best!!!

Project 365 Day 3

well let me explain this one cause I know its strange!!!! This is various shots of the inside of Reese's dollhouse, which was pretty much played with ALL day today and this is why I think it qualifies for the project 365 picture. PLUS.....one of the photochallenges I'm participating in was to take pictures in low light using the max ISO setting on my camera to see what type of grain it produced and whether the images would be useable.....well these are only of a dollhouse but they're not too bad!!!! In case anyone cares my ISO was set to 6400!!! My Canon Xti used to give crazy grain at like 800. I love my camera!!!

Project 365 Day 2

We had a birthday party to attend today. This is Reese and the birthday girl!!!!!

Project 365 Day 1

Well Richard has this ensemble on before Reese took it over. I thought this was a great way to kickstart my Project 365!!!!!

AND...We're back!!!

Well after a month away to Canada we are finally back in Italy. I have pictures to post but as I'm still in the process of editing them you'll all just have to wait a few days!!!!

The trip home was great, we got to do all sorts of things. We went skating and sledding, Reese loved both activities! Mom and Jenna took Reese to her first movie at the cinema, Tangled, which she was so enthralled with she apparently sat still the entire movie and ate popcorn!! Richard and I went on a ski trip to the Ranch down in Montana for five days, Reese stayed with Mom and Norm. We had Christmas with the family, all 15 of us! I got to see some of the ladies from work which was pretty great. Reese got to see her godmother a few times and while we were hoping she was going to have her baby before we left, no such luck. So now we are patiently waiting for a call/text from them saying that baby has safely arrived!!!! Reese was reaquainted with Davinci and Weber(dogs!). All in all it was a cold, but lovely trip home.
The flight back here was not so lovely!!! 16 hours long from Calgary to Minneapolis, Minneapolis to Amsterdam and then Amsterdam to Milan. YUCK. Plus I have decided that I really don't like Delta airlines. We booked with KLM and flew over with them but coming back we had to fly with their partner airline Delta.....BOOO.
BUT...here we are!

So, here is how I know I am back in Italy
1.I must now watch for cars slamming into the front of my car on purpose again
2.I no longer have to hold the wheel steady and pray for the best on the back roads like I did in Canada
3.In the mall today, first person shoves into me and I say "I'm sorry"*then remember where I am*. Second person shoves into me and I say "Mi scusi". Third person who shoves into me I throw my elbows out and REALLY remember where I am. Self defence people!!!!
4.Gone are the orderly line ups in Canada. Here it requires military tactics to line up at the grocery store. Its mob style line ups and if you don't budge your cart forward when you can you could still be there at closing time. I'm not freaking kidding!
5. Must start to make better effort again at dressing myself, today's ensemble was not up to par at the grocery store!!
6. Cooking now requires a toque and slippers again since our kitchen is FREEZING in the basement! However we did just buy a lovely new space heater today so I'm hoping to be able to cook dinner without getting frostbite!

Yeah..that's it for now :)
OH...P.S. I got a new steam mop and its brilliant, just thought I'd throw that out there!!!!

Goals for the New Year

1.Project 365 starting when I get back to Italy
2. 30 days of Zumba starting by Jan 10th at the latest then after that Zumba 3 times a week.
3. One self-portrait a week
4. Take one photography class at LEAST this year
5. Attend all my Italian lesssons and do extra lessons at home twice a week
6. Run 10km by the end of the year
7. More water, less coffee-MUST cut down on caffeine
8. Give up all forms of desserts, chocolates and candies for Lent
9. Start potty training Reese
10. Make a coffee table photography book at the end of the year of our Italian adventure

I Heart Faces-Jan Challenge- "Faces"

This is my entry for the I Heart Faces contest this month. The theme is "Faces of 2010" so I went back through my pictures to find one that was my fave up close face picture. Here is my entry :)

Its quite depressing really

How quickly you adapt to being back in the freezing cold. It just all comes flooding back and you adjust the way you drive, dress, walk etc etc. UGHHHH Its supposed to be - 28 Celcius here this weekend with the windchill....lovely.  Next year lets have Christmas in Cuba ok!?!?

Our Snowy UK Adventure!

So we were supposed to land in Liverpool Airport shortly after this picture was taken. However, it snowed in Liverpool and they closed the airport as we were on our approach so we pulled up and circled for 45 minutes. Finally the pilot came on to tell us that we had been diverted to East Midlands Airport which is about 60 miles south of Liverpool. *lovely*

This picture is actually of the plane's shadow in the clouds because I thought it looked cool!!!! So we arrive at East Midlands and there is a gong show about whether we are getting off the plane or not. Apparently at one point the plan was to refuel and fly back to Liverpool because it had magically opened somehow. Eventually they let us off the plane though!!! 

The coast near Liverpool while circling. Since East Midlands Airport was closer to Leeds than Liverpool we hopped a bus from there into Nottingham to the train station. All the trains going to Leeds from Nottingham were cancelled but the conductor told us to try to get to Sheffield and we might be able to catch one from there. So we hopped on a train to Sheffield and lo and behold there was actually a train going to Leeds from there that was running!!!! And I would like to say that the Brits do NOT appear to heat the main parts of their train stations so we were rather chilly!!!!!

Reese having breakfast with William(the stuffed version)

The snow in the farm where Lynn keeps her horses!!! Decent amount!

Reese trying out her snowpants for the first time

Fergus the lovely stable dog!

Lynn's horse Milo

Richard and Reese feeding her other horse Riffy

Having a roll in the snow

Milo being naughty and nipping Riffy's coat

Domino being silly for the camera

this lane looks like the one she struggles up in the movie The Holiday

The real William, all tucked in

William meeting Snow White, and her dog George ;)

Reese guarding her dalmations

playing in the Christmas maze

The kids drumming in the middle of the maze.

The Christmas Adventure at Stockheld Park

Ahhhh the Brits! Cross country skiing on the fake ski trail when there is perfectly decent skiing snow right beside it!!! 

Reese's scampi, chips and peas and her hat made out of a menu

Great grandma, Lauren, Reese and Aunty Bev