Hello! I'm Joanna, author of this photo journal. My husband, Mark, and I are professional photographers in Asheville, North Carolina. The name of our company, Tuesday's Frog, is based on an almost-wordless children's book about mischievous frogs that go flying on lily pads one night. We love this book because the illustrations are truly the heart of the story. Speaking of mischievous, Cole & Harper are our children, and frequent, though not always willing, photography subjects. Here you'll find not only the stories of our everyday lives, but of those we've photographed in our capacity as professional photographers as well. Please feel free to browse the links above, check out the archives at the bottom of the journal for more photo stories, or subscribe and receive email updates of all our antics. Enjoy!
Cole took the photo above, and he also directed this shot. He said, "I'm looking this way, Mommy, and I'm holding the shovel like this." (Diego kids' gardening gloves from Lowe's - $4...Harper has the Dora pair...and, just in case you were wondering, my gloves match my shoes, too.)
Personally, I love this photo by Harper. Completely out of focus but don't I look tall? Love that! Speaking of tall, the mound of mulch still needs some attention...day 3...back to work...maybe I should take fewer photos.
A few years ago we had some trees that were at the very end of their lifespan removed from our property (rather than allowing them the opportunity to fall on our house.) The evening before the tree guys took down the last one I had the brilliant idea of carving our initials into this perfectly vacant spot on the trunk of the tree. And then I quickly discovered that carving our initials into hard wood was not as easy as I presumed it would be (didn't they used to do that all the time in pioneer days?) But Mark kindly (though maybe not-quite-so-willingly, but how can you leave the project half-completed? Who would 'JB' love?) finished the project for me.
Finishing your wife's hairbrained ideas? Yeah, that's love.
While playing on the swingset yesterday Cole said, "When I get bigger I want to be a scuba diver and see sharks!" To which Harper replied, "When I get bigger I want to BE a shark!" She had shared that same thought with me earlier in the day, and frankly, I wasn't in the least bit surprised.
Cole was kind enough to take a photo of us so we could update the weddings site. (He stood on a chair, and Mark crouched down so he wouldn't look SO much taller than me, even though there's really about 12" difference between us...maybe I should have stood on a chair, too!)
We took the kids bowling for the first time a few weeks ago. To say they enjoyed it would be an understatement. Harper was SO excited before we even got there - we asked her what she thought bowling was and she said, "I don't know, but I soooo esscited!!" You have to love that enthusiasm!
The bowling alley had this neat sort of dinglehopper to help the kids bowl (I have no idea what it's actually called, but it helps them launch the ball down the center of the lane.)
Cole tried it a few times and then he decided he could do it all by himself.
And he did a great job! He had this funny little swagger after he released the ball - he'd casually walk or skip back to the scoring area and then turn his head nonchalantly to see how he'd done. Look at that, another strike. We all had fun (and for what it's worth, I won each time, mainly because Mark is really, really good at throwing gutters.)
I decided that the next time I "need" a few essentials from the store (such as laundry detergent and diapers) I'm just going to have to send Mark. Because the moment Harper & I step into Target our list of "needs" (and contents in our cart) grows extensively.
Take, for example, this Valentine's crocodile. When I first saw it I laughed -- I guess it just seemed rather anti-valentiney but cute at the same time in the midst of all the Valentine stuff. Harper, of course, agreed completely and promptly placed it next to her in the cart. Upon further contemplation it made me think of a children's book we have, "The Christmas Crocodile," and I thought a Valentine Crocodile might be a good continuation of the theme (we've been calling it a crocodile, but it might just be a Valentine Alligator -- hard to tell with reptile plush.)
Continuing on the same Valentine's theme, we also came home with this adorable door mat. I mean, it has one of my favorite fonts on it -- how could I resist? So cute!
See what I mean? Target. Bad. stay away. or you just might end up with your own family crocodile... ...or 2 boxes of peanut butter crunch - 2 for $5 this week!
On the upside, I did manage to remember to buy both the laundry detergent AND the diapers.
Grungy photo frames from the "Grunged Photo Frame Kit" by Rhonna Farrer, available at twopeasinabucket.com.
This morning on the way to preschool Cole & Harper were arguing about who would get to drive our car when they were older, and I thought, seriously, this starts already?
This time the party was for Cole's invisible friend John, who, according to Cole the last time I inquired, was actually the featured skeleton on the back of the latest Bones book.
(Since they opted for strawberry yogurt instead of Frosties this time I guess you could say they're eating "light" in his honor.)
Obviously, if you know me well enough, you'll realize that the title is tongue-in-cheek.
So. Do I always start out that way? Probably. So. Today while taking Cole to school the weather report on the radio called for "overcast skies with periods of sunshine." Not bad, I think. We drop off Cole, run errands, hit the dry cleaners where they know us by name (love that!), stop at home, start a new book, check email. get mail. blah. blah. While looking online I discover that we have once again missed the peak monarch migration in our area, which happened a mere 2 evenings ago up on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
But why not just go up there to check, I think? There might be a few stragglers, after all, and overcast skies are usually good for taking photos. So I pack up Harper and ponder a picnic, which would be the good mom thing to do. Instead we swing by McDonalds, where they probably already could know us by name but thankfully don't rub it in our faces, and the lady hands over our bags and says, with force, "you have a good day." Not in a whimsical, la la la maybe you'll have a good day, but more like in a drill sergeant way. "Yes, ma'am."
ANYWAY... We pick up Cole, who is immediately alerted to the fact that we're not going home when I turn left at the stoplight rather than right. He's excited about the possibility of seeing butterflies when I tell him that we're taking a drive along the parkway, but really more excited about the toy in his happy meal.
So. I'm just going to blame this next little part on growing up a flatlander, but as you may or may not know, the thing about driving up a mountain is that you sometimes encounter different weather conditions than you would if you were in the valley. In our case, we quite literally drove into those overcast skies, in the form of heavy cloud cover. Which looks really pretty when you're gazing up at the mountains but is rather dense and a little hard to drive in when one is actually up on the mountain without guardrails on either side.
But never fear, this is an adventure! We continue on, the kids, oblivious to any of my agitation as they snack on their food and watch Charlotte's Web, and me, looking for mile markers to determine where we are, and which are VERY hard to see due to the fact that well, we pretty much can't see. Honestly, though, I'm making is sound worse than it is.
See for yourself -- go ahead, take a moment to enjoy the view.
What? You can't see it? Well here, maybe if you look over the sign (that would be me holding the camera over the sign.)
Seriously, though, we did have fun! We discovered we'd been looking in the wrong spot for the monarchs all along, so we might actually see them next year when they come (I fear that if I ever do get to observe the migration it'll be rather anticlimactic.) The location where 300+ were reported the other night is right along this trail...
And look! Acorns -- you can't find those at home.
I think Harper took me a little too seriously on the whole "look over" the overlook thing...
Awww, it's love.
But only briefly before the screeching begins.
So yes, we did have fun. The kids got to run around and get dirty and I entertained myself by taking funny photos. But just guess what happened when we finally decided to turn around and head back down the mountain? Oh yes, the cloud cover was finally lifting. Ha ha ha, God. That's funny. See? there's a peek at our pretty view.
Oh, and for the record, we didn't see any monarchs.
Seriously, I paid $6 to get drenched! It was like being on the receiving end of the dunking booth. But he had fun (and was dressed more appropriately) so that's worth it!
Lately whenever we pull up to a drive-through window Harper gets very excited and promptly gives her order from the backseat: Chicken and a poptart, mommy!Chicken and a poptart!
It doesn't matter that we're really at the pharmacy, Starbucks, or the bank ATM -- the order is always the same...
Ah, the doctor's office. As you know, it's one of Harper's very favorite places. I usually try to schedule the kids' appointments at the same time to eliminate having to go there more often than necessary. So today was a breathing check-up for Cole (asthma) as well as Harper's 2-year well-visit. In the car she was adamantly clear on her position: "no doctor, no doctor!" But she was okay once we got there, especially when she found a Winnie-the-Pooh book and a wagon to pull her puppy around in. As it happened, the doctor's office was running waaaay behind today, (mental note: don't ever schedule an appointment right before schools get back in session if you can avoid it) which meant that we waited an entire hour before we were ushered to the back rooms. In the back rooms, of course, you have to wait again for the doctor to show up. A mere 15 minutes later he came into the room apologizing for all the delays and got right to work. Harper, amazingly, was surprisingly good this time around -- in other words, the doctor could actually hear her heartbeat since she wasn't screaming bloody murder the whole time. Cole was good as well. So glad we waited so long to know we're doing well. After the doctor left we had to wait again for the nurse to come back in for one of those dreaded S-H-O-T-S for Harper.
When the nurse finally came in she informed me that Harper would also have a "little" blood drawn from her pinky finger in order for them to do lead testing or something like that. Commence screaming, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. Apparently they need a LOT of blood for said testing, and Harper wasn't about to let them have any. Oh, the agony. Actually the shot itself was quite a letdown in the drama department compared to the blood-letting. And then finally it was over, and the nurse said "bye bye" and Harper glared at her through tear-stained eyes and walked directly past her without saying goodbye, snuggling her puppy (with its matching bandaid on the leg) and dragging her pink blanket behind her. (nurses sure get a bad rap)
So, two hours after we first arrived at the doctor's office, we were one our way again. We were also starving, as it was now 12:30, and I decided to take the kids to Chick-fil-a for a quick lunch. We went inside, for reasons that I can't really justify now in hindsight. We ordered our food, all was fine, we sat at a table, all was fine, I unpacked the nuggets and emptied the contents of a ketchup pack on each of their napkins, and all was fine. Because I had ordered one meal with fruit as a side and one with fries as a side, I thought I would simply divvy up the contents of both between the kids. Unfortunately, I had already pushed to the back of my mind the extreme duress that Harper had been under for the past two hours (not to mention that shots usually make her cranky) and I was not prepared for the battle that ensued over the fruit cup. To end the argument I took the bowl away from both of them, but Harper was not satisfied. Her arms began flailing in front of her. I managed to remove her sippy cup and the box of nuggets before they sailed away, but I didn't have time to grab the napkin which held the contents of one small ketchup packet on it. This, my friends, was my fatal mistake.
The napkin whirled in the air and the ketchup went flying. Fortunately, it made contact with one large object, which prevented the ketchup from splattering all of our neighbors in what was a very crowded lunchroom. Most unfortunately, the large object it came into contact with was me. My face, my neck, my shirt, and as I later discovered accidentally while running my fingers through it, my hair. Can I just say that I have never in my life been in that situation before, plastered with ketchup while trying to calm down a screaming toddler who has had a very bad morning? The worst Cole ever did was throw a spoon across Cracker Barrel when he was little. It didn't hit anyone.
As there were no adults with me, I decided that we couldn't make it to the bathroom very easily, so I just sat there, extremely thankful for the extra-large stack of napkins I always grab when I am eating with my kids, and started to mop up the mess. Who knew one little ketchup pack held so much ketchup? I had never really thought about that before now. And I'd like to thank the male paramedic who sat across from us but acted like he didn't notice that there was ketchup streaming down my neck. As for all the single people in the room, as well as those who are married without kids or considering having kids, I am fully aware that this was one of those moments where your eyes widen, you nod discreetly in our direction, and whisper to the person across from you, "and that is why I will never have children." Seriously, I couldn't believe that we were in one of those moments. But then I cleaned myself up, gave Harper her nuggets and milk, and we all resumed eating as if I hadn't just received a tomato puree facial.
And so it goes. She doesn't have another well-visit scheduled for a year.
Heeding Mel's request for photos, here's the little dolly all sacked out during her nap this afternoon.
Today at the post office Harper was her usual self, saying "bye bye!" to each person in line as they departed while making the postmistress laugh. As we walked out Cole said, "Mommy, I'm not much of a talker." When I agreed he added, "I'm just a quiet man." Indeed Cole, you are. Except in the mornings. around 6:30 am. Then you could be much, much quieter.
I could get myself a scale and ship packages from home, but with entertainment like this who knows what I'd be missing.
When you are almost 2 and have a big brother (and are very, very stubborn to boot) you tend to think that you are actually 4 and can do the same things as the aforementioned big brother. So when someone tells you differently, you tend to get a little bent out of shape. But then you're distracted by what Big Brother is doing now and decide to help. When Mommy asks, "Harper, have you been eating rocks?" You vigorously deny the accusation....until you realize that the evidence is still in your hands (and on your mouth)... ...and then you say "no cheese, mommy! No cheese!" (meaning no more photos) And just as quickly you're distracted again, this time by the passing mail car... After "helping" mommy to open up her package you try and identify the latest scrapbooking supply she's received...all the while secretly plotting where to hide it so that Mommy can never ever find it again. From 11:12-11:23 am.
Mark is gone this week, so to distract ourselves today we took a trip to the Greenville Zoo. On the way there I turned up the radio for a particularly good song on the oldies station we were listening too (speaking of which, did you know that 80s music is considered oldies?) When I looked back to check on the kids I saw Cole totally and confidently jammin' in his car seat to the music. It was one of those moments that made me smile, and reminded me that car dancing is indeed good for the soul.
We arrived shortly after the gates opened (10 am) and headed out in the already-sweltering heat to see the animals. The giraffe exhibit is getting closer to being finished, but I'm thinking that even though it's scheduled to be completed mid-summer, we probably won't come back to the zoo until the fall (unless there is a week of unseasonably cold weather.) Did I mention it was hot?
So anyway, the animals. Harper loved the elephant, the toucan, and the giant turtles. The highlight for me was the baby orangutan. I was so preoccupied with trying to get a photo of the baby (while also thinking that his feeding habits were eerily similar to an almost-two-year-old I know) that I almost missed this...
Cole and mamma O were totally having a moment. All was good until she put her hand up to the glass (probably either to say "hi" or "get outta my face, boy!") At that point Cole realized that he was looking at a very large, very alive animal and he quickly took a few steps back from the glass.
Here's a shot of the baby. Please note -- I didn't say he looks like Harper...just eats like her. Also, don't ask me why the mom had a sheet on. Goodness knows she couldn't have been cold (did I mention it was hot?) But I'm thinking that like most moms of 6-months-olds I know, she's probably not getting a lot of sleep and so maybe she was just carrying her bedding around with her in hopes of catching a few winks throughout the day.
After a picnic and the last few exhibits (is that black snake supposed to be in the chicken coop, mommy?) and 2 whole minutes spent on the desert they consider a playground (I know Cole was hot when he didn't protest leaving right after we got there) we were back in the car by 11:30 with the airconditioning set on a blissful 69 degrees. As I was taking my time leaving the parking lot Cole asked, "Mommy, what are you looking for?" and I responded with "my sanity." He thought about that for a bit and then said, "Mommy, are you being funny again?" (We had a conversation about sarcasm the other day.) And then we returned home to the mountains, perfectly overcast with a slight breeze and all was well.
So, the munchkins were a little mischeivous on Monday...partly because Mark wasn't home (his employers don't "believe" in Memorial Day) but mainly because I was distracted and not giving them my full attention as I worked on the Worst. Project. Ever. in the room adjacent to the kitchen. So, needless to say, they took FULL advantage of the lack of attention, and I got a little insight into the world of Cole & Harper. Besides the half a box of Cocoa Pebbles spilled on the floor (Cole) and the completely unrolled roll of toilet paper (Harper) and the brief haircut attempt on Harper (after snipping one lock from his own hair, Cole thought he would try his skills on H but thankfully her protesting drew my attention, as well as the following words "it's just a haircut, Harper!") and the 1/4 box of Fruity Cheerios spilled on the floor directly after we had just finished up vacuuming the Cocoa Pebbles (Harper), and the swiped-from-my-desk pack of post-it-notes stuck on walls throughout the house (both of them) as well as the fact that Cole decided to create a masterpiece out of Harper with red marker there was this:A birthday party for Cole's invisible friend Jocko.Complete with an egg slicer, streamers, party hats, animal plates, and an "ice cream cake." Oh, how I laughed. I'm still laughing, which is why I share this day with you. Because I fully acknowledge it was my own fault for not paying better attention, and because I secretly admire their inventiveness. For the record, I did take time to enjoy a scoop of the ice cream cake, and I even wore a party hat, too.
Because of Monday's eventfullness, I was definitely prepared for the worst yesterday. So when they were playing up in Harper's room and it suddenly became very quiet, I ran up the stairs as quickly and quietly as I could, ready to catch them in the act...but alas, I only found them very innocently lounging on the floor on their blankets, each reading a book. Go figure. My kids can be good, too, I guess.
On the way to church this morning a speedy red car darted around us, obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. When Cole offered "lunatic!" from the back seat Mark looked at me and said, "He really does listen to you when you're driving."
Harper learned about saying "I'm sorry" last week after she bit me on the arm. She didn't say "I'm sorry" at that time but the next day as she was climbing down the stairs I heard her say "I sorry! I sorry!" Now she says it any time she hurts herself: After standing up under a table and banging her head: I sorry! After smushing her finger in a door while trying to throw away some trash (she's big into throwing away trash): I sorry!
Yesterday we had to say goodbye to Uncle Mark already. Boo hoo. After dropping him off at the airport in Greenville we decided to stop by the zoo since we were already in town. As it turned out, it was the perfect day for an outdoor adventure! The weather was sunny and in the mid-50s -- just right for light jackets. Also, thanks to our handy Nature Center family pass, our admission was free. After greeting the elephants we stopped in at the Retile room. The snakes were so bored they were climbing the walls. Please, God, may I never encounter a python (or any other snake) anywhere else but the zoo. Even this turtle was starved for attention. I briefly worried that he might try to bite Cole's hand but then I decided that his reflexes at over 100 years of age might be a little slow. I really think he was just looking for food. Crazy toucan. After circling the zoo (it's fairly small, which makes it just the right length for young kids) we played at the park for a bit. Look how long her legs look here! (New spring shoes, too.)
"We missed the pandas, mommy." They don't have any pandas, Cole. "But they have bamboo." Well, yes, they do. But no pandas.
After a final consultation with the map Cole concluded that we had indeed seen everything and then we were allowed to return home.
At 3am Cole decided to read a book outloud in bed. At 3am Harper heard Cole reading a book and decided to soliloquize on babies and puppies from her crib. At 3am Mark and I woke with a start and thought, "whose crazy kids are these, anyway?" At 3am we growled, "Go. Back. To. Bed."
PS. If I said that I thought that March came in like a lion I would be referring to Mark at 3am. It is raining here today, though, too.
Saturday night as I was NOT sleeping I was thinking about wishes. When I was young it was easy to dream up all sorts of things, like being an Olympic gymnast just like Mary Lou Retton (even though I was scared out of my mind to do a backwalkover on the beam.) I realized that as an adult my wishes have become more practical, and, honestly, pretty grounded in reality if I want them to come true. (They also seem to require many, many hints to my husband. heh.)
So what I'm really curious about is what you would wish for if I asked you to shoot for the moon -- if you forgot to be cautious and give it a good day's thought before you answered, what's the first thing that comes to mind? I'll forgive you if your answer is maid service for a year, because I would really, really love that too. But think beyond that - something that seems impossible but it's really not because we've forgotten for the moment that we have limits and cash flow issues and that we're not Oprah.
Speaking of Oprah, I wrote to her a year ago with this very request and she hasn't gotten back to me. (My husband is so totally rolling his eyes right now, and I only share that somewhat embarassing tidbit to validate that this is a big wish.)
But if I could wish for one thing it would be to meet Harper Lee. I don't even really want to discuss the book with her. THE book. Really I'd just love to be a fly on the wall as she hung out with her sister in her house. Or maybe share a cup of tea with her and introduce her to our Harper (and that's really dreaming, because I don't even have a teapot. Maybe she does? Maybe she hates tea...) How I would love to take a portrait of her sitting in our living room. Not stiff, but fun. Look at this recentish article of her - she's totally cute and smiling and happy. I'd love to laugh with her. You know if she wrote a character like Scout that she has to be funny. Feel the brunt of her crotchetiness for putting up with a total stranger. I mean, who am I to invade her space? How I would love to take a portrait of her sitting in my living room. Or her living room. I'm not picky. Hey - Mrs. Lee - come on over (up? Is Alabama below us? I should know this) to western North Carolina. Heck, your book is this year's big read. (But like I said, we don't even have to talk about it.)
Before this starts to sound stalkerish, I'll wrap it up. Basically, that's my wish without restraint: a day with Harper Lee, just as she is. As introverted as I've read that she is, the thought of spending time with a complete stranger would probably wig her out. As introverted as I am it'd wig me out. But that doesn't stop me from wishing it.
So now it's your turn to fill in the blank: If you shot for the moon, you'd wish for....
PS. That cute little wish silhouette is on a card from Paper + Cup. A totally cute stationery store. I added the stars to the side.
We were waiting in a long line at a red light when Cole spotted the green right-turn arrow and said, "It's GREEN, people!" Mark thinks he should ride in the car a little less with me...
So yesterday we took our sick selves to the polls (Cole, Harper, and I, that is.) Harper was quiet the entire time we waited in line, thanks to an optimal amount of snacks and the stroller. I explained a little of the voting process to Cole, and he was excited to be able to cast his own vote at the Kids Vote corner in the building. I told him that he needed to put an "x" by the pictures of the people that he was voting for. So he very fairly put an "x" by each person's photo and then cast his ballot. He was a little disappointed that he didn't get to help me cast my vote but I didn't want to risk him pushing any of the wrong buttons! Anyway, after we got home, he said he had some "homework" to do. Later on he showed me this picture.
Mark's on the right and I'm on the left, and it should be noted that there is an "x" by each of our pictures. I'm just going to assume that means we have Cole's vote for parents. ; )
Also spotted two vagabond children while I was there, stripped down to their skivvies and playing in the water as if it was just as warm as the ocean last week. ; )
Let's start with Cole. This is the face I get when I say, "Don't look at the camera, and DON'T smile!!" (haircut next week)
Face to face with a new friend.
And then there's Harper.
You might be wondering why there's a ring of sand around her mouth. Not to worry, I have the evidence right here.
Yes, that's my child. Shoveling sand into her mouth. Please explain the appeal of sand to me - it's gritty, it's crunchy... I don't get it. You might notice that she seems to prefer her left hand - just like daddy.
So to distract you from the sand, I give you these sweet little chubby arms bending down to pick up her big brother's cars.
The poor trash men have been sadly neglected as of late, but today Cole decided to take an interest in them again. I was still in bed, reading a book because Harper actually listened to my suggestion last night of sleeping in instead of screaming like a banshee first thing in the morning (comparable to roosters on farms, I'm certain). So she was still quiet, and I was enjoying the peace when I heard the sounds of someone dragging or pushing something in the living room, which means, as usual, that Cole was working industriously on creating some sort of mischief. So I gave him a little more time while I finished the chapter, and when I walked out into the foyer this is what I saw: Except at this point the trash truck had not yet arrived, but there was Cole, waiting for the truck in style.
He did manage to get out of the chair in order to wave at the fellows after they turned around in the cul-de-sac. My funny boy. : ) And now the chair is outside, awaiting the recycling truck or perhaps even the man in brown.
PPS. In one of the great ironies of the day, my husband forgot to put out the trash this morning. So as we were waving and taking photos, they were probably wondering, hmmm, I wonder why they don't have any trash today. They're not super clean folk...
In the ongoing saga of ad inspiration in Joanna's life...
Remember those feet photos? Recently I discovered this ad in Mark's Entertainment Weekly. I have no idea what it's really advertising, but I liked the way the hair was featured.
So, I decided to try something similar. Except when we tried to photograph my hair in a similar fashion I discovered a few things, the main one being the fact that it's impossible to lay down with your back flat on a piano bench and hold your head and shoulders far enough off the end of it in any manner that feels comfortable, or, for that matter, looks comfortable in photos. You laugh, but I dare you to try it! In addition, there's really no way to smile while contorting oneself for a photo as such. I would really like to know how the model did it.
SO, on a fluke, we tried something else, and came up with this.
Which looks funny if you turn it like so... and I was really tempted to scrap it this way!
But ANYWAY, now that you've all had time to examine my roots (hair appointment on Tuesday!) I wanted to share the end results. A scrapbook page, of course -- about myself, no less! but fun. (especially when I remember trying to dangle my head off that piano bench.)
Cole: I love Saturn. Me: The planet? Cole: Yup. Me: Well, do you love Mommy, Daddy, and Harper, too? Cole: No. Just two things: my flashlight and my nightlight. (Both of these have Saturn on them and were bought last week in an attempt to keep him from coming into our room at 1 AM because he's scared. So far, so good!)
The following evening at dinner Cole: I love chocolate milk. Me: It is good, isn't it? Do you love Mommy, Daddy, and Harper, too? Cole: no. Just Aunt Kris.
Ah. Good to know where we stand -- below Saturn, chocolate milk, and Aunt Kris.
1. Merry Maids 2. Starbucks 3. a trip to the scrapbook store 4. a detour by the waterfall because the scrapbook store wasn't open yet 5. great lighting for photos
Oh, I just thought of another reason: 6. freshly baked chocolate chip cookies Mmmm... it's been a good day.
I've been reading Amy Krouse Rosenthal's Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, which is, in fact, an encyclopedia of sorts. So last night, prior to a highly annoying smoke alarm incident that had me googling "chirping smoke alarm" at 2:34 am, I came across the entry for Ta-Da!:
Children get to say ta-da!, and I guess magicians, but other than that, it's an underutilized expression. I'm trying to think -- an adult might say it as she waltzes in with the turkey, or a homemade cake. But a self-congratulatory ta-da! would certainly be warranted for any number of daily accomplishments. I cleaned out the trunk of my car. Ta-da! I finished filling out the insurance application. Ta-da! I made the bed. Ta-da!
So tell me, what's your ta-da! moment for the day? In the interest of sharing, I'll start with mine... Today I walked across the living room floor on my hands. Ta-da!! I fell on my bum directly after this photo was taken. Ta-da!!
PS. Chirping smoke alarm: As the battery in a smoke alarm becomes weak, the smoke alarm will "chirp" about once a minute to alert you that the battery needs to be replaced. [Please note: this is especially frustrating in the middle of the night, considering the fact that the smoke alarm is on a wall adjoining a vaulted ceiling and only accessible with a tall ladder, or, in the case of one desperate homeowner at 3:16am, by balancing a 6' step stool on top of a semi-level platform composed of 3 dining room chairs. The word "precarious" indeed comes to mind, but the desire for sleep overrides any such precautions and the battery is successfully, and triumphantly, removed. After searching for a 9volt battery for a short period of time, aforementioned weary homeowner decides to trust the other 8 trillion smoke alarms installed in her home for the rest of the night. De-batterized smoke alarm gets one last laugh at 3:43 am when it chirps twice more, just for spite. Moral of story - replace batteries on your smoke alarms every year and circumvent nighttime disturbances. But you already knew that...]
Here's your creative writing prompt for today. I noticed this semi trailer a few weeks ago, and just had to go back and take a photo of it yesterday (hopefully I wasn't trespassing!) What do you suppose is the story behind this declaration of spurned love painted on the side of a semi trailer?
As a parent of two, I have come to realize that some of the things I did with the first child may now be coming back to haunt me...
Hmmmmm...notice any similarities there? The first and third photos are of Cole, and the pranks were parent-induced. But the photos of Harper depict some of the ways that Cole has chosen to express his affection for his sister. (But I didn't think they were supposed to be able to remember stuff before the age of 1!!!!)
Well, we woke up way too early, packed four overstuffed pieces of luggage and two bundled baby burritos into the car, drove through 5 inches of newly fallen snow, followed two slowpoke snowplows almost the entire way to the airport, returned our rental car, hauled said luggage and children to the terminal, encountered one entirely rude and obnoxious ticket person when checking in, took up residence at the security checkpoint as they looked through our camera bag, arrived out of breath at our gate just in time to board the plane (only to then wait 30 minutes for the plane to be de-iced before taking off), and finally relaxed as both children fell asleep upon take-off. Phew! Then we arrived at our connection, waited for the stroller to be removed from the plane (it was the last item off, of course), quickly caffeinated ourselves at Starbucks, walked down to the long lost and forgotten section of the airport to locate the E4A gate, (which really just stands for "this plane is very small and you must walk out to the tarmac to board it"), popped up into the air for a brief 15 minute flight, walked into another terminal, retrieved our bedraggled luggage, located the van in the parking area and loaded it up, swung through a drive-through on our way home, and finally turned into our driveway. And all of this before noon!
Then, we returned home, ate lunch, unpacked luggage, started a few loads of laundry, sorted through the mail, opened a few boxes containing Christmas gifts for others, checked, responded and deleted emails, put the two kids down for a nap, wrote this blog entry, and c o l l a p s e d.
But it was worth it. : )
Thank you, thank you, Aunt Doris and Uncle Tim, (and Erin and Phil) for your hospitality, and to Mom and Dad for our wonderful (and delicious) visit in the "frozen tundra." Cole asked on the way home if he could "live at Gamma and Gampa's house." He was very disappointed when we told him we would miss him too much, but then later asked "live at Santa's house?" Thanks also to Brandy for taking care of our house, Christmas tree, and mail while we were gone. And for the record, despite our snowy departure this morning, and the "bone-chilling 10 degrees" when we arrived in Minnesota, the weather really wasn't that bad.
A new Target opened this past summer in our neck of the woods. As in, 7 minutes from our house. Oh, how sweet it is! Actually, more like dangerous, most of the time, as far as our checking account is concerned. You know it's bad when you start looking for the familiar faces of the checkout kid and the security guard when you enter the doors for the THIRD time in one week. Not to mention the little cart boy who is so sweet and helpful. Bad, bad, bad!!
Anyway, I only bring this up because of something I purchased there. A little inconspicuous tub (well, inconspicuous to me) that was conveniently positioned at the end of an aisle at exactly the right height for someone's almost 3-year-old eyes to spot.
I thought this was a very cute idea, though at $4.99 it seemed a little expensive to me. But we went ahead and bought it anyway, and then Cole pestered me about it every single day until we finally went to the pumpkin patch and brought home a pumpkin on Saturday.
Now, though, I have to admit that it was a totally great purchase, because it was an easy and fun project for Cole and because we can use the parts again next year (I like to be practical every now and then!) Of course, we're still planning on carving some pumpkins, too (okay, Mark is planning on carving them, and I'm planning on photographing him doing so) but I'd have to say that from Cole's perspective, Mrs. Potato Head is the way to go.
Here's a little photo demonstration of just how easy it is:
The finished product
After being moved to the front of the house a few minutes later.....
And then reassembled....
Also, if you happened to notice that her earrings were missing, never fear, because we found someone else to wear them...
Okay, time to carry on with regular life again. My sister is coming over tomorrow morning to watch the kiddos so I can run some errands... and you know what that means... Hey, we need diapers!!
How I love these kids! And how I love my husband, for continuing to snap photos even when the idea in my head wasn't working out. (Among other reasons, of course!)
...are so versatile! They're the perfect thing to hold a little bow in place when one is lacking the hair of her own to do so... : )
In other news, Cole wouldn't eat his peas last night until Mark told him that they were sugar peas. Cole's eyes lit up and he said, "SUGAR peas?" Then he gobbled them up and asked for more! I think maybe we'll have sugar beans or sugar carrots for lunch.
Some days are all about eating poptarts on the couch (just don't tell Daddy!) That day, however, was yesterday.
Today:
5 am: We wake up with a start because Cole is screaming (not sick, thankfully, just a nightmare). I make the mistake of bringing him into the bed with us.
5:10-6:30: Cole tosses and turns while baby #2 kicks from the inside. Who can sleep under these conditions?
6:30 - 6:50: Mark gets ready for work. When he opens the door to the garage Cole sits up and says "poptarts?" Apparently our morning has started.
7:30: After enjoying said poptarts I attempt to check my email (a little sanity, please!). Cole, meanwhile, pulls his little wooden chair over to the large gate that keeps him out of the kitchen and my scraproom and attempts to scale it. Forget the email...
7:40: I turn on Monsters, Inc, send an incoherent IM to Mark, who suggests that I try to nap while Cole is watching the movie, and snuggle into our bed (adjacent to the living room and television.)
8:10: Cole tries to scale the piano in pursuit of glass ornaments, and then attempts to climb over the baby gate into our bedroom and falls. Should I really be sympathetic?
9: Why are kids movies so SHORT? Thankfully, Cole is now busy playing with his toys.
10: While surfing the web (okay, ordering scrapbook stuff) I realize that I haven't checked on Cole for a bit. Apparently he thought this was the perfect opportunity to drive his trucks through the ashes in the fire place (which has a baby lock on it, by the way.) There is black dust on the carpet, pillows, ottoman, toy cars, and the little scamp's face and hands. Hello, I just vacuumed this all YESTERDAY.
10:20: While I am washing off the trucks involved in the above incident Cole discovers the container of wrapping paper that is housed in the same closet as the vacuum cleaner. Who needs Christmas paper in April, anyway? (This closet door had a baby lock on it, too, but we moved it to secure the front door lest Cole let himself out of the house. Hmmm, now that's not sounding like such a bad idea. I jest!)
10:40: My sanity is saved by an earlier-than-usual visit from the trash truck. All hail the Fletcher garbage men who bring delight to Cole's world every Friday. And no, I haven't had a shower yet.
11: I love Sesame Street.
11:03: Apparently, Cole does not. I catch him loading the Monsters DVD into the DVD player (blast the grandparent who taught him how to do this) as he looks up at me and says "Mo [more] Monsters?"
11:04: Fine. Monsters. (Don't worry - this kid gets exercise. He dances through the introductions before the show starts.) And could someone please bring me a double chocolate chip frappucino while we're at it?
UPDATE 3:38 pm: Cole went down for his nap around 12:30 and is still sleeping! Whohoooooo!
