POTW - Week 5 - White

Decided to throw a color in every month and of course this month we are seeing lots of white so white it is.  

Here is the white snow we are seeing everywhere piled up higher than the stop signs

White is a pretty simple color but when it came right down to finding it I was having troubles.  Came home for lunch one day this week and the sun was beating on the toilet paper and I immediately thought  WHITE!!!!

Lynn has talked me into doing project life for our first year at the cottage and here's the box on one of the products. 

I painted the kids toy room a light, light almost white gray.  I love it.  Usually I navigate towards color but for some reason almost white was screaming at me.  Now we're replacing the trim and flooring so a simple paintng project with a simple color has turned into a big project….. little does John know that when this room is done I'll be starting on the next one.  It's time to make our upstairs look like mine vs looking like Adam still lives there.

Little Emmett

Here is the early bird that decided to come a bit sooner than expected and ruin mom's plans of maternity photos. 

With a face like that he can do anything he wants.  

He is seriously the lightest baby I have ever held and he's the sleepiest baby ever.  

Big Brother Owen helped me pass the time while Emmett filled a little hole in his tummy.  Owen hasn't been a fan of my camera but tonight he was a rock star.  

When we asked Owen to take pictures with his baby brother he was so gentle and kind to him.  He really knows that being careful around him is important and this photo will be treasured for years.

I have never been able to fit a newborn inside this frame before.  Emmett fit with room to spare.

Tina looks fantastic after having this little peanut and I am very fortunate to know and love this family of 4.  

Connor 2 months

My youngest brother's step daughter had a baby boy 2 months ago and she brought him over for a few photos.  He is a strong little 2 month old and had so much control with holding his head up.  You can certainly tell which babies love their tummy time.  With our family we are used to blondes and blue/green eyes so having this little dark eyed baby was a fun change.

Amanda loves this little boy to pieces and with all his "grandma's" he will certainly have lots of snuggling time.

Of course Grandpa Terry got him a hunting shirt and he had to wear it.  It sounds funny calling my brother Terry a grandpa.

The best part of doing photography part time is the time I get to spend with family.  We have a pretty big family that grows by at least 5-6 babies a year, meeting them and watching them grow is a blessing.  

Connor you are so cute and I can't wait to see you again.

Senior Sneak Peek

It's a bit late for Senior pictures but with this young man he had more important stuff going on that pictures were not even thought of.  I couldn't tell you how many hours he's spent in hospitals and emergency rooms.  How many doctors and nurses know him better than the kids at school.  But through everything his homework and good grades are more important than anything else.  

He's not 100% and he never will be, but he's come along way.  I've listened to his journey through his mothers eyes.  I cried with her, I celebrated with her and most of all listened.  I've never met Derek but today he showed me what a special young man he has become.  An illness can set you back if you let it, he didn't let it…….  he is full of life, laughter and positive energy.  

Week 4 - Darkness

Week 4 - Darkness

Yuck, yuck, double triple yuck.  I really don't mind winter cold or snow, what I really mind is winter darkness.  I am a light/sun lover and getting through these dark months of the year is tough for me.  

I had really good intentions for darkness week but forgot to get my camera out on Saturday night and then other intentions were planned and they haven't happened either.  I usually start our group off so it was time to get something done so tonight I found signs of darkness in the house.  

Sledding Up North

****warning - super long post with lots of pictures****

This last weekend Lynn, Jesse and the kids were going up to the cottage for a weekend of sledding, games, quiet time, movies and unlimited snacking.  John had to work and didn't want to run up for only the one night so he told them "maybe" we'd come up but probably not so have a great time.

Saturday I get a text message around 9:30 "pack your clothes we're going up north as soon as I get out of here"  If you ask the kids they would all tell you when their dad said "maybe" it might yes.  

Sledding was a huge entertainment for Saturday afternoon.  The sledding hill was already started a month ago but with the blow up sleds it was too narrow and the kids were getting stuck half way down.  but they loved being outside.

Here is how Max got back up the hill, crawled right back up the way he went down.  

And back down he'd go.

Mallory got out there and it's her first time down, daddy gets her all set and gives her a nice big push...

Flipped her right over face first into the snow.  

Oh don't worry she loved it and sat there and giggled.

A better push and she's on her way.

Well then John got out the shovel and made the path wider to accommodate the new sleds.  He was our maintenance guy hired to work on the sledding hill.

Worked like a charm the ride got much faster for the kids.

But you can't get these kids to stop smiling even with the long walk up the hill.

Mallory was a spinner, she would spin circles all the way down.

Sometimes maintenance would  accidentally shovel backwards..... ummmmm sir I have a camera here!!

Sometimes I still get distracted by snow glittering in the sunshine.

Then the big kids got a couple turns and the hill was packed and much faster.

And since it was faster we could fly past me and down the bottom half of the hill.

Jesse got his turns and so did John.   I ran the camera for both mine and Lynn's.  When I filled up a memory card I took my turn down the hill.  Of course Maggie doesn't chase anyone but me, she almost jumped right on the sled with me and chased me down the hill.  I heard a big puff of air and at the bottom the tube was flat and Maxwell has to tell everyone "Grandma broke the sled". 

The afternoon outdoors was great it was just what we all needed.  When we came it in was a movie for the kids and they snuggled right up on the floor.

I went in to check on them and Mallory says.  "Grandma do you want to snuggle with me?"   Ummmmmm heck yea

The next morning I tested a gallon of paint on the walls (don't like it, so it will change) and our new sitting area was a hit.  Sitting here and looking outside day or night was very enjoyable.  Grandpa John is playing the kindle with Maxwell.  Those two get along so well.

Then Mally was jealous.

And John said he would take my picture with the kids since that doesn't happen very often. 

Maxwell is a very emotional child he loves and cares for everything.  He says thank you for everything, he has a sweet little voice and knows how to get everything he wants from Grandma.

John found Lynn and Jesse hiding out in the other room without the kids.  

He also found Maggie on the deck. 

Lynn playing Bingo with the kids

Mally coloring

Maxwell playing the kindle

So Sunday early afternoon we head back to the sledding hill.  John blew up another sled and went down to the bottom of the hill and Jesse sent Mally on down.  

It was fast, it had frozen over after yestereday and Mally flew down that hill, John tried to catch her and she knocked him right over.  She was done, it was too scary for her.

You would think we would have been warned with that..... nope we sent Maxwell down....... Same thing he was done too.

They were much happier playing in the snow today.

Jesse asked if I wanted to go down and I said no you go ahead.  Thank goodness cuz the sled popped, that would have been me again.  So glad it happened to him.  

The adults took over the sledding hill today, it was fast and so much fun.  Of course the walk back up was a killer.  The kids liked to push you down so when I would walk back up the hill they were begging for me to go down again, of course I would.  

I took a couple videos on my phone they are Me and Lynn and John and Mally. 

 (arrow over names for links)  

I still laugh so hard at the videos, it was so much fun.  Just the memories I want to make.

I then taught Mallory and Maxwell how to play Fox and Hound.  Tramping through the snow, making dens, hunting for foxes.... it was above my knees, they could hardly follow me (the snow was as tall as Max) but we did it.  They had so much fun and of course added to the make believe.  Maxwell caught a fox and they got on all fours and ate it for lunch.  Crazy kids.  

If you made it this far, thank you.  We had a great weekend in the winter wonderland.