beingLease

happy valentine's day!

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:56:00 +0000

lots of love. all around. Lease

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Project 52: little reminders

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:08:00 +0000

Week #6 of our 2012 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) Our February theme is "devotion." My brother-in-law recently reaffirmed what the Hunk and I have known for the past 11 years now --- that you fall in love with your kids the first time you see them, and love them unconditionally from that moment on. I'll take the statement further by saying that we've loved ours from the moment we knew they were coming. A good chunk of our efforts...

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fashionista: back to basics

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:23:00 +0000

When I forgot my facial wash on a recent vacation, I stopped by a drugstore chain to pick up some necessities and I tried the Aveeno Positively Radiant cleanser and daily moisturizer. I remember using some items from the Aveeno line back in the day, and love the way my skin feels after just days of use. It also does not hurt that these babies are half (more than half) the price of their high-end luxury counterparts with the same basic ingredients. I was a fan of the Ojon...

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Project 52: embodiment of a promise

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:39:00 +0000

Week #5 of our 2012 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) Our February theme is "devotion." I remember having a conversation with a friend back in grad school about the essence of engagement and/or wedding rings as the "embodiment of a promise." (upsound: sappy love song) Whatever your "wedding set" is composed of - be it a simple silver or gold band band or a " Real Housewife of Beverly Hills" major rock + blinged out band - I always view it as...

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I couldn't even if I tried

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:07:00 +0000

More than 5 years ago, a co-worker gave me some jade plant cuttings. I placed the plants in the trunk of my car and forgot all about them until I noticed a peculiar odor emanating from my car. Flash forward to 2012, I have several plants in ceramic containers from those cuttings growing thriving in our garden. These really are so easy to take care of. I cut a small part of it, place it on top of some good quality soil and it will survive. They will...

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Still life#4: the gatekeeper

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:20:00 +0000

Week #4 of our 2012 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) Taken using our 35 mm f/2.0 lens + Opteka fisheye attachment. Our January theme is "still life." We lovingly refer to this fella as our gatekeeper. He stands by our front door to ward off offending neighborhood rabbits. Is he effective? Well, at least the rabbit only gets as far as the front lawn. A gift from our deal friend, Miles, our...

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celebrating 15

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:47:00 +0000

15 years. 15. Years. We were so young and unafraid. We pretty much grew up together, the Hunk and I. We've been through a whole lot of happy and sad. Trials and tribulations. Disappointments and sucesseseseseses. Through it all, our sense of humor helped us. That, and our commitment to our 2 kiddos (and 1 dog). I love him more today than I did 15 or so years ago. We had a trio of creme brulees for our anniversary dessert (1 for every 5...

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still life #3: lego world

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:15:00 +0000

Week #3 of our 2012 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) It's 2012! Another round of photography projects! I am taking anew approach this year and for each month will showcase shots taken using a lens/accessory combination. This month's set-up includes: 35 mm f/2.0 lens + Opteka fisheye attachment. Our January theme is "still life." Okay. I just googled the phrase "still life photography" and Wikipedia had the following...

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traveler's journal: somewhere in the Arizona desert

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:06:00 +0000

During a recent trip to Nevada, we decided to travel on to the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. The visit was, to say the least, quite memorable. The increasing changes in the terrain as we moved from Las Vegas towards Arizona. The large open spaces. It puts you in your space, so to speak. I loved the mixture of textures. The spiky trees amidst rolling hills and desert. Then, you had wispy clouds as a backdrop. Did I mention the vast open...

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still life #2: candles

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:51:00 +0000

Week #2 of our 2012 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) It's 2012! Another round of photography projects! This month's set-up includes: 35 mm f/2.0 lens + Opteka fish eye attachment. Our theme for January is "still life." I love candles. Plain white, or infused with scents and colors? I will most likely have owned one or 2 in the last decade. I love these ones from Ikea. Perfect for creating a unique...

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clean home: organizing jewelry

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:10:00 +0000

One of my 2012 resolutions is to keep a clean home. What does this mean exactly? Let's see...Does organized chaos mean anything to you? Seriously, I really just want to keep things a bit more organized, which each item having a proper place in life. It also means that if it does not have a spot in our lives, we need to set it free to find a new home. This being said, I needed to hold myself accountable for this resolution. What better way to track my progress...

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still life #1: lemons

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:09:00 +0000

Week #1 of our 2012 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) It's 2012! Another round of photography projects! I am taking anew approach this year and for each month will showcase shots taken using a lens/accessory combination. This month's set-up includes: 35 mm f/2.0 lens + Opteka fisheye attachment. Our January theme is "still life." The first batch of lemons from our Meyer Lemon tree! Happy weekend,...

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feeling the love

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:25:00 +0000

I don't see my side of the family that often. It's something that I knew would happen when I decided to move to this continent. Although I have some relatives in the US, most of them are either hundreds of miles away or in another state altogether. So when I have the opportunity to visit relatives, I typically jump at the chance to do so. Over the Christmas holiday, we spent some time with my Dad's side of the family in the wonderful city of Lost Wages. I was happy...

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best wishes

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:01:00 +0000

may 2012 bring lots of love, peace and happiness to everyone. xoxoxo Lease

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a banner year, 2011 edition

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:54:00 +0000

Weeks #51 & #52 of our 2011 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) This month's theme is "favorites"... Let's look back at the year that was... in banners. For the first three months of 2011, I played with photoshop brushes, and as you can see, I was just beginning to experiment with layers and colors. During the second quarter, I discovered more brushes and started creating backgrounds. I also...

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lost and found

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:30:00 +0000

We are in the beautiful city of Las Vegas spending quality time with family. Given our busy schedules in the last 11 months, we felt like we lost out on many opportunities with the kids. Thus, the Hunk and I are making it a point to find time with each other and the kiddos amidst the wonderful city that is Vegas. We changed things a bit this year, and focused on quality time with the kids instead of the multitude of holiday events that usually mark the...

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speaking of favorites

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:18:00 +0000

Week #50 of our 2011 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) This month's theme is "favorites" December always leaves me nostalgic. Sentimental. Weepy. I find myself looking back at the last 11 months. It feels like it was just days ago when I was trying to correctly write 2011 instead of 2010... Here are a few more of our favorites from this blog...some from topics close to our heart... our newest...

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get thee to a bookstore

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:12:00 +0000

With less than 12 days before Christmas, and it's crunch time. Still having problems with what to give to the peeps on your list? Fret not. Here are a few good books we've read this year... Caleb's Crossing (Geraldine Brooks) A Discovery of Witches (Deborah Harkness) Love on the Line (Deanne Gist) 10 Habits of Happy Mothers (Meg Meeker, MD) The Hunger Games Trilogy (Suzanne Collins) And while you're browsing in the store,...

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recurring themes

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 08:43:00 +0000

Week #49 of our 2011 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) This month's theme is "favorites" I have been in a cleaning mood this past couple of weeks. I've just dropped off a trunk load of clothes, toys, shoes, and other well-loved items that need new homes. Next on my list is clearing out my bookshelves and electronic storage. Our mac is also sending us regular messages that our disc is almost full and I can feel the slowdown...

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it's the thought that counts

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:11:00 +0000

A whole new paradigm --- a gift to one person that will benefit others. Ever since a dear friend introduced me to the Tom's brand this past summer, I have been trying to find a reason to buy a pair for myself. It does not hurt that for each pair I buy, Tom's will send another pair to someone in need. Just think of a child walking a mile without shoes (or wearing ill-fitting ones), and you'll find a compelling reason to add a pair to your gift list this holiday....

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our sanctuary

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:04:00 +0000

Week #48 of our 2011 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) I don't really have a theme for this month, except to say that I will try to capture favorites. In that case, this month's theme is "favorites". *** We've been in South Lake Tahoe this past week. I am writing this post within hours of our arrival. If you've been following this blog you know that it is one of my favorite places on earth. It's been...

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a holiday gift/wish/obsession list ($50 and under)

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:22:00 +0000

For the sister, momma, daughter, BFF in your life. Or for yourself. Just because it's been a trying year, week, day, hour, minute. I'm in love this fragrance set from Sephora. You get to try their bestselling scents, and apply the included gift certificate towards the purchase of a full size one. Sephora Favorites Seluxe Set $50 Josie Maran rocks. Her stuff smells soooooo good and really does wonders for a tired soul...

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giving thanks, 2011 edtion

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:37:00 +0000

thankful for loved ones, near and far the kindness of friends and strangers the generosity of others even amidst scarcity thankful for the opportunity to learn more about life, love and hope for finding the resolve to choose love and keep the faith even when giving up seemed like the easier path thankful for the source of strength in the face of adversity the opportunity to learn vicariously through others and for still being able to laugh and feel thankful for another year on...

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genie in a smartphone

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:37:00 +0000

Week #47 of our 2011 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) This month's theme is...apps (as in smartphone photography applications)! ~~~ I love photography apps. They help simplify the creative process by eliminating the need to upload photos onto our Mac, launch Photoshop, and spend a good chunk of time editing photos. With these newly discovered apps for my smartphone, I can take a picture, edit it on my phone and post it onto this blog in...

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tilting my world

noreply@blogger.com (...) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:06:00 +0000

Week #46 of our 2011 Project 52* (*give or take a week here and there for vacations) This month's theme is...apps (as in smartphone photography applications)! ~~~ Last week, we featured the app called photosynth - which strings together several shots to create a single panoramic picture. This week, I need to tell you about my obsession with diorama/miniature style photography. For months now, I have been drooling over a tilt-shift lens for our camera. It's a quirky...

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