fifty two on fridays | week forty eight

 

WEEK 48 - Woods

Continue on to Katiusca to see what's in her neck of the woods.

Preschool: "Moon Shoes"

"As time passed, the moon became a planet-sized playground for the boy. There was so little gravity that with one hop he could bounce over the tallest mountain."

- William Joyce, Man in the Moon

For our preschool curriculum, we're doing our own personal rendition of Five in a Row (FIAR). Rather than follow all the books that they suggest & using their lesson plans, I'm choosing my own books (w/ some suggested in their curriculum) & planning little activities or lessons to go along with them. I figure if this works out okay this year, maybe I'll be ready to tackle the actual FIAR program next year when Will turns five. As of now, we're just dipping our toes in.

This week for preschool, we are reading the book Man in the Moon by William Joyce. Yesterday, we read through the book in detail, looking at the wonderful illustrations of lunar moths, glowworms, flying starfish, & the Man in the Moon (MiM). 

Today, our focus was on gravity & the ability to bounce across the moon. I grabbed some new sponges & rubber banded them to Will's feet. He then spent a good thirty minutes bouncing with his "super-really-awesome" moon shoes. 

Tomorrow, we plan to go see Rise of the Guardians to go along with this first installment of the Guardians of Childhood series. Then maybe I can convince Scott to take us to Snotopia to get some "lunar ice cream" (Hawaiian shaved ice).

Thursday & Friday, I'm hoping to talk about lunar phases of the moon (using Oreos to demonstrate the different phases) & go to the Planetarium in Sacramento. We'll then top off the week by visiting Santa Claus (one of the Guardians) on Saturday morning.

Ruby got in some learning time of her own:




And of course if you're going to take a trip to the moon, you need to wear a space helmet! (Will & Ruby were both supervised the whole time they wore the "helmet.")

fifty two on fridays | week forty seven

“The miracle is not to walk on water.

The miracle is to walk on the green earth,

dwelling deeply in the present moment and feeling truly alive.”

~Thich Nhat Hanh

WEEK 47 - Thankful

What better time of year than now to pay attention to all the things there are to be thankful for? In particular, all of the simple things that you have come to see as ordinary: children to feed, a home to clean, books to read, projects to finish . . . there are so many blessings in the everyday that are easily forgotten or seen as burdensome or insignificant. Instead, wake up & see all the good around you! Don't just see it, but live it!

It is easy to look to the future & wish for things that you don't have, or to dwell on the past & pine over things lost. But what about today? Isn't the present the most beautiful thing of all? I guess it doesn't always feel that way. I have a poster in my room that says "BE PRESENT." It is a daily reminder, a mantra I repeat to myself often to rekindle my love of now. To see the good in the now. To be thankful for all that I have right now. Remember to count your blessings. Remember to notice the details - not so you can nitpick & tear down, but so you can rejoice in even the smallest thing. There is much to be thankful for. Just remember to open yourself up to see it.

 

Continue on to Katiusca to see what she is thankful for.

fifty two on fridays | week forty six

“My heart is drumming in my chest so hard it aches,

but it's the good kind of ache,

like the feeling you get on the first real day of autumn,

when the air is crisp

and the leaves are all flaring at the edges

and the wind smells just vaguely of smoke -

like the end and the beginning of something all at once.”

-Lauren Oliver, Delirium

WEEK 46 - Autumn

I don't know what it is about this time of year, but I love it so much. When I was younger, I soaked up the sun & lived for summer. But now, the smells, colors, & feelings of autumn call to me. They refresh my soul & make me feel close to God in this beautiful world He created. The falling leaves, the bright hues of orange, yellow & red that fade into brown & then leave both fragile & majestic branches bare.

Perhaps it's the memory of family traditions, good food, hot chocolate, brisk air, the first long sleeves & jackets of the season, cuddling under warm blankets with loved ones. The richness of autumn sets my heart on fire. The peace of this time of year, the extra burst of love & kindness, & the presence of God everywhere rejuvinate me & remind me of all I have to be grateful for.

My good friend Tiffani took this picture of Ruby & me, & since it's so rare to have pictures of me with the children, I had to add it. Getting colds is not my favorite thing about autumn, but I do love cuddling my sweet babes when they need the extra comfort.

Continue to Jackie Petersen Photography to see what her autumn experience is like.

10 on 10 | november

pruning trees:

and wishing she were outside to help:

accessorizing:

chilling:

you'd think it was spring:

waiting for my friend for lunch & a book discussion:

up from her nap & ready to go:

played too hard to stay awake on our way to get a treat:

my latest obsession - Hawaiian shaved ice:

in strawberry & grape:

so much to see outside 'Snotopia':

on our way home:



Continue the 10 on 10 circle with the incredible Renee Bonuccelli

fifty two on fridays | week forty five

Clearly I've been gone from this project for quite a while. This year has been crazy, but now that things are starting to level out, I've started to feel the major pull back to photography again.

WEEK 45 - Black & White

When I consider "black & white,"

one of the thoughts that comes to me is

the "all or nothing" delusion.

And let me tell you, this is something I have been working through a lot lately.

I tend to be a perfectionist.

If something can't be done right,

then I struggle to do anything at all.

This is why I hesitate when it comes to photographing for others,

why making meals & keeping a clean (or clean-ish) home often feels like such an unattainable goal,

why a setback in the day can make it difficult to carry on with the rest of my plans.

Why is it so easy to get stuck

in this "all or nothing" rut?

It's like I'm telling myself that if it can't be done just right,

why attempt in the first place?

All or nothing?

That doesn't even make sense!

Better to do a little imperfectly than to do nothing at all.

After all, "by small & simple things are great things brought to pass."

All or nothing?

Is that even part of the great plan?

We do things by degrees,

by taking steps up a ladder.

I'm not Wonder Woman, no matter how much I envision that ideal in my mind. 

I can't fly straight to the top of perfect. And if I do fly,

it's with dips & curves, 

but hopefully I'm still heading in the right direction.

It's the small things we do that allow for progress & growth.

Building habits out of the little, perhaps mundane or ordinary things

that make up the great & truly important things.

All or nothing?

Who says we have to do it all?

Doing something is better than doing nothing.

Continue the circle by visiting Cris Stephens Photography. Trust me, you're in for a treat. Her images are gorgeous!