March photo a day: Days 1-9

I don't think just because I have an Instagram app on my iPod that I am now the world's best photographer, but I have enjoyed these monthly photo "challenges" as a way to stretch how I see what is around me and to help me grow in my creativity. Here's what I've captured so far.

1. Up: I guess it could also work as "down," depending on your destination.

2. Fruit: While taking this picture, I was still less awkward than that singing stock girl who's always in produce. You know the one.

3. My neighborhood

4. My bedside: My favorite part is the frog figurine from my 12-year-old cousin. When she gave it to me at Christmas 2010, she said, "The pink one is you, the blue one is Scotty, and the dragonfly is the baby that you still don't have yet." She was ready for a baby to play with. Like they say, be careful what you wish for.

5. Smile

6. 5 p.m.(-ish): On my way home

7. Something you wore: House shoes and yoga pants. Few things feel better than that.

8. Window: Rain drops on a dreary day

9. Red

I hope you have a great weekend! Scott and I are going to celebrate his return to solid foods post wisdom teeth removal. Poor guy has been living off of milkshakes and soup for the past week (not that the milkshake part is all that bad).

Find me on Instagram, username jmhannigan.

February photo a day

During the month of January, I was sad I missed out on the January photo a day on Instagram. Lucky for me, there was a February one right around the corner. Here are days 1-10.

1. Your view: What I see when I look down

2. Words: The AP Stylebook 

3. Hands: Scott's hands playing guitar

4. A stranger: My feet are strangers nowadays.

5. 10 a.m.: At church

6. Button: I've given up on taking the stairs at work.

7. Dinner: I ate dinner too fast to post it, so this is my post-dinner decaf latte in class

8. Sun: Peaking around the chapel on my way in to work

9. Front door: I love our front door. It was a major selling point to me.

10. Self portrait: With my new favorite cereal (It's that important to me.)

Have a happy weekend! Mine will be spent finishing up a presentation and trying to trick Scott into taking me to see "The Vow."

Christmas according to Instagram

I got an email from my mom today requesting a blog post. I guess I'm having relaxation withdrawals after my 11-day Christmas break and haven't been able to motivate myself to blog. My body became accustomed to waking up late, napping whenever the mood struck, and seldom moving from the couch. I think my little guy got used to the routine, too, because when I woke up last Tuesday morning for work, Preston gave me a swift kick as if to say, "Hey! You're not supposed to be up yet!" I'm sure he'll pay me back for that later on.

Here are a few Instagrams from my time off. I promise I'll get back into the blogging swing of things soon.

 1. A mini coffee mug I crocheted for Courtney

2. Last minute Christmas crafting

 3. An intense game of Jenga between Scott and my 11-year-old cousin Lauren

4. Tackling a 1,000-piece Tinkerbell puzzle

 5 & 6. Playing Headbandz (Everyone has a card on their head and has to ask the others questions to figure out what their card is.)

 7. Hot chocolate and leisurely reading before grad school starts back for the semester

8. Commemorating my Trival Pursuit win over Scott

 9. I've lost my feet.

10. Preston's tiny little shoes

11. Preston's quilt for the nursery

12. A hat print and little dogs for the nursery

If you'd like to follow me on Instagram, my username is jmhannigan. 

Life lately, according to Instagram

With Christmas almost a week away and all of the get-togethers that come with the holidays, Scott and I have had a lot of very busy weeknights. Here's a little of what we've been up to lately.

1. Our Christmas tree and wreaths all a-glow. 

2. At work, we all decorated an ornament for the office tree. I made a little penguin man.

3. A view of last week's snow from our front door.

4. More snow!

5. We got our little boy's crib assembled without too much difficulty.

6. Scott also got him his first book — Marcel the Shell!

7. Tacky Christmas Bunco bump

8. We ordered a pizza for dinner last night and used the "romantic" tracker since it was our anniversary.

Now I'm looking forward to a lazy weekend, since all the presents are wrapped and all of my finals are done. The couch is calling my name — along with a pretty tall pile of laundry.

Life lately, according to Instagram

Recently, I've become obsessed with the Instagram app. It's a fun way of snapping little shots throughout the day I might feel silly pulling out the camera for. Here's a little of what has been going on lately. 

1. Baby Santa hat and booties for next year's Christmas card 

2. Scott had the Sleep Sheep set up like this when I got home a few weeks ago. He said that the sheep knew the baby would be a boy. He was right!

3. The crib is here! Now for the assembly part. 

4. Apple cider on a cold night.

5. Scott surprised me with a new Christmas tree Tuesday night. He's definitely a keeper. 

6. My feet are slowly being eclipsed. 

Have a great weekend! We're finishing up decorating for Christmas and getting started on the nursery.

P.S. Be sure to follow me on Instagram!

Fair-y tale

Last Thursday night, Scott and I went to the fair with Rusty and Cassie. I'd never been to the fair, so I was excited to see what all the hubbub was about. We weren't there to ride the ferris wheel or eat various meats on sticks, but to do what Scott and I do best — model. OK, so that last part is said sarcastically, but we were there to serve as models for Cassie against the fair's bright, blinking lights.

If you know anything about Cassie, you know she takes awesome pictures. I'm a big fan. if you want to see more of her amazing pictures from last week, click on over to her blog. Believe me. It won't disappoint.