60:365 Leapin' Into Spring

My poppies are happy with all the warmth we've been having... Such a sweet way to "LEAP" into March today ;-)


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59:365 Love Our Handyman

John is awesome!!! He comes a runnin' when we need help... He's dependable, knowledgable, reasonable. What really amazes me about John, tho... He can't read or write. But, you'd never know it. Thanks John... You're awesome!!!

58:365 Pet Shopping

Andrew and I went to look at geckos yesterday... Yes... A lizard. Not a fan, but my son is :-)

57:365 BloNo FCA Banquet

I had the opportunity to shoot at the BloNo FCA Banquet at the Marriott in Uptown Normal today... It was a very successful event. I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to participate. What an awesome organization.


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56:365 Last Hurrah

Savannah had her last basketball game today... and she was actually able to play in two games. Luckily she did, because she made her first basket of the year in the second game, which was an optional game for her to play in. She's already looking forward to next year :-)

55:365 Music To My Ears

Oh the beautiful sound of a REAL piano... not JUST a keyboard :-)

We purchased a used piano this week and it was delivered this afternoon. After a lot of work by the seller, a friend of his, and Laurie and I, we got the piano into it's place. What a happy day :-)

Funny Siri-ism This Morning

Laurie and I were texting each other this morning (no, this time we weren't in the same room... I used my thumbs, she was using Siri (the iPhone voice-assistant). The conversation went like this:

Laurie: Gas is at 379 in many places this morning

Mark: Prob need to start watching the extra little trips here and there

Laurie: So true I have already been trying to make sure like I do all the trips on the east side outlines for chips on the west side wines and avoid going to both sides of the same time

Mark: So... You go to east side for chips and west side for wines? LOL!!!

Laurie: So funny horse Siri thousand little long message for her

Mark: LOL!!! Give it up hon

Gave me a really good chuckle on this yucky and blah Friday morning :-)


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54:365 King Pooper

(I apologize up front with the topic of my 365 today) We don't call him King for no reason!!!

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53:365 Cabinets & Bookcase ~ Day 1

Started in on a project today... Cabinets with a bookcase above... Used kitchen cabinets because I wanted more height and the drawers. Not standard cabinet and bookcase work, but than again... I'm not your standard guy ;-P

52:365 Strawberry-Bacon Pancakes

I don't like chunky things in my pancakes... Until tonight.

Andrew threw out the idea of using strawberry syrup IN the batter to add a little extra taste... I figured I'd give it a try. Halfway through making them I thought how good bacon would have tasted with the pancakes... Then I remembered we had bacon bits in the fridge.

Hmmm... sprinkle sprinkle sprinkle... and... YUM!!! A slight strawberry taste and a side of bacon... Delicious!!!


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51:365 Quasi-Handyman

I've never claimed to be a handyman, and never will. But, with duct tape in hand... A man can fix anything :-) However, a regular guy would just grab that old boring gray duct tape ... Nooooo sir... I had my wife in mind for this vacuum hose repair so I bought PURPLE duct tape!!! Can you tell how much I love my wife? :-) <3


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50:365 Tech Savvy

I love how tech savvy our kids are at 11 and 9... It won't be long and we'll be asking them for help :-)

This Old House

Below are pictures of a house that I drive by, walk by, and run by daily...

I LOVE this old house.

It's vacant... Has been for years. We've been in our house for 10-1/2 years and I don't think anyone has lived in it during that time.

I'd love to see the inside of it, and would REALLY love to be able to use it for some photo shoots... but, after meeting the owner for the first time today... I'm not seeing that as a possibility.

It makes me sad to see this old house... This beautiful, historic, stately, old house... Empty, lifeless, and forgotten.


















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49:365 Basketball Time

Savannah joined her school's basketball team this year... This is really her first team sport she's played, and she loves it. I love seeing how she smiles from ear to ear the whole time she's on the court.


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Savannah's Basketball Team

Here's a short video of Savannah playing basketball with her Bent Elementary School team:



She's had a lot of fun playing and gets so excited before the games! And I really love watching her smile from ear to ear the whole time she's playing :-)


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48:365 Lavender Love

I usually have had very bad luck growing lavender... Until the last couple of years. Two years ago I grew french lavender (zones 8-10) and LOVED it... It became very large and bushy and full of flowers. Last year I grew provence lavender (zones 6-10), due to an error in shipping... It was suppose to have been french again... It grew nice and large, but no flowers. However, with our mild winter, the provence variety might have a shot at coming back, so we'll see if it blooms this year. However, I'm going back to french lavender no matter what.


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47:365 Fill 'Er Up

Laurie and I have always bought our gas at BP (or, as it use to be called, Amoco)... Until recently. The station that is close to our house fails miserably in being competitive in price, service, and security.

46:365 My Butt's Favorite Place

This is a wicker rocker that sits on our front porch... I LOVE sitting on our front porch during the summer... Yes, it's my butt's favorite place to plant itself ... And my brain's (No, they are not in the same location).

45:365 Happy Valentine's Day

To the love of my life... My heart throb... My best friend... My life partner... My wife... I love you so much.


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44:365 My Daily Bread

Yes... I do LOVE my coffee.

43:365 Play 4 Kay

We went to the ISU women's basketball game today... We LOVE watching the Lady Redbirds play... Especially when they win... Against Bradley :-)


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42:365 Green {Frosty} Thoughts

This morning was the coldest it's been this year... It's suppose to be the same again tonight. Couldn't help but try and have lots of green thoughts as I looked out through the frosted window over our kitchen sink earlier today and look forward to warmer days to come.

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Sometimes... God speaks softly

41:365 Sleeping Beauty

Laurie took the day off from work to spend it with the kids since they're out of school... But, a little nap was required before we head out to Barnes & Noble for some reading time :-)


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40:365 Friendship Circle

We all attended a Girl Scout meeting tonight with Savannah - Mom joined in with the Friendship Circle at the end of the meeting :-)


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39:365 Turtle Care 101

Just hit Premium Pet Supply for the 3rd time in 4 days... Smelling like a turtle upstairs. But, at least my son's room doesn't smell like dirty clothes anymore.

38:365 Relaxing #46

Turned 46 today... I'm ok with that. Relaxed at home all morning, ran 4.6 miles at noon, and now spending the afternoon at Fusion Brew ... It's a good day :-) :-) :-)

37:365 Frosty Morning

Woke up to a very frosty morning today... Loved seeing the diamond-like shavings sprinkled on plants.


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36:365 Sign of a Good Day

36:365 Sign of a Good Day, originally uploaded by Mark Sexton Photography.

It looks like it's going to be a good day... I sat down at church and had a cup holder right in front of me for my coffee :-)

35:365 Star Wars

35:365 Star Wars, originally uploaded by Mark Sexton Photography.

It's one of those things that knits my son and I closely together: Our mutual love for Star Wars :-)

34:365 Before & After

34:365 Before & After, originally uploaded by Mark Sexton Photography.

Separating, reducing, transplanting, and primping bromeliads today. Yes... This is considered fun for me :-)

33:365 Spring Porch Time... In Winter

33:365 Spring Porch Time... In Winter, originally uploaded by Mark Sexton Photography.

Absolutely unbelievable!!! Today I took time to sit on my front porch, with no coat, and look through annual catalogs... LOVED IT!!! I could handle winters like this every year .

32:365 Green Art

32:365 Green Art, originally uploaded by Mark Sexton Photography.

Took a walk through a greenhouse today and took in all the BEAUTIFUL green shades. No surprise that green is my favorite color :-)

Sidewalk Grate - Downtown Chicago

I took this photograph a couple of years ago when we stayed in Chicago at the Palmer House for a few nights and ran around the city. This was a sidewalk grate near our hotel that I kept looking at every time we passed by, and I finally snapped a few shots of it.