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The Weekender - January 28-29

Catch-Up

It's been a busy, beautiful fall here, and aside from the pile of images I'm sitting on from our travels, I haven't had a lot of quality time behind the camera. But we have not been entirely undocumented around here. Below, a few favorites from October and November.  

October 2016

November 2016

WWB - November 2016 - Perspective

I am chock full of imperfect analogies and incomplete thoughts these days, but bear with me. It is very easy to live in a shrunken universe, where the only relevant things in our lives are our kids and our spouses, our jobs and our communities, our paychecks and our neighbors. Good intentions, passion projects, causes close to our hearts, the art of empathy - when it feels like there aren't enough hours in the day, we turn inwards, even at the expense of others. Recently, I stayed close to home, and in doing so, I failed to speak out and lend my voice where it is needed.

As a parent, all instincts point towards protecting my children. Yet, I know deep down that the best protection is to send them into the world as competent, compassionate, thinking people, even if that means teaching them hard things and letting them fly on their own.

Of course, the best way to mold competent, compassionate, thinking people is to be one myself. And so, I will try to do better and be the kind of role model I want for them. In the meantime, I encourage the adventurous souls in my home to find the joy in the unknown and tackle their fears. In this particular instance, in the second-to-last car of an upside-down rollercoaster. 

Please continue to Who We Become to see our collection of images this month or travel to each photographer individually, starting with the incredible Lisa Rigazio in Maryland. 

Hershey Park, November 13, 2016

75 Days of Summer - Days 13-17

Days 13-17. Back home and up to our regular routine. Sun, fun, books, friends and a date with mom where someone had a double dose of chocolate. 

8 Days a Week - May

On Mondays, we head up to our old neighborhood for piano lessons. The stroller and carrier are things of the past, because the lesson's spectator is "big" now and needs no help whatsoever. Except she will accept the occasional hand up the stairs from her favorite older brother. Notably, recent schedule changes have opened up an opportunity for a snack stop en route...

Please visit the rest of the 8 Days a Week collaborative, starting with the beautifully talented Meghann Prouse.  

8 Days a Week - April 2016

Last month, I kicked off a new collaborative project with a group of amazing photographers. Entitled 8 Days a Week, it's all about whatever we see, whenever we can see it. I don't have a particular theme in mind, but expect to share a little more of our everyday as the year progresses. Please continue on to the amazing Crystal Hardin to see her images this month. 

Below, a few snaps from a recent beautiful day we had, before our April Winter arrived. In the first, our scooter-obsessed Evel Knievel is distracted from her speedy ways by a dripping wall faucet. In the second, I promised them ice cream if only we could leave the scooters at home and enjoy a peaceful walk. Several blocks with big brother's hand was a close second to her 3-wheeled fun. 

Who We Become - February

Dear New York, we hear you're having a touch of cold weather. Please forgive us if we aren't one bit sad to be missing it.

Please visit this month's Who We Become collection here, or make your way around the blog chain to get to know everyone a little better, starting in Texas with the lovely and talented senior portrait photographer Kim DuPree.

City Kids (I Gotcha!)

Post-circus adventures: when we went in it was raining, but in yet another afternoon of unseasonable weather, we were welcomed by clear skies and a warm breeze when we exited. The current favorite game in our house is called "I gotcha" - it entails our small one running at full speed towards someone, throwing herself into their arms, and yelling "I gotcha!"  Her favorite catcher is her older brother, and they played this all over the always-picturesque grounds at Lincoln Center yesterday. Kid overshare ahead:

One {December 2015}

Another year in the books! I am thankful to be sending December on its way in the presence of family and dear friends. A life filled with love and health has been our great fortune and it is with a grateful heart that I excitedly anticipate all that the new year brings.

I wish you and yours a very happy New Year - may your 2016 be filled with unexpected delights and sweet surprises! 

And speaking of dear friends, as we wrap up our third (!) year of our One circle, please ring in January by taking a spin around our little circle. I'm so lucky to have these people in my life. Start in Chicago, with my hilarious and talented friend, Jessica. 

WWB - December - 2015

Full disclosure: I have taken precisely zero non-family related images so far this month. Which is a shame, because the weather has been unseasonably warm and perfect for night shooting. And also because it means that anyone hoping for a glimpse of street photography will have to settle for city kids yet again. Our giant tree will eventually get its own post, so here are a few personal favorites that do not feature the 9 foot decoration in our living room. 

Please head over to Who We Become to see our monthly mosaic, or take a more personal spin through everyone's work via blog circle, starting with Jill Cassara, who should really be working for Martha Stewart with her gorgeous images and impeccable styling, but we're lucky to get her instead.

 

One {October 2015}

As I was told this morning, October is GREAT because it has two fun things. Halloween and his birthday. My "One" shot this month features the birthday boy on his big day, plus a bonus shot of my little family because I love it so much. 

Please head over to Georgia to see a beautiful image by my talented friend Kim Lane - we're so excited to have her back in action after a bit of a hiatus!

One {September 2015}

Ye ol' camera has been taking a bit of a rest this month but we still made it out for a shot or two. I may have taken more universally intriguing images, but the One Circle always forces me to go with my heart. I'm also fairly certain that if you ever wanted a big brother, you wanted one just like this.

In fact, I asked him this evening if he remembered what it was like before she was born. He told me: "yes, but it wasn't as fun because she wasn't here to play with me." Fairly solid 180 from "When the baby comes, can I flush her down the toilet?" 

Head out to Washington to visit my incredible friend Krista, then continue around our little circle to see what else caught our eye this week! 

75 Days of Summer - Days 57-66

My childhood memories of summertime spent with my grandparents have stayed with me as among the happiest and most vivid of my early years. My kids are so lucky to live closer to their grandparents than I did, and seeing their special relationships develop (on both sides of the family) is a highlight of being a parent. The joy of summer visits like the one we just had are almost impossible to reproduce in images. Yet, I still try. An abundance of snippets from the trove of pictures I took while up at Grandma and Pa's house: Days 57-66.

One {August 2015}

I have some faux woes for my One shot this month - an abundance of personal pictures that I adore. So how to pick just one? It helps that my summer project will bring more of them to light, but this shot below steals my heart. It isn't a masterpiece, but it was taken on a "Critter Walk" with grandpa this past weekend. Big brother invited little sis to join in on his special time with Pa...she may as well have been brought up to the big leagues. Our littlest one is deep into the incredible transition from small baby to giant personality and watching the kids' relationship blossom this summer as a result of her growth has been a highlight of my life. They adore each other, and occasionally torment each other, but I hope with all of my heart that this foundation of sweetness and love will carry with them throughout their lives. There's really nothing like a great sibling - I should know, I have two!

Please continue on to Chicago where you might see some more sibling love, or perhaps the glorious shores of Michigan in the summer...in any case, it will come from the mind and heart of the always creative and talented Jessica Remus.


75 Days of Summer - Days 13-16

On Day 13 of our summer vacation we said farewell to Utah and headed back to Colorado for the last few days of our travels, taking a lunch break to dust off some dinosaur bones in Fruita before heading to the cool mountain air.

Much of Day 14 was spent on a hike in Snowmass. We rode a gondola to the top of the mountain, then made our way back down. Cue the Sound of Music soundtrack - the views were spectacular. 

We took the more circuitous route back to Denver on Day 15, venturing across Independence Pass to check out a ghost town and play in the snow at the Continental Divide. En route was Leadville, Colorado, the town where my grandmother grew up. We even located her old family home.

As we made our way towards the airport hotel, we stopped in to see my dear friend Sarah. She fed us amazing food and let us help feed her koi. The next morning, with a last wave at the giant stallion sculpture at the airport, on Day 16 our trip came to an end.