I’ve been thinking a lot about light and beauty lately (maybe because there seems to be big lack of it in dreary February.) I have to constantly remind myself that there is beauty to be found everywhere – even when life is full of darkness (both literal and figurative.)

All of this thinking reminded me of this photo I took several years ago. I took it in the most unlikely place. We were on our honeymoon in Paris and had taken a train to Giverny to visit Monet’s Garden. If you’ve ever seen one of Monet’s paintings, I can tell you that it is absolutely clear why he was inspired to paint. His gardens look exactly like his paintings (or is it the other way around?) It was by far one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.

In any case, there we were surrounded by color and beauty and flowers that looked like they were from another planet and what did I do? I became fixated on this curled, dead leaf. It’s not that I have a morbid streak or that I was oblivious to the beauty around me, but this leaf stopped me in my tracks. It was not particularly interesting and it was certainly not beautiful.

Or was it?

I bring this up because just this week in the Slice of Life Project, several participants remarked that there wasn’t anything beautiful about their routines. Their commutes to work were boring. Their jobs felt mundane. Their chores were…well…chore-like. So where is the beauty in all of that? How do we stay inspired to take photos when life feels gray and dull?

I get so caught up talking about the idea of beauty that I don’t always break it down and explain what I mean by that. Photography is a method for searching for what is meaningful. It can help hold a mirror up to life – which often isn’t “pretty” in the literal sense. But if all we looked for was beauty and pretty and perfection, how boring would our lives be?

As I suggested to my Slice of Life group, what if we changed our perspective? What if we took the judgement out of our lives and just observed the world around us? Instead of looking for typical beauty, why not look for what is gritty, interesting, challenging, dirty? Why not look for patterns, colors, shapes? Why not look for the simple pleasures instead of the grand illusions?

Life doesn’t always present us with exactly what we want it to at exactly the moment we want it, but if we open our eyes and pick up our cameras, we might discover amazing things we hadn’t expected.

So I want to present you with a challenge. As you drive to work or sit in your cubicle or change the tenth diaper of the day (like me), look up and find something meaningful to appreciate amidst the everyday-ness of your life. It may just bring a little joy to your day or remind you that life is exactly as it should be. It may even bring a smile to your face.

Registration for the Spring session of the Slice of Life Project opens TODAY!
Class starts April 2 and runs for 6 weeks. No photography experience required.
Details and registration HERE.

Since my word for the year is savor and since I’m already having a hard time remembering to savor, I thought I’d give myself some accountability. Motherhood is tough. It’s easy to get caught up in the monotony, the exhaustion, and the worries, but I don’t want to lose sight of the amazing things happening right before my very eyes.

I’ve decided that over the course of this year, I’ll be sharing what I’m savoring in these “i want to remember” posts. It’ll be my way of paying attention and savoring this special time in my life, even on the hard days. Think of it as a gratitude practice. I’m sure many of these posts will have to do with the ever-changing developments in our little girl, but I won’t limit it to that. I promise.

So today, I begin with savoring my baby girl at 3 months old.

{Can you BELIEVE that face???}

• I want to remember your eyes – how deep and bright and all-knowing they are.
• I want to remember your curiosity – how you look at everything with wonder and delight.
• I want to remember our morning ritual of looking out the big sliding glass window and saying “good morning” to everything we see.
• I want to remember how you nonchalantly hold on to my arm when I change your diaper.
• I want to remember how much you love books. Even at three months old, you pay close attention to the pictures as we read to you.
• I want to remember how singing the Munchkin song from the Wizard of Oz always brings a smile to your face (well, almost always.)
• I want to remember the intense, serious expressions on your face – like you have a secret you want to tell me.
• I want to remember how you smile with your whole face.
• I want to remember how your legs kick in the air when you smile, as if joy is a full-body experience.
• I want to remember how much you adore your daddy and how much he adores you. You were made for each other.
• I want to remember our nicknames for you: Smiley Cyrus, Mrs. Poopenstein, and our favorite, Rosie.
• I want to remember how this week you transitioned to sleeping in your crib like a pro. While your dad and I were strategizing how we were going to make it happen, you just did it. NBD.
• I want to remember to follow your lead. You always seem to know what to do next. And if I’m tuned in to you enough, I’ll know what to do, too.
• I want to remember the quiet moments when I nurse you to sleep and how your heavy body drapes over my shoulder as I put you down for the night.
• I want to remember how just when I’m about to give up, throw in the towel, and run away to Canada, you do something that brings me back and reminds me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

I don’t know about you, but I could use a little “me” time these days. For me, this means picking up my camera more and focusing on what brings me joy, what makes me smile, and what lights my fire. In just a few days, a new group of lovely people from all over the world (including the U.S., Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Germany, Australia, and more!) will be joining me on a photographic journey. We’ll be digging into our ordinary everyday lives to find the hidden gems. Care to join us? No prior photography experience is required – just a desire to capture the simple beauty in your life. Registration closes Sunday at 5:00 p.m. PST. Click here for details and to register.

“The invitation is to enter eternity, with your child, with everything, into the silence of intimate stillness. To sit and to rock, to be patient and present,
to be quick and compassionate, to soothe the ruffles and cool the brow,
to see without seeking, to witness without ever knowing how or understanding why
light follows darkness and darkness follows light.”
~ Karen Maezen Miller, Momma Zen

Ummm, so it’s been snowing a lot here. Like A LOT a lot. Having lived in snowy places like Chicago and Boston, I would have laughed at this kind of snow, thrown on my winter gear, and carried on with my life. But here in Seattle, we are not equipped for such things. The city basically shuts down at the mere mention of snow.

But this was much more than a mention of snow. It’s basically been snowing since Saturday. I haven’t left the house since Sunday. And let me tell you, five days in a house with a baby loses its charm after oh, say, the second day.

In all honesty, it’s been quite lovely. My hubby has been cooking up a storm, we’ve been hanging in our pj’s most of the week, and Sadie and I have been looking out the window a lot. Even though I’ve been working, it has felt downright vacation-like. We also had dear friends over at the height of “Snowmageddon” and ate, made music, and marveled at our beautiful babies. (You may remember Leo from his newborn photos – can you believe how big he’s gotten? He’s already six months old!)

All in all, I can’t complain. It’s been a good week.

And now for the give-away announement…

Wow. You guys are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing in my celebration and spreading the word around about the give-away. I wish I could give all of you photo sessions or a spot in my e-course or AT LEAST a hug. Alas, there can only be two winners. Here they are:

>>> The 30-minute photo session goes to McKenna!
>>> The spot in the Slice of Life Project goes to Kylie!

I will be emailing both of you with details shortly.

Remember, there’s still time to register for the Slice of Life Project. The next session starts February 6 and there are just a few spots left! I hope you’ll join me!

LET’S CLICK!

SET UP A PHOTO SESSION
PURCHASE A GIFT CERTIFICATE

I’m sitting in a dark house. Just the glow from the light above the sink. It’s quiet except for the creak of your swing going back and forth, the click of my computer keys, and the occasional sigh coming from your sweet, sleeping self.

You’ve been sleeping for two glorious hours. They say to “sleep when the baby sleeps”, but I find that nearly impossible. So instead, I work or I eat or both. Right now, all I want to do is savor this moment.

I want to remember this day. It’s Monday. A work day. And that’s just what I did. I sat at the dining room table on my laptop, looking out at the snow on our porch. Snow on our Weber grill and covering the patio furniture we bought when we moved into the house several years ago, long before you were born.

I want to remember the sound of you sleeping. I want to remember how this week, you came alive. You became a person. You started to really see the world around you. You started to react to us and coo and smile even more than you have in recent weeks. Now, you’ll wake up from naps and if either I or your daddy are right in front of you, you will smile with the biggest open mouth.

Today, you smiled a lot. It made me very happy. Whenever you woke up, I’d get up from my work space at the dining room table and feed you and sing with you and laugh with you (well, I laughed…you’ll be laughing soon, I’m sure of it.)

All day, I thought about our weekend. It was the first time since you were born that your dad and I felt like we had an actual weekend. You are fully integrated into our lives now and you seemed to enjoy the same weekend-y things we do: leisurely meals, good coffee, relaxing on the couch with a book. Yes, you’re going to fit in just fine, little lady. You even came to our favorite coffee shop with us and charmed everyone there. And when it started to snow, we bundled you up and took you outside to see it and feel it yourself. You weren’t quite sure what to make of all of it, but we sure had a ball sharing your first snow with you!

I didn’t believe that any of this would be possible 11 weeks ago and in the weeks after your birth. Back then, I thought it was a huge accomplishment if I managed to load a dish into the dishwasher or walk down the driveway. But look at us now! We made it this far and we’re starting to have fun!

Speaking of fun, I hear your sleepy sighs turning to squeaks and squawks. I’m tired and achy from a long day of working and taking care of you, but that doesn’t matter. It’s time for me to close my computer, take a deep breath, and get ready for the evening shift. Who knows what it will hold? Hopefully, more of those amazing smiles.

xo,
Mommy

I had good intentions. I was going to sit still and savor the first few months of my baby’s life. I was going to put work on the back burner and focus on snuggling with the kiddo. But who am I kidding? I can’t sit still. So instead, I went off the deep end (hello, gorgeous new website and offerings!)

The truth is I really treasure my “me” time. And right now, focusing on grown-up stuff like websites and e-courses feels good. Really good. I’ve even managed to get out of the house a few times by myself to work in my office (a.k.a. my favorite local coffee shop.) It always seems to refuel me so that I have more energy to come home and be a good mama to Sadie Rose.

Yes, there’s a LOT happening these days and I thought what better way to celebrate all the new things than by sharing the love with you!

So here’s what I’ve got up my sleeve: I am giving away one spot in the upcoming session of the Slice of Life Project (which starts February 6, by the way) and one 30-minute mini photo session. I will pick a winner for each give-away on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. (PST).

For a chance to win, here’s what you need to do:

1. Leave a comment on this blog post before Thursday, January 19, at 5:00 p.m. (PST).
2. Let me know whether you want to be entered into the photo session give-away (you must live in the Seattle area for this one) or the e-course give-away (you can live anywhere in the world for this one). You can only be entered into one of the give-aways.
3. Let me know who the photo session or e-course would be for if you win. Is it for you? Fantastic! Is it for a friend or family member? Fabulous! If you have taken the Slice of Life Project before or are registered for the upcoming session, you can leave a comment for a chance to win a spot for a friend.
4. If you want to help me spread the love even further, post a link to this give-away on Twitter or Facebook!

That’s it!

So what do you say? Let’s spread some love!

When I started my photography business almost two years ago, I dove head first into the unknown. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to specialize in. I didn’t know how I was going to drum up business. I didn’t know how to build a website and was adamant that I would never ever join Twitter. (Ha!)

Despite all of the unknowns, I did it anyway. I knew in my heart that I was on the right path and that it was all going to work out. So I took it a day at a time. When something excited me, I tried it. When something scared me, I tried it. In the process, I built my own website, took a LOT of photos of some amazing people, created and ran a photography e-course three times, blogged my heart out, and met some really inspiring people (both online and offline). And before I knew it, I had carved out a sweet little niche for myself. I figured out exactly what I want to be doing and what makes my heart sing.

Along the way, I shared my story — my Slices of Life. I got married, I traveled, I grieved, I quit my job, I went all in, I grew a belly, and I had a baby. It was important to me to share the steps along the way. I’ve always wanted you to be a part of my process. And sometimes that meant telling the truth when it was hard. Often it meant sharing the triumphs and celebrations. I can’t thank you enough for being there with me along the way.

SO! Sooooo! All of this brings me to today, the big reveal of my brand-spankin’-new website! It’s a day I’ve been dreaming about for a long time. With the help of my uber-talented web designer, Leah, I’ve been toiling away at it over the past few months in my spare time – you know, between diaper changes, feedings, and sleepless nights. When I contacted Leah back in the fall, I told her I wanted my website to reflect who I am. I wanted it to be warm and cozy and happy. I told her that I wanted to showcase my photos in a super-pretty way and that I wanted to make sure that you knew what I wanted to do more of: photographing newborns and babies, families and children, and portraits and headshots (specifically of all of you solopreneur/creative types.) She took my ramblings and rumblings and made sense of all of it and WHAM! BAM! she created a BEAUTIFUL website that does exactly what I wanted it to do. It is so me, in every way imaginable. And I hope when you look around, you find that it is so YOU, too.

Okay, enough of my yammering! It’s time for you to explore my new digs. If you’re reading this post in a blog reader, please click through to look at the actual site. I’m so proud of it!

If I may, I’d love to direct you to a few of my favorite places on the new site:

• The beautiful new gallery pages (SWOON!). This is where you’ll find photos of past clients, descriptions of the types of sessions I offer, and what to expect when you hire me.
• The Slice of Life Project page, where I am currently accepting registrations for the February session. If you are looking for a creative way to savor and capture the details of your everyday life, this e-course is for you. No prior photography experience is required and all cameras are welcome (yes, even iPhone cameras!)
• I finally have a list of all of the places you can find my writing and photography elsewhere on the web (guest posts, interviews, and e-books, oh my!) I love to write about the creative process, Slice of Life photography, and motherhood. If you would like me to write for your website or publication, drop me a line.

Finally, if you live in the Seattle area, let’s chat! This could be the year you finally get photos that you love. I want help you make that happen.

LET’S CLICK!

SET UP A PHOTO SESSION
PURCHASE A GIFT CERTIFICATE

What. A. Year. I’m not going to lie. This year has been by far the hardest and best year of my life. I leave 2011 profoundly changed. At the beginning of the year, I chose the word “release” to guide me through the year. Little did I know how much I would return to that word as I navigated my way through pregnancy, childbirth, and the tender days (and weeks and months) after my daughter was born. Each day, I find myself releasing. Over and over, I realize that the more I release, the more real ease I will find. It’s a daily practice.

I found it so useful to pick a word for the year that I decided to do it again. Life right now is all about letting go. I don’t want to declare that I’m going to take over the world in 2012 or that I’m going to achieve, achieve, achieve! Instead, I want to slow down and savor. When I get wrapped up in day-to-day life with a baby or business concerns or other “real life” stuff, I’m going to stop, look around, and savor.

Life moves so fast. I don’t want to look back and wonder why I was so worried about a messy house or piles of laundry or my to-do list. I don’t want to wish that I’d spent more time playing with my daughter or snuggling with my husband or laughing or holding hands or gazing out the window.

And so I begin 2012 with a new intention. A new word. SAVOR.

What’s your word?

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

{Pssssst…Would you like to join me in February for a little photo-centric savoring? There’s just one day left to register for the Slice of Life Project for $75. On January 1, the price returns to $99. No photography experience required. Any kind of camera is welcome (even camera phones!) It’s all about learning to see, appreciate, and capture the things you want to savor. I would love for you to join me.}

These days, my camera helps me savor the simple moments and remember what is most important. Stop by Shutter Sisters today to read a guest post I wrote about the topsy-turvy early days of motherhood and how I’m making the most of it. If you leave a comment there, you could win a spot in my photography e-course, the Slice of Life Project!