Day by Day 365: 2012

Inspired by my dear friend Allison, I took up the challenge to take a photo each day in 2011 to document my life. I embarked on this with some trepidation (I was not sure I would remember to take a picture every day), and with some curiosity: I didn't have a plan for this project and I was excited to see how it would evolve. What would my life look like, day by day, throughout one year?

Well, one year on, I am addicted to this project. I already took a lot of photos of my children but I have loved the way the 365 challenge has disciplined me to think about and appreciate EVERY SINGLE day - and the precious moments in every day that in the past have flown by unnoticed... I am thrilled to continue with this blog in 2012 - although it really should be retitled: Day by Day 366! Looking forward to a new year...

Just click on any picture to see it enlarged!

Monday, December 31, 2012

Day 337: Alleluia

This is one of my very favorite Christmas decorations. I have never seen anything else like it: beautifully painted wooden figures, given to me by my mother-in-law many years ago.

Day 336: Christmas decorations

We traditionally get out the Christmas decorations on December 1st. We have so many beautiful ornaments that people have given us and I like to enjoy them for as long as possible.

Day 335: Band concert

I was sadly unable to attend Johnny's band concert this evening, because of three other commitments but I did get this picture of the logo on his new band polo shirt.

Day 334: All about Anna

This is the last of several pages of a writing assignment entitled "All about me".

Day 333: On the court action

We are loving watching Johnny's basketball team play a couple of times a week (still haven't got used to the 6 am practices though...)

Day 332: iPad artwork

The kids spent a lot of time creating artwork on the iPad on our Thanksgiving roadtrip. This was one of Daniel's pictures.

Day 331: Space Needle

It is pretty ridiculous that I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for nearly nine years and this is the closest I have been to the Space Needle: driving past on the way home from northern WA. We really do need to plan a trip to Seattle.

Day 330: Bellingham

We spent a spectacularly beautiful day in Bellingham, WA. It is a delightful town and David's aunt was the perfect tour guide.

Day 329: Ferry

We took the ferry back to the mainland today so that we could spend time in Bellingham, WA with David's aunt Margy. The journey as well as the destination was great fun.

Day 328: Thanksgiving

A perfect Thanksgiving Day: lovely, bracing walk by the ocean in the morning, and a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with relatives in the evening.

Day 327: Friday Harbor

What a treat to leave early, drive north to Anacortes, WA, take the ferry over to Friday Harbor and find ourselves welcomed by the incredible hospitality of David's aunt Helen and her husband Howard in their beautiful home on the water. The kids immediately found their way to the beach and spent the late afternoon skipping stones.

Day 326: The Mayflower

Anna came home from school with this lovely drawing of the Mayflower.

Day 325: Du fromage

I am hoping my French class will enjoy trying this selection of French cheeses - if not, I will happily take the left-overs home.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Day 324: Yarn

Many thanks to my lovely sister-in-law Ann who sent me a whole box of wonderful yarn. My friend Dawn and I had fun this afternoon sorting through the box and planning all kinds of creative projects for next year's bazaar. Dawn makes incredible crocheted blankets and I am going to start working on some scarves.

Day 323: Winter pedicure

I typically only get a pedicure once a year in the summer time, but my wonderful husband treated me to a manicure and pedicure today, which was a marvelously relaxing indulgence.

Day 322: First rock concert

It was a great treat to take Johnny and Daniel to their first rock concert this evening. They were amazed by being in a crowd of ten thousand people, perplexed by the waving of cellphones (I had to explain about lighters) and entranced by the lights, lazers and pyrotechnics. There were ten fantastic Christian bands so it was a long night - a week of early morning basketball practices took their toll on Johnny and he fell asleep before the concert was over.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Day 321: Amazon

It is possible that I have an Amazon addiction. It is such a great way to buy stuff and this is the time of year when, more and more frequently, I come home to find an Amazon box on the porch. It is especially nice to have a package on the porch that I didn't order myself of course. It's lovely to know other people are thinking of us - personal cards and letters in the mail are increasingly rare it seems, and I certainly send far fewer than I used to. I am reminded of one of my favorite poems "The Night Mail" by the incomparable W.H. Auden, which ends:
"And none will hear the postman's knock
Without a quickening of the heart,
For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?"

Day 320: More basketball

Another home game for the Parkrose Pacers!

Day 319: Thankful

We have been trying to be especially, mindfully, thankful in our family throughout the month of November, so I was pleased to see this display outside Noah's classroom. Each turkey expressed what each child was thankful for - some of Noah's choices were no surprise to me, although I would not have guessed that "bathtubs" would be in his top six.

Day 318: Mushrooms

We went for a beautiful hike at Tryon Creek State Park this morning and all the kids were marveling at the number and variety of mushrooms we saw along the way.

Day 317: Dresses

We purchased many exquisite things at yesterday's bazaar - Anna was especially thrilled with these dresses for her 18 inch dolls. She needs to forget about them now, as they will be Christmas gifts!

Day 316: Pies

Bazaar Day! I was helping run the snack bar, where we were selling all these delicious pies.

Day 315: Scarves

It was the set up day for the Bazaar today - so many gorgeous things that talented people at church have made. I love these beautiful scarves.

Day 314: First basketball game

After an exciting soccer season, we are looking forward to watching Johnny in a completely different sport over the next few weeks.

Day 313: Election Day Homework

Daniel stayed up late last night listening to the radio, checking a couple of websites and tracking the election results.

Day 312: Election Day

I can't vote in this country but David can! It is a vote by mail system but he likes to take the kids to the library and drop his ballot in the ballot box on Election Day itself.

Day 311: Leaves

This is really my favorite time of the year. These particular leaves weren't especially colorful but they were in a thick carpet that was so fun to walk in.

Day 310: Trophy

From the start of the season, several members of my Munchkin team would ask me EVERY practice if they were going to get a trophy. Today was the Thunderbolts end-of-season party - and sure enough, every player got their trophy!

Day 309: End of the season party

The soccer season ended today and this afternoon, the Strikers (Anna's team) had an end-of-season pizza party. Amongst other gifts, the two wonderful high school girls who coached the team received signed photographs to remember the season.

Day 308: Art project

Sadly, there is not enough art in the public schools but Johnny has really enjoyed his graphic art elective this semester and today brought home this clay cat, with a clear resemblance to Harry.

Day 307: Leftovers

We had a delightful Halloween gathering with some of our neighbors last night, and this morning, all that was left were a couple of caramel apples and half a pumpkin cheesecake.

Day 306: Halloween

In case you can't guess, we had Gandalf, Pharaoh, Pocahantas and a T-Rex...

Day 305: New Jeans

I love the sparkly detail on the pockets of my new jeans but I love even more the fact that they are three sizes smaller than the last pair of jeans I bought, back in the spring.

Day 304: Quasi arpa

I love listening to Daniel practice the piano and it is amazing how a lot of practice turns this collection of notes into an amazing sound that really does resemble a harp.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Day 303: Duck for President

David and Noah went to the theater this afternoon to see this topical play. Noah told me that the animal characters were "really people, just dressed up like animals". He was also very proud to have his program signed after the show by the actors.

Day 302: Soccer in the mud

Five soccer games today: Johnny refereed two, and the Strikers (Anna), the Spartans (Johnny and Daniel) and the Thunderbolts (Noah) were all winners this week! Johnny and Daniel's game was REALLY muddy, which of course, made it all the more fun.

Day 301: The Corn Maze in the dark

I did not take this picture. I was supposed to go with the youth group on our annual trip to the corn maze at night but I took some medication this afternoon which meant I couldn't drive. So David went in my place and took some great pictures. I love this one of a couple of our youth group girls reading the corn maze clues by the light of their cell phones.

Day 300: Christmas Carols

Too early? Perhaps! But I am thrilled to be singing in a choir again after twelve years or so (exactly corresponding to the advent of children!). I am joining our extraordinarily good church choir when they sing at The Grotto Festival of Carols in early December and am loving the rehearsals.

Day 299: Sugar Plum Fairy

Daniel and I are learning "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" as a piano duet. We both have to work on making sure it is not "The Dance of the Sugar Plum Elephant" but at least we are making good progress with the notes!