Sunday, February 28, 2010

I like knowing about the lettuce...

I like knowing what each member of my family prefers on their sandwiches.  
It's like I'm privy to some special "inside information."
I felt a strange, and not unpleasant, moment of intimacy when preparing lunches this week.
Lettuce in the sun photographs so well, too!
Yum!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Friday, February 26, 2010

Monkey see, monkey do...



Since I've started toting the camera everywhere and snapping photos constantly, I've noticed my girls doing the same.  It's been a wonderful side-effect of my 365 photo project.
It was only a matter of time before Annie asked to pose in the moment of us photographing each other!  
Sweet!


Here's one of Emma's recent photos:

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Icy moments...


Caught this moment during a recent family excursion 
on a sunny, windy, Winter's day.
Paul and the girls were working on an "ice experiment."  
Later, on the playground, Paul threw snowballs at the girls as they dodged in and out of the equipment.  

Loved those squeals of delight!  

At one point Emma said, sarcastically 
"Nice, a dad throwing snowballs at his daughters on the playground."  
Nice, indeed.  Very nice.
Such lucky girls!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Trying something..."wishcasting"

I came across an amazing, creative soul ~ Jamie Ridler.
She hosts Wischasting Wednesdays at her site and I'm going to give it a whirl.  

The below is excerpted from Jamie:
What do you wish to give yourself permission for?
You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box below. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple.
There is great power in wishing together.

So...here goes:

~I'm wishing for the courage to try a kick boxing class tonight 
(actually, I'm wishing for the courage to even wish for the courage to try!)~

Way outside of my box!

Wordless Wednesday...


Hungry robins sharing a rare spot of grass in a snow-covered Washington D.C. last week.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

take my breath away...


Really, what can I say?

Life isn’t measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the 
 that take your breath away. (author unknown)

Monday, February 22, 2010

I wasn't ready yet...

I wasn't ready yet for them to go...
It has been so lovely all being together this past week.  I'm missing the moments of our homeschooling life today...
Leaving it at that.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Annie's been practicing her drumming!

Remember Annie playing the drums?
Well, she's been practicing...check her out now:

(Thank you, Paul, for the great idea 
and your technical expertise!!)

Funky jello...


Snatched from a video taken last night after dinner, I caught this moment 
right after Paul had... 
...sucked up a Jello man from the cutting board -- to Emma's astonishment 
and complete amusement.

I love these photos!

(And, they inspired TWO Picasa collages!)
Earlier in the day, Emma made a project for school using Jello.  With the extra, she made Jello men.  Technical difficulties ensued when trying to pop the men out of the mold.  Very few survived.  I was alone in this opinion, but I declared it as positively gross!  

Paul, in all his "dad-ness" showed off by sucking up a Jello man from the tray.  Look closely at the collage...someone else was watching and gave it a try herself!  
Gives new meaning to Robert Fulghum's quote: "Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you."

Emma also made Jello hearts with jelly beans stuck in them.  
Oh, my!  
These didn't come out of the mold well either and much disgustingness silliness took place.  

Later, I had some fun with these photos in Picasa -- the colors and shapes lent themselves to "funktification."
It was quite a dessert!  
Thank goodness we were out of whipped cream ;-)

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Watch out for Annie’s finger!

From noses to buttons, watch out for Annie’s finger these days!

Playing “Truth or Dare” with the kids on our way home last night…
Me, “Annie, truth or dare?”
Annie, “Dare!”
Me, “Mmmm, OK, clean out your belly button lint.”
Annie, “Already done.”
Me, “Clean out your dad’s belly button lint.”
Annie, “Already done.”
(She and Paul had wrestled earlier in the day during which 
they apparently “cleaned each other’s belly buttons!”)
Me, “OK, clean out Emma’s belly button lint.”
Annie, “I don’t need to.  Emma has an extremely clean belly button.”
Me, “How do you know Emma has a clean belly button?”
Annie, “One night while sleeping, I turned over and accidentally stuck my finger in her belly button.  
It was very clean!.”

Moments like this…you can’t make this up!  LOL!

Not surprisingly, no one would willingly provide their belly button for photographing 
so I had to draw one…

Friday, February 19, 2010

Silliness!

What does this man have in common with...
...this little girl?
Just as we were assembling everyone to take this photo...
...darling little Annie stuck her finger up this poor gentleman's nose!
She shocked us all into giggles.  It was a surprising moment of silliness!  
Too bad I didn't catch that one on film!

These photos are taken at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History.  
Both girls were captivated by the Chicago transit car exhibit.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

We interrupt this photo-stream to bring you...

Annie jamming on the drums!
This fantastic moment, from Winter 08/09, was recorded by Paul.  I used Picasa to capture and edit a photo from it.
It also features our beloved dog, Luna, who passed away in June 2009.  
Get your groove on...
Two, Three, Four!

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig!

I love this moment...when I hear the bus and then...
...wait for it...
...the girls round the corner and run and skip down the driveway toward home.  
Welcome home, cuties!

Monday, February 15, 2010

Thank you, Sew Blessed and Sodderbug!

A new friend, Janelle, over at Sew Blessed offered to make a "blog charm" in exchange or hosting her site's button.  Her site is O Sew Precious and I thought, "why not?!"
This whole blogging thing is new to me...so is taking a photo every day.  So many times I've felt like quitting it for all sorts of reasons.  Somehow, taking Janelle's badge and accepting the charm in return felt "official" -- and although, self-imposed -- a "no turning back" moment.  So, there's all that "going on" for me.  It may look "just" like a charm to you, but it symbolizes a lot about this part of my journey.  Yes, I know...blah, blah, blah!  I'll spare you.
Back to the charm.  
It is *so* pretty!  I am amazed at how beautiful it is.  Janelle does spectacular work!  I encourage you to check out, Sodderbug, her charm business.  She'll take your photos and make these lovely keepsakes.  I'm impressed with the quality of the charm...it's very substantial feeling, not chincy or flimsy.  I also love the chain.  

Janelle, thank you so much for this beautiful gift.  It means a great deal to me and I'll wear it proudly.  I wish you all the best with your business.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Map of my world...

A/K/A "Crinkly eye-wrinkles of love"

Creative Every Day/Flickr Project 365 photo for 2/14/10:
Happy Valentine's Day, Baby!
I love these lines!  I love this grey hair!  I love this smile!  I love seeing this face everyday!
~It's a map of my world~
You've earned these badges from the moments of a life being lived well.  
Thank you for sharing it with me.
I love you...
The Bogushes of Shaggyhill, drawn by Emma
(Cool pants, babe!)
xoxoxoxoxoxo

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Mama moment...

Creative Every Day/Flickr Project 365 photo for 2/13/10.  
The spots are on my lens, from Paul photographing out in the snow on Wednesday ~ got me laughing ~ I think they actually look pretty neat artistic!
So, I love to "do" my girls' hair.  
They don't let me do it often, especially Emma.  She's eleven -- almost twelve. 
(Could they still remember brushing out snarls, oh how we all cried??
And, yet, she asked me today...what an unexpected and wonderful moment!
Seriously!  
Look at this kid...ah, such a beauty ~ a spunky, smart, witty, kind, creative, joy-filled bundle of spirit and strength!  I am blessed to be her mama...watching her grow!  
Lucky, lucky me!

Friday, February 12, 2010

A favorite way to end the day...

Creative Every Day/Flickr Project 365 photo for 2/12/2010
I had a crisper photo than this and I tried one in black and white.  I even made a collage of the date night accoutrements (Paul's homemade chicken wings, the NCIS season 4 disc 3 from Netflix, a snow covered window)...gosh I *love* those Picasa collages!
But, when it came to posting, I deleted all those and went with the above.  
It's all right there...really.  This is one of my favorite views...
...moments with my man...never grow tired of having his feet next to mine on this journey ;-)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Cupid's moment...

(Creative Every Day/Project 365 photo for 2/11/2010)
We made these chocolate dipped Cupid's hearts for the girls to pass out at school on Friday.  
It was a moment of cooperation and creative fun.

Thank you Marie at Make and Takes for the great idea!  

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Breakfast moments...

(Creative Every Day/Project 365 photo for 2/9/2010)
Breakfast dishes...
Sometimes it feels like this: 
rushing to school, rushing to work, rushing home, rushing through homework, rushing to activities, rushing to do chores, rushing to get to bed on time....


But, in it all, blissfully, the past couple of weeks...my girls and I have been able to sit down and eat breakfast together.  We eat dinner together nearly every night (a family priority) - but breakfast together -- during the week -- is a moment of luxury.

It's a wonderful way to start the day...connected...

Monday, February 8, 2010

Big girl moment...


(Creative Every Day/Project 365 photo for 2/8/2010)

Annie's purchasing candy ~all on her own~ at her favorite spot at the Reading Terminal Market.  
She bought lots of carmallows...
...and chocolate/peanut butter ladybugs -- so cute!
YUM!

After dinner moment...




(Creative Every Day/Project 365 photo for 2/7/2010)


Emma enjoying an after dinner moment of wrestling mayhem.  Please be sure to take note of the broccoli stalk!  This makes me laugh.  
Things quickly turned into "Can you do this?"  Seems Paul's not as flexible as originally thought!  
And, ever-faithful, watching it all...the broccoli stalk ;-)

 I hope the girls will look back with happy memories of these uniquely "daddy moments."  
I know Paul will!

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