It’s Been a While

I’m still here.  Life has taken over, as usual, and something has to give.  The blog is the logical choice right now.  We are still unsettled, waiting to get house matters figured out.  Short sales stink when you are an impatient person.

I was taking pictures today of a few things (I help my mom out by taking pictures and listing items on Etsy for her).  Ben was playing quietly with his toys and rocks.  He has quite the love of rocks.

When I was finished I cleaned up my “studio” and told Ben that I was going back inside.  He stopped me and told me to take a picture.

But, he wasn’t ready.  He needed to add a few more touches.

He kept telling me not to take pictures yet.  I told him I was just making sure the camera was working correctly.

Almost there.  Just one more thing.

There, all set!

He tells me all the time to take pictures of things that he puts together.  And I always do.  He gets a kick out of it and I do too.

Something New

For the past week or so I was trying to figure out what to send my grandparents for Christmas.  I know pictures of the kids is the obvious choice, but I wanted to go against the norm.  So I decided to make them a calendar.  Originally I was going to use the template you can find over at the Shutter Sisters blog.  It is great and easy to use, but I had to honest with myself.  My time is very valuable this holiday season, since I’ve been freelancing as a Christmas elf working part time for the holidays.

I’d like to introduce you to my calendar.  I found a website that I could have my calendar made for my grandparents.  I loaded all my pictures on the website, arranged them and then set it up to be printed.  You can check it out here and if you like it you can buy one also!  It features some of my favorite flower photographs that I have taken.

 

 

The Moon

click on the picture to see it bigger

It was trying hard to shine through the clouds last night.  Every time the moon broke through, the clouds would move in to cover it up. There are times lately I have felt like the moon.  Just when I think the sky is clear, new clouds sweep in.

My daughter pointed out this morning that there is a heart in the clouds.  Well, that teaches me.  I needed that reminder, that it’s more fun to look at life as the glass half full than the glass half empty.

He’s a Ham

He’ll be 3 next month and he is a total ham.

His smile is so genuine.

He’s a total goofball.

He loves building with blocks.  His sculptures are mainly titled “Spongebob Squarepants”.

He loves his big brother and tells us often.

He’s my little monkey.  And as much as I like to think I’m happy that he’s growing up and moving towards preschool, there is a part of me that is going to miss the 2′s.

Time flies when…

…you move.  No, really it does.  It has been almost a month since we have gotten here and I have no idea where the time has gone.

…you set a deadline to find a new job.  Time does not fly when you are waiting for job prospects to get back to you.

…you want to enjoy every second in paradise, but have to deal with real life too.

…you want to catch the sunset, but left the house too late to get to a good location in time.  Thankfully the next night was just as beautiful.

…you have 30 minutes to get your kids fed and ready for school, get yourself ready to go to the Y, and get the soon to be 3 year old on board with the whole plan.

…you realize that your baby turns 3 in 5 weeks.  Where did the year go?

…when you mean to post on your blog, but life keeps getting in the way (mostly in a good way).

So I guess in short, time flies when you are having fun!

 

Art-letting

I can feel it building.  A restless feeling, an almost aching somewhere inside of me.  There are things I have to do to the house to get it ready to sell, laundry to do and pack, kids to feed, and lists to make.  But none of it helps.  It’s not what I need.  Those things won’t help it go away.

My mind is starting to shut down, most of the time I can’t even remember simple words like couch or refrigerator (and I’m not kidding, it just took me 15 seconds to come up with a second word to use as an example).  I can feel it, blocked inside, wanting to be let out.  I know once I start to let it out, it will be hard to stop.  I have to wait.

With my old job I was able to let it out in measured portions each week.  It didn’t build up. But I don’t have that job anymore.  My creativity has been forced to stay inside of me.  There hasn’t been time, energy, peace enough to let it out, to be creative.

Blank notebooks call to me at the store.  When packing these past weeks I saved every pen I found.  Flower displays make me slow down and think of possibilities.  I apologized to my cameras today for not using them much, at all.

Soon, this crazy 4 weeks will be over and I will take an hour and let it out.  I’ll get my humors back in proper balance.  That is art-letting.

I’m still here…

The past 10 days have just been a whirl wind of activity.  So much going on, so much to do, so much to look forward to.  Lots of big changes for all of us.  Good changes, mostly, I think.

There hasn’t been much time for the cameras and I to get out and play.  Yesterday Jamie found this little lady (I’m assuming it’s a lady) and called me so I could get some pictures (he knows me so well).

I’ll be back after things calm down a bit and we all get into our routines.  I’m not sure when that will be exactly, hopefully sooner than later!

S.U.R.S

Hurricane Irene’s outer bands hit us yesterday.  We started the morning by visiting the beach here in South Carolina to watch the hurricane go by.  The rest of the day was spent inside, bouncing off the walls, and driving each other crazy.  Good times.

This morning we decided a trip to the beach was in order.  It was still windy, but the sun was out.  So off we went.  Once we got there we realized that the morning after a big storm is the time to go to the beach.  So many cool shells and creatures had washed up on shore.

Even little creatures inside of cool shells.

Such bright colors!

Then Sarah found the first of many sea urchins.

The urchin that started a movement.

We noticed that it was still alive, so we decided to throw it back into the ocean.  What could it hurt?  And that was how Sea Urchin Rescue Society, or S.U.R.S., was started.

Agent E

Here Agent E is showing you the S.U.R.S. approved method for returning the sea urchins to the ocean.

Agent B isn’t so sure about this.  It tickles when it moves.

Agent B

Here, Agent B is completing his first solo rescue.  Agent E is standing close by for moral support.

I’d say close to 25 sea urchins were tossed back into the ocean today by the S.U.R.S. team.  It was a fun way to spend 2 hours at the beach. And a great way to wear out the kids, heehee.

A Black and White Day

I’ve been craving the simplicity of black and white photographs lately.  Just something about them has been calling my name.  So I set my camera to the monochromatic setting and went exploring around the yard.

When looking at the flower you almost don’t see the tiny little ants.  In black and white you can see them and I’m also just noticing the amazing texture on the leaves.

Palm fronds have wonderful architecture.

I’m a sucker for ferns in any setting really, but for some reason I love them growing out of this cinderblock.

And there was this little guy, well most of him.  He stayed when all his buddies ran from the crazy lady with a camera.  I just couldn’t squeeze the camera any closer to the fence to get all of him.

My daughter has mastered catching the little lizards this summer.  I don’t think she has caught one this big yet, but I’m sure she has caught a few of his little buddies.

I love how black and white just seems to calm my world.  It feels safe and structured, letting hidden beauty shine through.  I don’t choose to shoot in monochromatic very often, but when it calls I have to listen.

Miami Beach

I realized that I have been very slow in sharing my pictures of Miami Beach with you.  Not just any pictures, night time pictures that show the hotels in all of their neon glory.  I think it was my favorite part of Miami Beach.  You have to walk across the street, away from all the action to see it.

I loved all of the colors.

All of the amazing art deco architecture highlighted with the glow of the neon lights.

The history that all of these hotels share.

And the old cars that some of the hotels had parked out front.

It’s a beautiful, vibrant part of the city with a lot to see and do.  Music pumping through the air.  And so much fun to people watch.  There are a few moments that I’m regretting not capturing (but some other people did).  I still need to work on not being shy when taking pictures in public.