Winter? Nah, summer!

I just opened my front door and saw my 2011 Photo A Day book and was so grateful.  We, as a family, ooohed and ahhhed as we turned page by page, enjoying the journey through our memories.  I committed to continuing photographing our growth, our changes, our lives, our home and our dailies as best as I could.  Now, if I could get a book delivery every day, I can imagine that there would be no problem with motivation!

With that said, I am also involved in a 52 week challenge.  This week’s challenge theme is Winter/Summer.  I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to photograph for this theme.  My son completes this image for me just about every day.  Do you see what I mean?  We are bundling up in snow pants, jackets, and layers while he grabs his flip flops.  He always has a pair of flips at our front door.  Always!  When the snow was dumping last week, he ventured outside in shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops.  I was watching him from the kitchen window as he squatted in the snow to play with a birdhouse.  I begged Tim to come with his iPhone to quickly grab a picture before he walked away.

I love to see his contribution at the door…

My new life, full of color

It’s cold.  I never knew Cold before. Now, I know Cold.  I don’t know it as well as others, but I know it better.

I have always loved colors and textures but now since I know Cold, I have a great problem on my hands-an expensive problem.  I need to get dressed up to greet Cold.  I need to be bundled in several layers to be comfortable around Cold.  I get to invest in things that never had much meaning to me… words like wool, and down and such.  Those words have changed my life and have introduced me to warmth when I am around Cold.  I’m grateful for the things I learn each day, each new chapter in my life.  This, my new growing friendship with Cold, I am grateful for and I am grateful for warmth-that I can find it when I need it.

Jack of all trades, master of none

Today was a sad day for me… I sold the three kayaks I own.

I bought one and convinced my other half that I needed more so I could bring friends along on my adventures and maybe even someday him.  I got good use in Arizona-the driest of all places.   Several of us, including others with kayak ownership or borrowship, would casually experience different parts of the Salt River.  I was determined to bring them up here, to Washington, the wettest of all places.  I just knew I could use those kayaks-and again, I would bring others along my journey.

Eighteen months have passed and they sit… cobwebs and all.  They have never visited the waters here in Washington and Guilt started to set. It was a moment when he could say, “I told you so, ” since he did try and convince me to sell them before our big move.  It was time to say good-bye.  I am one who does not hold on to stuff!  If it isn’t being used, out with it!

I love to try different things, learn new things.  I often think this will be the THING that lasts forever.  But, then I realize that it isn’t.  and I sell it and move on to the next new thing.

What are you doing for 2012? | Kirkland Family Photographer

So, its 2012… what are your ambitions, goals and desires?  Mine you ask?  To recover from our sunny two weeks in AZ.  Here is a visual as to what I may be dealing with!  I don’t think I have ever had this much hanging laundry at one time.  None of us want a single gozillion-th of an inch lost, due to drying.  We ate ourselves into an oblivion and need to not only clean our clothes but still wear them at our new (more round) state of being.  I’ll consider this an attempt to save energy and money…  That sounds much better!

AZ was wonderful, sunny, loud and chaotic at most times, and a perfect place to be when rain and cold could not be escaped.  I love my family, my nieces and nephews, my friends and that beautiful shiny thing in the sky… sunshine.  It is always great to be back in our own home.  Now I am ready…

So, here goes 2012….  Happy New Year