Happy Birthday Jesus and Mr. Winks

First and for most, Happy Birthday Jesus!!!  I am happy to be having a calm and prayerful Christmas.

On a second note, Happy Birthday Mr. Winks!!!!  It just so happens to be Mr. Winks' third birthday today, and he is going to be spoiled rotten today.

Here are a few Instagram photos that I have taken over the last week.  Merry Christmas to all.

Love Always,

Meg

Merry Christmas

I can't believe that it is already Christmas Eve!!!  I know it has been slow on the blog, but I have some exciting plans for the new year, and can't wait to document the fun.  Christmas at my house usually involves a lot of driving, in this case I drove to Virginia to visit my brother with my parents last weekend.  I took a ton of pictures, but as always the star of the show was my dog, Mr. Winks.

Here is the little ham dressed up as an elf.  Behind him in the first picture is our dog Stormy Blue.  I think Stormy was thinking, "thank goodness I don't have to wear that get up," hahahah.

Merry Christmas to All!!!!

Love Always,

Meg

The Zoo

I stopped by the zoo again this weekend.  The first stop was the Zebras.  I don't know if it was the time of day or the cool weather, but the zebras were running around their pen.

Zebras are soooo striking with their contrasting stripes.  I love them.

 This picture is a bit blurry, but I love how he is leaping off the ground.

And finally a zebra rounding the corner.  More zoo pictures tomorrow.

Love Always,

Meg

Color Run

Today my pal Alaina and I went to the color run 5K in Baltimore.  I'd never been to one before, but I was dying to take some pictures.  The race was mainly between Camden Yards and M&T bank Stadium, and the track snaked around so we got to see people in various colorful stages. 

This is a picture from midway through the race, but I love seeing the heavy traffic going to a fro.  

As we walked up to the blue station, blue being my favorite color, we could see how windy it had been that morning.  Two blocks ahead, we were already seeing blue. Everything was saturated. 

  

I love the tutus!!!  One of the mothers of the volunteers stopped me as I was taking pictures and told me that some of the volunteers today are childhood cancer survivors.  Such a wonderful thing for the race to do, and all of the volunteers appeared to be having a great time.  

This isn't a serious 5K, it is more for fun and happiness.  There was music blaring the entire time. 

Hahahah, the blue volunteers remind me of Braveheart. 

I love how the mist of blue engulfs the runners and volunteers.  

This picture makes me giggle.  All of the craziness going on in the background and this serious gentleman with his miniature greyhound striking a pose.  I had to take a picture. 

After a while we made our way to the yellow station and I am glad that I did.  The yellow smoke was a lot less dense and I could see more of the action.  Again, I love the tutus.

This race is more of a family affair, I saw a ton of strollers families.  

 Overall, I had a pretty spectacular day.  It is going to rain tonight and tomorrow but it was nice and dry today.  Maybe next year I'll run in the race, and by run I mean meander slowly.  If I had to make an assertion, I'd have to say the the color run is the happiest 5k around  :  )

Love Always,

Meg

Accio Butterbeer

This week was an amazing week.  Case in point, Starbucks is now serving Butterbeer.  If you go to Starbucks, with the recipe in hand, they will make you a butterbeer. Now Starbucks aficionados may be saying, you can always go to Starbucks with a recipe and have them make your super special drink...

the woman who was ahead of me in line, he asked for a venti something or other, extra hot, no water, extra I haven't a clue as to what else, and I have no idea what they made for her.  I listened to the entire ordering process, and she could have been asking for coffee made of crushed up fairies, sprinkled with fairy dust for all I knew.  

Then I got to order my own complicated drink, thought up by the great minds of Starbucks, because tha was the only way that was ever going to happen.  If a coffee order requires more than one step, then I am not following.  In fact, wait a few minutes to chuckle at me ordering a large dark roast coffee.  

But this week, not once but twice, I was a coffee ordering champion.  Also butterbeer happens to be the most delicious drink ever made.  Yummo.  This is the recipe I brought with me. 

Butter beer-

Frappachino Base

three pumps of carmel syrup

three pumps of toffee nut syrup

three pumps of cinnamon dollce

expresso

(and for my second go around I got whipped cream and salted carmel bits)

While I am positive that drinking this drink with any regularity would result in an immediate case of type two diabetes, in moderation, this will always be my Starbucks staple. (being that I typically go there approximately once in a calendar quarter I should survive.) Thank you Starbucks and Harry Potter for making my week.

Love Always,

Meg

Fall Foliage

Every few months I fall into a lull where I take a photography vacation.  This has been my photography vacation.  I could blame it on things getting busy at work, or the cold weather, or even day light savings time…but in truth I just needed a break.

But Fall just so happens to be one of my favorite seasons.  I love the changing of the leaves.  I love stepping slightly out of my way to crunch an especially crunchy looking leaf.  AN I love the smell of winter in the air, while the temperature is above freezing.

I'm going to try to get back to my regular posting timeline.  At least three posts a week, but we'll have to see.  Sunset was officially at 4:50pm in Maryland this week.  How is that even possible. 

Love Always,

Meg

 This is officially my favorite house in ocean grove.  

 Gorgeous.  The contrasting colors, the vast number of porches. 

Love Always,

Meg

Ocean Grove Part 2

Ocean Grove is where I spent the majority of my time in New Jersey.  There was a street fair occurring, and I got to take pictures of the unique houses. 

 These little cottages must be summer houses, they are only a few blocks from the beach. 

 That is a standard two story house behind the cottages.  I love the seasonal wreath.  

 I loved the vivid blues that some of these houses were painted.

 The homeowners of this house, appeared to be having a rummage sale.  I love this picture. 

 How did they build this addition, without making it the same size as the bottom of the house?  And how can that protruding area be structurally sound?  Love it.

Gnomes, there can never be too many gnomes.

Finally, the strangest site that we saw.  A family building a sandcastle in their winter coats. 

Love Always,

Meg

Sea Bright

Update: I spent maybe twenty minutes in Sea Bright, actually on my way out of town, unlike the extended stay that I experience last year.  I did not take pictures that reflected Sea Bright as a whole, I only took pictures of what spoke to me, as an emotional composition.  I will be sure to spend more time when I come back to town and take more positive pictures. The town is truly lovely.

Sea Bright was definitely hit by hurricane Sandy.  I was surprised to see sooo many shops still boarded up.  Just last year this street had been so lively. 

Don't have too much to say today, feeling a little bit blue.

Love Always,

Meg

Navesink Twin Lights

Over the weekend we went to visit a lighthouse, which is one of my favorite things to do.  This is the Navesink Twin Lights, in Navesink Highlands, New Jersey.  Beautiful.

I literally frolicked around the park, taking tons of pictures. 

 We even climbed up to the top of one of the towers.

Not only is there a great view of the other tower, but you can see Sandy hook and New York city in the distance.  My point and shoot did not pick up the new york skyline in the distance, (which is in the opposite direction) so I couldn't include a picture.  

The view is spectacular, I highly recommend the climb. 

I also love how the twin lights are not identical, both are unique.  

Overall this was a pretty spectacular day.

Love Always,

Meg