living in the moontime

happy independence day!

2011-07-05T12:35:00.002-04:00

What a perfect laid back, lazy day we enjoyed. We ate grilled pork tenderloin, baked beans, and cheesy garlic polenta all topped off with a blackberry cobbler and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The boys had a lot of fun playing with the sparklers I had picked up.

Then we headed into town to see the big fireworks. We waited until 20 minutes before the show was supposed to start to head over and somehow managed to score the perfect parking and viewing spot.

The boys loved the big fireworks! With every explosion Ben shouted "fire in the hole!" and Alex breathed in awe "cooool".

It was a very late night for Alex, so he did not make it for the 5 mile trip back home.

blackberry picking

2011-07-04T14:01:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite things about summer is being able to pick fresh blackberries. I found an area covered in blackberry bushes while scouting photo locations one day. So last night when the sun started to drop down I packed the boys up and headed over for some picking. When we first arrived we were greeted by a pretty little bunny.

We found these deer tracks to inspect.

Then it was time to get down to picking business.

We didn't get as big of a haul as I was hoping. I have a feeling the local wildlife beat us to all of the big berries, but we certainly have enough for a blackberry cobbler tonight.

The boys had a lot of fun, which is the most important part. As we were leaving we looked out into the field to hundreds of fireflies blinking at us and we even got to see an owl perched on a telephone pole. Perfect summer memories!

on the hunt

2011-07-04T13:25:00.002-04:00

when hunting bugs one must wear the appropriate attire, a boonie hat and winter boots (typically worn on the wrong feet)

and of course one must have a giant magnifying glass!

all the better to seeeee you with!

he found a butterfly...

and even got to hold it for a moment.

gary the snail(s)

2011-06-16T16:00:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Spongebob Squarepants Alex believes that every snail is named Gary and that they meow. It is our mission every time we go outside to find a Gary. It took some work, but I have finally convinced him to adopt a catch and release policy. Whew!

this is how they roll

2011-06-16T15:59:00.002-04:00

It's 90+degrees out and they are running around in shorts, no shirt....and fleece lined winter boots. Silly boys!

a new edition!

2011-06-16T15:33:00.002-04:00

As I was in the middle of my workout routine, on the floor doing abs, I felt a tickle at my elbow. I was focused and lost in the loud music of my iPod. Without breaking stride I swatted it away and continued on. I felt the tickle again, this time as I went to swat I turned my head and saw a gray blurr staring at me. I think I must have jumped 10 feet in the air. After a moment I was able to focus and realized it was a kitten! Tim had brought her home from the grocery store, what a surprise!!

She has the most beautiful markings, every angle offers a different pallet of colors and design. After living with her for about a week we have settled on the name Polly because (a) she likes to perch on my shoulder like a parrot and (b) poly means many in regards to her color/markings.

Polly has settled in nicely. The other kitties, Sylvester and Tweety, have come to accept her and put up with her relentless play attacks. Otto, well, let's just say we are careful to keep them separated or closely supervised at all times until Polly gets a little bigger. He doesn't mean any harm, but the big goof has no idea how strong and powerful he is even when he's just playing. He wants to be her friend, really.

She has quickly stolen all of our hearts. Alex tells me at least twice a day "Awww, she's cute! I love Hollwee (because he has trouble with that 'p' sound)!". I am so glad she is a part of our family now.

it's sprinkler weather!

2011-06-16T15:03:00.003-04:00

One of our favorite summer time activities! (and a great way to get the ~~weeds~~ grass watered)

one of my all time favorite images taken so far this year

After a few minutes of snapping some pics Ben told me to put my camera down and play.

So I did :)

a day at the zoo

2011-05-25T12:47:00.003-04:00

Thanks to a partnership between the Georgia state libraries and Zoo Atlanta we were able to take the boys to the zoo for free. This was Alex's first visit and a perfect birthday gift for me. Every time he moved to a new exhibit he would exclaim "Look Mommy, I found something!", it was precious!

His favorite animal was the elephant.

This was his 1st look at them, such wonder in that face!

Trying to call the elephant over

I never thought I'd say this, but warthogs are kind of cute...in a muddy sort of way

Ben and I shared a very mature giggle over this sign.

There were a LOT of turtles giving ummm, piggy back rides that day.

It kills me that I didn't catch this moment in focus, but I love it all the same ♥

I see a resemblance, do you?

What could possibly prompt such a face you ask?

Yeah, I have to agree with B's horror over this sight!

The reptile house was Ben's favorite, although I was sad to see the alligators and crocodiles are now gone.

But there was plenty of snakes!

My favorite is the pandas. I want to snuggle one so badly!

This is the new baby, Po, so cute!!

Proof that I was there too. Poor Alex was pretty hot and worn out by then.

As we were leaving the park this bird was all too proud of it's treasure, a rat. He kept strutting back and forth and posing for all to admire. Not exactly the image of cuteness I wanted to leave with, but what can you do?

I can't wait to go back next year!

daydreaming

2011-05-09T14:42:00.002-04:00

I love catching moments like this, he is lost in his own little world of daydreams. I am lost in my love for him.

the cowboy chronicles

2011-05-05T12:36:00.002-04:00

Alex, or the youngling as I like to refer to him, has a love of hats. He goes through phases of which he likes best...a baseball cap, fireman's helmet, a bucket...lately it's his cowboy hat leftover from his Halloween costume. So the other day I grabbed him and took him across the street for a quick 5 minute play to document this time in his life. Surprisingly I came away with quite a few images that I love. I am planning to make a large collage print of them to hang on the wall.

Without further ado, here is the cutest cowboy you ever did see...

and that's all folks!

sightings and taking the time to see them

2011-04-17T08:36:00.007-04:00

The other day I was looking out the window, half in a daydream when I saw a dog walking up the road. Then I did a double take and realized it wasn't a dog, it was a fox! Walking up the road! Right in front of me!

I am sure you can appreciate that I fell all over myself trying to grab the camera and snap a few pictures. Too bad I scared him off in my blunderings and this was the best picture I got.

Still, what an amazing experience. Shortly afterwards I watched the neighbor leave for the day, presumably on the way to work. I wondered....did she have a clue that a fox just ran through her yard? And if not, what a shame. How blessed am I that I could witness such a thing. But really, does anyone ever take the time to stop and look around them at the multitude of small miracles surrounding them?

like these mating Promethea moths I saw on a photo session with a client

or noticed these unfurling ferns growing wild in our woods?

or witnessed a happy little inch worm, inching along

or let a caterpillar tickle their finger?

or found beauty in the tiniest of weeds?

I know I sometimes forget to stop and look around, so this is just as much a reminder to me as it is to you.

bathroom makeover ~ the big reveal!

2011-03-25T23:54:00.003-04:00

Can you here me squealing with delight? It's done, it's done! I am beyond happy with the result. It turned out exactly as I envisioned it when I first took on the project. And I am so proud that I did every single bit of the work all by myself (other than hanging the light fixture, I don't like playing with electricity).

If you need a refresher on the before with the drywall white walls, eighties colored cabinets complete with faux brass (aka plastic) handles, and the most ~~stunning~~ hideous light fixture ever see this post.

Ta-Da! the after...

I had to use my cell phone to get a full view photo

I'm still tweaking the final decor. I found some huge antique wooden spools today that I will put on the left side of the tub for candle holders along with some plants. I also want to hang a few of my nature prints on the wall. I will hit the fabric store on payday to look for material to make a curtain. I am thinking of possibly a deep gold/mustardy yellow accented with black to give a different pop of color in the room, just haven't decided if it will be a valance or full curtain yet.

Then we have the opposite side with the cabinets...

again, full view taken with cell phone to fit it all in

The cabinets were a ton of work that took a long time to finish but it was so worth it! I love how when I distressed it parts of the wood and the gray primer show through. I will eventually replace the drawer pulls to match the cabinet knobs, but for thrifty sake I went with the cheaper bulk package for right now. I still need to replace the sinks and the faucets whenever it is financially feasible. I am also deciding how to proceed with the cabinet top. I'm not crazy about it, but it's tolerable for now. At least the light fixture is gone, gone, gone! We won't discuss why it can't be hung in the middle, grrrr.

I have my jewelry box hanging and absolutely love it! Here's a couple of other mini projects I made for the room...

candle sconces made with reclaimed wood and vintage blue mason jars that flank the picture window

shampoo dispenser made with vintage blue mason jar and old lotion container pump

That's it! I have taken a couple of baths already and it feels so tranquil and peaceful, just what I wanted :)

thrifty makeover

2011-03-16T22:28:00.002-04:00

I scored this old wooden crate at the thrift store for $3. Thanks to inspiration from a link found on Pinterest and materials I had around the house I transformed it into a jewelry holder. I started by whitewashing it the same color as the bathroom wall (a robin's egg blue, hard to tell since I didn't wait until better lighting to take a picture). Then I added some vintage wooden spools I had picked up several years ago to hang necklaces and bracelets on. I strung wire across the top to hold earrings and anklets. Ta-da! Now even if I am not wearing my jewelry I can still see it. I have some friends that make jewelry and their pieces are too pretty to be kept locked away in a box somewhere.

P.S. I am no longer titling my posts with "project 365" because I am just too far behind to keep up the pretense. I do vow however to stay on top of current posts as best I can.

project 365/58 ~ thinking twice about it...

2011-03-14T20:52:00.002-04:00

Brothers....they love each other, yet at times they love to hate each other. I guess this rings true with any sibling relationship.

The other day I caught Ben hitting his brother and he recieved a stern talking to, then he did it again the next day. This is really out of character for him so I wanted to be sure to nip this issue in the bud before it develops into a real problem. I took away his current prized possession for the day, his computer. After several declarations that I had ruined his life forever (oh the drama age 6 brings) I informed him that maybe next time he will think twice before hitting his brother.

Ben came back to me about 30 minutes later to let me know he had thought about hitting his brother 2 times and could he please have his computer back now...somehow I think my message was lost in translation.

project 365/57 ~ daffy for daffodils

2011-03-14T20:47:00.002-04:00

The daffodils are popping up everywhere right now. I am seeing white ones with orange centers and solid buttery yellow ones. I picked several (from the neighbors yard, shhhh) to bring inside. They smell deliciously like honeysuckle!

A sure sign that Spring is well on it's way!

project 365/56 ~ there's a mouse in the house!

2011-03-11T13:38:00.002-05:00

When I noticed Sylvester trying to get at something behind the cabinet in my office my first thought was scorpion. I hate, loathe, fear scorpions. So I was quite delighted to find a mouse instead! Sure, they are kind of gross in the fact that they carry diseases, but at least they are fuzzy and cute and won't sting me.

Okay...I admit, I did let out quite the girly squeal once when it jumped straight up in the air while trying to catch it. With the youngling's help though we managed to trap it and took it across the street to be released into the woods.

Here's hoping the kitties don't bring it back to proudly show off their hunting skills.

project 365/55 ~ here's "peeping" at you kid!

2011-03-10T22:04:00.002-05:00

The approachment of springtime means my favorite Easter candy has hit the grocery store shelves, Peeps!

True story...I once ate so many of them when I was a teenager that I ended up with thrush on my tongue. One would think that would scar you for life, but alas I cannot resist their sugar coated goodness every year.

project 365/54 ~ why i am behind in project 365

2011-03-08T23:56:00.002-05:00

I have spent the past 2 weeks working diligently on our master bathroom. I have painted the walls, tiled the area around the tub, sanded the cabinets and am currently priming and painting them. The tiling and cabinets are both several days long processes that requires lots of cleanup work in between.

I am tired of the mess.

I am ready for it all to be done.

I am anxious to see the final results.

I am more than ready to take a nice long hot bath.

project 365/53 ~ stolen moment

2011-03-08T23:35:00.003-05:00

I was doing some work on the computer when I happened to look up and out my office window. I had exactly 2 seconds to grab my camera and capture what I saw. It's not a perfect image, but it's a perfectly sweet moment :)

project 365/52 ~ pollen coated lady

2011-03-08T22:46:00.002-05:00

When I saw this pretty little lady dipped in pollen I fled inside to grab my camera and trusty old macro lens.

I can't wait for warmer days spent outside while the boys play and hunting for interesting specimens around the yard through my macro.

project 365/51 ~ pure cheese

2011-03-08T22:37:00.002-05:00

If I ask Ben to smile you can bet 99% of the time I get the cheesy smile. How he can pull his bottom teeth up over his top is beyond me. Silly boy.

And in case you were wondering what the other 1% looks like, well here you go...

He's teaching his little brother well...

project 365/50 ~ i spy....

2011-03-08T22:17:00.004-05:00

a cutie pie...

a free spirit...

a wild and crazy youngling that never ceases to amaze me with his antics!

project 365/49 ~ post valentine's roses

2011-03-08T21:45:00.003-05:00

The really nice thing about Valentine's Day is you can pick up a dozen roses marked down to $5 on the day after. I want to add a few flower prints around the house and just loved these red tipped yellow roses.

I'm not sure these will make it up the walls. I've been too preoccupied lately while renovating our master bathroom to really do a good job. I will have another go at it when I am done. It's a good excuse to have fresh flowers around the house to enjoy.

project 365/48 ~ fever

2011-02-17T23:25:00.002-05:00

It seems that Ben's illness has now spread to Alex and I.

project 365/47 ~ dinner date

2011-02-16T22:12:00.002-05:00

It's been really quiet in the house today with Tim at work, Ben at school and Alex at grandma's house. Even Otto was low keyed since he didn't have any one to harass. I enjoyed my day of no responsibilities and eating hostess cupcakes for lunch, but it's not something I would want every day.

After Ben came home from school I decided to treat us to a dinner date, just he and I. We both enjoyed a big gooey plate of beef nachos and talked about our day. It gets hard to give each boy their own individualized attention in the chaos of every day life. I try though, even if it just means a trip to the car wash or the grocery store with one or the other.

project 365/46 ~ going to grandma's house

2011-02-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

The youngling has been promised his first 'alone' trip to grandma's house for quite some time now. We made the mistake of mentioning to him the plans yesterday and that was all he has talked about for the past 24 hours. This morning he awoke ready to go. After getting him dressed and packing his bag he stood watch in front of the window waiting to see Grandma's car pull up. I hope they are having a good time :)

project 365/45 ~ my valentines

2011-02-14T23:43:00.003-05:00

Valentine's Day. The Hallmark holiday where the price of flowers quadruple and everyone feels obligated to purchase in order to express their love. Bleh.

Okay, so I may have caved and bought a few goodies for my young cutie cupids. But in all fairness I only bought them each a $1 box of 'valentines' chocolates. The goody bag was filled with non traditional stuff like a matchbox car, band aids, bubble gum, and goldfish crackers. And we did go out to eat, but it was more of a convenience late lunch/early dinner thing since we were shuffling cars around to the mechanic.

Still, the best part was when Ben confirmed that I remain to be his favorite girl :)

project 365/44 ~ sick

2011-02-13T23:36:00.003-05:00

My poor boy is sick.

It's true, it hurts the mommy the most when her children don't feel well. It took every ounce of strength not to burst into tears right along with him while trying to force a bowl of soup down him. Boo-boo's I can fix, sickness is just a cruel 'ride it out' game.

project 365/43 ~ lazy weekend mornings

2011-02-12T23:27:00.003-05:00

This is generally how our weekend mornings are spent...hanging out in pajamas watching cartoons. I have fond memories of watching Saturday morning cartoons as a child and I hope the boys carry this memory with them. Even though today's cartoons are really terrible in comparison (fine if you like Japanese anime) we did discover RTV. They show old classics like Fat Albert and the Gang, The Archies (I LOVED reading these comics growing up), He-Man, and their favorite...Bravestar. Still, it's not quite the same as what I enjoyed during my time. Nothing could ever beat The Smurfs or Scooby Doo!

project 365/42 ~ bathroom remodel before

2011-02-12T11:51:00.001-05:00

The bathroom was one of the rooms I fell in love with when we looked at our home to buy. I loved the big garden tub with the huge window above it. It is my refuge with scented candles and a good book. Sadly, we've done nothing with it since we moved in (ahem, 10 years ago next month). It is time to remedy that. I am so excited about the colors we've chosen! I think it will have a relaxing spa type atmosphere when completed.

I will also be painting the cabinets and replacing the hardware, light fixtures, and faucets. I can't wait to see the finished project and spend hours soaking in the tub.

project 365/41 ~ coolest pencil sharpener ever!

2011-02-10T11:46:00.000-05:00

It does not take much to amuse me, so when I stumbled across this vintage camera inspired pencil sharpener I just knew I had to have it. It looks perfect perched on the new desk I scored for the living room (will be showing a picture of the desk as soon as I finish up a few cosmetic enhancements).

project 365/40 ~ no more skeletons in the closet

2011-02-09T11:19:00.000-05:00

You may remember that I posted a month ago about my messy closet, well mark one off of my to-do list! It has taken a while and quite a bit of purging but I have reclaimed that space.

(excuse the quality, had to use my cell phone in order to get it all in)

I built in shelves to the left to house what few books and crafting materials I chose to hold on to. I love the shelves so much I think I will do the same for the boys' closet.

To the right I mounted a small piece of pegboard so that I could hang all of my photography props.

I am so happy with the clean organization of it all that I am having a hard time keeping the closet door closed. I enjoy sitting and looking inside :)

Now to get my office back in order. I have furniture scattered about as I am reworking the layout and again purging. I have also decided to repaint it. Crazy considering the amount of work I put into it at 36 weeks pregnant with Alex, but I am craving a change. I think I am going to go with a neutral gray and pop color in the room with accent pieces.

project 365/39 ~ move over rover

2011-02-08T23:16:00.000-05:00

Ben was asked to be one of the lead animal actors in the PTO's program presentation "Move Over Rover". The premise is that it is raining and various animals seek shelter in Rover's doghouse. He was the squirrel.

waiting to go on stage

he spots us in the audience, taking his role very seriously

all of the animals taking solace in Rover's shelter until....

the skunk comes along and scares them all away!

cutest squirrel ever!

project 365/38 ~ in the news

2011-02-07T22:53:00.000-05:00

I have a new found addiction on the Internet. It's called Pinterest. As someone so eloquently put it..."it's an online place to catalogue all of the crap you covet". I have collected all kinds of ideas from home decor to fashion to food to photography, and now I have one place to go back and look at it instead of having a favorites file fulllllll of bookmarks. My new nails is one such idea I got from Pinterest. I think they are funky and unique, and it was so easy to do. Now to get on the the other hundred or so ideas I have from there...

project 365/37 ~ a mini date

2011-02-06T22:50:00.001-05:00

A mini date with the boy at the carwash with a pair of sunglasses, a box of candy, and tons of laughter and wonder.
Perfection ♥.

project 365/36 ~ expanding my portfolio

2011-02-05T22:19:00.001-05:00

I snapped this from my cell phone on my ride into the city. I have always loved this view of the city as it opens up before you just as you pass under the bridge right before the 75/85 connector.

I was heading into the city to photograph my first ever boudoir session. I have been desiring to branch out in my photography services and was over the moon excited when I was asked to do this. Boudoir is such a very fine line of being beautiful art and well, something you might find in smut magazines. I really wanted to challenge myself to see if I could achieve that classy, beautiful yet alluring image. I have to say, I feel pretty confident that that is exactly what I did here...

I am very excited at the prospects of this field of photography. I am now thinking of hosting a boudoir photo day complete with hair/make-up artist.

And just think how this could benefit my newborn photography in the long term ;)

project 365/35 ~ boo boo

2011-02-04T22:13:00.000-05:00

Alex got a boo boo right there.....2 weeks ago. Or possibly it was just a smudge of dirt. It doesn't matter, it was absolutely necessary to try out the new Sponge Bob band aids I picked up. Alex showed me 3 more spots I had to doctor up before I was able to hide the box for real emergencies.

project 365/34 ~ play ball!

2011-02-03T13:57:00.000-05:00

A tennis ball is Otto's most favorite toy. It is also the only toy (or shoe, stuffed animal, sock, roll of toilet, paper, or anything else he can find to thieve) that lasts longer than 60 seconds in the clutches of his jaws. He could fetch the ball for hours on end if you let him and can stand the drooling, sopping mess it becomes after a few minutes of play.

project 365/33 ~ legoland

2011-02-02T00:24:00.000-05:00

This is what the boys' floor looks like on a daily basis. They are both nuts over legos and their collection has grown quite large. This photo does not even come close to doing it justice, because the boy was just out of the frame frantically picking them up for fear of my threat to throw them away if he didn't ;)

project 365/32 ~ who is that masked cutie?

2011-02-01T22:11:00.003-05:00

The youngling bravely combated boredom this rainy day by playing dress up in an old Halloween costume.

Personally, I think the glow stick weapons completed the look.

A viewing of the Spiderman movie was then demanded so he could study his moves.

project 365/31 ~ proud geek

2011-01-31T22:08:00.000-05:00

When I came across this stormtrooper family decal I just had to have it. We, as a family, are huge Star Wars nerds and I am not ashamed to admit it.

project 365/30 ~ impromptu urban style shoot

2011-01-30T23:21:00.005-05:00

Another beautiful day, another trip to the park. This time we hit up a different park with a large empty parking lot so the boys could ride bikes and roller skate. During our explorations we found this cool drain tunnel with graffiti in it. It's the perfect little spot for an urban type portrait. The above image is now a new favorite. I am tempted to go back with purposeful clothing choices, however I think Ben's outfit actually goes well with the mood.

Alex's outfit however, does not lend itself to the mood of the location. Perhaps it is the glowing white socks that kills it for me...

project 365/29 ~ from cabin fever to spring fever

2011-01-29T23:07:00.002-05:00

It was a gorgeous weekend with temperatures in the mid 60's. Such a contrast to the snow that was falling earlier in the week. I decided to take advantage of the sun and packed the boys up for a trip to the park. I opted to leave my camera at home since I really just wanted to relax and play without worrying about keeping up with equipment. I almost regretted that decision after the boys jumped in the creek to splash around. Thankfully I did have my cell phone with me so I adopted the motto, shoot where you are with what you have. I was able to catch a few cute shots after all.

But, more importantly we had fun!

project 365/28 ~ mammy

2011-01-28T22:49:00.002-05:00

Mammy. She was my grandmother. She was a 4 ft, 80 lb white woman and as far as I know, she never wore a handkerchief on her head. I'm not sure why we called her Mammy, but we all did.

Mammy loved to collect thimbles. I remember going on vacations and picking out a souvenir thimble to bring back to her. Her friends and other family would too. I am now the proud owner of her thimbles. It is quite a large collection with thimbles from all over the world. It's nice to look through them and realize how many people thought of her, how many lives she touched.

Today is the 1 year anniversary of her passing. I miss her.

project 365/27 ~ burst of laughter

2011-01-27T22:58:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite things about Alex is you can get him going on a laughing spree just by laughing out of nowhere yourself. You laugh. He laughs. You laugh more. He laughs even harder. Pretty soon you find your day has just become a little happier.

This was a burst of photos from just such a laughter session today. Even though they aren't in very good focus, I love the movement and energy caught. And that pretty well sums up the youngling's personality too, movement and energy.

project 365/26 ~ late nights

2011-01-26T10:32:00.001-05:00

Over Ben's (extended) winter break I have fallen in the terrible habit of staying up entirely too late. I find myself wandering to bed between 1-2am only to read for another 30 minutes or so. It didn't really hit me about how little sleep I am getting until I set my alarm on my phone and it informed I had less than 6 hours before it went off. I'm not sure why I've been burning the midnight oil other than I enjoy the peace and quiet the evening time offers. I don't have little men demanding drinks, snacks, or lego repairs. And since Tim usually goes to bed pretty early I can indulge in chic flicks and True Blood episodes. I do need to start enforcing an earlier bedtime for myself though. I have become quite the midday coffee consumer, yet another bad habit.

project 365/25 ~ nothing special

2011-01-25T22:19:00.003-05:00

Nothing special to say other than I loved how he had his cheek all squished up between his fingers while propped up watching cartoons. It's moments like this that make me pause and feel overwhelmed with love and the maddening desire to smother him in kisses. I guess that is pretty special after all.

project 365/24 ~ principal's list

2011-01-24T22:15:00.000-05:00

Proud mommy alert: my boy made Prinicipal's List again!

(so thankful Principal's List means something different today than when I was in school)

project 365/23 ~ scooby doo

2011-01-23T22:06:00.000-05:00

We have come to the conclusion that Otto would have been better named Scooby Doo. He looks like him, he acts like him, and he loves to eat like him. He is a little over a year old now and at last weigh in a couple of months ago was around 115lbs. He is finally starting to show some signs of calming down, not much, but there is hope there. He is reminded often that it's a good thing he is a handsome boy, especially when he perks his ears up like in the photo above trying to look sweet and innocent...I know better.

project 365/22 ~ concentration

2011-01-22T23:36:00.000-05:00

See that tongue stuck out to the side like that? That's a trait inherited from his daddy. It only comes during times of intense concentration, like playing games on the computer. His little brother does it too :)

project 365/21 ~ sold

2011-01-21T23:29:00.000-05:00

It was not an easy decision to make, but after debating it for about 6 months now I decided to finally let go of the scrapbooking supplies. I am sad, yet relieved. It's been almost 3 years since I've done a project and the prospect of doing it now overwhelms me. With 2 kids and too many photos, yikes! Not to mention my free time is now spent behind the computer editing photos. I was able to sell it off as one giant lot to a group of scrapbooking enthusiasts. I hope my pretties find their way onto some awesome layouts, much better than hanging on my wall collecting dust.

project 365/20 ~ frosted

2011-01-20T00:12:00.001-05:00

Everything was frosted over this morning, it was so pretty and serene. I find frost quite amazing when viewed through my macro lens.

Those perfect little crystals. Spectacular!

And even better...schools don't get canceled because of it.

project 365/19 ~ hungry puppy

2011-01-19T12:08:00.001-05:00

You never know what you may find when you round the corner when you have children in the home. This is what I came upon today when I walked into the kitchen. It would seem that the youngling thought Slinky was hungry. You have to admit, it makes you smile.

project 365/18 ~ homework

2011-01-18T22:20:00.003-05:00

Ben returned to school after being out yet again for over a week due to snow. It will take a few days to get back into the groove of routine and hopefully a little excitement over homework time. He wasn't entirely enthusiastic about it today in case that scowl on his face didn't clue you in.

And not to be left out, "Mini B" had to be given his own paper and pencil so that he could do his homework too.

I also worked on my own homework assignment. My friend Kelley gave me a gray card yesterday and challenged me to put it to use, particularly during artficial lighting situations. So finding my nearest cooperative subject, a sleeping cat, I went at it.

I have to admit, there is a HUGE difference. I have used custom white balance before, but never with a gray card. I am amazed at not only the coloring, but also the exposure. These were all taken with the exact same settings other than white balance adjustment and are SOOC (meaning I didn't doctor them up in photoshop). I will experiment some more, but I can see already I may be toting a gray card around with me a lot!

project 365/17 ~ read me a story

2011-01-17T12:26:00.003-05:00

It makes me heart smile to listen to Ben read a book, even if it is bittersweet that he is often the one now to read the bedtime story. I love it that Alex has to imitate Ben and 'read' a book too. It is not uncommon to find them up in the top bunk together with a pile of books between them. My hope is that they will continue to foster their love of reading as they grow up, for there is no greater adventure for our imaginations.

"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."
— Frederick Douglass

project 365/16 ~ skeletons in my closet

2011-01-16T23:48:00.002-05:00

There could be skeletons in there. Who can tell with all of that junk piled and packed in? I spent today cleaning my office. I was able to tackle my desk drawers and weed through a ridiculous amount of papers, cards, pictures, candy wrappers, etc. My next project will be that closet. I have decided it is time to let go of the scrapbooking stuff. I haven't touched in 3 years and I could really use the space. This year will be the year of purge and organization.

project 365/15 ~ escape!

2011-01-15T23:19:00.005-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I love my children. They make me laugh and feel loved like no one others can. But, after being trapped in the house for over a week with all boys listening to fights over toys, fart machines, and the proud proclamations of getting a picture of the dog's butt a girl needs a break. This is why I love my BFF, Tara. We can go days/weeks/months without talking but some how always know when one of us is in need. As I was getting dressed for the day thinking that I needed to get out for a while I get a message from Tara asking if I need a break and do I want to meet for coffee. How awesome is it that she felt my need from 35+ miles away?

I enjoyed a delicious grande white chocolate mocha. When we picked up our drink orders they had a basket full of hand knit koozies with a sign that said "free, take one".

How awesome that someone took the time to make these and then just gave them away. I will keep my koozy in the car at the ready for my next Starbucks treat and smile.

Afterwards we did a little shopping. Even though I didn't buy anything, it was fun trying on clothes and making fun of each other's choices. Tara and I are complete opposites. I think that's why our friendship works so well.

After my short break I was ready to come home fully recharged and be entertained by these cuties...and listen to them giggle madly as they pressed the fart machine button. Repeatedly.

project 365/14 ~ what he's thinking about today

2011-01-14T17:32:00.003-05:00

Although he says I should have put 3 more x's through the homework bubble.

Here's another take on the same concept...

I knew painting a chalkboard on their wall would come in handy!

project 365/13 ~ is that bigfoot?

2011-01-13T00:25:00.000-05:00

Nope, it's just me feeling a bit of cabin fever so I thought I would play around with some self portraits today. I am not sure why my foot looks so freakishly huge. I don't think it is. Maybe it is? Here's a fun fact for you...pregnancy causes more than your belly to grow. I went up an entire shoe size after having Ben. Weird, huh?

Here's another of me I got today that I like (sans feet)...

project 365/12 ~ while you were sleeping...

2011-01-12T23:46:00.002-05:00

I came to check on you. I removed the book laying across your chest, you must have fallen asleep reading. I scooted your head back onto your pillow so you would be more comfortable. I tucked you in with an extra blanket because it's very cold tonight. I placed Georgie under your arm in case you had a bad dream during the night. I kissed your cheek and lingered for a moment longer to breathe in your sweet smell. I looked at your angelic face and forgot all about any mischief you may have caused during the day. I thanked the heavens above for having you in my life.

Oh, and I snapped a picture too ;)

project 365/11 ~ you sank my battleship!

2011-01-11T14:52:00.000-05:00

Ben brought home this original Battleship game from a visit with grandpa. He loves to play it! Either with a opponent or by himself playing pretend wars. Tim and I both remember doing this as children. Such fun!

I took this photo last night with the self timer as we played a game by the fire. I was trying to capture the mood so I didn't want to use the flash. I had to pump my ISO to 1600 (as high as my Rebel will allow) and drop my shutter speed to 1/25, hence the blur and the grain. Some days I am so unhappy with my camera, it is hard to keep in perspective the importance of capturing the moment instead of the technicalities of the image. I am trying though....otherwise I would never have dreamed of posting such a 'techincally' awful photo.

project 365/10 ~ before and after

2011-01-10T13:36:00.000-05:00

Before snowball

After snowball *note to self, move quicker

This was our 3rd big snow this season and yielded about 5-6". School has been canceled all week. The boy has been very excited about that. I don't think he realizes he will have to make these days up later on. We have enjoyed sledding, snowball fights, long walks, fires, hot chocolate, movie marathons, baking, and cuddles. But, I am ready for life to get back onto a regular routine. And to feel my toes again.

Anyhoo, a few more snow pics to share for the grandparents sake...

project 365/9 ~ touched

2011-01-09T13:28:00.000-05:00

While paying our cell phone bill the other day I noticed I qualified for a free phone upgrade. I am now the proud owner of a touchscreen smart phone. As a bonus it's purple! Yes, I am a happy little geek :)

project 365/8 ~ don't panic!

2011-01-08T20:45:00.003-05:00

There may not be any bread left, but there is plenty of Goober Grape! I just love how southerners freak out at the slightest mention of snow. The news has hyped up a winter storm to come on Monday. Today is Saturday and all of the bread has already been swiped from the shelves. I can laugh because I did all of my main shopping on Thursday and have 3 loaves sitting in the freezer ;)

(photo taken with my new love, my new cell phone)

project 365/7 ~ enDEERing end of the week

2011-01-07T18:35:00.002-05:00

I was still scratching my head on today's photo for my 365 project when I looked out of my office window to see 4 deer nibbling the grass. I didn't have much time to set up my camera, nor sneak outside for a closer look, before Alex scared them away when he pounded on the window to say hello. What a beautiful site and a perfect way to end my 1st week.

project 365/6 ~ car crazy

2011-01-06T17:58:00.000-05:00

The youngling is crazy for cars. And not just any cars, although he's not discriminate, but he is obsessed with Cars (the movie) cars. Alex will pull out his whole collection and entertain himself for hours on end. He calls Lightening McQueen "kechow" because that is the sound he makes, so cute!

project 365/5 ~ a frosty morning

2011-01-05T14:56:00.003-05:00

It was a frosty morning for Ben's first day back to school in nearly 4 weeks between snow days, sick days, and holidays. While I enjoy my children immensely, I also enjoy the chance to miss them a bit while ~~relishing~~ contemplating in the silence that is offered in their absence. I am full denial mode right now at the weather report's threat of more snow coming our way by Friday morning, for now I will savor the moment while Alex is napping.

project 365/4 ~ a fresh cut

2011-01-04T15:40:00.002-05:00

Today was haircut day at our house! Every time I cut the boys' hair I swear it is not worth the money saved and vow to take them to a real barber the next time. This time however, it was actually pretty painless. There was minimal fussing and it turned out to be one of my better cuts. Still not perfect, but hey, it was free!

As you can see by this snap I took just before we got started, a haircut was long overdue.

Much better! Now you can see their cute faces again.

And here is how they really feel about haircut day.

No worries, they were rewarded with a freshly baked batch of chocolate chip cookies and have already forgotten about their torture session.

project 365/3 ~ the mathematics of baking

2011-01-03T21:36:00.002-05:00

I took several photos today of Ben helping me whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. My original intention was to have a more "artsy" view, but on a whim I set the camera on the counter with the self timer and jumped in the frame with him (no make up or 'fixed' hair and all). I'm glad I did. It is not often you see me in the photos doing the the things I like to do with the boys because I'm too busy taking the picture. I can now look back on this image and remember how we discussed fractions as he helped me measure out the sugars and calculate the minutes until we could indulge in the warm gooey, goodness of fresh from the oven cookies. And hey, if you can slip in a math lesson while baking that means the calories don't count, right?

project 365/2 ~ catnap

2011-01-02T18:57:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure what's funnier, the way she she's laying (really, how can that be comfortable?) or the irony of the coffee and coffeepot in the background while she snoozes away.

project 365/1 ~ rainy day play

2011-01-01T16:18:00.000-05:00

I have decided to undertake a 365 photo project. The objective is to take a photo every day to share. I am hoping this will encourage me to pull my camera out more for my own pleasure and force me to update/keep up with our stories on the blog. I've been a ~~bit~~ lot slack lately.

New Years Day was a wet one. A perfect day for painting the ceramic toys that Santa left in the boys' stockings. Rainbow colors always chase away the gloom!

A few other out takes from our playtime...

the finished projects, note Alex took care not to leave a speck of white ;)

These photos are pretty grainy. I have decided I am just going to have to suck it up and embrace the noise. Since having to take on a monthly car payment I fear my hopes of a new camera will have to take a backseat for a while (backseat, ha, get it?). However, I can offer no excuses for the orange-y white balance since I was too lazy to do it right.

the last snow day of 2010

2011-01-01T11:51:00.000-05:00

We very much enjoyed the Christmas blanket of snow we received...especially since there was plenty of firewood and leftovers to be had while "snowed in". We enjoyed a nice long walk around the neighborhood and plenty of runs down the hill.

the youngling making his own sliding path

oh, to be a kid again!

dang, he's cute!

After a hard day's worth of snow play, what better way to relax than to curl up next to the fireplace with a tub of popcorn and watch movies?

It has been so far been a very cold and wet winter, and it only just started. It will be interesting to see what the next few months bring us.

frosty

2010-12-26T09:24:00.002-05:00

Alex has loved watching "Frosty the Snowman" this year, repeatedly. Luckily the snow we got for Christmas was perfect for building a snowman, fluffy and sticky. After completing the snowman Alex was insistent that he needed a hat and wanted to place it on the snowman's head himself. I didn't really think much about it other than that is what we did last year so he must remember. Well after he put the hat on the snowman he stood there staring for a good 5 seconds. Then started poking the snowman and saying "hello, anybody in there?". That sweet boy was expecting Frosty to come to life after getting a hat just like in the cartoon! He checked him out again this morning, he's still holding out hope for some magic.

christmas!

2010-12-26T08:37:00.003-05:00

I have to say, this was the best Christmas ever. It was sweet, kind, beautiful, and an absolute joy to experience with my children.

We started Christmas Eve with the traditional baking of Santa cookies.

They managed to show little restraint this year when it came time to sprinkle on the sugar

Ben wrote a sweet note to Santa. Note how many exclamation points used, think he likes him or just trying to butter him up?

Both boys went promptly to bed at 8 o'clock full of excitement. I fully expected to be woken before the sun Christmas morning, but surprisingly I am the one who had to wake them up at 7:30. All it took was a slight nudge to Ben though and he immediately popped out of bed and ran down the hallway.

Santa has been here!

Alex joining the party

Ben has been asking for a Pillow Pet since summer, he named him Marley

Opening his laptop, I think he was initially more excited over the Star Trek decal on it

Alex loves his Buzz wings....and they are the perfect height for swiping things off of the coffe table as he does a fly by.

The best Christmas present was the blanket 3+ inches of snow we got! It started at around 8:30 and continued on until late in the evening. The boys were so very excited to get to play in it this time, since they were both so sick when it snowed last week. It's a good thing Santa brought Ben a new winter coat and Alex a pair of winter boots. They got put to good use right away.

catching snowflakes

catching snot

all of my fellas ♥

After another cup of coffee we will be pulling on our snow gear and going out for another play this morning!

Merry Christmas!!

a visit with santa

2010-12-25T23:14:00.003-05:00

As we set up the Christmas decorations last week I was harshly reminded that Alex was 3yo and had never met Santa. This cannot be, how did this happen? So we promptly loaded the car up and took a drive to the mall *gasp* 4 days before Christmas. It was not nearly as packed as I thought it would be and we made it through the Santa line fairly quick. I guess the masses usually go shortly after Thanksgiving to get their orders in early. Alex behaved exheedingly well while waiting in line. If you've ever met Alex you can appreciate what a true Christmas miracle that was! He's not badly behaved, just full of uninhibited energy. When it was our turn in line there was no hesitation, both boys ran right up and plopped themselves into Santa's lap. I'm not sure how exactly the conversation went, but as you can see, it was serious business ;)

It was a very fun day and look forward to many more visits to the jolly fat man in the future!

cabin fever

2010-12-20T07:33:00.004-05:00

The flu has hit our house. It started last Sunday evening with Ben, by Monday morning he was running a temp of 102.9. On Wednesday evening the fever found Alex. The cruel irony is school was canceled on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday due to snow and ice, but the boys were not able to get out and play in it. We've been couped up in the house watching movie after movie, eating lots of chicken noodle soup, and drinking plenty of gatorade (or gator juice as Ben calls it). The boys did find some entertainment in playing dress up with their fire helmets and our old Grady jackets.

They are both on the mend now and full of pent up energy. Here's hoping for sunny weather in the next week so I can get them outside to run it off!

recent shopping experiences and suggestions

2010-12-06T11:51:00.011-05:00

I just wanted to share a couple of places I've done business with recently, including several customized orders. Help support an individual artist this holiday season and check them out! Enjoy the benefits of a unique gift and a personalized customer service experience that you won't find at large department store chains.

Studio Waterstone

Her bags are handcrafted from recycled materials (leather, wool, etc), top quality, and absolutely stunning!

I would be instantly converted to a full time bag carrier for this one. I am truly, madly, deeply in love with that bird!

I did have her make me a custom key holder pouch. Since I don't typically carry much other than my cell phone, debit card, and driver's license I really don't need a large bag. I LOVE what she came up with! It's perfect for my needs...that is until I can justify that red bag above ;)

Hypo Alley

Hypo Alley makes hypoallergenic jewelry from titanium and swarovski crystals. And even though I do not have any allergies I was intrigued by her designs and fabulous prices. I needed a replacement ring for my wedding band until I can drop a pesky 15 lbs (see gratitude post regarding hubby's culinary skills) so I picked up this ring from her...

I had her replace the multi colored jewel with red ones, because red means love you know. And well, I like red. The ring is so pretty, extremely light weight, and I love to look at the sparkle of the crystals. Her customer service was extraordinary! Within minutes of placing my order I got an email welcoming me to her shop as if we were old friends.

Eclectic Gallery

Do you have a laptop? Want to personalize, fancy it up? Well Eclectic Gallery offers some pretty awesome decals! I found the Star Trek fleet emblem in their shop for the boy's Christmas present this year (shhhh!). Since it's only a 10" netbook I contacted the shop with the dimensions and desire to cover up the brand name. They responded immediately with a mock up of the decal. Once approved it was sent right out. The boy is going to be SO excited!

(*note to self, wipe off greasy fingerprints before the elves wrap it up)

They have really cute and funny decals specific for Macbooks. I wish I had one just so I could get a decal for it. Who am I kidding, I have been coveting a Macbook long before I saw the decals.

And a special thanks to PC Copilots for making the nerbook a possibility!

Kelley's Beads

My dear friend Kelley makes lampwork beads, a pretty awesome process involving glass and fire. I love the color and design combos she comes up with. I often tell her that looking at her beads makes me want to learn how to make jewelry just so that I can play with them. Luckily, she also makes jewelry so I know that one day she'll teach me. But in the meantime you can browse her jewelry shop here. I have personally fondled this necklace and pondered slipping it into my pocket on my way out of the door, but didn't for fear of not being invited back for Mississippi Mud cake...

Happy shopping!

P.S. I am not being reimbursed for endorsing these artists, just sharing the love :)

and just like that...

2010-12-03T22:39:00.008-05:00

...November has come and gone. And not a single post to show for it either. Hmmm...I blame it on deadlines, procrastinations, warp speeds, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Some things I have been thankful for this past month/day/week/year/hour...

~ every one has remained pretty healthy this fall, no snotty noses or nasty barking coughs (yet).

~ for tickle wars.

~ answered prayers while close family members go through some pretty serious surgeries (one more is coming up tomorrow so any spared prayers for my daddy would be much appreciated).

~ kitty purrs while cuddled on my chest.

~ despite tight times, we manage to make it through.

~ friends...new, old, constant.

~ my husband's culinary skills.

~ my Publix pilgrim salt and pepper shakers, because sometimes it really is about the little things.

~ the new found peace and quiet in our neighborhood.

~ how well the boy is doing in school. Although I'm still a bit miffed that they are learning fractions in 1st grade, when I was in 1st grade we were learning how to color inside the lines.

~ watching the leaves change and the onset of colder temperatures.

~ that spot in little boys' necks that perfect for smooches and the fact that they still let me.

~ each new day.

panda bear, panda bear, what do you hear?

2010-11-02T23:14:00.004-04:00

Friday was 'dress as your favorite book character' day at school. After going many rounds with the boy that his Captain Kirk costume did NOT qualify since he can't possibly be old enough to read any Star Trek books it was finally decided that his current favorite book is "Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?" and he would go as a panda bear.

So I went on the hunt for the needed materials, 1 pair of black pants, 1 white shirt, and 1 black shirt. I cut the white and black shirt in half, then sewed them together and used the leftovers scraps to make the ears/hat and tail (although it still bugs the perfectionist side of me that I could not find a white hat since technically a panda has a white head). Overall, I am pretty pleased with the results.

It was a bit disappointing to see the lack of participation from his other classmates, I only saw a handful of others dressed up. I can only hope that Ben will remember what was done for him and carry it on to build memories with his children...I know I've enjoyed it!

spooktacular

2010-10-26T22:32:00.005-04:00

I love Halloween! It's my favorite holiday that falls during my favorite time of year. I have such fond memories of Halloween as a child and I think that's why I get so excited. I have vivid memories of walking the neighborhood with my friends going door to door begging for candy....and as I got older playing tricks on the one day of the year that it was okay to do so. Now I get to watch my kids get excited over their costumes, decorations, scary movies and candy begging.

We took a trip to a local pumpkin farm last weekend to pick out our pumpkins. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have the ginormous pumpkins from the years past for sale, but it's probably just as well. Carving two normal sized pumpkins is plenty of work.

The pumpkin patch had plenty of activities (for the right price) to keep a boy busy including a pumpkin hunt, slides, animals, and a corn maze.

Alex enthusiastically took chase in the corn maze until he realized there was no easy end. Then he freaked out a bit and had to be carried out.

We pulled out the decorations and carved the pumpkins up.

Ben wanted his pumpkin carved with the face of the Night Fury from "How to Train Your Dragon", his new favorite movie. He drew it up for me and I carved it out. He did pretty good! Alex got the traditional triangle shapes (not pictured because I actually had to finish it the next day since we ran out of time).

Hard to tell but there spiders hanging down by ribbon all along the top of the porch. I've been semi successful in keeping Alex from pulling them down or the kitties batting them around.

In another couple of hours will start the madness of Halloween weekend as there are many activities planned all weekend long. I hope you all have a spooktacular time! :)

park fun

2010-10-26T21:21:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure why it's been so long since I've taken the boys to their favorite park, but after watching them play and explore this past weekend I plan to remedy that. It really is a boy's wonderland with a playground, creek, railroad tracks and a couple of train cars. It was a perfect weekend too for the weather and fall colors. Here are a few of pictures from the day...

high swinging!

gone fishin'

I love this picture, yet it also makes me sad. We are on the cusp of Alex's 3rd birthday and in this photo I see no sign of my baby. He looks like such a young boy now. I am amazed at how much faster the time passes with the 2nd child.

I am grateful that he still love cuddles with his mommy and no matter what, he'll always be my baby.

loving the weather

2010-10-13T16:48:00.003-04:00

I can't decide if this past summer was hotter than normal or I am just getting older and can't tolerate the heat as well anymore. I'm going with hotter than usual since even the boys didn't really have much interest in going outside to play in the middle of the day. Now that Fall is approaching so are cooler temperatures. This week has been perfect in the 70 degree range.

Yesterday we enjoyed dragging our bikes out to ride up and down the road. Ben has become quite facinated with the very large hill coming towards our house.

We won't discuss how much of a nervous nelly I get watching him flying down at top speed and in total oblivion to the noise of oncoming cars. I'm trying to let go. Really.

I also won't discuss how Alex has to ride in the road too because Ben does and so by now my nerves are really fried.

Once Ben discovered he was about to have a rear tire blowout from doing too many skids in the driveway he switched over to his roller skates.

I am still on the lookout for a pair of skates for myself. I remember having so much fun on them when I was younger. Although, this may be one of those things I can't tolerate any longer with age too.

The day ended with a gorgeous sunset and the promise of many more beautiful Fall days. I can't wait!

hello old friend

2010-10-12T23:11:00.002-04:00

As I glanced at the mums my mother in law brought me the other day it hit me that I have not pulled out my macro lens and shot images just for me in far too long. I enjoyed poking around the yard to see what I could find.

I rarely do flowers in black and white, but sometimes it's all about the shape

we are starting to see some fall color changes

the youngling brought me this leaf...I was completely taken in by all of the different colors, patterns, and textures

we are being overrun with lizards lately, I am beginning to feel like I am back in South Florida

It was nice to remind myself what I love about the camera. I have allowed myself to get overwhelmed with the business aspect, time to put it back in perspective.

serious business

2010-10-07T08:37:00.003-04:00

I have been exploring different lighting techniques lately. As I bumble through the learning process I beg Ben for 30 seconds of his time to practice. As you can see by the pics below he takes this job very seriously.

Peace be with thee and your autobots

Notice the vulcan hand gesture? He has become obsessed with Star Trek lately!

Where to begin...vulcan sign, silly bands, silly boy, robot head...

I am beginning to doubt that I will be getting any relaxed natural poses from him for a while to come. That's okay with me, he can make me laugh like no other and I'd much rather have this than a broody teenager right now.

off with his head! a tragic tail, er tale

2010-09-27T21:34:00.005-04:00

During the evening round up of all things necessary for a little boy's bedtime I was having trouble locating Charlie. You may remember Charlie from this post. Charlie has survived many battles with only minor battle scars. Sadly on this evening I was afraid he had finally lost the war, I found Charlie in the basement...beheaded and gutted.

(disclaimer-photo taken with cell phone and quickly hidden before Ben could witness the carnage)

I don't know what it is about dogs and little boy's lovies but Otto is just as bad, if not worse about stealing them than Kojak was. It's almost to the point of OCD with him.

I dreaded breaking the news to Ben as I knew in doing so it would break his heart. It went as horribly as I thought and we both shed tears. Him for the loss of his best friend and me the hole left in my little boy's heart. Being a mother really hurts sometimes.

After he went to bed I pulled out Charlie's remains for further inspection. Someone had given me the idea of reattaching him with a collar. So I dug through my ribbon stash and stayed up until 2am performing the reattachment and restuffing surgery by hand. Have I mentioned before that I am not a seamstress? I did the best I could, and in the end it turned out better than I thought it would. I snuck Charlie under Ben's arm when I went to bed.

The next morning Ben woke up flying down the hallway to show me how Charlie had shown up in his bed overnight. The huge smile on that boy's face was worth the bags I had under my eyes from staying up too late fixing him.

He may not look perfect, but to a 6yo's heart he is everything. And Curious George? Georgie is Alex's bedtime lovey and best friend, and yet another victim of Otto's jaws. He had to have a button cover for the small hole Otto ate in his face.

I think I may need to stock up on more needle and thread, or perhaps a muzzle for Otto?

seeing red

2010-09-24T20:07:00.003-04:00

I am growing my hair out (well, at least I am this week), but in the meantime got bored with it. So, I grabbed a box of Cinnaberry from my dear friend Ms. Clairol. What do you think?

I think I quite like it! The youngling doesn't care as long as he gets cuddles.

Ben proclaimed it awesome when he stepped off of the bus this afternoon. Now the question is how long before my poor tired husband notices after he gets home?

And one more just for fun trying out a different kind of vintage-y processing.

So do you feel the overwhelming and at times totally spontaneous need to make a change with the change of the season?

recent projects and thrifty finds

2010-09-15T10:36:00.002-04:00

I love a good thrifty find! For one I like to see the possibility, and another I'm cheap :)

Here is a chair I scored for $2. Don't you just love that orange vinyl seat? A can of red spray paint and some leftover material I had laying around resulted in this cute shabby chic new desk chair for my office.

I also took a little bit of black acrylic paint and rubbed around the edges and crevices to give it a bit of a distressed look.

I finally got around to making a curtain valance holder for the curtain I made well over a year ago.

I took a piece of trim wood, beat it with a chain and spray painted red (I'm getting a lot of use out of this can of red paint), then added these antique knobs I picked up for a quarter a piece. I originally wanted to use vintage door knobs, but all the ones I found were $20+.

My favorite find was this old bread box, circa 1950's. It was dirty, crooked, and only $5.

I whipped out a different color of spray paint this time. Along with a good cleaning, a few whacks on the side to straighten, and a fresh coating of a retro yellow I have a new bread box that looks quite at home on my kitchen counter. Well, it will when I get around to repainting or tiling the back splash.

If I decide to repaint to the back splash, it will be to this brighter tomato red color.

That is the main dining area. It took 6 coats of paint to cover an already red wall with a different shade of red. Who knew? I think I will prime the hallway 1st when I get ready to paint it. I still need to add a few photos to this wall, but I love how it has come together with the wall decal above with our family name!

A couple of weeks ago I came across this ugly chair at the thrift store. It was $12. It was ugly. But, it would be perfect as a photo prop to drag out in the middle of a field. I debated the purchase and ultimately left it behind. I have been on the search for a good ugly chair for quite some time, but most that I found were not the right kind of ugly or they wanted too much money for an ugly chair. After thinking about it I decided $12 was really not unreasonable and if I went back and it was still there 2 weeks later then I was meant to have it. Not only was it still there, but it had been marked down to $1. Score! Here's a sneak peek of Ben and Sylvester hanging out in the front yard.

isn't it gloriously ugly? I can't wait to use it this weekend with my upcoming family session I have scheduled!

crossing one off the bucket list

2010-09-15T09:06:00.002-04:00

Bucket lists, we all have them, the list of things you want to do/accomplish before you die. White water rafting has been a to do on my list for quite some time now. Thanks to my dear friend Kelley I was finally able to mark this one off.

Even though I am a big chicken at heart, even though I was petrified of getting tossed out of the raft, even though I was a bit worried that our guide was intoxicated, even though I was under the impression we would be given in depth instructions on how the heck to do this before being dumped in the water...I do not remember the last time I had so much fun!!

Turns out our guide was not intoxicated, he just exemplified 'The Dude' from the "The Big Lebowski" perfectly. He was an excellent guide to have...funny, relaxed, yet obviously very skilled at his profession. And you really don't need much instruction after all. You paddle when he tells you to paddle, and by golly when he yells to LEAN FORWARD, you lean forward. You know what happens when you fall out of the raft? You get wet, you climb back in. Huh. Why did I wait so long to do this? We are already planning to make this an annual adventure. I can't wait!

life: full circle

2010-08-15T22:43:00.002-04:00

This past weekend I was honored and humbled to bear witness to life full circle.

On Saturday morning I met my dear friend Kelley in Canton to photograph a benefit ride for Kylan Warren. There were at least 50 bikers there waiting to join in on the procession as it traveled from Georgia Power Headquarters in downtown Atlanta to Kylan's hometown of Ellijay.

Kylan was a 25 year old newlywed injured in a gas main explosion while working for Georgia Power. He received burns over 80% of his body along with other serious injuries and had been undergoing treatment at Grady Hospital for the past month. Sadly, Kylan passed on the eve of the benefit ride. What was to be a fundraising event became a touching tribute.

There were miles and miles of bikers. What struck me the most was all of the different types riders. They were all ages, young and old. They rode Harleys. They rode choppers. They rode crotch rockets. They rode luxurious Honda Gold Wings. It was a diverse group of people coming together for one cause, one person. It was awe inspiring.

I did not know Kylan Warren, but it is obvious that he was loved dearly by family, friends, and his community.

As if this tale was not tragic enough, earlier in the week one of the ride coordinators lost control of his bike during a test run of the route. He lost his wife and was seriously injured himself. After the bikers passed by Kelley and I rode down to the crash site where a memorial was placed in honor of Charlene Hyde.

If you have a spare moment, please include these families in your thoughts and prayers. I can not even begin to imagine the pain and hurt they must be going through.

It was very fitting that the first part of my day the sky was gray and overcast with light rain. And how symbolic that as the evening neared the sky cleared to blue skies and sunshine, just in time for a photo shoot I had booked. I was fortunate to spend the evening with a beautiful couple expecting their 3rd child.

On this day I celebrated a life lost and a life just beginning, full circle. It was a needed reminder that our time is short. We need to cherish every moment and make it count.

test subjects

2010-08-13T08:46:00.005-04:00

I have a couple of sessions coming up that are *gasp* not newborns, so I did a little scout around town for some neat locations to take them to. After finding some potential spots I gave the boys a quickie washcloth bath, a swipe with a comb, dressed them in matching white polos (which I am fairly certain will never be white again) and drug them out during the golden hour to test my lighting conditions.

I'd like to say I captured some beautiful Norman Rockwell portraits, but let's face it. They are boys. They are my boys. I went by myself without reinforcements to aid in keeping them somewhat focused on the task at hand. Still, I did manage to get some that I really love and will be filling up my walls with some very large prints.

Ben was far more interested in climbing the rocks instead of posing on them

he also wanted to be silly instead of serious

Alex was even more difficult to catch long enough to pose, but i love this one

this one is hands down my favorite from this location and possibly the whole evening!

After we left the rock waterfall, which ironically is actually a large fountain located in a business center parking lot, we headed over to an empty field so they could run some energy out. By then the setting sun light was a gorgeous orange glow!

you better believe this one is getting hung on the wall

sometimes they really do like each other

my precious boy bringing me clover flowers

and mini B not to be outdone had to bring me some too

i love this one! although, i am going to rework the processing when i have more time

another favorite! is it weird that i love his crooked little teeth?

coming to tickle me :)

We quickly started losing the sunlight by this point. I stopped off one more place before we headed home. I pass this old deserted tractor almost daily and have been wanting to get the boys on it. It was also a good time to try my hand at off camera flash lighting. I completely flew by the seat of my pants on how to set up and position the lighting, so I am quite pleased with the results. I still have a ton to learn and will definitely be giving it another go soon.

I wish I had a better camera to handle the noise of a mere 400 ISO. sigh.

Since I had subjected the boys to a torture, er photo session, I decided it was time to torture myself and attempt an updated profile picture for my business page. I am much more comfortable being behind the camera instead of in front, but it's done.

and I got this sweet bonus shot of me comforting Alex after he got a boo boo, I love it!

I can't wait to go to these locations with more cooperative subjects ;)

see this face?

2010-08-03T10:33:00.002-04:00

This is the face of a 1st grader. I don't think the magnitude of that hit me until last night while tucking him in bed and reminding him how he had to get up early for his first day of school as a 1st grader. Yes, he entered big boy school last year. But that was last year and he was in Kindergarten which is really an extension of the fun play of preschool with a bit more structure. Now he is in a numbered grade. Now he has an individual desk to sit at. Gone are the activity stations and toys scattered throughout the classroom. It's time for serious learning. Sigh. The time just goes by too quickly.

He was very excited this morning! He jumped straight up out of bed and diligently ate his breakfast and dressed. I know this will change and become more of a struggle as we get into the school year. I had to take the honorary picture of him on the front porch ready to go. He was showing off just a bit and trying to act all cool ;)

The spunkiness wore off as soon as we entered the school and the little boy that still resides in him clung hard and fast to my hand as we walked in. He started getting nervous and shy, he is his mother's child.

Once inside his classroom he froze. It would not have taken much for him to burst into tears and it took every ounce of strength in me to remain strong for him and not cry myself. I reassured him that the day would be great and he was going to have lots of fun just like last year. Once he had unloaded his backpack and taken his seat he was distracted with crayons and paper.

I know he will be just fine. I am excited for him, no matter how bittersweet it is for me. I slipped on my sunglasses as I hit the exit door to let a few tears roll down my cheeks.

Thank goodness Alex's birthday is in November so I get to steal an extra year from him before he starts school. I shudder to think what a mess I will be on that day!

cupie cutie ---> alfalfa

2010-07-24T13:18:00.002-04:00

Last night Tim combed Alex's hair out after bath. He gave him a rockin Alfalfa hairdo. In a fit of giggles I grabbed the camera and stuck him in front of the front door so I could have a good natural light source.

As soon as I snapped the shutter a memory snapped in my brain. I had taken a similiar picture of Alex when he was a baby. He had reminded me of a cupie doll then. So, I went digging on my blog and sure enough, almost exactly to the day 2 years ago....

His future wife is going to love me for these photos! :)

july's happenings

2010-07-21T08:42:00.001-04:00

Wow! I can't believe this is my 1st post for the month. I could list all of my excuses for being so slack, but the truth is I am a procrastinator. I keep putting things off until that nagging feeling finally does me in. Or I forget, which is more likely. Anyhoo, it's been a fun month around the Worthington house. We celebrated the 4th, Ben's birthday, the sun, a growing business, and life in general.

On the 4th we took the boys to the local fair. I honestly cannot tell you who had more fun there. This was both boys' 1st trip to some type of fair/carnival. It won't be the last!

The 1st ride was the roller coaster. The look on Ben's face causes me to laugh so hard every time I look at it, I cry.

They enjoyed riding the ferris wheel (can you see Alex peeking down from the top? no fear, that child.

The super fast twirling ride...I still have scabs and bruises from this ride.

The bumper cars were the favorite of the day!

Later that evening we shot of fireworks in the driveway. Alex squealed and danced with joy over each one!

Look at the joy and wonder. Amazing!

Ben's birthday was a quiet affair. His grandparents came up to share some Spongebob cake.

He really enjoyed his gifts of legos

A fish named Jerry. Really, who names a fish Jerry?

And his favorite gift, a pair of roller skates!

He has not taken them off since his birthday. He skates all through the house, all day long. I am impressed with how quickly he's picked it up. I am now on the market for a pair of skates for myself. I wonder if after 20+ years is it like riding a bicycle?

Alex did suffer from some minor jealousy issues during the day so he sought ways of grabbing some attention for himself :)

Overall our days have been filled with giggles, squabbles, silly antics and hugs. How can you not laugh with these faces around?

And when I am not busy taking pictures of my cuties, I am getting the opportunity to photograph other's precious ones. Here is a new favorite from my latest session.

I have my 1st maternity session scheduled for tomorrow and I couldn't be more excited!

I love my job....as a mommy and a photographer ♥

boys and bugs

2010-06-28T13:27:00.003-04:00

It's a good thing owning a macro lens has afforded me a slight appreciation for bugs. As the mother of boys it is inevitable that I will experience tiny hands thrusting many legged creatures in my face to oooh and awww over.

And they are quite adept at catching the little buggers of all sizes and species.

Ben has a bug catcher and has collected grasshoppers, ladybugs, ants, rolly pollys, lightening bugs, flies, and a few others I don't really care to know what they are. So far we've been able to convince him to release them each night so that the bug can return to his family...really, I'm just grateful not to have any bugs running loose in the house.

At least the butterflies are pretty. I love this shot of Alex and a Red-Spotted Purple, it's as if they are checking each other out.

i heart faces ♥ pets

2010-06-28T13:04:00.002-04:00

It's not the most artistic photo for the week's challenge at i heart faces, but it cracks me up! We were halfway through the cat food bag before I realized the striking resemblence between Sylvester and the cover kitty. And the way Sylvester is looking up, it reminds me of Dr. Seus's book "Are you my mother?".

For more furry cuteness head on over to check out the other entries!

a little of this and that

2010-06-22T07:46:00.003-04:00

I've been slacking in the blog department lately. With summertime comes little boys who want to spend every waking moment outside. They love to play and splash in the kiddie pool.

What a hot shot!

He does realize the water is only 6" deep, right??

When they aren't playing in the pool, they are riding bikes, playing ball, digging in the dirt, or begging for Popsicles.

Or just plain acting silly.

By the way, I am proud to report that the youngling is 100% potty trained! He hasn't had any accidents and has woken up dry from nap and bedtime for over a week now. I am so very happy to be done with diapers in this household!

"No mom, you can NOT take my picture in front of the pretty Hydrangeas"

Our garden is doing pretty well. We are starting to pull squash and zucchini off pretty much every day now. Sunday we had our 1st crop of green beans, just in time for Father's Day dinner, yum!

I've also started getting pretty busy with my photography business. I've had a session once a week for several weeks now and as a result I've been able to indulge in my long anticipated purchase of a new lens. Now to upgrade my camera body!

Here is a new favorite I took of this week old sweet pea, isn't he precious?!

I love that I get a chance to play with my camera and babies. It's a win, win situation!

i heart faces ♥ play

2010-06-07T17:47:00.003-04:00

The Folks Inside

Inside you, boy,
There's an old man sleepin',
Dreamin, waitin', for his chance.
Inside you, girl,
There's an old lady dozin',
Wantin' to show you a slower dance.

So keep on playin',
Keep on runnin',
Keep on jumpin' til the day
That those old folks
Down inside you
Wake up...and come out to play.

-Shel Silverstein, Falling Up

And oh how I love to watch their little imaginations at play! Hop on over to i heart faces to check out others' entries for this week's challenge 'play'.

yellow

2010-05-24T14:20:00.002-04:00

Yellow mop bucket. Yellow bus. Yellow shirt. Golden yellow haired boys. Golden yellow evening sun haze.

Yep, pretty sure I have this week's i heart faces 'yellow' theme challenge covered.

The best part though is the pure joy captured on their faces. Oh to be a kid again!

my mother's day wish

2010-05-10T18:47:00.005-04:00

All I really wanted for Mother's Day was a photo of me and my boys. I even thought how fun it would be to start a new tradition of taking our photo under my gift, the weeping willow. Each year I could watch how the boys and tree grow. Pretty neat, huh?

Well, in the infamous words of Mick Jagger...you can't always get what you want. Especially when you have 2 high energy little boys with agendas all their own. In my 1st attempt Alex wouldn't give up his coke without screaming his head off, so I gave it back. Ben decided it would be much more fun to show his butt (yes, literally) instead of hugging me sweetly.

The result....an out of focus pic with a cola crazed babe, a butt wagging boy, and a less than impressed mama. Yep, the look on my face says it all.

I'm pretty sure I won't be hanging this one over the fireplace.

But I will look back at it and smile.

I'll smile because it will remind me of my boys' wild, silly, oddball ways at this age. And they will only be this age once.

I did enjoy my day spending time with them. Listening to Ben tell his funny (only in his world) jokes.

And occasionally catching the wild one long enough for a snuggle.

Maybe I'll just frame these two images, side by side and hang them on the wall. It's almost my wish come true.

i heart faces ♥ celebrating mom

2010-05-10T08:41:00.003-04:00

This week's theme at i heart faces is "Celebrating Mom". I knew immediately the perfect image to enter!

I have been slowly building up my newborn portfolio for launching my photography business. Each session has been full of challenges, disappointments, learning experiences, and occasional successes. This session was no different. Baby Sam was so beautiful, but he was not really interested in being away from mom's loving embrace. At all. We spent more time on breaks than actual shooting. While I was waiting to try again I noticed the light falling down on mom and baby, it was just perfect. I snapped a few pics and the minute I did I knew it was right.

Later during post processing I was moved to tears by the connection I captured between mother and son. This is what I am striving for in my images, the emotional connection. I feel confident in saying this was a success. What an all encompassing example of motherhood...nurturing, loving, tender, caring, comforting. Baby Sam is a lucky boy!

(and I'm more than a little jealous that I don't have a similar image of myself and my babes during this special time)

Be sure to check out the other great and moving entries over at i heart faces. I have a feeling a Kleenex will be needed, but then again I'm a cry baby like that.