This Is Why

I was on Facebook this morning and I ran across an album of pictures that my cousin posted of my family's holiday down south. The first photo that came up was one of my dad and my heart did a little leap to see him. I was immediately overcome with a longing to go home, to hang with my peeps and make the acquaintance of our newest members. I started to cry because I could suddenly smell the air of the southern landscape cloaked in its own unique winter and see myself riding through the gray light with my family to the gathering.
One photograph took me there.

I was so grateful to my cousin for posting those shots, and that got me thinking about photography, about how much it means to me to have pictures in my life, about how we as photographers sometimes lose our perspective in our quest for the perfect picture. When the photo came up on the screen I didn't even notice most of it, not the lighting or the color balance or if the subject was framed correctly. I just saw the face of my dad and then tumbled into that cascade of emotions. When you point your camera to the action at hand, when you capture those shots of seemingly ordinary moments, you might just be creating a shiny cherished trinket. You can never know what those captured moments might look like to someone else.

This is why I scrapbook.

Enjoying the Season

Getting together with co-workers for holiday parties.

Firing up the router to complete the "honey-do" list.

Getting to know the world-wide web on her new laptop.

Building, building, building.

Celebrating 24 years of marriage.

The 12 Tags of Christmas

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Winter Concert

Despite the call I received to fetch Claire from school yesterday morning because she wasn't feeling well, she made it to her Winter Concert last night.

Who would have thought that sixth-graders could make such beautiful sounds?
Many of these kids had never played an instrument until this year.
I think their band instructor is a miracle worker.
I wonder if I sounded as lovely on my trumpet in sixth grade.

Here's our flutist sitting next to her BFF Emily.
I am so proud of her for working so hard.

Unfortunately, her illness was not the migraine we first suspected.
She returned home and crashed last night and is still in bed this morning.

The principal said they may be able to stream the concert live next year.
How cool would that be?

Hello Christmas Busyness

Here's my little elf helping me with the Christmas decorations.

And here's my little contortionist.
He's always twisting his body in weird ways and has done so since he was a little guy.
It would not be uncommon in our house to see him playing his DS this way.
This is a yoga pose called Plow.
No problem for him.
No problem for Claire.
Mark came close. Very close.
I didn't even try.

The 12 Tags of Christmas, Day 4.

Day 5.

Day 6.

With all the other crafting going on around here right now, I am unable to keep up on a daily basis (who knew this work thing would take so much TIME!), but I am OK with that. (I'm not REALLY OK with that, but this blog post is serving as a little pep talk to myself to GET OK with it)!

The 12 Tags of Christmas

Day 3.
I just KNEW there would be some tissue tape involved!

The 12 Tags of Christmas

Since it's the season of tradition, I've decided to play along again this year with Tim Holtz as he creates 12 technique-infused tags during the first 12 days of December. It's really an amazing endeavor, and I try to stretch my creativity even more by using products I already have on hand. That part is really hard; he has some amazing stuff available.

Here is Tim's tag for day 1.

And mine.

Tim's tag for day 2.

And mine.

So far I seem to have none of the products he's using this year, but never fear. I bought some tissue tape and I just KNOW he's going to reward me!

My friend Wendy is playing along on her blog too. Anyone else playing?