June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 9 - Stripes

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Day 9: Stripes

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 9: Stripes

I found this painted rock at the beach in Plymouth, MA. Can't think of any better stripes to use for Day 9!

June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 8 - Inspire

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Day 8: Inspire

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 8: Inspire

From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
in·spire verb \in-ˈspī(-ə)r\
: to make (someone) want to do something 
: to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create
: to cause (something) to happen or be created
: to cause someone to have (a feeling or emotion)

Here's a few things that inspire me:
For their preschool graduations, I did a slideshow for their classes, and one of the things I included were photo-shopped pictures of the kids with what they said they wanted to be when they grew up. My daughter wanted to be a scientist, my son an army man...pretty inspirational for a couple of almost 5 year olds!

Another thing I find inspirational is when graduates finally get to throw their caps, signalling the beginning of the next stage of their lives. This photo I took at my niece's high school graduation in 2008.

June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 7 - Food

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Day 7: Food

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 7: Food

This is my most favorite food picture - and what makes it extra special to me is this is a dish that my niece and I created for our family Christmas gathering a few years back. We roasted garlic then smooshed it and folded it in to cream cheese, added some other seasonings and then piped it into the little colored peppers. The center of the platter was filled with Giardiniera pickled vegetables and pickled mushrooms. Tasted so yummy and was so pretty!

June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 6 - Childhood

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Day 6: Childhood

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 6: Childhood

Since the challenge was to feature pictures I have taken, it took me a bit to realize that my childhood was out! So I'm featuring some pics of my kiddies - then and now (and yes, that is author Jodi Picoult with DD - that pic is from a book signing last month for Cassandra Clare!)

June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 5 - Friendship

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Day 5: Friendship

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 5: Friendship

I have been blessed with some truly wonderful friends, and my closest are some that live the furthest from me. Although we may not see each other often or even talk more than once or twice a year, I know that these friends will always be there when I need them.

June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 4 - Books

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Day 4: Books

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 4: Books

Books, books, and more books! 

This year we bought 9 new bookcases (and 2 small bookcases) so I could put all my books somewhere...well, I thought I would have plenty of room to expand but, guess I thought wrong! 

I also love to take pictures of book covers I find (usually on my trips to B&N). The Extraordinary Chickens book has to be my all-time favorite book find! On two separate occasions I found the Keep Calm and Carry On book strategically placed next to what I like to think of as a companion book, and then I came across the In My Humble Opinion journal, which contains some awesome quotes.

I recently took DD and some of her friends to a Cassandra Clare book signing on the night of the release of City of Heavenly Fire. It was so much fun! Jodi Picoult interviewed her and then they both signed books - the kids had a great time!

And rounding out the pics are my Kindle and my library card...two things I couldn't live without!

June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 3 - Summer

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Day 3: Summer

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 3: Summer

Summertime to me means our big family party that has been very creatively named "The July Party." The party is a family reunion of sorts, celebrating the many July birthdays in the family, as well as any graduations or special events that are happening.

The other thing that summer brings is my annual trip to Florida with the kiddies. We are fortunate to have a place to stay that is a quick walk to the ocean, and even more fortunate that we can make it an extended stay (usually for a month or more). 

Love the summer!

June Photo-a-Day Challenge: Day 2 - Love

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Day 2: Love

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 2: Love

When I think of love my family is what comes to mind first...

June Photo-A-Day Challenge: Day 1 - Guilty Pleasure

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Day 1: Guilty Pleasure

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Hosted by the fabulous Anna at Herding Cats & Burning Soup, this challenge is a Photo-a-Day Challenge fitting the themes that have been posted each day using pictures that you have taken yourself.

Want to join the challenge? This one is very flexible (post daily, weekly, at the end), so feel free to jump in at any time! Head on over to Herding Cats & Burning Soup for more information, to link up your photo and check out the other blogs who are participating. No blog? No worries! Just post your photo or link to your photo in the comments section!

Day 1: Guilty Pleasure

I freakin' love Nutella - and luckily this is one of my daughter's favorite items as well so I can blame her for having it in the house. When travelling recently, the hotel we stayed out had these convenient single-serve packages - now how awesome is that...you no longer have to be embarrassed carrying the big jar around in your pocketbook and you don't even need a spoon, just tear and squeeze..right into your mouth...yummy!