Take it or Leave it Tuesday

*Lies/Rumors* Things these days can get so twisted from just one person to the next. I saw a quote today that really spoke the truth about rumors/lies and I just had to share it: "A lie can get half way around the world before the truth can even get out the door." I guess this goes for the news too. So many bad things are recognized before the good. Its just about depressing to watch the news.

*Weather* - We've been having some crazy weather lately, 70-80 degrees one day and then 50 the next. Can we just skip to spring already? :) Last Friday and todays wind will about blow you away, I guess the saying is true to far because March sure did come in like a lion! Let's see if it will go out like a lamb?!?

*Time* - Speaking of March, where has time gone? Seriously. I feel like I was just ringing in the new year a week ago. March not only means another month has begun but it also means that I'm that much closer until my daughter turns two, which I'm not too hype about. She's growing too fast.



*Army Wives* The new season of this TV show starts next Monday, March 6th. I dont think I've ever watched an episode that didn't touch me and left me with either sad tears or happy tears or that I wasn't on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend taking a look at this TV show. I attached a preview of Season 5 below for you to check out...



*Temple Grandin* - I had a lazy Saturday this past weekend and watched the Netflix I had on hand. I saw that Claire Danes had won some awards for her acting in this movie so I wanted to see what the hype was all about myself and I'm so glad I did. This is one of the BEST movies I've seen in a long time. I dont know if I felt a connection to this movie because of the autistic children I've had in my classroom or just because of the story itself, but its nothing short of amazing. I'd highly recommened it to anyone.



*Something Borrowed* - The MOVIE! You may remember in this post where I could check off my #23 on my 101 things to do in 1001 days (which I have to update by the way because my time is up!) but I raved about Emily Giffin's four books. The first of her's, Something Borrowed, is now a movie and comes out in May! I can't wait, think I might treat myself to a theatre showing of this one!

Take it or Leave it | CHAIRish the Children

Just thought I'd share one thing today and its definitely a TAKE IT!



On one of the many blogs that I follow I found this really cool site called CHAIRish the Children. This group raises funds and awareness for abused/neglected children. They do this by hosting fundraisers, but one particular fundraiser caught my eye. For this fundraiser they sell uniquely designed chairs. Talk about creativity! Check out some of the chairs that are up for bidding now.

Fun Desk:

If I was still teaching and had a classroom, this would be a MUST have!

Ship:

Gumball Chair:

You can bid on these chairs and see others that are up for bid by visiting THIS SITE.

Take it or Leave it Tuesday

*Lack of Sleep* - Seems like lately I can't sleep or if I do get a full nights sleep I've dreamt something crazy the whole time so I never wake up feeling completely rested. I think a 10 hour sleep night is due, but I'm not sure that my body would let me.
*Fever Blisters* - I always get one around this time of the year as the weather changes and my body tries to fight off a head cold. Blah. These things are for the birds.



*Birthdays*- I've always liked birthdays and think that people should make a big deal out of them because thats YOUR day! :) By the way, today is my birthday! hehe! Its amazing how many messages I've already gotten on Facebook today and voicemails or texts from people wishing me a great day! Thank you all!
*Scuppernong Gazette* - This online magazine is put together about things happening in Tyrrell County. If you haven't checked out the latest (October) issue yet, you can do so by clicking HERE. There's some Megan Lane Photography photos as you flip through the pages! Enjoy!
*Quotes* - I love reading a quote that means something to me and really stands out or speaks to me when I read them. I have a book that I right all of these in when i stumble across them. I thought I'd share a few here...
"I value the friend, who for me, finds time on his calendar but I cherish the friend, who for me, does not consult his calendar." -Robert Brault
"You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have." -Unknown
"Sometimes someone says something really small and it just fits into this empty place in your heart." -Claire Danes
And one of my call time favorites: "God grant me the serenity 2 accept the things I can't change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom 2 know the difference."
*College Football* - Seriously, these NC State Wolfpack wins are fun with a 5-1 overall record! :) Let's hope they can pull off another win this weekend versus ECU (sorry to all my ECU fans out there!) The victory over East Carolina in 2008 marked the first victory as a starting quarterback for then-redshirt-freshman quarterback Russell Wilson. Let hope, now senior, Wilson can put another win under his belt!
And just because I dont like posting without a photo, here's my most favorite thing in this world... my baby girl.



Happy Tuesday, y'all!
Meg

Take It or Leave It

*Cancer: Seriously? I feel like I know too many people who are dealing with cancer at the moment. Why must something so yucky even exist? I wish a cure would be found soon!
*Wal-mart: Although I do a lot of shopping and Wal-mart and I'm sure that I'll continue to do so, why, oh why, do they not only bother but spend the money on 23 cash registers and check out lanes if they are only going to have TWO open. Seriously? TWO out of twenty-three?
*My Blackberry: Does anyone else's Blackberry freeze? Like two or three times a day? It use to not do this- maybe I'm not holding my mouth just right anymore?!?!
*Wet Flip-flops: I always seem to fall or almost twist my ankle once my flops get wet and I try to walk. If not then they make the most awful sounds. Don't know which is more embarrassing: the sounds or me falling. ha!




*Warriors: There are many warriors out there. When I think of Warriors I think of people battling said cancer above as well as their family members. I just had to share the following story: My friend, Lisa, has a son, age 7, who is battling cancer. This is her second child who has faced this battle. This weekend was her son, Hayden's 8th birthday and from the looks of it he had an awesome weekend. I wanted to give a shout out to Hayden and wish him a Happy Birthday but to also give a shout out to the ROC SOLID Foundation and the Norfolk Police Department for reaching out to Hayden during his battle.



You can click here to read an article about Hayden's weekend. And a shout out to Lisa, the rest of Hayden's family and all other family members who have a loved one who is battling cancer at the moment, you ROCK too! Your encouragement and courage for your loved ones is amazing!
*CMT's Singing Bee: Seriously, I really like this show, not only does the host crack me up but i love to see what some people really think the lyrics to a song are. Hilarious! Most nights I really think I could totally be on the show. But you'd all probably turn the channel if you were watching because of my horrendous vocals! :)
*100 Calorie Lorna Doone Cookies: Probably one of the best cookies I've had in a long time, and the best part about them... only 100 Calories, duh! My sister-in-law turned me on to these and I can't thank her enough! Yum-O!

Hope you all are having a fabulous Tuesday!
Hugs,
Meg

Take it or Leave it Tuesday

Wow, it's been a while since I posted one of these. Things are busy around here keeping up with a one year old that is on the verge of walking and has mastered the art of crawling. Quickly.



And this week's LEAVE IT's:

*Root Beer*: Sorry I'm just not a fan.

*Clutter*: Seems like clutter has taken over these days. I try to be very organized really, but the clutter just keeps piling up. I hope to show it who's boss this week!



And this week's TAKE IT's:


Seasons Finale's: The past few weeks have been full of season finales. Private Practice and Grey's Anatomy were awesome finale's. Grey's blew me away. The Season Finale of 24 was last night but my TV decided it didn't want to cooperate, so I haven't seen it yet. Crossing that my DVR atleast worked, so 24 is on the agenda for tonight. I'm excited. And although I've never watched it, I heard the LOST finale was pretty awesome. This week is also the season finale of Dancing with the Stars and American Idol for any fans out there.

*Birthdays*: Today is Scott's Birthday! I'm extremely thankful for him!

*Sunsets*: What can I say? I was blessed to grow up on the water. All I had to do was look out of my front door and see a beautiful sunset over the water. This past Sunday a thunderstorm with LOTS of rain blew through. It left us just in time to catch the sun peeking down under the clouds as it was setting. The sky was a lovely purple which reflected onto the water, making the water purple too. Take a look....


*Weddings*: I had the opportunity to photograph two weddings so far this month. It's so wonderful seeing two people joining together to start a new life together. Stay tuned for images from these weddings and much more!

"Take it or Leave it" Tuesday

So... yeah, I'm not good at this *every* Tuesday kind of thing. I tried, sorry. Things just seem to get in the way (i.e. babies being born, travel, appointments, sicknesses, yadda, yadda, yadda! :) So while I won't guarantee an every Tuesday as a "Take it or Leave it" maybe I'll atleast get around to it once a month! ;)



And this week's LEAVE IT's:
*Rain and Wind: The Albemarle Sound look like a hurricane is approaching in a few days. It's white capping at the piers and the waves are splashing over the bulkheads. I mean come on. It's rained and blown since last Wednesday. We did have a bit of sunshine which I LOVED on Saturday, but really? Can't it stick around longer than one day?? Hello, I have mini-sessions coming up and really need some sunshine and warmth!
*Virus': And not just computer virus. I mean those nasty stomach virus' that your 10 month old gets. YUCK! Last week my baby girl was pitiful! I've never felt so helpless in all my life. Thank goodness we seem to be on the mends!





And this week's TAKE IT's:
*Daylight Savings: Oh, man. A whole hour taken away from me? How dare you? Ok, just this once. Because in return I'm getting extra hours of sunlight! Score! I'm definitely glad to be springing forward to longer days and warmer weather!
*Packages: I love getting packages in the mail, surprise packages are great, but even if it's something I ordered and I'm expecting I get giddy! Its like Christmas! My favorite packages to receive are product orders. I promise that it's like Christmas everytime I open those. Whether it's a photo box, birth announcements, an album, you name it, I get that feeling of running down the stairs at Christmas to see what Santa's brought! Here's an image of a wedding album I received a few weeks ago!



Ha! Just a little teaser... I promise to show more of this album. So much time goes into designing an album to document that special day for a bride and groom. I plan to do more wedding posts coming up as wedding season is among us. Last year I didn't have a wedding season due to being pregnant and raising a newborn, but I'm booking up for this year quickly. I'm only taking a few more wedding clients for 2010 weddings so if you're planning on getting married this year or know someone who is, that doesn't have a photographer yet, I'm their girl! :)

Take it or Leave it!

And this week's LEAVE IT's:
**Spiders: No I dont freak out over them- however I'm completely over all of the webs that are all over our windows. Once a week I have to go out with my handy-dandy broom and knock down all of their webs. Eck!

**My Closet:I can't see my closet floor at the moment, but that's my goal for tomorrow!




This week's TAKE IT's are:
**Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas are my absolute fav. My Daddy' bought be a box for Valentines Day and although I'm loving them, my waist isn't so much! ;)

**Kate Toms: Kate Toms is an author that has written some children's books that Grace owns. We own Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. These two books are based on those nursery rhymes, however they keep going with more of a story. They're adorable as can be. We also own another of her books God Knows All About Me and it's just as good as the other two. I hope to add more of Kate Toms' books to Grace's collection in the future.

**Swiffer SweeperVac: This cleaner-uper has a cloth to trap dirt and dust AND a cordless vacuum for grabbing larger pieces. It's amazing. I use mine every day!

"Take it or Leave it" Tuesday

And this week's LEAVE IT's:
**Moles, Skin Cancers, etc: One word. Sunscreen. Wear it, please & thank you! 25 stitches later- I will now have 3 scars on my belly to show you if you want to argue with me about this subject. Oh, how I hope they heal & hide before bathing suit season!



This week's TAKE IT's are:
**For awhile now, I've been in love with this trail mix I get from Target: Archer Farms Monster Trail Mix. It's peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips. Pretty basic right? The peanut butter chips are a GREAT addition, and I also love that it has a lot less sodium than other trail mixes - only 20mg per serving - so your lips don't feel all dry when you are done.

**DVR: I'm finally caught up on this season of 24, including last night's episode! Thank you Jack Bauer for saving the world! You are my favorite bad-ass!

**My Mom & Dad! I got to spend the weekend with them. They came to Raleigh to visit Grace and I and we ate, talked about life, did some shopping, played cards, and spent some QT together! They are definitely my rock (& my real life Jack Bauer's) :)!

**More Babies: Remember my friend Bridget? And her adorable family of 3? Now there are 4! Mr. Owen arrived last Tuesday, hince the lack of a "Take it or Leave it" last week! I'll be photographing him soon, so there will be more adorableness to grace the blog coming up!

**CoffeeStencils: http://www.coffeestencil.com/ I'm not a coffee drinker. I much prefer my morning dose of Diet Coke to get me going, but I thought these stencils were too cool. I wonder what Scott would say when I took him his coffee in the morning that had a message on top!

"Take it or Leave it" Tuesday

In response to last weeks Leave it-Junk Mail, I stumbled upon this site: 41 pounds. Did you know that the average adult receives 41 pounds of junk mail each year. At this site you can sign up to NOT be that person. Their service stops 80-95% of unwanted catalogs and junk mail for you. They’ll contact dozens of companies on your behalf to stop your junk mail AND protect the environment! :)

Also, ask and you shall receive! My new favorite Crispy Onion Chicken Recipe:
1 tbs Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted.
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can (6oz) cheddar or original french-friend onions, crushed (i prefer original)
In a shallow bowl, combine the butter, Worchestershire sauce, mustard, garlic salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with onions. Place in a greased 9 in. square baking pan. Top with any remaining onions; drizzle with any remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings.
[2004 Taste of Home Annual Recipes Book]
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Now, for this weeks installment...


This week's LEAVE ITs are:
**Chocolate: Although I'm not a chocolate lover, every now I do want something that's chocolate. But in return it always makes my face break out. Boo. Hiss.
**Improper Bagging of Groceries: I guess I was ruined having grown up in a grocery store. Anyone remember Larry's Food & Tackle that use to be on (what is now the old) highway 64 in Columbia. Ahh. I LOVED those days at my Grandparents store! I could run the register at age 5. :) Anyway, I knew cold items went together, meats bagged seperately from other foods, little stuff like that. Do they not teach people those things anymore? I really dont care to have hamburger juices leaking all over my salad dressing bottles.






**Snow!: Here in central/eastern NC, we hardly ever get snow, and if we do it usually doesn't amount to much. However this weekend, I'd say we got a good 5 inches, if not more. Not only was (is) the snow beautiful but it was also my daughter's first snow so that made it even more special!
**Babies: And not just mine! :) I've been going through images of a recent newborn *twin* session that I had a couple of weeks ago and I can't wait to share the images with you, hopefully tomorrow!
**Lowes Foods To Go: Huge. Fan. Sit at your computer with your list. Order online. Someone at the store does the shopping for you. Pull through the pick up lane. Push button, say your name. They bring groceries to you and load in your car. That simple! Some will even deliver to your house! Now that's awesome. I have found that when I shop this way I dont buy those unnecessary things that stare at you when you walk through the aisles (i.e. chocolate!) Due to our house location delivery isn't an option and even though I don't mind grocery shopping it is nice when you have an 8 month old or lots of other errands to get done in one day! Side-note: my groceries were bagged just like I like too! ;)

"Take it or Leave it" Tuesday!

In an attempt to post more personal stuff on my blog, I have decided to start a new feature that I'd like to call: Take it or Leave it Tuesday! Each Tuesday, I [have good intentions] to create a post where I will share personal stories, anything exciting that is going on in my world, and I will also include some things that I approve of (take it), and some things that I don't approve of (leave it).



**My Baby Girl: I can't start off a list of "things that I approve/like" without mentioning my baby girl. I'm very fortunate to be able to stay home with her and watch each second of her growing by leaps and bounds! She definitely warms my heart!
**Hand Sanitizer: In this day of sickness, germs, and especially "swine flu" I have used more hand sanitizer than I think imaginable. It's everywhere: diaper bag, car, bedroom, living room, office.
**Your Blog Comments: Thanks to all who post comments on the blog. I love reading them! I'd like to thank everyone who has posted a comment on the contest posts as well. Don't forget there is still time to vote for your "best of 09 family" photo. And one lucky winner receives a prize too! Just scroll down to the next blog post to enter!
**Crispy Onion Chicken: I have seen many recipes for 'crispy onion chicken' where you coat your chicken with french fried onions, but I think I have found the best crispy onion chicken recipe out there! We had it last night for supper and there is a left-over chicken breast waiting on me in the fridge to have for lunch. {That's why it's still on the brain.}



**Earthquakes: My heart breaks for the people of Haiti. This is just so sad. How can you help? If you can afford to spare $10, please at least text "Haiti" to 90999. You can also pre-purchase the album from the Hope for Haiti Now on iTunes by clicking here. It's only $7.99 and at least you'll get some sweet tunes out of it. If you can give more you can donate through the website above or call 1-877-99-HAITI.
**Junk Mail: Whether it arrives via snail mail or email. I mean, really, does anyone even read it? Both mailbox's of mine have lately been out of control. Although 0% interest on a credit card or 50% discount on laser hair removal sounds like a good deal, I think I'll pass.
**Sleeplessness: Yes I am forunate to have a baby who sleeps through the night and has been for a while now, but I'm really missing those naps that she'd take during the day. I'm hoping that's it just because those mean teeth are trying to come through and that as soon as they do, we'll be back to normal!