Tuesday March 6, 2012.
Big League - His big sister invited him out to the driveway to play.  That's about as big league as he has gotten.  We haven't put him into an organized sport.  We've been resisting for a number of reasons, but he has asked to play hockey next year.  Ugh, hockey, my least favourite sport.

350-b/365

Wednesday March 7, 2012.
Shady - I pulled around the back of the drugstore where Kenzie works part time.  Her work isn't in the best neighbourhood.  I can say that because we used to live there when the big kids were small.  In the five years that we lived near there, I don't think I ever once took the shortcut and walked through this parking lot.  When I noticed this shady character waiting outside,  he made me a little nervous.  Turns out he was just a nice boy waiting to walk his girl home. 

351/365

Thursday March 8, 2012.
Giant Spider -

352/365

Friday March 9, 2012.
Boys will be Boys - They barricaded their sister and her friend in her room.

353/365

Saturday March 10, 2012.
Birthday Wishes - We invited ourselves for an overnight visit with my Dad and Lynda for his birthday.  Hubby took this picture of my Dad and I.  I know right?  I can't really count it as a 365 if I didn't take it.  No worries, I did take many other pictures on Saturday March 10th, but this was the one I wanted to share here.  It was nice to be able to visit with Dad.

354/365

Sunday March 11, 2012.
You'll Shoot Yer Eye Out Kid - Grampie bought a BB gun.  He and Charlie had great fun with the target practice.  I hope Grampie gets a chance to fix the drywall in the garage before he gets caught making holes in it.

355/365

Monday March 12, 2012.
Tired and Glad to be Home - Between the time change, not sleeping in his own bed and the long drive back and forth to Dad's house Hubby is tired; tired enough ignore his allergies and allow the cat to sit on him. 

356/365

Tuesday March 13, 2012.
Clearly, I'm Getting Nothing Done - It's March break and the weather has been fabulous.  I had big plans for the break to get caught up on a few of my English assignments and maybe even get ahead.  I tried, really I did.  I brought my laptop outside to work.  But the warm sunshine and cool breezes did nothing to help my concentration. 

357/365

Wednesday March 14, 2012.
Two Takes - In the morning I put the moon to bed,

358-a/365

 Two Takes - and in the evening, I watched my boys ride into the sunset.  It was a good day.

358-b/365

Thursday March 15, 2012.
Umm, I think you have something on your face - I love it when I make a dinner that everyone likes.  Tonight was Rib Night! 

359/365

Friday January 6, 2012.
Through the Years - I always fan out the pictures from previous years' when I update the frames.  I laid out their portraits and admired what great people they have become.  Each one of them growing into their best selves.  

289/365

Saturday January 7, 2012.
Special Sunrise - I was full of eager anticipation when I went outside with my morning coffee. This was the kind of day that was going to be a life changer. The sun was just beginning to rise; a beautiful, full pink sun rose behind streaks of blue grey clouds. I felt validated, even the heavens knew how important this day was. On Saturday, I met my half brother for the first time.

 

Embrace - My mother and her first born son.  An embrace that was forty-six years in the making.  Read more here. 

290/365

Saturday January 8, 2012.
Joy Hangover -  I didn't want the visit to end, and I'm so glad it didn't.  We ordered take out and ate off of paper plates with plastic utensils.  It was felt so good, so easy, in so many ways.  This morning I woke up with a smile on my face.  A Joy Hangover.

291/365

Monday January 9, 2012.
Resume Play -  Back to life, on Monday the kids went back to school.  After school, I took The Little Man to the library for the first week of his Lego and Literacy program.  He loved it.  At dinner, the table was full of chatter.  All three kids were eager to tell us about their day. 

292/365

Tuesday January 10, 2012.
Moonlit - I was watching television in my room, when I noticed the moon from my window.  Knowing how quickly the sun and the moon can change, I raced.  I grabbed my camera and tripod, forgot my coat and shoes, tripped over the cat and went outside to get my shot.  It was worth it.  Straight Out Of Camera.  Yeah baby.

293/365

Wednesday January 11, 2012.
Cat's Eye -  There is something wrong with my sweet girl's eye.  For the past few months, she has been developing spots in her eye.  It doesn't seem to bother her though.  Anyone know what it might be? 

294/365

Thursday January 12, 2012.
Tendrils and Ponytail-  the BAM weekly self portrait returns. 

295/365

September 9, 2011.
Movie Night -  John and the boys walked up to Blockbuster to check out their going out of business sale.  They came home with a video game, PlayStation wires and Gulliver's Travels.  The four of us snuggled in with our blankets for a Friday night movie night. Okay, just my sons and I had blankets, John isn't much of a blanky kind of guy. The boys giggled their way through the movie.  It was a great way to end the first week back to school. 

170/365

September 10, 2011.
Mushrooms - Delicate and fragile.  These mushrooms made a pretty picture, but that's not what I was thinking about when I snapped this photo.  What I was thinking was, look at the cute little mushroom family. 

171/365

September 11, 2011.
Yellow - I did my first back to school grocery shopping on Sunday.  Wow, those prepackaged lunch snacks add up.  I never know what to pack in the kid's lunches.  Actually the big kids make their own now, but I struggle with what to put in The Little Man's lunch box. I have two things working against me.  One, he's a grazer, never eating much at once.  And two, he is picky.  He wont eat soup, pasta or sandwiches.  What he will eat - and please don't judge me here -mini pizzas, toasted buttered bagel, cereal and muffins.  I always put in either veggies or fruit, a granola bar, a fun snack - like a bear paw, or package of fruit chews, water and a juice box.  We are only the second week into school, and already I'm bored looking at his lunch.  How about you?  Do you pack a rockin' lunch?  Any creative ideas you want to share?

172/365

September 12, 2011.
Walk with my Daughter - I breaking my own rules.  Instead of choosing just one picture,  I am posting a collage from my photo walk with Kenzie.  It was an awesome night for a photo walk.  We hiked the rock wall at Kerncliff park, to the top of the old quarry. The sun set behind us, as the full moon rose in front of us, casting the sky in shades of pink, orange and indigo.  I love our photo walks. They allow for quiet mom/daughter time.  Time where we see the world, in fresh new ways, through each other's viewfinder. 

173/365

September 13, 2011.
From Where I Stand - Actually from where I sit.  No, it's not me getting the new 'do.  I took Josh for a much needed hair cut.  The hairdresser did a great job keeping the length that Josh wanted, and making it look clean enough for me.  I could tell that Josh liked his new hair cut by the way he walked out of the salon. 

174/365

September 14, 2011.
Mail Call - Charlie was so excited to get a letter in the mail from Sam, his new pen pal.  Right away Charlie wanted to write back.  After dinner we walked Charlie up to the mail box.  Charlie's pen pal lives just down the street.  Sam would have had to past by our house to mail his letter.  

175/365

September 15, 2011.
The View From Here - One of the biggest reasons we bought our house was for the back deck.  From here, on clear days you can see Lake Ontario. Just a tiny smidgen of the lake, but still a lake view.  The top picture was taken in the morning, and the bottom picture was taken in the evening.  I thought it was interesting to see how the scene looks different with back light and front light.

176/365

September 16, 2011.
Got Nuts? - Mr.Squirrel does.  These two were "wrestling" in the maple tree this morning. 

177/365

Being Different



June 8, 2011.
Beach Boys:  It's been crazy hot here.  Since the Tree Guys were working in the backyard, our kiddie pool was off limits.  Instead of being trapped indoors, I called a few of the mommies from the school, and we made a spur of the moment play date at the local beach.  The boys loved it, and so did the mommies.

77/365

June 9, 2011.

Textured Peonies: I cut these pretties from my garden.  Usually, when I  bring peonies indoors, I get a house full of ants.  I googled what to do about this, and found a tip: fill a bucket of cool water, and swish the blooms around in the water.  Washing the ants away.  Great tip! Not one ant made his way into my house.  When I edited the image, I added a texture.  This is my first time trying a texture on one of my photographs and I'm not sure if I love the results...what do you think?  Does the texture add to the image or take away from it?

 

78/365

June 10, 2011.
Choose Wisely:  Paper, Rock, Scissors.  However you make your decisions realize that they are yours.  Take responsibility for your decisions.  Be proud of them.  Where you are in life, who you are right now, is the sum of your choices. 

79/365

June 11, 2011.
Where Ever You Go Today, Believe This:  Because I know how tough it is to be a teen aged girl, I wrote this message on The Kid's mirror.  So that her day would begin with love, and whatever storms may come her way today, she can hold this message in her heart.

80/365

June 12, 2011.
Stormy Lines of Miscommunication:  I went for a walk today to clear my head.  Sometimes the best intentions can be misinterpreted.  Sometimes the love you give is not able to be received.  (taken with my iPhone, still struggling with resolution -like everything else in life, it's a learning curve for sure)

81/365

June 13, 2011.
Au revoir:  There he goes.  Off to Quebec with the grade eight trip.  For the next four days, I will race every time I hear the phone ring in case it's him.  I will worry that he's okay.  I will think about how much he has grown up in the last few years, and my heart will fill with pride.  For the next four days, our house will feel a little empty and we will all miss him terribly.  Have fun buddy, xo. 

82/365

June 14, 2011.
I'm Stumped:  I wanted to take this picture of Charlie standing on the huge tree stump in the back yard.  I loved the contrast between his little feet and the huge stump.  But I don't know what I want to title it, or say about this picture besides, I'm Stumped.

83/365

June 15, 2011.
Oh, so Different:  The whole week has been different.  The view from our backyard being so dramatically altered, out of the blue field trip to the beach, attempting new ideas with my photography, and of course Josh being away.  It really hit me when I passed by my daughters room. I noticed Charlie and Kenzie playing with her old doll house.  Wow, things sure are different around here....

84/365

The below collage of the Full Moon and Lunar eclipse was taken over two days.  June 14th and 15th.  Photographing the moon has always been difficult for me, but I think I totally rocked these.  Not part of my 365 project, but I just had to share!

Full moon/lunar eclipse - June 13 & 14,  2011