The last few days from the challenge are sitting on my hard drive. My hard drive is buried deep in a storage unit waiting to be delivered to its new home in LA. But it’s only been there since Feb. 28.  The days before that it was buried in boxes and crap as I packed up 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, the family room, kitchen, and four people. Sorry for the interruption. Once we get settled I promise to do a whole slue of posts! There are lots of shoots I haven’t posted about because I was just too busy. But they’re coming!!

Day 28 Saturday January 28 8:58am

captured: waiting for Lu’s morning nap

the story: Often before Lu’s nap we all sit down and play toys. Lu typically likes to sit in the bin and play with the toys that are in there with her. But this morning she did not! So Mara thought she’d jump in there and make her happy. Surprisingly it worked! Well kind of. Lu went between hysterical laughter to tears and back again. She was definitely ready for her nap by the time these pictures were done. It was so fun to watch the girls interact with each other. They’re so funny.

Day 27 Friday January 27 5:04pm

captured: dancing

the story: We’ve been listening to music and dancing around together a lot. Mara constantly asks for “moosiks”. This time she decided she wanted to really get Lu into it. She rabbed her hands and started dancing around with her. I thought Lu was going to get all upset, but instead she started laughing. When Mara pulled her she’d just walk forward on her knees looking up into Mara’s face laughing. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was a beautiful moment. I hope these girls grow up close.

Day 26 Thursday January 26 11:55am

captured: Lu and her sippy cup

the story: It’s fun that Lu hit this milestone during my photo-a-day. It’s not a huge milestone like crawling or walking, but those are easy to remember. Mastering the sippy cup is something a little smaller that you celebrate and forget when they learned it. So it’s fun to remember that Lu went crazy for Mara’s sippy cups until she figured it out this month. And she looks so funny when she tilts it all the way back like that. She does it that way every time.

Day 25 Wednesday January 25 8:33 pm

captured: a beautiful young woman

the story: At church I get to work with the youth – particularly the young women of our church. I love it. I love them. We get together each week for an activity. This particular Wednesday we all came over to my apartment and tried to learn a little about photography. I took shots of each young woman. As I took their pictures I thought a lot about the things I knew about them. They are all so beautiful inside and out. I just wish I could open their eyes to the beauty I see – the real life beauty of experience and hope for the future. The beauty that’s there because they are who they are. You know, past the hair, the lashes, the clothes. The beauty that’s deep and hard and true. It’s hard to see when you’re 16 though. I just wish they would!

PS – Thanks Maris for letting me use your photo!

Day 24 Tuesday January 24 3:00pm

captured: on the way out the door to ballet

the story: Sometimes I have to wake the girls up from their naps to get to ballet on time. Usually Mara pops up happy, but lately it hasn’t been so easy. On this particular day I changed her clothes, put her shoes on, and got Lu ready while she sat like this. Poor girl! What a trooper!

Day 23 Monday January 23 11:55am

captured: lunch time

the story: We eat ‘shakes’ about once a week. Sometimes more sometimes less. We put Greek yogurt, frozen bananas and berries, and pomegranate juice in our shakes. I prefer the Greek yogurt because it makes the shake creamy, but it doesn’t really matter. Anyway I love seeing the shakes get all over the girls’ faces. They’re so funny. Lu was squealing the whole time and getting very frustrated when I didn’t get it into her mouth fast enough. As I was snapping shots of Lu’s goatee Mara piped up “mom, take one of me mom.” Love my girls.

Day 22 Sunday January 22 11:40am

captured: while waiting for lunch

the story: The girls have a new favorite past time: pulling out all the dish clothes. They then throw them, dance in them, and lay on them. Lu is definitely the instigator, but Mara is the one who spreads the mess. At least it’s quiet for my neighbors downstairs. The pots are much louder as they hit the tile. Oh the joys of living in a second story apartment.

Day 21 Saturday January 21 10:24am

captured: watching a show

the story: While she was distracted watching her morning show I tried to capture her hair. Jayson has been wanting to cut it forever. She was bald for such a long time and when it finally did grow it was just a little tail. But I couldn’t stand to cut it because any hair was good hair to me. And now I can’t stand to cut it because I know the curls won’t come back. I know it’s crazy and it’s not all perfect, but I still think it’s so cute as it pokes out behind her ears. And at the rate it’s growing I’m guessing it’ll be another year before her first hair cut!

Day 20 Friday January 20 10:43am

captured: while Lu sleeps

the story: Mara knows that she gets to watch a show when Lu goes to sleep. I started that tradition so she would be occupied while I put Lu to sleep. Lately I’ve been cuddling with her and we watch her show of choice together. Today I was sitting there wanting a picture of us together. I love taking photos of my family and my life, but I’d love to be in some of them. So here’s a few I got today.I couldn’t choose just one. They all made me feel things. Little feet on my feet. Little noses and little kisses. Sometimes I wish these days would never end.