Project 52 - Week 52

Over the past year, I've posted weekly photos of my children in Project 52. I worked on my photography and had a great time documenting my children's lives. I am, however, thrilled to be done with this project. It was fun and I do plan on making a book for this project.

For this week's photo, I was photographing Apple Bars for a post with Opal Apples and Maggie decided to take her own photos while wearing her swimsuit inside out. She's a hoot!

Project 52 - Week 49, 50 & 51

I always get so psyched up when I start a project and then about halfway through it, I start trudging along. The end always ends up being such a slog but I also get nostalgic for the project. I'm feeling quite nostalgic about Project 52. Next week will be the last week of this project that I started to document my girl's lives while also working to improve my photography skills. This week, I'm playing catch-up from the last three weeks!

Week 49 - I took the girls to the library and we had so much fun shooting a ton of photos. 

Week 50 - We headed down to Los Angeles for a quick vacation and the girl's first trip to Disneyland. We didn't tell them until we were actually driving to Disneyland so they were thrilled to explore Santa Monica and the pier for hours. 

Week 51 - One of the publications I work at needed some kid models so I took the girls down to Pike Place Market to meet up with the photographer. The girls had a grand time and hopefully he got some good shots. 

Project 52 - Week 48

The girls and I went to the coffee shop for some research I was doing. Molly offered to pose for a shot when I mentioned how great the light was. She said I got two shots before her modeling career was over. 

Project 52 - Week 46

I took this because it shows the chaos of my house and it shows what inspires me. 

Project 52 - Week 45

Maggie and I headed to the car wash this week to try to unearth parts of my car that haven't been seen in months. I spent over an hour vacuuming with her help and the car has downgraded from hazardous waste disaster to natural disaster. Maggie loved sitting in the passenger seat as I washed the mats and the rest of the car.

Project 52 - Week 40 - 44

I got really behind on things in December so today's Project 52 is catch up day!

We met some preschool friends for the Christmas Ships on the private North Beach beach. We live so close but don't have access so it is nice when others include us. 

Christmas morning was wild as usual and so wonderful! We spent the remainder of the day in quiet activity after the excitement of the morning. 

I took the kids to Target to get some supplies for a blog post and decided to document our trip in front of the sign. 

Maggie and I had to go to the community center to meet up with the person who hit and ran my car the previous week. This stuffed beaver was too much for us. In this photo she is telling me about how the beaver is dead. 

We took a weekend trip to the Washington Coast and stayed in this great little hotel. It was made for photos!

I love watching the girls bother Scott when he is trying to sleep. It's a highlight for me. 

Project 52 - Week 39

We spent a morning at the Maui Aquarium on our visit to Hawaii last week and I snapped these photos of the girls doing their thing. They are both getting so big! 

Project 52 - Week 38

We went on a whale watching trip yesterday and Maggie was so excited. Before the boat left, she was excitedly telling my aunt about the whales! I love her little passion. 

Project 52 - Week 37

Maggie appreciates a good Cheese Plate!

Project 52 - Week 36

I took the girls to one of my favorite wall murals today to take photos for their Thank You notes. They actually participated a fair bit so I got my shot! It's rare these days that they will do posed shots for me.

Project 52 - Week 35

Dear Molly and Maggie,

We held elections this week and it was disappointing to say the least. I had really hoped that our nation would have elected in our very first female president. Instead we did not. I've been crying all week, trying to make sense of it all. I want to raise you two to be strong women, women who get things done, women who are respected for their work. Our current culture means this will be an uphill fight but you see, your Mom is a strong woman who gets things done and doesn't let adversity get in her way. 

Because I have few words at this time, I'll end this note with Hillary Clinton's words in her concession speech. Believe these, my girls. 

"and to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams."

Love, 

Mama

Project 52 - Week 34

We spent some time at the Children's Museum this afternoon. The girls were wild and ran straight to the Sound Transit bus to play. 

Project 52 - Week 33

Halloween festivities started early this weekend with a visit to Scott's work and my Mom's place. I got the girls to pose for some photos in the ravine near our house. I've convinced them that the chicken that was living there is now a ghost who we cleverly call, "Ghost Chicken". Maggie was searching for it the entire time I took photos so I made it work. Molly was a very scary vampire! 

Project 52 - Week 32

Sometimes when you have kids, you hear noises coming from various rooms in your house and when you go to investigate, you find your kids doing things they shouldn't be doing. A few days ago, I heard the girls and found them in the kitchen eating all the cookies left over from a Mom's group I hosted. 

Project 52 - Week 31

Maggie and I headed to the beach this week. She dug in the sand while I watched the waves hit the beach.

Project 52 - Week 30

I've been feeling a bit uninspired lately and having been picking up my camera. I attended the first day of Click Away 2016 today though and my inspiration is back! The kids were excited to see me when I came home and I asked them if I could take some photos of them. Once we were done, I was taking care of the mail when Molly appeared in the dining room with this look, I knew I had to capture it because this is Molly. 

Project 52 - Week 29

I needed to update some pumpkin patch photos for a story today so I took the girls up to Bob's Corn & Pumpkin Patch. It was exhausting but lots of fun and definitely full of memories. 

Project 52 - Week 28

Maggie and I have Tuesdays together while her sister is in school. I've been trying to make them extra fun so this week we went to the Seattle Center and played at the cool playground before having a snack at the International Fountain. Maggie thought it was amazing! 

Project 52 - Week 27

We headed up to Whistler last weekend and all the kids wanted to do was play at the playground. Maggie loved spinning Molly on the merry go round.

Project 52 - Week 26

Maggie started preschool this week and it has wiped her out! She came home from school on Thursday and ate three lara bars, a slice of bread and an applesauce pouch before passing out on the couch.

She's proven elusive for her teachers too. Her main teacher was in the classroom while the children and other teachers were outside. She looked up to find Maggie walking into the classroom having escaped from the playground. Her teacher said she is keeping a super close eye on her now. Maggie is a tricky child!