Gratitude | Weight Watchers Weekly Theme

gratitude weight watchers weekly theme

Gratitude | Weight Watchers Weekly Theme

Hi, have you ever had a love hate relationship with your favorite hobby or past time favorite? One of my friends had asked me, “What will happen when you don’t like taking pictures?” I never imagined that would happen to me. However, it did happen. Since I was 19 when I bought my first 35mm Minolta camera, my camera was always at my side. I carried it everywhere. Co-workers I worked with began to ask me to take engagements pictures. My boss had me take the store’s Employee of the Week pictures for our store’s bulletin board.

My daughter’s senior year, the empty nest syndrome began to affect me. Oh, I laughed it off, but this was a serious thing for me. This is when I really became active in taking images for a profession. High School senior pictures was my focus. Most of Erika’s classmates let me photograph their senior pictures! The humbling feelings I had at the graduation ceremony when the students images were displayed on the gymnasium wall was immense.

High School Senior Pictures soon evolved to include Family Sessions and then on to Wedding Portraits. The photography took the place of the time I had spent up at the school house while both of my children were participating in their after school activities, my social time. At that time I dreaded the nacho chili cheese from the concession stand. What I would give to have that now!

Fast forward to the present. As I sat in my weekly Weight Watchers meeting, our group leader wanted us to think of the things we were grateful for throughout the next week. I am grateful for my photography! Presently I am not marketing my photopraphy services. Two of my high schools friends were going to get married. One of my 101 in 1001 goals is to be a wedding crasher. My goal fulfilled! My nerves had gotten to me. At one time I could work my camera blindfolded. The day of their wedding, what once was automatic, I had to concentrate and some I forgot. Thank goodness, I did take more than one camera with each camera having a different lens size, focal length. This post’s images were taken with my iPhone. Later I will post the album I have designed with my “main” camera of the wedding day.

gratitude
Lidia’s Italian Restaurant

Lidia's Italian Restaurant

I would have never thought about having my wedding at a restaurant. This was both the bride and groom’s second marriage. Their wish was a simple wedding with family and close friends. They were successful! It was just that and more. Beautiful setting, wonderful weather. The room for the wedding was the back porch area that was opened to the outdoors. The doors were left open, and the fall breeze drifted thru. If I were to market my services for weddings, middle age couples getting married for a second time would be my targeted demographic! 🙂

WW Update:
Since Start Date; -19.6lbs

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Feel Real Good

feel real good home

Feel Real Good

Hi, have you ever had a day where you just feel real good? Today was such a day for me. Nothing spectacular happened, just several nice things. First was my Weight Watchers meeting. I am truly enjoying this more with each passing week. Meeting new people. Now that I am working from home, I miss the socialization I once had. WW has given me a much needed outlet.

My blog has also been a blessing. While creating mine, I have found new blogging friends. One such friend is Dee with GrammysGrid.com. I say she is a friend because she has been a tremendous resource. She just makes me feel good by making me feel important, always answering any questions I may have about my website, software and such. Not to mention her prompt replies to the comments I add to her posts, that in itself makes me feel important.

As I have mentioned in prior posts, I had taken many senior portraits, family session, engagement pictures and weddings for 20 some years. I have since slowed down, only doing an occasional shoot here and there. This weekend was one of those here and there’s.

What lead up to this weekend was when I was on Facebook and saw a high school friend had just gotten engaged to another high school friend (Cris and Todd). Well, one of my 101 in 1001 goals (#99) is to be a wedding crasher. No bashfulness, I asked them when and where they were getting married. Does inviting yourself count as a wedding crasher? 🙂 I was flattered when they asked me if I would take their wedding pictures. Of course I said yes! We took a few engagement pictures this weekend.

Then I met my son, we filled his medicine pillbox, had lunch and then did grocery shopping. Our usual Saturday stuff. Always have a nice time with him. Then I drove home. As I was getting close to home, I had to pull the car over and take this picture.

feel real good home
“Home is not a place….it’s a feeling.”

Standing on the gravel road, looking at my husband’s and my home, I felt good. Still do when I look at this picture. My whole day was a feel good day. Driving down the road and seeing this, just made my day even better.

I have so much to be grateful for, and by the Grace of God, I can enjoy this for many more years with my husband. Amen!

May you enjoy a feel good day!

WW Update:
Since Start Date; -14lbs

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day.

Hi, Happy Father’s Day to all dad’s, step-dad’s and grand dad’s!

I spent Father’s Day with my dad yesterday. It was a wonderful day. He requested Kentucky Fried Chicken for lunch. My son, daughter and her family joined us at my folks house.

father's day
Four generations!

Some fun facts about Father’s Day.

A. There are 1.5 billion fathers worldwide. 66.3 million of those father’s are in the United States.
B. Father’s Day is the fifth-largest card-sending occasion in America with almost 100 million Father’s Day cards sent each year.
C. Only 50% of all Father’s Day cards are purchased for dads

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

Friendly Selfies!

Friendly Selfies!

Hi, I just had a rough day at work. Are you familiar with tough work days? Now I need to have some fun. I am now on a mission to find a way to create slideshow video’s. My selfie folder makes me smile when I look at these images. Needing a pick me up, I have decided to create a slideshow for my week’s post.

It has taken me a bit of time to figure out which software program would be best. Then I had to conquer how to use said software! The software I have chosen is Movavi. It is available for either Windows or Mac.

There are several different programs available for making slideshows. Some are free, with limits and options to upgrade to a paid version without limits. I selected the personal license for Movavi which comes with plenty of basic elements, transitions and such. Comment if you have any questions about my selected slideshow maker.

The pictures were taken by not only myself, but family and friends have shared with me some they took. Please enjoy the show!!



MacBook viewers: If the video does not appear, switch from Safari browser to Google.
The video will then appear.

In my prior post, ‘Selfies, Take Part in Pictures, I had mentioned we are our own self critics. Practicing taking our own pictures give us the opportunity to see what angle our head needs to be at, where to look when taking the photo and just getting used to seeing ourself in pictures. The more you see yourself, the more comfortable you will be each time seeing yourself in your selfies!

friendly selfies
Briella took this selfie!

Slideshows are wonderful for special occasion celebrations- graduation, weddings, birthday, anniversaries and even end of life services. Slideshows add life to photo’s! My goal is to provide different formats when I share my photo’s.

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo.

March 101 in 1001 Update

March 101 in 1001 update.

Hi, I had a very pleasurable weekend spent with my daughter and her family. My Son in law’s brother was there too. Nothing big planned. Just time with them. We watched a movie Saturday night. I was pleased that little Brynlee wanted to cuddle while watching the live action Aladdin. Brie was upstairs with the guys.
march 101 in 1001 update
All of us slept in Sunday. Shaune (son in law) made scratch pancakes with chocolate chips. Breakfast was delicious. After breakfast Brynlee wanted to put a puzzle together. I sat back and observed them, taking in the atmosphere. My heart full!

Visiting grand girls
#38, 101 in 1001 visit grand girls once a month

#54, getting 8 hours sleep is proving to not be as easy as I had hoped it would be. My sleep tracker on my Apple Watch shows I am sleeping the 8 hours. However my ResMed app reflects mostly 7.5 hours.

March update
#54 Get 8 hrs sleep

After my wreck in Sept 2019 causing me to stay at my daughter’s home for 3 weeks; my daughter and son in law suggested that I have my sleep monitored. Apparently I snored. So I did as they suggested. My doctor prescribed the sleep test. Sure enough I have sleep apnea. Using the CPAP machine has definitely made an improvement. I seem to focus better and transpose letters, numbers less.

March I have only worked on two of my monthly average of 3. I will continue to work on my 101 in 1001. I am hoping you all hold me accountable on my goals and giving updates!

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

March 101 in 1001 update.