For my 10 on 10 challenge this month I decided to shoot 10 of my favorite things. I even thought about shooting everything in 10mm, but figured that might just be over doing it a bit. : ) So here goes, in no particular order...

10am :: I am addicted to TAZO tea - hot in the winter and iced in the summer - with two splenda! I have never been into coffee, don't like the taste, but I love tea! Strong black tea!!

11am :: I love organizing things. I started organizing around the condo - first with the elfa system for the closets and now with this beautiful IKEA piece for clothes and 'product.' I have never gotten ready in the bathroom, I prefer a place where I can watch the Today Show while I primp for the day.

12 Noon :: My kitties. I'm a cat girl ... grew up with a cat in the house since birth and have continued that tradition ever since. They keep me calm and entertained and I just love them. Lucy (on the left) is my lap cat - the minute I sit down she wants to be on my lap. She's extremely talkative and wants to be pet all the time. Oh and I am allergic to her and have been going through shot therapy for two years now. Phoebe (on the right) is my people cat. She loves to greet new people and rub against their legs to get their attention. She's the softest cat I've ever come across and for some reason has one black whisker.

1pm :: I love chocolate. Dark chocolate. I love cooking and baking with it and simply eating it in almost any shape or form. It is the one treat that I keep around the house at all times. I buy the best quality chocolate too. I find that I don't need as much that way - the flavors are usually much more rich and that makes it more satisfying.

2pm :: photography! It's become my passion over the last couple of years. I find inspiration browsing photoblogs, flickr and all sorts of social media feeds. I feel like I've come a long way since I took up the hobby in '04. I am completely self taught and would love to take a class or two, but might actually be better working alongside someone as a second shooter or etc. in my spare time. I don't ever see myself making a living at taking pictures, but will continue to work at it just for the heck of it.

3pm :: I am so happy that I live in Chicago. It certainly has it's faults, but above that I think it's probably one of the best places to be. The possibilities are endless ... beaches, boating, broadway shows, parks, art and some of the best food in the world!

4pm :: Fall. It's my favorite season. I love the crisp, cool air, leaves changing colors and crunching beneath my feet. I love jeans and jackets and scarves. I love the holidays and the smell of spices and baking.

5pm :: I am a tech geek. I admit it. I have alway been into 'gear,' but since switching over to Apple products, I have officially become obsessed with gadgets. I am the Apple Fan Girl! I am the one that everyone calls for tech support - family, friends, co-workers and beyond. I am addicted to what all of the gadgets bring into my life. I could probably live without most, but I will never part with my iPhone.

6pm :: I am a traveler. I didn't leave the KS/MO area till the 8th grade. I traveled with my friend Jennifer to see her father in Dallas, TX. We sat by the pool, ate at fun new places, stayed in hotels and spent a day at the Schlitterbahn. That one trip was enough for me to realize that there was so much to be seen beyond my back yard. Since then I have traveled to many of the major cities in the US and Europe. It has become the thing that I live for. I think I would quite literally go mad if I was not able to travel.

7pm :: Grandma. My mother's mother played such an important role in my life. I spent loads of time in her home - cooking, sewing, playing games like tiddly winks and running around on the farm. She picked me up and took me to church for all of my childhood years. Baked countless cookies and rolls (with elderberry jelly) for bible study. I remember playing in the soybeans while she and my grandfather were harvesting, Having my photo taken against the corn crops to track growth. Hanging laundry on the line between the two trees in her side yard. Playing with kittens in the barn, she always has a revolving family of kittens in there. Great meals of baked macaroni and cheese and homemade french fries (in lard!). She made 60 Thanksgiving dinners and I have spent all of my Christmases with her. She has written me a steady stream of letters since college and it makes me sad to think that I have received the last of those just a couple of weeks ago. (pictured above)

I have been thinking about her a lot this past week as her body has finally started to fail her, in her 91st year. Mom tells me that she remains positive and has been the perfect patient, working hard to get things moving again. She has an amazing group of friends that have been keeping her company in the hospital and I am so happy about that. I have booked my ticket and will see her in a couple of weeks and am hoping that she will have made great improvement by then! xoxo, y