Summer is here, I think? | Kirkland Family Photographer

I keep thinking, “this is it!  Summer is finally here,” until the following day the rain and cold returns.  At some point, you just have to get out and pretend that the rain is not the one in control and maybe it will get the hint?  I am a desert girl, remember?  I come from AZ where summer actually starts when we get our Easter baskets filled with our season’s worth of swimsuits and doesn’t end until after we have put away our Halloween costumes.

Here in our hood, we actually get to see each other on sunny days… the other days feel like we are alone on the street.  We all come out with smiles on our faces, pumped up tires on the bicycles and new methods of transportation to try.  Yesterday I was outside with the children enjoying a moment of sun and our neighbors drove up.  I waved high and asked them about the car they were driving, it looked new.  He told me it was his in-laws and they were in town.  Then he continued and said, “but we did bring home our baby.”

Aren’t I a lovely neighbor?  I haven’t seen them (close enough) in what… 5 months to even know she was pregnant.  Embarrassing.  You can imagine the shock on my face.

“What?  I didn’t even know she was pregnant.  I am the worst neighbor you could ever ask for.”  He looked confused since he didn’t ask for a neighbor of course.  “Has it been that long since we have had you guys over for dinner or seen you up close(r)?”  Ahhh. yes. It’s the weather.  We are all tucked away comfortably in our heated homes waiting for the perfect days to become neighbors.

I have been keeping a photo journal each day of 2011.  It’s called Photo A Day and its random but its mine.  : )

Afraid to try something new? | Kirkland family photographer

Let me let you into my life… the motherhood part of my life.  This is my boy facing one of the hardest things for him (and me)… eating something that he thinks he doesn’t like.   The things that fall on the I Don’t Like List are; all fruits and vegetables, meats, and even fudge on ice cream.  When he was a wee little one and I was introducing pureed food, there was nothing he didn’t eat.  He loved food in general.  Somehow along the line he has developed a hatred for most foods.  It makes me sad, I feel like a failure and on most days I wonder how his little body stays so healthy.  His typical morning meal is a waffle with peanut butter or some eggs and toast or some cereal.  Breakfast meals are usually pleasant for him.  Lunch is typically PB&J (thank goodness he likes peanut butter), macaroni and cheese or crackers with cheese or the like.  Dinner is where we are often stuck.  We sit as a family to eat a meal and he won’t eat and won’t even sit by somebody who is eating an aromatic dish.

So, my motherhood skills are at their finest when I bribe… “If you eat this apple, I will take you to Toys R Us and buy you anything you want.  ANYTHING.  AND, we will have a midnight party and celebrate you trying something new.”  I had no idea what a midnight party looked like but thanks to his sister who got all excited and asked for further details so she could assist in the coaxing, I had to come up with a plan.  “It will be watching movies and eating popcorn and staying up ’til midnight.”  He was thrilled.  I could see in his eyes that he was determined to try it and conquer this fear.  He told me with confidence, “I’m going to eat it mom, I already know I like it.”  Then he took a mini lick/bite and gave a face.  His sister continued to steal apple wedges from his plate reducing his challenge to one slice.  What an incredible reward for eating one slice of apple.  He picked it up, wanted to eat it but just couldn’t get his body to agree.

The poor guy cried.  He wanted to win.  I wanted him to win.  I just want him to EAT, fill his growing body with things of nutritious value.  I just want to be a good mom and teach good eating habits (even if that means a bribe or two).  He proudly states to most people who offer him something on the I Don’t Like list, “I don’t like fruits or vegetables,” but yet he hasn’t tried them since they came in pureed form.  I have been told to try dips and he won’t eat dips-NO DIPS OF ANY KIND.

I think I have a hard time understanding this because I really love to try new things, both culinary and more.  I love a challenge, I love to learn and food… well, I love that too.  He is complacent.  He feels no need to introduce new tastes into his routine and he is satisfied.  I love him.  I pray for him.  I want the best for him.  (I’d like to keep my sanity.)  I hope this will pass.  This is hard as a mother.  I never imagined that this would be one of my struggles (but then again, I imagined no struggles… everything lovely and blissful).

Some may say, “He won’t starve.  Don’t give him other food.”  I did have that mentality for a while.  I had a lock on the pantry.  It was a battle everyday and I decided that I didn’t want my relationship with my son to be like that… a battle over food everyday that resulted in tears and guilt.  He usually opted to bring his own snacks to the dinner table.  Now, I am happy to provide him with his own sandwich so he too can have a pleasant dinner at the table with his family.

From here, I don’t know what to do.  He didn’t come with a manual but I am willing to pay great prices for one (and have invested in many books but none of them have changed the situation).  I have seen doctors, read books, and tried bribery.  He likes his macaroni and cheese and will not divert from his plan.  My goal: get him to taste one piece of fruit and one vegetable before Kindergarten is over.  What’s a mother to do?

I have been working on my Photo A Day project and I am struggling to stay up to date.  It is usually my priority each day which is why blogging sometimes takes the back burner.  More of that in another post.

The sunshine | Kirkland, WA Family Photographer

Today was a glorious day and a perfect day for pictures.  You see, Kirkland residents (as well as many others around the world) have been patiently waiting for sunshine… consistent sunshine.  When it comes out to play, we can’t help ourselves.  Sunshine warms the soul, lifts the spirit and brightens the day.  I feel so capable when the sun is out.  I want to try new things, make new friendships, be a better photographer-mother-wife-neighbor-friend, and bake something delicious.  Wow, all because of the sunshine.  Please note… I probably won’t be posting something about rainy days and what I am capable after 30+ days of rain.  : )  I would like to know how to bottle up days like this (maybe I can?  Is it called Vitamin D?).  The hazy warmth and green grass is good for me.

Faces | Kirkland, WA Photographer

I love these faces.  Its park time and you would never know based on the look they are giving me.  Don’t worry, I wasn’t stalking children at the park…  (Although it certainly looks like they are feeling a little that way…)  Anyhow, these kids belong to my good friend and I am trying REALLY hard to get the darling little girl to smile at me.  When I graduate from frowns to smiles I will be sure to post them (hopefully I will have my camera for the moment).  Is it me or the camera?  : )

It was a darn cold day and we were just trying to get out of our darn cold (and dark) homes.  You can see that we don’t have sunshine and much light to be excited about.  I brought out of my camera (since I tote it everywhere while trying to stay on top of my photo a day project) right during “My Little Pony Fruit Snack” time and you can see that I did not win.

Happy Mother’s Day | Kirkland, WA Photographer

I saw this while processing pictures and thought it was a sweet picture to wish all the mommies a wonderful, relaxing and peaceful Mother’s Day. My mom is amazing and raised four of us. I am often in awe at her patience and diligence now that I am trying to raise my own kiddos. I love her and I am grateful for her love and example. I know she is one of my biggest fans, supporters, and cheerleaders. This year, for my mother’s day gift, I have my parents here with me to celebrate mothers (and Zane’s birthday).

Mothers sometimes get flowers, sometimes breakfast in bed and sometimes other trinkets and treasures but being a mother is a gift.  I will hug my children and thank them for allowing me to be their mother, for allowing me to make mistakes in the journey and for loving me and forgiving me and for making me smile every day

Spring Cleaning and Discounts | Kirkland, WA Photographer

Who doesn’t love a discount?  : )  I’m cleaning out, archiving, and offering some savings.  This is good through May 20th.  Any orders between NOW (April 20th) and May 11th will include some savings!

Butchers, Pigs and American Thighs | Kirkland, WA Photographer

A local, organic meat shop, Bill The Butcher, was celebrating its birthday at the Redmond location.  Not only were they roasting a pig (at which my kids said, “Who would ever really eat a real pig?”) and feeding the visitors, they were doing raffle drawings and entertaining us with live music.  It was a celebration not to be missed.  American Thighs was performing (Seattle’s newest AC/DC tribute band), and we had front row seats.  It was some good rock n roll-prefect addition to the celebration. It was all quite the entertainment in Redmond!

I’ve been dying to go see these tulips | Kirkland, WA photographer

We moved to Kirkland, WA in June  of 2010.  One of my first purchases was a book of things to do from Costco.  Actually, I’ll be honest… I bought several books and brought them home, took the time to review them and see which ones met my needs and returned the rest.  (I am a returner.)  It is too difficult to decide right there in the isles of Costco with my kids begging me to buy them the Elmo read along books and the princess craft kits.  Bringing it home was the only option.  ANYHOW, I still ended up keeping two or three and I love them all.  I noticed something about a Tulip Festival in one of them and figured it would be an excellent outing.  Too bad for me, it ended in April.  But, I didn’t forget about the Tulip Festival.  In fact, I have been looking forward to April since last June.  : )

We took a drive up to Mt. Vernon on Sunday after church.  A family outing.  The kids were thrilled to be in the car for over an hour.  ha.  They were hungry and had wished we stayed home so they could play bookstore all afternoon.  Sometimes you just have to win.  So, against their will, we packed them up along with some peanut butter sandwiches and headed up north to see the famous tulips.  We drove and drove and only missed one turn off.  : )  We found the information center in town, was given a map and details about where to drive and where to go.  We went.

We pulled up to the Tulip Town and could barely open our doors since the wind was so strong.  We weren’t dressed for this (I thought).  We only had two layers on, not the four that was needed.  We unpacked cameras and children and headed out to the gardens.  (We learned that all the fields growing along side the road are for viewing purposes only.  Stopping along the road is prohibited and touching them would practically put your in jail.)  Tulip Town had a gorgeous display of tulips-most had not shown color yet.  What we did see was amazing and somehow it struck incredible energy in the complaining children… they wanted to run between the rows of tulips.  They did.  It was against the rules but the wind was too loud to try and do anything about it but stand on the sidelines and hope they looked our way to wave them back in…

What a glorious day filled with color, clear skies and flowers (I’ll take the wind given the rest).  I’m heading back in a couple weeks to see its progress.  Hopefully more rows will be showing color (and the wind will be gone and the children will not complain).

Sledding, snow, and spring | Kirkland, WA Family Photographer

This was MY family enjoying a snow break a few weeks ago.  We loved our time with the sleds and especially loved that this nice white puffy hill was only one hour away.  Convenient.  But, let’s be honest.  I am done with the cold.  I am done with 3 layers.  I am done with my permanently affixed fleece.  I am done with knee high socks. AND I am done with shivering every day.  When will it stop?  I am happy to report that I have noticed spring buds and color appearing around my home BUT I am still searching for sunshine (on a consistent basis) and temperatures in the range of 60-70.  Is that asking too much?  Oh, and I think I am fairly certain that I would not be able to bloom if I was planted in a place that continually brought snow to my doorstep in the winter.

I’m too sexy for the camera | Queen Creek, AZ Photography

I was sorting through the largest Queen Creek Photography family session I have done to date, which by the way was my own large family of 28-if I remember correctly, and found these treasures.   My dear boys arrived early with me to set up and check light.  They were so patient and willing, it was unbelievable but fortunately I have these pictures as proof.  I’m not sure what I promised for this kind of behavior…???  They sat while I played with dials, set up lights, took down lights, switched out lens, and started all over.   Eventually, the rest of the party showed up but thankfully I had these two to help me prep.  The session went smoothly, I loved the light and the building structure was a perfect size for our bunch.