Here Comes the Sun

It's been quite awhile.  Here are some photos from this winter.

 Claire won the Character Award at Holy Cross Lutheran School for "Peace."

So proud of her!  (Even though she was a wee bit embarrassed here.)

Maebel sang in church with her preschool.  I have a video of her, but for some reason there is no audio with it.  Did I mention that we made it on time?  We did.  1 point for mom anyway.

Maebel is in preschool Tuesday and Thursday mornings. 

Fun times with Grandpa. 

Oliver got neutered.  He was not thrilled. 

The squirrels continue torment him. 

 Spring haircuts!  We were in a hurry to get to church for Maebel to sing so this was the happiest picture I got.  Did I mention we got there on time?

Two front teeth gone, glasses and a haircut.  A new Claire!  

 Sadly, sweetie Tom, Blue Heart died.  It was pneumonia.  But I think it may have been from sticking his head in Trever's shoe.

Cousins!  Our other cousins visited too, but I didn't get pictures!  Mom is back to 0 points. 

Sickness hit for a bit.  But the girls remained ever so sweet.

The Mama is still a tad crazy. 

And Trever quit medical school and started a band.

chair

Many of you fine family members and friends have asked to see the chair I made for my 3D class, so here it is.  Finally.

Cardboard, wood glue, knife.  

And paper cuts. And splinters.

Next up, bookmaking.

I am using embroidery hoops as my covers.  I'm going to turn this one into an accordion book.

a new year

Happy New Year, all!  

I have an interesting resolution this year.  I want to capture moments in life without the stress of needing to catch the perfect shot.

I turned in my fancy, semi-profesh camera for a simpler (but still manual, let's get real, I still need camera functions) one.  I enjoyed taking pictures of families and weddings but, overall I came to discover it wasn't for me.  I found myself in photoshop too often, trying to get the picture just right by everyone else's standards.  My photos started looking like everything else out there.  I sorta lost my love of photography doing this.  

My goal this year is to take the pictures I WANT.  I like my pictures to look old, grainy, weird.  I like them to look more like journal entries than studio portraits.  Sometimes I just like the texture of something or an interesting shape or color.

So welcome to pictures SOOC (straight out of the camera.)  Un-photoshopped.  Taken in the moment.  Capturing what I want to remember.  -I know I will still use photoshop eventually.  It's way to fun to drop completely.

I wish the best for you all this year.  Live in the moment and don't worry about getting just the right shot, whatever your "photography" may be.  Sketch crappy drawings.  Write bad poetry.  Sing loud and bad.  I think this sort of real living will turn into some beautiful works of art.  

Be free to look stupid as you try new things!

Claire's sweet haircut.  Isn't she so pretty?

 Watching some funnies on the computer.

O Christmas Tree

snow day!

 Daddy chasing Oliver.  We thought he might stay by us to play in the snow.  Nope.