sunshine

We are having a lack of sunshine around here. Lots of cold and rain! So finding a photo for a sunshine theme was a bit hard!

I'm taking a bit of a different approach...here's my little sunshine. In the midst of tantrums right now the sun shines and we see Zane happy again, usually followed by more whining. These teeth need to move on through now, I'd like my sunshine son back!

Check out more sunshine pics over at Stacy's.

perfection

The past weeks seem like a blur to me. From starting the new job to jumping two feet into photography with my mom along with Zane walking and Pat having some leads on placing his paintings, I don't know where the time has gone. And I want to make sure I'm taking the time to be a good mom, to get down on the ground and play with him. To spend more nights on the couch with Pat just talking with no distractions and to call my friends more who I haven't been so good at keeping contact with.

But then I have to remember, I'm not perfect. Perfection is not something I desire either, I want to be a little off, because that's what makes people real. But yet I still feel that pull every now and then.

Then I see moments like the one above and realize perfection is all around me if I just stop and look. What a perfect moment of my two guys chillin outside at my parents' house. A nice reminder that it is around me.

Check out other takes on perfection at The Land of K.A.

winter

The Theme Thursday at The Land of K.A. is winter. I first want to note that this is not taken by me! My mom took this photo. I mean really why wouldn't I want to go into business with her!!!? I love the angle she got of Zane's tiny boots. His feet are too small for them but they still protected him somewhat.

Last winter Zane was born in the middle of a snow storm, which made his Grandpa and Grandma L take 6 hours to get here when it normally takes 2, and then a week later we were snowed in with the worst snow storm we've seen in awhile. I remember us talking last year about how in a year he'd be out playing in the snow. Little did we know how much he would hate being in his snowsuit and not be amused by it at all. He's only had it on once and after his reaction for my mom we really haven't attempted it again. We haven't had enough snow again to try it which I'm sure Zane is happy about. What do you think by this face?

Maybe next year! Go check out other takes on winter!

color

It's time to post something besides pics of Zane! Obviously I didn't take this picture this week but I loved the colors so thought I'd use it for today's theme.

This was actually taken with our point and shoot camera at the Tower Bridge in London. I keep looking through these photos because we want to go back so bad. The richness of London's history and everything about London just screams us. Hopefully one day Zane will study there or marry a English girl and their children will have British accents! Ha!

Check out other Theme Thursday takes on color at The Land of K.A.

family photo

I made sure that my mom took a family photo of us Christmas morning but I didn't make sure I got the files before she left out-of-town! So this will have to do for now. At least I have a picture of me in it instead of behind the camera, even if Zane's not completely looking at the camera.

Tomorrow is my day to tackle all kinds of things...wish me luck!

Check out other family shots at the new home for Theme Thursdays - The Land of K.A.

Mama

Couldn't miss out on Thursday's Theme at Picture This which is Mama.

Not much to say because I think this picture says enough. Taken by my mother.

old to new

I had the chance to take a construction tour of a project my company is working on. It's an old church that is being refurbished into condos. Some of the condos will have the ornate large windows in their units (of course these are pretty pricey).

As I walked through the structure I was taken by how cool the aged church details were.

See other takes on walk at Picture This.

wide

Four months prego in Chicago.
Thought it'd be funny to take a picture in the Bean
to see how wide I looked, realizing it'd make me look even wider!

I remember being so scared when I found out I was pregnant about what it would do to my body. And then I felt guilty even worrying about that because I know so many people who'd give anything to be pregnant and could care less about what happens to their body. But I still constantly couldn't get beyond it as my body continued to widen.

I forgot less and less about it when my belly was a cute little bump, but then as it neared the last 3 months I began to get really nervous about how I was going to lose the weight that Zane was helping me put on. That cute bump was huge with the combination of weight to my face and about everywhere else (and the kankles didn't help either)!

I came home from the hospital after having Zane and would stand in front of our long mirror and look at how weird I looked. I had the strange squishy belly thing going on. Frankly, it freaked me out! No one tells you about how weird that is. Maybe because it's hard to explain till you go through it. Next time around I think I'll have the long mirror taken down, only to be put back up about 3-4 months later.

I also will wait more than 6 weeks before trying on my pre-pregnancy clothes. What was I thinking? This resulted in tears and phone calls to both Pat and my mom who told me to put the clothes away...it had only been 6 weeks after all! I kept thinking about all those celebrity moms who seem to have the weight off in a week. Oh wait, they have personal chefs, trainers and PhotoShop! Reality sunk in and I began to become more comfortable with the fact that it would take awhile.

I can't say that I've worked really hard, because I haven't, but somehow I'm back to my pre-pregnancy size. My body is a bit different, few more weird things going on, but I'm somewhat okay with that. (Pat might say different as I complain to him all the time about it). I still get self conscious around friends who haven't pushed out a baby yet and Pat reminds me of the differences.

I'm feeling comfortable though, yes I have my bad days, but there's something about being a mother that makes you look in the mirror differently. I just can't describe it but I'm sure some of you know what I mean.

See more takes on wide at Picture This.

freedom

I watch what food comes into our house pretty closely. Whether it's organic items or just plain keeping the junk out, I feel like if it's not in our home, we're not tempted to eat it. And generally we feel better by eating well. But I do believe you need to give yourself some freedom to just enjoy some junk every once in awhile.

With the arrival of Dunkin Donuts back into our town I now have established the freedom for us to enjoy these delights. Finally freedom from Krispy Kremes and enjoying actual good donuts! (No offense to those Krispy Kreme lovers).

That's my strange take on freedom...what's your take on freedom?

pretty

One from the past...from the burial grounds at Stonehenge.

There's something about wild flowers that are so much more prettier than ones that have been planted. The way they blow, the way they crop up in scattered patches and the way they make you feel as you stand in an open field under a blue sky with flowers pouring over your feet.

What do you see as pretty?

key

The key to making your move is to first yawn, flex and move your arm towards her.
The second key is to gently place your hand on her and hope she doesn't jump away, or spit up on you!

Check out other keys at Picture This.

My mom again took these shots with Zane's new friend Claire. What can I say...when she has him 3 days a week she gets some good pictures! And who can resist these cutie baby heads?

begin

Credit to my husband again for this shot (I was in the process of changing a diaper)

Begin to see each other in a new like. Begin to notice how that click, click you hear on the floor is your loyal friend coming in your room to make sure you're okay. Begin to see him bring toys to you as he begs you to play with him. Begin to reach for him and feel his soft hair. Begin to smile at him when he licks your face, kisses your hands and actually cleans spit up off the floor before Mommy and Daddy can get to it! Begin a wonderfully loving freindship.

Check out more "beginnings" at Picture This.

AND the best beginning of all to celebrate is a birth! Congrats to Jenni & Lance on the arrival of Baby Parker! 8 pounds, 4 ounces of joy joined their family yesterday. We can't wait to to meet him tonight and for him and Zane to grow up together. We couldn't be happier for two great friends!