One toddler moment. My almost two year old. Had to capture it.
Glad to be linking up with Darcy over at Life With My 3 Boybarians for Sweet Shot Tuesday. .
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Calm Is...
Calm is a winter's afternoon outside in our quiet neighborhood.
Calm is the steps of a toddler over quiet rocks.
And when he stands still and marvels at his shadow...
I am excited to join in the Poetic Winter Photography Challenge, an inspiring 4-week photo challenge aimed at capturing the poetic beauty of winter through photography.
This week's theme was "calm".
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Passion Views
Mountain views.
Living here in Colorado, there are plenty of them. With the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, it is hard to not just stumble upon them, no matter where you turn.
They are now my passion.
And now with this new love of photography, I can capture them with a lens and try to reflect their majesty, even though most times, pictures just don't do them justice.
Living here in Colorado, there are plenty of them. With the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop, it is hard to not just stumble upon them, no matter where you turn.
They are now my passion.
And now with this new love of photography, I can capture them with a lens and try to reflect their majesty, even though most times, pictures just don't do them justice.
The mountains at sunrise...
I am excited to join in the Poetic Winter Photography Challenge, an inspiring 4-week photo challenge aimed at capturing the poetic beauty of winter through photography.
This week's theme was "passion".
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Warm Winter's Day
Sunshine on a clear, cold winter's day.
The evergreens in this Colorado town stubbornly show no signs of wear. Their bristles remain green and strong unlike their counterparts below.
Snow spotted foothills show through these bare long spidery branches.
And those same spidery branches jut up against a bright, blue sky.
I am excited to join in the Poetic Winter Photography Challenge, an inspiring 4-week photo challenge aimed at capturing the poetic beauty of winter through photography.
This week's theme was "warmth".
Just Because I Love You Day - Revisited
Below is a post that I wrote last Valentine's Day. One of my favorites because it expresses how our family feels about Valentine's Day. For our family it's "Just Because I Love You Day" today and practically every day.
Wishing you the very best "Just Because I Love You Day" today.
----------------
On this Valentine's day or as our family likes to call it "Just Because I Love You" Day (borrowed from an episode of 'Team Umizoomi' - a Nick Jr. television show), because we remember and are grateful for the love that we have for each other.
A previous conversation:
The 5 year old, "Do you love me, Mommy?"
Me: "Yes, I love you."
The 5 year old, "Do you love me, Rhys?"
The 3 year old, "Yes, I love you, Noah. Do you love me, Daddy?"
The Dad: "Yes, I love you, Rhys. And I love Noah and Owen and Mommy..."
The 5 year old turns to the baby: "Awww...you love me, Owen?" The baby just grins.
Me: "I think he does love you..."
The 3 year old, "And I love Chelsea the Cat..."
Me (to the cat) : "Hear that, Chelsea. Someone loves you. Aren't you lucky?" Of course, we all love her...but it's just that the 3 year old seems to always remember his love for her, in opposed to the rest of the family, who either is too preoccupied to remember we love her or doesn't quite know what loving his cat is all about yet (that would be the baby).
But that's one thing, hubby and I feel like we can do as people and as parents, love often and love well. If we're not successful at giving our kids anything else, it's the thing we want them to get from us. We want them to know that they are loved - just because, and for no other talent, quality or reason. That's one skill we would love to get the gold medal for. The one thing, if they have to choose one thing their parents did for them growing up that was successful, it was this - that we loved them well.
Which with our kiddos (and with each other), it's not that hard. Okay, most times it's not...
Here's wishing you the best "Just Because I Love You" Day ever.
Wishing you the very best "Just Because I Love You Day" today.
----------------
On this Valentine's day or as our family likes to call it "Just Because I Love You" Day (borrowed from an episode of 'Team Umizoomi' - a Nick Jr. television show), because we remember and are grateful for the love that we have for each other.
A previous conversation:
The 5 year old, "Do you love me, Mommy?"
Me: "Yes, I love you."
The 5 year old, "Do you love me, Rhys?"
The 3 year old, "Yes, I love you, Noah. Do you love me, Daddy?"
The Dad: "Yes, I love you, Rhys. And I love Noah and Owen and Mommy..."
The 5 year old turns to the baby: "Awww...you love me, Owen?" The baby just grins.
Me: "I think he does love you..."
The 3 year old, "And I love Chelsea the Cat..."
Me (to the cat) : "Hear that, Chelsea. Someone loves you. Aren't you lucky?" Of course, we all love her...but it's just that the 3 year old seems to always remember his love for her, in opposed to the rest of the family, who either is too preoccupied to remember we love her or doesn't quite know what loving his cat is all about yet (that would be the baby).
But that's one thing, hubby and I feel like we can do as people and as parents, love often and love well. If we're not successful at giving our kids anything else, it's the thing we want them to get from us. We want them to know that they are loved - just because, and for no other talent, quality or reason. That's one skill we would love to get the gold medal for. The one thing, if they have to choose one thing their parents did for them growing up that was successful, it was this - that we loved them well.
Which with our kiddos (and with each other), it's not that hard. Okay, most times it's not...
Here's wishing you the best "Just Because I Love You" Day ever.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
An Urban Slice
"I like coffee, I like tea.
I like a colored boy and he likes me!
So step back white boy you don't shine
I'll get a colored boy to kick your behind...."
We stood outside on the elevated train platform at 174th Street in the Bronx.
The four girls were standing North, South, East, West facing each other playing the familiar handclapping game, their brown skin glistening in the sunshine, as their hands moved fast.
It was day camp and we were going to the pool today.
I watched as the long subway train came rushing towards us.
"Get ready, the train is comin!." One camp counselor said. There were about five of them and together, they worked to gather all of us kids, about forty between the ages of 7-10, in one close group.
"Cecily, girl, step your black butt away from the edge of the platform." The counselor's tone was light and Cecily didn't take offense. She just jumped back playfully, almost knocking into me. Not that she noticed.
"Jamilah thinks she so cute," Ceciily said to another girl, Chrystal. "Just cuz she got those new barrettes in her hair. I could get those!"
"Me, too!" said Chrystal.
"I bet I could get even better ones. We both could and look cuter than her."
Chrystal nodded, enthusiastically.
The train rushed before us, engulfing us in wind. It stopped and the doors opened quickly.
We rushed in as a group, a few of the kids ahead of me scrambling for seats, their dark arms and legs, jostling all over the place. As I moved quickly in I noticed the frowns of disdain on the people's faces that were seated already.
"Shoot, that's my foot!" Chrystal whined.
"Girl, please, it's not like you was gonna fall," Cecily responded.
"I could've!"
Cecily sighed. "Whateva!"
She rolled her eyes.
I sighed, not really looking forward to going to the pool. My single mother put me in the neighborhood day camp during the summertimes while she worked days.
As I moved along, rocking with the movement of the train, I thought, I'd rather be at home with Grandma. I didn't always need to hang out with other kids.
I kept quiet, not wanting to open my mouth because I wasn't in the mood to hear the girls tease me about how I talk "white".
So I just continued listening.
This piece is a slice of my life growing up in the Bronx. It was inspired by a RemembeRED prompt at Write On Edge that asks write a piece of creative non-fiction in which turns of phrase, dialect, slang, or colloquialisms feature prominently.
I like a colored boy and he likes me!
So step back white boy you don't shine
I'll get a colored boy to kick your behind...."
We stood outside on the elevated train platform at 174th Street in the Bronx.
The four girls were standing North, South, East, West facing each other playing the familiar handclapping game, their brown skin glistening in the sunshine, as their hands moved fast.
It was day camp and we were going to the pool today.
I watched as the long subway train came rushing towards us.
"Get ready, the train is comin!." One camp counselor said. There were about five of them and together, they worked to gather all of us kids, about forty between the ages of 7-10, in one close group.
"Cecily, girl, step your black butt away from the edge of the platform." The counselor's tone was light and Cecily didn't take offense. She just jumped back playfully, almost knocking into me. Not that she noticed.
"Jamilah thinks she so cute," Ceciily said to another girl, Chrystal. "Just cuz she got those new barrettes in her hair. I could get those!"
"Me, too!" said Chrystal.
"I bet I could get even better ones. We both could and look cuter than her."
Chrystal nodded, enthusiastically.
The train rushed before us, engulfing us in wind. It stopped and the doors opened quickly.
We rushed in as a group, a few of the kids ahead of me scrambling for seats, their dark arms and legs, jostling all over the place. As I moved quickly in I noticed the frowns of disdain on the people's faces that were seated already.
"Shoot, that's my foot!" Chrystal whined.
"Girl, please, it's not like you was gonna fall," Cecily responded.
"I could've!"
Cecily sighed. "Whateva!"
She rolled her eyes.
I sighed, not really looking forward to going to the pool. My single mother put me in the neighborhood day camp during the summertimes while she worked days.
As I moved along, rocking with the movement of the train, I thought, I'd rather be at home with Grandma. I didn't always need to hang out with other kids.
I kept quiet, not wanting to open my mouth because I wasn't in the mood to hear the girls tease me about how I talk "white".
So I just continued listening.
This piece is a slice of my life growing up in the Bronx. It was inspired by a RemembeRED prompt at Write On Edge that asks write a piece of creative non-fiction in which turns of phrase, dialect, slang, or colloquialisms feature prominently.
Monday, January 30, 2012
It's 4:30p...
I am not the greatest person after 4:30p. See here.
Waking up at 6:00 in the morning and going throughout the day -- the tired rushes in around 4:00p (there's another period around 12 noon if I'm working my brain on the computer in the mornings). When that tiredness rushes in...it's not pretty: impatience, low-tolerance, edginess.
The gabbing of the 6 year old doesn't seem so cheerful.
The screams of the 22 month old is particularly sharp and almost unbearable.
Strong, independent, childish opinions don't seem so admirable in the moment.
So I walk around -- trying to keep myself busy. Goodness forbid if I sit. The tiredness rushes in and the grouch comes out.
I'm getting a little break from the kids in the moment. They are elsewhere for the moment. That helps. However, I can't sit for long.
I need to get up and move.
Okay.
Maybe I'll even get some coffee. I try not to have too many cups in a day but I can't bring myself to do tea in the moment, so coffee it is.
And onto the next project.
And maybe I'll take a couple of candids in between with the new camera.
Unfortunately, the husband may be working late tonight so the hour and half before bedtime will be mine's alone.
The toddler's pulling at me now.
Sigh.
Time to get moving.
Time for that coffee now.
Waking up at 6:00 in the morning and going throughout the day -- the tired rushes in around 4:00p (there's another period around 12 noon if I'm working my brain on the computer in the mornings). When that tiredness rushes in...it's not pretty: impatience, low-tolerance, edginess.
The gabbing of the 6 year old doesn't seem so cheerful.
The screams of the 22 month old is particularly sharp and almost unbearable.
Strong, independent, childish opinions don't seem so admirable in the moment.
So I walk around -- trying to keep myself busy. Goodness forbid if I sit. The tiredness rushes in and the grouch comes out.
I'm getting a little break from the kids in the moment. They are elsewhere for the moment. That helps. However, I can't sit for long.
I need to get up and move.
Okay.
Maybe I'll even get some coffee. I try not to have too many cups in a day but I can't bring myself to do tea in the moment, so coffee it is.
And onto the next project.
And maybe I'll take a couple of candids in between with the new camera.
Unfortunately, the husband may be working late tonight so the hour and half before bedtime will be mine's alone.
The toddler's pulling at me now.
Sigh.
Time to get moving.
Time for that coffee now.
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