I'm back! But only for a minute...

I'm finding it very hard to find the motivation to start this blogging thing up again after such a long broken-computer-lost-in-the-postal-service hiatus. But I'm back. And I'm just now starting up my Let's Do 52 project again. 

So, without further adieu, here is this week's picture:

Week 21/52: "Muted"

I'd been wanting to go out and try shooting the kiddos during that mystical "golden hour" that I hear all these fancy photographers talk about, but darn it, my kids go to bed so dang early that they're usually asleep before that golden hour hits. Last night however, as we were on our way home from eating with the grandparents, I decided to break curfew and stop at the park for a bit. I'm glad I did. Would it be bad parenting to change my kid's bedtime just so that I could take better pictures of them? Love love love the back lighting and soft, muted colors. And what's this? B cooperating for the camera? Nice! 

I got some more too...

So fun!

11/52: Beauty in the Everyday Details

I have to admit. I put no thought into this week's photo. After the week I had, I really felt no inspiration for photography what so ever. But after going through my SD card tonight, I found a shot that I thought, could kind of  work for the theme:

11/52

And then I started thinking...
I get so focused on the BIG PICTURE. I work myself into a frenzy, sometimes, with the BIG PICTURE. My anxiety kicks in, thinking about all the things I have to get done, the dreams and aspirations I'd like to someday achieve, the projects I'd like to tackle. I worry about my children's futures, what they will become, whether we will be able to meet all of their growing needs. I worry about things that haven't happened yet...and probably never will.

I get so focused on the BIG PICTURE, that I often forget to stop and see all the beauty that is around me. These two precious kiddos of mine: here they are, growing up before my very eyes. Why, oh why, do I fret about the laundry and the dishes, and the dirty floors, and the 28 other children that don't even belong to me? This week's picture is a reminder to myself to stop and really see those everyday details. The rocks below my feet. The crushed dandelions that Littles brings me. The love between these two, even when they're bickering.

So this week, I'm challenging myself, amidst a crazy birthday-party-prepping/lesson-observation week, to slow down and appreciate the little moments. The bedtime stories before bed. The snuggles and hugs. The dandelions and rocks.

Have a great week, everyone.

10/52 and in need of a prayer...

Like a BIG prayer:

1)We've gotten hit again. This time by the most awful of flu bugs, I've ever had to encounter. I have NEVER in my life been so sick as I was on Saturday. It trickled through all of us one by one by one. And just when I thought little B had escaped, it hit him last night as we were finally tucked in for the night. Blahhhh. We're slowly on the mend, though none of us have much stomach for anything.

2)Upon my arrival at school today, I found my desk strewn with stuff. I stared, puzzled at the mish mash of items. Post-its, paperclips, staples, rotten strawberries...wait, what? Yes, rotten strawberries. Apparently some kids broke into our school and made a mess of things, stole 9 laptops, a few other personal belongings, some cash, and decided I'd get the rotten strawberries (yay, me!)

3)Upon my departure at school today, I discovered my new car, my BABY, had been brutally keyed along with 5-6 other teachers' cars. Like, all the way down to the base coat. I know, "it's just a car, Katie, it's just a car." But, ugh...

4)I'm expecting my pink slip to arrive Thursday, if not earlier. Please pray for God's will. I don't know what I want at this point.

Onto the fun... Here's some from our horrendous weekend. These were taken when Lissy was feeling better, Miles hadn't gotten hit, and mom was stuck on the couch. Ha!

And here's my entry for "Let's Do 52" The theme this week was "Monochrome Tones." Loved how this shot captured my girl's personality!

Anyhow...I feel like such a Debbie Downer (wah Waaahhh). This blog really wasn't meant to be my diary whiney whiney zone. I'll do better I promise. ;)

Off to bed! The nice thing is, there's always tomorrow!

Week 9...Slaaaacker!

Wow, it's already Tuesday? Where has the time gone? I just realized I hadn't put up last week's picture. I'm so sleepy, and stressed, and blahhhh lately. Pray for me! I think God just needs to lay me off. I'm so done with being in limbo. My district's a mess and ugh...I'm just done. Sorry for the rant...

Anyway, pictures! I had SO much fun this week (in my photography world, that is). I have really been learning to shoot in manual as much as possible. And although, I end up with a gazillion throw-away shots, once I get the settings right, it's amazing and totally worth it! There were two themes this week: "Framed" and "Are you there, Spring?" I had a really hard time choosing which one to submit, so I'll show you both.

"Framed"

"Are you there, Spring?"

I was really happy with both, and although I think I'm a bit more proud of how the flower pic turned out, I opted against submitting it, since EVERYONE did flower shots. I'd been trying to get a sleeping picture of Liss for a really long time, but kept waking her up (such a light sleeper still!) but Saturday was my lucky day and  I was finally able to capture it. So sweet, and I thought the crib slats made the perfect "frame."

8/52 and the never ending ear infection

So we've all been sick, yadda yadda yadda, but Lissy has been a MONSTER for the last month. Just in the most sour mood and so frustrating. Seriously, I have been battling with some serious depression/anxiety because of it. We took her to the doctor early this month for an ear infection. Before she was even finished with the antibiotic, she starts getting sick again. So I took her back in on Friday and, low and behold, another one. Different ear even. ARGH! I am so sleep-deprived and just have no patience anymore. :( Not to mention that my oh-so-good-at-taking-medicine daughter of mine only likes Amoxicillin, NOT Augmenten, so I have to literally force the stuff down her throat. 

But on a good note, report cards are done! And I feel justified in planning on a laid back work week. 

Onto this week's photo...

Week 8/52: Simplicity

With all the chaos going on around me this week, I was feeling a bit nostalgic for the pre-walking, "simpler" days, where I didn't have to chase her all over the house cleaning up after her. I have hung onto these shoes. Plain white, boring, first shoes. There's just something about them. They're not exactly "cute." But  I just love them...simply.

 

Pretty Ugly and Week 7/52

I have been sick for well over a week now. And although I don't think I'm getting much better, I've decided to buck up and ignore it until it goes away. The unfortunate thing is that my cough will not be ignored. And neither will my daughter, who was up 6 times last night screaming her little head off. She should be better, having had antibiotics for the last 5 days. Anyway...I'm off on a tangent.

Allowing myself a sick day on Thursday, I decided that I may as well take advantage of some daylight and take my weekly picture. This week's theme was "pretty ugly" or, "finding the beauty in something ugly." I sat for a while thinking about all the ugly things in my life. I thought about taking a self-portrait of my sad, cold-sored self. I thought about taking a picture of my overgrown litterbox of a back yard. I thought about snapping a shot of the overflowing kitchen trash can or the mountain of laundry in my bedroom. But in the end, I decided I couldn't really see any beauty in those things, so I opted for more "pretty" than "ugly."

I'm sure the "pretty" is obvious, but the "ugly" is the fact that this lovely skein of yarn is in a massive tangle of knots. This is also my first challenge shot that I've gotten to edit with PS5. I am In.Love. I seriously know nothing about this program, but it's slowly coming back to me and you can do so many great things with it. It's terribly addicting...

Anyway, have a great weekend friends. I am off in search of some painkillers and more cough syrup.

Happy Valentine's Day

Just popping in to say "Happy Love Day" and then I SWEAR! Back to grading...