365 Photo Project- 29

"His First Dance"

 

I read a blog post about taking self portraits and thought I'd try a few. I think I have to go back and reread it because....

...self portraits are tough! 

(and I'm sure to technically be a self portrait, I can't have my child in the photo with me...but, well, oh well...) 

I have a lot to learn here. BUT, this is number one of capturing a little of who I am in a series of photos. 

I am a Mommy. Dancing daily with my son, literally and figuratively. I am his first dance, and, yes, I find myself flashing forward with joy to the day I will dance with him at his wedding.

365 Photo Project- 28 (Guest Photo Post/Lesson)

"Home" By: My Son

 

My 5 year old was walking around taking photos with my camera as I was importing, choosing, and posting the photos I had taken earlier. We then put the photos he took on the computer so he could see them.

I love this one and decided to use it in the project today for a few different reasons:

 

1. His perspective is refreshing. 

 

2. I love that he caught himself in the act of taking the photo AND me in the act of working with photos on the computer.

 

3. This is totally part of our real daily life, captured by a 5 year old.

 

4.  There is a lesson here that I can bring over into my photography journey (and life).  I find myself always trying to find the perfect shot. The most artistic angle. The perfect focus. Perfect lighting. Perfect color. Something unique. Reading more. Learning more. Incorporating more. Sure, that is all great to work on, but sometimes that's not what photography, and this 365 journey particularly, is all about.

 

It's a reminder for me to step back, focus less on the perfect shot, and just capture life as it comes, no matter how the end result looks.

 

Keep learning and growing, of course, but focus more on the journey. The final product will still work out just fine....

 

....and maybe even better than I could have ever planned.

 

365 Photo Project- 27

"Frosting"

I love the details when the sun is out melting the snow.

 

365 Photo Project- 26

This cutie is CRAZY on this snow day. I have a whole series of photos when I caught him diving on the couch, but these are the two best. (I seem to let them get away with far too much just for a good photo....)

I feel like I got a bit better with the kid motion shots this time around (they like to give me practice in this area...). I like that I caught the focus on his face with the rest a blur on the above photo. I'm happier with that one than the other series. Here's to getting better!

365 Photo Project- 25

"Could Be Worse"

 

...Could be a little lego...in a dark room...while getting water...in the middle of the night...

365 Photo Project- 24

"Party Time"

 

Today was a not so great photography day, but I still captured what I needed to from the day. This one isn't focused well, the lighting isn't great, and the color was off...yet...it's just so darn cute!!

365 Photo Project- 23

"Going Places"

 

Little feet are just so cute. I had to capture them. Especially when the little boy these little feet belong to is turning 2 years old tomorrow. New adventures are coming his way.

365 Photo Project- 22

"Chores"

 

I read a photo blog post today about paying attention to, and including the foreground in the photo to tell a better story or make the photo more memorable. I keep saying more and more I want to tell a story with the people photos rather than just take a pretty picture. This photo is an initial result of that idea.  Hopefully I can achieve the storytelling part more if I start putting more thought into the foreground.

365 Photo Project- 21

"Winter Peace"

365 Photo Project- 20

"Hello!"

 

I tried a different perspective on this one. I tend to naturally take the kids shots straight at their level or lower focused on other details, so for something different I chose the perspective from above him. He thought I was really funny standing on the table with my fixed 50mm lens in order to get him focused in the shot.

365 Photo Project- 18 and 19

Combining a couple into the one post because these two days followed the same theme: kids play!

 

 "See Me!"

 

 

 "Insanity"

 

What is the definition of insanity again? Doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results? You know, like cleaning up these nesting/stacking box toys 10 times a day, 3 times in a row so I could vacuum....expecting them to stay nested and cleaned up for more than 1 minute... I swear he waited and watched me leave for the vacuum so he could take them all out again the second I left his view. I think I should create a box nesting challenge....I'd win with as much practice as I've had....

365 Photo Project- 17

"The Journey"

 

I've found that wherever I go around here, I am enjoying the drive, and fascinated about the scenery, even in the winter. I am learning to use that as a reminder for life. A reminder to focus more on the journey, and less on the destination...to live in the moment.

(One of my favorite drives: George Washington Parkway)

365 Photo Project- 16

"Reflect"

 

What a wonderful time to run, reflect, and take in the beautiful areas of DC. I couldn't get over the picture perfect clouds when we were running. I was in awe this whole day.

(samsung photo... it would be far to difficult to run with my Canon....)

365 Photo Project- 15

Plate Made by Batton Clayworks

"Perfect Ending"

 

It's a dark chocolate kind of day/week. (admittedly, I threw this photo together last minute, without much thought, because the day just got away from me. But, hey, why not capture the fact that it's a day that needed to end with chocolate...)

365 Photo Project- 14 (Photo Series)

 "Ohhhh Noooo..."

So how could I not capture this whole event that seems to happen every time big brother sits on the couch for ANY reason. It makes me nervous (I just know a kid is going to get hurt...) yet it was so cute this time because instead of getting frustrated like he usually does, big brother was giggling and playing back this time. So, here is the day's photo.....series....

(...and now I need to set up some situations where I can practice more motion shots...)

(...and now back to responsible mom, "DON'T JUMP! WE SIT ON COUCHES!!"...)

365 Photo Project- 13

"Village"

 

 And he's off. I always find myself between the two extremes of sad and excited with a new milestone of sending him out into "the village" to be shaped and grow from others outside of me. 

This moment is worth capturing because today is the first day of him being able to grow his own sense of community and connection in this new area. May he learn and grow and make new relationships that help him love our new home.

365 Photo Project- 12

"Change"

The pretty ice that blanketed so much yesterday is melting under the bright sun today (except on the sidewalks of course) but Bryce and I noticed this ice still on the sunroof in the truck on the way to school. We both thought it was super cool seeing the ice drops (some just water drops now) under the blue skies. Luckily, I had my camera with, and took the shot for this morning.

365 Photo Project- 11

"Rain at 32 Degrees"

So sad on this freezing rain, winter, closed schools, inside day. Find a better perspective... 

Capture the beauty in the ice? Couldn't hurt.

365 Photo Project- 9 and 10

"Color"

"Angles" 

I had such a wonderful morning taking photos at the Washington National Cathedral. It is an amazing place with incredible stained glass, colors, and angles. Because I missed one day, I'm making it up (breaking the rules a little, yet taking advantage of all the neat photos I took that day) by posting two today. I loved so many photos, including some of the stained glass ones, but for this project I chose these two.

365 Photo Project- 8

 "Shhh..."

I know, I know, more kids. Why am I still denying it?? But honestly, THIS is a major part of my view, my daily life. 

A life worth capturing every moment. 

Grateful.

365 Photo Project- 7

"Look"

(Seems I'm wanting more black and white photos lately. Something to look more into??)

365 Photo Project- 6

"Winter Joy"

Playing in Colorado reminiscent snow on our first East Coast snow day. Funny how something that should feel like home can actually bring up bigger homesick feelings. The snow is beautiful and joyful all the same.

365 Photo Project- 5

"Would You Like a Treat? [robot voice]"

 Playing with my 5 year old's MiP robot and realized I needed my photo of the day. This little robot plays games, brings treats, follows commands. This was his Christmas highlight. It is so cool!

365 Photo Project- 4

"Winter Rain"

Making the most of the beauty of rain today.

365 Photo Project- 3

"Deep Breath" 

Samsung S5 photo. Although I want to use my Canon for most of them, if not all, I do know there are times when I just won't have it with me all day....so I will practice some framing or composition stuff for those times. 

(Little Seneca Lake in Black Hill Regional Park, Maryland)

 

365 Photo Project- 2

"AWAKE"

I want to limit the number of kid photos...yet...the kids are kind of my daily life. So, I hope to work on different angles, settings, and composition ideas that I haven't tried. Hopefully I will learn/practice new techniques and these photos will become more interesting than just "kid photos".

365 Photo Project- 1

"Push"

Taken after running with the jogging stroller. An image of perseverance and the hard work it will take to hit my goals this new year. 

New Adventure: First East Coast Christmas

New Adventure: Our first holiday season in Maryland. It wasn't a very smooth holiday season. The reality is I took down the tree the first chance I got on the 26th, but here's to new adventures still.

A first for us this Christmas season was the rain. I have never in my life been in rain this time of year, went to a tree lighting in rain, picked out a Christmas tree in rain, rain, rain, rain. I am told this was not a typical season, which makes me feel much better. Although I let the rain steal most of my Christmas spirit this year, it is a new experience that I can add to the list.

Rain aside, we had a blast decorating this year. It was nice to get lights up to warm up the house a bit, and the boys absolutely loved decorating the tree. 

 Pretty tree. You're not taking Christmas away from me this year rain!!

....then our little tor-nate-o whirled through the house...

Yes, that is our pretty tree crashed....
We joked that my Christmas spirit this year went down with the tree, but I know that wasn't just a joke. That's the moment I was truly done with Christmas this year.

I felt about like the photo above.
But, in the spirit of not giving up (since the spirit of Christmas was now absent), I pressed on through the season to make it great still...


...starting with Polar Express night tradition!

Yes I even got teary eyes with the "believe" and bell ringing at the end. That helped.

The best parts of Christmas this year included Christmas Eve traditions with family at the boys' Great Grandma's house.

And of course, we spent our first Christmas morning in our new home in Maryland. The boys were spoiled as usual!

Yep...spoiled.

"Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere...."

I miss snow. I miss it so much. It's funny how such a simple thing can make a place harder to feel like home. This South Dakota/Colorado girl wasn't expecting a new rainy Christmas experience to feel quite as sad as it did. There were some very nice moments, and the kids' eyes lighting up Christmas morning will always be one of the greatest feelings in the world, and extended family is amazing. I still smile thinking of all the fun the boys' had with all of their cousins this holiday season.

In the end, the truth in Christmas (imperfect and all), the grace God extends, the family I'm grateful for, and the light in my boys' eyes Christmas morning all became the focus of Christmas this year. Those are what I will remember most looking back at Christmas 2014, our first in our new home.

New experiences together: rainy Christmas season, big family, first Christmas in Maryland, check, check, CHECK!  Bring on the next holiday!