Heidi has a Hobby: Memories, Dreams and Reflections 2011

This is a neat challenge that the amazing Ashley Sisk is hosting where you find photos that match prompts in reflection of 2011. I was not going to to it but have loved looking at everyone else's photos coming through and was inspired. I didn't think that I had enough shots that I liked to participate this year but I do! Here goes...get a cup of coffee and get comfy-it is LONG!

Me! -What are you most proud of accomplishing in 2011?
~There is a photo of me in there.. see? There are not many with me in the shot as it turns out! In 2011, I accomplished getting into manual mode on my camera and taking a LOT of photos. It feels great to learn something new!

I Love You

~I love these two dependents of mine. They make me laugh and cry and everything in between!

Still Laughing...

~This is my niece. On our fabulous boat trip this summer with my whole fam, Abbie decided that she wanted her mom to do one side of her hair and for her to do the other side herself. This is said hairstyle and Abbie making a funny face to go with it.

Winter Wonderland

~This is my class from last year when it began snowing suddenly while we were in school (in February). We just had to go out for a moment to get the "ya ya"s out if we were to get anything done that day! Isn't it pretty? Miss those guys...

Birthday

~I forgot about this little collage that was made for our neighbor Max's birthday. It includes a few photos that I really like. Neighborhood friends and adventures-memories being created!

Friends

~Here Julia is with Lalie. Lalie is like a niece to me-she is my BFF's daughter and they live right down the street. We love Lalie!

I Was Inspired...

~This photo represents all the inspiration I get from online blogger photog friends! I have learned so much from tutorials made by people and it is awesome!

Spring Fever

~ Downside: this is what Spring looks like in the Pacific NW much of the time. Upside: you don't see the Floridian photogs creating textured window shots like this do you? :)

Travel or Vacation

~My dad has had a boat during most periods of his life. He LOVEs boating and plans summers where he just floats around in the San Juans on his boat by himself and friends/family can fly in and out at different times to hang out with him and he can come home for a meeting or something and get back out there to his paradise. It is truly his passion. This summer, darned close to my entire family came out and went boating for a week. It was so, so, so fun and memorable. One of the activities was hiking to the schoolhouse on this island. It was several miles altogether and everyone made it with minimal whining (the kids too!).

Summer Days

~Ahhhhh... laying in a hammock on a summer day....

A Day In My Life

~I am a teacher. Nuff said.

All Smiles

~These guys crack me up. They are the Brownie girlies...can you just feel the energy? Aren't you glad you weren't in that restaurant that day?

Autumn Harvest

~Again, I am a teacher. Fall means that school is starting. I do love me some school supplies though, I must say.

Family or Home

~My little family!

Celebrate!

~ This shot was taken at Auburn's Art festival. It celebrates art in a big way!

Let's Do It Again...

~ These are my "get my classroom ready to go for the schoolyear" crew members. 2 of them are former students (I had each of them for 2 years) (Hey! They didn't flunk, we looped and I had them each for 5th and 6th grades!). Anyway, I love hanging out with them (especially now that they are old enough that I don't have to be so "teachery" with them) and they help sooo, sooo much.

I Miss You

~Here is my teammate, Angela. We have worked together for ~~dang, I wish I remembered~~ a LOT of years and she had a baby this summer and has been on maternity leave from school. These shots were taken in my backyard at a "blue suite gathering". That means that my entire teaching team came over for a get together including food and laughing and whatever else we teachers do in the summertime. Thankfully, we loved Angela's sub and they both want to job share so we don't have to say goodbye to Brooke and we get to see Angela on a regular basis again (just in time for the Bachelor to begin too!). Angela brought watermelon to the partay... hehehe.

Beautiful

~As much as we gripe about the rain here in the NW, it is pretty darned gorgeous. This is my dad's houseboat neighborhood which is really cool. The other beautiful thing is my dad rowing my daughter and her friend.. I love their relationship so much-it touches my heart!

Dress Up

~The quality of this shot bites but the content is there...

Macro

~This was the first harvest from my garden-a sprig of rosemary to be used in making some porkchops!

Holidays

~This is of a ~~Halloween~~ Harvest party at school. I got my own students going on something partyish, had my teammate "babysit" for a few minutes and ran down to my daughter's classroom for some shots of their party. Benefit number 4,875 of having my daughter come to my school.

My Favorite

~I just love the lighting and the colors contrasting with his black fur. I am still in awe that I can see his details now in photos.. my old camera couldn't pick up the deets like this one can. Say it with me, "catchlights"!

Don't Ever Change

~My daughter has such a fun personality and is not afraid to express her true self. She is so girlie in many ways but is just as "rough and tumble". Her fashion choices perplex me at times, but who am I to argue with that? She really is the perfect daughter for me!