Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wordless Wednesday: Into the Gardens
How lucky am I that my little man begs me to go see the flowers at Longwood Gardens. How can I say no?
Monday, March 28, 2011
Joy of Luck: Day 5 and 6 - Who Brings Me Luck
I'm playing catch up. Technically, Willette Designs' Joy of Luck series has ended, but I thought I would take some time to blog about my last few pictures from this online photography course.For our fifth day of the class, we were to photograph what has brought us luck. "What in your life has brought you the most luck or blessings? When, in your life, do you believe that your life became filled with luck, blessings and joy?"
I'm certain that every parent participating in this series quickly snapped a picture of their children. I did. My children have taught me more about patience, empathy, and creativity than I ever could have imagined. I am more in balance since becoming a mother. Becoming a parent forced me to get outside of my head, to leave my inhibitions at the door, and embrace glee. My children don't care if I haven't applied mascara or am wearing the same jeans as I did yesterday. My boys just want to spend time with me. And I find that the more time I spend playing in the sandbox, giving horsey rides, and blowing raspberries, the happier I am. I am a better me when I spend time with my kids. The poetry in my two year old's observations, the quick smile and giggle of my 6 month old son, make my heart leap. My children are my saving grace.
And Day 6 of the series has me reflecting on who has been a blessing in my life. This is another easy prompt. I wouldn't have all that I do, be who I am without the love and support of my husband. I've mentioned this before, but for some reason I'm always a little hesitant to share that I've known my husband since I was 12. In eighth grade we would write stories in Mrs. Zeinstra's English class poking fun of one another, eager to read our creative fiction aloud to the class just to work in a playful jab. But we didn't date until we were almost out of high school. We went to separate colleges, pursued our separate academic interests, but always stayed connected. 
He pushes me to be better, to try new things, to embrace the world. He challenges me to be a better writer, a better thinker. And he calls me on my bad habits and surprises me with gentle kisses. He is always there for me in just the way I need him to be. And I need to remember to thank him more often for these blessings.Thursday, March 24, 2011
Joy of Luck: Day 4 - Material Girl
I know, I have it running through my head now, too. 'Cause we are living in a material world, and I am a material...a material...a material girl. Living in a material...
Sorry, it was the first thing that popped in my head when I read Willette Designs' Joy of Luck assignment for Day 4 of her online photography series. Today I am photographing seven favorite things. "We are all so fortunate for what we have materially. We’re lucky to have these material objects. Let’s focus on our luck and blessings today – capture your favorite seven objects!"
So using the macro lens setting on my camera, as suggested by our lesson, I tried to capture some of my favorite items, those that tell a story about my life.
The Buddha incense burner was a birthday gift from my husband just before we were married. What I love is how he presented the gift to me. At the time, we were just about to get married and also knew that we would be moving from Michigan, where literally all of our immediate and extended family lived to Pittsburgh. He bought the little Buddha from a store just blocks from our first apartment together, a studio in an old house in Kalamazoo. You need to light a charcol tablet and sprinkle powdered incense onto the ember in order to watch the incense send smoke waves from the base of the Buddha. But so the burner does not get too hot, the charcol tablet rests in some sand inside the burner. My husband collected a small jar of sand from the beaches in northern Michigan that I grew up swimming in, knowing how hard it was for me to move away from the lakes and the land I love. It seems so silly, but it was so incredibly thoughtful for him to think of collecting this sand just before we moved away, a sort of physical reminder of home every time we lit some incense.
The hair dryer is just cool. I like to collect vintage items. I have a 1940s typewriter, the same model Hemingway used, a Royal. And another Royal from the 60s. And this hair dryer, from the 1950s, I found for $14 in a thrift store. And, it actually works, not that I would recommend it.
The quilt is one that I have used as a play mat with both my boys. It was my quilt when I was an infant. You can tell it's from the 70's with all the polyester material, and I adore it. My mom made it for me, and she passed it on to her grandchildren. It is not some family heirloom to be packed away and never seen. The way we love this item is to use it every day. And we do.
Another treasured item, okay this is a picture of two treasured items in one shot, one old and one new, is the photo in the upper left corner. The little dog was a Christmas gift from my mom to my eldest son. She stitched him with care, bought an actual dog collar for him, and one day while in a dollar store my, dad found a keychain with my son's name on it that my mom turned into the puppy's name tag. My son does not have the most common name, named after his great-grandfather, my dad's dad. The same great-grandfather that bought my father the chair that the puppy sits in. It was my father's childhood rocking chair, then mine, and now my son's. The puppy sits in his rocking chair in our living room, family treasures, old and new.
So are the rings - old and new. The peridot ring is from the 1940s. My husband secretly started his own Etsy account and found this vintage ring for me as a Valentine's gift, the peridot being the birthstone of my youngest son. The other ring did not always have a sapphire at its center. My husband had this little ring, that I've worn every day since he got it for me over 16 years ago, reset following the birth of our first son in September a couple of years ago. And you can tell from this picture that it is a well-worn ring. My husband gave me this ring, originally set with an opal, as a gift our first Christmas together. We were both 18 and in our first year of college. I have worn it every day since.
The spools of thread sit in an antique sewing chest my mother-in-law refinished for us. I love to sew. This was not always true. My mom first taught me to sew at 8 when she volunteered to help out with a local 4-H sewing group. At first, I loved it. But as I became a teenager, I wasn't as fond of sitting down to sew my own homecoming dresses. But looking back, I'm so glad this is something my mom taught me. I can create, I can craft with a needle and thread. My mom sewed my wedding dress. She has made my children clothes and toys. There is joy in making something, in sewing something that people will always remember and treasure. I made the quilt on my son's bed. And a blanket for my youngest son. I look forward to stitching together outfits and toys for my boys, that is, if their grandma doesn't beat me to it!
And the last picture, the elephant candle holder doesn't have an elaborate family connection like the other pieces. I bought this on a whim for myself. I love this piece, mother and child. Beautifully carved, they look comfortable, connected. The mother elephant seems content in herself. I look at this piece to remind me that it is our connections with others that make us beautiful. She reminds me to be thankful for my connections with my children and my connections with my loved ones.
So there you have it - seven material objects which I am thankful for.
Sorry, it was the first thing that popped in my head when I read Willette Designs' Joy of Luck assignment for Day 4 of her online photography series. Today I am photographing seven favorite things. "We are all so fortunate for what we have materially. We’re lucky to have these material objects. Let’s focus on our luck and blessings today – capture your favorite seven objects!"
So using the macro lens setting on my camera, as suggested by our lesson, I tried to capture some of my favorite items, those that tell a story about my life.
The Buddha incense burner was a birthday gift from my husband just before we were married. What I love is how he presented the gift to me. At the time, we were just about to get married and also knew that we would be moving from Michigan, where literally all of our immediate and extended family lived to Pittsburgh. He bought the little Buddha from a store just blocks from our first apartment together, a studio in an old house in Kalamazoo. You need to light a charcol tablet and sprinkle powdered incense onto the ember in order to watch the incense send smoke waves from the base of the Buddha. But so the burner does not get too hot, the charcol tablet rests in some sand inside the burner. My husband collected a small jar of sand from the beaches in northern Michigan that I grew up swimming in, knowing how hard it was for me to move away from the lakes and the land I love. It seems so silly, but it was so incredibly thoughtful for him to think of collecting this sand just before we moved away, a sort of physical reminder of home every time we lit some incense.
The hair dryer is just cool. I like to collect vintage items. I have a 1940s typewriter, the same model Hemingway used, a Royal. And another Royal from the 60s. And this hair dryer, from the 1950s, I found for $14 in a thrift store. And, it actually works, not that I would recommend it.
The quilt is one that I have used as a play mat with both my boys. It was my quilt when I was an infant. You can tell it's from the 70's with all the polyester material, and I adore it. My mom made it for me, and she passed it on to her grandchildren. It is not some family heirloom to be packed away and never seen. The way we love this item is to use it every day. And we do.
Another treasured item, okay this is a picture of two treasured items in one shot, one old and one new, is the photo in the upper left corner. The little dog was a Christmas gift from my mom to my eldest son. She stitched him with care, bought an actual dog collar for him, and one day while in a dollar store my, dad found a keychain with my son's name on it that my mom turned into the puppy's name tag. My son does not have the most common name, named after his great-grandfather, my dad's dad. The same great-grandfather that bought my father the chair that the puppy sits in. It was my father's childhood rocking chair, then mine, and now my son's. The puppy sits in his rocking chair in our living room, family treasures, old and new.
So are the rings - old and new. The peridot ring is from the 1940s. My husband secretly started his own Etsy account and found this vintage ring for me as a Valentine's gift, the peridot being the birthstone of my youngest son. The other ring did not always have a sapphire at its center. My husband had this little ring, that I've worn every day since he got it for me over 16 years ago, reset following the birth of our first son in September a couple of years ago. And you can tell from this picture that it is a well-worn ring. My husband gave me this ring, originally set with an opal, as a gift our first Christmas together. We were both 18 and in our first year of college. I have worn it every day since.
The spools of thread sit in an antique sewing chest my mother-in-law refinished for us. I love to sew. This was not always true. My mom first taught me to sew at 8 when she volunteered to help out with a local 4-H sewing group. At first, I loved it. But as I became a teenager, I wasn't as fond of sitting down to sew my own homecoming dresses. But looking back, I'm so glad this is something my mom taught me. I can create, I can craft with a needle and thread. My mom sewed my wedding dress. She has made my children clothes and toys. There is joy in making something, in sewing something that people will always remember and treasure. I made the quilt on my son's bed. And a blanket for my youngest son. I look forward to stitching together outfits and toys for my boys, that is, if their grandma doesn't beat me to it!
And the last picture, the elephant candle holder doesn't have an elaborate family connection like the other pieces. I bought this on a whim for myself. I love this piece, mother and child. Beautifully carved, they look comfortable, connected. The mother elephant seems content in herself. I look at this piece to remind me that it is our connections with others that make us beautiful. She reminds me to be thankful for my connections with my children and my connections with my loved ones.So there you have it - seven material objects which I am thankful for.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Joy of Luck: Day 3 - Lucky Me
I'm having a great time reflecting on my luck and how lucky I am to be thankful for so much as I participate in Willette Designs current Joy of Luck photography series. Day 3 of the email course has me looking for lucky objects.
Now I'm not one who believes too much in luck. I'm skeptical that any object has the power to change what will inevitably happen in our lives. Although that said, I'm also not someone who believes that everything we get in life, good or bad, is wholly because of what we've done to deserve it. It is chance that I was born to parents who valued education. It was chance that I was born to a supportive family. I am who I am today, in part, because of the sheer luck that I was born when and where I was born. I could just have easily had a much more difficult upbringing as result of being born into different circumstances. So I am thankful for the luck that I've had. But I still don't place too much faith in lucky talismans.
However, there are a few hanging around our home. There's the lucky quarter given to us on our wedding day by a friend of a friend, someone we had never met prior to our wedding. But for whatever reason, we've hung onto that quarter through five moves, two children, and nearly 13 years of marriage. There's the whole anise star that sits atop our refrigerator. We've saved it for years because someone at some point told us that a whole anise star brings luck and is a symbol for fertility, and having gotten pregnant nearly the second we decided to have children, I'm beginning to wonder if in fact the anise does have some sort of power. And then there's Ganesha.
This little wooden statue, only about two-inches tall, was a childhood gift to my husband from his parents. They found it during a trip, not to India, but somewhere more midwestern, and brought it back as a little token for him. And for some reason, the statue has almost always found a home on a window sill wherever we happened to be living. Currently he calls the window sill in our study home. This is mainly because our desk blocks easy access to the window sill, making it impossible for my children to grab our lucky little elephant. This wasn't always the case. As you can see, the top of the statue has broken off, thanks to an unlucky encounter with my two year old son who loves Ganesha and el-a-fanties in general.
It's funny. We're not a particularly religious family but my two year old son knows the story of Ganesha, Parvati's child, the one she wanted so desperately that she created him out of the sweat and dirt of her body. The child that her husband, Shiva, was so surprised by that he accidentally cut off the child's head. Realizing his terrible mistake, Shiva replaced the child's head with the nearest he could find, an elephant's head. And the child, Ganesha, lived. So lucky that he survived, Ganesha, is a symbol of good luck, the clearer of obstacles. He is prayed to first by Hindus before beginning any ceremony or event.
My son loves this story from his little (very cool) Hindu deities book. And the statue and story remind me just how lucky I am to be raising a son who is already so interested in other cultures, especially in their stories. He doesn't judge. He gobbles up the the world, hungry for more stories, wanting to learn more. How lucky am I!
Now I'm not one who believes too much in luck. I'm skeptical that any object has the power to change what will inevitably happen in our lives. Although that said, I'm also not someone who believes that everything we get in life, good or bad, is wholly because of what we've done to deserve it. It is chance that I was born to parents who valued education. It was chance that I was born to a supportive family. I am who I am today, in part, because of the sheer luck that I was born when and where I was born. I could just have easily had a much more difficult upbringing as result of being born into different circumstances. So I am thankful for the luck that I've had. But I still don't place too much faith in lucky talismans. However, there are a few hanging around our home. There's the lucky quarter given to us on our wedding day by a friend of a friend, someone we had never met prior to our wedding. But for whatever reason, we've hung onto that quarter through five moves, two children, and nearly 13 years of marriage. There's the whole anise star that sits atop our refrigerator. We've saved it for years because someone at some point told us that a whole anise star brings luck and is a symbol for fertility, and having gotten pregnant nearly the second we decided to have children, I'm beginning to wonder if in fact the anise does have some sort of power. And then there's Ganesha.
This little wooden statue, only about two-inches tall, was a childhood gift to my husband from his parents. They found it during a trip, not to India, but somewhere more midwestern, and brought it back as a little token for him. And for some reason, the statue has almost always found a home on a window sill wherever we happened to be living. Currently he calls the window sill in our study home. This is mainly because our desk blocks easy access to the window sill, making it impossible for my children to grab our lucky little elephant. This wasn't always the case. As you can see, the top of the statue has broken off, thanks to an unlucky encounter with my two year old son who loves Ganesha and el-a-fanties in general.
It's funny. We're not a particularly religious family but my two year old son knows the story of Ganesha, Parvati's child, the one she wanted so desperately that she created him out of the sweat and dirt of her body. The child that her husband, Shiva, was so surprised by that he accidentally cut off the child's head. Realizing his terrible mistake, Shiva replaced the child's head with the nearest he could find, an elephant's head. And the child, Ganesha, lived. So lucky that he survived, Ganesha, is a symbol of good luck, the clearer of obstacles. He is prayed to first by Hindus before beginning any ceremony or event. My son loves this story from his little (very cool) Hindu deities book. And the statue and story remind me just how lucky I am to be raising a son who is already so interested in other cultures, especially in their stories. He doesn't judge. He gobbles up the the world, hungry for more stories, wanting to learn more. How lucky am I!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Joy of Luck: Day 2 - Going Green
I love having these daily photography prompts. It is a reminder to capture, snap up all the little and big things I have to be thankful for, to capture for a future me the life I am so thankful for today.
And since March is a celebration of all things green - St. Patrick's Day, clovers, and first blooms - today's prompt from Willette Designs has me snapping pictures of everything from limes to lawn.
"Green is also symbolically the color for newness, new beginnings, spring and life.And so I click away - pictures of the newly emerged crocus, of new craft projects, and new adventures in potty training.
Joy of Luck: Day 1
Willette Designs is offering another online photography course through email. Okay, she's been offering it for almost a week now, but I'm just now finding time to reflect on the assignments and the photos I've been clicking.Our assignment is to focus on a gift we take for granted. What inanimate object or concept do we take for granted on a daily basis? What would someone who is not as fortunate say about my good fortune to have such a thing in my life? We are to focus on our blessings, focus on the opportunities I have everyday that are an unforeseen blessing in my life.
I know exactly what I want to photograph as soon as I finish reading this assignment in my email inbox. I know just how incredibly fortunate I am to be able to take a year away from my teaching position in order to stay at home with my two boys. So many people do not have the means or the opportunity to do what I can this year. And even greater than that, I am so fortunate to have a supportive husband that gives me time and means to immerse myself in my passions outside of teaching - namely, crafting. My glue gun, sewing machine, crafts paints and papers have been collecting dust in the back of a closet for years. That is until this year. Taking time away from teaching high school English has opened up a world of crafting for me. I started my own baby gifts business, started a new blog, and have been creating up a storm. I am so incredibly lucky to have time to be passionate, to be creative, to sew, to craft, to create.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Join Me!
So if you've been following my blog, you know that last month I participated in Willette Design's online photography series called the Joy of Love, a free course with instructions and inspiration through a daily email. Each day we learned a new photography skill and used it to capture a photo of our daily theme.
Well, now Willette Designs is offering a free Joy of Luck series. Here's how she describes the series,
Join me! Sign up today because the class begins March 16. Sign up HERE!
Well, now Willette Designs is offering a free Joy of Luck series. Here's how she describes the series, "This is a FREE one week online photo inspiration class where i email you a daily prompt to help you explore and document in photos all that you are lucky for in your life – we will explore the blessings that life has brought to us."You choose the extent you want to participate, and Willette Designs has put together a number of helpful tutorials, tips, and venues for sharing your work. Here's what the series consists of:
- a daily email photo prompt
- a flickr group to share the photos
- photo tutorials/how-tos
- daily shot lists that correlate to the day’s topic/lesson
Join me! Sign up today because the class begins March 16. Sign up HERE!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Joy of Love: Catching Up
I was doing well staying on top of my daily Joy of Love photo assignments, posting, blogging, sharing each day. That is until our home was hit by the nasty winter bug going around. I was the only one spared. I thank years of teaching for exposing me to nearly ever virus and potential biological weapon on the planet. My antibodies are awesome. And I will say that my kids didn't seem to catch the bug as bad as my husband did, so maybe some of my super antibodies have been passed on to my little guys. Another benefit of breastfeeding!
But my camera was always handy, even while I was playing nursemaid. So here are some of my pics and reflections from the last week of the Joy of Love Project.
Day 21 - Hands
I know what I want to capture for this assignment, but it is a struggle to capture, both because my youngest is a wiggle worm and because it is an incredibly awkward shot. I would love to have a photo of my youngest's hands as I see them most often, gently cupping my skin as he nurses. This is an incredibly hard photo to take (tastefully) while I'm breastfeeding my youngest. So this was as close as I got to a clear shot.
But I also wanted a picture of my eldest son's hands. He's still so little, but already has his father's big hands. And his nails tell the story of his day. Today, they still have finger paint under them after a morning of creative mess making. And I can tell he's not feeling well because his hands have been in his mouth all day, a sure sign that he's got some sinus pressure.
Day 22 - Portrait
Our assignment today is to use lighting and angles to capture the face of a loved one. The UPS delivery driver was a bit surprised this afternoon when he dropped off a package outside our front door. I had pulled a chair up to our glass storm door and was waving a red bib to both direct little Luke's attention and make him smile. This smile came easily as our cat Moxie also found the bib intriguing and was launching herself into the air after it. The UPS driver thought we were quite insane. But it made for a great portrait!
Day 23 - Facebook
Our assignment for Day 23 of Willette Designs' Joy of Love series is to pull a Facebook photo or a cell phone pic and print it. Keep track of these spontaneous moments.
This pic, taken of my two year old, is from a few months ago, but it perfectly captures him. He is goofy. He is wide-eyed. And, notice the bib, he loves to eat!
Day 24 - Where Love Began
Day 24 of the Joy of Love series has me photographing where love began. I've been mulling this assignment over for days.
This is it. It began in this room. Before my oldest son was born, my husband, the artist of the two of us, grabbed a pencil and began sketching on the walls of our soon-to-be nursery. I painted in his creations - bear, bees, birds, and frogs bound across the walls in the room both my boys now share.
In the bottom portion of the picture is an afghan on top of the boys' dresser. Shortly after my first son was born, my mom dusted off boxes of baby items, stored for over thirty years, surviving four moves, and travelling hundreds of miles. Among the items was my baby afghan. Saved with care, passed on with love.
And there are bears everywhere in this room. The teddy bear comfortably resting in the corner of the frame is a gift, handmade by my mom, given to my youngest son. The very loved bear nestled in by my sleeping son was a first Christmas gift from an aunt. The bear watching over him, the first toy I bought my son. He now calls this his "baby" bear and pretends that it is his brother on occasion.
There is so much love in this room. There is so much to love in this room. This is where love began.
Day 25 - When You Love Them The Most
Our whole family loves to be outdoors. My son loves rocks, mud, and earthworms. So does his dad. This weekend was surprisingly warm for the end of February, a rare opportunity to get outside without the layers upon layers of clothing to explore. So we piled the family in the car and headed over to our local arboretum for an afternoon in the woods.
This picture captures why it is that I love my husband so much. He is sick. You can see it in his eyes. He's got a horrible sinus infection. But it was just too beautiful of a day to pass up. He loves watching our two year old make new discoveries. Loves making them with him. Like this pine cone the two of them found together.
This isn't the best picture of the two of them, but it captures just what I love about my husband and my son.
Day 26 - The Bromance
I feel so fortunate. I've heard horror stories of how older siblings react when mommy and daddy bring home a new little life. My mom repeatedly tells the story of how I regressed when my baby sister came home. Already potty trained at two, I apparently took to pooping in corners shortly after my sister arrived. Fortunately, nothing like this happened when we brought our newest little addition home in August. Instead of jealousy, my oldest son is fascinated with making his younger brother giggle, doing anything he can to get a big, gurgling laugh out of our little man. I do find myself repeatedly calling "gentle...GENTLE!" but it is mostly because the two year old is hugging the baby a bit too tightly. And the baby just watches his older brother with fascination, flashing him huge, toothless grins ever chance he gets.
I can already tell they will be best of friends.
Day 27 - What They Say
Our assignment for Day 27 of Willette Designs' Joy of Love series is to capture what a loved one says. My two....wait, two and a half year old picks up new vocabulary everywhere. I'm constantly surprised by the words, phrases, and sentences that spill from his little lips. I love the way that he strings his new found words together to make meaning of his world.
"Look, mommy. The flag is sleeping," he points to the flag at the center of town that droops without the wind to awaken it. "Mommy, the moon sleeps at day. Crazy, huh!" At night, his dad will take him outside just before his bedtime to lift him high in the air and my son will try to catch the moon. It is a nightly ritual. And each night my son decides that the moon should stay in the sky so everyone can enjoy it.
My two year is more poetic than I will ever be. I love to listen to him play with words.
Day 28 - The Future
This one needs to be its own post. So watch for it soon!
But my camera was always handy, even while I was playing nursemaid. So here are some of my pics and reflections from the last week of the Joy of Love Project.
Day 21 - Hands
I know what I want to capture for this assignment, but it is a struggle to capture, both because my youngest is a wiggle worm and because it is an incredibly awkward shot. I would love to have a photo of my youngest's hands as I see them most often, gently cupping my skin as he nurses. This is an incredibly hard photo to take (tastefully) while I'm breastfeeding my youngest. So this was as close as I got to a clear shot.
But I also wanted a picture of my eldest son's hands. He's still so little, but already has his father's big hands. And his nails tell the story of his day. Today, they still have finger paint under them after a morning of creative mess making. And I can tell he's not feeling well because his hands have been in his mouth all day, a sure sign that he's got some sinus pressure.Day 22 - Portrait
Our assignment today is to use lighting and angles to capture the face of a loved one. The UPS delivery driver was a bit surprised this afternoon when he dropped off a package outside our front door. I had pulled a chair up to our glass storm door and was waving a red bib to both direct little Luke's attention and make him smile. This smile came easily as our cat Moxie also found the bib intriguing and was launching herself into the air after it. The UPS driver thought we were quite insane. But it made for a great portrait!Day 23 - Facebook
Our assignment for Day 23 of Willette Designs' Joy of Love series is to pull a Facebook photo or a cell phone pic and print it. Keep track of these spontaneous moments.This pic, taken of my two year old, is from a few months ago, but it perfectly captures him. He is goofy. He is wide-eyed. And, notice the bib, he loves to eat!
Day 24 - Where Love Began
Day 24 of the Joy of Love series has me photographing where love began. I've been mulling this assignment over for days.
This is it. It began in this room. Before my oldest son was born, my husband, the artist of the two of us, grabbed a pencil and began sketching on the walls of our soon-to-be nursery. I painted in his creations - bear, bees, birds, and frogs bound across the walls in the room both my boys now share. 
In the bottom portion of the picture is an afghan on top of the boys' dresser. Shortly after my first son was born, my mom dusted off boxes of baby items, stored for over thirty years, surviving four moves, and travelling hundreds of miles. Among the items was my baby afghan. Saved with care, passed on with love.
And there are bears everywhere in this room. The teddy bear comfortably resting in the corner of the frame is a gift, handmade by my mom, given to my youngest son. The very loved bear nestled in by my sleeping son was a first Christmas gift from an aunt. The bear watching over him, the first toy I bought my son. He now calls this his "baby" bear and pretends that it is his brother on occasion. There is so much love in this room. There is so much to love in this room. This is where love began.
Day 25 - When You Love Them The Most
Our whole family loves to be outdoors. My son loves rocks, mud, and earthworms. So does his dad. This weekend was surprisingly warm for the end of February, a rare opportunity to get outside without the layers upon layers of clothing to explore. So we piled the family in the car and headed over to our local arboretum for an afternoon in the woods.This picture captures why it is that I love my husband so much. He is sick. You can see it in his eyes. He's got a horrible sinus infection. But it was just too beautiful of a day to pass up. He loves watching our two year old make new discoveries. Loves making them with him. Like this pine cone the two of them found together.
This isn't the best picture of the two of them, but it captures just what I love about my husband and my son.
Day 26 - The Bromance
I feel so fortunate. I've heard horror stories of how older siblings react when mommy and daddy bring home a new little life. My mom repeatedly tells the story of how I regressed when my baby sister came home. Already potty trained at two, I apparently took to pooping in corners shortly after my sister arrived. Fortunately, nothing like this happened when we brought our newest little addition home in August. Instead of jealousy, my oldest son is fascinated with making his younger brother giggle, doing anything he can to get a big, gurgling laugh out of our little man. I do find myself repeatedly calling "gentle...GENTLE!" but it is mostly because the two year old is hugging the baby a bit too tightly. And the baby just watches his older brother with fascination, flashing him huge, toothless grins ever chance he gets.I can already tell they will be best of friends.
Day 27 - What They Say
Our assignment for Day 27 of Willette Designs' Joy of Love series is to capture what a loved one says. My two....wait, two and a half year old picks up new vocabulary everywhere. I'm constantly surprised by the words, phrases, and sentences that spill from his little lips. I love the way that he strings his new found words together to make meaning of his world.
"Look, mommy. The flag is sleeping," he points to the flag at the center of town that droops without the wind to awaken it. "Mommy, the moon sleeps at day. Crazy, huh!" At night, his dad will take him outside just before his bedtime to lift him high in the air and my son will try to catch the moon. It is a nightly ritual. And each night my son decides that the moon should stay in the sky so everyone can enjoy it. My two year is more poetic than I will ever be. I love to listen to him play with words.
Day 28 - The Future
This one needs to be its own post. So watch for it soon!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Day 20: When He's Home
Our Joy of Love assignment for today is to frame a moment that captures what it means to have our loved one home. This picture is it for me. My husband quiets the chaos. He is the calm center of our home.
In a poetry class a few summers back, I tried to capture this same easy stillness that my husband brings into our home. Whereas I am the frantic organizer, a million projects going at once, my husband seems to be able to put all things into perspective, bringing peace and laughter to even my most overwhelmingly chaotic moments.
Amazement
It’s the warmth of June forcing us into
lazy Saturday afternoon couch naps,
(we have an easy way in summer)
and your soapy hand, wet on my back
swirling me away from sudsy dishes
to the growl of Morphine’s baritone sax.
The way you slip from the sheets on Sunday
to flip pancakes barefoot in morning light.
Not the moments trapped in photo albums
of dresses, high heels, and formal hellos,
or the specific petty squabbles
over laundry left on the bathroom floor,
but in the ordinary comfort
of your softly sleeping sigh.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Day 18: Stepping Out
It is rare to see us out without a bulky diaper bag, stroller, and two kids in tow. But we did it. Called a babysitter and hit the town...okay, the vineyard for an afternoon wine tasting with friends. And for a few hours, I was Jen instead of Mommy.Our Joy of Love assignment for Friday, which I accomplished on Saturday,
was to throw out what we'd been learning the past few weeks about photography and be spontaneous with our loved one. The goal was to hand our cameras over to someone else so that we might be a subject in the picture rather than the eye behind the lens.So after some delightfully different reds paired with artisan chocolates at Va La, I asked our friend Rob to snap a quick photo of my husband and me. A couple again. Not a full family portrait. Just the two of us. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Day 17: Staying In
As a high school English teacher, my days were filled with helping young people understand their place in an ever changing world, guiding young minds to read what is on the page and realize what is not, reminding kids that they are just that - kids - by finding humor and letting them play with new ideas, encouraging creativity, and by comforting young people when they struggled with disappointment.
Being a stay at home mom really isn't all that different.
Today's Joy of Love assignment - photograph everyday life in your home - has me reflecting on my role. I'm halfway through my maternity leave. I took this year off from teaching high school to be at home with my two little boys. I didn't know what to expect, whether I would miss teaching, being surrounded by supportive colleagues. But what I've discovered is that I'm still a teacher. My pupils are just a bit smaller that the 15 and 16-year-olds that I usually stand in front of. But I'm still passing on my love of language and literature, helping these two little people make sense of their world and their responsibility to others. And on the plus side, I have a heck of a lot fewer essays to grade!
I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to be at home with my boys, to watch them grow into these imaginative individuals, to see all their "firsts." I've seen first push-ups and roll overs, first crawls, heard first coos and words, spooned first foods, wiped away first bloody noses. Although if a person were to time how I spend my time each day, a majority of it might be spent wiping bottoms and boogies, I wouldn't trade it for all the world. Staying in means that I get to know my little men and in the process, get to know myself.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 16: Self Portrait
I hate pictures of myself. I am always the one behind the camera, rarely in front of it. There is something comforting behind the lens, being the one composing rather than being a part of the composition. I enjoy the creative act of taking pictures, putting a frame around my world in an attempt to understand a moment, a relationship.
So, since yesterday's assignment had me using the self-timing function on my camera to capture a kiss with my husband (I'm still telling him the photo didn't turn out, so shhhhh!), while my two year old napped, my youngest son and I played with the self timer on the camera to capture a picture of us together. This is my self portrait, cropped tight because I am not entirely comfortable with all of me in the frame, doing what I love - loving my kids.I am a mom.
This is me.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Day 15: Kiss
The camera is balanced on top of a lamp and a tissue box. I have to run around an end table and chair before the self timer speeds into its warning strobe. Although the picture may be staged, the kiss is not. What a sweet excuse to kiss my man!
I'm loving my assignment for Day 15 of Willette Design's Joy of Love series- capture a kiss. In fact, I may need to tell my husband that this picture just didn't turn out. Back to my homework!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Day 14: Jewelry
My husband does not like to pose for pictures, so I had to be quick with the camera for today's Joy of Love assignment - capture our loved one's wedding band. Sitting on the couch, elbows on knees, hands clasped, my husband watched our eldest son spin circles around our living room shortly after my husband stepped through the door, home from work. My son was thrilled to see him. Daddy sat proudly watching his little boy.This moment was fairly easy to capture. My husband's hands still for the moment. But this is rare. Tonight, camera in hand, I tried snapping picture after picture of my husband's hands as he wrestled with our son on the floor, as he put together dinner, as he cradled our littlest boy in his arms. I need a camera that can capture these moments clearly. My point and shoot is great in daylight, but I'm struggling to get clear shots of action taken indoors. But even though most of tonight's shots turned out blurred messes, I kept the pictures. The blurry photos of my husband rolling on the floor, laughing with his sons, are exactly the way I want to remember this Valentine's day. These blurred pictures are full of life, just like my husband.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Day 13: Routines
Day 13 of Willette Design's Joy of Love series has me photographing the routines. I loved capturing this moment. My two year old is proudest when he has learned to do something for himself. In this case, Daddy stands behind him, supervising as my little man begins his nightly teeth brushin' routine. Back and forth, back and forth, and then he sneakily tries to suck all the toddler toothpaste and water from the bristles, casting a sly smile to Mommy behind the camera.These are the pictures I like to take, the one's that capture the every day. These are the moments that we don't tell stories of or even necessarily recall years from now. But these every day moments are what build a life.
I took this pic a few days ago. It is not the clearest photo I've ever taken, but I love this photo despite the problems with it. I love this moment. Daddy's hands, so big, as he trims his little one's nails. I know he won't stay small for long...or stay this still, so I'm happy to have captured this moment, this routine.
Day 12: The Eyes Have It
Capturing a close up of a teething monster is no easy feat. My little one grabbed for my lens every chance he could. I've accidentally been able to capture some great shots of my five month old in the past, but today I had some difficulty. Mainly due to his increased mobility. In order to get a nice tight shot of his eyes with my little point and shoot camera, I had to get right in close. I imagine this to be a bit like what lion tamers feel - a little too close and my lens would have been one slobbery mess.That said, I have noticed some difference with the photos that I've been taking since starting the Joy of Love series. Most importantly, I'm learning how to work a camera! Words like metering and cross lights, ISO and spot focus crowd my brain. Even though it still takes me some time to get a shot that I'm reasonably happy with, it is definitely taking a lot less time that before I started this project. So not only am I having fun photographing my loved ones, but I'm learning a lot as well! 
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