Project 365

December 31

2009-12-31T19:36:00.003-05:00

Goodbye 2009!

Well, this is it. I DID IT!!!!! I got through the entire year and it is so much fun to look back over each day as the year progressed. Some days were a little lame (LOL) and there were probably too many sunsets (I can take those while multi-tasking such as checking homework AND making dinner thanks to where I live), and others are truly keepsakes that represent 2009.

There's a couple of great ladies from across the pond who have followed my blog and always commented - you know who you are and I thank you so much!! ♥♥♥

This was the year that I said I would start my business - and I did! My photography business really took off and I appreciate my wonderful friends who provided the word-of-mouth. You all are awesome. ♥

I'm about to start a new Project 2010 - I *think* it will be weekly and will highlight food photography as well as a recipe. Link is HERE

I should have the site ready in a few days :)

A very Happy New Year to everyone!!! (And it's my wedding anniversary - 12 years! ♥)

♥ Stacey

December 30

2009-12-31T19:35:00.002-05:00

December 30 Sunset

And it's a beauty!

December 29

2009-12-31T19:34:00.002-05:00

Last Portrait of 2009

December 28

2009-12-31T19:31:00.002-05:00

Sea Oats Silhouette

I captured this by kneeling in front of the natural preserve area just off my lower terrace that separates us from the Gulf of Mexico. Like I've mentioned so many times - I just love the sky this time of the year!

December 27

2009-12-31T19:30:00.001-05:00

Glued to Bakugan

And getting your parents to play.

December 26

2009-12-31T19:29:00.001-05:00

My New Shootsac (Thank you Santa!)

December 25

2009-12-31T19:28:00.001-05:00

Glee Under the Tree

December 24

2009-12-29T20:03:00.002-05:00

Off to All Children's Hospital Docs....

Yeah, you didn't expect this one for Christmas Eve! My son has had fainting/dizzy spells since August, probably due to the fact that he doesn't drink enough. It was the last spell at school that sent us scrambling to his ped (and it wasn't sports related) and he in turn referred us to the wonderful Pediatric Cardiology group out of All Children's Hospital in St. Pete. So we had a 9am appointment......took 50 minutes to get there...not bad. All the tests they could do there (EKG and ultrasound) were normal - now we go back for a stress test on Jan 4.

And......I probably shouldn't take photos WHILE driving over the Sunshine Skyway LOL. Just really glad there weren't any "jumpers," as Christmas Eve is a *popular* day I think. Too many sad souls jump from this bridge.

December 23

2009-12-29T19:49:00.001-05:00

MORE Holiday Bokeh

This one is good!! Love all the fuzzy circles. Used my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 and had it completely wide open.

December 22

2009-12-29T18:29:00.003-05:00

Holiday Bokeh 3

I didn't open my lens wide enough on this one, needless to say. But there's a bit of bokeh.

December 21

2009-12-29T18:27:00.002-05:00

Holiday Bokeh 2

This was taken during daylight hours......same ornament as last night. Nice blur, but not enough "fuzzy" circles.

December 20

2009-12-29T18:22:00.003-05:00

Holiday Bokeh 1

Ahhh, here begins my quest to capture a bokeh background. Bokeh refers to the out-of-focus area, usually in the background, that gets rid of background distractions and helps your subject to stand out. This one is okay, not great.

December 19

2009-12-29T18:21:00.002-05:00

Tree at Night

December 18

2009-12-29T18:19:00.003-05:00

School Holiday Party

Kind of a goofy pic, lol, all the kids were jumping and dancing around. My son had failed to inform me that he could wear jeans today....oh well. He's not a jeans guy anyway. :D

December 17

2009-12-29T18:18:00.002-05:00

Holiday Greetings

December 16

2009-12-29T18:15:00.003-05:00

Big Red Door

I didn't have a photo for today, so this is from Dec 11 - hubby and I finally signed the closing papers for our other house on Anna Maria which is a major Christmas present. We met at my son's school (since I volunteered there that day) and I had him snap a few pics of me at the beautiful church that is adjacent to the school.

December 15

2009-12-27T18:53:00.003-05:00

Holiday Gym Jam

An annual holiday event at school - and here you are with your French horn. NOT an easy instrument to play, but you have really improved!

December 14

2009-12-27T18:50:00.003-05:00

*W* Girls Photo Shoot

And what a gorgeous day! The sun was so strong, though, as it was beginning to go down. The girls were troopers (and their two golden retrievers, too!).

December 13

2009-12-27T18:49:00.002-05:00

Tree is *Almost* Decorated

December 12

2009-12-27T18:43:00.003-05:00

Most Improved Player Award

We are SO proud of our son......his improvement was definitely noteworthy. His dedication, including being at every match and nearly every practice, truly paid off. Way to go!!!! This was at the Holiday Awards Ceremony (yes, parents had to get out there on the courts, too - that's why I'm in tennis attire, too, lol).

December 11

2009-12-27T18:41:00.003-05:00

Bring on the Christmas Decorations!

I'm a little behind on decorating because I'm desperately trying to finish up gifts that involve photographs. Memo to self - start earlier next year! :D

December 10

2009-12-27T18:39:00.003-05:00

Rain

LOL do you like my original image names? Fog? Rain? Actually, we've had two crappy days of weather.....no tennis for my son today although it had stopped raining when I picked him up at school. Good for me - needed to get things done at home without making another round trip to and from town! :D

December 9

2009-12-27T18:38:00.002-05:00

Fog

December 8

2009-12-27T18:37:00.002-05:00

December 8 Sunset

December 7

2009-12-27T14:12:00.004-05:00

D Family Photo Shoot

This is such a beautiful family (on the inside as well! :D ). If you'd like to see a few more of their photos, please click HERE to go to my blogsite.

December 6

2009-12-27T13:59:00.002-05:00

Portrait

December 5

2009-12-27T13:58:00.004-05:00

Morning Sky

December 4

2009-12-27T10:31:00.001-05:00

What a Face!

December 3

2009-12-27T10:23:00.003-05:00

Egret

LOL this is the fellow that hangs around my house. My pups sent him into an annoyed flight off to safer ground. I used the Golden Vintage action from Coffeeshop Photography.

December 2

2009-12-27T10:20:00.003-05:00

Moon Before Dawn

I thought this was pretty with the bit of mist or sea fog in the air.....gave an ethereal look to the moon.

December 1

2009-12-27T10:18:00.005-05:00

Tennis Practice

My son has tennis practice two times a week from 4-6, which means it's already dark out by the time I pick him up. At least it's not cold. :D

November 30

2009-12-27T10:18:00.002-05:00

November 30 Sunset

November 29

2009-12-27T10:17:00.002-05:00

Mom & Dad

November 28

2009-12-27T10:15:00.005-05:00

Senior Shoot, Part 2 (Formals)

Such a handsome guy! This was his favorite shot out of the formals.

November 27

2009-12-27T08:44:00.002-05:00

Waiting for Harry Potter.....Universal Orlando

November 26

2009-12-27T08:41:00.003-05:00

Soaked from River Adventure at Universal Orlando

Instead of spending Thanksgiving at home, we decided this year to go to Universal Orlando instead! It was a great way to get out of cooking, lol, and the Hard Rock had a gorgeous buffet with all of the traditional (and not so traditional) Thanksgiving dishes.

November 25

2009-12-26T22:15:00.003-05:00

Grandparent "Conference"

Yes, I'm using an additional photo from yesterday! We were busy getting ready to head to Universal Studios in Orlando, so I didn't get a photo. But this one is awesome from yesterday - really showcases a wonderful moment as they discuss academics.

November 24

2009-12-26T22:11:00.003-05:00

Grandparents Day 2009

This is a wonderful, annual event! I'm always behind the camera at my photo station taking photos of many of the kids and their grandparents - but did manage to get the one with my son and his grandparents!!

November 23

2009-12-26T22:10:00.002-05:00

November 23 Sunset

November 22

2009-12-26T22:09:00.001-05:00

Boys on the Beach

November 21

2009-12-26T15:56:00.005-05:00

A Celebration

November 20

2009-12-26T15:50:00.003-05:00

If you are going from last to first photos, please humor me by immediately scrolling down to November 17's post and work backwards to today's post without glancing at today's. No, not even a peek!!!

Day Four - Sandblaster Castles Event

Ta-da! They are finished - sorry for the dreary day, but aren't these artists talented? The display stays up for about three weeks which usually slows traffic down as people look, but it's great work on their part. Rudolph is my second favorite classic Christmas special, right behind Charlie Brown Christmas.

November 19

2009-12-26T15:48:00.002-05:00

Day Three - Sandblaster Castles Event

Almost done! Do you recognize these sand characters yet? :D

November 18

2009-12-26T15:45:00.003-05:00

Day Two - Sandblaster Castles Event

As is the way every year, these guys build FAST!! If you followed the instructions on November 20's post to scroll down and start on November 17 for these few pictures (LOL), can you tell what the theme this year is yet?

November 17

2009-12-26T15:39:00.004-05:00

Day One - Sandblaster Castles Event

Yep, not much here except for a big pile of sand that was trucked in, along with many other small piles as you can see in the background. This is a yearly event - pro sandcastle builders come in and do a huge themed display, and then various groups in the local community come in on a designated Saturday and take part in building their own creations! I took these photos each morning on the way home from dropping my son off at school....but didn't head down to the actual event because there are SO many people.

November 16

2009-12-26T15:37:00.005-05:00

November Sky & Sea

There's something about this time of the year....the milky sky, the sea fog lurking offshore a few miles.... all makes for a beautiful landscape.

November 15

2009-12-26T13:56:00.003-05:00

Sunset November 15

Wow, is this a gorgeous set or what? It seems as though the best sunsets occur during the months of November and December here.

November 14

2009-12-26T13:55:00.003-05:00

Senior Shoot at the Sailing Squadron

November 13

2009-12-26T13:52:00.005-05:00

(Only) Looks Like Autumn

No autumn here, lol, but with the sunlight on the background trees, it almost looks like fall foliage.

And yes, I do not have a photo for Nov 12, lol. Oh well. :D

November 11

2009-12-21T20:07:00.002-05:00

In for a Landing

November 10

2009-12-21T18:36:00.003-05:00

Crazy Peacock

If you've seen other posts from me, you know we have peacocks that roam free in the quaint village across the main street. I snapped this quickly as I was enroute bringing my son to school.

November 9

2009-12-21T18:35:00.001-05:00

Beach Gift Shop

November 8

2009-12-21T18:34:00.002-05:00

Read the Sign!

Hello, like "no stacking chairs...."

Novmber 7

2009-12-21T18:33:00.002-05:00

Pumpkin Display

November 6

2009-12-21T18:30:00.004-05:00

Bedroom on the Bay

Well, when I revamped the master bedroom, I had NO idea that just a couple of weeks later, there would be a buyer for this beautiful house of ours that has been on the market for three years. Sorry for the bright sun - that is actually all blue water out there.

November 5

2009-12-21T18:29:00.002-05:00

Close-Up

November 4

2009-12-21T18:26:00.002-05:00

Showing Her Teefies

November 3

2009-12-21T18:25:00.004-05:00

My New BABY!

November 2

2009-12-06T20:21:00.002-05:00

Soup's On!

November 1

2009-12-06T20:20:00.002-05:00

Autumn Soup Ingredients

October 31

2009-12-06T20:19:00.001-05:00

Peace

October 30

2009-12-06T20:18:00.002-05:00

Halloween Howl 2009

This is my son with some snake around his neck! Yeeeeesh......................

October 29

2009-12-06T20:17:00.005-05:00

Crocs by the Sea

October 28

2009-12-06T20:17:00.002-05:00

Ready to Trick

October 27

2009-12-06T20:16:00.003-05:00

Another View of Halloween Alley

October 26

2009-12-06T20:15:00.002-05:00

Little Girl

October 25

2009-12-06T20:14:00.001-05:00

Morning Sun on the Sea Oats

October 24

2009-12-06T20:13:00.004-05:00

Snail Power

This little guy stayed on my side mirror all the home after dropping my son off at school!

October 23

2009-12-06T15:38:00.005-05:00

Spooky Tennis

Very fun watching all all you play and execute your drills while in costume!

October 22

2009-12-06T15:38:00.001-05:00

Restful Gaze

October 21

2009-12-06T15:37:00.002-05:00

Halloween Scene

October 20

2009-12-06T15:36:00.002-05:00

October 20 Sunset

October 19

2009-12-06T15:34:00.001-05:00

Surprised Look

October 18

2009-10-27T16:50:00.002-04:00

White Hibiscus

Well, for us Florida folks, the leaves don't turn colors - but flowers still bloom!

October 17

2009-10-27T16:49:00.003-04:00

Wet Little Dog

My son went to a birthday party this afternoon - a pool party - and this poor little dog was so wet from all the splashing!

October 16

2009-10-27T16:47:00.003-04:00

First Appearance

My son's first official Halloween event was supposed to be this evening at his tennis club....however, just as we pulled into the parking lot, it started pouring! Not good, since it's held outdoors on the courts. :(

October 15

2009-10-27T16:45:00.003-04:00

Family Photos

I have a lot of framed photos in my home - thought I would take a quick picture before I take them down temporarily to make room for our Haunted Village.

October 14

2009-10-27T16:44:00.002-04:00

Sunset October 14

I love when the colors are soft like this, instead of a glaring sunset.

October 13

2009-10-27T16:43:00.003-04:00

Workshop Binder

I'm taking an intensive photography workshop starting in January - the empty binder just arrived in the mail today for the course. Very nice!

October 12

2009-10-27T16:42:00.002-04:00

Sunrise October 12

October 11

2009-10-27T16:41:00.003-04:00

Lush Walkway

This is up at the other house - checking on the new flowering buhses that I put in.

October 10

2009-10-27T16:40:00.001-04:00

Nap Time

October 9

2009-10-27T16:39:00.003-04:00

Homework on Friday

I love how my son starts his weekend homework right away on a Friday afternoon instead of waiting until late Sunday to get it done. :D It's his choice.....

October 8

2009-10-27T16:38:00.002-04:00

Starbucks Drive-Thru

October 7

2009-10-27T16:37:00.001-04:00

Latest Book

October 6

2009-10-27T16:36:00.002-04:00

Bridge Up (and on the way to school, grrr)

October 5

2009-10-27T16:35:00.002-04:00

October 5 Sunset

October 4

2009-10-21T11:43:00.005-04:00

Portrait 9

October 3

2009-10-21T11:43:00.002-04:00

S-Family Shoot

October 2

2009-10-21T11:41:00.006-04:00

Dynamic Duo

They hardly ever get a chance to go down to the beach (not allowed :( by the town) but there's also red ants and picky plants to worry about.

October 1

2009-10-21T11:41:00.002-04:00

Sunset Jump

September 30

2009-10-21T11:39:00.003-04:00

Bay View

I had to get a bit of landscaping done up at the other house...took a break and enjoyed the great view and breeze.

September 29

2009-10-21T11:38:00.005-04:00

Proscuitto-Avocado Sandwich

September 28

2009-10-21T11:38:00.002-04:00

Sailboat

September 27

2009-10-21T11:37:00.002-04:00

Paintball Attack (G & P B'Day Party)

September 26

2009-10-21T11:36:00.001-04:00

Tennis Break

September 25

2009-10-21T11:35:00.004-04:00

September 25 Sunset

September 24

2009-10-21T11:35:00.002-04:00

Leisure Time

September 23

2009-10-21T11:34:00.004-04:00

Portrait 8

September 22

2009-09-24T10:23:00.002-04:00

Man and His Boat