DPP / December 4

In line waiting to visit Santa, behind his big chair and three Christmas trees blocking our view was the only place where Fern felt safe enough to smile. 

taken with my iPhone

DPP / December 2

Our Thanksgiving schedule this year was quite full. Some would say busy, but being the go-er and the do-er and the extrovert that I am, I say full. However, I have a husband that works full time and needs some downtime. For an entire day, we decided not to plan anything. We stayed together as a family. It was like a long, lazy morning that extended into the entire day. It was so good for all of us. While John teases that if it wasn't for me he'd be alone in an apartment, I tease that if it wasn't for him, I would never stop moving. We appreciate the balance.

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Fern & Decorating

Fern carried the mail in the house ahead of me. When I walked in, I found her like this with the Pottery Barn catalog. Even though she doesn't look much like me and our personalities are opposite, we still get each other.

Despite the things that separate us, there are several more things that bring us together and it makes mothering Fern such a delight. She's recently started to play decorating. While I don't quite obsess over decorating, my children have noticed my piddling about the house-especially for celebrations. The PB catalogs have started coming again, and I have to say that I get a special kind of decorating tingle when I look at them. The houses are always fun, beautiful, and ready to entertain. That draws me in, and on this day, it seemed to do the same thing for Fern. She gets it. I get her. We get it.

December 1 / December Photo Project

The best advice that I've received from a real live incredible professional photographer is sit in front of something and take a million photographs and change all the settings and practice. Last night, I ignored the TV and focused on the flowers. Photographing without natural light is very difficult for me (get that flash away from me), so I practiced and practiced and practiced.  

I choose this picture because it was the brightest and the flowers were in focus. (I still wish I could figure out how to make it not so orange-y.) It's this picture that I'm using to start my second year of the December Photo Project. The DPP proved to be exciting last year, so I'm excited to join again.

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For more details on the DPP, click the beautiful picture below: