For Real?

That's what people ask me...are they for real? Well, they are. A little distracting, don't you think? I can't take a picture with she and Beck in the same image because her eyes just about steal the whole show!!

Am I excited?

Yes. Have I fallen off the photo-a-day wagon? Yes. But, back to the "Excited" part. What's there not to be excited about? It's springtime, the birds are singing, and I have a new lens that I am loving. And luckily, those around me are reaping the benefits of my joy. So, I am taking photos about every other day. That's better I suppose. In between those days is all the computer and photoshop work...meanwhile, all these photos have me thinking...what am I going to do with them? There's not enough wall space for all this love in our house...a book maybe? Anyhow, here are some recent ones.

Springtime Loves.

Well, I choose not to believe it's any coincidence that Cora began sleeping 12 hours at night when we started the solid food. She devours it like it's going out of style. Doctors say that it doesn't make any difference when it comes to sleep at night, but after trying everything else, I am going with it. So, at six months, she's going through quite a bit of solid food in a day, in addition to nursing. She loves sweet potato (see below) and bananas. Other things she is loving right now:
- Her Brother, and touching his hair.
- My gold locket around my neck...she just holds it in her hand whenever I pick her up.
- Grampa's beard.
- The musical lion that hangs from her car seat handle...makes her giggle when it plays.
- Bathtime.
- Silky, lightweight scarves.

Jumping the gun.

Maybe I am. But I'm planting spinach today! Hooray for the hope of little green things...

Meanwhile, Beck is thoroughly enjoying the mud and warm temps...we spent two hours outside yesterday, and he slept an extra hour this morning. Even Cora slept for 12.5 hours straight last night...it's amazing what good sleep feels like. Now if only we could only get Kona to sleep through the night. His aging bladder is causing Doug to make a trek downstairs at 3am every two or three days or so to let him outside.
 

Slush

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush."  ~Doug Larson

Well, that about sums it up. It's pouring rain today - wet, muddy, slushy...but it's warm (45 degrees) and the birds are singing!! Hooray!!  In other, much sadder, news...the 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan last night is devastating. Today, I am thankful for the rain, mud and slush...that I have a home to enjoy it from, and a fire in our wood stove to keep us warm. 

Beck has been trying to dig up frozen mud for days now, and it's finally thawed enough to be able to get a satisfying scoop or three with his beach shovel...feeling so incredibly grateful, I may just let him go out and get good and dirty today!

Staging photos.

Sometimes it's okay, according to me, to set your kids up for a photograph. I'm not one for cheesy props and even cheesier smiles, but there are times when the light is right and your kids aren't...lucky for me, our kids are usually pretty easy-going about my photo shoots...

Spring.

It's almost here...I can feel it. Or maybe it's wishful thinking. In any case, my mood has certainly shifted, and so has Beck's...everyone seems happier and lighter. More often than not now, the birds are singing when I open the door, and I even had thoughts about shoveling off one of the garden beds today just so I can plant spinach a little earlier. Shame on me...I should know better, right? The Law of Murphy clearly states: "if thou pickest up a garden tool in March, the snow and cold cometh."

Elfin Charm.

    We've been reading a lot of "The Blueberry Pie Elf" lately, and for some reason, whenever the part in the book is reached where the author mentions the "elfin handkerchief", Doug cracks up. Something about the word "elfin". So, Doug, this one's for you. Our very elfin daughter...

Sleepyhead.

When Beck wakes up from his naps, or in the morning, quite often he'll say "I'm rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, mama." Apparently, he didn't get it all out.

One a day...is it possible?

Trying to squeeze out some new photos a bit more often...