Project 365: Week Forty-Seven

It was recently asked of the members of the Project 365 group in which I belong if we will continue participating in the project in 2014.  I was among the many group members who answering with a resounding "Yes".  It was only a rare occasion that I felt burdened by the project; there were definitely some days on which I just didn't want to take a picture.  Yet as I read more and more about developing my skills as a photographer, the one piece of advice that I see again and again is to take pictures every day.  It makes sense.  You don't get better at something unless you practice...and practice often.  Though I still have a lot to learn, I feel as though I've come a long way from the photographer that I was in January.  Plus, through participation in the project, I've "met" several other women that I have come to regard as friends and colleagues, in a way.  Together, we are sharing, learning, and growing.  

All that said, I may take a tip from a fellow project participant and begin to post the pictures to the blog on a monthly, rather than weekly, basis.  We'll see.  It's a lot to stay on top of each week, and I usually wind up a week or two behind.  

The forty-seventh week of 2013, which came to a close on November 25th, brought trips to the mailboxes, several attempts at a photo shoot in the backyard, my 36th birthday, and the arrival of Sinterklaas.  It was a BIG week!

323/365:  Playin' Playdough

When packing for our stay in The Netherlands, I made sure to include activities that would keep the twins busy inside the house.  Finger paint, crayons and coloring books, stickers, and Playdough were added to the toys, puzzles, books, and stuffed animals packed in the air shipment.  The twins had not played with playdough before we arrived here, but since we moved into our Little Dutch House, they "ask" for it at least once each day.  They don't know exactly what to do with it other than empty it out of the cups, but it keeps them entertained...for a short while.

324/365:  Even in the Eyelashes

When we had dinner with one of Jim's co-workers and his wife a few weeks ago, the twins were given small cups of yogurt for dessert.  Maddie neatly ate hers, and Will...Will ate his like Cookie Monster eats cookies.  Only a small portion of the yogurt actually landed in his mouth.  When I found those small cups of yogurt at the store, I bought them for the twins, hoping to give Will some practice in eating neatly.  He just can't seem to eat yogurt without making a huge mess!

325/365:  Love My Little Girl

I snapped this picture of a tender moment with my little girl BEFORE that same little girl cried and complained the rest of the morning.  I tried to keep this image in my head as I listened to her.  

326/365:  Checking the Mail

Checking the mail has become part of our daily routine, and since we usually don't have anything better to do, we usually make it a longer chore than it needs to be by walking (all of us) there and back.  Walking with two toddlers who each have their own agenda and who take tiny steps easily turns the 5-minute chore into a 30-minute chore!  On this particular day, Will found his way into another mailbox.  I quick snapped some shots before he was successful in pulling any mail out!

327/365:  More

Earlier in the week, I had attempted and failed to take pictures of the twins in their turkey headbands on my own.  It has become harder than ever to take pictures of them.  Bribery helps, but it's always helpful to have a second set of hands to assist me with taking pictures of the twins.  On Saturday, I was determined to get the pictures I wanted.  I downloaded several apps to the iPad that I thought would attract and hold their interest, recruited Jim to hold the iPad next to my head as I took pictures, and corralled everyone outside.  Though Maddie was not as impressed with the apps as I had hoped, Will was a BIG fan, and wanted more.  Here he is, signing "more" as he sits still (!) on a stool.    

328/365:  Sinterklaas Came to Town

If you missed it, I wrote in detail about the arrival of Sinterklaas in our small town here.  It was definitely a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience to welcome Sinterklaas to Delden alongside hundreds of Dutch families!  

329/365:  Little Flower

We spent some time burning off steam in the backyard on Monday morning.  The twins found some little white flowers growing in the grass.  Here, Will holds one of those flowers in his hands as we look down on it from above.