#ProjectThreeSixFive: Day Two

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

Day two of Project ThreeSixFive is done and done! 

So today was a pretty good Sunday.  I folded laundry.  That's pretty much it.  The hubbard and I have a deal - he washes, I fold, and we both put it away.  He's been keeping up on his end of the bargain and I soooo totally have not.  Our poor loveseat hasn't been seen for three weeks.  It just kept getting more and more clothes piled up on there, and with five of us it gets pretty wild pretty quick.  The pile was literally as tall as me.  It only took me three hours to fold it all.  I spent the time watching Scott Pilgrim vs The World, which is hands down one of the best movies ever made.  New favorite for sure.  And now I'm off to dinner with a friend and our daughters.  Good good and good.

Bored? Hit me up on Twitter! @JenSquard

#ProjectThreeSixFive: Day One

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

This year I am going to try to take on a 365 photo project, meaning I am going to attempt to take at least one photo every day, and post it to my photo blog.  But seeing as how Talk Nerdy To Me, Lover has made me a more accountable person in general, I'll share it here, too.  Here is Day One:

My actual photoblog: blog.jenswedhinphotography.com

And my Twitterific self is: @JenSquard

#WordsOfWisdom about 2011 with Jen Squard

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

I know it's kind of ridiculous, but now that it is a new year, I can actually feel a new start coming.  I keep reading all the posts about how a new year has nothing to do with it, and if you want change you need to go for it...but I think that 2010 was legitimately a tough year for people.  And as humans, we often need a tangible marker, like the commencing of a new year, to be able to actually make a change, start the shift in consciousness, or regroup enough to accept the fact that a change is necessary.

While our generation doesn't acknowledge it or feel affected as much as older peeps, the poor economy really did reach everyone.  For us personally, Brian's job was far less busy than normal, so he ended up being laid off over 50% of the year.  Jobs just weren't out there that would pay the bills, and that takes its toll after a while.  We survived - and we actually survived really well, but that's certainly not saying it was easy.  Financial struggles really take a toll on a relationship, and when you compound that with the birth of another child...yikes.  We came out of it stronger, but we are looking forward to a year with less adversity.

I'm sure I'm not alone on this.  I don't believe in the lucky year thing, but I do know that as a human community we could use some good news, some new luck, and a clean start.  So this year I am hoping the economy starts to rebound, celebrities stop overdosing, wars are reduced, gay rights continue to grow, and education begins to right the wrongs in our country.  And our world. 

So welcome, 2011, I'm glad you're here, I'm our house is welcoming you with open arms.  Come in, stay awhile, and bring with you some new prosperity, and all the epicness that we are expecting from 2011.  Looks like it's going to be an awesome ride, and I am already strapped in with my helmet on.

Share your thoughts with me on Twitter: @JenSquard

#KnowledgeBomb - Three-toed Sloth

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

Sloths are so super cool, and I tend to give preferential love to the three-toed sloth, rather than the similar two-toed sloth.  They actually aren't even that closely related, and scientists believe that they evolved their tree-swinging lifestyle separately.  Amazing.  The two-toed sloth is quite a bit bigger, has only two toes on their front feet, and don't harbor the algae in their fur that makes the three-toed sloth so dang adorable.

Three-toed sloths are smaller than you might think - like the size of a big cat.  They have three super long curved claws on their front feet to help them hang from trees.  They spend over 90% of their time up in the trees, because they can't move fast on land which makes them an excellent tasty snack to local tough guys.  They can't walk because of those gnarly claws, so they have to drag themselves around, but they can swim pretty well, which is just amazing to see. 

Three-toed sloths are sooooo incredibly slow moving that green algae grows on their fur, making them actually turn a greenish color.  Not such a bad thing - totally makes them blend in better.  Another awesome thing about them (and I read this in my tropical ecosystems book like 6 years ago, so hopefully I'm remembering it right) is that they take forever to digest their food, like forever and ever.  They come down from their tree to poop, and poke a hole in the ground at the base of their tree with their nubby little tail, and take their digger there, which fertilizes their home.  How frickin awesome is that?

So yeah, they're pretty rad.  They sleep a ton, eat fruit and tree bits, and hang out.  Literally.  So frickin cute I want to just kiss them right on their green face.  Seriously, do a google image search real quick and you will fall in love, too. 

And hey! I'm on Twitter! @JenSquard

My Goals for #2011 - Resolutions are lame.

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @JenSquard

It's that time of year again, when everyone all of a sudden thinks they are ready to make a change.  Resolutions start happening, and crazy things get put out there for people to try to live up to.  And because we, as a society, aren't great with resolutions or pre-planning, we generally fail.  So instead I make goals.  It doesn't mean that I never fail at them, I just think goals are a little more manageable, and resolutions tend to set people up for failure. 

This year it's time for me to step it up.  I'm not going to be pregnant, so I don't have that as an excuse.  My life with three kids is insane, but that isn't going to hold me back this year, either.  2011, it is now on like donkey kong.  Here they are:

Lose weight - like 40 pounds.  Honestly I don't care about my weight, it's just a number, I am just done having kids and ready to be my pre-mom size.  Totally do-able.

Get one of my posts on the "Most Popular Posts" list on TNTML. 

Book at least one wedding per month between April and September.

Bring in at least $1,000 per month in my photography business between April and September.  Begin to be able to re-invest into more equipment.

Have more sex.  Your sex life tends to get put on the back burner when you have so many kiddos...I'm taking it back.

Eat less fast food.  Ugh, not a fun one.  I LOVE fast food, but I am going to cut it back to once a week. sad.

Gain consistency over my TNTML posting.  Continue lifecasting while integrating some vlogging.

Completely potty train my son - out of diapers and pull-ups during the day.

Finish our remodel and move Cadence into her own room. 

There you have it.  I love my life and am incredibly proud of myself for what I have accomplished in the last few years.  I finally feel like next year is going to be my year, and we are going finally get some stability and sanity.  Can't even wait. 

Send me your goals for 2011 - I would love love love to hear about them - we can keep each other on track! Follow me on Twitter: @JenSquard or Facebook it up: facebook.com/jenswedhinphotography