31 Days of Play! Grown-ups playing solo.

This will be my 10th post about play in my challenge to write for the whole month of October!  Check out an explanation of the challenge and my other posts here!

A gift: Double Wedding Rings Anniversary Quilt

10th Anniversary Gift: Double Wedding Rings

In my post a few days ago, I was reminded that we grow old because we stop playing!  I'm happy to say that I think a lot of grown-ups have that feeling of being a kid again when they're immersed in the things they love to do!  It's the things you can spend hours doing and not realize that hours have gone by in what feels like a minute - maybe it's knitting, playing sports, cooking, playing guitar . . . it's all PLAY!  I know for my mother-in-law play is quilting!  (And watching Detroit/Michigan sports, which is really funny when she comes to visit us!)  As she said recently, she loves to read, but she doesn't have tons of time for it - she has to get to her quilts!  We have been blessed by the beauty she creates in her quilts and have them in almost every room in the house now.  Stunning is the only way her anniversary gift to us can be described.  It is absolute perfection.  When I hear of the labor involved in the process of quilting I scoff at all the WORK it must be, but when I'm talking to her about it, I realize it is fun - it is play.  (Lucky us!)

Guitars.

A year or so before Beansprout was born, Matt took up learning guitar.  I was envious.  It was play that he LOVED and I suddenly felt fearful that I didn't have that kind of play anymore!  Taking the drama up a notch,  I worried that I wouldn't have a hobby to sustain me in retirement (as if I have to worry about that anytime soon!) and that I would ultimately be bored or boring or both.  I realized later that I could spend hours thinking about and working on decorating projects in our home (and others') but luckily I also found photography!  It's my grown-up play and I've a huge playground to explore!  Oh, and did I mention how wonderful it is  when your husband comes home from a guitar lesson knowing how to play "Someone Like You" from Adele!?!  Swoooooon.

Cheeeeeeese!

Do you feel you still play?  What does your play look like?  What do you love to spend hours at?  Thanks for reading - I hope you'll leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

31 Days of Play! Kids Playing Solo.

Monster trucks!

I am no expert, so I don't claim to know much about age-appropriate play, but at just shy of 2 1/2, I'm thrilled to see that Beansprout can easily spend 20-30 minutes at play by himself.  It's interesting to observe him engrossed with his trains or his trucks or his animals . . . the trick is watching without being noticed!  I love to see what he's doing and how he's playing, but always fear too many looks from my direction will throw him off and the moment will be over.  I try to listen in as he whispers to himself, so wishing I could know what he was thinking!

Trains below.

I think everyone needs some time for solo play, but I imagine the only child must master it.  Having had a sibling close in age, I don't really know what it will be like for our one-and only.  My sister and I could always count on each other for play even in the most boring of situations.  Though it's not always what he wants, it's a relief to know that Beansprout is able to find such pleasure creating play for himself.  And even though I worry that I won't always understand his childhood experiences, the little bit I have read about play indicates that solitary play builds a stronger imagination.  That, of course, remains to be seen, but I can definitely appreciate the beauty in being able to entertain yourself anywhere you go.

Have you enjoyed reading about play?  You can read more here, as I'm exploring play everyday for the month of October!

31 Days of Play! Favorite Quotation

At the park with Grammy and Papa!

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; 

we grow old because we stop playing."  

                                                                     -George Bernard Shaw

I'm writing about play for 31 days!  Check out my other posts here!

31 Days of Play! Roughhousing!

Jumping on Daddy!

Our little Beansprout LOVES roughhousing! He gets so excited when he can run around the living room and leap into Daddy's arms, only to be thrown overhead like Superman.  "More, more, more" are the words that often follow this play. Climbing, twirling, and flying bring out the biggest smiles in our guy. He also loves to see his dad get "stuck" upside down on the armchair. He's supposed to "help" Daddy get unstuck, but I think he often gets so caught up in the fun of Matt doing these physical antics that he forgets his job! Besides, it's much more fun to climb on top of Daddy on top of the chair! Beansprout has been a digger, an airplane, Superman, a helicopter - you name it, he is thrilled to play his part. I think a lot of parents are afraid to do this roughhouse kind of play with their kids today - we often worry we'll hurt them and the one-in-a-million story of something going awry is always in the back of our heads. I know Matt and I were both pretty cautious with Beansprout when he was younger. Luckily for him, he's grown! He's feeling less like you could break him in half with one wrong move and so roughhousing is almost a daily part of our play routine. I always thought it was a great way to get out energy and have some fun, but it turns out there's much more to roughhousing than a good laugh! The New York Times interview of two authors who wrote the book, The Art of Roughhousing: Good Old-Fashioned Horseplay and Why Kids Need It, gives a great summary of some of the key reasons we should be interacting with our kids this way.  The article focuses mostly on dads, but offers some quick insights into the benefits of playing rough.  Two of my personal favorites are that it means your child is more in tune with you and that it helps him regulate his emotions better!  Ahhh, the science behind everyday, ordinary play.

Each time I write a post on play, I can't help but think of my own childhood experiences!  Do you remember how fun it was to jump around on your parents?  I even remember having a blast with my cousins as we all attacked our uncles at the family Christmas party!  What are some of your memories?  Do you roughhouse with the children in your lives?  Do you think it's just for dads?

This makes seven days of writing about play!  Phew!  I'm 1/4 of the way there :)  Check out my others posts and an explanation of the challenge here.  Thanks for being a part of this fun opportunity to explore play!

31 Days of Play! Play at work!

I'm writing about play for 31 days!  Check out an explanation of the challenge here and check out my other posts so far: 31 Days of Play!, Play for the Senses, This Mom Loves Music, Mastering Playdates, Pretending.  Thanks for reading, I love reading your comments and thoughts!

Welcome banner 2011-12

I've been writing about kid play for a few days, so I thought I'd jump over to talking about adult play - at work no less!  I know work is work and some days play isn't even a blip on the radar, but I can say it's such a thrill when work does feel like play!  I think everyone has their own version of playing at work - just watch a few episodes of The Office and you're sure to see some play - but for me the play part of work is the creating.

Desks and chairs 2011-12

Creating a cozy classroom was first on my list as I began the new school year in a new room.  Of course "cozy" is not exactly what you feel when you walk into our 50 year-old building, but Roomie and I worked hard to bring some points of interest you could rest your eye on amidst all the drab.  It was wonderful to get compliments on what we "had done with the room" and I'm still thinking of ways to keep the room interesting and somewhat inviting.

Classroom 2011-12

And though I love decorating and crafting for the classroom, the best part of my job is designing lessons that will fire up my students about our content!  I am happiest doing this part of my "work" and feel there is never enough time to do everything I want.  Even when not at work, I find myself  talking about these aspects of my job all the time; I talk with other friends who are teachers and with Matt, realizing the bouncing-ideas-off-of-each-other aspect of the job is FUN!  As nerdy and geeky as it may sound to non-teachers (or other teachers for that matter), it's where I find my flow - it's my play.

How do you play at work?  Does it involve the flow aspect of things or do you prefer more The Office-like antics?

31 Days of Play! Pretending!

Cutting fruit!

It's actually a bit surprising that I committed to writing about play all month, as I have some real hang-ups about it. I think they mostly stem from the fact that I always wanted to be around the adults when I was a kid.  Don't get me wrong, I played my fair share of Barbies and spent hours outside playing with the neighborhood kids, but there's something stuck in my mind that makes me fear I may be really bad at playing with my little Beansprout.  Of course, at this point in the game, there are days when it IS really hard to play with him - it's pretty repetitious and limited most of the time.  All that being said, I really try - I try to stay focused and try to remember that if I let him take (most of) the lead, all of those fears will fade.  One of my favorite things to play with him is pretend!  Because it doesn't require a lot of imagination, pretending has been a great way to ease me into this whole world of play.  We pretend to do things that Beansprout sees us do all the time!  I think this is what I love about pretend play so much - I love to see what he sees.  He'll "talk" on the phone and just start laughing, he loves to "vacuum" (even has his own!), and will laugh himself silly pretending to shoo flies!  My absolute favorite pretend game right now actually started in May --- he takes his basket, says "bye-bye", walks out of sight to the garage door, and then "comes home"!  The game is made extra sweet by the fact that he even gives us kisses upon leaving and returning.  I know that this form of play is a necessary part of learning for kids, and I'm thrilled that it's so much FUN!

I'm writing about play for 31 days!  Check out an explanation of the challenge here and check out my other posts so far: 31 Days of Play!, Play for the Senses, This Mom Loves Music, Mastering Playdates.  Thanks for reading, I love reading your comments and thoughts!

31 Days of Play! Mastering play dates.

Beansprout playing with his friend E.

"Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation."

--Stuart Brown, MD

Before having kids I definitely joined in the bewilderment of why on earth parents would schedule their kids with play dates; I had never participated in formal play dates as a child which left me suspicious that these plans were just another way parents were forcing kids into adult behavior too soon.  Even in Beansprout's first year of life, I had to admit that any "play date" we had was really a time for me to get together with other moms to share the experiences of motherhood, not really an opportunity for Beansprout to play with his friends.  Yet as Beansprout's play changes, I'm beginning to see how true Stuart Brown's words are.  When we returned from having been away for a few weeks, I was totally shocked at the way Beansprout greeted his friend E. when we met at the local playground.  He was SO happy to see his friend!  And it was in that moment that I realized all of our weekly "play dates" with E. were really good for my little guy.  Because of living so far away, Beansprout doesn't have family to play with and learn from - an issue many families face today.  Seeing the familiar face of his friend, with whom he has been playing since they were six months old, and being able to chase after him on the playground gives Beansprout that sense of belonging we all need.  Now if we could only master the cooperation, lol.

I'm writing about play for 31 days!  Check out an explanation of the challenge here and check out my other posts so far: 31 Days of Play!, Play for the Senses, This Mom Loves Music.  Thanks for reading, I love reading your comments and thoughts!

31 Days of Play! This mom loves music!

Beansprout and Guitar

As I turned idea after idea over in my brain deciding what I passionately wanted to write about for 31 days, I was convinced I had my theme after hearing about Dr. Stuart Brown's inspiring research on play.  I watched his TED Talk, "Play is more than fun," and haven't stopped thinking about it since.  I highly recommend having a look at it, as Brown is a wonderful speaker who makes his research on play accessible to all.  Watching his talk really forced me to take a look at my own practices of play, and I felt especially reflective about how my own parents played with me as a child.  Chatting with Matt, I came around to talking about my mom's love of New Country music.  (Stick with me here, it does actually relate!)  It seems whenever I'm in the car with Mom, listening to her music, she feels she has to explain herself; in our most recent conversation on the topic she equated New Country to Old-time Rock and Roll, but wondered if she shouldn't be listening to classical music.  I realize now that what she really fears is that her choice in music is fun, but not necessarily grown-up.  I remember telling her, "you like what you like!"  Yet now I feel I have a whole new insight . . . listening to music is her PLAY!  Belting out a few tunes on the way home after a long day at work makes you feel young and alive.  Play at it's best.  Thinking on all of this I understand now that this is how we played together (and still do!)  Memories of standing in the kitchen at not more than six or seven years old, competing to see who knew all the words to Billy Joel's "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me" or singing together in the car to "Backwards" from Rascal Flatts are some of my favorites.

Guitar concentration

Today, this is my play with Beansprout!  The play that I love.  We sings songs together all the time and dance around the living room being monsters or airplanes or horsemen.  I hope he has fond memories of these moments one day as this is the play that comes naturally to me.

What play memories do you have of your parents?  Do they reflect the way you play with your own children?


I'm writing about play for 31 days!  Check out an explanation of the challenge here and check out my other  posts so far: 31 Days of Play!, Play for the Senses.  Thanks for reading, I'd love to hear your comments and thoughts!

31 Days of Play! Play for the senses.

I'm writing about PLAY for 31 days -- did you see my October 1st post?  

Playing at the sink

I have a distinct memory of my sister and cousin getting in trouble for playing with the water in the bathroom - they'd slipped away unnoticed and when one of the adults realized it was too quiet, they'd been found out -  water play over!  Thinking only of the mess, I often cringe when Beansprout wants to "wash" his hands; and it's this memory that helps remind me of the pure fun kids have playing with water.  When we're able to oblige, the scene usually plays out the same way - Beansprout starts by actually washing his hands, and then he quickly moves to grabbing things out of the drain pan to re-rinse them (I must have missed a spot), soaking any cloths he can find near the sink, and just holding his hands under the water - he could spend hours at this play.  

The brilliant thing about play is all that you can learn while in the flow.  Hot, cold, pour, float . . . no need to set up structured learning scenes, the kitchen sink is scientific learning at work!   Not Just Cute has a great post about the benefits of sensory play, if you're interested in sensory play for little ones. What I love about watching children play, however, is how much it reminds me of what I'm learning or re-learning by being around them.  As adults we DO play with water -- how many of you have you ever felt renewed by a simple game of splash in the pool?  And, do any of you indulge in a relaxing bath filled to the top with bubbles?  Simple ways to refresh our spirits and senses with water.

31 days of PLAY!

Play!  Play!  Play!  Does it seem all the rage lately???  The subject keeps popping up everywhere I turn and what I'm finding is truly inspiring.  I guess the research has finally gotten pretty serious about how important play is no matter your age.  It's my goal to really look at play this month - play for kids, play for adults, play at work, play at home . . . I can't wait!  I've also decided to try a new challenge . . . a post everyday for the month of October!!!  I'll be linking up with over 600 others doing the same - 31 Days of XY or Z over at The Nesting Place.  There's a lot of inspiration from the women joining in on the challenge!  Welcome to my 31 Days of Play!

Blogging Mommy

GROCERIES!

I started this blog as a way to create something for myself.  As I began to feel the fog of early motherhood lift, I found myself in a bit of an identity crisis.  I had put so much energy into being a mom, that I hardly knew where the “old me” was anymore.  The trouble was, I couldn’t quite pinpoint a focus for the blog.  Reading all of the amazing stuff out there, I had dreams of blog-grandure – crafts, diy projects, photography, kids!  I wanted to do it all J  Yet, there I was wanting to create something separate from being a mom and yet anything I thought about writing always had to do with Beansprout somehow!  

Smooth sailing.

Thankfully, my six-week course with the Slice of Life Project helped me realize the focus for this blog has to be on what life is right now.  I can’t say that I've exactly completely recovered my sense of identity, but I do know that what is important to me is celebrating the beautiful moments of life.  Thanks for sharing these moments with me by reading along . . . there's more to come!

Sharing stories

Bubbles at the picnic

I have always felt especially drawn to photography as an art medium and can't believe it has taken me this long to try it for myself.  Maybe it's the fact that I've always deemed myself an art appreciator not an art creator?  I'm not sure, but one thing I do know is that the story behind the picture is what captivates me.  I love the fact that photos have a personal story behind them, but that the viewer can see his own story in them as well.  I touched on this idea in my last post - the idea that photographs have a sense of the universal.  This is what makes the art form more accessible in my opinion.  The challenge, of course, lies in putting your own mark on it.  At this point in my life, my goal in photographing is two-fold: I'm trying to capture the moments of our lives, but I'm also attempting to add an artistic flair to the everyday.

Playing with Batman!

Week 5 of the Slice of Life Project challenged me to do just that -- to photograph the moments of my life, to tell my story.  I have to work on being in the moment of photographing and being patient with it, but for now it is in reviewing the photos I've snapped that I'm in heaven!  I get giddy when I find I've captured the moment just right :)  This course has been a wonderful treat - helping me see that I can tell a story through photos!  The picture of my sister playing with Batman brings a huge smile to my face.  I love to see any mother so beautifully engaged with her child, and feel you can almost hear their laughter.  Of course, I'm especially enamored with the image because it's MY sister who is the engaged mother ;)  When I see the picnic blanket from our day at the park, I'm flooded with ideas of the innocence of childhood and romantic notions of dining alfresco.  Yet, on the personal side, the memory of how sweet Beansprout and his friend were as they ran around with balloons and tried to capture bubbles helps the day linger in my thoughts, a reminder of how lucky I am to have created a small family of friends out here so far away from home.

I hope these little slices of my life are helping me make connections with people close and far!  Thanks for reading ;)

The People We Know

Hands - Mom & Beansprout

In Week 4 of the Slice of Life Project we focused on the people in our lives.  I really enjoyed looking at the people I know and love from a different perspective than the usual "smile" portraits, as the idea this week was to concentrate on body language and to avoid photographing faces.  I think this has been my favorite assignment, because it really forced me to pay attention to people in a different way.

Legs/Feet - Family and Friends

Carrying Beansprout

Chatting with Papa

Lucky enough to be "home" to photograph people (hence my delay in posts), I was struck by the fact that I was already so familiar with some of the body language of the people in my life.  The way my mom stands at the counter, or the way my best friend always pulls her hair back . . . the way my husband holds Beansprout, and the "so what's new?" look that Beansprout flashes are just a few of the things I noticed!  It was wonderful to be able to capture with my camera something I already knew or maybe felt, but had never consciously paid attention to.  Not only that!  I've noticed something I hadn't seen before . . . when I look at the hands of my mom and Beansprout, I wonder if I, too, hold my hands that way!?!

Deanne at the Playground

At Tracy's.

Dad

I know not everyone digs the faceless photos.  My mom claims that photos of Beansprout without his face don't count and as I was snapping away during a family dinner, my sister protested when I took a picture of her feet!  I, however, am finding true beauty in the subtly of this approach.  These images show the real person, not a "say cheese" moment.  I'm also amazed at how universal many of these photos become - the image could be of anyone or everyone.  For example, the image of Deanne at the playground could be any mom and the picture of Matt holding Beansprout could be any dad - I love that!  Of course, I also love that these are my beautiful loved ones :)

What subtle body language do you notice of those around you?  Isn't it beautiful!?! 

Light in the Forest

Heart-shaped ray of light!

Inviting bridge.

My photography goal this week was to try and work with light!  I can't seem to get enough of the apps on my new iPhone, so I thought bringing it along on our hike would be a fun way to capture the moment in a new way and without any flashes!  We were fortunate to have some gorgeous weather here this weekend, and the rays of sunlight streaming onto the trail did not disappoint :)

Sweet moments on the trail.

Peeking at the river.

I mentioned in my post on our recent holidays that we've come to realize our little Beansprout LOVES the woods!  I enjoy the idea of getting around to different trails in the area and so we've indulged Beansprout's sense of adventure with a couple of hikes on our favorite trails these past couple of weekends.  They say having a young child really helps you open your eyes and our hikes in the woods are definitely proving that!  Matt and I can't get over how much fun Beansprout is having walking through mud, climbing onto and over rocks, and crossing river bridges :)  He's thrilled by the ups and downs of the hills and wants "more" bridges every time we cross one!  I guess it's like a HUGE obstacle course built by Mother Nature and what little boy wouldn't love that!?!  We're happy to see that our little guy feels quite at home on the trail.  And he's quite the trooper on some rather challenging hikes!  Though he often takes a shoulder ride toward the end, I'm really surprised by how much of the trail he walks on his own. (I don't think he'd be happy to know we originally thought he'd be in a backpack!)  I love watching how confident he is trekking up a hill, not to mention how adorable he looks when he's holding his daddy's hand!  I guess we better get our gear ready for the Fall, because it looks like we won't be able to let the West Coast rainforest we live in keep us indoors!

Ready for a break and a nap!

Finding Beauty in the Rhythm of Routines

Checking in.

Photographing everyday routines and rituals was my goal for this week's Slice of Life Project.  Unfortunately, I found it difficult to make these parts of my life look beautiful through the lens of the camera.  As a matter of fact, I think I had the same struggle last time I took the class . . . making me realize I really need to work at capturing the aesthetic that can be found in something as ordinary as going to the grocery store.  That's not to say that I don't appreciate the everyday-ness of life; I believe there is indeed beauty to be found in the rhythm of life and it's our routines that create that rhythm.  What has struck me as I've reflected throughout the week is how much I take these routines for granted.  I find so much happiness retelling Beansprout his adventures of the day just before bedtime or catching up with Dad for Sunday evening phone calls.  I feel filled up by somewhat regular get-togethers with friends and listening to music in the car.  I'm also amazed to realize how similar many of our lives are when we think about the daily/weekly grind everyone experiences!  We all have to cook dinner, fold the laundry, do the dishes, and pay the bills no matter where we live.  Somehow I'm comforted knowing that.  And, I'm thrilled that this course is helping me take pause and remember how good life is.  (Even if I can't seem to use the camera to illustrate my appreciation :P)

What are your routines and rituals?  Any you would be lost without?  Any you wish could be banished forever?

Home Sweet Home

During the first week in my Slice of Life Project, I focused on photographing things in my home.  I quickly realized that what matters to me in my home falls into a few categories: eating, playing, and memories.  It's amazing what you see when you take a minute to open your eyes to what you have.  Here's what I've learned so far:

Beansprout really enjoys "fixing" his Strider Balance Bike!  Sound effects and all . . . 

Train table is pretty much a daily exploration.

I LOVE that my home has been taken over by the two-year-old who lives here.  The bike that leans against the side table, the board books on the shelves of our bookcases, and the little ukelele next to Matt's guitar are all things that remind me of the joy this little being brings to our lives.  A smile always crosses my face when I realize how our lives have changed -- improved, since Beansprout came along :)  Some days I hardly think about it, and so I'm thankful that this course is making me slow down and take it all in.  Images of playing are always being photographed these days and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Great cookbooks!

Fresh local strawberries - delightful!

Delicious gift from my mother-in-law!  They make even the simplest salad seem divine.

I can't imagine what meals would be like without the grill - period.

I LOVE food.  Good food.  This is something I've known for a long time, but as I looked around my home to photograph objects that were important to me many things having to do with food kept popping up.  As I take a moment to ask myself why, I realize we have worked really hard to change the way we eat.  I spent a lot of time eating Hamburger Helper (which I still can't eat to this day!), Suddenly Salad, and other packaged foods when I was young.  My dad worked hard to make sure we had meals together, but I don't think he really knew how to cook and he surely didn't have the time to learn.  Matt and I eat mostly whole, fresh foods, try to avoid white flour and sugar, and eat little meat.  Don't get me wrong, we are not at all perfect in our diets - we (mostly) tend to eat too much of the good things we make and I (always) struggle to get the sweets out of my life, but we've come a loooong.

Matt and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary last week!  

This painting has traveled with us from house to house to house, making where ever  we live feel like home.

A box of cards I keep on the shelf in our living room.

I LOVE seeing reminders of the life we continue to build together.  I enjoy trying new things and taking on the future to see what it has to offer, but I also need to feel rooted.  Cards and photos from friends, family photos around the house, books we've read (or hope to), and objects from travels all help remind me where I've been and who I am.  

These are the insights I've gained so far!  Can't wait to see what the class has in store for me this coming week!  Stay tuned . . . 

Holidays and expectations

This is what happens when you miss the boat you hoped to be on!  Asleep before we left the dock.

Recently took a working holiday to the Sunshine Coast!  (Matt was working, Beansprout and I were on holidays!)  As soon as we boarded the ferry to cross over, a felt a little bit lighter and quite a bit excited to introduce Beansprout to the BEACH!  It seemed the perfect type of vacation with a 2plus-year-old: get up and play in the sand all morning, take an afternoon nap, and walk the pier with ice cream in hand in the evening :)  This is where I have to insert a great big HALT and give some background information.  I usually work pretty hard at keeping my expectations in check with my little guy.  I don't push him to do things he is uncomfortable with and I try to remember that he has his own pace for doing things.  Little did I know crossing on that ferry that I was really going to be tested on this all week!  As I look back now, all of this "perfect vacation" talk is about me having certain expectations of what things would be like, and most specifically what Beansprout would like.  Oops.  He had other plans :)

Gotta love the beach shoes and long shorts!

After breakfast the first morning, we trekked to the beach with our blanket, beach umbrella, towels, sand toys, lunch, sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, and water bottles, and got ourselves set up in the perfect spot.  I lathered Beansprout up and . . . after about 5 minutes of playing in the sand he said, "All Done!"  "Home."  Can you hear the sigh!?!  Try as I might to get him to enjoy the beach, it was ultimately a big FAIL.  I had to take him back to the beach house we called home and re-evaluate my own expectations! 

Gelato, need I say more?!?

Evening walk at Trail Bay.

Sechelt Wharf

The good news is, our beach holiday still had plenty of fun to offer me and my little guy!  We enjoyed exploring new playgrounds, walking the rocky beaches, watching seaplanes take off, eating that ice cream on the pier, and best of all, we learned that he LOVES trail walks :)  

I learned that my own childhood memories won't always mirror those of Beansprout, and that I'm perfectly happy with the alternatives.  

ZONKED!  Vacationing can be hard work, ya know!

Family Photos and "Slices of Life"

Beansprout and his gumboots, Slice of Life Project Winter 2011

Family photos in the house I grew up in consisted mainly of point and shoot shots with little attention to composition or detail.  I recently found a picture of me and my dad at my first birthday party and I have to laugh at the fact that the wall behind us at the kitchen table is completely blank except for a cord hanging down plugged into the wall outlet.  The only other photos you'll find are  traditional school pics and photo studio pictures that must qualify for http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/! So it's no surprise that once my child was born, I followed suit and signed us up for a Christmas photo session with a studio photographer. These pictures are adorable.  The photographer, who is now a mommy friend, did a wonderful job capturing the sweet side of my shy guy and our favorite one is still displayed in the living room!  However, though I love these photos, I kept feeling like it wasn't exactly what I wanted out of a family photo session.  Especially with Beansprout being so shy, I wished for something a little more everyday . . . but polished.  Enter Darrah Parker!  Just a short time after this photo session, I was introduced to Darrah through a link a friend posted on Facebook.  Mind you, I've never met her in person, but as I began looking through her blog, I was instantly enamored by her style of photography and captivated by her open and insightful posts about life, love, change, and following your passion.  You can imagine my excitement when Darrah announced that she would be offering an e-course called The Slice of Life Project!  Not only had I found someone who perfectly coined a term for what I love in photography, but she was willing to give away her secrets!!!  I think I must have been the first person to enroll :)  This course was far more than I ever expected it would be - I loved it.  I started with a 3.5 megapixel CyberShot point-and-shoot camera and still giggle at some of the first photos I shared with the group, but I learned a ton from Darrah and the other participants.  I have since continued to try and improve my skills by gaining inspiration from a slew of blogs I've added to my GoogleReader and I've started this blog to share with family and friends afar and to try and give back, if just a little, to the community of bloggers out there.  I'm still learning.  Things are pretty basic around here, but I'm thrilled that I'm able to document this beautiful adventure of parenthood and teaching and life in an authentic way.

Monday I start my second session of The Slice of Life Project.  I'm eager to learn even more the second time  around and look forward to sharing and working with a group of people from all over the world with many different backgrounds and interests.  Look for some posts with my latest pics and leave a comment to let me know what you think :)  Better yet, join me!