How to...

How to end a really shitty day...well, if I'm honest...it's been a really shitty past 10 days or so...

1. Load up the car with the kids, and the stuff you sent the hubby to the store for.

2. Drive to the local beach without telling the kids where they are going.

3. Build a fire, spread out the sand toys and get out the s'mores supplies.

4. Just be.

5. Continue to just be. For a couple hours.

Ending the day like this is HIGHLY recommended for the soul.

{Dana}

Girl

She is silly. Sillier by the day. (She wasn't really scared here, just acting. Though the blood curdling screams tended to tell otherwise.)

She likes thrill rides. All of a sudden. The Gravitron (and all it's variations) is her favorite ride at the carnival. She'll ride it over and over and over...well, you get the picture.

She is learning to laugh at herself. Gone is the self loathing and self pity that used to accompany potentially embarrassing moments. Like missing at the KIDDIE game. Now, that was hilarious!

She adores her daddy. She looks forward to their "Daddy-Daughter Dates". She becomes quite the Chatty Cathy when you ask her "how was it?" when they return. You must hear every detail. And I do. And I love it. I hope she knows just how blessed she is to have such a great dad. I think she's beginning to get it.

She is CRAZY BEAUTIFUL.

Like that photo above.

How can she still be so dang beautiful when acting crazy?

The world may not be ready for her, but she is getting ready for the world.

I love you baby. Grow slowly.

Boy

That one on the left is his "baby kangaroo" and the one on the left is a "crescent moon".
Or so he tells me.

Lucky they're cute...

When I have days like today, well week's like this week...let's be honest here-annd it's only Tuesday, people-I like to see things like this, to remind me that not every day will be this rough.

Here's looking toward tomorrow.

Because I Suck...

Jeez.

I owe you peeps big time.

Is anyone even there anymore???

I don't blame you if you aren't.

So...to just jump headlong in, I'll just pick up right where I am right now.

Busy.

Busy with life. And decisions. And being okay making them or not making them just yet.

I have been flexing my creative muscles and my shutter finger at the same time.

Laughing at the kids singing their versions of that annoying commercial's jingle "I wear no pants...I wwweeee-aaarr no pants"...the girl sings it pretty standard, but the boy? The boy is usually a different story. So, par for the course he sings it "I wear no sweats. I weeeeaaa---rrr no sweats".

I know.

And just now, I heard him saying in a teasing voice to his sister, something about "poop on you" and "baby poop and baby diapers". Who knows? I'm not even going to ask what that was about, as I am pretty sure I don't want to know.

Let the crazy continue.

And I am relishing every moment.

Also...I'll leave you with this image...this is how most days end around here. Covered in band-aids. This one is from a day spent with fellow photog friends at a local park, and the boy, of course, ATE IT. HARD. There was screaming. As usual.

And "mommy's special band aids".

Wordless Wednesday ~ Easter Morning

Wordless Wednesday ~ SQUIRREL

Wordless Wednesday: Puppy Love

Wordless Wednesday ~ Like Glass

We Heart Kisses ~ Double Duty

This post serves double duty!

I have been meaning to post pictures of the kids from our Valentine's Day mini sessions...I was doing other clients' photos so I photographed my kids as well. :) Then I visited I Heart Faces today and this week's photo challenge is "We Heart Kisses", so it was just the swift kick in the patootie that I apparently needed. So, now you get to see them and I get to enter the challenge.

This one is for I Heart Faces (that's where the double duty comes in, remember?) this So here is my entry for the challenge:

The boy really does love her...he's just going through a stage where, because he knows she hates it, he won't bestow any lip kisses for her (or allow her to give him any!), and physically turns her face (or in this case, he turns HIS face away) so he can have access to her cheek. She laughed so hard! As did the rest of us! Then the "aaaahhhh" and "ooooh! so sweet" comments ensued when he planted a big one on her cheek.

And this one...is a bonus for your viewing pleasure. Just because it is one of my favorites of the day -- and I like you. :)

I'll post more later...probably on Valentine's Day. :)

Wordless Wednesday

Love Thursday

He really does love her.......just on his own terms!
I love that they truly adore each other. His face lights up when she gets home from school, and she hugs him intensely...until five minutes pass and I'm screaming at them both to JUST GET ALONG DAMMIT!

Wordless Wednesday: Preschooler "Present" Style

I Heart Faces...Tooshie Style

This may not make much sense to you, but then again, maybe it will. :)

I Heart Faces is a photography blog that I lurk on, but am usually too chicken to enter any of my work in their challenges...well, today is a new day.

Week 47's challenge is "We Heart Tooshies"...so here is the one I am going to enter.

I love this photo from our Urban shoot in August. I heart my volunteer models (and their patience). :)

Wordless Wednesday: Channeling Al Bundy

Vampire Love

I have read the Twilight saga, I am fully ensconced in the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire series, and am truly, madly, deeply in love with Showtime's TrueBlood series.

(P.S. I read the books WAY before the show was in production talks, I will have you know.)

And while I won't jump on my sturdy soapbox for my love or hate for any of the aforementioned entertainment, I did want to share with you the vampires I am, and will always be, enamored with.

I am positive you will love them too (if you don't already!).

*Someone found a victim...

No Dice

I didn't make it to the top 10 this month, but will keep trying. :)
You should still go here and vote for one of the finalists.
Good luck choosing just one, as there are so many talented folks out there!

Greeplepix Photo Contest

I have not previously been a huge fan of intentionally putting my "talent" out there for anonymous criticism. But in my efforts to allow myself to be vulnerable, and to build my self esteem, I have entered the following photo in the Greeblepix Contest (over at Greeblemonkey) for the month of October.


This month has no theme so I allowed Beast to assist me in the selection. He loves this picture of the girl. It's not the best technical example of my talent and skill but I love it as well, even with its imperfections -- maybe because of them.

So...If I get to the second phase, I'll expect you people to vote for me! :) I'll keep you posted...

Love Thursday, Opposite Style

I parked my car today and looked up.

And saw this:

Do you know what that is??

No? Here, try to see beyond the beautiful blue sky and puffy white clouds...take another look:

There are rust and pumpkin and goldenrod leaves hidden amongst the green and blue and white.

That, my friends, is the first sign of Fall here in my neck of the woods.

Twilight is upon us earlier and earlier, which always takes me by surprise. School started this week (post about that later, when I can wrap my head around it all), but this? This, I wasn't ready for. I don't know why...I just wasn't. I'm not prepared. I have enjoyed this summer with the Girl and the Boy - unemployment is bittersweet - and while I love Fall in the Pacific Northwest and all the wonderful beauty it brings to our landscape, it holds the tale-tell signs that Winter is lurking around the corner. Me? Not a fan of Winter. Why? It's simple really: I hate snow. Snow brings cold. Not a fan of being cold, therefore not a fan of Winter. Must I repeat myself? Heh.

Watch out for the signs of Fall coming at you in full regalia. They are everywhere. I know I'll find the beauty and truly enjoy it once it has settled in, but for now, I am fighting tooth and nail (accompanied by a little pouting) to enjoy the limited days of Summer we have left. I'm not ready to let go of Summer. Enjoy it with me, everyone.

Wordless Wednesday AKA The Boy Thinks He's Funny