Resist the Urge
Horton, Michigan
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Born An Artist
We never had to prompt either kids to pick up a crayon and start doodling.
They both do it totally on their own. The crayons are always there, there’s always paper handy – they just need to sit down and scribble. It’s what they do.
That’s a good feeling, to have both kids take to art and music. It’s our fault, of course, as parents, because we surround ourselves with such things. It’s what we do.
As a kid, my parents always had music going in the house, and we loved to doodle and color in coloring books. But neither of my parents really did music (like play an instrument), or did art (as a hobby, say). I took their small spark and ran with it.
It’s exciting to think about what these kids will do.
Let’s-A Go
My wife does a great job at themed birthday parties. Both kids have never wanted for a fun, tied-together celebration, from Lego to Batman to Daisy Duck.
This year, the boy turned six, and picked Mario for his birthday theme. So, as usual, we went all out.
My wife is big Disney fan. Her family goes to Disney World every few years, she knows all the movies and songs, her mom collects all the figurines. They’re a Disney Family.
Nintendo is my Disney, being a video game kid and growing up with Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda. For this party, I was in my element:
And sure, all the kids had fun with the theme, too.
Little kids in Mario mustaches? The best.
Easter Sunday
Maybe it’s the colors, or maybe because it’s Spring, but Easter is always one of my favorite holidays to shoot.
We had a good (and busy) one this year, full of Nintendo gear and jelly beans. And the weather was fantastic.
Birth. Rebirth. The world waking up. The birds chirping. Our collective sweet tooth, satisfied.
Getting Some Fresh Air
Back on New Year’s Day, I came down with something terrible: fever, chills, aches, and an all-encompassing drowsiness. It was so bad I had to cancel holidays plans with my family.
By day three, I was going stir-crazy, so the boy and I headed outside during an unseasonably warm January day to get some fresh air. It had to help, even a little, to take a walk around the neighborhood.
We walked our usual path down by the lake, and through the neighborhood trails – to the giant pile of concrete rubble that sits on the farm property just outside the residential zone.
The walk didn’t end up helping all that much, long-term, but to my feverish head and aching lungs, breathing that foggy Midwestern air provided a much-needed break.
Meditations On the New House
Taken over the weekend on my iPhone.
A weekend filled with unpacking, relaxing, and finding hidden little gems in the nooks and crannies. We’re getting into the rhythm, a box at a time.
Moving Day
Well, it’s done – we took the weekend and moved into our new house.
Despite some bumps and bruises, and a run-in with the local utility, we’re all moved in and getting settled. Luckily, we had a lot of help from friends and family, so we got most of it done on Saturday.
Moving is a stressful time for me, as it is for most people. Mostly, I try to focus on the task at hand and get the job done. From here, I’ll worry about making this new house feel like our home. It’s all the little things – finding the new morning routine, or the location of my shoes (where DID I leave those?) – that trips me up.
Around the (Old) House
A few, final scenes as we pack up the house and get ready to move (this weekend!).
The nice part about moving into a new home? Fresh scenes and light to explore with the camera.
