A little treasure…

Jan 29 09, originally uploaded by nrjanitz.

I forgot to take a picture yesterdy – gulp! My first mis-step in this Project 365! Honestly, I am amazed I lasted this long but I am really enjoying myself.

But yesterday Ellie and I found an ABC book that her class created in first grade… we turned to the "N" page and found this! I almost started crying… it was so sweet! Sometimes I feel sad for all the times I worked when Ellie was younger… I wish I would have taken more time to step away from the computer and just play. Now, four years later, my little baby is so independent and most of the time, she does not need me like she used to.

Finding this yesterday made me so happy.

xoxo
N.

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Sweet Genevieve!

Jan 28 09, originally uploaded by nrjanitz.

Our yellow lab, Miss Genevieve, loves the snow! She loves to roll in it and get her face all full of it. I caught this lovely moment of her this morning really getting into the joy of just being in the snow! A moment later she was rolling onto her back but I missed it!

Here she is with her "white beard" LOL!

xoxo
N.

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My Thursday night meditation…

Tonight was the second week of my oil painting class at a local studio — D&M Studios. The class is like a meditation to me… painting and talking with my friend Laura, the class is timeless. Before I know it,  it's over and time to clean up!

Sharon Dillenback, our instructor is an amazing and prolific artist, but the thing about this lady and what makes her so special is her ability to TEACH painting. She knows just the right balance between teaching and keeping the fear at bay. You just want to jump in and get started and all the worry about "not being good enough" fades away. An incredible woman. She is also my daughter's art teacher at school and is fantastic at getting the best out of our kids.

Here is my still life, in oil, of some tulips… I still want to add some more color next week, msome more shading and perhaps change up the background color so the vase doesn't blend so much with the blue background.

xoxo

N.

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The Audacity of Change

Jan 17 09, originally uploaded by nrjanitz.

We went to Border's Books yesterday and got to see an incredible artist and his painting, which will hang in the White House next week.

His name is Curtis Lewis, II and he is a Michigan Native. Inspired by Diego Rivera, Mr. Lewis sold his first painting at the age of 15! Ellie and I were lucky enough to meet him and his co-author, Cynthia Henley, who both autographed this historical coloring book. Ellie read the whole thing from front to back and now knows most of Obama's history!

Are you as excited for Tuesday as we are!?

xoxo
N.

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Back to my childhood….

Jan 15 09, originally uploaded by nrjanitz.

I swam today!

I did not go very fast and I was out of breath for sure, but I managed to swim for 40 minutes, resting in between laps. I noticed that most of the other swimmers in the lanes next to me had a cap and goggles, so I decided to treat myself today with these! 🙂

There is nothing on this earth that makes me feel more alive than when I am swimming. It also makes me feel like I'm 16 again because swimming is how I spent my winters in high school. I was on the Synchronized Swim Team and now, before you imagine Mike Meyers in the beginning of the Austin Power's movie, I am here to tell you this sport is hard! I was in the best shape when I was swimming… and I'm hoping to work a few laps into my gym schedule this winter.

Who knows, maybe I'll find some more muscles under my "protective layer" LOL!

xoxo
N.

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Baby Root Canal…

Jan 14 09, originally uploaded by nrjanitz.

Whoever heard of such a thing but they exist. This is a root canal on a baby tooth to keep the permanent tooth next to it from becoming decayed.

E was playing it up a bit for the camera… but she still was a TROOPER! It took an hour and she didn't make a fuss and did not even need the gas! (Shown here with new friend Dottie (or Ella – not sure of her name yet!))

It's below zero here this week (with the wind chill) so we are bundling up and staying warm inside!

xoxo
N.

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Look what came yesterday!

I went out to shake my kitchen rug and found a box containing these on my front porch this morning!

I am so excited and happy!

I can't wait to try some new recipes. I am in a rut with my cooking and hoping that this will infuse me with ideas.

I am for sure going to make the Otsu from Heidi's book but both cookbooks have recipes for marinara sauces that I can't wait to try — to put over some fresh pasta or even a homemade pizza. 

Will keep you posted!

Happy & Blessed Sunday to you!

N.

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My birds

Jan 10 09, originally uploaded by nrjanitz.

I am obsessed with feeding my birds lately.. .I just feel so sorry for them with the freezing temperatures and all the snow. I wish I had more birdhouses but right now this is it. I often wonder who lives in here or if any of the birds do.

Right now all my bird feeders are full – well at least until the Squirrels dump it all out and the pigeon's eat it and then all my cardinals & songbirds will be starving! LOL!

Happy Saturday

xoxo
N.

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Whole Abundance…

I am so excited/happy to share with you that I am collaborating with the very talented and super sweet Lisa Cohen!

Lisa is a teacher at Big Picture Scrapbooking as well as an incredible photographer, scrapper, mixed media artist and cook. She is also a foodie, food blog groupie and workout fanatic like me! LOL! So, we started something fun for ourselves this year — a blog highlighting recipes and ways to live well! We hope to share ideas, recipes and inspiration weekly with you… and hope that you'll share with us as well.

Please join us in our endeavor… it's called Whole Abundance.

xoxo
Nancie

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Introspection

Jan 08 09, originally uploaded by nrjanitz.

Winter in Michigan can get depressing. The days are often more overcast than sunny. In December it can get dark at a little before 5pm (sometimes quarter to!). And some nights I am in my jammies as early as 6! (Hey, it's dark and we're not going outside! ) LOL!

January gets a bit better as the days begin to lengthen and even though it is 15 degrees out and you can't feel your toes, it feels like hope. The sun peeks out from time-to-time and it gets dark later and later. I find myself getting very introspective during January and I tend to feel hopeful that this year will be THE year. You know what I mean. The year that I am more organized, more disciplined. The year I will lose 20 or 30 (or even 50!) pounds. The year I will begin to paint and write and hey, why not learn to play the piano?!

This photo, taken from my cell phone this morning, sums up my feelings for January.

xoxo
N.

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