in the moment

eye of the tiger

well it's soccer season and the davidson's are in full swing... craig coaches alex's team, The Navigators, and helps out with ally's team, The Mustangs.  so we have soccer practice three times a week between the kids and games on the weekend.  and both kids had season openers on september 7th but we had to divide- so i was at ally's game.

these two photos were taken by a parent on ally's team but i could not resist them.   this is the first year the girls play full field which has been an adjustment for endurance.  but the kids just keep at it. during this game ally was 'hungry' for a goal and had several attempts.  

it wasn't until this moment that she broke away from midfield to drive the ball all the way to the goal....

to shoot and score!

her skills are impressive and she is quite fun to watch.  

just look at her face above-- she definitely has the eye of the tiger.

 

first day of school - 2013

here we are once again... the first day of school, another year of learning and another year of growing.  just look at these sunkissed faces all scrubbed, dressed and ready for the day. they were both very happy to start classes once again and spend time with their friends.  Especially miss ally since this was also her birthday, a double digit 10 year old - a very exciting day indeed.

now with all the excitement, i did ask the kids the night before if i could take their photos before school.  this has been a tradition ever since alex started kindergarten. although there really wasn't an option but it was polite to ask!?!?  and here they are...

before alex left as a now, 7th grader, we did manage a quick portrait. isn't his face changing?  who do you think he looks like? we just had few clicks of the shutter and he was out the door.

as for ally, here she is in all her giggling, scrunchy eye goodness-- this is a face we see often.  but boy was she excited to be on her way. now as a mom with my last child in her last year of elementary school, i could not let this day go by undocumented.  so of course, i hopped in the car with camera in hand to capture a few more images...

boarding the school bus with her best friend...

and a quick shot inside the bus-- did you notice which seat she chose?

her desk at school...

and with her teacher.... can't say enough about this lovely lady. we are so very lucky!

and one final photo to make you laugh.    yep, it's going to be a fun year!

 

 

she's ten!

oh dear... my last post was in November-ack!  

well that is telling as to how these past 10 months have been moving-  exponentially fast!  

and it is also telling as to the amount of photos I've been taking.   the photography definitely ebbs and flows.  (and i've been in the ebbing cycle)  but how could i resist this image and this smiling face.... just look at this lil' gal- not so little any more.  And now in double digits- 10!!     *deep sigh*

we celebrated miss a's birthday yesterday along with the first day of school-- a bIg day indeed! she is now a fifth grader-  the last year of elementary school, another  *deep sigh*  i think this might be a year with a lot of *deep sighs* from me as this gal is growing before my eyes.  but i digress...

in miss a's classroom there is a special tradition, the birthday student sits in front of the class on the teacher's stool to receive compliments from the other students.  craig and i were at school to share in this gem of a moment.  the other students said to ally.... "you are fun to play with."  "you are kind." "you are nice." "you are a good listener."  "you are funny."  "you are respectful." "you are a good friend."   

and miss a. i would add.... you have a shining spirit, you make our family laugh, your giggle is infectious! i love the freckles on your nose.  you are smart, smart, smart especially with math.  you are strong inside and out.  you love sports and have natural ability but i love that you also still just want to play. and when your brother was really sick - you were a kind, loving n' caring little sister.  i'm so proud of you!  

you are a gift to our family... we love you so!   

happy birthday to our now ten year old miss ally!

 

last day of school

we are here.  june 21st.  we have arrived at this moment. the last day of school.  the end of another school year.  

the end of third grade for miss ally.  and the end of elementary school for alex.  *deep sigh*

where does the time go?   i know i sound like a broken record but it is flying by at warp speed now.  and i'm desperately trying to hold on, to be present, to be 'in' each and every moment, to soak up these childhood moments as we go, but this speed?  i just can not get used to this speed.

but that is what summer months are for, right?... to slow down the pace, to have lazy mornings together, unplanned days, time to just see how our days unfold.  i truly look forward to spending summer with the kids, with craig and our family together.  

we have a tradition of taking a photo on the first day of school and a few years back i started taking the same photo on the last day of school.  it always amazes me the amount of growth during the school year.

just look at these faces.  here they are back in september on the first day of school...

and here they are again june 21st on the last day of school...

it's quite something to see the physical changes that happen during just nine months of time. 

a few random thoughts...

first of all these kiddos both have sensitive eyes... this was a sunny morning but we were not in the sunshine.  in fact, the sun was up behind me and to ally's left.  but both the kids had a really hard time looking at the camera.  they kept saying how bright it was, that it was too bright and hurt their eyes!?!?!  is this a by product of living in the nw-- we have so many gray overcast days that their eyes are overwhelmed by the sunshine??  what up?  so, i had to use the very technical 'close your eyes count to 3' strategy, here...

in order to achieve the final image.  which explains why miss ally has a somewhat strained smile.  but we all know what her lil' grin looks like so we're just rolling with it.

speaking of miss a... she has the most beautiful and unique hair color.  it is definitely 'strawberry blonde' and the red has really been standing out these days.  she also changed up her hair a few weeks into school.  for years, she wore her hair down and with a headband but this was the year of the ponytail.  almost everyday she pulled it back into a pony with a different colored/patterned clip in the front.  this was her 'go to' school style.  

in addition, this was the year of jeggings for her... she would have worn them every single day to school.  but they did need washing from time to time.  so, she mixed it up with leggings n' tunics, skirts n' leggings too.  along with a favorite long striped sweater in the winter months or pink polar fleece pull over.  and we can't forget her brown faux suede 'ugg' like boots. she has become quite the fashionista with her choice of bold patterns and bright colors.

as for alex, he's a dude and would just throw on the first thing he touched whether it was hanging in the closet, from the dresser drawers or off the floor (if we let him).  he is one low maintenance guy.  except for getting him to wear a coat or sweatshirt out the door and then having him return home with it!  this was an ongoing 'area of growth' for him this year.

speaking of growth... that would be his hair!  always growing, always thick and always in need of a haircut.  we had a hard time keeping up with his haircuts and for some reason he's always in need of one on the last day of school.

these two are definitely growing before our eyes.  we now have a middle schooler and soon to be fourth grader.   

yep, it's moving at warp speed--but, i'm hanging on with all my heart, to take this amazing ride alongside of them.

 

week 11 :: underneath

finally uploading week eleven of the 52 week photo project. you can read more about the project here or

<<<<<<click on the category photos :: 52 weeks over in the sidebar

i had several ideas for this theme but due to the weather and family life i had to change plans.  so here is my photograph for...  underneath

what lies underneath that plastic green headband?

what lies underneath the combed strawberry blonde hair?

what lies underneath the gently curved eyebrows?

what lies underneath the aqua blue eyes?

what lies underneath the small freckled nose?

what lies underneath the orange leprechaun moustache?

what lies underneath all of the above....

miss a's hidden smile

and miss a's happy heart.

 

just love this girl.

 

girl scout cookies

it's that time of year... the troops are at the grocery stores, in their brown vests, with rainbow boxes in hand asking "would you like to buy a box of girl scout cookies?" 

ahhh, yes! so tempting! and now so many cookies to choose from....  there are the new savannah smiles- (a lemon tea cookie) and several with fancy names like thank you berry much, dulce de leche and do-si-dos.  then there are our family favorites--the tagalongs with chocolate n' peanut butter or the samoas, a caramel coconut delight. but we can't forget the traditional shortbread trefoil or the infamous thin mints...... so many to choose from.  and they are only $4 per box- such a great deal plus just look at those cute faces- who could resist.

but this year we have an inside track because in the fall, miss a. joined brownies.

this is great!  we can order them directly from her.  and not only did ally take turns with her troop at the grocery stores but she also went door-to-door in our neighborhood.  so, we now have rows of rainbow boxes filling our dining room to deliver.  this is good.   this is tempting.   this is bad.

did you know that you can freeze the girl scout cookies?  

i think we're in trouble.

week 9 :: spirit

a bit of catch up...  just now uploading week nine of the 52 week photo project, you can read more about this project here or click on the link-  

<<<over in the sidebar under categories. 

here is my photograph for this week's theme  ::  spirit

as you can see i couldn't just pick one photograph for this week, it was hard to choose.  

when i hear the word spirit i immediately think of miss ally, this girl has spirit.  she has spunk.  she has energy. she goes for it, without fear.  she laughs.  she cries.  she has comedic timing with her sense of humor and when she gets going she has a serious giggle.  she is smart.  she is independent.  she is strong and strong willed.  she is loved.  she is happy.

she has such an amazing spirit.