FRIENDS | {2014 Monthly Projects}

A bit late with last month’s project, but as they say, “better late than never!” The theme was FRIENDS and it seems as though the lines sort of blur between this month’s theme of friends and last month of family! That is because often times, our close friends become family…sometimes I say they are the family we choose to share our lives with! Dear friends are priceless and to be cherished and I can’t imagine not having friends in our lives! They are there through “thick and thin” for the “good and bad” to “laugh and cry” with us and share in the great joys of our lives! As we go through our lives, our friends might change, depending on where we live, our circumstances and just what we need from friends…but those who are tried and true friends…at always there, through it all and never waver! My husband and I have moved around quite a bit, though have been settled for over 18 years now…and we’ve met so many wonderful people during our moves and are thankful for all our our friends…some we have lost touch with, others have remained as close as when we lived by them…and new friends are also a gift that we are excited to see where the friendship will lead. Some of our very best friends in town have become our Puyallup family and it’s wonderful to see our kids are also friends and we look forward to seeing our circle of friends….and family continue to grow as the years go by!

February 02, 2014__3_13788February 01, 2014__P1C4002February 01, 2014__P1C4017February 05, 2014__P1C4342Emma loves playing with her “friends” and on this day, she decided they were going to visit the window sill!February 02, 2014__3_13834February 05, 2014__P1C4601Although Jayden and Emma are cousins, they are also friends and it’s heartwarming to see how close they are!!!February 05, 2014__P1C4765February 09, 2014__3_15349During a snowy morning walk through the park, we enjoyed watching the ducks with their friends in the snow and floating on the pond!February 09, 2014__3_15453February 15, 2014__P1C5834_2February 15, 2014__P1C5850_2February 15, 2014__P1C5881February 15, 2014__P1C5913Friends for over 18 years…definitely something to be treasured!February 19, 2014__3_15976_2February 26, 2014__P1C7336Emma and Malibu are great buddies – of course, Malibu is always encouraged to hang around Emma when she’s eating!!February 26, 2014__P1C7521

 

Jayden: Friends are fun to play with! Friends can help you when you need help with something. They can make you laugh and when you cry, they give you hugs and make you feel better. I love my friends and hope that I make many more friends as I grow up!

February 26, 2014_P1010421February 27, 2014_P1010424February 27, 2014_P1010425February 27, 2014_P1010428February 27, 2014_P1010439That’s it for February…and now we are already working on our March theme…stay tuned, we’ll try to be more on time with the posting! Wishing you all a great start to spring and we’ll be back soon with new photos for a new theme!!

                                                                                                                                       ~Terri & Jayden

 

FAMILY | {2014 Monthly Project}

It’s hard to believe that the first month of 2014 is wrapping up – the time just passes far too quickly these days! After doing a 365 (daily photograph) project last year, I wasn’t sure just what I wanted to do this year, but I had decided to not do a 365. There have been two years recently that I did a 365 and both have been rewarding, fun and a great learning process, but by the end of the each year, I knew I needed a break. They are amazing projects, but also demanding…you can’t let it go a single day for the year, so there is pressure and sometimes it has felt like a chore, BUT with that being said, I wouldn’t have not done them!

So, this year I am doing a monthly project, a theme so to speak, with a series of photos tied to the theme…and I’ve decided to do it with someone else, sort of a team project. That “someone” else is our oldest granddaughter, who is 8 years old. Jayden has been a subject of my photos for nearly all her life and often asks if she can take a photo when I’m shooting…and she often has ideas about the photos I’m taking when she’s around. So…our first month’s theme is FAMILY – and we both have shot some photos that represent what family is to us and will each write a bit to go along with the photos.

Here’s my series of photos…a couple are from last month and there are a couple that are even older.FAMILYFamily…the definition according to Wikipedia is: a family (from Latinfamilia) is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity (by recognized birth), affinity (by marriage), or co-residence/shared consumption (see Nurture kinship). Personally, it’s not only those you are related to by blood and/or marriage, but also those you you form a close bond with…a connection that is strong and feels like family!  Family can change over time as well…there are marriages, divorces, relationships, births, deaths…all changing the family that you have with you and through all of that, you can either develop a closer connection to your “family” or let it slip away. Personally, I couldn’t be more thankful for my family…every single one of them…and even those who are no longer with us. Sometimes I think that the family that has passed away helps us to strengthen the bond with those who are still here. Six years ago, my dad passed away and there are still days that the loss is still fresh and heartbreaking, but I am very grateful for everything I learned from him and it has helped me learn to be thankful for each and every day spent with family and friends. I love my family, am thankful for them and am proud of each of them!

The below photos are from Jayden with her words about the photos…I have loved sharing this first month with her and look forward to the next 11 months and our projects!

January 28, 2014_P1010395editFamily…I love my family so much! I would do anything for my family. This is my dad, I love him and my dogs, Maddie and Zeus.

January 22, 2014_P1010392editThis is my cousin Emma, I love her. This is my Mimi and Papa with her, I love them so much!January 29, 2014_P1010401editI love my little cousin, she’s cute and sweet and nice to me.January 29, 2014_P1010402editThis is ME! I’m Jayden…my family is fun and silly and cool and awesome. I love my family!January 30, 2014_P1010408editEmma is the best cousin in the world!January 30, 2014_P1010413editThis is my aunt Jessie and cousin…and I can’t wait for the new baby to come…I will get a new cousin and our family will be bigger!January 22, 2014_P1010381This is my friend, Jocelyn and her brother, Tyler…Jocelyn loves Tyler…she would do anything for him. That’s what family does.

Family can be very special, they can be funny, smart, they can be helpful and they can be wonderful. I hope you all have a wonderful family and love them.

Thank you for sharing in our first monthly project…stay tuned for next month when we have a new theme and new photos…

 

 

Week SEVEN of Fifty-two | {a walk}

This past week my theme was “a walk” so I grabbed my camera as we headed out the door for an afternoon walk. It was a cloudy day, but dry and around here, on the dry days, you have to take advantage of them and get out! My hubby and I headed to Chambers Bay, which is in Tacoma and not only a golf course, but they have a restaurant, a venue for weddings and parties…and they have some amazing trails for walking, running, dog walking and more…it’s a great area for many activities! We had a great walk, enjoyed the views of Puget Sound, got some good exercise and appreciated the opportunity for some fresh air and quiet time while we appreciated the beauty of this part of the country!

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From the top, the view of the property and the Puget Sound is amazing, even on a cloudy day…oh, I love living here!

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The start of our walk…there was a bit of everything along the way!

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I’m not a golfer, but most of my family is…so this isn’t very appealing to me…but what great views you would have on this course…and on a beautiful day here in the Pacific Northwest, I’m sure it would be even more amazing!undefinedundefined\

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The photos above was the same scene as the one below, just a change of focus…can you see the fence grid below? Look closely!undefinedundefined

Once we made it to the top of the hill (close to where we started) a drink of water was very refreshing…I’d be certain to bring water with me on a warm day for a walk here!undefinedundefinedundefined

If you need to rest, there is something for you, or your pooch needs to relieve it’s self…there are bags to help pet owners keep it clean and “land mine free” for those on the trails…something for everyone!undefined

The end of a fabulous walk on this cloudy day…I must say it was a wonderful walk and I always enjoy getting out and soaking up some of the great beauty of the Pacific Northwest!