I was there too...

I struggle with being present.  In photos, that is.  Like all hobby photographers, I want the camera all the time.  I never hand it off and ask someone to take a photo of me, not even my husband.  Then I have to switch it to auto, maybe put a different lens on...blah, blah.  Enough.

I was excited to clean out some closets this week and stumble upon a box of photos from the past few years. In addition to realizing that I am truly not going to scrapbook anymore (sorry kids, I know you love your books), I also realized that I need to be in more photos.  Thank you to my Mom and Mother-in-law for taking all the photos I found!  Since I got my DSLR a few years ago, there are so few pictures of me.  In the moment I never care, maybe not a good hair day, not the right outfit, no summer tan, always an excuse.  But years from now I will want them.  I will want to see what me and the kids did together, to remember that I was there too, and to discuss if I looked better as a brunette or a blonde.

So, although I don't do January resolutions, I plan to be in more photos, especially with my husband and kids.  I hope to do an actual photo session with a local photographer too, cause those are always my favorites.

Oh, and I also need to do more b & w. :)

Linking up with Darcy (I love her!!) in Project 52.  I didn't make it through last year but hey, it's a new year and you never know.

{Ornaments}

There is no Christmas tradition I enjoy more than exchanging ornaments.  I have been blessed with gifts of ornaments from many special people throughout my life and every year I get to enjoy them during this season.  I finally had some time today to practice photography with some of my favorites.

Yes, I am the crazy person that collects Starbucks ornaments.  I have so many they have their own tree.  Someday, my great-great grandchild will learn they are worth a small fortune on Antiques Roadshow.

 Ok, not an ornament but there are so many Legos around here that it seemed like a great subject.

My Godparents have gifted me ornaments throughout my childhood and this is one of my favorites...

 This is another favorite from my parents, so beautiful!

This Christopher Radko ornament was a gift from my parents when my brother was in the Army and in Afghanistan, 10 years ago already.

Bokeh photo.

This is a handmade hardanger ornament my grandmother made years ago.  I miss her and love finding this every Christmas.

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and reminder of the hope and endless love that a tiny baby brought to our world over two thousand years ago.

Merry Christmas 2011

I had to take the blog off the back burner for just one day.  It is 11 pm and I had to take my photo for the Bokeh Party over at Darcy's Blog.  You can find the link here:   Darcy's Bokeh Party!! This is my newest coffee cozy, paper pieced during Twin Cities Suburban Modern Quilt Guild in November.  I finally got it finished up a few days ago and it made my latte even better this morning!  I hope to take more photos on my winter break with the kiddos and post a few.  If I don't get to that, have a very Merry Christmas!

Fall Clean Up, Still No Quilting!

60 degree weather here in Minneapolis helped our fall clean up and we got our Christmas lights up a few weeks earlier than usual.  Still no sewing...I just want to be outside until those flakes start flying!  Adding a few photo updates here....

...Too fast

Wow.  This fall is going too fast.  New job.  Kids in school full time.  Traveling.  Volunteer commitments.  It's all good but it is too fast.  I've had no time to sew and not much time for photography.  I feel like our family has turned another page into the school-aged kids chapter and all that goes along with it.  I like it, I think.

Since time is short, here is October in photos.  Some photos are just as I wanted them and some are snapshots as they happened.  Most of them are from a trip to Detroit that my kids and I took.  We saw my brother's family and their new little one!

I don't have any farmer's wife progress, and that is disappointing, but that is how this chapter goes.

I hope you are enjoying your fall!