The above photo was taken out in the great outdoors last week. From one O'Maiden last name to you and yours, have a happy wearin' o' the green this week!

"Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered for the better designedly." -Frances Bacon

It never ceases to amaze me as the years have ticked away online how some people choose to continue to grow, be challenged and diversify in their daily lives, pursuits and interactions - and others seem content instead to remain in the same rut year in and year out, choosing to thrive on chaos, bitterness and discontent while generating negativity around them no matter where they seem to land.

I'm so proud of my friend -Angela. She's one of those rare people close to you who not only support you in what you do, but also genuinely want to help make you better at it. I could easily say my photography has improved (since she encouraged me to join her at Flickr last summer) simply because I've purchased new lenses and equipment. But truth be told, I watch her photography and I'm inspired by it daily. It makes me want to get better. To find my own niche.

And now she's about to become the ultimate inspiration to those of us with a part-time mamarazzi hobby - she's opening her own photography studio (as a mommy of two toddlers, no less)! I can't honestly say right now if that's a career-path I'll ever choose to walk down myself, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have something / someone to aspire to and learn from along the way.

When it seems so much of being online constantly focuses on the negative (and being negative toward others), it's nice to sit back sometimes and think about the great friendships and learning experiences I've had over the years because of this brain-drain called teh intarwebs. And to give a quick public thanks for it.

Angela and I have been part of a close-knit group of women since 1999 and counting. We encourage and support each other at every turn, and I feel very blessed right now that we took the road less travelled...together. Not always so easy to do over the course of seven years with thousands of miles separating many of us.

Totally switching gears, I've been a busy little domestic princess the last couple of days. I guess that even though the pregnancy 'nesting' phase never hit me with either son, spring cleaning has — because I've managed to get both of the boys' closets completely cleaned out and reorganized. Everything they could no longer wear went into piles of "pack up for hand-me-downs", "send to Goodwill", and "put it on eBay". If you need boys clothing and shoes from size 3-12 months, make sure to follow my auctions the next week or so. I have more "lots" to go up as I can add them.

And now...I sleep. (At least when the Lunesta will let me!)