day 27: what they say

I couldn't decide which one I liked better. This is a reaction the what 'they' day. For Christmas, my kiddo's received a Wii from my parents. It is the hot topic of conversation 99% of the time. This is what i hear all day......when can we play it, how long can we play it, why can't we play it...etc. When Jude asked daddy if he could play the Wii and daddy said 'no.' this face transpired. I can't even stand it. Its adorable. Totally candid, totally had my camera. You just can't pay for this kind of expression!
This is joy of love: day 27.

day 26: the bro-mance

Soak it in.......daddy and Jude
two peas in a pod.
This is joy of love: day 26

day 25: when you love them the most

This guy always cooks for me....no matter how long he has worked or what time it is he is always willing to fire up the stove. And he is a good cook. Raised by an Italian mother, he knows how to make yummy food. This is probably why I weigh more than I ever have in my life. Also the reason why I haven't and couldn't eat jar spaghetti sauce in the past seven years. What I find to be a chore after a long day, he finds effortless. Now the assignment was to document when you love them the most. This is just a glimmer of one of the times I love him most. He is the husband who buys flowers for no reason or sings me a song a love song in front of an audience. I am definitely spoiled. A romantic.....although if he could just take the trash out I would really be over the moon.....
This is joy of love: day 25

Day 24: where

Here's the story...the way I tell it.
I was pretty down and out. We've all been there. I was on my own. Elizabeth was a year old. I was waitressing like a dog seven days a week. My best friend, my brother and I headed out one night to hear a good friend play music. I was leaning against a brick pillar listening to the music and noticed the person next to me was wearing the exact same boots. I innocently clicked his heel and said "nice boots." The guy proceeded to chit chat and try to buy me a beer. I don't let guys buy me drinks especially back then when I was in survival mode. I left shortly there after.
A couple of weeks later with out my co-pilots, I headed again to hear some music. I was starting to feel human again after getting out of a pretty bad relationship. I walked in to my favorite haunt and there he was....the guy with the boots again. He hopped up and enthusiastically said hi and proceeded to kiss me on the cheek. I b-lined it to the bathroom and said to myself "great, now you are going to be stuck talking to the old guy all night." After some convincing, I joined him for a drink. Then we ended up in his kitchen...I know! And he said "now can I kiss you?" Then he planted one on me and I was all done. We've been together every day since. After meeting twice I was head over heels. Now this morning as I was asking him when he fell in love with me, his answered differed from mine. He said we did not fall in love with each other at the same time. GULP....I was on pins and needles. He said he fell in love with me the first time we met. Awwwww. Romantic? Maybe not...we met a bar....oh well. It's our story and we're sticking to it.
We were married at the house we first kissed in....the house he grew up in. These photos are courtesy of our very talented friend Andrew Luman. He and his wife were our fabulous wedding photographers.
This is joy of love: day 24

day 23: facebook

The Cowboy
This is the second nickname my husband earned on our last trip to Florida. He is actually wearing my cowboy hat. His was getting crispy floating in the pool so I made him put the hat on. A picture of my husband relaxing is a rare one. A picture of him looking silly even rarer. It just goes to show how important it is for everyone to get away. I know we'll get back there again. I was ready to pack everyone up and drive down this vacation. Two days in the car.......worth it to see this guy in my hat again. My assignment today was to find my favorite picture of my loved on on Facebook.
This is joy of love: day 23

Day 22: face {portrait}

This course has been an amazing experience. I have actually learned how to use my camera on manual mode. Natural lighting for all of these shots. It's been a long time since I was in the world of f-stops. Art school circa 2000. I am glad it's like riding a bike. I think my subject matter is a great inspiration. The one of the hubby was the first shot in the series. Sometimes, you know you got it the first time. It's not as crisp as I would like it. I am forever clicking my camera and never seem to manage to get a good photo of him. I like this one. Mister Laid Back. Good energy.
This is joy of love: day 22

Day 21: hands

dog hands

Wii hands

lego hands

lego hands

peeking hands

eating hands
Day one of vacation involved two fevers. There was lots of lounging around today. Lego building, Wii playing, baking, bone chewing etc. I think I could have taken pictures of hands all day. Penny, our pup, uses her hands in the most amazing ways. I love to watch both of my kids build with legos. It's super cool to see their little engineer minds at work. Especially Elizabeth. The girl throws out the instructions and just goes for it. Jude would like it to look just like the picture. Sigh. I am not a very good lego builder. Finally their fevers broke this afternoon and they ran around like monkeys. So I took them to the Rain Forest Cafe. Um, I can tolerate a lot but that place was disturbing. I am not sure if it was the noise or all the fake stuff hanging everywhere but I thought it was weird. The kids L.O.V.E.D it. I am saying shoo to anymore illness this vacation.
This is joy of love: day 21

Day 20: when they're home

When daddy is home, there is lots of snuggles. Jude likes using daddy as a human bed. He works longs hours and is often home late. The weekend is the kids time to soak daddy in.
This is joy of love: day 20

Day 19: when they're gone

This beast is turned off. In that cabinet all the remotes are hidden. All the wiring tucked away. Whether it is my husband or the kids, this things always manages to get turned on. It usually ends in me saying "turn that thing off! I can't stand hearing it anymore." When "they" are gone which is seldom, it is quiet. Maybe some pandora playing in the background. I find tv obnoxious. It definitely does not help me unwind at the end of the day. My husband needs it after his day. As a preschool teacher, I have had enough stimulation for the day and like quiet. I like to knit, embroider, listen to music, etc. The assignment was to attempt to capture the overall feeling. I think this picture says it all in a household of four.
I know I skipped Day 18 which is going out. It is on hold until next weekend.
This is joy of love: day 19.

Day 17: staying in

Staying in at my house is par for the course around here. We have become super home bodies which is what you do when you live in New England during the winter. My husband is an amazing artist. It is hysterical that he is drawing from one of those "How to Draw" books. He can literally draw anything in perfect perspective. But the kids critique him when he draws. "No daddy, not like that. I want it to look like the one book." It is hard not to giggle. I don't think they have any idea of his talent.
This is joy of love: day 17

Day 16: together self portrait

The Motley Crue
This is joy of love: day 16

Day 15: Smooch

Yikes! A smooch! This one was painful for sure
I rarely have my picture taken. I think other than our wedding we only have a few pictures of ourselves on record. So this is as good as it's going to get. We spent more time giggling than picture taking. So maybe it wasn't too painful. His kiss is what won me over seven years ago. Literally went weak in the knees....TMI???
This is Joy of Love: Day 15

Day 14: Wedding Band

"This Years Love"

This years love had better last
Heaven knows it's high time
And I've been waiting on my own too long
But when you hold me like you do
It feels so right
I start to forget
How my heart gets torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Feeling like you can't go on

Turning circles when time again
It cuts like a knife oh yeah
If you love me got to know for sure
Cos it takes something more this time
Than sweet sweet lies
Before I open up my arms and fall
Losing all control
Every dream inside my soul
And when you kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singing ain't this life so sweet

This years love had better last
This years love had better last

So whose to worry
If our hearts get torn
When that hurt gets thrown
Don't you know this life goes on
And won't you kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singing ain't this life so sweet

This years love had better last
This years love had better last
This years love had better last
This years love had better last
By David Gray
This is Joy of Love: Day 14

Day 13: Routines

Family book time. Every night. Every day. The kids pick out two books each and we all climb into bed and read them together. It might be the best part of my day. It is not a perfect time of day but a happy time. There is a tremendous amount of fidgeting. I know "Everyone Poops" by heart. The cat usually wants to lay on my head. Despite the glitches, it is my most favorite tradition we have implemented. I am super proud to say we read as a family seven days a week. (try to overlook the dirty socks....) This is Joy of Love: Day 13.

Day 12: The Eyes

This is Joy of Love: Day 12

Day 11: Dreams

A day late on this one. An abstract topic.....dreams. I definitely mulled this one over. After a long work week and a play date that turned into a sleepover and dinner at Friendly's with three kids by myself. (Why that place doesn't serve alcohol is beyond me.) I wasn't feeling terribly inspired. But Penny has dreams! I think she is dreaming about being pack leader. Hey, a girl can dream can't she!
It is not that this household is lacking dreams. Jude wants to be a super hero. Elizabeth wants to rescue animals. Not a Veterinarian mind you, a rescuer. Richard wants to literally, dream again. He is a sleepy guy. I am still waiting for my farm in Vermont. I will live on a clay deposit and throw pots in my barn all day and live off the land.
This is Joy of love: Day 11

Day 10: Where They are Comfortable

A boy and his dog

Two peas in a pod

This boy is most comfortable anywhere as long as he is sporting his Tom Brady shirt and face to face with his puppy. He loves his dog maybe more than the rest of us. Do you see it in his eyes? If she wasn't so distracted by the camera his affection may have been reciprocated. Talk about unconditional love! This is Joy of Love: Day 10.

Day 9: Passions & Hobbies

A boy and his shell collection

You don't get the nickname the Professor in this household very easily. My brother quickly gave my husband this title after we spent a week visiting him in Florida. My husband is a nature lover. He knows everything from fungi to flowers to plankton to shells. After seven years together and several moves, I have unearthed his boyhood collections. My favorite is his shell collection. They used to live in the box above but with his permission I have filled various glass containers and displayed them here and there. He is the guy at the beach who says "actually that is an isopod" after you just proudly told your child they found a shrimp. He is my walking encyclopedia for me as a teacher. If you have a question about the natural world he has answer. (and not in an obnoxious way.) He takes us out in hip deep snow and we track animals on our hands and knees. He finds salamander and tadpole eggs in the spring. He carves hiking sticks for the kids. His passion....his hobby is nature.

This is Joy of Love: Day 9

Day 8: Love from the Heart

The only piece of jewelry I religiously wear everyday.
This is Joy of love: Day 8

Day 7: Generations

grampy.jude.daddy

This is Joy of Love: Day 7

Day 6: Who They Love

Quimby

Given to my first baby, Elizabeth, the day she was born. No we did not come up with the name. It is his Gund given name. This being my first baby, I immediately ripped off the ribbon that was sewn to his neck. I was convinced it was a choking hazard. He quickly became her favorite. He was dragged all over creation. His soft fur became a matted and stinky. He was probably responsible for bringing the plague to and from our house. His tag was thread barren. One scar stretched from his forehead to his cheek were he landed on the burner of the stove. He was loved. And then one day he was gone. This was about 6 months ago. We were getting ready to move so I was convinced we would find him while we packed. Elizabeth would ask for him now and then but she was seven and too cool. Finally, she had a total meltdown about him. We started searching on-line for a new one. Of course, this bear is retired. The going rate for one is too much to say out loud. I was blessed to find a woman named Gran gran in Alabama who was selling one for a reasonable price. I mean how can you go wrong with the name Gran gran. Second generation Quimby arrived last week in the snow storm and has faithfully been by Elizabeth's side ever since. She insisted we rip off the ribbon even though I think she is beyond the choking hazard phase. (She's seven) He reminds me of the Velveteen Rabbit. Look at that mug. I am happy this guy is back! This is Joy of Love: Day 6.