Mulberry Street

PHOTO A DAY CHALLENGE 27. LUNCH A picnic at the park. 28. LIGHT Afternoon sunshine filtering through the wisteria vine. 29. INSIDE YOUR FRIDGE This is actually fairly representative of my fridge.  I always have milk, tortillas and cheese, various produce, eggs, and yogurt.  As for this particular day, apparently, I have a lot of avocados to eat and red peppers.   That's it. A photo a day for the entire month of February.  This was really fun and I enjoyed having a task to complete, but I'll admit that the last week I had a hard time remembering my assignments.  I think I'll take a little break and try it again for April.  Maybe by then I can convince more of you to try join in.

PHOTO A DAY CHALLENGE 26. COLOR

PHOTO A DAY CHALLENGE 22. YOUR SHOES My faithful running shoes.  Once I started running in the Asics GT-2100 series, I haven't bothered to try a different shoe.  This is my fourth pair in that series.  Why mess with a good thing? 24. SOMETHING OLD I was lucky enough to inherit this cuff bracelet from my grandfather.  After his funeral, I was helping my mother pack up various things from a display table when I discovered it.  I turned it over in my hands and pictured my grandfather in the Navy.  I love that his own signature is engraved on the inside - Afton Earl Wadsworth.  He never liked the name Afton and changed his name to Earl as soon as he could, around eighteen years old.     24. GUILTY PLEASURE Genevieve helped me prepare this guilty pleasure - chocolate covered strawberries.  We consumed all of them in less then 24 hours.  They were delicious. 25. S...

I love the way you watch over us from various perches. I love the way you saunter up and down the sidewalk, following after Genevieve (not Emory). I love the way you still look like a kitten when you get that look in your eye. I love how you wear your emotions on your sleeve so no one can claim ignorance when you whine or hiss. I love your black stripes and green eyes. I love the way you communicate with me, either through look or contact, and let me know how you're doing. I love that you've been my "kid-ten" for the last ten years.  Don't tell the others, but you're my favorite.

I've decided that the best word to describe Emory this month is fiesty.  Pay close attention to the first 10 seconds of the video when he'll display a classic Emoryism - it's the chin to chest and furrowed brow expression.  Also note the manipulative grin that follows. 

We've been giving Genevieve reading lessons for two months now.  We're using the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engleman, Phyllis Haddox, and Elaine Bruner .  She is on lesson 33 of 100 and already reading on her own. We are so happy and excited for her.  We can't wait for this new world to completely open up for her.

PHOTO A DAY CHALLENGE 17. WATER I fill up cups of water multiple times a day.  We are lucky that water comes right out of the tap.  Very lucky. 18. SOMETHING YOU BOUGHT Eric and I prepared these freezer meals at Let's Dish.  After we taste a few of them, we'll let you know how they taste. 19. SWEET Free dessert?  It doesn't get better than that. 20. SOMEONE YOU LOVE Alison is one of my favorite people.  I love her very much. 21. REFLECTION It may be filled with manure, but this small pool was just right, for the red barn to reflect on this beautiful day at Kidwell Farm.

It wasn't very late in the morning when I realized that getting out the house today was...necessary.  We called up our very dear friends in Maryland and invited ourselves over.  We were out the door by 10:00am with the goal to stay out as long as Emory's napless self would let us - maybe we could make it until 2:30pm, before hitting the road again. Emory played with all the trucks, cars, and tractors G could produce.  Genevieve played with A & R in a world of pink, dolls, and dress-ups.  And I chatted away with A & M, stealing glances of baby E, who is absolutely adorable. We played at a park with old school toys.  The kind of toys that threaten to break bones or rip large chunks of skin from your body.  Gratefully every one survived and we only had one minor scare. We were treated to some delicious ice cream treats, though I'm still unsure why I didn't get hot chocolate.  Emory fell and split his lip w...

My watch says I ran for 62 minutes today.  MapMyRun says I ran 7.5 miles today.  Active.com says I averaged an 8:21 pace today.  If all these things are right, then I say I ran great today! I really like running outside.  The relationship I've developed with the treadmill is strictly business and nothing more.  I can't argue with convenience though, and it is terribly convenient to run on the treadmill.  So two or three times a week, I reluctantly stamp my "running" time card and turn on the treadmill.  Everything about a treadmill feels unnatural.  I hate that, with the push of a button, a machine dictates my pace.  When I run outside my body sets the pace.  The relationship I've developed with the pavement is much more intimate.  Everything about running outside feels natural.  I can sprint down hills and then crawl back up them.  I can lengthen my stride along flat sections of sidewalks.  I can ste...

My friend Jessica let me take pictures of her four-week-old twins.  I thought taking pictures of one baby was difficult, but this baby boy and girl gave me a new perspective.  We certainly had fun though.  They are so tiny and snuggly and noisy and warm and cute and squirmy.  They are simply beautiful. 

PHOTO A DAY CHALLENGE 14. SOMETHING YOU'RE READING Actually all I'm reading right now are manuals - the "Learn To Read" manual, the Sunday School manual, the Relief Society manual, and the camera manual.  Apparently, I need lots of instruction in my life. 15. HAPPINESS There is nothing that makes me happier than when my kids are happily playing together.  It makes my heart grow. 16. MORNING At any point in the day you could find this scene somewhere in the house.  On the mornings we don't have to rush out the door for preschool, Genevieve likes to stay in her pajamas and play with her "Polly's and Strawberries."

Love basking in the sunlight. Love in the shape of seals...  and lions...and frilly pink skirts. Love in the shape, and taste of delicious pink sprinkles. We felt love all around us.  We hope you felt our love for you! 2/14

PHOTO A DAY CHALLENGE 9.  DAILY ROUTINE 10.  CHILDHOOD My childhood, my dad's childhood, and my children's childhood. 11.  WHERE YOU SLEEP 12.  CLOSEUP If babies were edible, then this sweet little girl would have been consumed a long time ago. 13.  IN YOUR BAG Those little fingers are in my bag, a lot.