iPhone {365 - Day 91}

Yesterday I got my snazzy new iPhone. I learned today that I can talk to it and it will type a text for me.  Awesomeness.  I hate typing out long text messages.  Just got to make sure you check it for errors first, as I quickly learned.

I also reloaded my fun camera apps and tried one out for today's photo.  The picture quality is way better than my antique phone.  SB had fallen asleep on the couch while I was blow drying my hair this afternoon.  This is her just waking up from her nap.

Day 91 {iPhone + Instagram}

P.S. This is how I found her 90 minutes prior.  I guess she was pretty tired.

Larabar {365 - Day 90}

Today was a fun first non-9-to-5 day for Kurt since he hopped off the banking stagecoach yesterday.  We did some work in the morning and then went out for a leisurely lunch.  After that?  The AT&T store for new phones!  Yay.  I had the original iPhone - I think it's officially an antique.  Kurt's wasn't much newer.  So I got the brand new fancy iPhone that talks to you (although  Siri and I are not BFFs yet) and Kurt got an Android something or other. The greatest achievement is that we spent an hour at the store without Sarah Beth tearing up too many displays or breaking expensive demo equipment. 

As a reward for her awesome behavior, we hit the park.  The playground was a little overrun with kids, so we took a stroll around the lake, stopping for a snack.  She LOVES Larabars.  She calls them "lady bars" which we find quite funny.  She will eat a whole one no problem.  This bench is where she will stop every time we visit and ask for a "lady bar."  How can you resist such cuteness?


Day 90 {Canon Elph}

Paint. {365 - Day 89}

Sarah Beth has been a little under the weather the past few days, so she and her Momma have been cooped up in the house.  Not good for either one of us.  I thought it would be fun to go outside to do a little finger painting.

SB is a funny kid; she loves digging in the sand, but hates having dirty hands.  I fed her a bean burrito for lunch and she was terribly concerned about getting beans on her fingers, so she ate like she was at an fancy tea party with her pinky fingers extended.  I wondered what she'd think of messy paint, but as soon as I squirted out the colors she dove right in up to her elbows.  Note the high level of concentration, lost in her art. 

Day 89 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

We are a creative family in our hearts. Photography and music are my outlets.  Kurt paints, plays guitar,composes music and creates films.  We've always felt a little trapped in the corporate world.  I left first, 2 years ago.  And today was another big day.  My husband walked out of the doors as an employee of "the bank" for the last time.  He is moving forward with a very exciting and creative venture that I can't wait to tell you about.  It could not have been a better scenario to start something new, and we feel very blessed to have the opportunity to start this new project.  More to come soon! 

Beans. {365 - Day 88}

We have beans, people.  Beans!  A very exciting development in our mini-garden.  I was skeptical when my husband planted these suckers over the winter, but almost overnight like "Jack and the Beanstalk," we have beans!  Only problem is we're not exactly sure how big fava beans are supposed to be before you harvest, and the dang cankerworms dropping from the trees are feasting on the bean pods.  Time to Google some gardening advice...

Day 88 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Here's a full shot of our garden so you can it in all its glory.  The kale has been delicious.  We have high hopes for the beans!

Dumb Dog. {365 - Day 87}

How shall I say this...Savannah Dog is not Sarah Beth's biggest fan.  SB replaced her as Daddy's sweetheart, and she has never forgiven her for this.  Never mind the fact that SB adores Savannah and throws food on the floor on purpose just so the dogs have an extra snack.  She is very concerned about remembering to get "puppy treats" when we're at the grocery store.  Sarah Beth is even quite gentle with her.  If only Savannah would realize that SB is her greatest ally.

Unfortunately, that is not the case, so we only let them play together when supervised.  This is a rare photo of Savannah allowing Sarah Beth to pet her for a few moments before running off.  She doesn't look thrilled about it either.  Dumb dog.

Day 87 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Friend. {365 - Day 86}

Playground weather today! Isn't it great when you take your kid to the park and there's another friendly kid waiting and ready to play?

 I love watching Sarah Beth meet new kids and learn how to interact and work things out.  It is sweet how children will dig in the sandbox together for an hour, building and destroying sand castles and immediately they consider themselves "friends."   Sarah Beth happily followed her new friend around the playground and giggled like crazy when her friend pushed her on the swing and taught her how to play hide and seek.  In return, SB made sure her friend always had the best bucket and shovel.  Because that's what friends do.

Day 86 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

Velodrome {365 - Day 85}

Today's adventures included a drive down to the brand new Velodrome in Rock Hill, SC.  I fully admit I'd have no clue what a velodrome was were it not for my cycling enthusiast husband.  This is how my twisted mind works:  I hear "velodrome" which reminds me of "thunderdome" as in the Mad Max movie.  So all afternoon I've had that Tina Turner song in my head.  You know the one..."We don't need another hero."  Which is now playing in the background on YouTube, assuring that I'll have weird post-apocalyptic dreams tonight.  But I digress...

When we arrived at our destination, I was shocked to see the steep angle of the track.  You're supposed to ride a bike on that?  Yikes.  Hats off to you, guy on the bicycle.  I love to ride but I don't see myself stepping up to that challenge.  I think Kurt was dying to take a spin though.

Day 85 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Very cool place.  Races start in May.  We'll be back for sure.

Rained out. {365 - Day 84}

Crazy weather day.  We ran a bunch of errands this morning and by the time we headed to the park for some playtime, there were dark clouds looming in the distance.  Right as we pulled into the park, it started to rain.  So, we turned around and headed home.  Good thing, too.  Thunder and lightning started up, and the rain ended in an impressive hailstorm.  I hope our bean plants survive.

Sarah Beth was mighty disappointed we didn't make it to the playground.  Here she is looking at the monsoon in the backyard.  Right now, Daddy is playing soccer with her in the house upstairs and is sounds much like the thunder that rumbled through a short while ago.  I hope it clears up tomorrow.  Our house is not set up for indoor sporting events.

Day 84 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Rain. {365 - Day 83}

The pollen has been so bad that if Sarah Beth didn't have a dentist appointment this morning, I would not have left the house.  The past few days, every time I walk out the door I feel like I've been maced.  Stinging eyes, instant headache, sneezing, and wheezing.  Imagine my delight in opening the door this afternoon to see a deluge of rain.  Watching all the pollen wash away in a big yellow stream made me want to splash around tap dancing like Gene Kelly.  Yay rain!  Tomorrow, we go outside again...

Day 83 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Thief. {365 - Day 82}

I ran over to Earthfare this afternoon, leaving Kurt and Sarah Beth kicking a soccer ball in the backyard.  When I returned, it was halftime apparently;  the athletes were having a snack and watching "The Aristocats."   At the moment I snapped this picture, Kurt had stolen an apple slice from Sarah Beth's plate.  The look of sadness in her face quickly disappeared as she snatched it right out of Daddy's mouth and quietly returned it to her plate.  Nobody messes with her snacks.

Day 82 {Canon 7D + a little Photoshop}

Stoplight. {365 - Day 81}

Errands today.  Lots of errands.  Hence the photo taken from my car while at a red light.  Heading to Target, of course.  With the recent heat wave, it has come to our attention that Sarah Beth barely has any shorts or short-sleeve shirts that fit her.  We found her some play clothes and managed to escape with only one $1 bin item (highly coveted Disney Princess sandwich box) and one packet of stickers - Care Bears.  Who even knew that the Care Bears were still around?  The stickers will be incentive as we attempt potty training again.  Which reminds me, I should have picked up more paper towels.


Day 81 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

Spring has Sprung {365 - Day 80}

The first day of Spring!  Although the Cherry trees obviously got a head start along with every other pollen-producing organism in Charlotte.  Despite the yellow haze in the air and all over the cars, the city looks beautiful and full of life.  Perfect photo session season! 


Day 80 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

Movie. {365 - Day 79}

Today was a special day.  We took Sarah Beth to her very first movie.  We went to the matinee of "The Lorax" at Phillips Place, and she loved it!  First of all, we got tickets, which in and of itself was cool.  She loves any kind of ticket or coupon.  So here she is, proudly holding the tickets.

Day 79 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

We stepped into the theater to find we were the only ones there.  A private screening!  How cool.  I think SB was a little overwhelmed by the big screen and the loudness, but she plopped down in her seat like an old pro and proceeded to watch the zillion or so previews before the feature presentation.  (I was asking a lot of my little point & shoot to take pictures in the dark, but it did ok with a little post-processing boost. I can live with a little grain to capture this cuteness.)

She sat through the entire movie transfixed.  At the end, I thought she was getting restless, but she just wanted to sit in my lap.  We gave the movie three enthusiastic thumbs up.  (Well, SB would have given it a thumbs up if she weren't sucking it the whole time.)

After the movie, we stopped at pinkberry for a post-movie treat...

We wandered around Phillips Place for a while, then decided we'd just do an early dinner at P.F. Chang's.  We rarely go there but the food was really good and they have a great Gluten-Free menu.  Here's SB cracking open her first fortune.

Keepers.

We passed the theater on the way back to the car, and Sarah Beth started crying because she wanted to see the movie again.  We had to explain that we only see movies one at a time and they'd we'd come back another day.  Her sad little tears were barely dry before she looked like this...

Sound asleep.

Avocado. {365 - Day 78}

We picked the wrong day to go to the Carolina Raptor Center.  Grandma and Grandpa were still visiting, so we thought we'd run up there to show them one of our favorite attractions before they went home.  The clear sky turned gray and it started drizzling as we got there.  Boo.  Being the troopers we are, we decided to stay, braving the rain to see some amazing birds.  The downside of rain is that I didn't take out my fancy camera since it is not really happy about getting wet, so no pictures.  But while we were there, we bought a family membership so we'll return very soon.  If you haven't visited yet, add it to your list.  You can get up close and personal with a chatty raven, a creepy vulture, or a majestic bald eagle.  The center is a rehabilitation facility that releases 75% of their raptors back into the wild.  Those that cannot be released due to injury have a permanent home at the Center, helping to educate people about their breed and how humans can have a positive impact on their environment.


After the visit, the Grandparents headed home, and Sarah Beth headed off to dreamland for a nap.  We carried her off to bed and decided to take nap ourselves.  Our schedule, as a result, is all screwed up today.  SB woke up around 4:30 and had some avocado as her snack.

My guest photographer of the day, husband Kurt, took this shot.  We are crazy about avocados in this house and probably eat at least one per day.  Here she is enjoying her treat along with a shaker of cilantro for added flavor.

Canon 7D {365 - Day 78}

Due to the nap, Sarah Beth is still wide awake. Kurt and I haven't had dinner yet.  It's 9:30.  I'm hoping she gets sleepy soon and we can polish off the leftover corned beef and cabbage in front of the TV with a little wine.  Fingers crossed!

Hello St Patrick's Day {365 - Day 77}

I love St. Patrick's Day.  Maybe it's the red hair and the freckles.  Or that fact that my parents used to play Irish Music all week and talk in a fake Irish brogue and serve green eggs and green milk for breakfast every year.  Our tradition is to head downtown to the fabulous Charlotte St. Patrick's Day parade.  My parents joined us and so did Sarah Beth's friend Avery and his parents Ouida and Greg.  Sarah Beth adores Avery and talks about him all the time. Here he is.  Isn't he a cutie pie?  No wonder Sarah Beth has a little crush.

Day 77 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Avery is used to having a camera pointed in his direction all the time.  His Mommy is a fabulous photographer.

Avery's Mom gave Sarah Beth a tiny hat.  She wore it all.day.long.  She brought it into the bathtub with her tonight so she could wash it.  She loves to accessorize.

We finished off our wonderful day with home cooked Corned Beef and Cabbage (thanks Trader Joe's!)  Couldn't have been better.  Hope everyone else had a Happy Green Day!

Grandma. {365 - Day 76}

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit today for the weekend.  Sarah Beth is a huge fan.  We asked her if she wanted to go to the park this afternoon, and she said "No, Grandma and Grandpa are coming to our house" so she didn't want to leave and potentially miss their arrival.  She had a blast playing with them while Mommy and Daddy had a grown-up night on the town with friends.  She barely noticed we were gone.  Here she is inspecting Grandma's pretty necklace.


Day 76 {Canon 7D}

Lake. Big Lake. {365 - Day 75}

Today, in honor of our 4th anniversary, Kurt took the day off.  We started with a ridiculously delicious breakfast at Zada Jane's.  Sweet potato hash browns?  Yes, please.  Later in the afternoon as the temperature reached 83 degrees, we headed up to Latta Plantation to dip our toes in the lake. Sarah Beth is a water baby.  She does not hesitate in heading straight into the water before Mommy and Daddy can get their shoes off.

Needless to say, she got completely soaked.  When we finally convinced her to get out of the water, her little teeth started chattering so we pulled off her wet clothes off, and Kurt was going to carry her back to the car to rinse off and change.  She decided, however, that she wanted to run, so off she goes, our little streaker, running down the path towards the parking lot.  I wish I had my camera out for that moment, but she'll probably thank me in 10 years for not capturing that one on video.  :-)

Day 75 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Ask the Gnomes. {365 - Day 74}

Happy Pi Day, y'all!  If I remembered it was pi day, I'd have baked a pie.  Oh well.  Next year.  Just a quick post today to let you know that Spring is here in a big way.  Don't believe me?  Ask the gnomes.  Their potted home went from drab green to purple explosion practically overnight.  We are looking forward to the rest of the week, especially the St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday.  Get your green on!

Day 74 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}

Make up. {365 - Day 73}

I can not keep this girl out of my makeup bag.  Or my jewelry for that matter.  While I was getting ready this morning, she requested a necklace to accessorize her outfit. (see how she's working the boho chic look?  Very stylish for a 2.5 year old.)  After that, she helped herself to some eyeshadow, which ended up all over her face.  At least the pinky-purple matches her outfit.

Day 73 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

Sand. {365 - Day 72}

Another beautiful day, another sandbox.  Today we were building castles and birthday cakes, which, incidentally, looked remarkably similar.


Day 72 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

Spring Forward {365 - Day 71}

I love this time of year.  I will gladly trade an hour of precious sleep to gain an extra hour of wonderful afternoon sunshine.  After a leisurely breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes (yay husband!), Sarah Beth and I went off  in search of fun and adventure while Kurt headed out to do some video work.  What a glorious day!  Seeing half of Charlotte soaking in the sunshine at Freedom Park with their kids and dogs of all sizes just makes my heart happy.  We spent several hours on the playground, then walked by the pond, stopping for a little puppy love from a passing dog and for this picture.


Day 71 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

The Miracle Plane {365 - Day 70}

Today we visited the Carolinas Aviation Museum for the first time.  It's tucked in right next to the Charlotte Airport.  If you scaled a fence you could literally run a football field's distance and be on the runway.  (Not to give anyone any ideas.) The hangar is filled with a variety of impressive planes and helicopters, but it is dominated by US Airways Flight 1549, the "Miracle on the Hudson" plane.  A former colleague of mine was on that flight so I have heard the stories firsthand, but it was not until I stood next to the plane could I truly appreciate what a miracle it was that everyone survived.  What is also amazing is that a ginormous aircraft can be taken down by a few unfortunate geese.  The plane was brought to Charlotte (where it was originally headed) last year for permanent display.  The wings are still unattached, but US Airways volunteers are preparing to reattach the wings in the near future.

Day 70 {Canon 7D}

This plane below was actually sold at Macy's.  Unbelievable what you could pick up at department stores back in the day!

Sarah Beth could not get enough of the planes.  She ran around saying "Big plane Mom!  C'mon take a picture!"  She got to sit in a cockpit and push some buttons.  A cockpit is a toddler's dream - nothing but knobs and levers and switches and buttons.  She loved it.

Oh, and Daddy loved it too.  Tell me he's not humming the theme song from "Top Gun" in his head at this moment.

After we left the museum, we drove around a little to see what we could see.  There were lots of fences and barbed wire but we managed to drive down a gravel road where this old hangar stood.

 
We took another road and ended up with a view of these huge National Guard planes on the runway.  No one came out to yell at us, so I guess it was ok that we were there, but we felt like we could make a wrong turn and end up right on the runway.

This was a great way to spend an afternoon.  I'd encourage everyone to visit, especially if you have kids.  Sarah Beth has been talking about helicopters and planes all day.  Future Pilot?  I think so.

Moose. {365 - Day 69}

This is Moose.  My slightly neurotic but sweet boy who has been with me for 11 years.  He may not be the smartest dog I've ever met, but look into his eyes and he's got this sad old-soulfulness that makes me believe there's more to him than just tail wags and sloppy dog licks.  He's getting up there in years, and I dread the day we won't have him with us any longer.  For now, we're enjoying all the time we have with our silly Moose dog.



Day 69 {Canon 7d + Photoshop}

Garden. {365 - Day 68}

If money was no object, my husband would quit the big city and move to a farm with goats and chickens and lots of land.  Unfortunately, it's not something we can do at the moment, so he satisfies his pastoral desires with a big box garden in the backyard.  This winter, he planted kale and fava beans.  (Side note: can anyone say fava beans without thinking of that line from Silence of the Lambs?  I can't.) 

The kale is ready for harvest, so I took a few photos of Sarah Beth in the garden before we ate our pretty plants.  This one turned out kind of dreamy in the afternoon light.  Makes me think that city living isn't so bad after all.


Day 68 {Canon 7D}

Quiet...too quiet. {365 - Day 67}

I've mentioned before that Sarah Beth has given up naps.  When she does, on occasion, doze off during the day, she will inevitably be up partying until midnight.  After lunch, I ran downstairs to the basement to do some laundry and check a few things on my computer.  SB was upstairs, voicing her displeasure at my absence.  Then, it got quiet.  Too quiet.  I went to check on her, and found her snoring away, halfway off her chair.

Day 67 {Canon Elph + photoshop}

After a few quick pictures (how could I resist?) Daddy picked her up and tucked her in bed to continue her nap. I am enjoying the quiet now, because I know it'll be a toddler party central at our house tonight.

Climb. {365 - Day 66}

We visit the same park a lot.  What's neat about that is how I can chart Sarah Beth's growth with playground milestones.  At first, she could barely make it up the stairs to the small slide.  Now, she's climbing up the "cargo net" with ease and zipping down the bigger slide.  Next, I'm sure she will be scaling the mini-rock wall to to the top level, shooting head first through the tunnel slide like the bigger kids.  It is unbelievable how quickly she is growing up.  I am so blessed to be with her every day to witness each moment.


Day 66 {Canon Elph + Photoshop}

Laundry. {365 - Day 65}

Monday.  Laundry day.  Well lately it seems every day is laundry day.  How can three people generate so much darn laundry anyway?  I was about to do a little folding and Sarah Beth proudly climbed onto the bed to "help."  Would you look at that smile and that crazy blonde hair?  Oh my goodness.

Day 65 {Canon 7D + Photoshop}