Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A week in the life.

A few weeks ago I mentioned a scrapbooking project called A Week In The Life. I took pictures and notes during the last week of October to complete the project. I love the idea of looking closely at the daily, the everyday stuff we do around here. I thought I'd share some of the pictures I took that week, and later, I'll share the album when I complete it.
Here, Ben wraps my scarf around his body and calls it his soldier uniform.

My office, as I found it one day that week, ready for the creative process. This space is organized, but never uncluttered.

Boys watching a movie, snacking.

Tobycat earns a spot on Laura's dog bed beneath the dining room table.

I put out my vintage-looking black cat collection that week, too. There are a few in this shot of our dining room.

Wii carnival games ring toss, rented from the local movie store.

The men play wii.

The cats cuddle up at the foot of our bed.

Hunter was sick this week, with a double ear infection I later learned. Here, he cuddles me. I used the timer to get a few shots including myself. I had the camera near me and I put on the timer, pushed the button, and slid it down it down the table.

Dad and Ben.


Fall colors on a drive up to Madison.

The very first snow ball of the year, on our windshield.
Dad leaves K-mart, after grabbing water for the kids, as we watch the snow from the car.
My scarf, made of recycled silk. I've had it since college.
Hunter and dad.
Dad went looking for a few birds. Laura get so excited as soon as he pulls out his gear.

Ben started his "responsibility chart," a board made of a dry erase-like surface with a dozen categories, such as "pick up your toys," "share," or "brush your teeth." Ben has to maintain all his magnets at week's end, so, for example, if he doesn't share well with his brother, after one warning, I take a magnet. For each category he keeps all the magnets in he gets a dollar store prize, usually pencils, plastic dinosaurs, stickers, etc. This particular week I found this Army costume for $1, and after bath time we did rewarded him for his chart.


Hunter chillin'.

One night, after Theo came home from a month of training with his unit, he brought an extra MRE, or Meal Ready to Eat. The topic came up with my brother Jason, and Theo was quick to let J try an MRE for himself. I took a few nibbles also, and it was gross. For sure.
Riding along.
Jason spent the Saturday of my documenting a Week In The Life fighting his very first fire. I was really hoping to catch a glimpse of the fire, but it turned out the practice house was set back in the woods, and the fire was inside only. Jason's class gathered outside the building, and you can see him on the left of the picture here. Once inside, the instructors taught the class about the fire, and in the end, when they let the fire go big, Jason got to grab the hose and put it out. So exciting!!
Theo chows on an apple donut.
Turkey's by the Apple Hut where we got out donuts.
Sick Hunter with a tired Ben and hard working dad.
Pumpkins.
Some roses were still blooming, but this one is special. I planted this Sundowner rose this spring, bareroot, and it grew slowly, and bloomed for the first time in August when we were in California, and I never saw it's flower. I was hoping and praying a hard freeze would hold off long enough for me to see this huge bud that formed in October. Sure enough, here she is... shrugging off frost after frost to bloom for me, at Sundown.
Glad I did that laundry, Toby.
Sick Hunter naps on Uncle Jason.
Ben at a birthday party at McDonald's.

Me driving the car.
Anyone can see the humor in this add. The last week of October, when I documented our lives, our mailbox was inundated with political adds (Wisconsin was supposed to be a swing state). Isn't this hilarious.
The kids made me a play food breakfast, and we chowed.



My play food breakfast up close.
Hunter in his monkey towel.
Me, scrapbooking.
Our bed, after sleep.

Hunter, sick, and all cuddled up at naptime.

My computer the morning I started this Week In The Life.

Dad leaves for work.

Ben eats breakfast.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures... Halloween and more daily-isms to come.

My little buddy.

A lot of the day that I drop Ben off at school I take Hunter to roam or run errands at some of our local big box stores. He loves to get a snack at Subway and sit at the tables and eat it. He makes a great lunch date. Cheap, too, usually satisfied with a soft pretzel and an icee. I took a few pictures of him one day, happily eating alongside his momma.




Monday, November 17, 2008

New Glarus State Park

After our lunch in New Glarus we drove up the road to explore a state park. I was pleased to find the secluded, and empty playground where we could romp, and take pictures. Even Uncle Jason climbed up the play equipment.

The autumn colors in the park were spectacular!


Me, hugging trees, as usual.

Ben runs around the structure.
Hunter, too.
Dad stands by:
Love my noodle:

A helping hand...

Jason went down the slides... so did I, but no one took a picture of it. LOL.
A family photo session on the grass. I wanted to get in as many of these as I could before it got too cold outside, and before Theo goes.

They are jumping on our backs, full force, while Jason takes pictures.



The most cooperative shot we got all day:
Some hill rolling, and sand crawling:


Awe... Jason.
Jason climbed up on this tree stump and Ben followed him up there.

More fall color shots before we headed home for the day.


I'm a goofball.
Ben was trying to get water and this fountain went nutso.