Wednesday, February 3, 2010

hobbies, obessions and love

i sometimes sit and think of just how blessed we are to live in a country where we are afforded the time and luxury of having hobbies. there are places, and there have been times when people have and weren't afforded this fabulous slice of goodness. lucky us!

me & my camera 

sometimes i forget just how blessed i am. sometimes i forget the million little blessings that fill my daily life. one of the things i've been trying to reflect on this year are those little things. i guess they're really not so little, but i'm often looking out over the horizon at the next big thing, that i forget to see the everyday little things. so today, i am thankful for hobbies, cameras, love notes, skype, computers, hot coffee and free time.

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of course,  two of my biggest blessings stare me right in the face every single day. they sometimes remind me of their blessing status with sweet little notes i find on the kitchen counter, a little snuggle,  a flying wwf-worthy tackle and sometimes even the sweet sound of sibling bickering. they're all little moments to treasure because they won't always be mine to have. in a few short years, they will no longer be daily realities, but fond memories. and today (and everyday) they are on my "i'm so thankful for that" list.

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and a giveaway
want one more thing to be thankful for today? be thankful for ella publishing! they're offering a bundle of cha goodies to a lucky winner. leave a comment here on my blog, then hop on over to ella and comment here. want even more chances to win? visit the other fabulous ella friends' blogs! see all of the details here.

48 comments:

rosemary said...

Your photography is spectacular and your blog is wonderful. Thank you for sharing with us...

CreativeChretin said...

I'm always down for a giveaway. BTW, Noel, I pray for you and your family almost daily. I can't imagine being without my husband. You are a trooper! :)

Jennifer said...

Beautiful pictures ... I love the forehead to forehead one.

Farm Girl in MD said...

great pics!

Ashleigh B. said...

Thanks for so eloquently articulating one of the many reasons I love this hobby--it makes you appreciate the small moments that happen in the everyday spaces of time.

Erica Hettwer said...

I was thinking about that recently, too. I have an entire room devoted to my hobbies and in other parts of the world, entire families live in one room. It makes you stop and reevaluate all the little problems in your life, doesn't it? :)

Sarah L. said...

I hear ya - no matter how stressed I get, I have to remember just how blessed I am and like you said, be thankful for all the moments, even the little bickering.

And thank YOU for the fabulous giveaway!

Sara Ancich said...

I wish I had more time for my hobbies, so thanks for the reminder that not all have the luxury! You are right.

Jen said...

I've loved watching your videos of the girls' hairdo's! My girls are now begging me to try it....I'm going to try. :)

Mary Lou said...

Love you guys!! Your whole family!! And we have not even met YET!!!!

gilroy gal said...

So true, so very true. My One Little Word for this year is SAVOR. Time is passing quickly and things are changing. I want to remind myself to savor each and every precious 'little thing' that happens. Love your pictures, as always!

And thanks for the chance to win!

pam said...

I love your blog. Thanks for sharing your life with us.

Lynn said...

Love that picture of the little love note! What a great thing to remember!

Anonymous said...

I love your blog!

Carol said...

You take the most amazing photos...I hope to be as good as you someday!

Just Us said...

I have never been to your site...but I will soon by here often :0)

Keshet said...

Lovely post!

Stacy said...

Your words speak closely to my heart at this moment in my short mommy moment of having my boys at home. Thank you for the sweet reminder that these everyday moments at home with my boys are blessings that will all too soon fade as memories.

MeganKP said...

Thanks for sharing!!
PS love the layout! looks great!

Megan P

Anonymous said...

Wondering how you take the pictures of yourself holding the camera? Are you looking into a mirror?

Gee, thought you would be way to young to know what a 110 camera was let alone use one!! lol!

--Marilyn
Northern VA

noel joy said...

lol marilyn. yep, i'm that old. :)

i took all of the pictures on the layout in my bathroom mirror. the main picture i flipped in photoshop so the "nikon" would read right.

my cup-a-joe! said...

Love your thankful post! You have a beautiful family!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Cheers!

Anonymous said...

I like finding those sweet notes between my 2 blessings too.
Lynda in calif

AngMomof3 said...

Thanks for sharing... I too am very thankful for hobbies. Just wish I had more time for all of them...

CHA seemed to be CHAlk full of fun treats! Looking forward to the chance to win!

Unknown said...

reading your blog today helped me more than you could ever know. sometimes i forget all the things that I am thankful for. Thanks for the reminder! I too am very thankful for my hobbies. I love the creative outlet and need it to relax!! Thanks again!

Linda E said...

I always enjoy reading your posts. Thanks for sharing...and for the giveaway.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the chance! I read you all the time, it good to remember all your little blessings!

Ginny H said...

I like the new format of your blog! Thanks for the giveaway, too!

Michele said...

thanks for sharing. Love your blog

Scrapbooking by Kelly Messer said...

WOW-your blog is amazing.. YOur pictures are just incredible.. I found your site on Emma's blog site and bounced over here.. I love pictures-as much as I do scrapbooking.. I just got a Nikon D80 the end of Oct.. I just need a class on it is all.. I am so lost.. Your girls are so beautiful.. here is my blog site-check it out sometime..
http://scrapbookingbykellymesser.blogspot.com/
Have a blessed weekend!

Carly said...

Thanks for the reminder to cherish the little things!

Jingle said...

This is really a beautiful post, Noel. Thank you so much!

Hayley said...

Noel,
Your reflection is so very true. A friend and I were just talking about this very thing last night. Hopefully we can instill the same abilities in our children... the ability to stop for a moment and to genuinely be thankful for all the blessings we have.

Thank you for a chance to win some CHA goodies.
--Kathy
Fresno

Sonia said...

True it is, we are so very blessed! Love your pictures Noel..life is made up of the little things :) Xoxox Sonia

Unknown said...

Love the picture of your girls. Just beautiful. It's so good to stop and give thanks...

Thank YOU for the offer.--Jennifer W.

Liz Michaud said...

Love your blog... your photos are beautiful!

Deanna said...

I loved seeing all the reports of the new CHA goodies. Thanks for hosting a giveaway!

Joy Pearcy said...

Winning some scrapping stuff sounds fun:) Hope you are having a fantastic week. You are in my prayers~~

Jennifer said...

Such a good reminder to be thankful for all the daily blessings. What a sweet note Emma left for Torrey, that is really special!

okanogangirl said...

woo hoo for Ella!
Love your photography Noel

Michelle Ramsey said...

Your photography inspires so much of my pictures! I hope you know how much you inspire people!

fancyscrapper said...

What a blessing to get to enter for a prize! I had not found your blog before, and I look forward to exploring a bit. Have a lovely day!

Jean said...

Noel I love your blog! I live close to Lasting Memories too so I like to check out your layouts there. A prize would be a nice way to end the week.

Susanne said...

what sweet pictures!
cha goodies??? yippee!!!

Dana Wilfert said...

I would love to be your winner today :) Aside from that, I just love reading your blog...your like one of the Women of Faith or something...ya know, you don't know them, but you can just love their stories and feel for them and learn from them...you are connected to them in a way, through prayers, and they don't even know that they have touched your life. Thank you for sharing yourself with all of us in this way.

julieann said...

Your blog post reminded me that I sometimes take for granted the wonderful people and the life that I get to lead. Thanks for the reminder:)

Steffanie said...

I love to see what you photograph each day---you have such talent! Thanks for a chance to win!

Latrice said...

Great post! I still haven't gotten to buy anything from Ella although I've wanted to for a while. They have some great stuff over there.

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