i can't believe i'm doing this (day 1)

seems incredibly silly AND unrealistic, but after talking with one of my photog friends, we agreed to do a 365-day "challenge" - where you document something about every day for a year.  she is a momma of four, so it's equally ridiculous (ok, MORE ridiculous!) for her to attempt.  but what we thought, we could hold each other accountable.  oh, and i put challenge in quotes because i can't say it will be a struggle for me to pick up my camera every day - but, getting them onto my mac is where the biggest challenge may arise.  

i like the entire idea of this.  

i like the dedication.  i know i'm gonna love looking back.  mostly though, it gets me to my blog, without the pressure of needing a few hours to write a bunch, edit & upload a bunch.  right now, i just want to be able to touch the smooth keys on a regular basis.

like most things (and most women) i am making a few exceptions to this challenge.  while i may shoot every day, i'm not sure if i can post every day.  i'll likely be doing several posts in a sitting, keeping the words down and the focus on pictures.  ahhh, see?!  it all loops around - i don't think i'll ever grow out of loving a story chock-full of pictures!  the other exception that we agreed to was the occasional phone picture.  i want to avoid that desperately, but there are those rare moments when i grab my phone before the moment passes.  so...

here we go!

  

day 1

we have a new addition to our family.  bella is more excited about her evening carrots than she is having to share her bed with this intruder, this stranger.

[update]

it pains me, practically daily, when another one passes that i don't have the time (or stamina) to sit down and spill my thoughts.  i know there's a few of you who read and enjoy my blog, but i have to selfishly say i mostly do this for me.  i don't always get a word in when i'm surrounded by my loving extroverts so i rely on the ol' trusty blog to help me work through my whirlwind of thoughts.

it's been weeks since my last post.  i don't need to apologize or say i've been busy.  that's a given.  actually, you'll never find me apologizing because the only person i'm hurting by the lack of posts is myself.

i have been increasingly busy, but what does that actually mean?  everyone is busy.  everyone is going.  work, school, partners, children times two and three, groceries, bills, vacations, hobbies - we're all filling our lives to the tippy-top with activities that keep us from any down time.

this past week, i finally finished sewing projects that i began this spring.  yep, nearly nine months ago.  instead of focusing on how long it took to complete, i'm focusing on the wonderful feeling of having a sparse sewing table - one that i can actually see the bare surface!

also this past month, i launched my super-official Facebook photography page.  i was dragging my feet because my webpage is not a-go, just yet, but i figured why not?!

i'm having a blast doing something just for me.  my first full day of shooting, i couldn't wipe the smile off my face.  i love capturing people and landscapes and all that falls between the two subjects.  check me out!  you don't have to have a Facebook page to view:

https://www.facebook.com/naturalphotographyak

i've gone on-location, visited lovely people in the hospital.  i've gone to homes and even - drumroll, please! - used my studio.  feels so surreal to finally have that space to myself.  i really could not be happier.  well, no - i could if i was shooting more - but there are not enough hours and days in the week!  dearest husband is still working 6 days a week and that leaves me one measly day.  you can imagine that he actually wants to see me too, not just the other half of me he sees in our children!

balance.

it's such an act, at times!

bless him and our children for allowing me to be me.  it's amazing how a few hours away give me the boost and recharge to be a better mama and wifey.  it doesn't take much.  it's funny though; i miss them like crazy when i see other people's tiny humans.  i giggle thinking, my dylan does that exact same nose wrinkle or oh, she's a little cranky like tess used to be.  tess.  tessie baby.

my chubby little sweet pea is approaching the 9-month birthday.  here, it crawled along those first few months, and now, it's just flying by.  she's so damn cute and squishy.  she's squeezing into 18-month clothes.  ugh, i hate to even write that!  her wrists barely push through the arm holes!  her cheeks are in the stretch mark zone, i'm sure.  she has 4 teeth, and she's crawling all over the place.  every day, the kids and i joke that we lose her in the house.  where my other two were like puppy dogs on my heels, she feels free to roam about.  and, she's fast!  just tonight, i was ducking in and out of rooms and hallways, trying to find her.  (i did.)  she eats everything and a lot of it, but i think that goes without saying…  she pulls herself up, stands at the sofa or against the mirror in her bedroom.  dare i say she'll be walking soon?

need for a transition?  i guess this is a lousy one, but -

we take the good with the bad.  always.  that's life.

my momma.  {i think it's no coincidence that i'm choosing tonight to catch up on my blog.}  she goes in for her final surgery in the morning.  reconstruction.  new boobies!  (she'll likely not appreciate that last remark, but hey, who doesn't like boobies?!)  love you, wittle momma.

she couldn't have had a better cancer experience, really.  her initial surgery was long but was a success. her labs came back clear or negative - or actually, POSITIVE! - because the surgeons removed all traces of nasty cells.  she didn't have to do radiation or chemo, and she even tested negative for the breast cancer gene.  truly, a miracle in my eyes!  i am so proud of her.  she was diligent with physical therapy.  i could see great physical changes that were making her happy, as well.  so, one more surgery, and we'll put this cancer behind us.

yes, we were blessed with tess anne, but other than that, i'm ready to say so long, farewell to 2013!

i found these sweet thangs, snoozing nose-to-nose in a very rare moment.  happened to have my camera at arms reach and was able to fire off a shot - waking him no-less, but anything for the perfect little keepsake.

18 x 24

remember this post http://themiebs.blogspot.com/2012/02/another-building-project.html ?

last weekend, ben and some loyal friends flew out to our cabin site to begin the building project.  they completed the foundation and rolled the floor joist.  i think they felt accomplished at what was finished in just a few days' time.

he's telling me: we'll be cozy by the wood stove this winter!  another trip out there, and he'll have the floor sheeted and walls framed.   but, i keep thinking, that's pretty ambitious considering he's taking the kids with him next time!  what - they're HUGE helpers!  no?!

putting in the posts for the foundation
view 1

 view 2

 putting up the beams

rolling joists 

ben didn't want to sheet the floor because he figured it would be covered in snow next time he made it out.  so, rather than shoveling snow, they wrapped the pile in a tarp and called it good.  next visit, they'll be able to throw the plywood sheets down and frame up the walls.

18 x 24 foot cabin!

sunday night, they got weathered in; talkeetna had some serious winds so the 206 couldn't take-off.  this wasn't expected, and they only brought food for the two days... so what did my mountain man do - take the boys out and catch some trout!  (boat availability, thanks to granddad!)

tactical & textile

to shooting a couple hundred rounds of ammo over a day and a half to sewing appliqué. i am woman, hear my sewing machine foot pedal roar.

on a saturday morning, i attended a 4-hour class on handgun safety, statistics of anchorage and south central alaska crime (mostly rape, alcohol-related incidences, domestic violence), safety, firearm training schools throughout the US, safety and oh - did i mention safety?  the class was a major eye-opener for me.  i discovered that anchorage ranks #2 in crime, behind detroit, of all places.  eeek.

not only do i find it necessary to carry while on my mountain hikes for protection against wildlife, but also for the crazies that may be lurking.  i can't believe it's taken me this long to become certified.  it seems silly that i've been out with my children for years, just risking it.  the confidence in my training and the comfort i feel in my pistol has me relieved, feeling prepared and ready for most altercations that may arise.  let's just hope this readiness is all that is needed.  i've made it this long without running into wildlife, and i pray to God i never have to fire this weapon at anything but a paper or steel target.  but, it's nice to know if i had to, i'm prepared.

day 1

4-hour classroom and 3-hour range time

 day 2

the rain let up, momentarily.

kids resting at home with dada, 

while mama's perfecting the 5-shot cluster drill (notice the black circle)

the following day, in support of gramma d's upcoming surgery, jb and i picked out some fabric to appliqué a few t-shirts.  ok, this is my new favorite project!  the possibilities are endless - thread color combinations, layering fabrics, mix and match... i already picked up some new plain tees to dress up with fabric.  

gramma d liked them, just a little bit.

surgery.

{started this post on thursday afternoon...}

i can't believe i'm saying this, but the surgery is OVER.  it seemed like it took forever to get here, and now, we're day 2 post-op.  whew!

l  o  n  g  yesterday.  gramma d had to be at the hospital by 6:30 am, so who knows what time they were out the door.  surgery didn't begin until after 12, when it was supposed to begin at 11...  surgeon #1 spent about 2 hours per breast, removing.  surgeon #2 took over after that, inserting the expanders that will stay in place until (likely) december.  saline will be pumped monthly (?) to slowly get to the size she desires.  another long process.  all in all, just over 6-hours, total surgery time.

last night, ben, jack, tess and i arrived at the hospital around 7 pm.  jb was very shy and cautious of his gramma, all hooked up, tubes everywhere, countless bracelets and bandages - but that was what we wanted - him to see gramma in a "fragile" state so he gets that he can't be super-wild-crazy jack when he's visiting over the next month.  anyway, tess almost made it to see gramma but conked out right as she was being wheeled into her room.

we didn't stay long; just enough to put my mind at ease, comfort mark (who had been alone at the hospital all day) and say good night, and of course, smooch my brave momma's face.

i posted the rainbow picture on facebook, but i had to share it here.  ben and jb were on a tour of gramma d's floor as we were waiting for her to be released from recovery.  they rushed back to the room to show us the beautiful gift from God.  whatta great sign after such a long day.      
 

the next morning, (thursday) after dropping jb off at school, dylan, tess and i drove in for a quick visit.  again, being out of touch, seeing her in person was the only way i could rest easy.  she looked so much better than the night before:  color was back to her face, not as groggy, voice not as raspy, hey - she was even sitting up!  dylan wasn't nearly as shy as jb, wanting to snuggle with gramma.

so, not only are we blessed having auntie connie here, but my big bro came to visit, too!  i don't know what i would do if the roles were reversed; i'm sorry for him being far away, but i'm thankful he was able to visit - even if it was just a blink of a trip!

do they look like father-daughter or what?!

thank you SO MUCH for all well wishes and prayers.  means a lot!

a very special sunday road trip

turnagain arm.  chugach mountains.  seward highway.  girdwood.  kenai peninsula.  

glorious girdwood

i used to make this drive on any given gorgeous day.  since moving to the valley nine years ago, it no longer happens on a whim, and certainly not as much as i'd like.  our last trip south was march of 2012, after our return from hawai'i.  we visited the sea life center, ate a hardy lunch and enjoyed tuckered-out (see: snoozing) children all the way to anchorage.

on this sunday, jackie and i left the valley before 8 am to journey on down for a day trip.  my very dear friend is expecting a boy mid-september and asked me to take some pictures of her super-sweet expanding belly at her farm, nestled in the kenai mountains of cooper landing.

i feel completely honored.  her road to motherhood began well before mine, and while i don't feel comfortable divulging her entire story, i will say she has more angel babies watching over her than any one woman should - in countless lifetimes.  she is SO brave, stoic, admirable and a true inspiration to me and everyone that knows her.  she's the definition of perseverance.  i am ELATED that her story has not ended in heartbreak and am overjoyed when caught up in daydreams of meeting baby boy harpe.

we hope to meet again to capture dada in the belly mix, but until then, here's what we captured on that very memorable sunday afternoon.

29 weeks of pure beauty.

 five, i repeat, FIVE first-rate border collies

jen muttered something about her mother not approving of pictures like these, but i was too busy enjoying myself... ha!  but oh - this is her element.  this has been her life.  animals!  she loves all her fur-babies; i'm tickled to think how much she'll love her smooth-skinned baby!  

 love this look.

it's a shame she's not more photogenic, am i right?!  what an absolute stunner.  one of those natural beauties that wakes up looking like this.

and if playing photographer for 2+ hours wasn't reward enough, she sent me home with some poultry plunder:  

jen, i know you've said how much this trip meant to you, but i still can't wipe the smile off my face.  i guess i didn't realize how much i missed you until we had this day together.  thank you for letting jackie chase everyone around for 4 hours.  tell them all to rest up - we'll see you in a month!

swing set, improved

this has turned into a month-long project.  lately, it's easy for ben to get lost in work.  the week days fold right into the weekends, and before i know it, it's tuesday and we're back at gymnastics.

it's almost solstice and that makes me panic - summer's nearly over for us up here.  we start losing daylight.  although - this year, i do have zero complaints.  we've had 2 weeks plus of sunshine.  and, i'm not talking "normal" alaska summer sunshine, i'm talking: break out the pool, swimsuits and sunscreen.  mass consumption of otter pops.  get in your skimpiest of clothing because you're getting your tan on!  really, i have a better tan than i've had on any vacation.  truly.  and i should add, my freckled, irish skin doesn't usually keep color.  uh-huh, what do you know: 2013, the year of alaskans having suntans.  did i mention south central is sold out of kiddie pools?

ah.  slight tangent.



back to the project.  so because of the fence installation last fall, we needed to move our swing set.  the fence was put in right on our property line, and little did i know, our swing set was maybe a foot off of that.  so, memorial weekend, we - ok, ben - tore down the old structure.

ok, so it didn't fall as expected, but that was because that top pole was rotted out.  nevertheless, my super-handy-fix-it-felix was able to bend and pull and fix our fence, good as new!  we all had a good laugh, that is, except for the very concerned 5.5 year old.

gymnastics paying off...

ben & kaleb hard at work

it's still not quite finished, but i've been told it will be this weekend.  there's some railing to finish up and a rock-wall-like climbing-thingy to get up to the slide.  the tire swing is HUGE and could easily fit 9 kids.  the good news is we no longer have to jump in my rig to play at a park - just have to open the sliding glass door...