it's the little things

You know those times when you run across something that makes you smile big and you can't stop smiling no matter how hard you try, and why would you any way?

Yeah this is one of those times.

I spent sometime this morning going through my photos for project life and came across this.



It's part of a large volume of pictures I'm using for a time lapse film so it's not something I even remember taking. It took me completely by surprise because it wasn't even on my radar.

I love this. Absolutely love this in every way.

I feel like I've somehow stolen a piece of time to hide away for my time capsule. As the weeks, months, and years roll past I will always have this spontaneous moment to look back on and remember the time in the rental just as spring was emerging when we still had pre-teens in the house. Honestly, I have a bit of heartache as I write that knowing one day in the future this moment will be long past.

But back to the present where I belong so I can enjoy these moments as they happen. I'm just so happy to have captured it and I walk away remembering why documenting our life is such a priority.

Life doesn't get much better than this, does it?

12of12 | August

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01. Just waking up.
02. Making my rounds waking up the girls and came across this printout on Bella's night stand. I think there is too much One Direction in my life right now.
03. We attempted yet again to create a gorgeous huge hanging flower arrangement, but to no avail. For the third year in a row the flowers didn't multiply. I told Adam next year we just need to buy them all grown.
04. Took photos of the Primary children at church today. Luckily they were patient as I did them one at a time.
05. The fruit is almost ready to be picked.
06. Waiting for Bella and Megan to open the door for me this afternoon -- it was locked. They teased me for a bit, making me wait longer, knowing I would take their photo. They are becoming more and more aware of the twelfth every month.
07. A little girl at church asked to take my photo after I had taken hers and without relinquishing my camera completely, she was 4 after all, she took this. I quite like the way it highlighted love.
08. Cookie dough -- a must on Sundays.
09. Pet Shops. All lined up and ready for play.
10. Minutes before lunch/dinner.
11. Tickle fight.
12. Met up with our friends to put the finishing touches on our Jackson Hole trip. We leave Wednesday. I'm excited for one more get away.

Although I didn't get to take my much enjoyed Sunday nap, the day was full of all kinds of goodness. Wish I was able to capture them all on film. For instance, there was a moment today I would like to remember, but didn't document -- Bella speaking in church for the first time. If I wouldn't have been looking at her I would have guessed she was a 20 year old. So confident with such a great message. She amazes me daily.

I hope you all had a great day. Share away :)

52 photo project | weeks 46 | this is my home

Early on in our marriage I realized not to get too attached to the places I lived, which was completely opposite to my personality. I'm the type of person that wants to put down roots and stay awhile. I grew up in the same home, around the same people until I moved off to college so I guess you could say I was taught for most of my life to stay in one place. Adam's childhood was quite the opposite. He moved every few years, living not only in different houses, but different states.

Our married life has definitely been more about moving than staying, and perhaps it's normal when you're first starting out to begin small and upgrade until you find the home/neighborhood that's right for your family, but it almost seemed like a need, a way of life Adam was use to, so we've kept up the tradition and moved along.

Living in five different zip codes and five different homes since we've been married (15 years) I've tried, like I said, not to get attached. This home we live in now we've been here for seven years, the longest of any home, and I am quite fond of it, but honestly no more than the others. I have been fond of all our homes and have cried as we packed up and driven away for the last time. But it's not the structure I'm sad to leave, it's the memories I made there I don't want to leave behind or forget -- becoming a mother, crossing the threshold as a new bride, becoming a wife, learning to keep my own home, relationship breakthroughs, having pets, learning to remodel, patience, walks around the neighborhood, baking catastrophes, starting traditions, bringing children home from the hospital -- just to name a few.

Five houses later and I understand completely, it's my most favorite people, my family, that make our house a home. It doesn't matter where, if they're filling the spaces with their laughter, music, and words I am home. I'm exactly where I want to be.


This. This is my home. All snuggled up in bed reading a book together.

everydayness | february part one

The girls made good use of their time as we made our way to the UC -- megan slept (that would be my choice),


and enjoyed a beautiful moon on the way home.


We helped each other with homework projects (tess book report),


and made sweet chocolatey treats with friends.


We had several beautiful sunny spring like days,


and plenty of snow days too.


Megan requested a photos with her "lamby" -- glasses were her idea,


and insisted, to my delight, on making her own valentines (tess too).


We continued with our regular routines,


and had plenty of days where we strayed (afternoon lunch with Adam).

everydayness | late january

Since the new year I've continued taking photos everyday -- after so many years of doing it it's no longer a goal, but a habit. This year though, I'm not just reaching for my canon when I see something I want to capture, I grab my iphone too. Suddenly my digital files are even more instant and I have a quicker easier way to share them so sitting in front of my computer screen editing just hasn't felt necessary, let alone appealing -- hence my lack of posts.

Today though, I finally made myself sit down and go through the rest of January -- February will have to wait for another day (it was just too much to do all at once).

here are a few that caught my attention.


I made something! The girls needed new towels and thanks to their nana they had to have a hood. It was a quick and easy two stitches. One to sew up the side of the hand towel and the second to sew the hand towel to the bath towel.


a game or two is almost always pulled out on sunday evenings.


grateful to see there were no screens involved :)


enjoying any bit of snow we can get.


she loves braiding my hair, particularly at night, right before bed.


with the warmer weather this winter I've been taking a lot more walks -- this time I was downtown.


lately I see more and more of her animals joining her for breakfast.

mornings

I remember so clearly when I use to look forward to nap time. Don't get me wrong, of course I enjoyed spending time with my little girls, but when that's what I did for the majority of my day getting a little time to think, read, or create was a welcome change. There was really nothing like a little quite time to rejuvenate my spirit.

How funny life is and how quickly parts of your day can go from incredibly full to unbearably quite. It was only a few years ago that I was at home with three little girls clinging to my every step to now being overwhelmed by the still quite that comes from a house full of empty.



The way my life has naturally evolved has given me a few new favorite hours. Naps are a thing of the past and now it's in the morning hours right before the girls head off to school that I savor. It is, I'd say, some of the busiest minutes of my day. Girls are scurrying about the house looking for last minute hats and gloves, homework, even lunches are getting thrown together, but then there is a peaceful moment where we all gather in the living room, say a prayer, read a few verses of scripture, and hugs and kisses are exchanged before sending them on their way.

I always watch them walk/run up the street as I say a silent prayer that they will be safe and have a wonderful day. Sometimes I will yell an I love you as they disappear around the corner, but regardless I'm always standing there waiting to wave when they turn back to say that finally goodbye.

As I walk inside the door and am faced with the stillness of our home, a stark contrast to the minutes before when the house was full of noise, I take a deep breath and move forward with my day.

There's not a whole lot I can do to slow down time, so I am most grateful for this very normal daily routine that greets me every morning.

happiness is...

“These big things...are not the important ones. If they were, how could one go on living? No, it is the small, little things that make up a day, that bring fullness and happiness to a life.”
― Benedict and Nancy Freedman (Mrs. Mike)


starting the new year off with a bang (52photoproject | week 37 | day one)


reorganizing and decluttering.
my laundry being done for the week.
discovering that the opened sharpie marker in the washer didn't ruin any clothes.


creative night = two friends building a piece of furniture.
finding time to visit with my neighbor.
sunshine (hear it's suppose to be gray the rest of the week).


everyone in the family working together.
realizing Adam's only going to be gone for two nights instead of three.
a reminder system that works for me (2do app).
clean sheets.


one on one time with my girls.
bookclub this week.
finally feeling better.
being able to run 5 miles after taking two months off.


cookie dough covered beaters.
my camelbak -- I'm hitting my goal and drinking more water.
homemade pot stickers for dinner.
yoga tonight with Meili.


finding them all together like this.
daily journal writing.
starting a new book.

**What makes you happy?

seeing the everyday

[september 2006]

I'm sharing this photo with you today because it was this moment I started seeing life from behind my lens. We were walking to the car after an afternoon of fun at the school carnival and I urged my girls to sit on the hillside so I could take their picture. My objective was to get a lovely picture of the three of them, together, smiling, and what I got was this -- Bella sitting austere, seemingly unaware of the other two who were busy freaking out about a fly (Tess is attempting to swat at it, not trying to hit Megan).

After going through my contact sheet of the photographs I took that afternoon the photo above is what stood out to me. It depicted so perfectly the story of what our life was like on a regular basis. It was REAL and I loved it. It was then I realized I want to capture life as it's happening. I want the good and the ugly. I want the crazy hair and the mismatched clothes. I want the family games, evening with friends, and the unbridled laughter. I want the snuggles and the quiet moments. I want the morning light streaming in from my window and our faces first thing in the morning. I want the messy house and what it's like inside our car on the way to get ice-cream. I wanted to capture us.

And it was all of that, that lead me here.

Next year, 2012, I'm going to be teaching a photography class at Squam Art Workshops.

pause :: do a little dance

It's called Seeing the Everyday. I'll be teaching in New Hampshire in June and September, and in Outer Banks North Carolina in October.

I don't even have the words to try and explain what this means to me. I've wanted this. I've been working toward this, to be able to share with you my passion for really seeing life, and to finally have it within reach, I am speechless.

All I have in my heart this morning is gratitude. Gratitude for those who got me and saw my vision. Gratitude for those who helped me get to where I am today. Gratitude for God's hand in my life. Gratitude for my family for inspiring me. Gratitude to be given the opportunity to share something important to me. Gratitude for my three girls (Hannah, Jenica, and Amy) who got my ball rolling. Gratitude for those who saw in me what I could not see in myself. Gratitude for the support and encouragement from people like you.

Thank you.

I would love more than anything to see you there. Come. Let's play with our cameras together. Squam is a life changing experience you will take with you for the rest of your life. I know. It has changed mine forever.

xoxo
amy gretchen

photobooth

"We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences, that we often cannot forsee."
~Marian Wright Edelman


a funny note about these photos: we went to the mall a few days before thanksgiving and happened upon a photobooth which we were all drawn too. after we jammed ourselves inside (not easy to do) ready to pay our $2, we realized it wasn't working. leave it to mom to save the day--i pulled out my camera and we took pictures ourselves.

grateful for him.

One of my favorite things about being an observer is witnessing a moment like this between a father and his daughter. I wonder if she knows as she sits there talking and laughing with her dad that she is the luckiest girl in the world.

I like to think his childhood, growing up with three sisters, really helped him in his roll now as a father of three girls. He is gentle and tender with them, he knows exactly what they need, and yet there is always an element of surprise and jokiness to his behavior that keeps us on our toes and guessing what he'll do next.

He is the type of father that not only talks, but listens and hears what his girls need from him. He not only plays, he gets down on the floor at their level. He not only tells them how to do something, he shows them. He's the type of father to drop whatever he's doing to go read a story with his girls merely because they asked him to. He introduces them to programs like Nova and is constantly sharing his love of music, art, and books.

He is everything to them and they are everything to him.

It does make me wonder a bit what the future holds, I mean, once hormones, friends, and boys enter their life it makes me wonder how things will flow. But I do know one thing for sure, he is going to be their constant, the one they can count on, and I hope the man in which all other men will be compared.

This month as I've been thinking about all the things in my life I'm grateful for he is the top of my list--and I suspect theirs as well. We owe so much of the greatness in our life to him. Simply put, we would not be where we are today without his loving support, encouragement, and light hearted laughter. We are forever grateful he is ours.

12of12 | November

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01. Tess started the day off right by getting her school essay finished. I love to see when my kids take charge of their homework instead of waiting for a nudge from me.
02. A Saturday morning breakfast bagel--at home. They are missing their dad.
03. The wind was crazy strong last night and even this morning. Despite the fact that my tree is getting pounded by the breeze, the leaves continue to hang on.
04. Thought it was funny that Tess and Megan needed each other to put the vacuum away.
05. Fulfilling Megan's request for a "high" ponytail.
06. Finally got to talk with Adam via FaceTime. It was nice to not only see him, but be able to enjoy the scenery from his end (ocean) as he told us about his trip.
07. Last minute laundry before leaving the house.
08. All of us after the movie, Puss in Boots. It was better than I thought it would be. We were missing Jill, Randy, and Landon though, who were at the hospital. Sadly, Landon came home from camping with a broken elbow. Poor guy. Sending out prayers to him--would you please do the same.
09. As we drove home the rain turned to slush turned to snow.
10. Take out linner (lunch/dinner) for me.
11. Enjoying a book & hot chocolate while the girls enjoy their cousins.
12. Snow.

I've been lucky this week while Adam's been away to be surrounded by friends, and today was no exception as I was able to spend time with family. It was a full, gray day that ended with snow, cousins, and hopefully good news for Landon.

I hope your Saturday, and weekend, has been good in every way. Don't forget to share it with us.

12of12 | October

For whatever reason when I sat down to look through the photos I took yesterday I was thinking I didn't take nearly enough. I was pleasantly surprised, however, when I realized I had a surplus of goodness of which to choose from.


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01. Up early to run. It's amazing how dark it is now at 6am. My friend brings glow sticks for us to wear around our wrists and sometimes we have an occasional flashlight. It was much brighter this morning though, with the full moon out.
02. Have been anticipating the new Apple ios5 software since June. It's available to download if you're at all interested. Honestly I know there is a huge difference, I mean somethings work differently, but I haven't a clue how to use most of the features. All in good time I suppose.
03. This is the first scene I saw as I walked out of my room this morning. Tess at the mirror discovering she was indeed infected with pink-eye. Totally derailed my day, but than again it was nice to be able to stay home and get projects done or at least started.
04. Had to run to the store to pick up a prescription for Tess and saw that it was full of fall goodness.
05. Found this beautiful tree on my way to our Church building. Felt good to be out in the fall air. It's just perfect right now.
06. The girls didn't have time to do the dishwasher this morning so the task fell on me. It felt good to take the morning a bit slower.
07. I can't believe how many tissue paper sheets came out of Megan's costume pattern. Took me a good while just to orient myself with what I needed and what I didn't.
08. With Tess down I was finally able to start on Megan's costume. I've put it off feeling like I have loads of time, but really Halloween is just around the corner. It's about time I started, especially because a sewing project isn't a sewing project without unpicking--there was lots of that.
09. Reading scriptures this morning before the girls left for school.
10. I was in my studio a fair amount today and keep looking at my pin board. This is what it looks like right now.
11. Megan sliding down the poll after soccer practice that's apparently off limits at school. Amidst the screaming all the way down all I could hear them say was, "I'm glad the duties not around".
12. We made cake pops at the Relief Society meeting. I'm not always a huge fan of cake pops, but they were quite tasty.

I remember going to bed on the 11th thinking, tomorrow will be an interesting day to photograph because of all the days this week it was the most low key. It really is interesting how a day maneuvers and takes shape--you just never know what it will be about. I'm really glad this was the day I captured.

I hope you had a great day too. If you played along don't forget to share.

a wednesday night

I've been asked several times why I choose to take the photos I do.
My answer, I capture what I always want to remember.

And I wanted to always remember the spontaneous moment of this night.



How the girls smooth talked Adam and I into abandoning school work and a messy kitchen to enjoy the beautiful evening together by going to Nielsen's Frozen Custard. The way they brought their wadded cash which had been hid away for just such a moment. The silliness that trickled it's way through each one of them as the deliciousness of the event sunk in. The magical light that accompanied us on the six minute drive. The view of color that was just beginning to spread on the tip of the mountain side.



It was simple and ordinary, but I never wanted to forget it--and now I never will.

Happy Monday!

unwind

After a busy day for all of us we took it outside to unwind. The weather here has been magnificent, if I could bottle it up for a smoggy day I would. So the girls decided first "grass sledding", then biking. Of course we never did make it to the biking, we spent all our time on the hill.













It's exactly what we all needed and even though no one was ready to go in, everyone seemed more relaxed when we did.

I am definitely going to miss these lingering sunsets.

case in point

It's moments like these that I savor and cling to. Little random gatherings that could so easily be meaningless or forgotten, but that become so much more and stay with you long after it's gone.



I'm not even sure how it all started. Each girl, one at a time, ended up on my closet floor with me. We joked, we teased, we laughed, and then the conversation turned when one said to me, "Mom, I'm scared something will happen to you while I'm at school." I paused. What do you say to that? With my heart in my throat, I know this fear, wanting so badly to reassure her, but knowing there are no guarantees I answered her the best I could.

And then as if the hug broke the spell, more laughing, more teasing and we moved on from the heaviness of that topic. Of course, I didn't move on so quickly. After the girls left for school I sat in the quiet for a while, prayed my girls would never have to experience the sickening loss that is death, and yet, I knew I was asking too much. It will touch their life at some point, I just pray it is years and years and years away.

Today as I reflect back on that morning, I'm so grateful for my relationship with my girls. Grateful for moments like these, and although I'm without all the answers, how grateful I am that we can so easily share and confide in each other our hopes and fears. I pray we will always have that.

goodbye august

We enjoyed many movie nights,


and far too many trips to the local bread store.


We spent time with cousins at Lolo's work fair, where Tess won a $10 gift card to cold stone,


and celebrated my nephew, Landon's birthday.


We had a good time up in the mountains camping, the girls enjoyed a daddy daughter one too,


and a fun weenie roast with friends.


We played lots of games, they won,


and spent time in the garden after it cooled down in the evenings. (this photo counts for my 52photoproject | week 18| in the garden)


The girls started school, but then I already told you that. Of course I didn't tell you that they were matching that first day. Their shirt says, "we stick together". When they saw the mouse on top of the cat on top of the dog holding a "bff" sign they just had to have it. I love that they are the best of friends.

And we watched the craziest thunderstorm Sunday night. The noise alone was enough to make you take pause, but it was amazing the way the sky lite up. I haven't seen an electric storm like that in years.


Anyone else baffled that it's already September?