Snow Days

No, we don't currently have snow. I wish. These were taken a few weeks ago. Self portraits in the backyard with my remote and tripod.

28th Birthday, 28 Random Things

Today I'm posting 28 random facts about myself to celebrate my 28th birthday which was a few days ago.

I celebrated my 28th Birthday on August 5th. It was the first time in the past 3 years I have been able to celebrate with my husband and it was nice. We went to a fun local crepe restaurant for lunch and then went swimming in the afternoon. For dinner we got dressed up and went out to Bonefish Grill. I got some lovely presents from my family and it was a nice day with all of them.

My favorite gift was the beautiful diamond earrings from my husband!

Here is a list of 28 random things you might not know about me.

1. I don't tan, I freckle. 
2. I have a thing for frogs, I always look for them. I love to hold them.
3. I used to be obsessed with TY Beanie Babies and collected about 50 of them.
4. My favorite magazine to read is Food Network Magazine and I almost always read it cover to cover.
5. I only get my hair cut about every 6 months or so instead of the 8 weeks I used to get it cut.
6. I have a certificate in dog grooming. I don't miss it.
7. I used to work in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I do miss it...
8. I love boiled peanuts and sweet tea.
9. One of my absolute favorite books is Tuck Everlasting. Read it when I was in maybe 7th grade and fell in love.
10. Target is my Disneyland.
11. I use a french press for my coffee at home.
12. My favorite thing to treat myself is a facial and I've only had 2.
13. I love key lime pie ice cream.
14. I shared my first kiss with a boy when I was 14.
15. I once decided to become vegetarian right before Thanksgiving and didn't make turkey.
16. It's a pet peeve of mine when people text on the phone when you are talking to them or have limited time with them.
17. I hate it when commercials make me want to buy a product I know I don't need.
18. I think Escargot is actually delicious despite the fact that I used to have pet snails.
19. Paris is my favorite city. It's magic
20. I miss having dogs but sometimes I miss having cats more.
21. I hate going bra shopping and going to the dentist about the same.
22. I love sending and receiving Christmas/Holiday cards.
23. I don't see how people drink Mountain Dew, it's like neon green?!
24. I got married when I was 19, and I'm still married to the same wonderful guy!
25. Twirling my hair is still my bad habit. Especially when I'm nervous or anxious.
26. I'm a planner and like to make lists, especially to-do lists.
27. I love exploring old castles and imagining what life was life for the people who used to live in them.
28. Sometimes I still feel 19 around my husband. I think that's a good thing.

Yellow Field of Dreams

Recently I posted about my photography fears.  If you are a photographer, you should take a second and go read it, you probably have similar fears.

I talked specifically about a yellow field of flowers by my house.  It took me some timing but everything finally clicked into place and I got some shots in the field. That's what I'm sharing with you today. I faced my fears and came out on top! It's an awesome feeling!

You have already seen these photos if you're on my Facebook fan page, so feel free to skip this post.

Also I've started a gallery/shop to sell some of my photography. It's still a work in progress, I'm adding new photos each day, but it's a huge step I've been wanting to take.

Go check it out, maybe there will be something you want for your home or office. You can get art prints, framed prints, canvas prints, acrylic prints and cards!

Shop Catherine Murton Photography

Catherine Murton Photography Facebook Fan Page

Photography Fears

I have such magical ideas for photographs I want to take. 

I don't know what stops me. 

Maybe it's shyness. Maybe it's the lack of time. Maybe it's the fear of failure. That I won't pull off what I have in my mind and therefore rather than fail, I don't even try. Or, it could be lack of courage to go out and experiment in that yellow field of flowers down my road. What if someone yells at me? What will the people driving by think? How much time will it take to get my equipment together, props etc, and drive there, and find a good spot and set everything up and shoot it? What if it starts raining? What if I waste too much time setting up that I can't get my shot like I want it? These are the things that run through my head.

Sometimes, I see such work that is so overwhelmingly inspiring that I stand in awe and get stuck on the fact that my photography won't ever be that amazing. I find myself studying inspiring photographs and wondering how they pulled that off. How did they get  a model that is so perfect for the feel of the photo? How did they find such a perfect background? What settings did they use? What lens did they use? 

And then, sometimes, I think why not. Just go and try Catherine. Just go out there and do it. You might like it. Someone else might like it. If you don't capture those ideas now, they'll be forgotten forever.

I don't want to look back on this time and wish I had photographed more. 

I need to learn to let go of my fears and follow my heart. I can't be scared of the "what if's" all the time. It's time to go and find my photography style. 

To experiment with different looks, feels, places. 

To challenge myself. 

To be myself.

Recounting

I've been seeing lots of "currently" posts, which I plan to do one later, but for now I'm looking back on the past 6 months and all that I've been and done. Making this list makes me feel accomplished.

While Rich was deployed I:

Shared 3 boxes of Girl Scout cookies with Ariana

Bought a Ukelele

Sought out news about military in Afghanistan

Avoided news about military in Afghanistan

Celebrated Ariana's 3rd Birthday

Celebrated Halloween

Cooked my own turkey for Thanksgiving

Played Santa

Rang in 2012, on my couch

Celebrated Valentine's with a burger and a shake

Read 9 books

Paid off 2 small credit cards

Went to Paris with my Aunt

Aged 186 days

Did 60+ loads of laundry

Had 5 different house guests

Created a new savings plan

Had trouble sleeping

Slept like a baby

Was thankful for 70 little things

Painted 4 paintings

Called 10 German preschools

Offered support to friends

Took myself on a date at the bookstore

Achieved personal goals

Made mistakes

Danced around my house

Cried over Germany

Laughed over Germany

Laughed so hard I cried

Cried so hard I hyperventilated

Played in the snow

Cried when I found this article

Broke my macro lens

Sat while my car was fixed for 5 hours

Handled a German satellite company, oil company, and repair man.

Discovered new yummy recipes

Rediscovered my love for certain foods

Made crafts with Ariana

Watered our baby snails everyday

Disposed of 2 dead mice

Worried at night

Daydreamed about future vacations during the day

Fell in love with bacon

Sent sympathy cards

Sent thinking of you cards

Sent birthday cards

Sent thank you cards

Woke up from nightmares I couldn't remember

Made new friends

Ran into old friends

Watched girly movies as much as I wanted

Drove to the Frankfurt airport 6 times.

Drove to Heidelberg at least 5 times

Had a love affair with Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1, and the soundtrack

Bought new nail polish

Wrote love letters

Wrote music

Fell in love with Gluhwein and Christmas Markets

Had a mini breakdown

Ran late

Arrived early

Blogged a lot

Abandoned my blog

Ate lots of chocolate

Drank lots of wine

Cried to friends

Said I could handle it

Took thousands of photos

Enrolled Ariana in preschool

Lost 10 pounds

Took lots of videos of Ariana

Bought 3 new house plants

Spent hours talking to friends on the phone

Learned a lot about myself and others

While Rich was gone I grew as a person, parent, and military wife. I learned I'm stronger than some people give me credit for and weaker than I like to admit at times. I discovered that time moves slow and fast at the same time but it's always moving forward.

While Rich was deployed, I did a lot.

Pet Peeves

Pet peeves.

We all have them.

And some days doesn't it just seem like the world is against you? Throwing all these things in your face at once to see how mad you will get? I had one of those days recently and that got me thinking about all those little annoyances. Here are just a couple of mine that I've encountered recently or randomly thought of when writing this post. This should be fun.

What are some of your pet peeves? Do share!

                                                                       Source: etsy.com via Catherine on Pinterest

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+ When I'm pumping gas and when I go to put the nozzle back, even if I'm super careful, it drips a drip on my car.

+ People who invade my personal space. No, one inch is not enough. I don't need to smell your breath or have you step on the back of my foot while waiting in line.

+ When the toilet paper is rolling from the bottom and not from the top. I actually have to fight the urge to "fix it" when I'm in someone else's bathroom. That just happened.

+ When people say the things like "I'm so pumped". I don't know why, but "pumped" just seems like the wrong word. Pumped...shudder.

+ When people use facebook invites for actual parties where a gift is expected. A BBQ fine, but not a wedding shower?

+ People who park so crooked in a parking space that you either a.) can't get in your car when you come out of a store or b.) you can't park in the spot next to them because option a would happen.

+ When you have a song stuck in your head but you don't actually know all the words, just a line or two. It's like your brain won't stop until you say the words, which of course you can't because you don't know them.

+ Parents who bring toddlers to adult movies in the movie theaters. There are babysitters for a reason. If I leave my child with one, that means I don't want to hear your child during the movie either.

+ When people are stopped at a stop light, but every 2 seconds slowly inch their cars forward until the light turns green.

+ When a book is turned into a movie and it totally ruins the character you created in your mind. And then when you think of scenes, you can only see that specific actor/actress.

+ When a waiter/waitress comes every 5 minutes and says "is everything okay here". Sometimes I think you need to use your good judgement and quit interrupting me. At first it's "okay", but then it just becomes annoying.

+ Also, when a waiter/waitress brings your check when you've only taken 3 bites of your food. Don't rush me.

+ People who don't give credit when credit is due.

+ Taking a good picture and realizing the memory card isn't in there. The worst.