And Then We Snapped | Days 12-18

In the midwest; specifically in Wisconsin where I live it would be so easy to not pick up my camera for at least the 4 months of winter we get. It is so cold; the sub-zero kind of cold. It is also a constant, mind numbing, gray overcast sky. There is a very rare appearance of sun. Surprisingly those sunny days are often deceivingly the coldest. It is so hard to find the light and to find something that makes my heart sing. More often than not we are cooped up inside.

It’s this that inspired me to pick up my camera daily. I was determined to make my own light and to find my own beauty. Even on the grayest days, even on the days when these boys of mine are non-stop fighting, even on the days when I know I have for sure lost any chance of mother of the year award – there is something wonderful to be found in the ordinary. It’s our ordinary; no ones else anywhere. You could look anywhere but you will not find what we have here; there is something special about that.

Day 12/365

These little super hero houses and figurines are probably your guys’ favorite thing to play. I let you both stay up late this night because you were so happy and playing so nice together.

Day 13/365

I almost forgot my photo for the day not even two weeks into round two; but I am so glad that I did. This pillow has Buzz on one side and Woody on the other; and you are VERY particular on who you want to sleep on each night. And that blanket you are snuggled in is your favorite, it was some weird looking animal blanket that grandma had bought for your older brother when he was little. I have no idea why we still had it, or how you found it for that matter. But you did, and for the last year your refuse to use anything but this blanket.

Day 14/365

It’s been cold and windy. We’ve been inside a lot again. You two have been loving playing Infinity together. You are just setting up the game in this photo, but when you play you jump around like wild monkeys. It’s hilarious, and makes me feel like at least it’s some cardio while you play theXbox!

Day 15/365

A rare day we played outside for awhile. And you, you will always outlast your brothers outside in this weather. You just love being outside regardless of the weather. I love this about you….and regardless of the season you will get out the bikes, toy lawn mowers, and dump trucks. Why should snow change any of your fun?

Day 16/365

I remember it wasn’t that long ago you were not very comfortable in the water. And now you are a fish, just like your older brother.

Day 17/365

You had a sleep over with two friends last night. You stayed up till 3am, laughing and playing; and then got up by 6am to continue your fun. You stayed in your jammies when we dropped them off back at home later; and it did not take long for you to claim this spot as yours.

Day 18/365

You three boys are always asking for a snack. Always. Even after the biggest breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and sausage; twenty minutes later you are hungry again. I cannot even imagine what the future holds for my cupboards and wallet. At least for now I can offer you a banana and that works.

Please make your way to Jana of Photography 2204. Her week is always so beautiful and inspiring!

And Then We Snapped…Round 2!

I still cannot believe I completed my first 365! After completing it, I took about a month off and only picked up my camera a couple times during the month of December. After a full month I missed my camera, I missed how I saw my world when I was looking for a new perspective and new beauty in things I saw everyday. January 1st I was ready to take on my 2nd 365! I am so excited to be shooting daily again, and equally excited to join back up with my girls in this blog circle. When you are done here, please make sure you head over to the wonder and talented Annie Otzen’s page .

1/365 Relaxing after breakfast 2/365 For the love of oranges. You would eat them all day, everyday if I let you. 3/365 You seem older, each and everyday, and not in the obvious way but in a way that makes my mamma heart ache a little. 4/365 First day in St. Kitts where I got to spend a full week to photography my beautiful cousin’s wedding. This is the spectacular view from our balcony. The breeze from the ocean was amazing! 5/365 First day seeing the sights in St. Kitts …breathtaking! This is also when I realized I would have a full week that my children would not be the focus of my 365. Although that in itself pushed me a little outside my comfort zone, there was no shortage of beautiful scenes to photograph! 6/365 We went an amazing old fort that is still standing on the island for a little sight seeing and engagement photos. We had a lot of photo bombing for our family going on!! So much so that it deserved two photos in the 365 🙂 7/365 Shipwrecked beach…I spent sun up until sun down on the beach this day, it was fantastic! Even went snorkeling over the reef nearby! 8/365 Fire dancer! This was incredible; not only did he do this little fire blowing trick but he would rub the flame all over his body and then extinguish in his mouth. Crazy cool! 9/365 And finally the big day! You could not have asked for a more beautiful location! 10/365 This day was a full day on a catamaran trip. Sun, fun, snorkeling, beaches, and waves. 11/365 Our last day on the island; and honestly this was not the scene. It was actually an early trip to the local airport and an exhausting 13 hours of jumping 3 different planes to get back home where it was below zero. When I closed my eyes on the plane though scenes like this is what I pictured in my head! 🙂

S

Words that Stir – Shell

The wonderfully talented Liz Godfrey of Liz Godfrey Photography and I have teamed up for another Words That Stir this month. We chose a song from Susie Suh entitled “Shell”. Both Liz and I thought we would tackle self portraits. Which pulled us both out of our comfort zones.

So many of us put up a wall, live behind a mask, or hide beneath a shell. It is so hard not to; to lay yourself out completely exposed in the world. Taking these self portraits was very much breaking down one of those layers.

“Shell”

The time is coming, It’s coming soon
I feel it in my bones, I feel it in my shoes
I was lost, but now I’m found
And all my troubles are turning around

Oh I feel I’ve getting so close to you
Heaven’s holding my hand
And I’m ready to break on through

So I’m tearing down the walls inside
Letting go of all my pride
Making room for the lie
I don’t need to hide inside this shell
This shell no more
No more

I don’t know my right from left
And I’ve been going around this bend
So many miles I have roamed
Lately I feel like I’m coming home

Oh I’m getting so close to you
Heaven’s lighting a candle
And I’m ready to break on through

So I’m tearing down the walls inside
Letting go of all my pride
Making room for the lie
I don’t need to hide inside this shell
This shell no more
No more
Oh no, no, no, no more, no more

So I’m tearing down the walls inside
Letting go of all my pride
Making room for the lie
I don’t need to hide inside this shell
This shell no more
No more, No more

So I’m tearing down the walls inside
Letting go of all my pride
Making room for the lie
I don’t need to hide inside this shell
This shell no more
No more
No more
This shell
This shell
This shell

My Light My Love My Own

Liz Godfrey Photography

This shell

And Then We Snapped (v. 5)

Our days are getting shorter and the air is getting cooler. We are trying to hold on to every last bit of the nicer weather that we can, too soon the cold Wisconsin winter will be here.

Our week:

The weather is feeling more like fall and sweatshirts are now needed more often when we play outside. But even the crisp cool air does not keep you boys inside

There is still time for tire swings and tree climbing even though you are in middle school now. If you aren’t playing your games this is where we can find you.

We’ve had busy days that have meant some not so home cooked meals.

You got your first haircut, really it was just a trim to keep the curls from getting so tangled all the time. You started so excited but got really nervous when you saw the scissors. When it was all over you walked out like a pro talking about you got this all figured out now and you know how to get the sucker.

We took a hike and Mickey and Uncle Landon came with. You boys ran hard and we stayed for hours and watched the sunset from the mountain.

Uncle Landon took us to the most beautiful fall spot. The colors, the water ❤ but you boys were just excited to run wild but I finally got some shots of you looking at the camera.

Then there was the night that daddy let you play outside in your jammies after your bath. We ran and played hide and seek until it was too dark to see.

There was the night that we made strawberry pancakes just like in your favorite Daniel Tiger episode. I had watched make them out of mud for two weeks, so daddy went to the store and got everything we needed to make them for real – and they were delicious!

And the week ended with hanging in your room, just talking. Listening to how your day went, and all about the sports you want to do and the instruments you want to play. I’m so glad you still invite me in and want to talk to me more than anyone else.

Now head over to the wonderful Time To Play Photography and see what her week looked like.

And Then We Snapped (v. 4)

It’s time for another “And Then We Snapped” …I am always so excited to make my way around the circle and see what these wonderful women have been up to! When you are done with mine make sure you visit the wonderful and talented Lynzi of Lynzi Berg Photography

It’s been a wonderful week! One full of all kinds of different adventures; some at home in our own yard and some fun trips and games as well.

There was a charity baseball game, put on by all the local emergency services in our area. We watched the boys uncle and his team of EMS/Firefighters take home the toilet bowl trophy for being the best of the worst! There was a trip to the Madison zoo, on the most perfect day. There was lots and lots of outside play, which meant sandbox mud pancakes and coffee and more bike sitting. Then of course there was the water fight that randomly broke out one evening.

I can’t believe we made all these memories in just one week! I am so thankful for this project; to be picking up my camera to document the big and small adventures, it makes my heart so very happy.

     

Now head over to my friend Lynzi of Lynzi Berg Photography.

And Then We Snapped (v.3)

It’s been a chaotic month, so chaotic that I’ve missed this wonderful circle twice before this!

So chaotic that I am still not caught up on editing and organizing photos.

We’ve had a lot going on… My oldest started middle school, my middle guy started 4k, and my youngest was very sick for 2 weeks and ended up in the hospital. We’ve played outside a ton; rocket balloons, kites, and bike riding. We’ve gone to the library and taken a trip to Door County.

There have been some hard days and some wonderful days.

I’m not numbering the days, they may or may not be in order. They will just be beautifully chaotic below, just like our days have been for the past month.

When you are done with my very large chaos, please head over and see the wonderful and talented Julie Moses.

Words that Stir (2nd edition)

I love this. I love looking deeper. Each month the oh so talented Liz of Liz Godfrey Photography come together and do just this. Liz chose one of my favorite poems from e.e. cummings “i carry your heart with me”.  A poem about an absurd love, a selfless love, a true love.

When we first decided on this poem I had another idea in mind that I was going to shoot. But then I saw my husband and our youngest outside together. Theirs in an absurd love, a selfless love, a true love. This is what I shot.

My Light My Love My Own

My Light My Love My Own

My Light My Love My Own

Here is the love Liz captured and the link her blog post about it.

Liz Godfrey Photography

Liz Godfrey Photography

Liz Godfrey Photography

…and the words that inspired us ❤

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in)

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

And then we snapped (days 289 – 295)

 

Summer is winding down. Without even looking at the calendar we can feel it in the air. Now that this week is over we only have one week left until we are back to school. After you make your way through my week make sure you visit Mel and see her beautiful week, then continue through the whole circle!

Day 289:

The day started with one of the lesser artistic shots I’ve taken but I was pretty excited to have all three boys in the same frame; and it was pretty cute when they noticed me. The day ended with a sweet Popsicle snack shared on the porch; although not everyone was invited.

Day 299:

So let me walk you through what happened…

He wouldn’t look at me.

So I said “Baby, look, the fox came back.”

He looks my direction, and I made the mistake of chuckling and saying “I tricked you.”

Then I got the look, which did not end for about five minutes…

Lesson of the story, do not joke about the foxes that visit our yard!

Day 291: These are what most of our evenings look like. A lot of bike sitting, golfing, and shoveling the driveway (yeah, I said shoveling..he loves it, I don’t ask questions)

Day 292: Unfortunately our week wasn’t all fun and games. Our middle dude, who never gets sick, got sick. Fevers, headaches, body aches = lots of sleeping, Minecraft, and iPad.

Day 293: Rainy days mean he sits wrapped up in a blanket, soaking up some of his much loved computer games before the school year begins.

Day 294: It was soooo hot and sooo humid. Dad said “why don’t we just have ice cream for dinner” …Yes, I think we will

Day 295:

My oldest took a walk with me to see what kind of fun we could have in the fog. I got some shots that I love…

…and it wouldn’t be real life if I didn’t include the “out-takes”

…And Then We Snapped – 365 blog circle (day 279-288)

It’s time for another week of the blog circle “And Then We Snapped”!!

You know it’s been a good week when I couldn’t pick just one photo for almost every day! I figure I can take that liberty and use multiple photos. There were just so many wonderful moments and so many different emotions that each photo evokes for me, I just couldn’t leave one out.

(Be sure to make your way through everyone’s week, link at the bottom)

Day 279:

We left to visit family out of state. It’s a very long drive, so with ‘lil guys pit stops are a must. Who am I kidding?! We all love Fuddruckers!! For different reasons of course, you guys love to play while we wait for our food.

Day 280:

We made it to our family’s. These boys, cousins, are my whole heart. To get them all in one frame, I thought my heart may burst. I hope you all realize as you grow up together how lucky you are to have each other ❤

Day 281:

Cousins playing at the park. I’m glad they found this as funny as I did. Actually, I think they may have just loved running in circles!

Day 282: We walked to the park up the road. I let you guys wander ahead and shot from the hip. While they may not speak to others, they speak volumes to me. I see so much of each of your personalities here.

Day 283: We stayed a day longer than we planned. This little town lost a firefighter and this was the day of the funeral. Your uncle (my brother) is a fire fighter where we live, he had made this trip with us. So we knew we had to stay and pay our respects. I took just a couple of shots while we waited for the procession, none during. It was the most amazing thing to see a whole town, and departments from all over the state, come to honor one of their own. I am so glad you guys got to be a part of this and see what respect and this kind of love looked like.

Day 284: Just a lazy day and a tire swing. No other words needed.

Day 285: You love this bike. But you have no idea how to ride it. Zero. But that doesn’t stop you from sitting on it daily. Sometimes it’s your motorcycle. Sometimes your ambulance. But most of the time its just your favorite spot to enjoy your snack.

Day 286: You get as excited as I do by these crazy shadows. You stand in the light and try to catch them. I just stand back and catch little snippets of you.

Day 287: Happiness is a warm day, a small pool, and improvising your own fountain.

Day 288: This was a busy day. I almost didn’t get a shot, until you asked if I could tuck you in for bed. And then you said, but I have to feed my fish first! Perfect baby!!

Now please head over to see Julie’s beautiful week!!

…And Then We Snapped – 365 Blog Circle (first post)

I’m more than 2/3 into my 365 project. You would think at this point it would be second nature to me, but the fact is it was getting harder…Then this amazing group happened. My excitement is renewed!! An amazing group participating in a blog circle with our 365 images, please make sure you make your way though everyone’s (link at the bottom)

Day 269/365

A gray, gloomy day all day until the last 30 minutes of daylight. So we ran outside in jammies to soak up what light we could!

(LB/35)

Day 270/365

With summer here, and our schedules are now free from any pressing to do. We take a hike every morning, the fresh air and morning sun is much needed by everyone to start our day on the right foot…The sun is just starting to get higher in the sky and scatters dappled light and shadows everywhere in the woods. I love it. Nature’s art; nature’s spotlight.

Day 271/365:

Another morning hike. We walk a lot of the same trails each morning. It’s a challenge to go the same place and see new things to photograph. I try to catch a different feeling, although it’s the same trail it was not the same day.

Day 272/365

A trail of trucks from our front door to our sandbox everyday. I’ve been trying to be more mindful of photographing the details that mark their childhood. I know too soon they will have out grown the stage of laying on the ground and pushing these trucks along.

(freelensed)

Day 273/365

Some days are a struggle to get just one photo to mark our day, other days I have twenty I want to use. This was one of those days…We went to one of the fairs in the area. The sun was going down and we ended our trip with snow cones.

Day 274/365

There is a blueberry farm not far from our house, but somehow I never knew that until now. My guys ran row to row, filling the bucket and sneaking samples of blueberries warm from the mid-day sun.

(LB/35)

Day 275/365

A morning at the park. And another day that I could have put twenty more images that I love in here. But there were shadows, dappled light, movement, freelensed haze – how could I not?!

(freelensed)

Day 276/365

Daddy has been training in Arizona for the last year. These last three months have been the hardest without a visit. He came home last night. You guys were so happy to wake up and find him here. You guys wouldn’t leave his side all day. I don’t blame you. You played outside and in the garage while he grilled us dinner.

(freelensed)

Now please head over to Mary Slone Photography’s page and see what beauty has happened in her week!