5 for Five, A Failure Story

Last Week's Goals:

1. Go to the gym at least 4 days. 

2. Drink a minimum of 6 glasses of water per day. 

3. Write post to share fall decorations. 

4. Clean out under the kitchen sink. 

5. Work on paperwork to officially license my photography business. 

Let's just keep this simple. I did get my fall decorations up here. But that is ALL that I got done from my list last week. Better luck this week??

Goals for this Week:

1. Go to the gym at least 4 days.  My friend from work and gym partner already texted me last night and agreed that she had a BAD weekend when it comes to being healthy - so our goal is to make it Monday - Thursday.

2. Drink a minimum of 6 glasses of water per day.  This NEEDS to happen.

3. Clean up and organize office.  You will remember this didn't happen a few weeks ago when it made an appearance.  I might have time this week to fit it in.

4. Clean out under the kitchen sink.  Still need to get that mask and bleach.....

5. Work on paperwork to officially license my photography business.  I'm hoping that the weather will hold up next weekend for the three photography sessions that I have scheduled, and then to use some of the money I earn to work on my licensing.

This Weekend I . . . Did some stuff.

Did some baking: Pumpkin Cupcakes w/Cream Cheese Frosting and Bread Pudding

Watched some football {U of O Ducks and Seattle Seahawks both won their games and both set records}

Played with some different lighting in our hallway

Did some shopping at Ikea with my sisters

Watched everyone around me take some naps

Enjoyed some alfredo while my hubby went on a "man date" with a friend

Made a banner out of some scraps of fabric for an upcoming photo shoot ************************************************************
I recently added some new photos to my Etsy shop, Seashore Photography. From NOW until OCTOBER 31st, all readers of My Mind's Lens will receive 25% off on any purchase! Just use coupon code 'BLOG25'

Same Name: Scavenger Hunt Sunday Social

I figure it is time to pop in for a little Sunday socializing with Ashley over at Ashley Lately, since it has been a few weeks since I have done so.

1. What is your dream job?  My dream would be to work two days a week as a bookkeeper for a few small businesses, while also doing my photography.

2. If you had just won the lottery and didn't need to work for money, what would you do with your time?  I would take the money and buy some NICE camera equipment, rent a studio, and take lots of pictures - especially of newborn little ones!

3. What piece of career advice would you give to someone just starting out in your field?  Make sure you find an employer who appreciates you and the work that you do.  And find a specialty that you enjoy and can grow in.

4. What would be your ideal "just for fun" job?  Umm...is there any doubt in what my "fun job" would be?  All seriousness aside, I think it would be fun to be a bartender, though :)  I always have . . .

source

5. What was your first "real" job?  I am still there!  I have been working at the same public accounting firm for almost 5 years, preparing tax returns!  Exciting stuff there . . .


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If it's been awhile since I linked up for Sunday Social, it's been a lifetime since I participated in Scavenger Hunt Sunday. This week I haven't taken many pictures, though, and the Scavenger Hunt was just the inspiration I needed.

1. Rule of Thirds

I'm a little off from top to bottom, but you get the idea. Yesterday I made bread pudding for the first time and it actually turned out pretty good *Tristan has never had it before so he doesn't know the difference!*

2. Made Me Smile

My morning coffee always puts a smile on my face.

3. Lines

My latest craft project. It still needs a picture to go on the left side.

4. Alone

On a quiet night home alone, a glass of wine is heavenly.

5. Together

I love pumpkin, but together with cream cheese and you have a perfect combo.

Giveaway Winner

I mentioned yesterday that Meghan from They Call Her Meghan was the lucky winner of the Fall Adspace Giveaway.  Now, I want to give her a chance to introduce herself!

Enjoy the small moments because you'll look back on your life and realize that they were the biggest.  This is my life quote.  And me? I'm Meghan and I'm the brains behind They Call Her Meghan.  My blog is a mix and match of my day-to-day life, funny stories from living at home still and me trying to figure out my place on this crazy ride we call life. 

Follow They Call Her Meghan via

Twitter | Facebook | Instagram .

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I wanted to throw out a quick reminder:  For the last couple of months I have been featuring various bloggers for Guest Post Tuesday.  If you are interested in participating during the months of October or November, please send me an email at
kaeley *dot* a *dot* mull *at* gmail *dot* com

Please include your name, blog URL, and an idea of what you would like to share about - it can be anything you'd like!  I will get back to you as soon as possible with a choice of dates.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

10 Things I Believe

I Believe . . .
1. I believe in second chances
2. I believe in doing what you love, not just what gets you paid
3. I believe children deserve to grow up in a happy, loving home
4. I believe in the occasional piece of chocolate or bowl of ice cream
5. I believe twice-a-year vacations should be mandatory
6. I believe in a few drinks at the end of a rough week
7. I believe in taking care of the people we love
8. I believe we have the power to determine the path our lives take
9. I believe it is okay to take time for yourself every once in awhile
10. I believe that one of the most important tasks in life is establishing relationships

I also believe that music can set the mood for your entire day. So, thank you Flo Rida for this gem:


Linking up with Whitney for #backthatazzup
**I almost forgot! I am over at A Beautiful Day today for In Focus Friday, so make sure you stop by!**

Fall's Explosion in my Living Room

As you have heard, I love decorating my house, especially for fall and Christmas.  The rest of the year it is pretty much just "normal stuff" - like candles and pictures and vases.  But when the holidays come around, they kind of explode throughout our main living area.

Because our current house does not have a fireplace *which in my opinion is just wrong* I also do not have a mantel to decorate {wah, wah....}.  My bookcase has had to stand in for my main focal point in our living room.

My favorite features here include the burlap-wrapped candle and flower vase *which are both new additions to my collection of fall decor that I created just last week*, as well as the warm inviting colors.  You will also see that I have printed out a copy of my Fall Bucket List and framed it on the top shelf.

We also have a banister-type ledge that sits above the stairway leading from the ground floor to the main level of our house.  This has come in useful as well in making up for the lack of mantel.

The empty third jar is now full of candy corn - but I was too lazy to re-take the picture.  If you missed it last week, you can see more about my pumpkins here.

Keeping with the Fall theme - Congratulations to Meghan from They Call Her Meghan for winning the Fall Adspace Giveaway!  Meghan will be receiving ad space from some of the great blogs that you will find on my sidebar this month!

One of those blogs where you will find >>> is Simple Moments Stick.  I absolutely LOVE Susannah's post from earlier this week about 25 Fall Date Ideas!  She has some great suggestions, so make sure you go check it out!

You can also follow Simple Moments Stick via

Bloglovin' | Twitter | Facebook

Something's in the Water!

If I add them all up, I have three friends who are due to have some new baby girls in November and December, and know of another three soon-to-be momma's of little girls during that time.  What was in the water earlier this year?!  I guess I wasn't drinking my fair share :)

Over the weekend, I had a chance to take some maternity pictures of one of my really good friends, along with her 2 year old sweetheart.  I shared a little preview on Sunday, but here are a few more of my favorites...

Dare You To Move
*By Switchfoot*

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here

Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift
Yourself up off the floor

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here

Between who you are
And who you could be
Between how it is
And how it should be, yeah

*****

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

*****

I dare you to move

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This may not be a song that one would typically associate with new babies or children, but just think about those words above:

I Dare You To Move

This is one of the wishes that I have for my future children: That they would be strong - in their hearts and in their minds. That they wouldn't let the mistakes or heartaches of yesterday hold them back today. That they would know that life is not always easy, but it gives us reasons to grow and become better people.  That they would know that my husband and I are there to support their every move and decision. 

I could not be happier for our friends Glen & Ashley, and soon to be big-sister Hailey, as their family continues to grow.  I pray that those girls would know how special they are and that they are loved and cherished by their parents.  Every child deserves that, and I know Glen & Ashley will instill that knowledge in their little ones.

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Before I do the responsible thing and head off to work, I want to give a little shout out to Chelsey at Patti Cake! Yesterday she shared about what sounds like a great festival in the city of Nashville. Speaking of which, I CANNOT wait to watch the season premier of "Nashville" tonight . . . and to see if I can spot Miss Chelsey, herself!

Follow Patti Cake via

Bloglovin' | GFC

Guest Post Tuesday: My Cheerleader, Julie!

I have said it before, and I will say it again.  For the last year, my amazing e-friend Julie has been the biggest cheerleader when it comes to my photography.  From her occasional short & sweet comments to allowing me to guest post for her on a monthly basis, she is just wonderful.  Not too long ago, Julie got a "fancy" camera of her own and I have been WAITING to see what she does with it.  I am so excited to return the favor and encourage her to experiment and find her own style.  Hopefully we will get to see some of her work soon!

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Hi!  I am Julie and I blog over at A Beautiful Day.


I am excited to be taking over Kaeley's blog today for Guest Post Tuesday.  Kaeley has been a contributor on my blog for the past year and I really look forward to her posts each month and seeing what beautiful photography or helpful camera tips she has to share.

BLOGGING:  IT'S ALL ABOUT CONNECTIONS

People ask me all the time...."Why do you blog?"  You either blog or you don't.....you either get it or you don't.  Sometimes, I blog more frequently....sometimes, not so much.  But in all honesty, what keeps me blogging...what keeps me staying caught up on other people's blogs, is simple.  Connections.  I have never been one of those people that has oodles of friends...I choose carefully and the friendships that I do have, count. I never imagined when I started blogging that I would meet such incredible women.  Ladies that I would connect with...both near and far.

I have been lucky to help coordinate two blogger meet ups...

Paint and wine at A Piece of Work - September 2012

DFW Bloggers Ornament Exchange - December 2012

And attended another:

Bowling and dinner: April 2013 (Photo credit on all three photos to Nicole @ Three 31)

I met and connected with quite a few great and really talented ladies....but one, I really clicked with...funny how that happens.  Part if of it may have been the fact that most of the ladies in this group are in their twenties and early thirties.  Holli (Holli's Hoots and Hollers) and I are on the more "mature" side, if you know what I mean (**wink**).  At any rate,  she is one of the sweetest, kindest and most caring ladies that I have ever met and I feel truly blessed to call her my friend.  I helped her with her recent wedding to the love of her life and I can honestly say that both she and Todd have been a Godsend to me in the last week or so...their love and support has kept me sane when it would have been just as easy to crumble.  I have blogging (and God) to thank for those two!

Holli and I at her bridal shower in July

 And then there is this sweet lady.

Katie and I at Billy Bob's in the Fort Worth Stockyards (the world's largest honkey tonk)

Katie from Katie Stories and I started communicating via our blogs well over a year ago.  I was instantly drawn to her blog because she is what I like to call a "power scrapper".  More often than not you can find her scrapping, crafting or staying up to date on her Project Life. We quickly became regular commenters on each others blogs and we also started communicating via email.  In October of last year, I asked her to be a monthly contributor to my blog and as they say, the rest is history.  A couple of weeks ago, with her wedding just about a month away....she made the plane ride from Baton Rouge to  DFW, so that we could finally meet in person!  It was a quick, but great visit and we were both so excited to meet in person!    

Two friendships that I treasure, for different reasons, but neither would have been possible without blogging.

In case you are wondering, I do have a few bloggers that are at the very top of my list of ladies that I am dying to meet in person, and I am fairly certain that they know exactly who they are.  I will eventually get to Seattle and a certain up and coming photographer better meet me with bells on!!!! ; )

**A Quick Interjection from K: Julie - you know I will be there in a heartbeat!  Just give me a day and time and you will be the top priority on my calendar!**

What about you?  Have you been able to meet any of your favorite bloggers in person and/or built lasting friendships?  I would love to hear about them.  Please drop by and visit me at A Beautiful Day, I love visitors and would like to visit your blog as well, so drop me a note and let me know where to find you....Happy Tuesday!

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If you are interested in participating in Guest Post Tuesday, please send me an email at 

kaeley *dot* a *dot* mull *at* gmail *dot* com

 {or click the envelope icon in the sidebar}.  Please include the URL for your blog, and what you are interested in sharing about.  I will get back to you with a choice of dates.  

5 for Five {+An Intro to my Newest Sponsor}

Last Week's Goals:

1. Go to the gym at least 4 days.  I kind of managed this one...technically I only went three days - but one day I did a full 45 minute workout, and then went to one of the classes for an hour.  So I kinda got two days in one.

2. Drink a minimum of 6 glasses of water per day.  Failed . . . I really need to find my big water bottle - I'm a lot better with that than refilling a small one all day {not that it is a good excuse...}

3. Get caught up on dishes & laundry . . . again.  Almost - not quite there yet, though.  This week!!

4. Finish my latest craft project - then blog about my fall decorations.  I got halfway through this one - here is the link to my latest project, but I still need to share all of my fall decor :)

5. Clean up and organize office.  Yeah right - I barely stepped foot in this room last week . . . It really isn't a huge priority for me right now, though.

Goals for this Week:

1. Go to the gym at least 4 days.  I want to keep this one on here for another week, to try to help create a better habit of consistency.

2. Drink a minimum of 6 glasses of water per day.  This NEEDS to happen.

3. Write post to share fall decorations.  I really love my fall-themed living room right now, and can't wait to share it all!.

4. Clean out under the kitchen sink.  This is something that has needed to happen for awhile and I have been avoiding it like the plague. But our kitchen sink has been leaking, resulting in some nastiness growing in the cabinet and it needs to be dealt with. I better invest in a jug of bleach and a face mask! (I've already got the rubber gloves ready to go)

5. Work on paperwork to officially license my photography business.  I have been holding off on doing this {probably a big no-no} to see if the business idea would even really be viable. But I have been booking quite a few sessions recently and have had a few people ask lately whether I am licensed *oops* So I think it is probably time to bite the bullet and deal with it.

************************************************************************************************************************************************** Meet Susannah

Hi there! I'm Susannah and I blog at Simple Moments Stick. I'm a newlywed, living with my handsome hubby in Portland, Oregon. (Do you live nearby? I'd LOVE to meet you IRL!) Nate and I have been married about two years but I definitely still give us newlywed status. Maybe we'll always be newlyweds... Simple Moments Stick is a place where I share all aspects of my life. One day I might share a few silly YouTube videos, another day I might talk about my faith, and a third day I might flaunt how awesome my husband is. (Although, he thinks that should be ALL I blog about) My heart behind my blog is to connect with other women around the country (and world!) to love on and encourage one another. Come on over and visit! Make sure you leave a comment so I know you stopped by and I'd LOVE to become your friend!!!

Follow Simple Moments Stick via

Bloglovin' | Twitter | Facebook

 

Susannah is also participating in the Fall Adspace Giveaway that is going on right now. You have until midnight on Wednesday ( 09/25 @ 12 am PST) to enter, so make sure to stop by!