A Few of My Favorite Things

A little bit of the view around here lately.  There have been so many things that just make my heart happy lately.  Here's a few of my favorite things for your looking pleasure.

Show down at the OK Crib, high noon.  Who will the winner be?

I just can't help but love the Little People Green Lantern.

Every day about 3:30 is popcorn time.  A little Phineas and Ferb to go with and the boys have themselves the perfect afternoon break.  Seriously so many perks to having David work at home.

The favorites.  Sock Monkey rules them all, but each takes a turn being the favorite.

This is the sign I made for my bedroom during Scout Camp week. 

This is the window that hangs to the side of my bed.  Perpetual spring is a lovely thing to wake up to.

I gave this to David for Christmas last year.  It still makes me giggle.

A good book and chocolate chips... why yes please.

Happy Wednesday to you all.

A List

1.  Each year I think that the summer is going too quickly, and each year August comes and I wonder if it will ever be cool again.  Will the nights ever cool off quickly enough?  Will I ever want to go outside again?  Because frankly, right now I don't want anything hot... at all.  I want that crisp chill in the air that Fall brings.  I want the season to change and Fall to last longer by starting it earlier.

2.  Checking out ebooks from the Library for my Nook just might drive me to drink.  I have two brave souls who powered through the process and passed the information on to me.  I followed the instructions.  I made it past the error messages and thought that I was in the clear.  But no.  Oh no.  The fates have conspired and I still can't get it to work.  Fortunately I have in home tech support who will hopefully figure it out for me because frankly my head hurts.

3.  My son is a jumper.  He's jumping.  On things, off things, from the floor, from the couch.  It's a good thing 911 is easy to remember.  I haven't had to use it yet and hopefully never will. Oh my brave and scary boy!

4.  I have been going through Ben's old clothes again.  I figure it was time since I had boxes stuffed to over flowing.  What surprised me was that some I just could not give up.  Even though they are all going to a good home and they don't fit him anymore at all.  Even though having them around for the "maybe we'll get another one" kind of breaks my heart a little.  I just couldn't give them all.  It's not so much the hope that there will be another as the inability to let go of the little that my little one used to be.  In short, I may be in denial.

5.  My baby is 18th months. 18 months!! When? How?  He used to be this:

Now he's this:

That is all.  The end of the list.  Mostly because my baby who is not much of a baby anymore is up, and needing me, and I'm gonna try to enjoy every minute of it.

Happy Friday.

Friday Thought

Sometime I wish I could photograph feelings.

A touch, a smile, laughter, smoky fire.  

Completeness.  Wholeness.  Love.

I can see things.  I can watch them happen.  But how do I capture the feelings that rise up in the heart?  How do I take a perfect and complete moment and transfer it to something visual.  Something to help remember a perfect moment in time.

Taking the Plunge!

I've done it.  I've created a photography blog with samples of my work.  Not all of it, but some of it.  Check it out here:  http://mothernatureslight.blogspot.com/

I'm also offering my services for hire.  And I'm cheap. Not in the trashy kind of way but in the "hey, I could actually afford to hire you" kind of way.  So if you want photos taken of your kids, or you and your kids, or your kids prom dates, or even an event in your backyard, I'm your man... well woman.  And if you know someone who would like my services, feel free to pass it on.  Contact me via email: mdmarian02@hotmail.com or phone 435-760-5639, or comment on this blog.  I'm easy. But not in the trashy kind of way.

Now, get outside and enjoy this beautiful weather!

CY365: Tree

The trees outside are frosty and cold.  The tree in here seems much more inviting, even if it is vinyl on the wall.

Catch Up Time

It's CY365 catch up time.  I've been missing in action, at least in the blogging world.  And well... here ya go.

 

February 13: Swing

 

I opted not to do this one because a) we don't have a swing b) the swings we have access to are covered with snow and c) the only alternative I could thing of was "mood swing" and no one wants to see that.  You're welcome.

 

February 14: Love

 

Nothing says love like heart shaped bacon... nothing.

 

February 15: Pride

 

I bought Ben a pair of church shoes so he could look all stellar and stuff. I just thought they would look so cute on his little feet and we could go to church all proud of our well dressed little boy. There was just a slight problem. He HATED them. I mean hate. I put them on and he actually threw a fit! Being a good parent I laughed as he stomped around trying to get the offending things off. Oh we have a lot to learn!

 

February 16: Emotion

 

Nothing could have prepared me for the unexpected Valentine that showed up in my mailbox. It made my week!  No offense honey, but this... this... was just awesome.  Emotions? I think so.

 

The inside says "... to tell me that you've stolen my heart."

February 17: Color from the Garden

 

Clearly the people making these prompts live somewhere much different than here.  And because this is my photo capturing tour, I decided to take this one literally.  So here is exactly what my garden looks like right now.

 

 

February 18: A Favorite Snack

 

Favorite snack? Anything chocolate.  But it was not nearly as photographable as my little guy enjoying his favorite snack.  There's a whole ritual involved.  He talks to it, he holds it up to be praised by all, he rubs it on his face, and finally he eats it.  Behold the graham cracker.

 

 

 

On an non-photograph related note, I am really quite enjoying this project.  Especially when I gave up on the "artsy" side that I wanted to pursue.  The title is Capture Your 365.  Well this is it. My life.  My people.  Exactly what is happening. 365 days of the year.  Or at least the 28 days of February.

 

Happy Monday everyone.

CY365: three days worth!

February 10: Garage

I wasn't quite sure what to take for this picture since we have no garage.  I thought perhaps I could take a picture of everything that would go in the garage should we actually get one, and I'm not just talking about the car.  Camping equipment and random things like sanders and jigsaws.  All stuff that a garage would welcome.  Then I thought perhaps I could have a little fun with Ben and make a garage for his many cars and trains.  Then I stumbled upon this beauty just proving that my "forced play time" can never make up for what he does on his own.

I literally stumbled upon this and knew it was the perfect "garage" shot.

February 11: Entertain

Sometimes nothing brings quite so much entertainment to both young and old than a simple balloon.

February 12: Celebrate

This is for David. A true celebration.  We have some daily goals that we get points for.  When we reach 200 then the other person has to do something for us.  I get a massage and David gets pie.  This is a Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie that turned out pretty darn good. And the cheesy look on his face says it all.

CY365: Through the looking glass

I had so hoped to capture an Alice in Wonderland experience but I completely lacked the white rabbit with the pocket watch and there was certainly no magic hole or burrow or whatever it was that he was supposed to run down.  If there was, then it is most definitely covered with snow and I'm fairly certain I would have had to send Ben.  And then he would have just got caught up with the Mad Hatter and forgotten to take pictures.

So instead you get me.

What do you see through the looking glass? 

CY365: Use Your Senses

I have a ridiculous love for my child.  And I make no apologies.  He delights me so much.  He makes me laugh all the stinkin' time and I just can not get enough of his smiles and giggles and facial expressions.  Today the picture topic is Use Your Senses.  There are many things that I could have taken.  But most of those involved way too much effort and at the time I was taking these I just was not feeling all that hot. 

But Ben? Oh Ben.  Whenever I do laundry his favorite thing is to walk around with a pair of silky underwear on his head because he can see through them and loves the texture.  It totally cracks me up.  This is an old curtain that I cut up for him to walk around with instead.  He LOVES it.  Gets a giggle out of him every time and lots and lots of hugs.  He thinks it's the bees knees and so do I.

CY365: Backlit

I just can't get enough of this little guy!

CY365: Beat

Caramel chocolate brownies.  Downton Abbey.  How could anyone win against that combination.  Consider me beat!

CY365: Pop of Red

Good enough to eat.

CY 365: Shadow

A shadow of his usual self.

CY365: Heartfelt Sentiments

I'm doing this.  I have tried to do it before but failed.  Mostly because my ambition went out the window, which is also why you never saw my attempts.  There weren't any! But it's February.  There is snow on the ground but the air is warmer.  There are things to look forward to this month.  And it's short.  Perhaps with all of these combined, I will actually do it!

First photo prompt:
Heartfelt Sentiments

We have a joint journal.  One that we write in for each other.  Not so much for posterity, but something that is fun for us.

The view from here

Things are a little quiet around here today.

 

Something about the hush of newly fallen snow and cul-de-sacs that are the last on the plowing list.

David is home today because he can't get out.

 

The reminder of Christmas lights to be taken down in the Spring.

Ben has found his belly button... among other things. Oh, and socks.  Both go on, but sometime during the day one gets pulled of and is usually found somewhere in his room soaked through because it's spent an unknown time in his mouth.

Just don't know about this boy.

Happy Monday my friends.

Scenes from December: the rest of us

 

A few photos

For those of you not in facebook land... I give you Ben.

You're welcome.

Photos...

Happy Spring.