fourth year of photo challenges [the 52 project]

while going through some old posts, I realized that I'm about to start my fourth year of participating in the 52 project!  I'm excited to share my first portrait of the year here soon - but for now, I can't help but to share a few of my favorite photos from the first two years of my weekly portraits.  the one photo top center was the very first weekly portrait I ever took!  swoon.

it is so fun to see these little changes and transitions all in one place.  from head bows to the tiniest piggy tails that anyone ever did see.  and I think there is only one thing that I miss about our rental home - that exposed brink fireplace on our front porch, man, that was pure photo magic. the house was always so dark, but that porch was my saving grace.  I now have a pretty sweet brick fireplace wall in my dining room, and a garage door of my dreams, both perfect photo spots, so I guess I'll do just fine finding spots for photos, but I digress.  

see our participation in the 52 project here.
and a look back at our third year in the project here.

excited for another year of weekly portraits...now with my four year old!

a look back at the 52 project for 2016

it's amazing how quick the weeks fly by.  joining in on the 52 project has been one of my favorite blogging adventures.  lately I find sharing a thousand photos of a single event here just too tedious, and instead, my passion in this past year or so has been making our mini-films.  however, as much as I love those little films, there is still something to be said for the simplicity of a good photograph, and that is what the 52 project has allowed me to focus on.  one photograph of my daughter, every week of the year.  here's just a little sample of a few of my favorite 52 portraits I took of everly this year. look at that baby face taken at the beginning of 2016, and then full on little girl in the last photo taken on christmas day.  I can't think of clearer proof of how my little toddler is no more, and I'm clearly raising a little girl these days.

the 52 project - 2015

Lately, blogging has been something that has gone pretty far down on my priority list. There are just not enough hours in the day. But one project that I am overwhelmingly happy to have completed for a second year is The 52 Project. Making sure I take at least one portrait of Everly every week has been the most rewarding challenge. I'm excited to begin taking photos once again for the new year. Here's a look at just a few of my favorite 52 portraits I took in 2015.

Happy New Year!

year seven

Today we celebrate seven years of marriage.  Sure, this number may be small still, but when you're 30, seven years is a pretty long time.  I'm so thankful for my little family, and my husband is a pretty big part of that [obviously].  This year has been a challenging one, mostly because we work opposite schedules to make sure our daughter is always with one of her parents, but it has also been one of most rewarding years of marriage.  We put in the work, and the return is pretty great. Thank you to my husband for putting up with my shenanigans, and I'll keep putting up with yours.  And because I've been liking these lately, here are some of my favorite photos of us, all taken by Sarah Maren of Sarah Maren Photography.

today we are off to san francisco to spend some time just the two of us

looking forward to leaving without 'packing' for a day trip

thanks grammie for watching her today, she's pretty excited for her day with you!

52/52

"A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2014."

I cannot believe how quickly this year has passed.  I am so thankful that I joined in on the 52 Project, it may be one of my favorite accomplished goals from 2014.  I will surely be joining in again for 2015, and I'm excited to figure out what I am going to do next with these portraits to "save" this year in another way.  I've been blogging for some time now, and always as a hobby, but I must say, I'm proud to see the progression of my portraits over this past year, and I'm excited to see where I can take my photos in the coming year.  And because I am just feeling so in love with this project, I've selected my favorite portraits from the past year, one for every month, starting with January...

See other 52 Project portraits here

and see the rest of Everly's weekly portraits here

instagram 2014

As 2014 comes to an end, I find myself getting sentimental, and sappy, and really into flipping through my instagram photos from the past twelve months.  Figured I would share a few of my favorites from this year.  And sure, she may still be able to wear last year's "famous sweater", but she sure has grown!

taking an adorable look at Everly's first year

Lately I've been very busy Christmasing with my little family.  I've been throwing presents in gift bags, moving our Elf once every three days, and half way participating in a December photo challenge on instagram hosted by Fat Mum Slim.  All in all, December is great, and going WAY too fast.  Today I did finish the gift I was making for our families, so that is a big check off my list.

I figured I should take a minute share something that made me smile after school on Friday - a blog post dedicated to my baby girl, and all the pretty photographs she's had taken over her first year by our amazing friend Sarah, of Sarah Maren Photographers.  We first met Sarah almost seven years ago now, and we created the first image below with a good amount of magic.  We couldn't help but recreate the image over five years later with our Everly.

Head over to Sarah's blog to see Everly's first year in photos!

It's worth the click, I promise

2011 review - classroom edition

ended my fourth year of teaching with crazy mixed emotions

left my safety-zone of teaching elementary

started my fifth year

and quickly figured out the pro's & con's of teaching middle school

here's looking back at 2011 - in my classrooms

2011 also brought me to one of my biggest grown-up decisions to date -

it was time to get my masters degree

and with that being said I choose an art integration program

because clearly it was a good fit for me

some of my favorite elementary art projects of 2011:    here   here  &  here

middle school art projects:    here   here   &   here

I'm really looking forward to finishing my year in middle school

but with every new year will bring the start of "job conversations"

will I have one - yes - but where & what?

and when will I know?

but for now I'll keep documenting my journey in the classroom

the ups & the downs

and all the in-betweens

2011 in review - "us" edition

this year was pretty great - here are a few reasons why:

lots of mini-road trips: I loved making these trips our own married-life traditions
 apple hill, daffodil hill, solvang
our home got a major mid-century makeover
started an annual camping trip
we celebrated 3 years of marriage
I turned 27 & the husband 30
and thankfully we have some pretty awesome friends that keep all of our
celebrations so much fun
and I can do this review for one other reason - I started blogging again this year
I've enjoyed this process so much
and when working on this review I have realized how much this blog has grown in 2011
so thanks for all those awesome people who decide to drop by and read what's been going on with me!
up next: 2011 in review - classroom edition