B&W Challenge

I love a good Instagram challenge.

A few years back (2011), I did a 365 challange where I took a picture-a-day and posted it to my blog.

This was before my time on Instagram, and somedays, was way more laborous than it should of been. But I persisted.

A lot happened that year.

My husband and I went to NoLA. My mom had a heart attack (she survived).

I flexed my creative writing muscles with stories left untold. 

And I documented a lot of random things from almost every single day of that year.

It was pretty awesome, and I love being able to go back through it all.

So, every now and then when a challenge comes up, I am delighted to take part.

And this one. One B&W picture a day for 7 days.

No people. No explanation.

I couldn't NOT do it. ;)

Here's what I posted. But I'm adding some explanation... because Blogger.

I've started drinking my coffee with cinnamon. The cinnamon doesn't dissolve, so by the time I get to the bottom, it's a huge mess of cinnamon debris littered all over my cup.
My husband said he was surprised I didn't make a Harry Potter reference here.
I told him that I am not in to Harry Potter enough to know what reference that would be.
Lol.

Light streaks left by a pasing car at dawn, on the way to work.
This is what happens when I sit in traffic.

Stalagmites in the ice cube tray. How does this even happen?
I still haven't researched this phenomenon.

Hair trimmings.
I took scissors to my hair and chopped off significant portions all in the name of layers and volume.
And I'm pleased with the results.

The lighting set-up at my church.
It's basically like attending a worship concert every Sunday.

A lone scooter-er at our local skate park.

Cornbread (left) and Pickles (right). Our fur-baby sibling kitties.

A weekend in Greenville, SC

For our 9th Anniversary weekend, Gary and I headed north to Greenville, SC. At just over 2 hours from Kennesaw, it made for an easy weekend trip get-away! And with the kids at the Grandparents, it meant a weekend of relaxing was in store!

Check out some of my pictures from the weekend!

Greenville was absolutely amazing, and I am already looking forward to going back!

Hubs and I. <3 td="">

Our bedroom in the AirBnb we rented. It was in an updated Victorian a mile from downtown.
Super nice hosts and an amazing atmosphere!
Plus, the TV had Netflix and Hulu, so we were able to stay up late binge-watching Younger. :)

An amazingly-detailed gate made out of welded-together bolts and things. A cool little piece.

View of Falls Park, from just above the falls, looking out to Liberty Bridge.

Mandatory selfie in the Peace Center Wyche Pavilion. So glad we walked down to the park and found this spot!

Fried Green Tomatoes from Tupelo Honey Cafe, Good restaurant in a neat area!

Jelly and butter bar at Biscuit Head. Again, a neat little spot. Good coffee and food!

Gary squeezing through the Devil's Kitchen Trail at Caesar's Head State Park.

The overlook at Caesar's Head State Park. See me in the distance?

This was an amazing find! It's Bald Rock, and it is easily accessable on the way back from Caesar's Head. It has been covered with graffiti, but I think that it makes it super interesting and beautiful. Worth the stop!

Another view of some of the art on Bald Rock.

The bottom (and most impressive) falls at Wildcat Branch Falls. A good, easy hike to the other two.

Candle remnants at the chimney site at Wildcat Branch Falls.
It felt like the perfect spot for seances. I assume that is what the candles are from. ;)

A flea market on the way back to Greenville from Caesar's Head. Full of the usual junk and lots of interesting things.
The owner had just captured a brown recluse spider in an old pill bottle and was showing it off to us. Eeep.

Saturday Lunch Part 1 - Boiled Peanuts

Saturday Lunch Part 2 - "Monkey Meets the Moose" ice cream sundae from Pink Mama's in Travelers Rest. So amazing!

Gary's new panda shirt from one of the artists at the Makers Co. I spotted this storefront across the way from Pink Mama's and had to stop in and see if it was the same Makers Co that was putting on the Indie Craft Parade in Greenville. Turns out that the ones putting on the Indie Craft Parade is the Makers Collective. The Makers Co was a shop full of different art pieces from artists from the region. Gary's shirt features a panda face that was hand-stamped from a hand-crafted rubber stamp from the "Growing Up Happy" brand. He small-talked, so it was only appropriate to support the local artist!

Photobooth print from the Indie Craft Parade! It was awesome!

My goodies from the Indie Craft Parade! :)

Everyone was walking around holding these felt flower stems in tiny bouquets from Leaph Boutique.
When we finally came upon the booth, I had to make a tiny bouquet also. This came to $11 and was money well spent.
It makes me so happy! I just need to find the perfect little vase for it.

Most of our bread and cheese board from The Anchorage.
I was most impressed by this restaurant. Everything about our experience was amazing!

Beets and sweet potatoes (left), and korean-bbq octopus (right).

A nice couple offered to take our picture outside of The Anchorage. :)

Sunday morning. Falls Park - looking out at the Falls from Liberty Bridge. I was super impressed by this park!

<3 td="">

Liberty Bridge, the falls, and us. <3 td="">

I had fun with my fish-eye lens this weekend!

Another with the fish-eye lens.

Oh, and there was a hammock on the front porch of our AirBnb. We couldn't leave town without hanging out in it for a minute!

Dad's 60th!

My step-mom surprised my dad with a party for his 60th birthday!

She got lots of family, and even more friends together at a restaurant in Cumming and we all had a great time gallivanting and celebrating my dad!

It was a great time!

Huge, fun mirrors for selfie-taking!

Me and my padre. Happy 60th dad!

This was our best attempt at a family portrait. lol.
We'll keep trying.

Courter in his cuteness!

Penny, her "see-food", and me.