Joy of Love, Day 28

It's our last day of my Joy of Love class. Makes me kind of sad. I've enjoyed this class, I feel I've gotten a beginner grasp of some of the basic tricks my camera does.

I'm even shooting in Manual more than half the time. ;)

So, being a little bummed this class ending, our 'teacher' chose our theme of the day to be The Future, and inspired us to take something Hopeful about the future of our loved ones.

So I took the boys over to the new house. Just seemed appropriate to take catch the boys doing what they do best, being crazy, on what will become our new front porch.




I just can't wait to compare these pictures of the boys playing at the house while it was being built, to ones we'll take, when they are older, in the future, when we live there.
Eric's been stressing out, but he's been making all kinds of visible progress doing all the electrical wiring. It looks like mass insanity, but really there's a method to the madness. The kitchen is looking more kitchen-y with light switches and piles of stuff that will become useful.



This past weekend, he pulled a lot of cable, which I love because they look like little bouquets to me. Bouquets of light. This is just one of many.



We're getting close...closer..looks like it will be early April when we move.

Joy of Love, Day 27

Today's theme was What they Say.

And, Chris said Brownies.



Of course, I must comply.

Joy of Love, Day 26

Our assignment today was a little difficult. We are supposed to focus on "the bro-mance" the love between brothers or best friends, and what they do together. Well, Eric's not around this weekend, too much stuff at the lot, so there's not much to take pictures of either, so I thought I'd play around with some cropping of older pictures. Eric is not like me, he doesn't talk about his best friends...I can who his best boy friend would be, but word sharing on that subject isn't manly at all. I have been known to tease him about going on a Man Date, or Dad's Night Out, he's overdue for one of those. But this would sum up what they do, movies, hanging out, eat, drink, "watching tv".



Eric has two brothers, but they are very rarely under the same roof, and rarely interacting all together at the same time during those moments. We kind of all sit around and watch the kids interact. I started hunting around this morning to see if I could find a picture of Eric and his brothers, and I couldn't doing the same thing. It's kind of weird now that I think about it. This was from 2004.

They did a piano trio for church. It was very cool.



Oh, and here's another one...also from 2004, the boys (and my sister-in-law-to-be) all helping Eric put drywall up in the basement. God Bless Them. That was awful, so much so, Eric's not drywalling the new house.



Dad has been so helpful with the new house. I should get out and take pics more pics of them working together, his brothers haven't come out, but Dad has been out there Every weekend, and even some evenings lately. It's been Awesome!



But really boys, 2004?!? I have pictures of the whole family as a group, but can't find hardly anything of just the boys. My Goodness, something should be done about that!

Joy of Love, Day 25

Our assignment for today was to photograph "when you love them Most".



That's easy, I love my boys most when they are cuddly first thing in the morning. They just want to sit and snuggle on the couch for a while. This morning, Daddy got to be the recipient of the snuggles...love that even more. As for the photo, had to use the flash since it was so dark, and the snugglees couldn't sit perfectly still. They have the same problem when awake, let alone at dawn when shutter speed wants to go for like 20 minutes. So it's a bit of a cheat, but still, my morning cuddles are the Best way to start my day.

Joy of Love, Day 24

Today's theme from The Joy of Love is Where? Where did we fall in Love?



Once upon a time, a couple crazy college kids would hang out in the evening, after marching band practice, after dinner into the wee small hours of the night. Every Night. Sometimes they would take a long walk through the Butler campus.



One of their favorite places to take a walk was the Butler Carrillon, it was a peaceful place, where they could escape, and just talk and talk, about everything. These friends started to become more than friends on the steps of this carrillon. Down the back of the carrillon they could skip down into the Butler Gardens. Or follow a path around the pond to the gardens. One day, the boy asked the girl to go on a date, Les Miserable was coming, and he wanted to take her. They held hands as they walked off again...into the sunset (though I think it was already dark outside).

A couple months later, as their love had grown, the couple was in the mood to be even more crazy. The first snow had fallen, and though they should have been doing their homework at 2 a.m., they decided to take a break and go find the sledding hill, and roll down it, as many a college kid are known to do. As they padded through the gardens that they thought they knew like the back of their hand, they got a little confused. They sat down on a bench, to just watch the quiet snow falling on the gardens at night, to gain their bearings, and just Enjoy It. A pre-engagement proposal, a Promise was made that snowy night, a ring was even given. We knew we wanted to be together forever.

2 years exactly after the boy had asked the girl out for the very first time, he took her to a fabulous anniversary dinner. Then he insisted on going for a walk. Never mind it was Cold. Never mind the girl was wearing heels, and was wearing a short sleeveless dress, and had no coat. An anniversary walk was Needed. And when he found the bench, and when they sat down again, he proposed.

I said yes, more rings were given, and we lived Happily Ever After.



So, it's Our Bench. Our Gardens. Our University. That's our Where.

Joy of Love, Day 23

Facebook Attack.
We are supposed to put the camera down today. How refreshing. And we're supposed to go through old photos and/or stalk our loved one's profile pics, even the icky ones, just to find Joy in the Cuteness. So I did.

Eric's current facebook profile picture is This:



It's his Father's Day picture from last summer (June 2010) of him and the boys (Chris 4 1/2 and Sam 15 months). I try to take one every year on Father's Day. This was particularly adorable and poignant, and got me thinking of when Chris fit into that exact same outfit...in Spring 2007 when Chris was 17 months old and the cross country trip we took that spring. I never did get around to doing a Top 10 of the pictures from that trip (that was A. Before this blog, and B. before I started doing pictures in the updates on Chris's blog, his had a separate folder for pics.). Frankly, there are just too many to do any kind of top ten any justice. So in honor of being set off by the Outfit, I'll do a Top Ten of Chris wearing the same outfit as Sam wore in Eric's facebook photo.

Over the period of 2 1/2 weeks that we traveled, we went from IN to IL, to NB, to SD, to WY, through ID, to UT, to AZ, to NM, to TX, to OK, to MO, to IL and IN. We only packed like 4 outfits each so it was a lot of wear.

So, here goes:

1. Country Baby - Chris and Daddy check out the Covered Wagon at a genuine cowboy cookout in western Nebraska.



2. Chris rides the wagon on the Oregon Trail. In the corner, above all the grass is the base of Chimney Rock.




3. Chris at Mount Rushmore. The 5th President. :)



4. Our family at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota.



5. Daddy and Chris in Salt Lake City, Utah.



6. Mommy and Chris at the Great Salt Lake.



7. Daddy and Chris take a walk through the Petrified Forest in Arizona . Check out those giant logs!



8. This pic was what got me going today; we were stopped at an old pueblo in the Arizona sunshine, and I can't help but wonder why they didn't call this big sky country.



9. Chris wants to get as close as he can to the viewing window at the top of the St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.



10. A boy and an Arch. The Last Day.

Joy of Love, Day 22

Portrait of a Sweetboy.



Of course you don't think you're going to get a great shot on the first try. Turns out today I was lucky, but didn't know it.



Sure, I'll admit it. I resorted to bribery.



Follow the bouncing ball.



Apparently, Sam will do anything for an orange.

Joy of Love, Day 21

Today's assignment was to take a picture of our loved ones' hands. What a Blessing that Chris's friend Emily spent the night last night, and she just couldn't stay away from the piano today. She and Sam were playing beautiful duets. Some people get annoyed or don't let their preschoolers or toddlers play the piano. We have two rules: Only Fingers (no feet or toys) on the piano. And, Only Clean Hands (no piano playing after just eating) play the piano.

Even though I had a pinched nerve in my neck this morning, and a pounding headache, hearing them play, no matter how badly brought me smiles. How can you not smile at the Beauty in this Love?



Just Duet.




I even cracked out the Macro for a little closeup action. And my muse, she was a wonderful model. She even tried holding still for me for a while (you know how it is with a macro and a moving target) until her hands started cramping up.



Beautiful Music, Beautiful Child.

Hypothetical Joy of Love, Day 20

Now, ironically, tomorrow's title is rumored be When They're Home. Lately, if Eric's home, I'm Not. Especially tomorrow! My friend Kathleen and I are running away for a shopping spree, leaving tonight, and we're gonna be gone All Night and All Day. A full 24 hours child free. It's been a while for both of us. I may take my camera...I may not.

In the mean time, when my Loved ones are home...they Play. Eric plays with the boys. He gets on the ground, and wrestles, and he plays spiderman, and tackles, and tickle fights, and all that great stuff. Hearing him play with the boys, and their laughter is my favorite sound on earth.

He was home for a couple minutes this morning, and I captured him playing Play Doh with the boys; A fresh pack of Playdoh, just opened. So they'll probably want to do that again tomorrow when I'm gone. And just like this morning, I expect they'll have a great time!



As will I. ;)

Joy of Love, Day 19

Today's theme strikes a little close to home, "When They're Gone".

Eric's gone a lot. He works full time, and he's been working hard on the house in the evenings and on weekends. It makes us all sad. I know we're blessed that at least he's in the state, and we get to see him for a few minutes sometimes, but it's hard when he's here, but not Here.

So I try to keep the boys happy, not necessarily in excellent parenting methods. So When Daddy's gone on the weekends, which is when we notice it the most, instead of going somewhere crazy and playing, we play at home (also something we don't normally do during the week).

So, the boys and I stay in our jammies, all day sometimes. And I let them eat waffles on the couch while they watch cartoons.



Me? I drown my sorrows in having a Triple Chocolate Meltdown for breakfast.

Joy of Love, Day 18

Today's theme for our Joy of Love class was Going Out. Now, unfortunately, my booboosweetie is unavailable as a Hot Date, for probably the next 6 weeks or so, until he finishes the House. I got him for some time last weekend, though he was still working on stuff, it was for the home we're currently living in, and we got to SEE him.
And as I mentioned yesterday, Mommy has been a Woman on the Edge, and wanting, no, Needing to get out of house, so Yesterday began the beginning of Mommy taking back her Sanity time.

My friend Melissa and I started at Starbucks with Raspberry White Mochas during Preschool yesterday morning. And they were Venti! "Go Big or Go Home!"



And from there, last night, I had Mom's Night Out at Applebee's, drowning my sorrows in their Triple Chocolate Meltdown, and tomorrow, Oh beautiful Tomorrow, my best friend and I are running away for an overnight trip to Edinburgh, the Outlet mall, for a Spring Shopping Extravaganza. Sans children. God bless my husband and my mother in law! So I'm really starting to enjoy "Going Out."

Joy of Love, Day 17

Yesterday's theme was "Staying In" and I'm supposed to be in the picture. Only I had a little Trouble. There was a Problem, I didn't WANT to stay in yesterday. I was desperate to get out. We ended up at Preschool, Starbucks, back to school, Chick Fil-A, home briefly so Sam could nap, then up again to go hide (we ended up taking the dog and kids to the park) while the house was being shown, then I dropped the kids off, and went on a mom's night out. I was not Staying In.

I tried a self portrait, during the bit of time we all stayed in, having massive Tickle Fights. But too much movement.



Oh well. Worse problems to have than too much movement during a tickle fight. :)



These Feet want to go outside. See the ice is melting? These feet are happy to enjoy the weather in the 50s. But I want 60s or 70. I want to have a pretty pedicure (which as you can see I'm in desperate need of), get in some sandals and enjoy the outdoors. Come on Spring, Go Spring!

Joy of Love, Day 16

Ah, the Mooshies and the Squooshies. This week we are surrounded by Love. It's only appropriate that today's Joy of Love lesson focus on Together. It was supposed to be a self-portrait.

Self portrait, of me and my love. I have a Tripod, at least I do technically own one, but it's in Storage until we move. So I set the camera up on the kitchen table, with the lens propped in place by a chip clip.



Aren't we sweet? I swear we didn't plan to be both sticking our tongues out the same side, that was just bonus, the order was 'Be Silly'. And can you even see my Bunny Ears?



More smoochies. It was hard not to giggle while holding a smooch.



I know, Gag, but I liked the smoochy picture so much I played with it a bit more.



My other LOVES.



Now, that's a Goofy self-portrait!



Someone is suspicious that the camera is being held above his head. But he was happy while we were done.

Joy of Love, Day 15

Today's assignment was Kiss. Well, around here, nothing says Love like a Puppy Kiss. Of course, our "puppy" is now 12, but we still enjoy the occasional smooch. Though not as much as some of our friends do. ;)



And Fina isn't the only one that loves baby breath.

Joy of Love, Day 14

Today's assignment was Wedding Jewelry. Well, golly, I just did that last week! So, I pulled up a few pics from summer 2008, when Eric and were celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. We exchanged new platinum bands, something simple that didn't catch on kids, or blankets or diapers. And we went to Butler, the site where he proposed to me almost 14 years before.

These are our new bands on the bench where I sat, and Eric knelt in the mud when he told me "Two Years, two years is not enough. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" And through chattering teeth I told him Yes!




Aren't we sweet, with our little hands. It's hard to do a self portrait on your hands.



Even harder to get a picture Today of all of our hands. You know, moving targets and all that. But this makes me so happy.

All my Valentines.



Happy Valentine's Day!

Joy of Love, Day 13

Today's Joy of Love theme was Routines. I would've captured the boys having breakfast, in fact I tried, but Chris was just too fast at eating his waffle. Fina on the other hand, well, she did, what she always does, and the sun was shining right on her, making her look so pretty. Even her little old flews, and her gray hairs were shining in the sun.

Boxer routines. Begging for Breakfast.



Subtle as a train wreck.



Poor Fina, she didn't get any waffles.