8/52

Sometimes I cannot believe how big he is getting. 

School has been going really well as of late. He has some good friends and really enjoys the "work" that they do. At times it is hard to get him to fill me in on his day but other times he does not stop talking about letters he is mastering or proudly showing me a number sheet or a new silly song which he will only share once he has memorized the entire tune. 

I am happy with the unique setting he is learning in which is a public Montessori school. I feel like he is getting to learn at his own pace and foster his interests. He pretty much starts all of his days in the classroom library thumbing through books. And it is awesome as a parent when you see your child arrive early and rather than chit chat with buddies he and his friends grab brooms to sweep up and get the room ready for the day.  Of course there are benchmarks to be reached but he is also garnering experience from being in a mixed age class of preschool, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten. He has friends of all ethnicities and backgrounds and I think it is pretty amazing that he goes to school with a boy named Zuma as well as a girl named Charlotte. The diversity is inspiring. I am excited to see him bloom and grow as he continues on his educational journey. I know I'm going to learn a lot, too!

Love it: Etsy Artist, Debbie Carlos

I have had a longtime love affair with Debbie Carlos's large scale engineer prints. Engineer prints are typically used in architectural and engineering work, hence the name but the grainy, grey and slightly imperfect design quality has always spoken to me. Perhaps it is because of the monumental size of the banal objects that suddenly transforms them into artist design. Either way, I have always loved the black and white ice cream cone, it is so whimsical and yet painterly all at the same time. 

This print reminds me of a Dutch painting such as Vermeer's Girl Reading a Letter a an Open Window (1657). The way the light is diffused and blankets the floor in softness harkens back to the way Vermeer is able to capture and freeze the sunshine dancing through a window. 

keep in mind when you see this simple print of a fallen petal from a ranunculus flower that the size is what makes these prints unique and eye-catching along with the image.  this one is 27x39".

Carlos also partners with artist from different mediums to create one of a kind collaborations. This print Polar is a reproduction of Bay Area fiber artist Meghan Shimek's wool roving weaving, based on traditional Navejo weaving techniques. 

So armed with the inspiration from Carlos I sought out to create my own engineer prints. I have an arsenal of interesting photos and I am trying to get in the habit of printing more out in various capacities so they do not just rot on my hard drive. I decided to have my images printed online through Photojojo. The first image is of our family cottage along the shores of Lake Michigan from the 1920's and while I clearly did not take this picture it is a beautiful representation of the Little Cottage in its original incarnation. The cottage has since been rebuilt but I spent many summers watching sunsets from the porch and hearing the wind whistle through the thin cottage walls. 

This print is also from the Little Cottage. And although it is in black and white it is actually an image of one the many beautiful sunsets we see when we are there in August. This too is a view that is unchanging and I'm quite positive that is I looked through and found all of the pictures that I have taken from this spot over the years the trees would practically line up. It is a special place for me and my family so I thought that it was fitting to hang it up in the Lemon's room. 

So whether you decide to buy a gorgeous print from Debbie Carlos or find one of your own to print in large scale you will not be disappointed with the impact that it make on a room.

February Break.

let's start with some snow shall we? hey why not what's a few more inches anyways. heck we are less than 10 inches from breaking the all time snow record. I may make some enemies, but I say bring it on! let's at least get at the top of the record books with all of this craziness. 


our little blue house all dressed up in winter white. 

Then Oliver and I went down to visit my Mom and Tom in Westport. Oliver even got to ride on the big blue tractor.

Coloring with Meme. Using a new box of 24 count crayons. 

and always reading books. 

We also took advantage of the activities being hosted at the Museum of Fine Arts during the school holiday. Engrossed in National Pride (2013), Jeremy Deller's British culture-centric video set to a steel drum rendition of David Bowie's 'Man Who Sold The World'. Range Rovers getting crushed, an inflatable stonehenge and amazing shot of birds of prey. Truly Oliver's favourite. 

I love my boy. I love taking him to museums. and I love that he enjoys going with me. 

I told you, engrossed in the video.

and there were crafts, too! Oliver made a treasure box and a picture frame. 

and of course one must always stop to see Untitled by Felix Gonzalez-Torres

snowy landscape on the walk back to the car.

out to lunch at an amazing sandwich shop in Brookline, Cutty's. Get the roast beef 1000. Your tummy will thank you. 

heading home from our ski getaway in NH. Oliver had his first ski lessons which went well. And we swam and went out to eat and all in all had a great time mixing up our routine. Of course koalie came along, she always does. 

i mean really? He is the cutest. 

the snow berm on the highway ride home. 

heading back home from NH with fresh dusting of snow to make the scenery picturesque. 

7/52


Ahem... he was supposed to be resting after a morning of skiing. Sneaky photo from our shared hotel room. The boys are getting to ski, Oliver is even taking lessons from ski instructors not his parents! I am not skiing but still enjoying some time away from our everyday routine. I have some more pictures from our school vacation week that I will put up once I'm not posting on a phone. 


perspective.


happy friday the 13th. this weekend we are looking at another snow storm and I am trying to gain some perspective on this matter. I am a winter person. I love the snow and I love being outside in the snow but it has been challenging with the continuous blows we have been hit with over the past few weeks. We have gone sledding, built a snow cave in our own personal snow mountain on our patio, romped in the park until our toes are numb and then come inside for hot cocoa. We have baked cookies and tried new recipes. We are trying...really, really trying but it is tough. The sun is shining today and in the effort of finding the positive I have opened the curtains and let the warm light stream through our living room. 

(via)I am trying to embody the overused and adorably sung phrase by every single little girl I know; "let it go". let's just try. I am sure there will be bitching and I am sure there will be frustration but I am also going to try to turn towards the light and feel the warmth on back even just for a moment.  


So even as we ask why? Why more snow? Why more shoveling? Why more cold? Take a minute to look at the way the snow sparkles when it is freshly fallen. Take a moment to look at your child or any child's face full of joy as they try to catch fresh snowflakes in their mouth. Drink the at times cloyingly sweet hot chocolate with marshmallows either in the mug or on the side. And last but not least look to the calendar and remember that in a few short months Spring will be knocking on our doorstep. I am intimately aware that Spring will come because when the snow melts and the green buds poke out of the trees and the daffodils peek up from the dirt we will be welcoming our new family member. So bundle up, double up your socks and head out into it. this too shall pass.

6/52

my sweet bug snuggling with me and the Lemon. Lots of change headed our way but I am excited to see him in his new role as a big brother. 

click through for more pictures. 

heavy hearts.

I know I just wrote about Luna yesterday but today with heavy hearts we said good-bye. After testing and debating and crying we came to the decision as a family to let her go. Matt brought her home last night where we smothered her in love and snuggles and sweet words. She even got to sleep in our bed last night (wish granted for her!). I will miss her everyday and I know our house will feel like it is missing a puzzle piece for quite some time. She was a good dog. You were a good girl, Lunabug. 








5/52

The 52 project for me is about capturing you child(ren) in everyday situations, so that you can look back and remember a time when their hair was long and the time they had to bring along race cars to the market. I like the small and seemingly everyday moments captured and tucked away in an album. Everyone has pictures of the big events in life but what about the banal moments? Those moments are just as important to me. 

So let me introduce you to my first baby, Luna. She is a sweet, kind doggie who has the softest velvet ears I have ever known. And here is the kicker, she is sick. We are not sure what is wrong and we are desperate to figure it out but it does not look good. She has lost a lot of weight and her demeanor is lackluster and lethargic. This breaks my heart. She has traveled with Matt and I all over the country and across the pond to London before we had Oliver. She has vivid doggie dreams and howls in her sleep. She hates when her face gets wet. She loves when Matt scratches behind her ears.  Her feet have a strange scent of cheetos. She can tell time, 7:30pm is when she eats and she will remind you of that. She is loyal. She is loved. She is irreplaceable.

Blog Archive