(Sunday Snapshot) - my greatest gifts

There is no way to be a perfect mother... but a million ways to be a good one.

~ unknown

 

 

 

God could not be everywhere, so He created mothers. ~ Jewish Proverb

 

 

 

Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.
~ Oprah Winfrey

 

 

My greatest gifts have been the days I became a mother.

I still have moments where it's hard to believe that I got be a mom

 a second and third time after many years.

Personally I've never felt a love so profound

and it doesn't matter if your child comes from your body or through adoption.

I know of no stronger bond than between a mother and her child.

 

My Mother's Days have never been about expensive gifts

or big meals. I usually receive the most perfect handmade

cards and drawings or pictures and we all spend time together as a family.

 

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms and Grandmas, and the mothers who wait for their

children.

We remember the mothers who are now in heaven.

And as always on Mother's Day I honor and say a prayer for the two birth mothers in China who

gave me my two youngest, and say thank you.
However motherhood comes, it's always a miracle!

 

 

 

 

 

Captured of Grace in her ballet costume this week,

her Spring dance recital is coming up soon.

It's our little tradition to photograph her.
(In past years indoors and this time outside with some beautiful light).

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

Favorite Photo Friday - first and last day

{School's out!} 

"School's out forever

 School's out for Summer 

School's out with fever 

School's out completely." 

~ Alice Cooper 

(The top image was taken the first day of school and the lower one, this morning.

 They're growing up aren't they?

Miss Grace is growing her bangs out and looks like she's 12 here to me instead of nearly 10).

I can't believe how quickly this school year has flown by.

There have been challenges for our family and we've come through them, things are looking up

and that feels great.

When they arrive home today at 12:10 pm Grace will officially be a 4th grader and mr. Will a First grader.

Bittersweet. 

I couldn't be more proud of these two!

Welcome Summer!

We love Summer! - Sunday Snapshot

{Will with his first snow cone of the season}

It many not be Summer officially on the calendar but it's here where we live.
Our Memorial Day weekend consisted of warm temps, snow cones, playing in the sandbox and backyard and getting together with good friends.

Our school is out for the Summer on Friday and Grace and Will are awfully happy about that.

Grace and her new bike. It's a little big for her and it's taken some time getting used to riding.
She paid for half of it, we matched her on the other half.

Summer in the Midwest is about kids running through the sprinkler.

 Brings back so many memories for me!

My own clean edits (to personal taste) using Curves and Levels in photoshop.

 Settings on the top image of Will:

 Nikon d700 

85mm 1.4 lens 

f/1.6

 1/1250 sec. 

ISO 200

Favorite Photo Friday - a little talk therapy

{Penny for her thoughts}

 

I have learned after 27 years experience of being a mom 

that sometimes important conversations pop up out of nowhere. 

And many times when you least expect one.

When my oldest son was a teen, it was usually as I was driving and he was in the back seat.

I can't say that I can remember word for word what those car conversations were

but they were meaningful to both of us and important to him.

Nick is now an adult, on his own and he and I are still very close.

A few days ago I took Grace out for some photos and noticed

she seemed preoccupied with something,

and when she smiled she was tensing up the muscles around her mouth.

Something wasn't quite right.

 I put down my camera and we just talked...about school, friends, Summer, etc.

Eventually I found out about a little 3rd grade drama going on with a friend at school.
Thankfully Grace wasn't being bullied.

We talked about some solutions and what she could do.

Hopefully we'll continue these conversations.

 Edited with Florabella's Classic Film and Honey Haze actions at low opacities,

from her Classic Workflow collection. 

19/52 and Favorite Photo Friday - it's showtime!

{Spring Recital}

I'll admit that this is one of my favorite times of the year,

and also some of my personal favorites as far as photos that I take
of my children.

There were some funky lighting situations... but I made the best of it and took

my time enjoying these moments.

(Grace and her friends waiting in the hallway before going on).

Last year at her recital I got thinking 

that there probably aren't too many people

that get to see this magical little 'world' that lies backstage at a dance performance.
The air is charged with excitement.

It is incredibly special to me.

(Older ballerinas watching Grace's class perform on stage.These girls were so encouraging to the younger ones).

And for Will...this was his first Spring recital.
The waiting part was a little hard for these guys
in the boys (5-7 yr.) hip hop class. They couldn't wait to show the audience what they could do.
The boys had 2 performances on Saturday and they did awesome!



(Waiting to go on...Will was the first onstage and led his group out).

Months and months of practice come down to this....
and finally it's their time in the spotlight.
My husband and I couldn't have been more proud of our two!

Grace had strep throat the week of the recital and missed both rehearsals as a result.
The photos of her were from Friday night of the ballet, "A MidSummer's Night Dream."
She was part of the lavender field.
Unfortunately she was too sick to dance on Saturday
and didn't get to perform in the ballet again or in her jazz and tap dances.
She was a little disappointed but is really looking forward to dancing again next year.
And thankfully she's healthy now.

Will's hip hip group danced to "My Girl" by Mindless Behavior.
He loved being on stage for his dance and also the finale (his first one).
He's still thinking about hip hop for next year but may possibly switch to gymnastics.
This boy can move!

And Happy Mother's Day a little early!

Favorite Photo Friday - black and white

"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart."

~ Kahlil Gibran

(One of my favorites, taken about 3 weeks ago, I am loving it in black and white).


Those eyes clearly show what is in her heart.




Edited with Florabella's High Key bl/w action
from her Classic Workflow actions.
(Which I highly recommend!)

I Heart Faces - Best Face Photo of 2011

Grace (age 8) - Summer 2011.

It wasn't hard for me to choose a photo for I Heart Face's Best Face of 2011.

Taken on July 2, 2011, Grace and I had spent part of the morning at a local botanical park 

for a photo assignment for a class I was taking.

We were almost ready to leave and stopped near the gate to sit down.

She looked up at me and I think I love this so much

 because it's such a natural expression for her.

Check out more at i heart faces.

Favorite photo Friday - Looking back

As the end of 2011 rapidly approaches, I thought I'd choose 12 of my best photos.
Really  'favorite' would be a better word to use.
As I went through hundreds of pictures, I had a couple of thoughts...
these two have grown like crazy and we had quite a year!

Taken just about a year ago in their Chinese clothing to celebrate Chinese New Year,
these two made me smile.
You can see so much of their personalities.
I'm making a note to self to get out that backdrop out and do it again
in January.


January 2011.

Grace in contemplative moment.


 Late March 2011.

Easter Sunday, playing and jumping on the stones
outside the restaurant we were at for brunch.
I love this candid.

April 2011.

Swan Lake.
Grace's first Spring recital, she's in the background if you look closely.

May 2011.

Will with shades on, swinging.
Our sweet Molly looks on, she lives in heaven now.


June 2011.

Door County, WI vacation.
I bought 2 little vintage Kodak Instamatic cameras off e-bay for the kids to play with.
They were a huge hit!
This series was one of my favorites and I use this image
on my thank you notes
for clients.

August 2011.

Will holding a yellow leaf.
You can see so much of his personality in this one with his sparkly eyes.
He's a mischievous one. ;)


October 2011

 

Portrait of Grace that was used for our Christmas card.
I love the light and her expression here.
It was an extremely windy Fall weekend and cold.
My camera was acting up and I went with what I got that weekend.
Grace's hair was flying everywhere in almost every image-
like straight up in the air.
Some cloning was done.

October 2011

Playing at the dog park, one of my favorite candids.
It's real life and my 2 little loves.

November 2011.

Grace before we left for the Nutcracker, about two weeks ago.

December 2011.

And finally, Will on Christmas Day (which is also his Birthday).
While doing a little photo session, he spun around
and gave me this look, (this is so him).

December 2011.

Well, another year has come and gone.

Wishing you blessings, health, and lots and lots of  love and laughter
in the New Year.

xo
Gail