A Day in the Life: 5.12.15

I played along with Ali's Day in the Life last week.  Since it feel on the 12th of the month, I decided to stick with taking 12 photos.  That's a super doable number to me and it keeps me from feeling stressed and overwhelmed if I forget to take a few photos here and there.  I used my big camera to document our day and I so need to do this more often.  I love these "random" photos so much.  They show a glimpse at our everyday, and looking back on them, you realize how BIG these small things are.  Did you play along last week??

Hello 12 on the Twelfth

It's been a while since I've done a photography project and I'm looking forward to playing along with Ali's Day in the Life today!  Since it falls on the 12th of the month, I'll be snapping 12 photos of our day.  Looking forward to seeing the moments I can capture today.  This project is always an eye opener for me, and it reminds me of just how much I have in my life - and how the everyday is more than the "everyday".  It's our day.  It's our life.

I hope you will play along!  There's no pressure or number of photos you have to capture.  Keep it simple.  Keep it fun!  Just keep documenting!  

12 on the Twelfth: December Pictures

I finished up my final month of 12 on the 12th yesterday and it was definitely a little bitter sweet.  I really loved taking pictures on the 12th each month and I know I snapped a lot of our lives that probably wouldn't have been documented otherwise.  I caught glimpses of our day that seem so ordinary as you are living them, but then become so extraordinary when you look back on them.  A lot happens in a year, and having so many sweet memories recorded is priceless.  I've added the majority of these photos to my Project Life album, but I'm still contemplating creating a book just for these photos (pretty sure that's my obsession with mini albums talking).

Our 12th was a busy day....cookie making, Christmas crafts, present wrapping, playground fun and Disney on Ice.  It was purely magical.  

12 on the Twelfth: November Pictures

Another 12 on the 12th is documented and in the books!!  There was definitely nothing unusual about  our day at all.  Both kids were in school, Scott had calls all day and I hung out in my craft room.  The photo of the "Serial" podcast can pretty much sum up several hours of my day.  It's pretty boring when the kids aren't here!

Here is a look at our day on the 12th of November!!  One more month to go and this project will be complete!  I'm undecided on how I am going to tackle these photos, but I'd bet my money on some type of photo book!!    

12 on the Twelfth: October Pictures

I am oh so glad I've continued on with this project throughout this year.  I knew I would finish it (because I am OCD and once I start a project, book, idea, scarf....I can't quit it, even if I really want to)!  Capturing ONE day during each month has been so insightful and wonderful.  I've captured moments that I would probably overlook on a day-to-day basis.  I've pulled my big camera out and toted it around with me to get the "real" shots, those everyday moments.  I love watching the months and seasons change.  I love the way the photos change, but how they still stay so much the same.  

Here is a look at our 12 on the Twelfth photos from October 12th:

Thanks so much for joining me here on my little blog!  It really, truly means so much to me!!  If you happened to play along this month, feel free to link up in the comments below!  I'd love to take a look at your everyday!

xoxo

12 on the Twelfth: September Pictures

Oh where is this year going?  I can't believe it's already the middle of September.  This month has been jam-packed, but I was actually really looking forward to documenting our day this month.  So much has changed just since August, so it was nice to get a look at our "right now".  I spent a while looking back through our photos from this project (all the way back to January) and I am just so grateful for this project.  I love the moments that were captured and I love looking at how our days have changed.

Here is a look at our September day:

If you played along, I'd love for you to link up your day in the comments below!!

Happy Saturday!

12 on the Twelfth: August Pictures

I'm finally sharing my 12 on the Twelfth photos today!!  The 12th definitely caught me off guard this month.  It feels like it sneaks up on me every month, but especially this month.  I guess it's because my little man was sick and my sweet girl was in school all day.  I didn't even remember until about 5:00 that it was the 12th, but luckily I had captured various points of our day (because I'm a photo-a-holic, apparently).  

Here's a look at our day....

If you played along this month, I'd love for you to link up your day!!  Follow the link below:

An InLinkz Link-up

12 on the Twelfth: August

The 12th came and went yesterday and I just barely remembered to take pictures.  I was a little bit preoccupied with a sweet little boy who has that awful stomach bug.  I did manage to get quite a few photos, ironically....not really because I was trying to document 12 photos from our day, but I guess just because I document our days (on a regular basis...and because my husband is out of town and I kept sending him pictures of our sweet little guy...thank you iPhone.).  I remembered around 5:00pm while baking some yummy blueberry muffins that it was actually the 12th of the month, and when I flipped through my phone and camera, I managed to find photos that represented our day.  Sometimes you don't even have to try to get those photos.....and sometimes, it feels like 12 should be a zillion.

So....I'll have my photos up later this week because I already have a Project Life post planned for today (see, I the 12th really did sneak up on me this month)!!  If you played along, feel free to link up your photos here or on my August photos post.  Either will work!!

Around Here...

This week has been all about "getting back into the swing of things" for me.  Kindergarten is in full session for my daughter, and I've been running around doing carpool, attending meetings and trying to figure out what in the heck is going on!!  I guess being out of the country for nine days will do that to ya.  :)

Around here....

Loving my new Instax printer.  I took it with us to Spain and printed out a ton of photos.  It's so cute and compact and easy to use.  The quality is better than my original Instax camera, but they are still Polaroids.  It's just a fun little toy.

Catching up on some work and emails and workshops.

Waking up with these two cuties and savoring every moment of it because I know it won't last forever.  Is there anything more precious than a sleeping child??  Yep...two sleeping children snuggled in together... :)

Pulling out my yarn to start a few projects.  (These colors are my favorite!!)

Spending way too much of our afternoon doing homework.  Luckily, Anna loves homework so she doesn't seem to mind. 

Being super silly with these two.

Trying to make up for all of those minutes I missed while we were in Spain.  I love them.

Finding some beauties in our garden.

These were waiting for us when we got home from Spain.  Not sure our garden survived our trip, though.  It looks kind of sad and wilted.  I'm hoping it makes a comeback, but I'm not so sure it will.  

Crawling into bed to work on my woven wall hanging.  I'm a little bit obsessed now....  It took me a while to figure the whole thing out, but I finally got it working.  I definitely pulled my yarn too tight in the beginning, so the middle of my hanging kind of pulls in, but I'm totally cool with that.  I want to experiment a little more with various yarns and thickness to achieve different looks.  I would love to spin my own yarn (one day)!!

(This picture cracks me up!)

Having fancy family dinner night at our house.  Our kids love fancy dinner night and it's so cute to hear them getting each other dressed up.  And they insist Scott and I get dressed up too (and dressed up in this photo for me = pool cover up because that's what I had on).  Oh...and we had tacos (fancy, right??).

Spending lots of time in the car with these two.  Back and forth.  Back and forth.  Drew keeps me company....

....sometimes.  And sometimes he falls right to sleep as soon as we pull out of the driveway. 

Hanging up my finished weaving and loving the way my craft room is coming together (although I haven't spent any time in here at all since I've been back!!  Eeeek!)

What have you been up to???  Whatever it is, I hope it's been awesome!

12 on the Twelfth: July Pictures

There are four million things in my head right now and I reeeealllllly wanted a few more days before the 12th, but being my OCD self, I had to pull out my camera yesterday and get snapping away.  I figured I was already six months into the year and I couldn't really back out now.  It seems the summer months make projects like this a little more challenging.  There's more going on, more people in and out and more things to do.  But it's a good reminder to capture our life, even in those crazy moments.

Here is a look at our day on July 12th...

Click here to see my previous 12 on the 12th photos.

If you played along this month, I'd love for you link below!!  

An InLinkz Link-up

12 on the Twelfth: June Pictures

Just like every month, the 12th kind of creeps right up on me.  And just like every month, I contemplate whether or not I actually want to charge my camera battery and concentrate on taking photos of our day.  And just like every month, I love doing it and I'm so thankful I decided to stay on this path.

I do love photography.  I am very much a novice and have so much to learn, but I love playing around with my camera and light and finding new ways to document the same moments that have likely already been documented.  

All of these photos were taken with my Canon (I have the Rebel T1i....super old, huh) and my 50 mm lens.  The 50 is my favorite lens by far.  It gets that pretty background bokeh and makes photos seems dreamy.  

I only shoot in manual mode, but it took me a few years to feel comfortable enough to do that.  If you haven't put your camera into manual mode, I highly suggest doing it and playing around.  When you shoot in manual, you have to adjust your shutter speed, exposure and/or aperture depending on your light and your subject.  This was the hardest part for me initially because I was always capturing a moving target (i.e. my kids) and I felt like I was fumbling to get the right settings AND the best image.  Eventually, I started practicing on random objects and got pretty comfortable with how to change my settings according to my light and subject.  But don't get me wrong....it's still very challenging to do on a moving target, especially inside where some light is good and some light isn't so good.  In the end, I take more photos than I should and then just delete the ones that aren't the best (to me).

So...enough with that little blurb, huh...

Here are the June edition of our 12 on the 12th photos.  I decided to change them to black & white when I edited them just for something different.  I'm not sure if I love them this way or not.....hmmm...

Our day was a very typical summer day....playing cars, pretend play, manicures, painting, giggles, pool, coffee and reading.

If you played along, I'd love for you to link up your photos in the comments section!!  If you missed it this month, there's always July.  :)

12 on the Twelfth: May Pictures

It's been such a busy week on my little blog that I haven't had a chance to post my 12 on the 12th photos yet!  It was a pretty typical day and I love that I was finally able to capture an "ordinary" day for us.  Taking 12 photos is still quite a challenge, though, when life is going full speed ahead.  It's the end of the school year here and I am swapped with assignments....  but what I really love about this project, is that it makes me stop and look at our day AS it's happening.  Sometimes things move so fast I can only appreciate our day-to-day once it's happened.  Documenting May 12th reminded me of all that I have and all that I am thankful for.  So cheers to the camera! 

Here's a look at our day:

Did anyone else play along??  Link up your photos in the comments section if you did!  I would love to see your day!!  

Happy Friday everyone!!  

xoxo

12 on the Twelfth: April Photos

Another 12 on the Twelfth is in the books!  I'm still quite shocked that I ended up with 12 pictures from today!  I  started off strong, but the to-do list quickly got in the way of my camera.  I feel like the photos totally capture our day, though.  It was all about my husband and a party.... 

I ended up with way more "subject" photos than I'm usually get, but I love the emotion and happiness that is captured from today.  It was a good day.  Good food, good fun, good friends and good family.  Really, there's nothing better.  

Here's a look at our day...

If you were able to play along, I would love for you to link up your photos!!  And if you missed today, pick another day and then link up.  There are no rules with this fun project!!  Happy snapping!

12 on the Twelfth...April

Today is the 12th of the month and that means it's time to grab out that camera!  As much as I feel like the 12th pops up right after the 1st of the month, I really do love this little project.  I wasn't exactly sure if I was going to go through with the pictures this month because today happens to be a super busy day for us.  It's my husband's birthday and we've invited all of our neighbors and friends over for an outdoor party, so you can only imagine what all needs to be done....  But, I started looking back through my Project Life spreads of my 12 on the 12th photos and they just warmed my heart.  I love the random photos I've snapped of our day and I love how they really do speak to our everyday.  I think my "everyday" photos have fallen a little short this year since I've switched to a monthly approach and don't really worry when I take my photos.  I'm super happy with the monthly approach, but I love that I have the 12 on the 12th photos.  I love that glimpse of our lives.

So, heck yeah, I'll have my camera out today!  I hope you will join me if you have time!  It really is fun to do, and there is no pressure at all.  You don't have to get 12 photos and they don't have to be today.  It's just a fun reminder to play around with your camera and capture your everyday!

I'm not sure if I will have my photos up on Sunday, but we shall see.  Feel free to link up your photos in the comments section here if my photos aren't up and a linky isn't up!!  Can't wait to see your day!

You can click the links below to be taken to my January, February and March photos.

12 on the Twelfth: January Pictures

12 on the Twelfth: February Pictures

12 on the Twelfth: March Pictures

And I thought it would be fun to pull the Project Life spreads that I made with these photos.  This is by far my favorite part....getting them off of my camera and into my album.  I've linked up each page below if you would like to see more photos or find out how that spread came together.

January

February

March (Part 1)

March (Part 2)

Project Life: March 2014 (Part 1)

Happy Saturday!!

I have one of my March Project Life spreads up at Two Peas in a Bucket today!  This is actually Part 1 of my 12 on the 12th photos.  I decided to add each photo into my album as a 4x6, so I ended up with two Design A pages and one insert.  I love the way it turned out.  Adding smaller pages and inserts is my favorite part about my album this year!!

You can read more about my spread and see the products used over at Two Peas!!  Let me know if you have any questions!!

12 on the Twelfth: March Pictures

So February went by in a flash, huh?

On to March we go...

The 12th kind of snuck up on me this month.  It fell on an absolutely "ordinary" day for us.  No snow, no school closing...nothing out of the ordinary.  I'm so happy that I finally go to capture a "normal" day.  

And once again, I'm so glad that I have chosen to do this project this year.  It's one more "thing" added to my plate, but it allows me to see our everyday as a whole....  It allows me to take a moment and reflect on what we do, who we are and what is most important.  It reminds me of how small and funny and silly our kids are.  And it reminds me to savor these moments because they are all too fleeting.  It gives me a little "push" to be more present in our day and not worry about all the small stuff (clean house, sparkly bathrooms, folded clothes).  

Here is a little glimpse of our day....

I switched back and forth between my iPhone and my Canon all day long.  It's much easier to snap photos with my iPhone, but I sure love the quality of my Canon.  Either way, it's a win-win because the moments are captured.

Did you play along this month?  

You can see my January and February 12 on the 12th photos here....

I'd love for you to link up below if you did!  And feel free to link up whenever!  Don't feel like you missed out on the 12th!  Take yours on the 13th or 14th....do what works for you!!

xoxo

12 on the twelfth: february pictures

another 12 on the twelfth is in the books.

and again, it was an "out of the ordinary" day for us.  we stayed in our pajamas most of the morning.  we baked cookies and muffins.  we sang song after song from the frozen soundtrack.  hubby and i had way too many cups of yummy coffee.  we waited for the snow and couldn't pull ourselves away from the doors and windows when it finally started.  the kids played in the snow for about 5 minutes before they were too cold and wanted to come in.  i made a mini book.  we had cups of hot cocoa with mini marshmallows.  and we made valentines.

our day.  captured and recorded.  that's all that matters.

did you play along?  i'd love it you'd link up below!

12 on the twelfth...february

it's the twelfth of the month so that means i'll be snapping away today.  i was so hopeful for an "ordinary" day to document, but go figure....schools are cancelled, play dates are happening and we're all still in our pajamas.  oh well....that's our life.

i'd love for you to play along with me!  i'll have a link up here on my blog tomorrow if you do get around to taking and uploading a few photos!

xoxo

12 on the twelfth...january pictures

whew....yesterday was way busier than i had expected.  we were out of the house most of the day and i didn't pull out my camera as much as i would have liked to capture more of the "everyday".  it was the first sunny day we've had in what feels like months, so we spent the day at the park and then grabbed a bite to eat while we were out.  it was dark by the time we got back home and all the "pretty" light of the day was gone.....  but i did manage to get 12 photos of our day.  i'm interested to see how the photos change month to month and also weekday to weekend.  

if you had time to play along, i'd love for you to link up your photos here!!  :)  i'll be hosting another "12 on the twelfth" next month, so no worries if you missed out (or you could play along on your own schedule!!).

happy monday!!

xoxo

12 on the twelfth...january

as i mentioned yesterday, i am starting up a new photo challenge for this year.  sometimes i feel the weight of project life and i love to try new things to keep the "romance" going...

today i will be capturing 12 random moments from our day.  it's an attempt to get my "big camera" out and to try and pay attention to the little details of our life.  i would looooooove for you to play along.  there's no right or wrong and it doesn't even have to be today.  do it tomorrow.  do it whenever.  no ones really going to know when the photos were taken, so definitely don't stress yourself out if today doesn't work!!  :)

drop me a comment here if you are participating!!  i'd love to check out your blog as you play along!!  i'll have a linky up tomorrow to link up (assuming that anyone wants to join in....ha!).

happy sunday!

xoxo