Flashing Back on Friday - Quintessentially Us

Welcome to my new blog series, Flashing Back on Friday, featuring stories, photos, or scrapbook pages from the past.

Today, I'm sharing one of my favorite photos of all time, my very favorite photo of me and Daniel.

We were on vacation in California, visiting one of my best friends in the spring of 2007. Her name is Janet, and she snapped this picture on a day trip to the coast.

I love this photo so much because it is an absolutely perfect visual illustration of who we are together, captured in one brilliant moment in the chilly wind off the Pacific Ocean.

I had this photo enlarged and framed, and every time I look at it, I smile.

Thursday 3 - March 28

Do you know about Thursday 3? It's another brilliant way, developed by my friend Kristin at rukristin and the Awesome Ladies Project, to document your life in a few minutes each week AND, perhaps most importantly, to get yourself into the documentation.

Here's how it works: snap a selfie, jot down three things about your life right now, then tag three friends to play along. Done!

I've been doing this on Instagram for awhile, though I'm lazy and hardly ever tag people to play along, and now I'm going to add it to the blog rotation, too.

Three things about my life right now:

1. Working out is making me so happy. Yes, it's hard. I've been doing 30 minutes on the elliptical, and it kicks my 50-year-old butt. It also makes me feel vibrant and triumphant and all those other good things triggered by getting that heart rate up. Today's selfie was taken in the car right after the elliptical and an additional 30 minutes on the treadmill to make up for the fact that I likely won't make it to the gym tomorrow. Definitely tired, but also definitely pleased. Working out is so good for me!

2. Daniel and I are starting the house hunt again, and already, it's looking like a challenge, one that I want to tackle with determination and positive energy. It's so easy to get defeated, like I did last year, when we were looking in an area that ended up not being the right place for us, due to Daniel's employment situation. I'm thinking of creative ways to approach the adventure this time that might help make it a more pleasant, less defeating process.

3. Spring is in the air, and I am really excited about all the warmer-weather adventures heading our way. I have abandoned my coat to the closet for another year, and thankfully, the weather's been just warm enough to be mostly comfortable without it. Today, I saw the first snowdrops poking up through the soil along the sidewalk at the rec center where I work out. Spring's first smiles. I can't wait for the rest of the flowers to show their happy faces, too.

Gratitude 5 on Wednesday - March 27

Welcome to my new Wednesday series I'm calling "Gratitude 5" in which I list five things in my life right now that make me want to say thanks.

1. Daniel, the best part of my life. Always.

2. A place to work out when it's too cold to walk outside

3. Clean water to drink.

4. My therapist, who helps me make connections and realize things that help me heal and grow.

5. Fresh blueberries. Oh, so yum!

Favorite Photos - First Quarter - 2019

Usually, I do a single month of favorite photos, but I haven't been taking as many photos these first three months of 2019 as I usually do, and I haven't been keeping up with the monthly practice of posting.

That's about to change.

Meanwhile, here are seven of my favorite photos of January, February, and March of this year.

1. Autumn's Last Fall

One early January morning when I was leaving Moonwinks Cafe in nearby Dixboro, this sprig of fallen foliage lay on my windshield. I thought it looked cool and snapped a shot.

2. Snow at the Door

Near the end of January, after a snowfalll, and I opened the front door to find plenty of the white stuff at my feet.

3. Poinsettia Transplant

The managers at our apartment complex gave us this poinsettia plant for Christmas, and it quickly outgrew its tiny original pot. I went shopping at Ace Hardware and bought soil, a larger terra cotta pot, and a saucer. The move on Valentine's Day went quickly and easily, and I placed the plant by the window to get some much-needed light.

4. Flowers

Daniel and I bought a new car in February, and while I was cropping the same Saturday we drove it off the lot, he bought me flowers that awaited me on the front seat. He is the sweetest.

5. Purple

Since June of 2018, I have been enjoying fashion colors in my hair. It started out as "mermaid hair," but at my February appointment, the stylist went all purple, and I love it. Love, love, love!

6. Celebrating Good Luck

I'm so lucky to have really great friends, including my sweetheart, who went out with me and three of my girls to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. First, we tried a local Irish pub, but it was way too crowded and loud. Our second choice, a local Irish bar, proved to have the same problem. Third choice was a charm, and we had a great meal, great drinks, and a great time at Bar Louie. Together is the luckiest of all.

7. Date Night

Daniel and I try to keep our Thursday date night tradition going as often as we can. Dedicated together time is important to both of us. Last week's date was at Red Robin, and Daniel "photo bombed" the shot I snapped of my tall, frosty Sam Adams Cold Snap. He never ceases to delight me.

Currently - March 25

My friend Kristin of rukristin and the Awesome Ladies Project has this really cool project for quickly documenting your life on a regular basis, called the Currently card. You can read all about Currently and get your own digital Currently card for free here.

I plan to participate on a regular basis on this blog, starting today.

Here are the things I'm currently...

Watching -- Nikita. I discovered the show while browsing Netflix one day, and I was hooked. Honestly, it's kind of like comic book drama come to life, but it's easy and entertaining to watch, and I love the strong female characters kicking ass. Bonus: there's a male character on the show that cracks wise with some Star Wars references thrown in. Love!

Reading -- Becoming by Michelle Obama. I've mentioned before that because of an issue with my aging eyes, I'm not able to read a lot right now, so I'll be working on this book awhile. So totally worth it.

Listening -- The latest episode of the Crafty Ass Female podcast, the season four opener, which is all about growth.

Making -- Scrapbook pages documenting my 50th birthday trip to Orlando in June of 2018. I really like how the pages are coming together and forming the narrative of the trip. I'm having such a good time with it!

Feeling -- Energized. Spring is here, and I'm looking forward to this season of renewal after a cold, difficult winter of certain personal challenges that are starting to taper off, thankfully.

Planning -- Blogging content and a schedule to keep it fresh.

Loving -- The promise of good things to come.