May 31st - And That's The End...

So, I definitely had fun with this picture a day project. Some days it forced me to look around and see things a different way, which is always a good thing. This last one I am leaving in color...(such a rebel I am). There is a picture of me, my mom and my sister when I graduated with our heads together. And another one when my sister graduated, so of course we had to do it again. And just add another head!

May 30th - The Cake

Well, after the graduation party... Zoey, my Dad, and I all got food poisoning and were down for the count. Apparently our breakfast was tainted:: I will spare you the details, but an ER trip later and well, let's just say the camera was put away... It took all we could to get back home!

So I will just finish up my pictures with more party pictures! The cake my sister had made was very cool! I will have to post more complete pictures of it, as it was two-tiered and had many things that said, 'Rachel' on it, but my very favorite part was the shoe:



How cool is that? Totally edible! Fondant Chuck Taylors... awesome!

May 29th - Graduation Day!

Graduation was nice... short and sweet, which is always a plus in my book! Some tears from the Mama and lots of proud family around to support our sweet Rachel!

Congratulations and we love you!

May 28th - Sushi and Grandparents

We arrived so late the night before, that we decided to delay our drive to New Mexico one day and hang out in Phoenix and relax. We had a nice sushi dinner and enjoyed the beautiful desert sunset... I will post more on that when we get back to the land of color...

Sake anyone? None for me, thanks. I decided I am not a fan.


This one is a little blurry, but it was so dark in there... anyway, I still like it, so it makes the cut.

May 27th - At the Airport

Here we are... all smiles at the airport, ready to get on the plane...



After hours of delays and airport closings and circling around and around airports... we made it to Phoenix. Poor Zoey was tuckered out. It was past midnight Ohio time by the time we made it. The fun was just beginning!

May 26th - Girl Trip!

So, I actually won't be able to finish up my picture a day this week because Zoey and I are heading out of town. But I will finish when I get back! I figure I have gone this far, I should do the last couple of days, even if it is a little late.

While the boys are staying home for "Man-cation 2010"...

Zoey and I are heading out to see this girlie graduate:

My niece Rachel (here in 1998 at my college graduation)

We'll see ya on the flip side!

May 25th - On How To Make The Flowers Grow

So this one just kills me...

We were playing outside in the front yard last night, when Max started to do the little "potty dance." I just quickly asked if he needed to go, and he started running towards the front door. I hurried behind him, to make sure he could get the door open and told him not to worry about taking his shoes off or anything like that.

He started to pull down his shorts while still on the sidewalk, and I was like, "Whoa Buddy, wait until your inside!"

He looked up at me innocently and said, "I want to help make the flowers grow."

I was kind of confused at first, thinking we had to get him inside before there was an accident. And then I saw Ross all over this! I remembered we were at a playground and there weren't any bathrooms, so Ross took him over to the grass one time to pee. He didn't want to do it at first because, well, it wasn't the bathroom. So Ross gave him some story about it not being a big deal when we couldn't find the bathroom and well, it helps the grass grow...

So, I just decided to let him do his part. I mean, he said it with such sincerity! He really wanted to help mama's flowers after all. So I looked around real quick, and told him to go for it.

He hesitated and looked up at me again with that sweet, innocent face and asked, "well, which one needs it the most?"



* I think this is partly because he has heard me comment how everyone else's flowers bloom before mine! This picture is our first flower. Neighbors have had them for weeks already. He is always looking out for me!

May 24th - The Building

Downtown Dayton, of all places, has a pretty cool brick building with our last name on it... I play around with the picture all the time, just for fun. Cropping it in different ways, and changing it to black and white or sepia. I don't even have any editing software (and I have just realized from reading Pioneer Woman's photography blog, that I really need something) so my "playing" is limited to free stuff on the web. But this is my favorite so far::

May 23rd - Ahhh! Summer!

Today was our first day of real, summer like temperatures and we spent a lot of it outside! It was so warm and humid that the kids played in the sprinkler for a while. Hello Summer... we missed you!

I love the water drop on Zoey's nose here:



And darn it, I just couldn't leave this one out... why is the water so good from the hose?

May 22nd - Trophy Day

Our soccer season came to an end today, but not without excitement! The kids got trophies which is so cool and fun for them. Both of the trophies themselves were neat as well.

Zoey's is a bobble-head girl and Max's has a spinning ball in it! I didn't get trophies like this when I was a kid! Good-bye soccer... we will see you in the fall! But we will be watching the World Cup on TV this summer!

May 21st - Never Was There a More Perfect Shirt...

May 20th - Morning Treasure

I hibernate in the winter. But as the days get longer and the temperatures warm up, I find it easier to get out of bed before the others and head out for a little morning jog. I like to see the sunrise and hear the birds chirp and feel the coolness before the humid air sets in. Another thing I love about photography is being able to capture something you find in a moment, forever. Even simple things...

good morning dew on a spider web...




I don't have a macro lens, but I can definitely see the appeal it has! It would be cool to get super close and personal on this one!

And on another note... I quickly put together this shirt for Zoey today out of two old shirts of hers after I saw this blog. I didn't follow her tutorial (I probably should have, but was lazy). Anyway, it turned out pretty cute, so I wanted to share...

May 19th - Action Shot

Our soccer season is quickly coming to an end, so I knew I needed to get some action shots in! Zoey's soccer is actually pretty fun to watch and as parents we certainly get excited and into the action. These 7-9 year old girls are tough, and physical sometimes! They still think the snack at the end of the game is the best part, though. Love that about it all too!

May 18th - Sew...

today, I got nothin...

I had this crazy idea the other day that I would make myself a couple of summer shirts. I like to sew skirts for Zoey, but as far as other clothes go, I will usually pass. BUT, I saw something cute the other day on-line and figured it was easy enough and wouldn't appear "homemade" with my amateur sewing skills, so I thought I would try. Well... I think the formulas were wrong or something, because I successfully made myself a moo-moo. It's kind of a bummer, wasting an afternoon. I guess I can just turn it into a another skirt for Zoey.




And a side note from yesterday's bird post... Zoey has been playing "staring" contests with us lately. We stare at each other and whoever blinks first, loses. She doesn't realize she blinks, so she doesn't think she ever loses. Even when you tell her! Anyway, this morning before heading out to school, she went to peek at the birdies. Number 4 was out of the nest and on a lower branch in the tree. She was there for a while, so we went to ask what was going on...

She was having a stare contest with the bird!

May 17th - Tweet, Tweet Baby Robin

We have had a chance to experience nature at its best, lately when we discovered a robin's nest in a tree in our yard. Each day we could peek in and see one blue egg. And then another. And a third. And finally a fourth. (They usually lay only 4 eggs per nest. And if you took one out each day, the mom would continue to lay that fourth egg... just a little bird trivia for you.) Anyway, the eggs soon started to hatch and the little babies laid helpless in that nest through crazy wind and rainstorms! I thought they wouldn't survive some of the weather we have had recently, but they did. We could see the mom gathering worms around the yard for days. And the past couple of days we have checked to see one less baby bird in the nest. They hop down from the tree and quickly go from just sitting to standing, to hopping and sure enough, flying along. Pretty cool and amazing. The coolest thing was that the nest was eye-level for the kids to watch the action. Here's number 3...



And well, I went back and forth on the whole color/BW for this photo. So click HERE to see color if you want;)

May 16th - Ice Cream Goal

Somewhere along the soccer season way, we decided to celebrate goals with ice cream! This past week, each kiddo had a goal, so we finally got around to celebrating this afternoon! Yum.

May 15th - Yay For Papa!

My Dad had just called to tell us some exciting news he had on the golf course that day -- A Hole in One! The kids and I were actually having a snack and on the box were a bunch of pictograms (those things where a word/picture describes a common phrase), anyway, Zoey decided to make a poster for Papa because one of the pictograms was just that - A Hole in One! Coincidence?

So pretty cool, Dad! We were going to send you the poster, but thought you'd like to see it first! Awesome! See that circle? That's the hole! And it's on the number one!!

You probably didn't need that explanation though, right?



Plus, Max looks a little golf-ish in his visor... even if they are still in soccer shirts!

May 14th - My Heart

The cool thing about pictures is when they capture something about the person that is so much more that just that still moment in time. You can see a little bit of their personality coming out. Here are three people, who have my heart, and when I see these pictures, I smile every time.

Here's Max... He has a smile that lights up his whole face. Strangers stop and comment on it all of the time. He loves to laugh, and make jokes and is so kind and loving. He has recently started talking constantly (he was our quiet one) and it is a joy to learn about all that is going on in his crazy brain. He is hilarious. Love this kid.


And Sweet Zoey... She has a heart of gold and is so thoughtful. She is feisty as can be and emotional too, which makes for an interesting combination. She has the most infectious laugh and a quirky sense of humor. She is very much her own person. I love getting to know her more each day as she grows into a lovely young lady that I just enjoy hanging out with. Love you, girl!



And Ross... I love this picture of Ross. It shows a sweetness that, although not purposefully hidden, sometimes I only see or observe when he is with the kids. Love you, Ross.

May 13th - More Playtime Fun

Max is still enjoying his Mousetrap game. Instead of playing with the mice that come with the game, however, he brought in these teeny, tiny puppies. They do this with most games they play. I don't even know where the dog on the right came from. Her name is "Tiny" if you were wondering. (The kids get their cleverness from their dad.)

May 12th - Bring on the Countdown!

To Summer Vacation, of course! We did the whole paper-chain countdown thing... (creative, I know).

The kids like it though, and come home after every school day excited to take a link off.
Here's Zoey showing her enthusiasm...


(She really is excited)

(She just likes to practice being stoic)

And heck, since its Wednesday and you might need a little extra something today, how about a bonus pic?



Okay... so probably not what you expected. But, one day of rain is nice and cozy... two plus days just means I'm stuck inside, so what else am I going to do? And really, check out that beading action on the deck railing! Nice, huh?

That last part was just for Ross. Sometimes I can be such a sarcastic stinker (wink, wink)!

Happy Wednesday, People! If you really need something... head to Starbucks... happy hour from 3-5:)

May 11th - Rainy Day Fun

We woke up to pouring rain this morning, and thankfully, Max and I didn't have to get out into it until much later. We stayed inside, cozy and warm and hung out in our pj's for a while. Max is our resident engineer. He loves building things and even keeps instruction manuals for things he has helped Ross put together in the past. So when he spotted this game on the shelf of Target recently... he just had to have it. He has a reward chart for various things, so as soon as he got all of his stickers, he knew exactly what he wanted for his reward. And it has not disappointed. We aren't even playing the game correctly, he just sets it up and makes up his own game...

May 10th - To the Past

My Mother's Day was lovely. We were up early, so we decided to beat the crowds at a favorite breakfast spot. Later in the day we went to another local metropark that has an old farmhouse and lake. The farmhouse was original from some time in the 1800's. It's always interesting to walk around and imagine life at different times. The tenacity of the human spirit always shines through to me. I'm not sure how well I would have survived! Haha. The kids were not in picture taking mode, so this is what I have for you today... an old wash tub wringer, I believe. Zoey liked using the washboard nearby as a musical instrument.



I have a feeling that whenever we leave Ohio, I will have a folder filled with pictures of old farmhouses, barns and things just like this.

May 9th - Excited for Mother's Day

Zoey was so cute. She said she wouldn't be able to sleep because she was so excited to share her Mother's Day gift from school! I told her we couldn't have that and she could give it to me last night, but she resisted (SO UNLIKE ME) and waited until this morning!



She had a wonderful book, all handmade. It was filled with poems and letters and pictures. It is so neat to see her express herself in "older" ways. This one will certainly be a favorite that I will keep always.

And Max made a picture of himself in a fence:) Too cute.

Happy Mother's Day to my own Mom, Mom-in-Law and all Mom's! Such a blessing YOU are.

May 8th - Jumpin' on Ohio

When we lived in California, our house was right next to an elementary school... Many afternoons we walked over to the schoolyard to play. They had the United States painted on the black top and we would play games on it all of the time. They'd run to different colors or different states we called out. It definitely provided hours of entertainment.

Zoey's school here has one on their blacktop as well. Here's Max making a big jump on Ohio!




And I must add, because I am a proud mama... Max got his very first goal in soccer today and probably played his best game as well!! Nice Job, Buddy.

May 7th - Mother's Day Roses

For a fund raiser, some group was delivering roses through Zoey's school and behind my back she got Ross in on the whole deal. She was very excited to deliver them to me as an early gift. They are beautiful... I certainly won't complain.



Happy Friday!

May 6th - In All Fairness...

Also Titled: Soccer Boy




Having fun with soccer season!

Cinco de Mayo!

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, my picture of the day was going to be a big ole margarita!

But, I didn't have anything to make one and the schedules of the day didn't allow me to get one. My only possibility would have been if I went somewhere at 9:30 in the morning by myself. I figured I didn't like Cinco de Mayo that much!

During soccer practice, I was playing on the swings and had my camera... I think this one is better in color. Here, for your viewing pleasure, are my feet, while swinging:)

May 4th - Meet Sally...

My kids have a special love for stuffed doggies. They always have. Lately, all of the doggies that enter our lives are girls. Baby girls, to be exact. When Max went to Build-a-Bear last winter, it was no surprise that he picked a dog. And it quickly became his Sally.

He adores Sally. It is the sweetest thing. Sometimes I hear him use his puppy voice and say, "I love you, Max." And then in his regular voice, "I love you, Sally."

Somehow, either at his school playground, or the soccer fields, or both, he received a ton of bug bites! We had to pick Zoey up from school today and I asked if he wanted to bring Sally along for the ride. He said yes and soon I heard kissing noises. He explained that Sally was kissing all of his bug bites and ouchies, and making them feel oh so better!



And well, I just thought this one was cute too:

May 3rd - Soccer Girl

May 2nd - Zoey's First Communion

We celebrated with Zoey yesterday as she had her first Communion...


She just looked lovely and was very excited. We had a nice day and dinner afterward. Here are some more picture before leaving for church.








After we came home from dinner, Max wanted to trike around the driveway... I snapped this picture... love their smiles:

May 1st- Lovin' On Grandma

It stinks not living closer to grandparents. We take what we can get.

This will make me smile for a long while:



Now that Ross is out of school, maybe we can make more trips! Happy May!