So much to be thankful for

I bet you have seen these posts everywhere, right?  Sorry to be so cliche with the season, but I really am so thankful for so much this season.   As most of you know, the Midwest was hit heavily with tornadoes on the 17th, the town I live in Coal City/Diamond happened to be one of those hard hit towns.  I drove through the devastated area today, I could not believe my eyes.  In 10 days, the volunteers, home owners and the community has most of the debris out of the area and all that is left are very badly battered homes.  I was almost in tears as I rode through the neighborhood today. This was posted by the church that ran the collection site for the community, it describes this community perfectly. 

Now for my thankful list.... 1. Thankful for the family that I married into, I miss my mom dearly this holiday season and I know that even though I miss my mom they are here for me 2. My husband, he works so hard to provide for us.  I miss him a lot while he is working overnights and is gone 15 hours a day.   3.  My best friend Trisha, she has proven time and time again what an amazing person she is.   4.  My nieces and nephews, they keep me on my toes but I love them so much and am very lucky I get to have them in my life as often as I do.   5.  Thankful to have the support from my family for opening my photography business, I have a long ways to go, but they are supporting me 100%.   6. The group of women that have been a constant support system over the past 2 years; The September 2012 wives group....lobe you all Happy Thanksgiving to all.  I hope you are all able to spend it with family and loved ones. 

My favortie time of the year

As a new blogger I am learning the ropes slowly, I am enjoying reading and learning more about others and hopefully soon will start to make new friends.  Starting in November, I start to get really excited about Thanksgiving and Christmas fall starts my favorite time of year.  I am participating in a couple swaps through the blog world, I came across this one this morning and signed up, I can not wait.  

Devestation is all around me

Not a usual Sunday afternoon here in Coal City, IL.  I was relaxing with my niece and nephew on the couch, when the "emergency alert system" came across the television  "SEEK SHELTER NOW!"  I told my niece to go grab a dolly, I went upstairs to wake my husband up, put the dog on his leash and we headed to the basement.  We were in the basement for about 15 minutes, getting ready to go back upstairs when the first of 3 sirens that would go off in the next 30 minutes went off.  That is when it got scary, it was the "seek shelter now" siren, then the second siren went off within minutes of the second turning off the 3rd one came on and stayed on for over a minute.  Then I heard the rumble, it really does sound like a freight train rolling through.  During the time in the basement we had the police scanner app on my phone, we finally got the all clear.  As we are walking up the stairs, I hear "houses are damaged, people are trapped at Spring and Berta Rd."  Spring and Berta that is where my in-laws live, I called them immediately, they were fine, minimal damage to their house,their fence and trampoline were gone, but 3 houses down they are missing the whole side of their house.    The damage that I saw today is nothing I have ever seen in my life.  My heart aches for all these displaced families.    All photos are sourced from social media. 

This is on the block opposite to my in-laws

Damaged trailer from in town

Another house from the subdivision, that is a motor home sitting on that house.

This is from my in-laws subdivision

This was a bar in town

  This storm that ran through the Midwest today hit too close to home.  I am thanking God tonight that we are safe and everyone we know is safe.  Belongings and homes can be replaced, but our family members can not.  Tonight, let us all be thankful for what we have.   

Update for 30before30

I am beyond excited, I get to host Christmas for my side of the family!  It will be on the 21st, but I am over the moon with excitement. I have a small side of the family, there will only be about 11 of us here, but it will so great.  I am going to do an old fashioned dinner, the way my mom and aunt used to do the holidays. I will cross it off my list once I host it and survive.  
Another one started off my 30before30 list, I have my first client for my photography business!  It is a couples shoot, they want Christmas card photos, it is actually one of the wives from the September 2012 wives group.  Now I only need 9 new clients, I am so excited and nervous for Sunday.

The little things

Happy hump day!  The week is half over, only a few more days till the weekend, nothing big planned just nice to know that there is light at the end of the week.   Hump day happens to be one of my favorite days of the week, in the September wives 2012 group I am a part of we do "hump day, bump day" yes you guessed it, all our pregnant wives post their bumps.   I love looking at all the bumps and dream of the day I can participate in this day.  
I was able to spend some great quality time with my nephew Collin, he is my littlest best friend.  

Goofy front camera picture of us

We made homemade hot chocolate tonight and it was delicious.  Collin LOVES to be in the kitchen, so when he found out we got to make the hot chocolate on the stove, he was ecstatic!    Here is the recipe

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup hot water
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 4 cups milk (Dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Quick and Easy instructions

1. Combine the cocoa, sugar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan.
2. Over medium heat, stir constantly until the mixture boils. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.
3. Stir in the milk and heat, but do not boil.
4. Remove from the heat and add vanilla; stir well. Serve immediately.

We only had large marshmallows, so we ripped them apart! 

Frustrated with my novice skills

I bought the camera, I have been practicing with the camera and now I am feeling very overwhelmed.  I have always only shot in AF mode and I have switched over to full manual mode, I have a lot to learn.  Then I downloaded the free trials of photo shop and light room and I have NO IDEA HOW TO USE THEM!  I did not pick up the camera today, I am feeling very frustrated with it.  Any photographers out there that can offer any advice?  I am just getting started and I am looking for any tips, tricks or advice you are willing to give.  
Here are some straight out of the camera photos, with no edits. 

I bought it!!

If you have been reading along, you will know that I have been back and fourth about "pulling the trigger" about buying my very first DSLR so I can pursue my dream of photography.  That is exactly what I did last night, I bought my Canon Rebel T5i and I am in love!  This purchase also marks another completed item on my 30before30 list.  

Canon Rebel T5i 18-135mm STM lens

I have spent all day playing around with it, I have ALWAYS been an auto focus gal, until I switched that dial to manual focus...Oh my goodness, I will never go back.  I have so much to learn, but I am having a great time so far. The weather was not very nice today, so I was limited to shooting from my front porch.  Here are a few unedited, straight out of the camera images I took today. 

Thankvember blog hop

What is your favorite season or time of the month?  I know you are hearing this a lot these past few weeks, but mine definitely has to be fall/autumn.  I love the way the leaves change colors, I love the crunch of the leaves under my feet when the they fall from the trees, I love the colors and mums and I LOVE the pumpkin patch.  October flew by us so quickly and here we are in our 2nd day of November, it will be Thanksgiving before we know it!   I have decided that I will take part in the Thankvember linkup and blog hop. It's a month-long link-up for posts that we've made about the things we're thankful for.  This November I am thankful for.... 1st-1,000 days of being with my husband (yes I have a day counter on my phone).  2nd-Red cups and the gingerbread latte at Starbucks

 

Check it off the list

One of my things to do for my 30before30 list is to mail out a letter or card to two random friends a month.  I did this for October on the 31st, nothing like waiting till the last minute to get something done.  

At the post office getting ready to go out.