This Moment

Playing along with Amanda today... in her words: 

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Audrey's Camera, Part III

This morning Audrey brought me her camera and told me there was no more room on the inside for her to take pictures. Has it really been since January that I last dumped her camera? Oh... 364 pictures... yep, it's been a while.

It may be going on almost a year since I last checked out her pics, but I'm happy to report they have neither lost their character nor their sweetness in that time. See for yourself...

I've noticed she takes multiple, multiple pictures of the same thing, so this sampling is from a few of the more unique of the bunch. I also noticed this time around that there were apparently a few sessions where Henry was the photographer (it's always sweet to catch them sharing).

Love it.

44/52

A portrait of my kids every week for 52 weeks.

Henry dragging a branch around the field for reasons only he knows.

Audrey with a pillow on her head and look of mischief on her face.

Right Now

Right now, I'm...

...still waking up like there's not an extra hour in our schedules... and so are the kids. Have I ranted yet in this space about how much I hate this antiquated, obsolete tradition? Because I do. Hate it.
...happily greeted by my new desktop calendar each time I log on during my extra hour in the mornings.
...finally starting to spot a few trees here and there in mid-transition to a fall hue, ombre-style.
...soaking up the beauty of this deep, short-lived autumn light, and promising myself that I will not take all my gratitude photos outside in said light... not all of them, anyway.
...struggling with exactly how long we'll let the kiddos partake of their incredibly gluttonous haul of trick-or-treated candy, and turning that question on myself, too (butbutbut they actually got dark chocolate versions of the good stuff this year, who can blame me?!).
...sorting through even more sweet photos of our kiddos at our favorite zoo from yet another trip as we attempt to max out our season pass- in this perfect weather- before it expires at the end of the year.
...feeling overwhelmed by the amount of portraits, scribbles, sketches and drawings these kids have been making lately. I'm thinking they'll have to play some part in either our Christmas cards this year, a gift for a doting family member, or maybe I just need to find more outside-the-box inspiration, like some of these ideas. It's a cool problem to have, though. Not complaining.
...finding the silver lining in the obligatory time change with the extra time in the tub for the kiddos, as we keep working on what amounts to basically a bed time that's an hour later for everyone, and the wrinkly fingers and toes that follow.
...still loving this most favorite season, even as we begin the end of it all, and squeezing just as much out of it as I possibly can.

Happy Monday.

A Walk

Happy weekending... now go get back out there.

Our Night Out

This year's Halloween will go down in the books as a success- not because of the loot, but because each kiddo loved their costume (yay!), everyone enjoyed the evening, there were no meltdowns (double yay!), thank-yous were remembered, and of course because of the beard.

Hoping there was sweetness in everyone else's night out, too, and not just from the treats!

A Gratitude Challenge

I've always battled a cynical side when it comes to the way some holidays seem to highlight qualities in life that should be present every day... like, for example, Valentine's Day, where you shower your significant other with thoughtful gestures, love notes, and their favorite dinner, only to send them back to mundaneland the following day (sooo cynical, I know... but I warned you). It seems fairly common, really, for the focus on the respective quality of the holiday (love, gratitude, appreciation) to fade with the holiday itself.

Not in all cases, of course, but in many.

I mean, think about it- how many Christmas themes center on 'holiday cheer,' and how many people really seem to be living by that creed the week after Christmas? The month after? In the summer...? Exactly. It takes Christmas itself to slap some cheer into everyone.

However, I have to say that perhaps it's human nature to need attention called to what we can so easily take for granted (like parents, or our freedom, or everyone's basic civil rights).

Maybe each and every holiday, Father's Day, Independence Day, and commemorative date should be looked at like a call to meditation, wherein we more sharply pull in to focus the things we build our lives on (and not just another opportunity to start shopping for themed centerpiece decorations).

I choose that perspective.

I choose to silence my cynicism and, for November, use Thanksgiving as a directive in opening my eyes to all that I am thankful for.

SO, using this post as a guide I'll be taking a photo every day of something in my life that I feel grateful for, and at the end of November I'll put them together and share them in this space. My hope is in using this project as a mantra of sorts, I'll stay present and be able to lift my commonplace necessities out of taken-for-granted-ness and into the spotlight of gratitude.

Zoom In On Gratitude

If you feel inspired as well, let's meet in this space on November 30th to share the compilation of what we're grateful for- come and link your gratitude post (blog, instagram, whatever) in the comments for all to find and see.

Let's capture that which is important but which may not garner much daily thought, and let our lenses bring focus to what we should give thanks for every day.