I am still taking pictures for my project, although it can be HARD to keep up with editing them on top of my regular photography work ;). But it is OH so worth it!!! Hopefully I will be able to share several days worth of photos soon, but for now, I will just share today's. Addie and I had so much fun playing girly stuff today :). It was so gloomy outside, so we decided to have a "picnic" in the kitchen, hehe. Addison got this little picnic set and puppy for her birthday, and she loves them both! We played for hours today...Addison stacking the little felt lettuce, tomatoes, and ham into a sandwich, and me pretending to eat it :). I love being her mama, watching her grow and learn and play pretend games. She is my bright light on dreary days like today...I can't imagine my life without her! I am so glad I decided to take pictures of our little "picnic"...I am IN LOVE with these photos of my sweet girl!!!

 



I cried the day I first saw the handprints on the wall. It was one of those days...a middle of the week-too much to do-how did my house get so messy kind of day. I was struggling, and if I am being honest with you, I struggle most days. Mamas have a lot of different hats, and sometimes, we just don't know which one to wear. On that particular Wednesday, I was juggling one too many things. Nursing career, editing client photos, answering emails, preparing for upcoming photo sessions, cleaning my house top to bottom for a party, and trying desperately to be a good mother in the midst of it all. I am pretty sure I failed. At least at the "great mother" part. That was pretty evident as I discovered the distinct imprint of ten little Cheeto's-crusted fingers on my dining room wall, and subsequently burst into tears. That's right, folks....I cried!!! Ha...have you ever had a good old stress-induced cry? It was completely silly, and unnecessary, but I have to admit, it felt good :). Stress, tension, sleep-deprivation...they can all add up to one overly dramatic mama. I took one look at my dining room with the greasy, cheesy handprinted wall and walked away in frustration. So much for the perfect house I wanted to have for the perfect party. Perfection really is a trap, isn't it?

Those handprints stayed on my wall. The party came and left. Nobody noticed my dirty walls. But I did. Everytime we sat down at the dinner table, I saw them. When we played boardgames, had midnight snacks, did homework...I saw them. And they became beautiful. I smiled when I saw them...tiny little messy fingerprints...a sign of childhood. My daughter's childhood. I started taking note of other signs around my home. Things others might view as messy or even ugly, but to me were signs of beauty. Four little coloring pages hanging above my desk, taped up by Lydia with strips of Scotch tape; little toddler socks in the pile of big-people laundry; the teddy bear tucked inside my tangled bedsheets, toys and little bags of Cheerios tucked inside my purse. Signs of life: Lydia and Addison were here ;).

 

 

It was a few weeks later when the handprints disappeared. We were cleaning and preparing for yet another party in our home when my husband yelled for me to come to the dining room. He stood there proudly, magic eraser in hand, the handprints gone. I gasped, and tears welled up once again in my eyes. He hugged me as I laughed/cried over the little Cheeto handprints once again. "I didn't know you were saving them, sweetie. I'm sorry", he whispered. I laughed at the absurdity of "saving" dirt on the walls. I wasn't mad, or even upset. And let's face it...the walls needed to be cleaned, haha. But I was a little sad to see them go. I know that my daughter's hands will never be that little again. And one day? She will wipe her hands on a napkin, instead of the wall ;). She won't sit on the couch with a little bowl of Cheeto's, her fingers, face, arms, and clothes covered in sticky artificial cheese. She will grow up as all children do. One day I will sit alone with my husband on the couch in a quiet home, while the memories of laughter and childhood echo through the walls. But not today. Today I have LOUD. I have messy. I have whining, dramatic girls, and pages of homework, and broken crayons on the floor. I have little hands that reach for me, and little voices that call me "mama". And I will treasure it for all it is worth...and remain on a quest to take note of the beautiful signs of life and childhood inside my home :). Won't you do the same?

 

Big hugs,

Julie

I have been SO busy the last few days (ugh...am I really saying that? I hate it when people talk about how busy they are, haha)....so even though I have been taking pictures for my Project 365, I have not had the time to sit and edit them or post them to FaceBook. I thought I would do a little catching up here on my blog as opposed to clogging everyone's news feeds with pictures of my kids, hehe ;). I am still loving this project so much!!!  

 

 January 17th....a surprise snow day, and Addie's very first time to play in the snow!

 

 January 18th...making errands more fun :). Addie LOVED grocery shopping with her own little Minnie Mouse cart, haha.
 

 

Dear Apple Cheeks,

 

Today was simply perfect. After too many dreary days to count, we received the blessing of a freshly fallen snow this morning :). At the first flurry sighting, we were bundled up and out the door, catching snowflakes on our tongues and giggling like girls do ;). I watched the two of you, the joy so apparent on each of your faces, your shouts of glee echoing through the neighborhood, and time stood still. Today I put away the photographer side of me, and I was just "mama". Sure, I had my DSLR on my hip(don't I always ;)), but there was no "posing" involved today, no trying to capture the perfect shot...I just let the two of you be little. You hurriedly helped dress yourself in mismatched clothing and ran out the door, messy,tangled hair blowing in the wind. And it was perfect. Sometimes I get too caught up in the photos, trying to catch the moment before it passes, that I miss the pure joy of just being with you girls. I made sure that I didn't do that today. I snapped my photos to remember the day, shot a little video, then RELAXED. We went out in the snow a total of four different times, hehe. When it was too cold for the two of you to handle anymore, we would go back inside, throw your wet clothes in the warm dryer, and snuggle on the couch with hot chocolate. Addie, you were NEVER ready to come inside, and no matter how frozen your fingers felt to the touch, I had to drag you in, kicking and screaming ;). Oh, Addie...you make me smile so big. What a personality you have :).

 

As we ate our lunch by the dining room window, watching the snow fall into a winter wonderland all around us, I couldn't help but whisper thanks to God for such a beautiful, perfect day. Girls, today was magical. It was rare, and it will never happen again exactly as it did today. I am sure the two of you will see more snow in your lifetimes, but this day has come and gone, never to be repeated again. I am so glad we savored the moments together. Lydia, you got to carry Addison in your arms, out into the swirling flurries of her first snow. It was such a precious moment, the two of you running, trying to catch the snowflakes with your hands, and tasting them with your little tongues. You ran, and jumped, danced, and twirled, laughing your little girl laughter all the while. And me? I got to witness the magic of childhood all over again :). Thank you girls for making life so sweet...you make everything beautiful :).

 

Love,

Mama

 

The first snow flurries :)

 



Trying to catch snowflakes :).

 



Making snow angels :).

 



If you haven't tried adding Lindor truffles to your hot cocoa, you are missing out ;).

 



Addie trying to sneak a sip of her sissy's hot chocolate ;).

 





Today was another rainy, dreary day, but we tried our best to make the most of it :). I am longing for summer and sunshine, so I brought out my pretty vintage dishes and placemats, and we ate toast with my dad's homemade strawberry preserves...that was as close we got to summer today ;), haha! Here is our day, January 16, 2013, in photos!!

 

 

 

Toast and jam on my favorite vintage dishes :).

 





 



Tears and a tantrum...a daily thing when you are raising girls :).

Drama, drama, drama ;)!!!

 



What goes on in the kitchen while I cook dinner ;).

 



 New Pinterest recipe tonight ;). Crescent rolls and million dollar spaghetti for dinner...it was amazing!!! :)

 

 *click to see larger ;)*

Watching American Idol on the bean bag...it kills me how they are laying the exact same way!!!

 



*click to see larger * ;)

 

Where do I even begin? Today was just one of those days. If you are a mom, I am sure you know the kind I am talking about ;). I woke up really early to see my husband off to work, then sat down to get some work done. I actually got several things accomplished, but then the rainy morning took it's toll on me, and back to bed I went. I ended up sleeping really late, because Addie slept in, but the day just kinda went downhill from there, haha. Let's just sum up the rest of the day with one word: RAIN! I had several errands to run, toddler in tow, and they all involved getting in and out of the car multiple times in the pouring rain. Not fun. Then, I had the wonderful idea to go and buy groceries in the monsoon. I am really not crazy...but seeing as we had absolutley nothing to eat or drink in the house, it was pretty much a necessity ;). So, $150 later, me and the kiddos leave the grocery store in the rain, I load them into the car, load the groceries into the car, and then realize I have lost my keys in the process. It. Was. Awesome. Hehe...I then stood outside for about ten minutes trying to get my umbrella to collapse, but my frozen fingers could not get it to work right. Finally I got the umbrella in the car, located my keys(under Addie's carseat), and drove home. Only to get out AGAIN in the freezing rain to bring the groceries in the house. I think you get the point...I don't like getting wet. Or cold. Or losing things. (Insert BIG sigh).

 

 

But then we are FINALLY home together...just me and the girls, and we have the rest of the evening to ourselves. We do what we always do after new groceries have been bought...we tear open various snacks, "trying" new things, until we find what we are really craving. Does anyone else do that ;)? We put on our warm pajamas, do homework, play, and laugh. And the bad day? Well, it just kind of melts away. It doesn't really matter anymore that I had to stand in the rain with wet grocery bags, searching for my keys. Or that I stepped into a huge puddle at my parent's house and got my feet soaking wet. All that matters is us: me, and Lydia, and Addie, having fun together and being a family. Tonight, Lydia wanted to play with the new makeup that she got for Christmas, so I let the girls give me a "makeover". It was interesting ;). Let's just say it involved furious teasing of the hair and liquid eyeshadow all over my face like war paint (laugh). The girls loved it, and I loved that I have it captured in photos. I think that is my favorite thing about project 365...things that I would probably never remember, yet that are so important, will now be captured forever :).

  

Big Hugs,

Julie 

 Just keepin' it real...notice Lydia is wearing the same outfit that she wore yesterday afternoon, and Addie is wearing a Christmas shirt ;). I promise they didn't go in the store like this, hehe. Also? I had to move a mound of laundry to take these shots! See? This is real life :).