Turf

Spring is almost here which can mean only one thing….soccer season is here as well!  Dave is coaching again – this must be his 13th consecutive year and he always gets excited before a new season.  A new crop of kids.  Many familiar faces with a some new ones in the mix as well.  Kind of the like the way I feel before a new school year.

He pours over the names, sends out welcome emails and tries to get his team as excited about the new season as he is.  Today’s photo prompt is turf and at first, I began looking through old soccer photos of the boys playing on the few “astro”turf fields they have played on.  That brought up memories of the turf wars our community had a few years ago over whether or not to build a turf field in our town.  I wasn’t going to get into that battle tonight!

So, when I came across this oldie of Drew when he was about five, it seemed a perfect way to use the prompt.  He’s just on grass, not the turf photo I was looking for, but still a great one.  He still has that determination and drive when he plays.

It is always fun to see and watching some of these kids, who have been playing together for all of these years is a big part of the fun!!

Here’s to another successful season!!

Loved

Tonight, as a perk for being a season ticket holder for over 20 years, my dad was given a suite to watch the game from.  It has been a year of perks for him from the Devils.  Drew and my nephew Mikey got to ride a zamboni, DJ got to follow the production team around one game, Drew got to press the starting horn of a game….there have been a lot of perks.

This weekend the Devils are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of winning their first Stanley Cup.  We were lucky enough to have been at that game!!  One of the most amazing things to witness in person!!

In the suite next to ours tonight, were many of those alumni players – sitting right there.  We were all a bit star struck.  John Maclean, Scott Niedermayer, Colin White, Randy McKay, Bruce Driver, Brian Ralston, Mike Peluso and a quick drop in by my all-time favorite, Ken Daneyko.

All of them were nice enough to let us take some photos and several of them talked to us about the “old times” and how great it was to watch that team play together.  Mike Peluso was posing for selfies and being silly with my brothers and kids.

We only had our phones with us for photos, so the photos aren’t the greatest but they are fun and gave us new memories from our favorite “old” team.

We loved this team then, and watching my own children love hockey and The New Jersey Devils the way I did when I was their age, has been so much fun to see!  So for today’s photo prompt, the word is LOVED. This photo of my brother and Mike Peluso (although snapped super fast so the clarity is not great, ) might just describe the love for the team without words!

Snowed In

I am tired of the snow.  It is March.  Only a few weeks until Spring, yet today, we are snowed in once again this winter.

There is something about a snow day that I love though.  All four of us, stuck in the house for the day.  Nothing to do, nowhere to go.  It was actually kind of nice.  I made a big pot of chicken soup that cooked all day, we played board games, I got some lesson planning done.  Productive in some ways, lazy in other ways but nearly a perfect day.

All four of us went out to shovel the driveway and along with our neighbors got in done in record time!!  It wasn’t too heavy.  It wasn’t too even too cold.  The boys even played outside in the snow for while I grabbed some photos.

Back to school tomorrow….we think.  It is still snowing! Hopefully roads are clear enough by morning to get everyone back to normal because one day of all four of us stuck in the house together was fun.  Two days might be pushing it 🙂

Where I Stand

Where I stand, is the photo prompt for today. I don’t have a photo today. Instead, I am sharing this video and website I came across today, Love has No Labels.  It is where I stand, what I believe and what I love.  It should be shared!

Vignette

Vignette, to be completely honest, I had to look up the definition of this one today! This is what I found, a brief evocative description, account or episode. This morning, when I left the house, I wasn’t  sure how I was going to approach this prompt or if I’d even use it tonight.

but then this happened….

During today’s morning meeting in Kindergarten, all of the children were gathered on the carpet.  Just like our typical morning.  It was “calendar time” and suddenly, while we were sitting there, a few of us heard a soft humming sound.  We realized it was coming from the CD player, but no one had turned it on.  I found it odd but just turned it off, but not before noticing that it said 47:09 on it.  The number has no significance to me, (and I am always looking for “signs”.)  We went on with our morning meeting when all of a sudden, a bunch of them began grabbing in the air for a fluff that was gently floating above their heads. It looked like a really large dandelion fluff.  It was HUGE! About the size of a 50 cent piece. It almost looked like a white spider floating through the air.  It is the middle of winter.  I have no idea where it came from.  I snatched it out of the air and brought it over to the trash and threw it away.

Again, always thinking these things mean something, I decided to write down that number from the CD player since it was only minutes later.  Was someone trying to send me a message???  I knew I’d never remember the number otherwise.

Well, as I assumed, I forgot all about it.  Until I went to my mailbox after school and my new batch of Scholastic Readers was in there.  On the front cover was a giant yellow butterfly.  My good luck sign!  I remembered the number from the CD player and decided I’d buy a lottery ticket after school and see what happens..  (I am sure nothing…but one can always hope…)

Heritage

Heritage, the first photo prompt for March. This is not a new photo.  Not even one I took myself, but I played around with it in photoshop, cropping and turning to black and white.

This family all started with her.  Grammy – who will be 100 years old in September.  This photo is from her 95th birthday.  As much as the family that could make it, gathered at Skytop in Pennsylvania, in August of 2010 to celebrate her.  Now, five years later, we are trying to plan her 100th birthday celebration.  Trying to figure out how to fly in her grandchildren and great grandchildren from all over the world so that we can do a huge celebration once again.  Something that she can handle.  She’s not as spry as she once was and her hearing is not great…although sometimes she hears a lot more than we think she does…

There is talk of a family cruise headed north towards Canada.  Something that can leave from New Jersey so she doesn’t have to fly anywhere.  Organizing more than forty people to get in one place at the same time won’t be easy, but it isn’t often that you turn 100!!!

Anticipation

Most people are probably tired of hearing me write about chloe and isabel already, but I am working hard to build up a “clientele” and until I do, I need to saturate my Facebook and blog about it!!  Today’s photo prompt was, Anticipation and I have been anticipating the arrival of this.  My new “Pikle Bag”.  It as small as a makeup bag, but is filled with sturdy plastic inserts that I have filled with smaller pieces of c+i jewelry so that I can have a party on the go anytime, anywhere.  I will just keep it in my purse and pull it out whenever someone asks about it.

I have already been a walking advertisement for the company, wearing at least two pieces everyday everywhere I go.  I am beyond my goal for the month.  I surpassed what I could never could have imagined! Now…I have TWO days left in my “fast start” and am only $200 away from reaching $5000 in sales in less than 2 months!  It is amazing and I am so happy to have such supportive friends and family.

Now… it is time for me to extend my c+i to even more people.  Please check out my boutique.  I would love for you to become a customer of mine.  I offer incentives all of the time!!  If you live close to me, we could do an in person party.  If you are farther away, consider an online pop-up.  If you just want to treat yourself with something special….shop with my direct link, http://www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/clairesinclair#53324

Like my Facebook page, chloe and isabel with claire sinclair  I post specials there all of the time.

Thanks for letting me get the word out.  Share this and spread the word. 🙂

Future Investment

Future Investment, today’s photo prompt.  A bit appropriate at the end of my February sales month for Chloe + Isabel.  I am absolutely loving working for this company.  They are so good to their merchandisers and offer training and incentives and so much support.  I have been with the company for just about two months.  I am still in my “Fast Start” program.  That ends in just three days.  On Monday night’s sales call, I was actually named in the top 10 for fast starters!  That gives me even more incentive to work harder at this business.  This will never be my full time job.  Teaching is my passion and what I am meant to do, but c + i gives me the opportunity to do more of what I love – socializing!

I know that at home selling isn’t the easiest thing, and that I may have good months and bad ones, but the initial investment has seemed worth it so far.  I will have to keep updating my inventory, spending some of my profits, but with each party I have, I earn more “bonus dollars” to spend as well.

I will never make a fortune or strike it rich working with c+i, but it does help with all those little extras.  Once DJ goes to college, I am sure it will be glad to have it as well!

I have three days till the end of February.  There are contests and offers for all last minute sales and parties.  If you are interested, check out my link.  Ask me questions.  Book an in person party if you are local.  Book an online party if you are not.  I know we could make it fun!  The hostess incentives are amazing!

http://www.chloeandisabel.com/boutique/clairesinclair#53324

128,999

This is one of those weeks that began at 7am yesterday, and goes until late Friday evening.  Meetings every afternoon or evening this week, parent-teacher conferences for three days beginning tomorrow, Drew’s school play which is Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  THEN, life might settle down for our family.

Today’s photo prompt is JUMP.   I worked until 5pm have been finishing up report card narratives for an hour and have to leave here to go to a meeting at Drew’s school in a few minutes.  The last two nights I have even eaten dinner at the computer.  There is no time for “real photos” as I am jumping from one thing to another.

So now, as I try to squeeze in my blog before it gets too late, I happened to notice that my blog stats are about to make a big jump today!  As of now, I am at 128,999 hits.  Who would have ever expected my little blog- which is really about “nothing and everything” is still going strong.

The new aspect of adding the photo prompts has been motivating.  Some of the photographers are incredibly talented in the shared photo group I am in. For me, the photo prompts have been more of an inspiration to write than to work on my photography, but perhaps when time allows, I can work more on that.  For today though – a very amateur photo taken with my iphone just to capture the number before it jumps.

Potential

Potential, the photo prompt for today. This photo is actually from yesterday.  A small bud under the melting ice after this miserably cold winter. Yesterday, an almost Spring-like day.  Temperatures actually reached 40 degrees and there was a glimmer of hope.

Today, back to frigid weather.  Below zero windchill and that potential doesn’t seem so likely anymore.  I know it is still February, but I am over it. I cannot wait for it to end.

I had to choose this photo of the frozen bud – because it also resembled a ladybug.  Another glimpse of Spring.

24 days to go!!