Friday, September 30, 2011

Day 271

Home sweet home. I'm kind of bored by this space a little bit. I watch all these crazy HGTV shows and get inspired pretty easily, but for whatever reason, it's hard to implement that into my own home. It's not bad, just pretty neutral I guess.. And definitely needs some Sarah Anderson Photography up on the walls. That is really where I hit the biggest hurdle. I can NOT make any decisions on what prints or what frames or size. I have all these options on my desktop. Ugh! Some day I will make it happen.
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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Day 270

On rare occasion, we hit the Burger King for convenience's sake. Liam, of course, learned the term "Happy Meal" pretty quickly. I took him over for lunch this day and I started feeling like totally guilty mom because I swear EVERY toy he has ever received there in the Happy Meal is completely offensive to me and completely inappropriate, in my slightly arrogant opinion, for a three year old. I have asked the employees there at least 3 times if there is another toy available and the only thing I have really ever gotten in return is slightly amused, sarcastic, blank stares. The first time this happened, I explained to Liam that I wasn't very happy about the toy, that I had asked for an alternative to which they had none, that it was a toy for big kids really and that I didn't really think he should play with it. I expected total meltdown or stubborn resistance. On the contrary, to my complete surprise Liam says to me, "Oh, alright. I guess we could just give it to Isaac (our 10 year old neighbor) . . . HE'S a big boy..." Well, since then I have basically had to confiscate every toy we have ever received at Burger King (why are they so horrendous for crying out loud . . . whatever happened to matchbox cars and pound puppies?!) So at any rate, my guilt got the best of me today because this child is so completely reasonable about it . . . I ended up taking him to our neighborhood toy store for him to pick out something that I felt WAS appropriate. $30 later . . . this is what we ended up with!! MUCH sweeter than extraterrestrial Autobots and evil Depticons (or whatever....)
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Day 269

Want so badly to teach Liam the love of this game.
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Day 268

One of our new summertime (I say summer because Fall is actually our summer) traditions is sitting out on the porch with Liam at sunset while he has a popsicle for dessert. I think it is my new favorite time of day.
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Day 266-Day 267

There were many great shots for the 2 days we were up in Hendy Woods in the Anderson Valley so I compiled the best of. Friday night, we got Liam all tucked in his new sleeping bag and Keegan and I sat out by the campfire for another hour or so. My lungs breathed in the fresh, perfectly cool air, we looked up at a gazillion stars that I don't think I've seen in years actually, and I could just feel the noise in my soul silencing. Beautiful place. With my best 2 boys. Perfect. Serenity. Renewal. I could not wipe the smile from my face. We cooked some campfire meals, toasted some marshmallows, hiked in the redwoods, played by the river, chased Liam around the campground loop on his bike, hung out at a Brewery, visited an apple farm and tasted some fantastic Pinots. California, you are amazing.
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Day 265

I spent almost the entire day packing up the car for a weekend camping trip with Liam and Keegan. When I grabbed my camera to put in the car, I snapped this shot quickly, thinking I would get a great shot of our little campsite once we had it all set up that evening. Well, it turns out it was a good thing I shot this because by the time we got going, stopped going due to traffic, and ended up at the campsite, it was pitch dark!! I LOVE to camp, but Keegan takes some mild convincing so we've gone twice I think since we've been together (11ish years). However, we rolled in there in the darkness, pitched a tent, built a fire, and had dinner cooking in about 10 minutes flat. By the time we got all that settled, Liam settled, the camera still sat in the bag where I had packed it so this was it folks!
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Thursday, September 22, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Day 262

Enjoying some popcorn out in the backyard on this hot "summer" day with the boy in undies. These just make me smile.
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Day 261

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Day 260

Cheated slightly with the phone camera today. We've had a long week at home without the hunny who was in London and we spent all day waiting to go pick him up at the airport. This is Liam peeking out the sun roof at planes in the cell phone lot.


Saturday, September 17, 2011

Day 259

I mean, come on. Ridiculously deliciously cute, no?!
We, gulp, can't believe I am actually writing this publicly, had our first bout with lice this week. SO unnerving, I can't even tell you. I will spare the details and all cleared up now, but at some point his teacher said to me, "Well, it might be time for a buzz cut." Are you crazy lady?! NO freakin way will I ever . . . never ever ever . . . buzz cut this child's hair . . . ever. And just for the record, it is not red. I never really understood that term. It's rust . . . clearly.
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Day 258

Haywire.
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Day 257

There's some selfish part of me that hopes Liam garners my love of and innate skill for anything creative and artsy. And obviously Liam is very clear on my love of photography and sees my camera, oh, most days at least 5 times a day. Lately it seems photo of the day is an end of the day crunch project as the daylight is just too harsh here in the early California Fall. The last few days, especially, I've involved Liam in someway or somehow with attempting to complete the task since he is afterall, my full time buddy. Today, as always, photo of the day was in the back of my mind . . . it was about 730 in the evening, Liam and I were headed back home from an afternoon at the library in downtown Berkeley. We were walking down this stairwell to get to the train and he says, "You know Mommy, we could take a picture of these stairs right here. That would be a really good idea." At first I was like, No....no, we should hurry to catch the train, it's getting late, blah, blah, blah. What am I saying?! Wait, you know what?! You are right Liam. This would be a PERFECT place to take a picture. That's a really good idea indeed Little Man. And he WAS right.
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Day 256

Dear Liam, Almost every night, when Mommy and Daddy go to bed and you're all tucked up and (usually) fast asleep, we sneak into your room to stare at you and kiss you goodnight. Perhaps in your dreams you can feel our love washing over you, like a warm breeze caressing your skin. You have the most beautiful, perfect, and peaceful face I have ever seen in my life. In these quiet moments, an indescribable, once in a lifetime feeling of pride, awe, amazement and complete and utter adoration wash over my entire body. You are a dream come true to both of us buddy. Love, Mommy.
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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Day 255

This is what I love about this project: Liam and I were driving home from a rare weeknight dinner out treat. We passed this field with golden colors and the sun setting behind. Photo of the day popped into my head. I had a few in my camera from earlier in the day, but nothing too spectacular. It was getting kind of late and I hesitated . . . Liam still needed a bath, I had promised him a popsicle, and we had a lot of bedtime reading to do because I bought him some Frog and Toad Adventures that afternoon. "Hey Buddy, wanna go run through that field before we go home?!" "YAAAAHHHH!!!" is the giggly reply I got. Ok, brakes on, u turn. 5 minutes later, Liam was happily running through the field throwing leaves at me. Now I have a few really beautiful photos I would probably never have if it weren't for 365.
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Day 254

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Day 253

Love him.
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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Day 252

We ran some errands this morning and hit the zoo for lunch and the rest of the day. The afternoons without naps really take a toll on the little guy. Caught him like this in the late hours of the day. He mostly just powers through it . . . go, go, go, is his typical mentality. This is a rare find.
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Day 251

Often Liam and I will snuggle up in bed on a random afternoon with a pile of books and have a little read-in. He was tired, I was tired, so snuggling in the bed sounded like a pretty perfect idea today.
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Day 250

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Day 249

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Day 248

My new favorite place. About a 5 block, ten minute walk away, we know the owners, we recognize faces, my photos are hanging on the wall, the beer is great, and the food is tasty. Kind of like a second home really :) Apparently El Cerrito has been very thirsty for years as this place is jammin every night and they have already run out of 2 of their beers. Welcome to the neighborhood E66.
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Monday, September 5, 2011

Day 247

What's wine tasting without a little horseshoe action?!
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Day 246

Spectacular engagement photo session this evening with Teri and Kyle up at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery. Stay tuned for more highlights. Teri kept apologizing about the spookiness of it all, but to me, the absolute beauty of the backdrop and light far outweighed the spookiness.
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Day 245

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Day 244

Liam had his first dentist appointment today. Highly successful. This office was just ridiculously adorable and fantastic as a Pediatric Dentist office. Everyone was Liam's pal, the office was just littered with all kinds of toys, the tv was going, there were video games and tv screens in the exam room, Liam took home a bagful of dental related goodies and he received a postcard the very next day from his pal, the dental hygeinist, Will. This was just right outside the office.
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Day 243

Was relieved to have Liam start back up at school today. I definitely think we need that time apart to maintain our healthy, sane relationship as full time mommy and buddy :) Afterwards, I picked him up and we hit his favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch and over to Joann's, which was where we were headed, but never made it the day before when the bike accident ensued. We were headed there to get the fixins for his Halloween costume, "A Scary Dragon," per Liam's request. While we were there, he took out all the plastic dragons for a little inspiration. This ended up being about a thirty minute impromptu playdate with the dragons, but he was happy so I just took a seat and enjoyed the relaxation. As a side note, I am not really a fan of dragons. I am not really a fan of anything too fantastical or violent, even slightly violent for him. I am convinced that is why he is starting to show signs of gravitating right toward it. Urgh. But I am going with it for now . . . perhaps he will get it out of his system.
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Day 242

Liam took a major spill on his bike on Tuesday, the day RIGHT before school started! He was coasting down hill, gathering speed at an unbelievable pace. My heart started racing and my body was reacting before my mouth could get the words out and before I knew it, he was tumbling over the handlebars, face first into the sidewalk. He was pretty shaken up. I gathered him up in my arms and realized there was blood spilling out of his head. AHHH....minor mommy freak out. His freaking plastic sunglasses smashed hard into the ground when he landed, which smashed equally as hard into his face and completely busted the skin. Two perfectly symmetrical gashes, right where the nose piece was. We went home and I even called the pediatrician. (Is it ridiculous that I know his number by heart?!) At any rate, by bathtime, Liam was his chipper self at last, all bandaged up with some new special bandaids.
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Day 241

Hmmmm...spider season. That means they are spinning all over the exterior of my house and crawling all over the interior of my house. Shivers.
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