Self Portrait Tuesday # 17

SPT: February Challenge - "All of Me"

I am so glad that this is the very last post of this month...I try so hard to be happy and think happy thoughts and put happy images out there. I don't like presenting myself in any manner where I feel uncomfortable, unattractive, or vulnerable... but that's just it...that's life isn't it.

So this is me over the past two years, either taken by myself or by esquire himself. Pre-pregnancy, pregnant, and after losing her...on vacation, at home...dressed or otherwise (hee hee!) I am who I am, and I'm good with that, and I can't ask for anymore.

L to R, T to B:

-Sleepy Eyes (late night)

-New Haircut (the shortest ever)

-Sticking out my tongue at the White Cliffs of Dover (ultra attractive)

-Peace Out at Stonehenge

-Bathtub girl (*blush*)

-Fake smile in the bloody tower (Tower of London)

-Swim cap lovely

-Red hair & the dog

-Crossed arms morning sick in Monterey

-Posing pregnant in Santa Cruz, CA

-My only picture of my little one...and I guess the only picture of my uterus...

-My big 'ol mouth plus gum

-So important on the phone

-Internet addict (my hair is getting so long!)

-College sweatshirt and the doggy

-Waiting in the airport

-Bowling ball head in San Francisco

-Chubby cheeks (Coit Tower in the background)

-Pinky at Chinatown Gate

-Glary glasses on the way to a hocky game...chilly!

Things I love Thursday

I don't wear much jewelry but these two items are a constant...I love,love,love them.

The Ring: I grew up hangin' out with my great grandmother, playing cards, crocheting a mean doily or what-not, and I always admired this ring. It's black onyx in white gold w/an inset diamond and was given to her by her parents in the 1920s when she graduated from high school. She passed away when I was 9 and I always wondered what happened to the ring...I never saw it again. On the day I graduated from college my grandmother presented it as a gift to me...

The Bracelet: This was a present from my best-friend...not for a joyful occasion, but a wonderfully kind gesture to ease my heartache. It's by a great artist (Amy Peters) and is a star which says "SHINE". It arrived in the mail shortly after I lost my baby... I can't explain how much it really means to me.

Self Portrait Tuesday # 16

SPT: February Challenge - "All of Me"

Is this road rage? maybe a convulsion? no. . . it couldn't be. . . singing, could it?

Let me just say you all are lucky this is Self Portrait Tuesday...and not Self Vocal Tuesday. I absolutely love to sing...loud or soft, low or high, pitchy or otherwise...I will belt it out like my life depends on it.

On this particular day I was performing my rendition of Kelly Clarkson's "Since U been gone" and I believe I was midway through the "yeah, yeah" portion of the lyrics...can you imagine the scene...me driving (probably haphazardly) screaming at the top of my lungs all while taking my own picture with a big 'ol honkin camera? You absolutely gotta love the depths we'll travel to in order to capture the essence of "me"...

May I also point out my disgustingly dry lips in serious need of some form of balm.

More incredible pictures here.

Beautiful Sunday

Today is a particularly sad day for me...but I have this Beautiful Sunday...

Wednesday Memesday

Guilty Pleasures

Flowers: Fresh flowers come at a premium in the desert so it's such a treat for me to buy a beautiful bouquet of wild flowers and give them their own space to reside on the kitchen table. I could just sit & stare at the uniqueness of each flower for hours as I lovingly arrange them to coexist with one another. There's something simple, naked, and sensual about flowers to me...they are as they appear, the glorious orchid, the cheery gerber, the romantic rose, or the shy yet seductive calla lily.

Pedicures: I've met many people who've told me they can't stand it when strangers touch them, or even hug them...but I say, I'll let anyone rub my feet, massage my back, or tousle my hair who's ready & willing. Human touch is important to me, it's relaxing and comforting. The best part of a pedicure is not only do you get a thorough leg rub down, but you leave with fabulous girlified toes and nice soft feet.

Containers: It may sound odd, but I have a container obsession. Anything that can hold anything is my infatuation. Ikea and The Container Store are my Mecca...jars, bottles, boxes, bags, cans, cups, baskets, and tins. Even if I don't have something to fill the container, I will buy it with the idea that I will, sometime in the future, have a need for said container...isn't this crazy!

Name Brand Cleaning\Beauty supplies: OK, let me explain... I grew up in a household where we couldn't always afford the best of things, and when we could, my mom was too frugal to splurge. I grew up with generic brands which for me meant crunchy towels, and not so spring fresh laundry, cleaning windows with Windokleen and old newspaper, and washing my long hair with all-in-one product...ouch! By no means am I a snob, etc. and I am aware of the tricks of advertising and marketing, but I know a good product when I use one. I feel guilty sometimes when I buy these products, but it is such a treat for me, so in a way I'm glad I grew up without them. I know I don't have to have them, but that I'm lucky I can afford them.

Cadbury Eggs: Easter is coming...Easter is coming, and specifically I mean...CADBURY EGGS ARE ALMOST HERE!! For as long as I can remember I have relished at the thought of biting into the ooey gooey sugary goodness of this completely unnatural milk chocolate concoction (at the risk of lapsing into a sugar induced coma and all!) I'll allow myself one, just one.

Incredible Coach Bag: I have never owned a purse that cost more than $30...I prefer to shop at TJ Maxx or Target for such an accessory. One day while in Seattle for business, I happened to walk past the Coach store and henceforth became enamored with what I consider to be a work of art in leather. I happened to mention my new found love to esquire himself and guess what this little girl got for Valentine's Day! I did not see the bill, I did not hand over the plastic, so I will accept the gift in the most gracious manner I can....WHOOO HOOO!

Self Portrait Tuesday # 15

SPT: February Challenge - "All of Me"

So...this is me this week, exhausted, sad, confused. My daughter would have been born this week and I can't stop thinking about how different my life would have been. This would have been her room, this would have been her dresser, these would have been her clothes... If I could, I'd like to just curl up and shut myself away in one of the drawers in hopes that when I come out, everything will be normal again.

Self Portrait Tuesday # 14

SPT: February Challenge - "All of Me"

A Portuguese girls gotta do what a Portuguese girls gotta do... So here I am red faced and shiny after a facial wax. I'm sure there's a million people out there that do it, but I've always been embarrased to admit this vanity...sure I'll fess up to waxing my eyebrows, but what woman wants to talk about the fact that they have unsightly facial hair?

I can't help it...it's in my gene's! I suppose if we ever enter into another Ice Age, I may survive just a bit longer than another less pileous being... Another issue I have with this picture is the slight double chin, but we'll just say that I'm working on that issue.

I'll admit that I'm easing myself into this months challenge. My face is my favorite part of my body. I will linger in front of a mirror if that's all I see, but will avoid all unnecessary contact with a full length mirror...the next weeks should be interessting, we'll see if I expose myself further.

Photobooth Friday # 2

This was when I was about 13 years old and we were at a movie theatre...it was a polaroid photobooth which I thought was pretty cool. I think we were up to no good...fun times!