Stubborn from the womb...

119/365

We have been at odds. She can talk, but refuses to when I try to make her ask for things instead of cry and whine. If I take a stand and try to force the issue, she will cry and scream and bang her own little noggin into the hard floor. Full on tantrum. I keep hoping she will realize it's not worth the pain, but I'm not sure it isn't to her. Me? I would give up, but I wonder, when I was small would I fight to the death over saying the word snack, or please, or juice, or water, or milk?

I don't know. I don't even remember last week let alone when I was small. I do, however, know that I have a long standing hatred of being forced to do things. I don't mind being told what to do as long as I have a choice on how and when to proceed, it's the force. I don't like to feel forced. So in a way I feel her pain, but the whining crying meltdowns have got to stop, if not for me, for her poor sweet head.

Twins at play...

118/365

It does a mama's heart good.

I went back to my kit lens and set it at 35mm. I want to see if it's better since I have been daydreaming of getting the 35mm prime lens. I think it is. My kids are just always so in my face, (in the best way possible :) the 50 mm is  proving to be just too tight for me. I just need to find a pile of money. :(

The only boy who...

117/365

This boy climbed in the bathtub and told me he was watching the stars pop out, then that he was watching a Darth Vader movie outside. 

This all after telling me that more than anything he wants to go to Disneyland to meet Captain Hook. O_o. 

I am sure he's not the ONLY boy who wants to meet Captain Hook more than anything in the world but it doesn't seem like a majority pick.

Too many cooks...

116/365

Wrong lens and wrong settings but you do what you can. We would be joined by two more before I kicked them all outside to wait for cookies instead of help. I know. You do what you can. Sanity is important too.
I took head shots for JT and then forgot to fix everything. Fun day with family. The kids all ended up outside looking at stars. Or as The boy would say. "want to watch the stars pop out with us?" I did. I was a nice ending to a chaotic day.

New bed, new room...

115/365

Craigslist for the win. It's handmade out of an old Barn door, and affordable. Perfection!

The kids approve. 

The best seat in the house...

114/365

These kiddos are going to miss their Papa and Grandmama. At least they won't be too far away.

Letters and heirlooms...

113/365

May 25th 1934. A letter to my Grandmother from her schoolmates letting her know how sorry they were that her mother had died.

Mom and dad are packing up their room some family treasures were unearthed.

This has been passed down from second son to second son. It came over from England. They are tools for making shoes. Apparently my love of shoes comes naturally to me. :)

Sweet Pepper

112/365

 

Last year I planted sweet peppers just to see if they would grow. They had a late start but the plant is huge. This season they are going much sooner, but I can't keep my kids out of them. Sadly most of them will never know what color they would've been. 

Everyday when the boy comes by the plant he picks one and eats it green and raw. I guess if it makes them happy right? 

This season's lip color...

111/365

 

Didn't want to be left out of the loop.

Happy Easter...

110/365

 This is the boy's pet. He was sad we couldn't take it home.

Princess hunting eggs...

Alter ego...

109/365

Newborn rabbit in an oven...

108/365

We spent Easter in the mountains with our dear friends. Their rabbit had babies and this one was thought to be dead. Left alone out of the nest to freeze, when they took him out of the cage there was the slightest twitch of life. He brought it in and put it in the warm oven. (It was off  but warm from baking a cake) As the rabbit warmed it moved more and more and as far as I know is fine. Happy story.

Oh and this is what I woke up to out my window that morning.

 Sometimes I really miss the mountains.

Iris

107/365

4 may kill me...

106/365

 Defiance.

And the cuteness...

Eclipse...

105/365

It was kind of nice to get my picture a day out of the way early. ;) Had a good night at the Suns game. It would have been better if we had won and then J and I tried our hand at taking a picture of the moon.

We dyed eggs tonight. It was stressful. The no spill kits were not easy to use and the kids were trying to drink the dye. Glad it's over.

The accordion wore rainboots

104/365

PInk

103/365

Really wanted a great picture of them in their matching outfits. This is the best I got. :)

Let's go fly a kite!

102/365

 Tug of war

 Irresistible

 

 A little sand scrub

 Charlie Brown moment. He was so sad.

 They found this in a bout two seconds. Brand new outfits.

At least they had fun.

Dolly

101/365

100 days!

100/365

I almost didn't get a picture today. I've been followed around by a post croup grump of doom. Seriously some days it feels like most of mother hood is just disappointing people and having to hear about it.

You didn't know what I meant by ahhhhh so I am going to scream it louder and then I might throw myself into a hysterical fit and hit my head and then I am going to cry even LOUDER!

You didn't tie my bandana the way grandma does!

You failed to hold me for 24 hours straight!

You went to the bathroom and that makes me saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!

Grandpa went out the door and I wanted to give him a kiss!

You won't let me have grandma's chocolates!

It's been one of those days for sure!

Thank goodness for a good husband who gives me a little break. It's for the greater good. But seriously bed time cannot come soon enough for this mama.

 

 

 

 Her uncle always said she looked like McCully Culkin. The proof is in the pudding.

The bandana of doom. 

 

Sisters can be pushy...

99/365

Lazy day visit

98/365