68/365

Not a great day around here. Very busy and things just didn't go my way. So you're getting a shot that a friend took and I played with:

color:

67/365

Happy Birthday to me!
My parents sent me flowers and I went all wild and crazy with both a square crop and close up:

I took pics specifically for this project yesterday with the intent of practicing with the 580. I tried a few with the Sto-Fen and just don't like it as well. I complained about the skylight effect but it just dulls everything down to the point I'm not sure what I'm doing (even moreso than without it). I put a giant white coloring book up beside him in an attempt to get some catchlights (hello, amazon.com, I need a reflector!):

Christmas

I got gift cards from Amazon.com for Christmas and was able to swing a 580EXII for Christmas. I mostly just bounced off the ceiling for our Christmas pics which seems to give this skylight effect but I was so happy it arrived in time!
It was a great Christmas, for real. My dad gave my big kid a Lionel Polar Express train and it made for the quintessential Christmas moment. I hope the recipient remembers it as along as the giver and the observers:

59/365

Another snow shot. Winter went from novel to miserable in one day. We got about 8" of fluffy snow at about 20 degrees on Thursday. Then a few more inches yesterday paired with 40 mph winds and windchills around 40 below. My weatherbug thing tells me it's -2 which is the 'warmest' it's been in 24 hours. We might hit 10 by Christmas. Blech!
Out my front door yesterday:

Fun in the snow on Friday:

56/365

Oh.My.Goodness.
So.
I've been busy doing Christmas cards. I've just done a few this year but they've been extremely customized. Lots of revisions. But here are the first three that came in. The last one is Tess' beautiful photography!:

And the best news we've had in a while, not only are swimming lessons over but the little guy did great! Thursday, 12/11/2008:

Skip to Sunday, 12/14/2008, where suddenly we find ourselves in South Bend, Indiana contemplating a transfer to a new location:

Then home Monday in time for the big preschool program:

And today, 12/17/2008, we get a Secret Santa gift just as I had the kids dressed in their Christmas outfits for an attempt at some shots for the 2009 family calendar:

48/365

Let's start with Saturday...we made pretty ornaments:

And Sunday we got the tree:

Monday, I was dissed as the tooth-brushing assistant in favor of the big brother!

And today, for Eric, I took a shot out our back door. Just wait; it will be whiter in a few weeks!

44/365

I had to count on my fingers to get the number. 44 is close enough!
I was a fun mom for about 20 minutes today as we used window markers (love those things!) to draw a Christmas tree and presents on one of our sliding glass doors.

and a bonus because the expression cracks me up:

Playing catch-up...

Sure, I missed a few days in there but I've really been making the effort to put thought into a picture every day over traveling, Thanksgiving and a last-minute effort to get in my 30 hours of continuing education for my Occupational Therapy license.
Let's begin with 11/26/2008; I stayed up late to complete the Handwriting Without Tears Level I National Certification application. Seriously a ton of work but worth 8 hours of continuing education that I for sure needed (and needed the chocolate after all that work!):

Then 11/27/2008; just proof that I got my camera out. And I guess evidence that my daughter is 'that kid' with the chapped face from licking and sucking on her lips:

11/28/2008; Are we the only family that has to take a series of pictures of the table before enjoying a meal? Really? Just us? Hm.

Next day; 11/29/2008. My parent's house has good light, that's for sure. And here's my greedy, obnoxious little son with a beanie baby. Our dear friend Evelyn passed away earlier in the week and what's the first thing this kid did when we went to see her widower in the nursing home? "Ooh, Rudolph, can I keep him?" He stole a beanie baby from a grieving man. And my mom stooped so low as to paint his nose red with fingernail polish. I took the shot for Carl in an effort to act like I think it's as cute as everyone else does:

Enjoying the light:

No words:

On 11/29/2008; Family that tailgates together:

Skip to yesterday's Christmas program; 12/3/2008. I barely take this kid to day care so she didn't know the songs but really; they're 2. She behaved better than the rest of the kids stomping and jumping on the stage:

And hello tonight! A night alone in a hotel. Most of it was spent working on yet another continuing eduction home study course but that's done and after the workshop I'm attending tomorrow, I'll be set to renew my license next week!

Phew!