837 - my last post

"The journey is the reward." ~ Chinese Proverb

 

This is my 837th blog post, and the last one.

It was August 2007 that I wrote my first post on 'Aging with Grace and strong Will.'

I certainly found my voice

about adoption, attachment, my children, and then visually through photography.

I've met some incredible friends through this blog, many of them lifelong ones and Will's entire adoption trip in 2008 was documented here too. So this blog is precious to me

and I will be getting it printed into book form.

 

Blogging has changed a lot since those former days and I will still be posting

but now it'll be here at my brand new blog, A Mother's Art Photography.

Photography is a lifelong journey for me

and I will continue to write about our life, my children and some of my favorite photography sessions. I will also write about what inspires me to capture some of  photos that I do

and even how I shoot them.

I hope you'll follow me on this journey.

 

And just because I had to post some sort of photo, the above is some of our February,

Instagram style.

1. Mr. Will drawing Wolverine (his current fave Super Hero). 2. Colorful Ranunculus flowers. 3. A serious Will waiting at the doctor's office for a pre-op physical. 4. Cool brick wall and arched windows in an antique store that I was browsing. 5. Grace and her friend Izzy dressed in costumes at their 5th grade musical. 6. Grace up on stage, she was a Thai Lantern Girl in the production. 7. Photos for Will's Star of the Week timeline, he helped me chose photos for it. 8. Will right before he left for the OR for an oral surgery he had last week. 9. A pensive Will looking out the window.

Will is fully recovered and did great.

He has a palate surgery coming up in the next 1-2 years.

 

 

I am on Instagram, here if you'd like to follow me and see what we're up to.
Thank you for the last 6 plus years.

xoxo
Gail



No Tricks, all Treats (Sunday Snapshot)

October,

tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets

and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins.... Merry October!

 

~Rainbow Rowell

Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story. 

~Mason Cooley

They start talking about Halloween starting in early September,

and Will usually has thought of what he'd like to dress up a good 6 months

before Halloween. His costumes get a lot of wear as he wears them at home frequently.

This year he went as Ironman and Grace is a 'Weeping Angel.'

I took very few photos of our Halloween evening because it was a rainy one but it didn't stop my trick or treaters by any means.

Probably my favorite image was the candid one below as they checked out their loot in between houses.

 

It may have rained but they still had a great time!





July 4th

 

'I love my freedom. I love my America.'

 

~ Jessi Lane Adams

'In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed;
it must be achieved.'

~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
 

 

 Every country celebrates "their day."
Many call it Independence Day.
The USA was
founded by people looking for religious freedom.
They were followed by people trying to find all types of freedom...
freedom from oppression, famine, poverty, you name it.
Our forefathers fought to get freedom, to keep it and let others have it -
at home and abroad.
This is a great country and I'm proud to be an American.
I'm happy that my children will grow up here.
Happy 4th!

Taken about 10 days ago in the beautiful fields not far from where we live in Wisconsin.

(Sunday Snapshot) - Spring Recital

"To touch, to move, to inspire.

This is the true gift of dance."

 

~ Aubrey Lynch

 

8 months of hard work, practice, practice and more practice to be ready for their Spring Recital.

Every year is different but to me it's always magical
and full of joy and pageantry.
I love every single thing about this little dance community
and school.

At each Spring recital I'm taken back to when I first met
my two youngest children, and can't help but think of how many obstacles they've overcome.
What never changes is how proud and honored I am to be their Mom.

{Older ballerinas waiting to go on stage}

Grace plans to dance next year, Will is not so sure,
maybe try karate? (that's what he tells me). ;)




 

My Little Buddy

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Playing with rocks and sticks has been entertainment for little boys since...well, forever.



Opie and Andy Griffith would skip rocks on a lake to start their TV show.

My husband still enjoys it. 



 

I got a chance to get some time alone with my little man

and he gravitated to throwing rocks into the lake. 

 Not much success with skipping stones yet but he has the throwing part down all right.



Spending time with a happy boy just having fun...our Spring is trying to make an appearance.

 

 

Majestic

 

"Magestic" - having or showing impressive beauty or dignity.

Yes...I would say that definition fits Grace quite well.
Some other words to describe her would be fun, kind, bright, creative and
fiesty.
All great traits for a 10 year old.

Sunday afternoon miss Grace accompanied
me on a photowalk in Madison's Capital Square area.
We did a little window shopping and found a cute kitchen store that had a friendly pup
who greeted us when we stepped inside to browse.
After that we stopped at the old Majestic Theater for
a few photos.
She asked that we stopped at Starbucks for a chai tea before we left for home.
I love this one on one time with my daughter.

Grace's beautiful vintage style wide lace turban headband is
by Love Crush Bowtique

Easter snapshots

 

{Our Easter}

 

It was a quiet one and included an indoor Easter egg hunt, going to a beautiful church service, brunch at a wonderful restaurant called Quivey's Grove and spending the day with my parents, our 'bigs' Nick and Lindsay and of course our 'littles.'

The sun was shining in the morning and I was able to get the two of them outside for a few Easter pics that have become our little tradition.

 You can see from the above 3 photos that Will thoroughly enjoyed his new hat.

He was one dapper guy in his argyle vest!

Purple Love

Her favorite color is purple, all forms of it.
 Lavender
 Orchid
Plum
Violet
Fuschia
though a deep Purple (as in her coat) is her preferred hue.

 She loves to wear purple clothing

and accessories.

Her current favorites are a black and purple striped zebra

top with  matching earrings.

Have to get a photo of her in that one soon. ;)
And I will, I want to remember this age forever.

Her newest idea is to have a purple bedroom,
we will have to see if we can make that happen.
Maybe this Spring?
I love this girl.

Happy Hearts Day!

My kids are ready for Valentine's day...decorated boxes are made and are
at school. Valentine's were carefully chosen and our first grader Will
signed and addressed most of them for his classmates.
 (He was getting a little tired towards the end, so I took over).
They're both quite excited about their Valentine parties tomorrow at school.

I get inspiration from all kinds of places for photos.
Sometimes it's a cute prop, a location, flickr, pinterest or a piece of clothing.
This time it was Grace's striped socks that got me thinking
about a Valentine card I had in mind.

Mr. Will easily thought of ways to improvise with the mustache.
He's a 'ham' through and through!

Happy Valentine's Day!
 

13/52 and Favorite Photo Friday - all smiles

We've been on Spring Break this week with no
special plans other than to hang out, sleep in,
play with friends,
and enjoy each other's company.
Grace did have 2 friends sleepover
and we saw the movie, 'The Lorax.'
We highly recommend it.

(This boy loves to run).

The other day I took Will to one of his favorite parks to play.
You can see by his expressions how much he loves
this place!

I can't help but smile seeing this silly boy have fun.

Today Will has a long morning ahead at our local children's hospital with

 his yearly cleft team appointments.

We're hoping he won't have a surgery this coming Summer.