MPAD {MarchPhotoADay}

Just as an update--

I'm bowing out of this month's 

photo challenge.

I enjoyed the 15 days 

of photo exploration & fun, 

especially seeing what other friends 

are coming up with in their March Photo/Day adventures!

This month is a busy one, 

we are getting ready for our FIRST trip as a family of five 

and first road trip in the van.

 I've got To Do lists so long I can't see their ending,

 so I decided to knock a few things off my daily list.

This is one of them.

Until next time...

happy snapping!

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 15

Day 15: CAR

Cars at the starting line. 03.1512

This photo commenced

 a fun afternoon game of 

CAR RACES 

down the slide.

Awesome.

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 14

Day 14: CLOUDS

Mom-made 'cloud' on a blue sky day. 03.14.2012

I've been waiting all day 

for a patch of clouds 

to show up at my front door.

Nada.

Today we have

beautiful blue skies 

as far as the eye can see

and temperatures in the mid-70s.

Gorgeous.

But no clouds.

So...

here's one

single cloud

 that I snipped out of card stock.

Not very fluffy, 

and doesn't block much sun.

My son, however

thought it was pretty cool

and has been carrying it around 

all afternoon...

...it'll do in a pinch.

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 13

Day 13: A SIGN

J giving the "I LOVE YOU" sign 03.13.12

Before bed
we say the words
I love you
and hold up our hands
with the "I love you" sign


Sometimes our fingertips touch,
sometimes we tell ten stories...
sometimes just one.



Always, though
I love you
is said more than once.

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 12

Day 12: FORK

A bouquet of forks in the morning. 03.12.2012

A colorful

bouquet

of forks

Useful,

practical, 

& no wilting!

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 11

Day 11: SOMEONE YOU TALKED TO TODAY

Mr. H--scrolling through the NCAA brackets (March Madness: the only time my husband cares about sports)
03.11.12

I thought about bringing my camera

& snapping photos

of everyone with whom I spoke today.

Then, I realized...

I would also be lugging around 

my church bag,

a baby, a toddler, & a pre-schooler

(plus their necessary items)

So I did NOT bring 

my lens with me 

to our church meetings this morning.

I have, however, enjoyed

three weeks --in a row-- (!!)

of the guy pictured above

being home every.single.night.

And today is my last day before he is off again

(to pick money off the money tree, of course)

and I am going to enjoy every 

in-person conversation 

(before they turn to phone calls...).

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 10

Day 10: LOUD

Miss N on Saturday afternoon, after the ward party luau brunch.  
She didn't get any donuts...she's hungry.  03.10.12



On her first Sunday at Church
Miss N was given many compliments,
including:
"Wow, she has a nice set of lungs!"




Yes, this girl
can belt it out with the best of them.

She & her toddler bro N keep our in-home

average decibel levels fairly high.

Especially when they're hungry.

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 9

Day 9: RED

Empty 'laughing cow cheese' boxes, for 'kitchen play' with the children. 03.09.2012

In my home

we have a redhead

a handful red hots

& two red walls

(that I would promptly paint if this place were our own)

On the playroom floor 

we have red cars,

red blocks,

& red baby dinosaurs.

In my fridge

we have red apples,

red grapes,

& little red laughing cows.

The first time I remember

seeing that little red laughing cow logo

was in Portugal 

and I loved it

(both the logo & the creamy swiss goodness inside)

"A vaca que ri"

(the cow that laughs="Laughing Cow")

I used to make delicious spinach salads

with chopped tomatoes, olive oil, & this cheese.

Now I don't eat it at all

(I'm on a forced dairy strike, due to my nursling's preferences)

but I still love that laughing cow

I mean really,

doesn't that little red cow face

just make you smile?

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 8

Day 8: WINDOW

Window: Looking IN

Looking inside (standing on the porch) through the slender long window next to the front door. 03.08.12

Window: Looking OUT

Looking outside (standing on the entryway landing) through the slender long window next to the front door. 03.08.12

Our last place had

(including a set of glass doors)

16 windows

offering north, south, & east light

Our current place has

(including 2 sets of glass doors)

7 windows

offering east & west light

For indoor photos, 

I prefer the nicely diffused 

natural light from a 

north-facing window

so I'm really missing that

from our last place

and, of course,

that awesome brightness 

from 9 extra windows

I chose to take two photos

this morning

to go with today's

WINDOW

challenge

Using the slender, long window

that is next to our front door

I took a photo from outside

(notice my shadow blocks the morning sun, 

allowing us to focus on the name wall hanging inside)

showing reflections of images

both behind & in front of me

(due to the morning light/this is east-facing)

I took a photo from inside

(notice the light coming in,

totally blocks out all of the light inside)

 showing us a framed view

just outside the window & across the street

showing off my favorite tall evergreen

Light is amazing,

isn't it?

I love the windows I have now

to enjoy a stream of sunbeams

looking forward to even more windows

in our next home stop.

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 7

Day 7: Something You Wore

My missionary name tag         03.07.2012

Something I Wore

every day

From the end of July 2002

to the

beginning of January 2004

as a missionary

on the Iberian peninsula

speaking Portuguese,

bom dia, boa tarde, boa noite

This little black name tag 

brings back

a flood of memories

good morning, good afternoon, good night

I had a wonderful time last night

sharing my love for the 

Portuguese people 

and the places that became my 

home across the sea.

Ai, que saudade!

(Oh, how I miss it)

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 6

Day 6: 5pm

Miss N            03.06.12 @ 5pm

5pm 

at our house is never quite the same

since our schedules are not consistent

This evening, it means...

N is at the kitchen island

(eating peas out of a metal measuring cup)

J is practicing his jumping skills

(between the couch, a quilt, and the rug--jumping over the squares, of course)

Miss N is laying her beautifully handmade quilt 

(tummy time watching the sun begin to set)

Mr. H is making phone calls

(arranging for tune ups & check ups for both vehicles)

&

Me?

Well, I took the above pic of Miss N (I wanted the clock to be in the background but it didn't quite work as I had envisioned it...and right when I thought it would, she spit up and then started crying--tummy time OVER) and now I'm off to get ready for a special presentation about Portugal for the ladies at Church.

The Mr. will be in charge of the rest of the evening,

Miss N & I are outa here!

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 5

Day 5: A Smile

03.05.12 Smiles from Aug. 27th 2004, framed.

This photo frame displays

not "a smile"

but two smiles

Two smiles 

on the

smiliest day

of my entire life

One of the

happiest days

of my journey

This frame o' smiles

sits in our bedroom

reminding us of

the JOY

in our 7 year marriage

Even though

today's photo shows

dust speckles & imperfect clarity

(due to the matte texture of the framed print)

I just love it.

Don't we all

gain a few dust speckles

along the way?

Seeing these smiles

makes me

smile

& remember 

that first day

of our Happily Ever After.

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 4

Day 4: BED SIDE

Beside MY side of the bed. 03.04.12

New "smart" phone. Old "dumb" planner?



Here we are
at my bed side
We moved our bedroom desk beside the bed 
when Miss N moved into our room


It's worked out nicely
I can stack all my stuff
in an unorganized fluff
until I get the itch to clear it off again
about every other day or so.




The baby monitor
is in use for the middle child's
croupy nights
*shudder*
only one more 'bad night left',
according to the MD.




And I'm still trying to figure out
the ins and outs
of my smart phone
(Valentines + Birthday gift)
that can do everything my planner can do
and much, much more.




I'm a list makin' fool.
So, more places to make lists,
the better...
right?
At night, though
by my bed
the two are cuddled together
in list-ful, contact-ful, calendar-ful
bliss.

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 3

Day 3: YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

03.03.12 View from the corner of our yard: our neighborhood

We have moved every year

for the past three years

Summer moves

are hot, sweaty, & exhausting

(Did you know I have a very strong dislike for sweating?)

Maybe winter moves are too,

I just haven't experienced a winter move 

yet

We have been in our new 

NEIGHBORHOOD

for 9 months now

(if we were to follow the pattern of our past, only 3 months left!)

We love our fenced in yard,

the "forest" behind our place,

the park behind the forest

and our corner lot.

This is definitely the 

COZIEST

neighborhood we've lived in thus far

which works out nicely

because it is also one of the 

COLDEST

places we've lived thus far.

Maybe we'll stay to enjoy 

the neighborhood

for another year or so...

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?

MPAD {MarchPhotoADay} Day 2

Day 2: FRUIT

Fresh lemons from my grocery stop @ Trader Joe's last night

There is a saying 

that I grew up hearing often.

Involving a certain yellow fruit.

I also saw the same phrase 

on a painting by my artist mother

(in my room?).

If life gives you lemons...

...make lemonade.

I do love lemons...

bright, yellow, tart & sassy

adding a juicy zing to 

delight & soothe

we who are handed lemons

from time to time.

I think I prefer a nice glass of lemon water 

over lemonade, though.

Does that count?

I'm taking a photo and posting every day during the month of March, as I am participating in the March Photo A Day Challenge. All of the photos I will post will be SOOC (Straight Out Of Camera). I'm excited to document pieces of my world, learn more how to master my lens, & share with you on my personal blog. Want to join me?