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October 29, 2013

Henri: this shot from last month. Too cool for this attire now. This was how I found Hen one afternoon while playing outside. Funny how he goes primal when nature calls!

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October 29, 2013

Lily: happy heart. 

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October 29, 2013

Liberty: fall break: girls lunch at our favorite Mexican spot. Tamarind sodas. Deep in thought.

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October 29, 2013

Henri: he picked 3 perfectly ripe Fujis from the orchard an hour north of us. We do everything in 3s now. His favorite number :) 3 years old! My baby is 3... *sigh*

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October 29, 2013

Linen: 11 going on 30. She's an old soul this one. Maturing gracefully. Guess she got that from her Aunt Rebekka! 

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October 29, 2013

Lily: turned 11 last week. Impossibly beautiful. This girl's running a 5k next weekend! 

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October 29, 2013

Pip: spent some time posing in the apple orchard. And by the way: 6 years old has been fun! A certain girl in his class confessed her love to him last week. So sweet!

So we're going to play catch up for a bit. I'm totally slow with the phone thing. But I figured out my new phone and I'm going to get back in track!!! 

She's baaaaaack!

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September 28, 2013

Liberty: finding herself. Every day a new horizon; like the sun rising over the prairie. 

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September 1, 2013

Henri: little chap's waiting on a call. 

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August 18, 2013

Lily: anticipation. She's watching the storm clouds form.

We were all hoping for a swim this afternoon. But weather is threatening to close the pool. Disappointing, being that this is one of the last weekends of the summer the pool will be open. 

Lily shows no hesitation for outdoor activity. At her first cross country practice  of the season, this week, she replied, "refreshing!", to my question of how the run went. A true athlete. I feel the same way after taking any challenging power yoga class or ballet class. 

On the seasonal subject: Figs! Last night, a dear friend & I jumped the fence of the vacant house's yard to gather figs. Gold! The ground beneath reeked of rotting figs. I ended up with 2 gallons to put away. Preserves, baked figs stuffed with goat cheese, little fig pies as after school treats... Oh the possibilities! 

May your seasonal transition be ever so graceful, my friends. 

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August 5, 2013

Liberty: moments before hitting the waves for the last time this summer. Moments after saying, "I am not wearing my swimsuit. I do not want to get in the ocean anymore. I'm sick of it!" Change of plans.

This girl will be 9 years old tomorrow at "7:30pm Eastern Standard Time" she reminded me tonight as I kissed my sweet 8 yr. old, youngest daughter tonight. Liberty is one of the strongest people I know. Bright & beautiful. Full of wisdom & understanding. She has an attention to detail that will stun anyone patient enough to listen to her go on for what can seem like hours. I say that because I can NOT stay with her speeches & stories long enough to please her unless I'm doing something with my hands at the time. She is a giver & a lover. Driven & passionate. Honest & true. My heart is full when I see her, watching her grow makes this bursting heart proud. 

 

More on Liberty Pearl aka "The Bird"? Check out her Godmother & my dearest friend from high school, Rebekka's, post at Rebekkamannseale.com 

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July 30, 2013

Harvest: "That was a bad idea", he says once the morphine settled in. 

My buddy is broken, but mending now. A clean break to the wrist yesterday. After taking a daring jump from a picnic table to a pole on Monday morning, this little dude has had all the royal treatment a 7 1/2 yr old could dream up. Ice cream, endless time on the IPad, & choice movies. 

My favorite quote from the last 24 hours? Waking from the sedative - 

Me: Harv, do you know where you are?

Harvey: I'm all over the place.

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Henri: loads of character piling up by the minute with this one. Loves to ignore my "walk!" & "slow down!" pleas while we round up the crew from summer evening swims.

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Liberty: last day at the beach. After a much needed vacation, this darling said a blissful goodbye to the coastal vegetation, salty air & rich natural history of Edisto, South Carolina.

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July 7, 2013

Pip: finds ease in his debut role as Micheal. He really is quite a delight on the stage. 

The children on our block, altogether 14, put together Peter Pan & Wendy the musical, in a weekend. The performance in our backyard kept the audience of 20 or so on the edge of our seats. Between Captain Hook's hook slipping off in mid line, our potty training 2 year old's decision to urinate from the crow's nest of the play fort during the flight to Neverland musical number & the wine flow amongst the adults, we were all stitches by the time end. 

Summer presents an endless supply of time for the imagination to create & wonder. I love the pleasure on Pip's face above. He certainly found his place this glorious day. 

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June 29, 2013

Liberty: found solace in a favorite film character doll. (no intentional color coordination) ;) 

Hot summer afternoon here, folks. We made a 4 hour coffee shop stop. Cooper record. UNO. Honey Citrus Cakes. 500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle. Cold-drip Coffee. Ahhh. Of course, with only the 3 oldest with us, along with friends stopping by, the time flew. What did you do this weekend? Share please!

 

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June 23, 2013

Linen: wearing Papa's scooter goggles. This girl is a lover. She nurtures, protects & cares for her brothers, sisters & friends. 

My! I am smitten by this wonder! She bares the heart of an angel, this dearling.  

Can you believe we are almost halfway through this year?!! I love this 52 portrait project, for how it's brought me closer to a feeling of capturing my children in ways I most likely would have never remembered. 

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June 17, 2013

Harvey: just loves not having a schedule breathing down his neck. This is his famous summer morning pose. 

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June 5, 2013

Pip: found this wee bitty frog in the pond. "Must have been a tadpole yesterday", says he.

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Lily: Drying off.

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May 26, 2013

Henri: this chap enjoying the Tennessee River scenery along side his oatmeal cream pie. 

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May 21, 2013

Liberty: Sharing summer plans.

My computer is showing signs of age. Hence the IPhone post. It's certainly not my preference, but I'd like to continue posting the portraits. Thanks for hanging in there with me. First World problems... 😓

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April 11, 2013

 

 

 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Liberty: sway back off the back porch.

Pip: balancing act

Henri: "yeyyo flown", says this little chap.

Lily: solemn and sweet. I love that she still want to wear flowery dresses.

Harvest: how kind he is to pose for me.

Linen: making a rope swing.

I love how quickly spring washes away the musky, winter air by simply opening the windows. Needless to say, our days are full of outdoor musing and wanderlust over all that is budding. I've been garden planning. Dreaming of all the wonderful work and harvest the family can gather around.

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April 2, 2013

 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Henri: Tout Ensemble (all together now)! We sing, "Free Range Hen"!

Liberty: This girl! I am in love. The hole in the knee, upon arrival of Easter Brunch, says it all. My darling, best friend from high school, Rebekka, posted of my sweet Pearl this week. I believe she described her delightfully well. A treasured work. Someone asked, Liberty's dress is Flora and Henri, a hand-me-down from her sisters of course.

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April 1, 2013

 

 

 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

 

Liberty: I posed this one, of course. Thought you should all know where I wander to on my walks. This apartment complex is the closest thing I have to a little piece of Paris. The gnomes to the left, are my little watchmen.

 

Lily: We gals love to bash about imagining what we will, talking nonsense and serious, finding what we will. Today, it was a giant brick wall containing this princess and her dreams of conquering the land beyond. The pearls that lace her throat, a gift from her noble and loving Father .

 

Linen: Our favorite vintage shop is opening up a new location down the way from our house! Bliss! This knit head wrap is identical to the one found in We Like Kindergarten. If you didn't know that I was completely in love with Eloise Wilkin's books & illustrations, now you know.

 

 



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March 17, 2013

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Lily: my rapidly growing sunshine.

Harvest: Captain Potbelly.

Henri: little dude rides the sea turtle.

Linen: my heart is so tender towards this spring bud.

Pip: incredibly fixated on this mural. He could barely catch his breath.

Liberty: thankfully this ankle injury was but a sprain. Poor thing, she's been limping around all week :( 

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March 13, 2013

 

 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Linen: This girl! Her daily growth is ever before me.

 

Henri: describes his precious car. I haven't even words for my love for this baby boy.

 

Liberty: made up castles with plots on this beach volleyball court. Her imagination is an incomparable gift.

 

Lily: her perspective is like of that as a bird.

 

Pip: hard at work on the strings of his new sneakers.

 

Harvest: happy to share his toothless grin.

 



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March 3, 2013

 

 

 

 

 

A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

 Liberty: a typical moment. Despite the snow flurries & coat left at home, my darling must have a turn on the rope swing at our local milk farm.

 

Henri: entranced by the embers.

 

Lily: warms herself in the sun.

 

Linen: plays on the rug with Hen. This simple game of him using her as a human trampoline, sends us into fits of laughter!

 

Harvest: Can we say ... yet another goofy side. :)

 

Pip: loves to smile for me :)