Hello?

Is anyone still out there? It's been awhile since I've taken the time to blog. I'm going to take a minute now, though!

Here are some things that stand out in my memory over the past couple of months....

• Cecie took a digger in Simon's room. When I got to her she was peeling her face off the floor. We don't know if she just tripped, was on the bunk bed ladder or was all the way up on the bunk before she fell. Based on her (lack of real) injuries we are guessing she was on the ladder. It was traumatic for awhile but we all survived.

• Simon is super cranky after school. We signed up for a class called Recess Lab where I can basically do an aerobics class with him (super fun) but he fights going since it's shortly after he gets home from school. Not sure what to do about that one.

• We are remodeling our kitchen. Bryan has been doing this in shifts for a couple of years but this is the final step. Cabinets arrive tomorrow. I spent the evening emptying them to prep for the demo tomorrow. I thought we could give up eating out for Lent, but I don't think that's in the cards.

• Cecie is starting day care / preschool on Monday. She will go one day a week at a really awesome center very close to our house. This is kind of huge for me since I never put Simon in any kind of regular childcare outside of family members, but I think it's necessary. I am constantly torn in two directions all day long (mom and photographer) and I think this will help me focus on each thing separately so that I can actually do both a little better. Plus I think she will have fun. We toured it today and her classroom was eating a snack so she just walked right up, grabbed a chair and started eating pretzels with all these other little people. Her confidence and ease had me close to tears. She's a beautiful little creature. Hopefully it goes just as well on Monday!

• I made my first Groovebook, but haven't gotten it yet. It's $2.99 a month and you can get a little book with up to 100 of your iPhone pictures printed each month. Awesome. Hopefully.

• I finally got my latest photobook edition made. It's been a year. I used to do it every 6 months when it was just Simon. Then Cecie and my nice camera came along and I had to do it a little more frequently to keep up. Then my REALLY nice camera came along and the rest of my life shut down (ha) so the photobook didn't get made. I am allll caught up now, though! =

• I think for Lent I will do a picture a day thing. I want to get back to taking pictures of my own kids. Despite having made an 81 page photobook of them over the past year, I feel like I haven't documented them enough since starting to document other people so much. I'm never very good at Lent, but I have high hopes for this one. I'll share the final photos when after Easter I guess!

• How is photography my life again? Life is weird sometimes. Sometimes I just can't believe it.

• My dog poops in the house a lot. But she is doing okay otherwise. She annoys me a whole bunch so that tells me she is healthy.

• I know many people going through big life changes and challenges right now...good, bad and otherwise. You know who you are. I think about all of you often.

• My grandma has been in the hospital for a bit and has decided not to move back to her independent life at her apartment. She will be going to an assisted living place now, and this is by her choice. Her wisdom is truly astonishing. She knows she needs the help. She has no foolish pride. She's pretty awesome.
  
• I'm tired.

• If you read all of the above you get a serious A+ for effort. I am too tired to reread it so I hope there aren't a million errors.

• Did I share any birthday cake photos here? I cannot remember. Here are a couple....good night!