Month: March 2014

Inspired by the Happy Family Movement, I’m making a portrait of each child every week.

This is week three. 

I know baby Sandy steals the show in this one.  And, I love it of Atticus because it shows his adoration of babies. (This one in particular.)

Two weeks ago she was pouring over an American Girl catalog that arrived in our mailbox.  Now, her savings account is empty and is in love with her doll.

This week I got her picture on Monday.

Augusta saw this picture before she went to bed. She said, “That’s me! I was so tiny! So cute!” I said, “Yes. It was yesterday. You were so tiny and cute then.” 

(She still is.)

She talks about many things being “so cuuuute!”

“These rocks are so cuuuute!”

“My oatmeal is so cuuuute!”

“Mama! My poop is so cuuuute!”

For my sewing sister, Gingercake. It’s Stitch’n Time.

Today’s photo count: 16

This is my second week of portraits of the kids. 

A few things have surprised me about doing this.

1. It gives me permission to do what I like most.  I didn’t know I wasn’t giving myself that permission already.

2. I have to remember to get a photo of each of them.  I’m around the two youngest kids all the time since they’re not in school.  I get more photos of them doing daily things.  I have had to ask my oldest to stop for a photo this week and last.  She was happy to.  

 

Yesterday, he counted to one hundred for the first time. (That I heard.)

We were at the Children’s Museum eating lunch.

My favorite number on the way to one hundred, “Fiveteen.”

A close second? Five-ty.

I don’t correct him. He’ll learn soon enough. I love the sound of the words he creates. 

He’s sitting with me right now and is up to 198.  

Today’s photo count: 66

 

This week I saw a post on The Happy Family Movement blog about doing a weekly portrait of your kids. It was inspiring to me because while I’m taking photos every day, I sometimes forget to get some of, uh, the faces of my children. 

I also loved that the scope of his project was “until the kids graduate high school.” Now that’s a project. 

I joined in this week and made a portrait of each of my children. 

I know you’re tired of winter.  Most people are.  

Soon enough, all the snow will be gone – maybe tomorrow.

But today, there was still enough for a few good runs.

Today’s photo count: 73

Six months have past since this boy was born.

When we saw them at church on Sunday, Atticus looked at me and said, “Did you bring your camera? I want you to take a picture of Sandy.” 

I didn’t bring my camera to church but made up for it later in the day at their house.

(You can see a few photos of his arrival here. And a few more favorites from his first week are here and here.)

Photo count: 153

Today I wrote my very first email to people who have signed up to get friendly notes from me.

Over there ===> 

I took this photo to accompany the email I wrote.  It’s about how much my eleven year old self liked writing letters to anyone who would write me back.  I told a funny money story too.

Would you like to get it? I’d love to send it to you.  And more in the days to come.

(My dear daughter, Savanna, signed up for emails awhile ago and has been reminding me that I need to send an email.  Here you go, Sweetie.)

Today’s photo count: 1

I have a friend, Lori, who got some chickens this year.    

Lori writes (heartfelt, amazing) emails every day called, Marriage Moats. If you are married or love the idea of marriage – these emails are for you.   I look forward to reading them every morning and often end up needing a Kleenex. 

(I would like to add that she has been writing these emails every, single day for over three years.)

Lori uses some of my photos in her emails.  I asked her what kind of photos she needed these days.  She said, “I always have stories about the chickens.” 

I headed down the street to visit my niece’s chickens to get a photo for Lori.  I wasn’t expecting it, but I was charmed by the chickens.