photos

senior photos:: darlene

photographic journeys, photos, photoshoots, senior photos

Darlene and I explored the downtown of our city looking for places to take photos, and also utilized the awesomely colorful books at Half Price to make some great backgrounds.

^ really digging the color and the focus and the wind in this one.

^also in the antique store, with some lovely mirrors.

we included some fun props: a mustache on a stick, and a super colorful lollipop

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my birthday

a day in the life, photos, stories, words

^The morning began with a cup of tea (and trying out the heart-shaped bokeh filter.)

I did have to do school, even though it was my birthday.

^ complete with sparkling cider

^ jen being a torero [bullfighter] and em doing the death drop.

^some lovely roses from em + jen

^ the christmas lights in the back yard [with heart bokeh filter]

^ i made some delicious brownies, recipe from bon appetit magazine.

it was a really lovely day. and no, i don’t feel older. i’m still a kid.

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meet my rainboots.

a day in the life, photos, stories, words

they have been my constant companions this icy snowy wet month of february. invaluable, to have the confidence to walk across the street without fear of wet feet.

they also have better traction than my sperrys. if i had worn those when it was icy, i wouldn’t have stayed on my feet for long.

not to mention the very BAM color.

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but there are good things.

a day in the life, photos, stories, thoughts, words

I was thinking about how inconvenient and not nice this ice covered weather is. But there are good things – like, we have a wealth of stores on the intersection just near us, so it’s not extremely difficult to get groceries when we need them, because we can just walk.  But what if we lived in Autumn Chase or something? no close stores.  (There would be the huge amount of nearby neighbors, though.) And at least i’m stuck at home with nice people! I love my family.  And we do fun things together, like me and Clara blowing bubbles outside to see if they would freeze.

And walking to the Asian supermarket with Dad on Tuesday to get vegetables. I held onto his arm; so if one of us slipped the other was there to hold both of us up. Thankfully we didn’t ever both slip at the same time.  (I think I should say thankfully instead of luckily – because luck isn’t real, and I am thankful to God.) And then today since we were stuck at home again, Amy, Clara, Dad, and I (and Ginger) walked to Redbox to rent a movie. Walgreens didn’t have good ones (I suppose everyone is renting movies since they’re stuck at home?), so Amy and Clara and Ginger walked home, and then Dad and I went to the Redbox at CVS.  Got Toy Story 3, and then also got tortillas at the Mexican market.

And at dinner time tonight, we were all listing the number of layers we were wearing.  Clara took the prize for 5 tops, 3 pairs of pants, and 3 pairs of socks.

Our power went out sporadically this morning, but didn’t stay out for long. So we can eat breakfast. (Biscuits and gravy this morning- delish.)

Dad and I were able to go to prayer meeting on Tuesday because a friend (who had chains on his tires!) picked us up.  Such nice fellowship.  Not too many people were there, but some braved the cold and walked from their apartments.

And we can bake! Biscuits this morning, gingersnaps yesterday.  And countless cups of tea. We have to wash spoons throughout the day since we use so many to stir our tea.  (We also have to change Ginger’s water throughout the day too, since it freezes. She was in the garage some today, and Clara was reading a story from the Grimm Fairy Tales book! But that’s a rabbit trail… or shall we say a dog trail?)

I think that was the most I have written on this blog since like… ever.  But there is a list of wonderful things for you.

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reading books aloud

a day in the life, photos, thoughts, words

I started reading Mary Poppins by PL Travers outloud to Clara each night. A chapter a night, we’re now on chapter 3.  [As you can see, I use paint samples for my bookmarks.  I think this is my favorite one – I love mustardy yellow- but I had misplaced it and only found it when I reread the book I had left it in. This is also a new mug of mine – one of my favorites. From awesome store World Market. And you can’t tell, but in the mug is Abuelita’s hot chocolate.]

But just this afternoon I started another book, which so far seems like it would be a really good read-aloud book too.  The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge.

How can you keep sentences like this to yourself? “Wiggins meanwhile pursued with his tongue the taste of the long-since-digested dinner that still lingered among his whiskers.” That right there almost makes me want to grow a beard. Haha, not.

And another gem: “And it was bitterly cold and they had been travelling for what seemed like a century, and still there seemed no sign of their ever getting there.”

As I told Clara, I read it out loud in my head.

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Christmas

a day in the life, photos, words

^ My sisters and I bring Mom and Dad breakfast in the morning. Tea, coffee, muffins.

^ the Christmas tree.

^ This is the candy cane lady. She’s been in the family for as long as I can remember, but she’s been around for a more than that too – her base says 1954.

^ I made this apple pie.   And for your information, Betty Crocker makes a better pie crust than Nourishing traditions or those girls from the pie shop in Brooklyn. (whose recipes I’ve used previously.)

^ My super cool camera lens mug from Photojojo.

^ Melissa in all her new winter wear, looking like she stepped out of an Anthropologie ad. [handmade boots + gloves, and scarf and forever 21 headband.]

^ Dad held Riette alot. She’s adorable.

^ A big delicious dinner. It made for delicious leftovers too.

^ At the very end of the evening we went to see Christmas lights. I fell asleep on the drive home.

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