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?

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.

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.

family dinner

There hasn't been a time in our life when one of us wasn't busy for some reason or another, but once we threw kids into the mix and their schedules, we knew making sure we had family time was crucial. So we have always made dinner time an important part of our day. Of course there are bound to be times when something comes up and we are unable to make it happen, but for the most part we have done our very best to plan everyone's schedules so we can all sit down at the dinner table and have that time together.



My favorite part of dinner time is you never really know where you'll end up once you get started. The conversations twist and turn and before you know it you're talking about the Pledge of Allegiance or what phenomenon means. Case in point: after Tess finished telling us all about the mountain men she's learning about in school Megan chimed in and completely changed the subject, "Dad tell us what your favorite thing is about us, each of us." He happily took on her challenge and then like magic, everyone took their turn -- not a grumble in the bunch.

It was quite interesting for me to hear everyone's responses, each description just as true as the next. Me, being the last, had tougher shoes to fill because I wasn't allowed to say what anyone else had said. I loved it and loved the collection of favorites we ended up with, but mostly I loved getting a better understanding of my girls and how they saw each other.

here's the list.

Dad
M- Smart and intelligent
T- let's you do things mom doesn't
B- spends time with me
G- listens and wants to understand

Mom
M- soft skin and sweet
T- helps me when i need it
B- teaches me how to be a mom
A- all we've shared in our 16+ years

Bella
M- smart
T- helpful
G- thoughtful
A- mature

Tess
M- adventurous
B- encouraging
G- tries hard and won't give up
A- compassionate

Megan
T- crazy
B- always willing to try new foods
G- love for life
A- original


I know this is precious time not all families are able to have whether one parent works or kids are involved in activities, so I am extremely grateful we have been able to pull it off thus far. It has been an invaluable part of our family life and I look forever to it each and every night.

Now if I could just incorporate some new recipes. I feel like I've been in the "recycling recipe mode" since Christmas.

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.

everydayness | november

We watched the leaves fall


and cleaned them up.


We spent a week just the four of us without dad,


and enjoyed, very much, his homecoming.


We made straw art,


and created snowmen.


We danced till we dropped with our new apple tv,

and mellowed out while learning something new.


We entertained ourselves during early morning violin, enjoyed toasty fires at night,


and found time to do something we love.

It was a good month.

thanksgiving weekend pt.2

SATURDAY


We went to the movies. All the girls had read The Invention of Hugo Cabret and they were very anxious to see the movie Hugo. I must say, sitting next to Megan in a theater seeing a movie of a book she has read, hence knowing what comes next, is not what you'd call the best movie viewing. The girls loved it, Adam not so much, though we both agreed the cinematography was fabulous. I think it was a wee bit long, got slow in some parts, but I enjoyed it.


Afterward we went for a bit of window shopping and milling about. I already had to return some things believe it or not.


We hit anthropologie,


and of course barnes&noble.


Almost at once it turned to dusk and then really that's when the magic started. Yes it was chilly out, but all I wanted was to stay for a while surrounded by the lights and Christmasy atmosphere. I could tell I was not the only one.




We drove home in the most magical light and watched the light fade along the horizon. What a lovely afternoon/evening we had together as a family.


As we watched the sliver of a moon follow us home, it was the perfect end to a most delightful holiday weekend.

everydayness | october

We found time, just the two of us,


and time at home, together.


We looked for witches at Gardner Village,


and revived game night.


We spent ample time outdoors enjoying the fall,


and equal time indoors getting ready for the season.


Tess finished up her soccer season,


and Megan too.


Bella enjoyed her 30 year reunion (more to come) while Megan continues to learn what a ront de jambe is,


All of us working, we brought our busy life together.


We baked fall goods,


and trick-or-treated for some too. (52 photoproject week 28 | trick or treat)

family hike

As I sit watching the snow pile higher and higher as each flake dots the ground I reflect upon the delicious fall we experienced this year. There was a moment earlier in the season where I thought our fall had been lost to us, but luckily it came back with a vengeance and the last few weeks have been nothing short of a delight.

Fully aware our time was limited we took complete advantage of the weather and our proximity to the mountains and spent as much time outside in the canyons as possible.
















[Saturday, 22 October | the photos with me in them were taken by adam]

Oh, Great Pumpkin...

While I would have loved and even hoped for a beautiful evening with the sun setting in the west, what we got instead was an ominous night, very much in line with the spirit of Halloween. I could almost hear Linus yelling, "Oh, Great Pumpkin, where are you?" It really couldn't have been a more perfect evening to help set the mood.

Fall is very much at the door. Although it already looks like autumn, our mountain dotted with color, the ground littered with leaves, for some reason the warm 90 degree weather has confused my mind into wondering if it's really going to turn. With the onset of this week I'm wondering no more, the change has begun and our sweaters and boots are now what we are grabbing for.

It's delightful, is it not?

I envision this weekend with apple cider, fires, and pumpkins coming to life. I love this time of year.

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.