manual mode morning

Because Kristen asked about it, I figured I could share a couple of my pictures. I have been experimenting with manual mode, but I have soooo much to learn. Here's from this morning:

 Joshua is wearing the sweater that his Great Grandma Landin made for him :) So fun!

finding me

In being a mom, it's sometimes easy to throw all of me into my child and his needs and to forget my own. Including eating, sleeping, time alone, devotions, and the creative outlets I enjoy. I'm trying to fit in one (or more) extra me-time things in each day, and it has been a bit better.

In the middle of July, I realized that I hadn't used my camera to take pictures of flowers since the birth of my son. I love taking detailed pictures of flowers and little bees and bugs - the details no one sees. I enjoy that! But I had forgotten.

So, I took the camera outside for a few moments and snapped a few pictures, not realizing that the lens had fogged up with the change from air conditioning to humidity, and these pictures were the result. I had to adjust brightness, contrast, and color to make them look less...foggy...but I think they turned out okay, especially for not having done this kind of picturing in a while.

Six months.

Unbelievably, it has been six months. Six whole months that we've had this beautiful baby boy outside my belly, six months of sleepless nights, six months of parenthood filled with spitup, smiles, soiled clothes, and surprises - so much more than we could have imagined.

And our hearts are full.

Here are some pictures of the sweetness, himself:

 Trying the pool for the first time

 Enjoying the sand and sun at the ocean

 And wading in the tiniest waves with Daddy

 Reaching for toys, and anything within sight

 Grabbing his toes

 He has been sitting up a little better on his own

 Smiling at everyone

 Teething like crazy!

And more:

Standing with help

Jumping whenever the opportunity presents itself

Beginning to prefer Mommy and Daddy

Sleeping 3-4 hour stretches at night, but usually 3

Tried cereal for the first time - not a fan

Cooing and "singing"

Jumping/stomping/tapping in rhythm to music (Yes, really. He is the son of musicians!)

And we love him more each day. Our precious baby Joshua.

new baby, new hat...of course!

A friend of mine just welcomed her first little one - a baby girl, whose first initial is "J." Hubby and I planned to go see the family today and enjoy lunch together. But first...

1. I made chocolate chip cookies. Pretty sure that new mom loves chocolate and has no time for baking. Check.

2. I made a cute baby hat with new baby J's initial. Felt very knit-savvy, as I used yarn from my stash (sport weight acrylic) and made up my own pattern, down to the initial and heart motif. Love.

Both new parents loved the little hat, and baby J didn't mind modeling it as she slept. She's so precious!
Pardon the fuzzy picture from hubby's phone. Best we could do while baby was sleeping!

And on a completely different subject, my photography hobby could potentially be more expensive. But it's so cute!! If only I could justify the purchase... I might have to actually get paid for picturing first. Sigh. But my black case (which is functional) screams "I'm a camera! Steal me!" And I really want a cute bag. But I can't (won't?) pay that much. Love their bags anyway! I think the Clover design is my favorite.

loving the little things

There's a children's song from Sunday school that I remember - "Jesus loves the little ones like me! me! me!"

Today, I noticed more of the "little things" than usual. A student handed me a crayon-on-construction-paper note, thanking me for teaching her. I left school for the day in a great mood, breathing in fresh, clean air, enjoying the warm sunshine, and loving the cool breeze. I drove the posted 15 mph down the hill and across the bridge, and noticed a goldfinch, perched on a tall blade of grass. He bent it gently...

Later, I photographed flowers with my sister, and we appreciated the beauty together. There was a firefly with blue-spotted wings that landed almost close enough for a photo - almost!


I dressed and got ready for the evening's performance, and parked for free in the city lot. Walking to the theater, I "followed" a little brown sparrow as he hopped from windowsill to windowsill on an old brick building.

I enjoyed the smooth, cool piano keys as I prepared to play, and loved the way my concert-black skirt skimmed the stage.

Leaving for home, I walked past the same brick building, and this time, noticed a small vine beginning to creep up the wall. Little bright green and red leaves, delicate tendrils, wrapped around hard, rough stone. New life in a tough place, between cement and stone.

That's where I feel most of the time: between cement and stone. In the middle of tough school work, bad job situations, and poor finances. But the blessings still come. I have everything I need - truly, everything. We have received what we need each time that we come close to not having enough. God is faithful.

As I drove home, the sunset was so many beautiful colors, like a smooth, gently striped seashell in pinks, purples, yellows, and blues. Blessed - through raindrops, through pain, through difficult jobs, times of physical distance, and emotional struggle. Blessed.

a brighter day

I'm glad that God allows us to still have flowers through the autumn season - I love the beauty of raindrops on pink petals, bright yellow mums, and the smooth orange flesh of pumpkins...

the pleasures of home

DH and I went home for my grandfather's 80th birthday, and incidentally, my sister's 19th. It was a fabulous weekend - temps in the 70's, sunshine, lots of family, lots of pie.
We are a pie-eating family. Birthday pie is a tradition. Grandpa's brother, Unc, used to tell us of the days when his mother would make a pie each day for dessert after supper. All kinds of pie - from classic apple to elderberry to mincemeat. Unc insisted that, since pie slices are wedge-shaped, there's always room for dessert. He never passed up a slice of pie! And always had stories to tell as he lingered over the accompanying cup of strong coffee (with a bit of cream, no sugar).


This birthday party for Grandpa reminded me of Unc (who passed away in 2008) because of the many pie choices there were! Peach, key lime, cherry, pecan, concord grape...and then there was cake and ice cream besides. My mom decorated both cakes - a white, Swedish themed cake for Grandpa, and a chocolate one with vibrant orange and yellow flowers for my sister. These were completed with the exact number of candles for both my sister and my grandfather. Yes, there were eighty candles on that cake...

Earlier that afternoon, my siblings, husband, and I enjoyed the outdoors. Frisbee, feeding the cows and horses, petting the cats, taking pictures of flowers, hitting some golf balls, shooting a few hoops...


It was a beautiful weekend, completed by horseback riding, hiking, painting toenails with my mom, picking wildflowers, and taking pictures.
yellow violets (a study in opposites, no?)

a rare red trillium

trying

lately, i've had a lot more free time than usual. this could be a good thing, but the free time has been accompanied by mild depression, which, characteristically for me, follows times of too much stress. I have had zero motivation for anything - not even for things I enjoy doing. Today was the first day I felt like I actually accomplished anything I've been meaning to do...and my list only included making a return, buying apples, making a pie, doing laundry, calling for optometrist appointments, going to the gym, and filing papers.

Alas. But I have been taking pictures. It's a joyful thing for me - to capture something and to view it closer than I can in real life.

Another joyful thing for me is singing, but I can't seem to get myself to practice like I should! I have had enough time in every day to do this, but it just doesn't get done. Part of the deterrent is my digital piano - it doesn't have external speakers, so i have to practice with earbuds in my ears. It's hard to hear myself like that. Regardless, I should still be practicing. Right now.

But I'm not! And I'm frustrated about this, but still having a hard time getting myself to practice.

jolly good fun

on Sunday, we had been at my in-laws' house for the weekend, so we had a three hour drive back to our house. after that, my husband went directly to ultimate frisbee practice and a meeting, and i was stuck at home. no way i was doing clean up right away!
so i went for a run in the mild 32 degrees-F weather. it was beautiful! I took some pictures and really enjoyed running for a bit.

since it was perfect snowman weather, i made one. here he is:


it was also a great day for sunsets and snowy landscapes:



and i have much for which to be thankful.