Wintery Roses

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I received a few roses at our February MOPS meeting yesterday, and when I brought them home, I just couldn't get over how beautiful their colors. They were transitioning between pink, red, and gold. Such warm colors on a cold wintery day. Gone our our freak 50 degree days, we're back to the cold and it began to snow. So I got a little crazy taking pictures.



My light was best by the back porch.





Then I just put them on the porch. :)





And then it began to snow.








And the snowflakes turned into tiny droplets on the rose petals.










I took them for a little flower walk. And they brought my beautiful bright colored joy on a snowy afternoon.



My favorite.



After our outdoor adventures, my pretties needed to thaw out a bit.







All of these are straight off the camera, except for my watermark, except this fireplace picture, I played around with the contrast, because I felt like I was seeing too much fireplace dust, which is ironic since it is an electric fireplace, uh, from my Valentine's Day last year. :)

Tiny Dancer

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If I were to say I get a night off a week, I would say it's usually Thursday nights. Not every week, but My Book Club, Freezer Cooking Club, and Therapy are all on Thursday nights. Sometimes there is overlap, but those keep me pretty busy most Thursday nights. The last few Thursdays I've been gone when Chris goes to his Dance Class on Thursdays at 7. It's a Tap and Ballet combo class. Eric's taken some pics and video for me, and one time I was late to a meeting so I could take him, and stay for 10 minutes, but Chris has been making comments that make me feel bad, like "you Never take me to dance class". So this week, I got to take him to class, and stay and watch.



This kid is a Crazy dancer. He has the most accentuated movements in the class. And he doesn't stop moving for a moment. And he's not always doing what the rest of the other kids are doing.



But he Loves it. And I loved this opportunity to be able to share it with him. Makes me want to take ballet again.

Solitude

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

-Robert Frost



I snapped a picture of the woods of the neighbor across the street this morning while it was still snowy. I don't think he'd mind. So peaceful in the early morning light, with the empty swing, I'm putting in for the Poetic Winter Photo Challenge. The Subject this week is Solitude. A rare thing around here. ;)

Snow at last!

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Today has been a weird one. After a week of 50 degree temps, we finally got some Snow. Starting off the day soft and silent, we curled up at home watching the snow fall. And we cherished the day. For the first time in a year, it was the second Wednesday of the month and we didn't have to go to Riley for a checkup or therapy.

Woohoo!

However, we also got an unusual call yesterday regarding Christopher. The Summer and Winter Special Needs Day Camp that he attended last year is doing an article in Kids First. They asked me a while if I wanted to say anything, which of course I did. I greatly attribute Christopher's speedy recovery from surgery this summer to the hands on care he got by those therapists. And they helped Potty Train him too! We were all able to work together to get the job done, and Chris progressed by leaps and bounds last year. Anything I can do to help them, I wanted to do. So when they called asking to borrow Christopher for a "photo shoot", I worked with them. Here's the thing, Christopher is a walking talking Miracle, and this whole experience just cemented it, he is a Gift to everyone that meets him or hears his story.

So I kidnapped Christopher from school lunch and recess today and took him to over to the park, to have a photo shoot done with a professional photographer. I wish I'd gotten a card or something, she was wonderful, and all I know of her was her name was Carly. Someday I want to have the wherewithall to do pictures like she did. I sat back and observed, taking my own few candids.

And Chris did a wonderful job. He enchants all. And today was no different. I'm so Proud of him.



They wanted him to do some puddle stomping. He happily obliged!



Though Sam was not their primary target, he was happy to join brother in some playground outdoor play.



Check out Miss Carly shooting her fancy Christopher pictures. No, I'm not quite the photographer who goes laying down in the snow covered mulch. Not yet.



Then the therapists broke out the bubbles. Oh yeah, Big Hit!



Both boys went bonkers for bubbles.



It was a really neat Photo Shoot. I haven't done anything like that with the boys before, since it's usually so expensive, but since it's for the article, all fees are waived, and in the end, I'll get free copies of the magazine, and free pictures. Great Deal for me, all for the bargain slight inconvenience of pulling Chris out of school for a bit. He didn't mind at all.

Actually, I think it was the high point of our day, especially since by the time school is going to be out, all the snow will be gone. It was fun while it lasted, and we made the most of it while we could.

Tee hee hee

I love yarn. I love thread and yarn, and all the arts and crafts that go with them. I love to crochet, and I love to knit. And I love to make holiday gifts and baby blankets for my friends having babies. But I rarely set out to make something for myself.

As Christmas wrapped up, I bought myself a skein of pretty yarn, and made myself a scarf. It ended up requiring two skeins, of fancy girly yarn from this fabulous place up in Zionsville, my yarn mecca.

It's rare I set out, buy, and make something just for me. But this yarn called to me.



And today, I dropped Sam off at preschool, curled up at Starbucks, and finished my scarf. I had a knitting bag on the way in, and wore it out. I don't think words can adequately describe how good it felt to take some 'me' time, and make something just for me.

So gals, take a break from giving, and make something for yourself. It'll pump you up so much, that there will be even more amounts of Joy in the the Making, not just the Giving.

And all from a simple scarf. Sigh.

The New Musician

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Super Super Bowl

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How we spent our Super Bowl evening. Partying at the "Maxim Party". Our friends Dan and Nancy and their son Max (Maxim) hosted their traditional fabulous Fest, made all the more awesome by being here in town.



We tried to get the boys in bed at a reasonable hour, we left at halftime. We're such fuddy duddy party poopers, but we had boys to get to school this morning. Even still, everyone was very sleepy this morning. If we couldn't have rooted for Peyton and the Colts here in town, we had a great time pulling for his brother Eli and the Giants. And Indianapolis did a Fantabulous job spicing up the city... we popped downtown last week for a drive, and took a few pictures, these were some of my favorites.



The Dinos at the Children's Museum looked Festive.



The JW Marriott gave a really great Welcome.



The roman numerals downtown.



Eric let me out of the car to rush over a take a few pictures, but I had boys that weren't up to the trip so they stayed in the car, this was about as close as they got to the numbers. Can you see them?



See, every so often I get out in front of the camera. Once a year, or whenever the Super Bowl is in town. Great Job Indianapolis! I'm so Proud!