Finally, A Resolution

 Well, this was more time consuming than I thought, but ended up being symbolic of what I wanted my Resolution photo to say, so I guess it's O.K. that I spent most of my afternoon off today trying to compose and shoot these pictures.  And if Brennan doesn't mind that his money STILL hasn't made it to the bank yet, all is well.

 

My New Year's Resolution this year is to create the time to do more of the things I love.  So the clock represents time, the scriptures, the books, the pin cushion, and the camera are all self explanatory.  The statue of the two little children represents time with my children and grandchildren, and the flower that I craftily folded from a sheet of music represents ....well, music.  In the above photo everything is part of the whole composition.  That was one way I shot it. 

 

 In this photo, the clock, representing time, is in focus because creating time is the subject of my resolution.  I am creating the time to do all those things that are out of focus in the background.  That's another way I shot it.

And in this third photo, the clock is out of focus and the things I want to create more time to do are in focus.  Also, I shot this in another room, so it has a more plain background.  Initially I didn't like the plain background, so moved my whole composition to another room, but in processing my pictures, I kind of liked the plain background.  So . . here are three options.  Which do you like best?

Time To Face It

 I can't make No Bake Cookies.  I can't do it.  No Bake Cookies and Chili.  I've tried!  They either turn out so runny you have to eat them with a spoon, or dry and crumbly.  Just ask my kids if they ever remember me making them No Bake Cookies when they were younger.  It's not because I don't like them, because I do!  I just can't make them.  But tonight I needed a treat for Young Women's, and since it's a new year, and I was feeling a little bit bold, I thought I would try one more time. 

   "You can do it!"  I told myself.  It can't be that hard!  Apparently, it can.  I was very careful to follow every suggestion everyone has ever given me about No Bake Cookies.  I even used a candy thermometer.

 This is how they turned out.  So dry I couldn't even get them to stick together into a cookie shape!  And not one to let food of any kind go to waste, Dave is saving this mess to eat for cereal.

 

My next batch . . .yes, I tried another batch!  turned out better, but still way too dry.  I took them to YW anyway, but not many people dared try them.  I even tried to give them away to the scouts.  Me:  "Hey, you guys want some No Bake Cookies?  They're pretty dry."  Josh Jones:  "Wow, they really ARE dry!"  But he took one anyway, because he's nice.

This is the picture of the day, however.  I'm still struggling with getting pictures in focus indoors, but even blurry, don't you love the looks on these girls faces when they realize their pyramid was coming down?  I love them!

Temple Bound

It was one of those days when I rolled out of bed at 5:30, quickly put on my thermals, sweats, several jackets and shoes and left to go walking at 5:45, came home at 7:00, showered, dressed and headed to the seminary at 7:50, worked for an hour and then headed to Packards at 8:50, came home at 5:00, redressed and headed to the temple at 5:30, got home at 10:15 and went to bed.  But just before we ran out the door to the temple, I did have a minute to snap this picture.  Dave says, "One of those days?  Isn't every day like this?"  It's not.  But it seems like it some times.

Resolution

This is a project I am working on.  I heard about a  project called MCP Project 12 where you work on images related to a different theme each month. Skill level does not matter - what matters is that you challenge yourself and try new things with your camera.  January's theme is Resolution - which is a pretty open theme.  I've given it a lot of thought, and I think I have an idea.  If it comes together like I think, I'll post the picture when it's done.  For now . . .   

Just wanted to say, you Cozzens family women missed out on the best white elephant gift of Christmas this year!!  Kimbrey may have meant this to be decorative, but I use it, man!  Drew went back to school with three more pairs of socks than he would have without this cute missing socks board.  Just sayin' . . .

A Pintrest From the Young Women's Board

This is a pintrest from the past that was SO fun to do. I shared it on facebook, but not here.  Our them for Young Women in Excellence this year was I Am the Daughter of a King.  The girls wore prom dresses, walked a red carpet, and were treated just as royally as we could treat them.  They LOVED it!  We have a great group of Young Women right now, so spiritual, so strong, and such good singers!  So, we have them sing just as often as we can.  At YW in Excellence they sang a Jenny Phillips song called Live It - meaning don't just go to church on Sunday and say you're a member of the Church, but each and every day you should Live It.

So, I made these washer necklaces for them.  Here is the original from Pintrest.  This was done for a Girl's Camp thing, so I formalized mine a little bit by leaving the fabric tie off.

And here is mine.  As I said, our Young Women loved them and as they wear them and see them sitting on their dressers or in their jewelry boxes, I hope it will remind to live the gospel.  And, that they had a Young Women's leader who loved them and made them a cute necklace that she found on pintrest. 

Pintrest

Initially I pinned this Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Chip bread because of the cute way it was wrapped. And then I woke up one morning and realized that my pile of red tape bananas had grown.  Considerably!  Dave says:  "I keep finding these!"  In a REALLY excited voice.  And so, I made the bread.

Above is the pintrest version . . .   

                                                  And here is mine.  And it's not bad.

Drew's girlfriend's brother, Maddox was over this weekend and I offered him some.  He started to decline, but I said, in a sing-songy voice not unlike Chase's when he is trying to get us to come to the pretend "motorcycle store".  Chase: "You can see a diRTY POTtY!!"  To Maddox I said:  "It's Peanut Butter, BanaNA, CHOCOLATE ChiP Bread!  And he took the bait.  Bit right in and proclaimed it good.  So there you have it.

Drew Leaves . .

And today Drew left to begin another semester at SUU : (. But first, this motorcycle had to be loaded.  It's Ryans.  They weren't sure it was going to fit, but in it went!

Here is the entire content of clothing Drew had to take back with him.  This includes a jacket he received for Christmas and two pair of pants I bought him when I realized two weeks after he got home that he had been wearing the same pants the whole time.  And THEY had holes in the knees.  It was all he brought with him because he just didn't need any more.  Drew has simple needs.

    I couldn't resist comparing Brennan's departure with Drew's.  Not that one is more right than the other, just different. Notice how Drew's stuff is all packed in neat little containers.  What a difference a boy makes :)