Daily Picture Project - Day 155

"The world through orange-colored glasses made me sleepy"

Daily Picture Project - Day 154

New week, and weaning off the reflection theme! This week is glasses.

"Original, copy, shadow"

Daily Picture Project - Day 153

Delay due to Blogger outage. We enjoyed our Reflection theme this week. Only 22 days of pictures left1

"True Reflections"

Daily Picture Project - Day 152

"Channeling the Inner Beethoven"

Daily Picture Project - Day 151

This week's theme is turning into reflections. I don't really get her quote, but maybe my inner child is blocking it.

"My Villain is trapped inside the TV and can only come out if the Wii allows it!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 150

Yes, those are clouds in the sky! Shanghai might have a good weather day!

"Me and my shadow"

Daily Picture Project - Day 149

Utilized the balloon bow and arrow Natalie had from yesterday's Mother's Day Brunch. Who would have known there would come a day that she would request a weapon from the Balloon Clown? BTW, Zinc is a Percy Jackson series character. She is the daughter of Artemis. (This is what Natalie told me so I am assuming she is correct!)

"Zink takes aim and shoots!"

Mother's Day

This morning is Mother's Day. A holiday that for many years meant remembering to send/buy a card for all the mother's in my life. I never really thought it would be my turn to wait for some little recognition of the things you do as a mother. I've had 8 years of  motherhood and every years brings new highs and lows. 

This year brought new challenges. Glasses. First lie. Contrariness just because. Greek mythology. Chasing boys on the playground. And new discoveries. Overcoming fear to watch Harry Potter. Superheroes. Caring about hair. Participating in Character Day. Chasing boys on the playground. 

I love being a mother. That alone is a huge surprise for me. I'd like to believe that this has made me a better person, but frankly, that was never the objective. I do know that we are lucky enough to have a beautiful, healthy daughter. She is the love of  our life. And that also reminds me that it takes two to make the world go around. So Mother's Day also makes me appreciate how much easier it is with Tom here. Not just because he is Natalie's father, but because he is a wonderful, loving husband. What helps make me a good mom is to have someone to hand off to when the heat is too much for me. And that works as long as it does not happen when he is on a business trip!!!

Natalie gave me her Mother's day card this morning. Please note that this was not an "original". Though I do know she had to add a few flourishes of her own near the end. She took the poem from a Calvin and Hobbes book. But even though the effort was not original, she was up after bed time last night pouring through her three HUGE Calvin and Hobbes books looking for the poem! She was so tired, but begged to stay up a little longer to finish her card. So my real gift was my daughter laying on the floor surrounded by her open books creating something for me that she felt would express her love. Another year accomplished.

Without further ado, below is her Mother's day card to me. 

I was going to buy you a card 

with hearts of pink and red, 

but then I thought I'd rather 

spend the money on me instead. 

It's awfully hard to buy things 

when one's allowance is so small, 

so, I guess you're pretty lucky I got you 

anything at all.

 Happy Mother's Day to you. 

There I said it. Now, I'm done.

 So, how 'bout getting out of bed, 

and cooking breakfast for

your favorite child (well, only one).

Just joking,

Love,

Natalie

the pretty, smart, popular mature, 8 year old girl.

Daily Picture Project - Day 148

Let her ride her new bike to the bus stop for the first time today.

"I love to ride my bicycle, I love to ride my bike!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 147

Showered this morning. Braided hair. Dried with blow dryer. Cheaper and better than a perm! (going through a "I want curly hair" stage).

"Curls Please!"

Daily Picture Project - Day 146

The picture today is NOT the original theme we came up. I snapped some other pictures once we were finished and Natalie had started her self proclaimed "down time" before school. (What 8 year old needs down time after spending only 45 minutes awake?) She has been creating Super Heroes and Villains and writing stories about them. Yesterday she started this particular story and the result was that homework didn't get finished until 7:30 pm last night! And she had the story journal in her hand from the time she got up. She is up to Chapter 6.

"I think in Chapter 6 Firebird will have to blow up the plane!" 

Daily Picture Project - Day 145

Wow, not into the swing of things. Too much vacation!

"BACK TO SCHOOL"