Day Fifty-Eight

Writing your letter to Santa is a big deal.  Especially when it goes something like this:  Dear Santa, I want Make-up, I want my own iPad, more headbands, my own TV, and a magic journal.

Day Fifty-Seven

It's the Mrs. two doors down.  Thanks for a great celebration lunch and thanks for letting me snap a few shots while we were chowing down and sipping on some bubbles.  And yes, those are her eyes.

Day Fifty-Six

The abc's of tree decorating with your children.

Age 1 - The lower half has to be bare to stay away from small hands grabbing what they shouldn't

Age 2 - Only non-important ornaments are allowed on lower half.  

Age 3 - Ornaments are hung on same branch by child, ready to fall off if you blow on it.  Excitement is over after 5 ornaments have been hung.

Age 4 - They want to hang everything themselves...all on the same 2 branches all at eye level.

Age 5 - They want to hang everything themselves...all on the same 4 branches all at eye level.

Age 6/7 - They want to hang everything themselves...all on the top half of the tree where they can't reach.

Day Fifty-Five

Wearing Mommy's high heels is a staple in every girl's childhood....Ah, who am I kidding?  I still put on my mom's heels!
The attitude you can see in these two little feet alone is the whole reason I chose this shot.  It's priceless!  Only my Lily Cakes.

Day Fifty-Four

If you have ever wondered what winter in Jakarta is like.....here you go.  Oh, and it is exactly the same as summer in Jakarta, minus the Santa hat.

Day Fifty-Three

Christmas Decor has come out of hiding.  Let the Christmas Season begin.

Day Fifty-Two

You have to have been an Expat in order to appreciate the pure beauty of this picture.  Husband got back from the States yesterday with a suitcase filled with goodness.  It's the little things in life.....
And just because it's Thanksgiving I'm going to show you a few more of the "little things" that I'm so thankful were brought back to the land of Indo.

Day Fifty-One

Okay MoeCakes Followers....I think this is my new #1...for so many reasons:
1.  Who remembers Shrinky Dinks?  I SO forgot how absolutely entertaining they are - I was just as excited and amazed as my daughter!
2.  See sister in the background?  She is throwing a fit because she wasn't allowed to open the oven to see what was happening....fear?  rules?  pain?  (Covering the shot?) My honey badger don't care.
3.  Notice the elbow?....SOOO her mom :)  That's just awesome.

Thanks Kelly for the very entertaining and "MoeCakes-worthy" birthday present!  Mom (and Ally) thoroughly enjoyed it!

Day Fifty

There is nothing fun about having the flu...but I hope I look this sweet and pretty when I feel like dirt - somehow, I don't think that is the case.

Day Forty-Nine

Rainy season means some amazing lighting effects behind storm clouds.  It also means a lot of looking out the windows and pretending it's a cold front coming through (turn the AC low enough and you can pretend quite well!).
it may sound a little cheesy, but I've always been so intrigued by rays of sun...it always makes me imagine the miracles that must lie beyond.

Day Forty-Eight

Turkey Day is almost here...a tad different in a country that doesn't celebrate all the things we are grateful for...but nonetheless Expats always figure out a way to celebrate in style.  For my girls, the holidays mean craft-time.  And with Daddy gone this weekend to cheer on his Cougars and wave to the world via ESPN, it was the perfect opportunity to pull out the glue and construction paper.  

I'm thankful for my beautiful and ever-surprising girls, a husband who I still miss after one day of being apart, my always supportive and fantastic family and friends (near & far) and more than anything - this amazing experience called life.

....oh, and Target, 50mm lenses, all Apple products, Slingbox, 80's music, peanut m&m's and rhodesian ridgebacks.  

Happy Holidays to anyone reading this!

Day Forty-Seven

It's a self-portrait kind of day......No make up, except yesterday's mascara - brave I tell ya.

Day Forty-Six

Hey Mom, your new bed is so cool!  It's a bed AND a balance beam!--Alison

Did I mention how difficult today's picture was?  I'm feeling very trapped and bored with the same old thing.  I miss nature, fall, driving....home.  Um, can you say Homesick?

Day Forty-Five

It was a fantastic hour or so of quiet time in the office working on MoeCakes goods, when it occurred to me, it had been an hour or so of quiet time.....

(That would be a couch they are laying on.)

Day Forty-Four

For a mom who LOVES to read, it is such an amazing "moment" when your child becomes a true reader.  And then even more amazing when you catch them like this.....

Day Forty-Three

For an expat, there isn't much more wonderful than seeing the beauty of Christmas in local decorations...gives you just that little sense of home.  Oh and if you can't tell...this is an actual tree, hanging upside down from the ceiling of a local hotel.

Day Forty-Two

Puzzles - A Finkel favorite past-time...especially during the holidays.  And since I've been a tad homesick I figured it was time to pull one out.  I'm so happy that my oldest carries the gene!  

Day Forty-One

Don't you just love lazy Sundays?  This is what we looked like for most the day....
And it's a rare occurrence to actually see the "person behind the camera" in front - believe me it won't happen often.  You should feel lucky.

Day Forty

First day of T-Ball 2011 (Go Tigers!), means great new photo subjects EVERY Saturday!!  I don't think this is the last time you will see this beautiful little girl - she just eats the camera up.

Day Thirty-Nine

Rudi the Watch Guy - a staple in the Jakarta expat community.
I wasn't a fan of the "crooked" shot before I started taking them.  And now I can't seem to get enough!  A great way to get more information in a shot when a "standard" shot cannot...  What do you think?

Day Thirty-Eight (a day late)

So I know I'm a day late.  Yesterday was the grand finale for several weeks of hard work teaching 50 kids the 50 states.  So after an eventful, spirit-filled, long day at the girls' school for United Nations Day and then a couple celebratory glasses of wine with a good friend, I was fast asleep by 9pm.  And since this is my normal time to load my pic of the day....well, that's why I'm doing it now!  My two beauties - Red, White & Blue Proud.

Day Thirty-Seven

One of the great things about Jakarta is the art....and here is my latest purchase.  And the best part, the "choosing gallery" was brought to me and set up on my driveway!
The artist is known as "The Dot Man" - for obvious reasons.

Day Thirty-Six

Don't all girls want to wear their princess dress to bed every once in awhile?  I can only hope that she is dreaming of twirling and dancing behind those closed lids.  Sweet dreams, sweet girl.

Day Thirty-Five

Have to be equal in the land of sisterhood....and as I was just told while uploading this post "Mom, when I grow up, I'm going to be a rock star"....so maybe the wall doesn't reflect this one quite as much as yesterdays.

Day Thirty-Four

Reflecting everything that she is....artistic, beautiful, with wings that will one day be ready to fly.

Day Thirty-Three

(Ahhhh....I'm finally back home.  As thankful as I am to Steve Jobs...an iPhone just isn't the same as my own camera!)  With only a couple days left, here is what this week's theme was really all about.  

This little girl, LOVES - and I mean LOVES - her makeup.
...And because it's much fun to watch her at play - here are a few more to enjoy.

Day Thirty-Two

I am not much of a car person but damn...this was one pretty car.

Day Thirty-One

Looking for his inner reflection. Been in Singapore for the last couple days--no camera except for my iPhone. So bear with me!

Day Thirty

Welcome... to one of my favorite places on Earth. Singapore.

Day Twenty-Nine

So what are we reflecting?  The fact that I need to "photo reflect" after a few hours of Aussie Bubbles and horse racing.  The fascinators are a great hint at how the day went!  Lots of fun!  Thank you ladies for a great day.  It was highly needed.