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Photo 365: Week 22

May 28:

The open road stretched ahead of us, with tinges of pink and blue in the sky. In the car, it was quiet. We were all just enjoying the ride.


May 29:

She took it in stages: first with the big float, then the smaller one, then none at all. The pool wasn't big enough to really let her swim, but at least she's getting more comfortable with the whole process.



May 30:

A game of Go Fish while watching Toy Story on the old VCR upstairs. I love that she's still willing to play with her younger sister like this -- I'm afraid those days are numbered, so I enjoy them while they happen.



May 31:

The wreck had backed up traffic for miles, before they started diverting people at an exit ramp miles back. Most people had turned their cars off and even pulled out lawn chairs. They'd been there a while; the wreck was a bad one.


June 1:

A few flea market finds meant a little bit of rearranging around the house; this followed on the heels of same major furniture moving from the week before. It was just time for a change.


June 2:

Their games are always so involved: this time, they'd opened a nail parlor, and Cami was a new customer. She chose the pink and the blue, of course, for fingers and toes.


June 3:

An old basket of Halloween costumes and dress-up clothes kept them entertained for most of the evening; they pulled it down from the top shelf of the closet. I laughed, because it's something they haven't shown an interest in in months and months.

Photo 365: Week 21

May 21:

Cami was beside herself with delight and awe when she spotted the castle as we entered Lexington. "Do you think there's a king and queen of Lexington?" she joked. I love her take on things.


May 22:

Even though they didn't get any warm-up laps and this was the first time running in a different order, they came out and did a great job with their first foray into state competition. It's one of those things where you just get one shot at it, and so you do what you can do.


May 23:

While we sleep late, she's building elaborate stages (complete with speakers) for Barbie and friends. Gradually becoming aware of her in the living room, talking to herself as she works away, is one of my favorite ways to wake up.


May 24:

It's time to put the sneakers away; flip flop weather has most definitely arrived. This week has boasted temperatures in the upper 80s, with humidity to match. Luckily, we've dodged most of the storms.



May 25:

We don't normally do our grocery shopping during the week, but this weekend was spent out of town so we had to adjust the routine. It felt good to get the cabinets and fridge stocked back up again, especially since school's out and the girls are home all day.


May 26:

I'm trying not to think about the fact that I should be here (Ireland) right now. I know there'll be other opportunities; I just wish I wasn't quite so impatient about discovering them.


May 27:

I remember my cousin had a set of these, although hers had different covers. I was thrilled to find this set (with the rainbow and gray binding, which I prefer) for just $3.00 yesterday. The girls have looked at them all afternoon.

Photo 365: Week 20

May 14:

This is basically the only part of her that I can see when I go in to wake her in the mornings, due to the height of her loft bed. That's okay. Pulling on her littlest toe wakes her up pretty quickly.

May 15:

Her last game of the season was actually a double-header. Tough to play two games back-to-back in the heat (though there was a brief period of light rain). Coach played her as goalie quite a bit. She was happy.

May 16:

Love finding her in spots like this. Her room has come together so nicely, and I love seeing her surrounded by her favorite things. These nature/animal books? The best $.25 purchase we ever made. (Yay for used book stores!)

May 17:

A few of my favorite things -- orange lamp, cool pillows, and the Ikea throw that my mom and my sister both would steal, if they could. I know it's not about things, but these things make my home more comfortable, and that makes me happy.

May 18:

A day off from school for Election Day: a good time to dig the Lincoln Logs out of the closet. They kept her entertained for hours.

May 19:
Silly Bandz. The newest trend to hit our house. Both the girls have sets (Cass is partial to the 4-leaf clover). I feel sorry for the poor guy at Walgreen's whose job it is to order and stock these each week. I've seen some parents just get downright rude over a few silly rubber bands. C'mon? Really?

May 20:

We spent the evening at the Academic Team banquet. As a parent, it makes my heart happy to know that her teachers and her coaches truly care about her.

Photo 365: Week 19

Just a couple of reminders before I share this week's photos with you:
1) You have until midnight tonight to leave a comment on this post to win the entire "Expectantly Yours" collection. Don't forget to grab the freebie too!
2) If you are looking for a great scrapbooking challenge, then give The Open Book Challenges a try. Challenge #1 is up, and #2 will be posted on Monday, May 24.


May 7:
Sitting down to track this year's accomplishments, we are both amazed at the wonderful things she has achieved. She is growing into so much more than I ever imagined she would be, and it is surprising and rewarding and even humbling all at once.


May 8:

I went to the downtown Farmer's Market in search of this granola. No matter how many times I try, I can never replicate it.

May 9:
The amount of girliness in this one is enough to give you a toothache -- she's just so sweet. I kept looking at that sweet face; she looked so different with her hair parted and pulled back like that. I am amazed at how fleeting these glimpses can be.


May 10:
Packing for my staff workshop in Lexington: I've learned what the essentials really are, even for a couple of days. Love that I can fit it all in this one bag.


May 11:
All four of them were nervous, but once the race started, they settled into that easy running rhythm. Fifth place out of eleven high school teams. Everyone was happy.


May 12:
The view from my window. While I waited for the rain to arrive, I watched the pigeons strut from paver to paver. I am fascinated by the melding of colors -- how purple changes to green to gray, all touched with iridescence, like oil slicked over the pavement.


May 13:
Somehow, when I came home this evening, we all ended up in the backyard. Talking, swinging, reading, playing -- but mostly just reconnecting after being apart.

Photo 365: Week 18

April 30:
I keep all of our events on my iPhone calendar, but I like having the paper copy at work in this size. The different colored highlighters let me see at a glance just how many home, work, or school obligations I have in a week.

May 1:
Lately our weekends have been filled with storms, while the weekday weather is beautiful. This time, many of the storms passed around us; he commented that I am obsessed with severe weather. That's not true -- it's just that I would prefer not to be caught unawares.

May 2:
You were in my thoughts all day long. When I made breakfast for the girls, I fixed the cinnamon toast just the way you used to make it.

May 3:
This standing puddle in our backyard is nothing compared to the many feet of water flooding areas of Kentucky and Tennessee. The video footage and pictures just leave me speechless.

May 4:
She was so tired; it was a full night of soccer practice and then gymnastics. One minute she was talking his ear off, and the next minute she was so quiet he thought she'd left the room.

May 5:
It was one of those nights with no obligations, no appointments, no expectations. I spent some time catching up on the laundry, letting my mind wander as I folded cloth napkins.

May 6:
An evening just for me. I love live music; he hates crowds. I don't mind going alone, especially because I know he'd only be going to humor me.

Photo 365: Week 17

April 23:
The lawnmower, a rock, a busted back windshield. A great way to kick off the weekend, especially with severe storms on the way.

April 24:

This picture really doesn't capture the way the sky looked, with the dark clouds in the east, lit up by the sun from the west. It's such a saturated level of color, especially against all that spring green.

April 25:

An early morning, which is rare. The house was quiet. I fixed peanut butter on toast, with a banana on the side, and spent some time just reading poetry.

April 26:

It's so good to have fresh flowers back in the house; they were the first thing I saw when I grabbed my bag for work this morning.

April 27:

Yesterday's track meet and today's practice made for an achy knee and tired muscles. She's in the middle of a book she just can't put down (except for the occasional text).

April 28:

Love watching her pass the time with a book, instead of TV or the computer. This Disney fairy series has definitely been a hit; she's started her own collection, which is sitting on the shelf below her older sister's hand-me-down copies of Junie B. Jones.

April 29:

Having one car this week means doubling up on errands and picking up the girls from school and practices. To be honest, I've enjoyed having everyone together to make the trip to and from school and work each day. Part of me is wondering if we could make this work fulltime.

Photo 365: Week 16

April 16:

I love bringing groups of students to campus for tours. Seeing campus through their eyes makes me see it anew each time, and I fall in love with it a little bit more.

April 17:
It's amazing how a pile of white wooden pieces could so quickly transform a room. She's in love, and the little one has a serious case of loft bed envy.

April 18:
It is so sweet to watch her being Daddy's little helper; she has always been this way. Whatever he's doing, she is right there alongside him: cooking supper, washing the car, mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage.

April 19:

Last year's ice storm, followed by two "wind events," means that many of the largest branches on our trees had to be cut down. The birds don't seem to mind; we spotted this one nesting.

April 20:

I try to make sure the blinds are open as much as possible during this time of year; the light in the afternoons just entrances me. I could sit and watch it for hours as it plays across the walls.

April 21:
    I stopped by the house for lunch -- leftovers -- and tossed a quick load of laundry in the washer while I was here. I love living close enough to work that I can do things like this. It keeps the chores from piling up and looming in the afternoon and evening.

April 22:

I took a day off work today since things are so slow right now. After doing some light housekeeping, I decided to reorganize the medicine chest and the bathroom cabinets. Even the smallest areas give me a sense of accomplishment.

Photo 365: Week 15

April 9:
Despite all the things I should have been doing, I spent the evening helping Cassidy purge all the junk from her bedroom so that she'd be ready for the arrival of her new loft bed next weekend.

April 10:
Chris cleaned up the grill and made some fantastic pork tenderloin, while the girls and I tossed a frisbee back and forth. I've been looking forward to afternoons like this.

April 11:
I think she was surprised to look back at some of the things she made in preschool and see just how much she's grown and improved and learned. Sometimes she gets frustrated with school, but I think she's getting to the age where the perspective is changing.

April 12:
It's back to work after a week of being off, and the schedule is relentless this week. I can already feel the need for a nap before even setting foot inside the building.

April 13:
Tonight's track meet was a success; I think she's beginning to find her niche in this sport. The medal for first place in the 4x800 relay helped.

April 14:
One of the most successful campus visits I've arranged -- I love being able to provide them with such a wide array of authentic activities while they are here.

April 15:
I am (im)patiently waiting for the Farmer's Market to open for the season, not only for fresh fruit and veg, but also for flowers, homemade bread, granola, and more. It's one of my favorite Saturday morning activities.

Photo 365: Week 14

(I'm a bit late on this and desperately trying to play catch-up on all the things I need to post, so just bear with me, okay?)

April 2:
The most beautiful spring weather has appeared, full of sunshine and breezes and blue skies. As much as I love fall and winter, there's something to be said for seeing this rebirth occur each year.

April 3:
Yes, I was the nostalgic mama sitting and watching Oliver throw all the eggs from his basket, nudging Chris and murmuring, "Remember when the girls used to do that?" I think our egg-hunting days are drawing to a close, not with just one but possibly both of the girlies.

April 4:
It was hard to believe I was actually there until I could feel the fine sand grit against the soles of my feet and dance back as the waves reached hungrily toward me.

April 5:
I kept thinking how cool it would be to live somewhere where you could have this type of arrangement in your own house.

April 6:
Secretly, I was glad the ferry broke down because I wasn't sure I could stomach the ride back to Ft. Morgan from Dauphin Island.

April 7:
Showing them just a handful of the places I saw when I was younger was such a bittersweet feeling; I wish Chris could've come with us, and I wish Daddy was still here to see how much they loved it.

April 8:
At least we were entertained on the 9-hour drive home: random bumper-sticker reading, yellow-vehicle spotting ("Bingo!") and name-spelling shrubbery.

Photo 365: Week 13

March 26:

My experimental artist locked herself in the garage and coated Snap-Pops with acrylic paint for this masterpiece. I love seeing the creative ways in which her mind works.

March 27:
Cami had her first soccer game of the season today. It had its ups and downs -- including a teary episode where she couldn't catch her breath and got really scared. Heartbreaking. But she settled down and then got back out on the field again. She's learning so much, so quickly, and she's having fun with it. That's what matters.

March 28:
This is her emergency list of random topics, in case they ever run out of things to talk about. Color-coded, of course.

March 29:
It's incredible to finally see a big project completed -- especially one that has the potential that this one has. I'm excited to see what kind of reaction this gets.

March 30:
Tuesdays are busy days -- she goes straight from LASER after-school to soccer practice, then on to gymnastics, with time for a quick supper tucked in between the two. Good thing we've got fruit, granola bars, and Gatorade for a pick-me-up.

March 31:
My trip to Hopkinsville was blessed with so much sunlight and the greenest new grass I've ever seen. I rolled the windows down and turned the radio up, and just ENJOYED the drive.

April 1:
This is what she looks like most evenings. It's fun to listen to her laugh and giggle and to hear the random things they talk about. I'm actually enjoying this age quite a bit -- and I'm fully aware of how lucky we are to have such a lack of drama to go along with it.