muted monday: springtime is hard work

random thoughts

I keep thinking of random things I want to share here, so I'm posting them all in one jumble. Maybe it's laziness, maybe it's just a busy life. You decide!

• Everyone is finally healthy after about 3 weeks of passing a nasty cold/flu thing around to each other. We still have some lingering coughs and sniffles, but the fevers and headaches are gone and we're back in business! We're DONE with winter and ready for springtime.

• I've been working in the yard. We've lived in the house for 2 years and aside from a few bursts of cleaning up leaves here and there, we've done basically nothing to keep up the yard. So I just started at one corner and am working my way across one side. There is a lot of english ivy to battle with, and lots of dead wood to cut out of the azaleas. Some overgrown holly bushes and of course- lots and LOTS of leaves. I'm experiencing a love/hate relationship with the trees right now.

• My beloved 17-85mm lens was broken. And now it is fixed- HOORAY! I heart KEH Camera!! Their sales and repair staff are top notch and every transaction I've had with them has been excellent. Check out their selection of used equipment too- I've picked up some great equipment that way and saved a lot. Especially if you don't live in GA (no sales tax!) 

• I have a new toy that I want to talk about too. I've been trying to increase my activity level lately and picked up a pedometer to help me see where I was at. This thing is AWESOME.  I have amazed myself both by how many steps I can acquire on a nice brisk walk, and also by how few steps I get on days when I don't intentionally go out to walk or run. It is definitely motivating me to park further away from the store, etc. to get in the extra steps. Very easy to use, and clips onto my pocket so I don't even have to think about it falling off or getting lost. 

That's about it. Everyone have a great weekend!

more snow photos

I had a lot of fun photographing this snowfall- the flakes were huge and sticky and our area was transformed into a winter wonderland before our eyes!


The camellias have been blooming on and off all winter.


The deer crossed the neighbor's yard during the snow! How perfect.


As darkness approached, the light was so blue it was amazing.


And these are after dark, when the sky was so bright I was able to shoot just by the light of the porch light and front lamp post.


The sky was so bright and looked almost pink! The color is a little exaggerated in the pictures though.




The street light gave a very orange-y glow, that almost looks like a fire is blazing in the background!


The yard showed all the evidence of the kids playing hard before it got dark. But it was still coming down!

OK that's all for the snow photos- thanks for letting me share! I'd love if we got this type of snow every single year.

fall color

I don't think I could ever get tired of looking at the changing leaves of the maple in our front yard, especially on a beautiful sunny day. The quality of the light coming through those golden leaves is just amazing. And laying in the hammock with my camera pointed toward the blazing canopy was just what I needed the other day when I was about to lose it during a stressed-out mommy moment.


Instead of opening my mouth and letting a bunch of ugly words come out (which wouldn't have done any good anyway since the teachable moment had long since passed...) I just grabbed Sally and headed out the front door for some photographic therapy. To their credit, just looking at the beautiful leaves themselves would probably have had a similar effect. But there is something about capturing those colors and shadows with a camera that gives me the surge of satisfaction that calms my nerves and helps me get in control of myself once again.

cleaning club: birth edition

Yesterday Rachel and I had the great honor of being present while Shannon gave birth to her new son, Michael Francis.


Shannon had asked me early in her pregnancy if I would photograph the birth, and I was quick to agree! I have never attended a birth other than my own, and I was excited to capture the day with images for Shannon and her family.














And look! Rachel in action doing a bit of laundry before we left the house so everyone could rest. I helped by taking pictures of her :)


Now, I know that this all seems very far outside what you probably would consider normal for a little group of women who get together to clean each other's houses. But we say that this is how things *should* be! Women working together and supporting each other through life. The time we have spent in each others homes; helping with cleaning and organizing projects and supporting each other emotionally through all the daily trials of motherhood; has given us all such an amazing sense of trust and love for one another. It was truly a gift for us to be able to share this day with Shannon and her family, and I know we will never forget it as long as we live.


Happy birthday to Michael! And congratulations to Shannon and Pat- you guys did great and he is just beautiful. I am so thankful you are a part of our lives.


(I almost forgot: Michael's little hat is the Umbilical Cord pattern from Stitch 'N Bitch, adapted for sock yarn on size 3 needles. I used self striping yarn and it turned out so cute!)

cold

There were ice crystals on the van this morning. And a 25 degree reading on the thermometer! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

fall color

The late afternoon sunlight streaming through our maple trees in our front yard. It is breathtaking.



During the summer, it was really beautiful coming through the bright green leaves too- but the yellow and orange are just amazing. And the sky was so bright blue today that it looked just like a rainbow out there!



Nature. I am just in awe of the colors and patterns that occur right outside our front door.

sometimes you just need to goof off...

Go to www.yearbookyourself.com and see how much time YOU can waste goofing around with the photos! I've put in a good hour or more, myself.





This one is scary because I am pretty sure there is an actual picture of me that looks very similar to this one, although it was earlier than 1992. I know because my hair did NOT look like this when I graduated.




And then there are the photos I made of Jason...









Have fun!! Thanks to Mara for the great link!