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| November 19 (121/365) |
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| November 20 (122/365) |
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Daddy's Girl
So my parents and my mother in law hit the road about 4 hours ago. I already miss them. Even though our house is busting at the seams with all of them here, I am so grateful for their company and their help. I know my mom has fun when she comes. We can do nothing and still make memories. My dad on the other hand, appears to get bored pretty easily. He didn't bring his golf clubs because usually November is anything but golfing weather in VA. This trip we kept him busy helping to paint Sisterwife's new house. He also had play dates with Doodle and Jayburb (who claimed that Zayde is his Zayde too!). All in all, I think he had a good visit with us. Any time I am around my daddy, I am reminded that I am such a "Daddy's girl". At 33 I still look to him for approval for big decisions. He can still make me cry using a certain tone of voice, and his laugh can light up a room. He has a heart of gold and we do anything for someone he loves. He loves my kid with all his heart, and he love my dogs too:) So, in the spirit of this admiration, here a couple of pics of my daddy.
Did I mention his laughter lights up a room! Imagine what it sounds like with my sweet Doodle's high pitched giggle mixed in with his big baritone belly laugh! Music to my ears. Oh by the way, my kid has a magical power to look like a million different family members. She looks so much like him in the picture! And there is no doubt that she is the apple of his squinty eyes:)
Friday, November 25, 2011
November 12-18
It is Thanksgiving morning bright and early. The family is all still tucked snugly in their beds. I am on the couch with the Bad Beagle and Chelsea Lately on the DVR. I have so much to be thankful for. Most of all I am thankful for my family and friends. They all weave in and out of my life in random patterns and leave their marks, forever changing me. I am one lucky girl to have them all! Materialistically speaking I am also so thankful for my camera. It has given me a wonderful creative outlet over the last few months. It has encouraged me to see the beauty in ugly, freeze the moment, and really open my eyes.
It is now the day after Thanksgiving and I am busy keeping the couch warm. My Favoritest is shopping with his mom (God bless him) and my mom and dad are hanging out with Doodle and I. We are so lucky. All this extra adult help has allowed me to sit and relax. My goal for the day was to catch up on my People magazines (2 down 3 to go), but I got bored and decided to blog instead.
Super Saturday
I have posted before about how much I love that Doodle has true good friends here in VA. I love that we can spend a day with people we both love and care about. A couple of weekends ago, I met Landlord, her Eldest, and her Youngest at the local children's museum. Of course I brought along Doodle and Jayburb (Sisterwife was preparing for a move and was thrilled to be down to just one child). The kids spent the morning discovering and giggling and laughing and jumping. The enjoyed each other's company. We left the museum and went for a yogurt treat. The long walk back to the parking deck was completed with a ride on the man powered carousel. A great day was had by all.
Pint Size Perspective
I think I have mentioned that Doodle is tiny. She is a little peanut. An imp. She is 3 year old and weighs 23 lbs. She wears 18-24 month clothing and it falls off her waist. She is just little. Don't feel bad for her. What she lacks in size she makes up for in personality, determination, and creativity. My Favoritest and I have both ignored that she is short and small. We make her figure out how to climb up on things and reach things. Call it mean, we call it survival of the fittest.
Because she is so small, people are often taken aback by her verbal abilities. I get dirty looks for expecting her to behave like a 3 year old and not the 2 year old she resembles. Landlord has the opposite problem. Eldest and Youngest are tall for their ages. They are often expected to act more maturely and adults look at Landlord like she is crazy because she expects and allows them to act their ages, not older as they appear.
This all has a point, I promise. It is rare that I look at a picture of Doodle and think that she looks tall. Perspective is a funny thing. The camera allows me to see things differently. and for once Doodle looks big!
You Win Some.... You Loose Some
So last week I played with water and I won. This week I played with water and I lost. Oh well. Still looks kind of cool.
Lonely Wife
My Favoritest has been out of town.... a lot. Between presenting at work meetings and interviewing for jobs, it seems like every other week he is gone again. And this is what I am left with at the end of the day.
Beauty in the Bleary Morning
It is now the day after Thanksgiving and I am busy keeping the couch warm. My Favoritest is shopping with his mom (God bless him) and my mom and dad are hanging out with Doodle and I. We are so lucky. All this extra adult help has allowed me to sit and relax. My goal for the day was to catch up on my People magazines (2 down 3 to go), but I got bored and decided to blog instead.
Super Saturday
I have posted before about how much I love that Doodle has true good friends here in VA. I love that we can spend a day with people we both love and care about. A couple of weekends ago, I met Landlord, her Eldest, and her Youngest at the local children's museum. Of course I brought along Doodle and Jayburb (Sisterwife was preparing for a move and was thrilled to be down to just one child). The kids spent the morning discovering and giggling and laughing and jumping. The enjoyed each other's company. We left the museum and went for a yogurt treat. The long walk back to the parking deck was completed with a ride on the man powered carousel. A great day was had by all.
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| November 12 (114/365) |
I think I have mentioned that Doodle is tiny. She is a little peanut. An imp. She is 3 year old and weighs 23 lbs. She wears 18-24 month clothing and it falls off her waist. She is just little. Don't feel bad for her. What she lacks in size she makes up for in personality, determination, and creativity. My Favoritest and I have both ignored that she is short and small. We make her figure out how to climb up on things and reach things. Call it mean, we call it survival of the fittest.
Because she is so small, people are often taken aback by her verbal abilities. I get dirty looks for expecting her to behave like a 3 year old and not the 2 year old she resembles. Landlord has the opposite problem. Eldest and Youngest are tall for their ages. They are often expected to act more maturely and adults look at Landlord like she is crazy because she expects and allows them to act their ages, not older as they appear.
This all has a point, I promise. It is rare that I look at a picture of Doodle and think that she looks tall. Perspective is a funny thing. The camera allows me to see things differently. and for once Doodle looks big!
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| November 13 (115/365) |
So last week I played with water and I won. This week I played with water and I lost. Oh well. Still looks kind of cool.
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| November 14 (116/365) |
My Favoritest has been out of town.... a lot. Between presenting at work meetings and interviewing for jobs, it seems like every other week he is gone again. And this is what I am left with at the end of the day.
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| November 15 (117/365) |
It was a rainy, yucky day outside. I went to let the dogs out and noticed how pretty the rain drops were on everything. I told Doodle I was going out to take some pictures. Doodle told me that she too was coming to take pictures (with her yellow binoculars). We both enjoyed a few minutes sloshing in the morning rain.
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| November 16 (118/365) |
Chasing Tail
Doodle loves to go the grocery store.... because they have balloons. She made a fantastic discovery at Chick A Way. They too have balloons. Fantastic! At least she has finally learned that having it tied to her arm is a good idea. She just looses track of it some times even when it is attached to her arm. I kind of reminded me of a dog chasing its tail.
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| November 17 (119/365) |
Keeping it Even
So lately when I have forgotten to take a picture, The Bad Beagle has been my go to model. I decided I needed to get some shots of my first born. Hard to believe that this beautiful pup arrived in my life 11 years ago. She was a covered in fleas, skinny as a rail and was loosing her hair because she had mange. My dad thought I was crazy to take her! I knew we were soul mates. I have been so blessed by her constant companionship. I am so lucky that she ended up in my life!
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| November 18 (120/365) |
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
November 5-11
I did it again. I got so close to being caught up that I relaxed and got busy doing other things. Mainly cleaning and preparing for holiday company. So, not I a few weeks behind again. Oh well. You still seem to be checking it out, so I'll keep sharing.
Beagle Badness
I have discovered that when I am out of ideas for pictures, there is always the dogs. Sometimes I click a couple off just because they look sweet and peaceful and sometimes is is purely filling the square for the day. This time, it was a square filler, but I love this picture of the Bad Beagle!
Brrrr...... Rabbit
That's some crazy saying I picked up along the way and now I say it when ever it is a little chilly outside. Doodle even says it. While I love many things about VA, the cold weather isn't always one of them. I don't mind the chill in the air so much as the extra work that comes along with it. Winter weather just slows me down. You have to wait for the car to warm and the windshield to defrost. You have to put jackets, hats, gloves, scarves on. You have to take them off. Then there is the snow. I won't even get started on that. So I guess winter is not my favorite season. This picture should be all the more impressive then, that I took a small amount of joy in finding my windshield frosted over for the first time this season. The picture is of the town house across the street. I took it from inside my car and the windshield was almost completely defrosted.
Wow, Wow, Water
My second cousin Barbara rocks. Believe it or not, I haven't met her face to face. But she has really been an inspiration to me and this picture journey. She takes some amazing pictures. She sees things with a different set of eyes. I don't want to say I try to copy her, but I do try and see things the way she does. She has taken some awesome pictures and often finds some really cool stuff in her photos. She posted some pictures of water streams a while back, and I was inspired to try it. So here is a stream of water with a bubble in the middle. Behind the water is a pair of Doodle's striped pants. You can see the stripe much sharper in the bubble.
Profiles in Courage
What can I say, they caught my eye. It was a great profile silhouette of Doodle's two besties.
Winter Woes
Beagle Badness
I have discovered that when I am out of ideas for pictures, there is always the dogs. Sometimes I click a couple off just because they look sweet and peaceful and sometimes is is purely filling the square for the day. This time, it was a square filler, but I love this picture of the Bad Beagle!
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| November 5 (107/365) |
That's some crazy saying I picked up along the way and now I say it when ever it is a little chilly outside. Doodle even says it. While I love many things about VA, the cold weather isn't always one of them. I don't mind the chill in the air so much as the extra work that comes along with it. Winter weather just slows me down. You have to wait for the car to warm and the windshield to defrost. You have to put jackets, hats, gloves, scarves on. You have to take them off. Then there is the snow. I won't even get started on that. So I guess winter is not my favorite season. This picture should be all the more impressive then, that I took a small amount of joy in finding my windshield frosted over for the first time this season. The picture is of the town house across the street. I took it from inside my car and the windshield was almost completely defrosted.
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| November 6 (108/365) |
My second cousin Barbara rocks. Believe it or not, I haven't met her face to face. But she has really been an inspiration to me and this picture journey. She takes some amazing pictures. She sees things with a different set of eyes. I don't want to say I try to copy her, but I do try and see things the way she does. She has taken some awesome pictures and often finds some really cool stuff in her photos. She posted some pictures of water streams a while back, and I was inspired to try it. So here is a stream of water with a bubble in the middle. Behind the water is a pair of Doodle's striped pants. You can see the stripe much sharper in the bubble.
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| November 7 (109/365) |
What can I say, they caught my eye. It was a great profile silhouette of Doodle's two besties.
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| November 8 (110/365) |
I have already mentioned my dislike for all the extra work that winter brings. I also have a gripe against the time change that comes with it. I don't like the sun setting earlier. I miss my afternoons in the courtyard. A wise friend keeps reminding me that her husband reminds her that by December 22, the days will start to get longer. Not much help. I am trying to find beauty in the early setting of the sun.
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| November 9 (111/365) |
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| November 10 (112/365) |
Funny Face
I am sure I have mentioned the train that runs Right. By. My. House. before. Mostly I am ambivalent to it unless Doodle is in one of her "terrified of the Choo-Choo" phases. Sometimes I even enjoy it. When it is stopped on the track for an entire day, I love it:) Gave me a chance to play with the telephoto lens. Also helped me to see the creator of Thomas wasn't all that crazy. I mean, I see a little smiling face on the side of the train..... why is it so far fetched to see (with a little help from drugs), one in the front.
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| November 11 (113/365) |
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
October 29-November 4
Hard to believe it but, I have been taking a picture a day for over 100 days! I am surprised how quickly time has gone by. I am also thrilled with the stories and pictures I have been able to share. Thanks for keeping up with me and listening to my rambling thoughts. I have been working hard to get caught up and with this post, I will be caught up to this week! I am hoping that once I get caught up I can share somethings that don't necessarily revolve around my 365 project! We'll see how that works out! Anyway, here's another week's worth of pictures!
Trendsetter
This tree is in our front courtyard. The kids play out there almost everyday. I happened to notice that this one leaf had changed before all the rest. I guess in the plant world it is a trendsetter.... or looking for an early death by falling. This also happens to be the 100th picture! Whoop Whoop! Sorry it's not more exciting!
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| October 29 (100/365) |
We live in a fantastic little town outside of Charlottesville VA. We love it! One this we really love is the local coffee shop, Mudhouse. They usually have enough room that the kids can wiggle around without disturbing anyone and they even have a little stage the kids can dance and play on. The day before Halloween they had a caramel apple workshop. We joined our neighborhood friends and headed over to make caramel apples. It was super cute. They had candy the kids could put on their apples. It was also crowded, loud, and a little overstimulating. Not exactly Doodle's cup of tea, even if she could eat all the candy corn she wanted! Needless to say, this was the best of the pictures I got that morning. I didn't even get a picture of our finished apple because the beagle tried to eat it before we got a chance! His review was that it was delicious!
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| October 30 (101/365) |
Halloween has come and gone. I have lots of fantastic pictures that I may share later. Doodle loved trick or treating. She was completely out of character and had no inhibitions. It was really fun to see her enjoy herself so much. As we rounded the top of the hill in our neighborhood, I happened to look over my shoulder and was greeted by this perfect Halloween sunset. I was skeptical that I would get a good shot, but was pleasantly surprised by what I saw when I uploaded the pictures.
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| October 31 (102/365) |
Keep On Trying
One of Doodle's favorite things at the Little Gym is the hola hoops. They don't come out very often so I think the allure of them is part of her love! I got her a hoop for home, but it isn't quite as special as the ones at the gym. Recently the hoops made an appearance and Doodle was trying her hardest to hola hoop. She just doesn't have a clue how to make it happen. Because she is a determined kid, she kept trying. Even after we got home. Lucky me!
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| November 1 (103/365) |
Discoveries
Landlord's Eldest is always out making discoveries. She is a wide eyed explorer who love to see the world and all it has to offer. Landlord is "that mom" who leaves her offspring to figure it out on her own even if it is messy and dirty. She resists the urge to join in take control of the fun! Last week we were walking home from the park and Landlord's Eldest stopped to investigate something. A puddle of muddy murky water. Within a seconds time, Landlord, Sisterwife, and myself had all stopped and were chatting. Jayburb and Doodle immediately gravitated towards Landlord's Eldest. As we chatted, the kids followed their leader. They found a stick and pebbles. They threw, they splashed, they laughed, they shared. It was a peaceful 5 minutes for everyone! While they were busy discovering, I was busy snapping.
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| November 2 (104/365) |
I
know, it gets old. My kid likes to jump. I like to take pictures. Sorry I can be so repetitive. I tried to make this about the sunburst too. It was a gorgeous afternoon. I bribed Doodle to ride her new bike up to the rocks with the promise of lots of jumping time. We both won!
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| November 3 (105/365) |
That's My Girl
Twenty years from now when I remember the townhouse we live in, I think I will forget everything except the fantastic courtyard and the window sill. Since she could stand up, Doodle has loved the window sill. She plays for hours on end with Ming-Ming, Tuck, and any other small friends she can find. I have tried to take pictures of her playing int he window sill, but the screen always seems to get in the way. After playing with the reflections in our window the other week, I had an idea. It may not be picture perfect, but it is a perfect picture of my little Doodle in her perfect spot!
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| November 4 (106/365) |
Monday, November 7, 2011
October 22-27
Pumpkin Pickin
One of my favorite things about the fall is heading to the pumpkin patch. Thankfully on the one weekend day that we had the opportunity to go as a family the weather was gorgeous. We had a wonderful morning outside and picked out a few pumpkins.
Discovery At Every Turn
Because of My Favoritest's work schedule, Doodle and I had a lot of meals just the two of us for about two weeks. My attention was not always as good as it should be. I had magazines or my phone at the table sometimes. Not the best example I know, but there is only so many meals one can eat with a 3 year old before you start to loose your mind. As a result of my lack of table manners, Doodle was also playing at the table a little more than we normally allow. One night while she was playing, she discovered her reflection in her spoon. She also discovered that it turned upside down when you looked in the rounded part. A couple of nights later I managed to get this picture of her. Not without much bribery mind you! But I think the end result was worth it!
Project Time
Everyday I try to be the mommy I want to be. I want to be the mommy who cooks with her unruly preschooler, plays the funnest games at the playground, and make homemade treats together. I decided to be that mommy just before Halloween. I found an idea for these jars in a magazine and was determined Doodle and I would make them together. It was actually a great project to do together. She had fun doing a little bit of the painting. The best part in her mind was turning on and off the candles:) It was a great way to spend the morning and a way to teach her about giving things to others.
All The Leaves Are Brown!
Not much more to say about this picture. The leaves have been pretty and Doodle is fascinated by their changing colors. We talk about it daily!
Mommy Juice
One of my favorite things about the fall is heading to the pumpkin patch. Thankfully on the one weekend day that we had the opportunity to go as a family the weather was gorgeous. We had a wonderful morning outside and picked out a few pumpkins.
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| October 22 (93/365) |
Because of My Favoritest's work schedule, Doodle and I had a lot of meals just the two of us for about two weeks. My attention was not always as good as it should be. I had magazines or my phone at the table sometimes. Not the best example I know, but there is only so many meals one can eat with a 3 year old before you start to loose your mind. As a result of my lack of table manners, Doodle was also playing at the table a little more than we normally allow. One night while she was playing, she discovered her reflection in her spoon. She also discovered that it turned upside down when you looked in the rounded part. A couple of nights later I managed to get this picture of her. Not without much bribery mind you! But I think the end result was worth it!
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| October 23 (94/365) |
Everyday I try to be the mommy I want to be. I want to be the mommy who cooks with her unruly preschooler, plays the funnest games at the playground, and make homemade treats together. I decided to be that mommy just before Halloween. I found an idea for these jars in a magazine and was determined Doodle and I would make them together. It was actually a great project to do together. She had fun doing a little bit of the painting. The best part in her mind was turning on and off the candles:) It was a great way to spend the morning and a way to teach her about giving things to others.
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| October 24 (95/365) |
Not much more to say about this picture. The leaves have been pretty and Doodle is fascinated by their changing colors. We talk about it daily!
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| October 25 (96/365) |
A couple of weeks ago a friend suggested having a playdate at one of the local vineyards. I figured it would be nice and I was in need of adult conversation. At the end of the playdate my only sadness was that we hadn't done this more often throughout the fall! What a great place to hang out with adults while the kids play. They had a huge field to run and frolic. I brought some bubbles and fly swatters. They all got along with minimal adult intervention. The mommies actually got to sit. We talked, and laughed. We discussed fashion and family and frustrations. We didn't have to constantly worry about who was where and what they were doing. When I uploaded pictures, I got this and thought it summed up our playdate perfectly. The relaxing adirondak chairs in focus and the kids kind of blurry in the background. They were there, but not to only thing going on with us that afternoon. I am so lucky to have such cool mommy friends!
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| October 26 (97/365) |
Little Surprises
As Doodle and I were coming in the house, I noticed a little nest in our tree. The tree is a paper birch (thanks Princess) and has already provided me with several photo opportunities. So here is one more. I hope to be able to watch it and see who lives there and if they grow a little family.
Ooops!
I thought I had forgotten to take a picture again. I was going to cut myself some slack. After all I have only missed one day in almost 100. Not too bad. Two missed pictures wouldn't be that bad. It would still be a 98% success rate. I was okay with it. Then I remembered I snapped a picture on my phone to send to a friend. So not a great picture, but at least it counts and I have only missed one day!
As Doodle and I were coming in the house, I noticed a little nest in our tree. The tree is a paper birch (thanks Princess) and has already provided me with several photo opportunities. So here is one more. I hope to be able to watch it and see who lives there and if they grow a little family.
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| October 27 (98/365) |
I thought I had forgotten to take a picture again. I was going to cut myself some slack. After all I have only missed one day in almost 100. Not too bad. Two missed pictures wouldn't be that bad. It would still be a 98% success rate. I was okay with it. Then I remembered I snapped a picture on my phone to send to a friend. So not a great picture, but at least it counts and I have only missed one day!
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| October 28 (99/365) |
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
We've Been Busy!
October 15-21
This was the start of a really long couple of weeks for the our family. My Favoritest was out of town for a few weeks and then was working like a mad man for the next two weeks. In preparation for long solo parenting I had made up my mind to use the alone time to my advantage. I wanted to work on projects and had big plans for things to do while My Favoritest was absent.
Fairy in Progress
The first project I decided to tackle was Doodle's costume. She declared she wanted to be Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street. I looked at costumes online and wasn't thrilled with them. So I got crafty and decided to make her costume. I made Doodle try it on while it was in progress just to make sure it fit and looked right.
Moon Setting
Love seeing the moon when you shouldn't. This was taken at about 8:15 in the morning. Not when you think you would see the moon! Doodle has been fascinated with the moon lately and loves to see it day or night:)
Tricky Tuckster
Doodle has lots of toys. The toy that have stood the test of time are Ming-Ming and Turtle Tuck. Two pvc figurines from The Wonderpets. For a long time, they went everywhere with us. Currently they play second fiddle to other toys, but Me-Me-Tuck is always in the back of her mind. And when she wants them, it is imperative that we find them. Did I mention they are little? Did I mention we have hard wood floors and they slide all over the place? Did I mention they like to play in sneaky places like kitchen drawers, dishwashers, and random toys? All that being presented to you, I am sure you can imagine how much of my life has been devoted to finding those jokers! Tuck presented the trickiest of hide and seek games a couple of weeks ago. Doodle started looking for him before her nap. We checked all his usual haunts (the Weeble house, under the couch, behind the sub-woofer), but no Tuck. Doodle went down for a nap, woke up, and continued to look for Tuck. No luck. I got out a flashlight and hunted for him everywhere. Finally, we found him! He had slid under the folded dinner chair and then a mini-stool had been pushed up in front of him. He was only visible from a couple of wacky angles!
Lucinda's Leftovers
I have never claimed to be a neat and tidy girl. I don't put things away. I forget to finish tasks. There is always something better to do than cleaning. When I do clean, I joke that my alter ego Lucinda the house keeper has come over. Well, the other day I went into the spare bathroom and realized that Lucinda hasn't been doing her best work.
It's kind of hard to see, but there is a giant spider web in the corner. It looked really cool in the mirrors.
Pop!
When Doodle was just learning to feed herself, The Bubbie was watching her eat peas. The Bubbie commented that she couldn't wait to until Doodle figured out that the pea could pop out of it's skin. Well, a couple of years later she sort of figured it out, but with sugar snap peas. This one's for you Bubbie.
Whach You Hear Mommy?
Doodle's latest favorite questions to ask are "Do you hear something?" and "Ohh Mommy, whach (what) you hear?" As we were leaving for school one morning, the bird where making quite a ruckus. Doodle was very amused by their chatter and kept asking what I heard. We looked up in the tree and saw a bunch of crows. I ran in to grab the camera and most of them flew away before I got the shot. But I did get a few.
As the last bird flew off Doodle looked at me and said "mommy, they all gone put your camera down."
This was the start of a really long couple of weeks for the our family. My Favoritest was out of town for a few weeks and then was working like a mad man for the next two weeks. In preparation for long solo parenting I had made up my mind to use the alone time to my advantage. I wanted to work on projects and had big plans for things to do while My Favoritest was absent.
Fairy in Progress
The first project I decided to tackle was Doodle's costume. She declared she wanted to be Abby Cadabby from Sesame Street. I looked at costumes online and wasn't thrilled with them. So I got crafty and decided to make her costume. I made Doodle try it on while it was in progress just to make sure it fit and looked right.
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| October 15 (86/365) |
Love seeing the moon when you shouldn't. This was taken at about 8:15 in the morning. Not when you think you would see the moon! Doodle has been fascinated with the moon lately and loves to see it day or night:)
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| October 16 (87/365) |
Doodle has lots of toys. The toy that have stood the test of time are Ming-Ming and Turtle Tuck. Two pvc figurines from The Wonderpets. For a long time, they went everywhere with us. Currently they play second fiddle to other toys, but Me-Me-Tuck is always in the back of her mind. And when she wants them, it is imperative that we find them. Did I mention they are little? Did I mention we have hard wood floors and they slide all over the place? Did I mention they like to play in sneaky places like kitchen drawers, dishwashers, and random toys? All that being presented to you, I am sure you can imagine how much of my life has been devoted to finding those jokers! Tuck presented the trickiest of hide and seek games a couple of weeks ago. Doodle started looking for him before her nap. We checked all his usual haunts (the Weeble house, under the couch, behind the sub-woofer), but no Tuck. Doodle went down for a nap, woke up, and continued to look for Tuck. No luck. I got out a flashlight and hunted for him everywhere. Finally, we found him! He had slid under the folded dinner chair and then a mini-stool had been pushed up in front of him. He was only visible from a couple of wacky angles!
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| October 17 (88/365) |
Lucinda's Leftovers
I have never claimed to be a neat and tidy girl. I don't put things away. I forget to finish tasks. There is always something better to do than cleaning. When I do clean, I joke that my alter ego Lucinda the house keeper has come over. Well, the other day I went into the spare bathroom and realized that Lucinda hasn't been doing her best work.
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| October 18 (89/365) |
Pop!
When Doodle was just learning to feed herself, The Bubbie was watching her eat peas. The Bubbie commented that she couldn't wait to until Doodle figured out that the pea could pop out of it's skin. Well, a couple of years later she sort of figured it out, but with sugar snap peas. This one's for you Bubbie.
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| October 19 (90/365) |
Doodle's latest favorite questions to ask are "Do you hear something?" and "Ohh Mommy, whach (what) you hear?" As we were leaving for school one morning, the bird where making quite a ruckus. Doodle was very amused by their chatter and kept asking what I heard. We looked up in the tree and saw a bunch of crows. I ran in to grab the camera and most of them flew away before I got the shot. But I did get a few.
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| October 20 (91/365) |
Light as a Feather
Doodle is little. She is petit. She is compact. She is a peanut. The one advantage I have discovered for her is that she is easy to pick up and toss around. My Sisterwife enjoys doing this anytime she gets ahold of Doodle. This day I happened to have my camera and got some great pictures of my baby girl's smiling face! Thanks Sisterwife!
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| October 21 (92/365) |
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Au Natural Week!
One of the reasons I wanted to challenge myself to take a picture a day was so that I could learn to use my SLR by using it. I haven't had too much of a chance to really challenge my skills/learning because I have been busy taking pictures of fun things and activities. This week's set of pictures were really fun to take. I didn't set out to have a week like this, but I ended up taking lots of pictures of nature and objects. It started as a way to fill the square for the day, and ended up being a lot of fun. Hope you enjoy!
Cute or Concerning?
Doodle has a little bit of a fascination with the tushie door on potato heads. She had a great time putting Ming-Ming and Tuck inside the tushie. It really did make me think about how wrong Mr. Potato Head's trap door really is!
Money! Money! Money!
We have a wine coster in our room that has turned into a coin catch all. I realized late at night that I needed a picture for the day. I figured I would take one and be done. I think I took about 50. I got a chance to play with the aperture mode on the camera. I loved trying to get the best shot of the coins and their reflection. I think it came out really cool!
Freaky Finds
Notice the flag on the couch. That is my neighbor's flag outside our window. Notice Laugh on top of the cabinets. That is a reflection in the window. The white line at the top is the window pane. Pretty cool if I do say so myself!
Amazing how this heavy thick gourd almost resembles a delicate flower from this angle. I love this picture!
Cute or Concerning?
Doodle has a little bit of a fascination with the tushie door on potato heads. She had a great time putting Ming-Ming and Tuck inside the tushie. It really did make me think about how wrong Mr. Potato Head's trap door really is!
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| October 8 (79/365) |
We have a wine coster in our room that has turned into a coin catch all. I realized late at night that I needed a picture for the day. I figured I would take one and be done. I think I took about 50. I got a chance to play with the aperture mode on the camera. I loved trying to get the best shot of the coins and their reflection. I think it came out really cool!
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| October 9 (80/365) |
Bunch O Bubbles
Quick shot of bubbles made using a fly swatter!
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| October 10 (81/365) |
Did I mention I had a lot of days that I forgot to take pictures this week? Yes, I had trouble. So once again, late at night remembering I didn't have a picture for the day. I decided to take a self portrait using my reflection in the window. As I took pictures of myself, I noticed something much more interesting. The window was acting as both a mirror and a transparent surface. I was getting images of outside object on top of objects inside my house. I know, it sounds a little confusing, but check it out.
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| October 11 (82/365) |
Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head
It rained and rained and rained. We were tired of rain. Sisterwife invited Doodle over to make cookies. After we got there, I had to run home to get some ingredients. I returned with the ingredients and then asked Sisterwife for a few minutes to take a few pictures of the rain. So glad I did. I got some wonderful pictures. Makes me really really want a macro lens!
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| October 12 (83/365) |
Are We Ready to Go?
Doodle had her first field trip. They went to the pumpkin patch. Only it was more like a pumpkin field and it was rainy and wet and a little muddy. Doodle wasn't really loving it. From the minute we got there she started to ask if it was time to get back in the car. Needless to say, my dreams of Doodle with a pumpkin were dashed. Instead, I got a snail on a pumpkin. Enjoy!
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| October 13 (84/365) |
Mirror Mirror On The Table
The only good thing about the pumpkin patch trip was that Doodle picked out a tiny pumpkin (gourd) for herself and one for Jaypurb. The one she got for herself was kind of star shaped and orange with a green center. Once again, I put Doodle to bed and was faced with the cold hard fact that I needed to take a picture. I was quickly running out of ideas around my house! And then my eye caught the gourd. And I started playing. Then I got a mirror and played some more. This is my favorite of them!
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| October 14 (85/365) |
So with this post, I am only about 2 weeks behind. My plan is to get caught up over the weekend!
Friday, October 28, 2011
October 1-7
So, I suck at keeping up with this blog. I admit it. I am totally surprised you people keep coming back for more. I blame my ADD. If I forget for a few days, it seem overwhelming to catch up. So I just don't do it. Then a few more days pass and I'm even more overwhelmed, and then it's just ridiculous and I finally decide I need to post. So here you are. I am going to cram a lot of little vignettes into this post, so maybe I won't feel so overwhelmed. I like that if I call them vignettes I sound all fancy and not like a crappy person trying to cram 3 weeks of photos/adventures into one or two posts!
Playtime!
We went to a friends birthday party at a local park. My kid played and played and played. For 2 hours straight that kid ran, climbed, jumped, slid, and frolicked in the sun. I think it was a combination of being in the sweltering south for a week, being cooped up in the car for the entire previous day, and seeing her friends. My Favoritest even dropped by for a little while even though he was on call!
Rite of Passage
Doodle's birthday fell on a Sunday this year. That meant the opportunity to do something fun together as a family. I was thinking petting farm, museum visit, park. My Favoritest was thinking Fiber Festival! What is a Fiber Festival you ask? Well, it is a festival celebrating all things wool.... sheep, llamas, alpacas, sheep dogs, sheep herding, knitting. Think grown up hippies with money to spend on animals and natural fibers. In defense of My Favoritest, the festival boasted sheep, llamas, and alpacas to pet and visit. It also boasted sheep dog trials. Doodle does love animals, so on a damp cool Sunday we drove an hour to visit the Fiber Festival. I was being a little mopey/snarky about the whole adventure until we rounded the bend and I saw a man walking out with a ginormous bag of what I knew had to be kettle corn! I immediately got happy and started dreaming about the warm sweet salty goodness that was coming my way! We saw sheep. We saw llamas. We saw alpacas. We watched sheep herding trials. And then there was kettle corn! As we stood in line, Doodle asked if she could have some. I looked at my Favoritest and reminded him that he said "no popcorn till she is 3". She was 3 after all! She took a bite.... "oohhh Mommy, I like dat popcorn". And so a rite of passage came and went before our eyes, first popcorn!
It's Hard To Do 3!
The hardest part of turning 3 is figuring out how to hold up your fingers!
Division of Time
One of the things I have had to learn to do is divide tasks up throughout the day, and learn to use my time wisely. Some people may organize their day by lists, by room, or even by happenstance. My day is organized by one simple principle.... Things I can do while Doodle is awake vs. Things I must do while Doodle is asleep/at school. For example:
Use clorox products to clean bathroom: asleep
Load/unload dishwasher: awake
concentrate on anything for more than 1 minute: asleep
Cook dinner: awake, but with many interruptions
Laundry: awake
The last example leads into the picture of the day. I can fold laundry while Doodle is awake. She even helps sometimes. So, if I finish a load while she is sleeping and I have more important things to do that can't be done while she is awake, I hang clothes that need to be hung and everything else goes into a basket to be folded once she wakes up. The result is sometimes a mountain of clothing. The other result is that things get done while she is sleeping and while she is awake!
How Lucky We Are
How lucky we are to live where we live. I truly believe things happen for a reason. When we came house hunting, I cried at our prospects. Then we found our town house. We never could have predicted just how perfect it would be. Sure, the living space is a little cramped and the train is 20 ft. from our windows and runs continuously, but the perks outweigh those little things. We live in a neighborhood where children's chalk drawings line the sidewalk from spring until fall. You can hear the delighted screams of kids as they ride bikes and play tag. Flags pop out in July, pumpkins glow in October, lights are everywhere in December. It is a perfect little neighborhood. The biggest perk is the friendships we have formed. We have made adult friends who have supported me, listened to me complain, and encouraged me over the last 2+ years. Doodle has made friendships too. She has friends within walking distance of our house. We could never have know how lucky we were the day we signed our lease:) I struggled with the picture for today because I loved two equally. It is a perfect summary to my love of our neighborhood/friends.
The Waiting is the Hardest Part!
Doodle is just getting to the age that she realizes other daddies come home for dinner every night. She is starting to miss My Favoritest. Every day we have a talk about "daddy will be home for dinner? or bedtime? Or I say goodnight to daddy on the phone?" Heartbreaking sometimes, but just part of this life! It reminds me of a story my mother tells of me waiting at the door for my father the first time I realized he went TDY. She couldn't make me believe that he wasn't coming home for dinner. So here is my little inpatient daddy's girl hoping for a glimpse of the truck before dinner.
I a Xwent Dancer
Doodle got some money for her birthday. I in a moment of craziness purchased Rock and Roll Elmo. He is loud, he takes a long time to turn himself off, and frankly he was pricey. But what is birthday money for? So, we got him. Doodle played for about 15 minutes and then he sat. Just as I was starting to wonder if I had wasted a ton of moolah, Elmo became a hit. Doodle decided she was going to dance. And dance she did. Full out, jumping, jazz hands, foot taping donkey kicking dancing. For about 45 minutes she danced. It was fantastic. Although I do not have photographic proof of her moves that day, I have this picture of her first date with her dancing partner Elmo! Who knew their relationship would grow so quickly!
Playtime!
We went to a friends birthday party at a local park. My kid played and played and played. For 2 hours straight that kid ran, climbed, jumped, slid, and frolicked in the sun. I think it was a combination of being in the sweltering south for a week, being cooped up in the car for the entire previous day, and seeing her friends. My Favoritest even dropped by for a little while even though he was on call!
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| October 1 (72/365) |
Doodle's birthday fell on a Sunday this year. That meant the opportunity to do something fun together as a family. I was thinking petting farm, museum visit, park. My Favoritest was thinking Fiber Festival! What is a Fiber Festival you ask? Well, it is a festival celebrating all things wool.... sheep, llamas, alpacas, sheep dogs, sheep herding, knitting. Think grown up hippies with money to spend on animals and natural fibers. In defense of My Favoritest, the festival boasted sheep, llamas, and alpacas to pet and visit. It also boasted sheep dog trials. Doodle does love animals, so on a damp cool Sunday we drove an hour to visit the Fiber Festival. I was being a little mopey/snarky about the whole adventure until we rounded the bend and I saw a man walking out with a ginormous bag of what I knew had to be kettle corn! I immediately got happy and started dreaming about the warm sweet salty goodness that was coming my way! We saw sheep. We saw llamas. We saw alpacas. We watched sheep herding trials. And then there was kettle corn! As we stood in line, Doodle asked if she could have some. I looked at my Favoritest and reminded him that he said "no popcorn till she is 3". She was 3 after all! She took a bite.... "oohhh Mommy, I like dat popcorn". And so a rite of passage came and went before our eyes, first popcorn!
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| October 2 (73/365) |
The hardest part of turning 3 is figuring out how to hold up your fingers!
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| October 3 (74/365) |
Division of Time
One of the things I have had to learn to do is divide tasks up throughout the day, and learn to use my time wisely. Some people may organize their day by lists, by room, or even by happenstance. My day is organized by one simple principle.... Things I can do while Doodle is awake vs. Things I must do while Doodle is asleep/at school. For example:
Use clorox products to clean bathroom: asleep
Load/unload dishwasher: awake
concentrate on anything for more than 1 minute: asleep
Cook dinner: awake, but with many interruptions
Laundry: awake
The last example leads into the picture of the day. I can fold laundry while Doodle is awake. She even helps sometimes. So, if I finish a load while she is sleeping and I have more important things to do that can't be done while she is awake, I hang clothes that need to be hung and everything else goes into a basket to be folded once she wakes up. The result is sometimes a mountain of clothing. The other result is that things get done while she is sleeping and while she is awake!
 |
| October 4 (75/365) |
How lucky we are to live where we live. I truly believe things happen for a reason. When we came house hunting, I cried at our prospects. Then we found our town house. We never could have predicted just how perfect it would be. Sure, the living space is a little cramped and the train is 20 ft. from our windows and runs continuously, but the perks outweigh those little things. We live in a neighborhood where children's chalk drawings line the sidewalk from spring until fall. You can hear the delighted screams of kids as they ride bikes and play tag. Flags pop out in July, pumpkins glow in October, lights are everywhere in December. It is a perfect little neighborhood. The biggest perk is the friendships we have formed. We have made adult friends who have supported me, listened to me complain, and encouraged me over the last 2+ years. Doodle has made friendships too. She has friends within walking distance of our house. We could never have know how lucky we were the day we signed our lease:) I struggled with the picture for today because I loved two equally. It is a perfect summary to my love of our neighborhood/friends.
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| October 5 (76/365) Landlord's Eldest. Captures her personality in a nutshell as tiny as the pieces of bread she was feeding the ducks! |
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| October 5 (76/365) Balance Bike Gang! Taking a break from riding! |
Doodle is just getting to the age that she realizes other daddies come home for dinner every night. She is starting to miss My Favoritest. Every day we have a talk about "daddy will be home for dinner? or bedtime? Or I say goodnight to daddy on the phone?" Heartbreaking sometimes, but just part of this life! It reminds me of a story my mother tells of me waiting at the door for my father the first time I realized he went TDY. She couldn't make me believe that he wasn't coming home for dinner. So here is my little inpatient daddy's girl hoping for a glimpse of the truck before dinner.
 |
| October 6 (77/365) |
Doodle got some money for her birthday. I in a moment of craziness purchased Rock and Roll Elmo. He is loud, he takes a long time to turn himself off, and frankly he was pricey. But what is birthday money for? So, we got him. Doodle played for about 15 minutes and then he sat. Just as I was starting to wonder if I had wasted a ton of moolah, Elmo became a hit. Doodle decided she was going to dance. And dance she did. Full out, jumping, jazz hands, foot taping donkey kicking dancing. For about 45 minutes she danced. It was fantastic. Although I do not have photographic proof of her moves that day, I have this picture of her first date with her dancing partner Elmo! Who knew their relationship would grow so quickly!
 |
| October 7 (78/365) Doodle and her new dance buddy Elmo at their first meeting! |
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