Day OneHundred-EightyNine

Have I mentioned that ever since New Zealand, Moe LOVES to climb trees?  Seriously, addicted.  I swear she can get up them in no time flat and has no fear to climb directly to the top.  In fact, she has said the only issue with our soon to be new house is that there aren't any good climbing trees.  I've explained that she will just either have to wait 20 years or take full advantage whenever she is at Grandma & Papa's.  I'm thinking she will go with the latter.  

Day OneHundred-EightyEight

One of the perks of living back home near family....we headed out to my niece's dance recital today.  I was a gymnast, not a dancer, so recital's weren't part of my childhood.  Can I just say to the costumes....WOW.  And can I just say to my niece....WOW.  She is her a spitting image of her mom (a dancer herself), and was gorgeous.  Good job Kiki, love you tiny dancer, keep it up.

And because it was a close second, and because she is too gorgeous to pass up - here is another to enjoy.

  

Day OneHundred-EightySeven

We had a brief LMFAO dance contest today after school....who could "wiggle, wiggle, wiggle, wiggle" the best.  My "brother-made-over" nephew won.  Love this kid.  You rocked it, Kyle.  Happy Friday.

P.S. I'm sexy and I know it.  

Day OneHundred-EightySix

I know it's really random and a bit abstract, but every day from about 2:55-3:05p, I sit in a line with all the other parents waiting to pick my child up from school.  And every day I see this outside my window and think to myself, "The texture and color on that it incredible.  I SO need to photograph it!"....this is how the mind of a photographer works.  Weird?  Yea, I know.  But today, before heading to the park, Moe, Cakes and I made a pit stop.  "WHY are you taking a picture of a fire hydrant Mom????  People are looking at you."  Yea, well, if you see me on the side on the road taking random pictures....just ignore me, and be sure to check out 365 for that day. 

Day OneHundred-EightyFive

Over the last couple days I've been pretty knee deep in my computer, trying to get my new website up and live.  Yesterday Cakes told me, "Mom, you are the picture lady.  If you just didn't take so many pictures you wouldn't be at your computer so much and you could play with me."  Can we say GUILT?  So, today I let her get out her favorite things to do, while I....sigh.....well, I AM the picture lady.  

Day OneHundred-EightyFour

The weekend project while Mom was away... building a swing in the backyard.  It is seriously the longest rope I've EVER seen.  But man, does it glide like no other.  It's become the place Moe stays from the moment she gets home from school.  I must admit - it's pretty cool.  Good job Dad and Uncle Tim.

Day OneHundred-EightyThree

Cheating a little here, as this picture was taken yesterday... but today was spent recovering from MS150 celebration and driving home from Austin.  Plus - there wasn't any way I could pass up these beauties.  The gorgeous girl on the right is the oldest of some of our best friends.  Months apart they got along fabulously -- which is good because they will be hanging out MANY more times in their lives!  This was snapped while enjoying the sunshine, pool and....Cheese Whiz!  Who knew cheese whiz could be so much fun!!??

Day OneHundred-EightyTwo

While waiting for my sis-in-law to wrap up her race in downtown Austin we decided to hit up one of the famous trailer-diners in the city.  These trailers are literally "popping up" all over the city.  Next door to Izzoz was a donut trailer.  Down the street was a hamburger trailer, a bbq trailer...the list goes on.  You can basically find one of everything.  They are quite fun and a perfect addition to a fantastic city.  Eating tacos and hanging out with some of my favorite people in the whole world was a great way to spend another gorgeous Sunday...

Day OneHundred-EightyOne

Cakes and I headed out for a weekend visiting cousins in San Antonio and friends in Austin, as well as pick up my sis-in-law from the MS150 (a bike race from Houston to Austin).  Saturday morning was spent climbing "the big hill".  I think we all agreed it was a great view from the top.

Day OneHundred-Eighty

I like to joke that Houston has roughly 2 weeks a year of perfect weather....give or take.  One week in the spring and one week in the fall.  Well, this past week has been one of those weeks.  And what better way to take advantage of it then playing at the park and then walking around Armand Bayou.

Day OneHundred-SeventyNine

Have you ever heard of a roach coach?  Well, this would be it.  Think of it as a restaurant on wheels.  It's a staple in any area of Texas where there is development or construction taking place.  It pulls in around mid-morning, pops it's canopy until about mid-afternoon.  And there is never a shortage of people hanging around, waiting for their quick bite.  And believe it or not....it's good stuff.  I took this shot for my wonderful Jakarta friend...a fellow Texan.  There were many afternoons over a glass (or two) when we would reminisce and laugh about the "roach coach", drooling at the thought.  I circled back around for this shot and had some crazy stares from the customers....I'm sure wondering, who in the world is this woman stopped on the side of the road with a camera stuck to her face, and WHY is she taking a picture of us????  Well Kelly, this one is for you.

Day OneHundred-SeventyEight

It started as a picnic in the park.

Of course I brought my camera for 365, and even brought along my tripod (still hoping to get out of my lull).  The idea was to capture Mom and Cakes mid-swing, feet in the air focused full front.  Could I have wanted anything more difficult?  Timer-mode is hard enough, let alone hoping the focal point stays in tact once the shutter is pressed..... Cakes was a great sport, quite intrigued by the whole process, and just happy to be alongside Mom at the park.  And that's what I felt this image captured.  That spontaneous fun.  Did I get my planned shot?  Well, no.  But the final products were so much more than I anticipated.

What started as a picnic, ended up as a spontaneous MiniSessionWithCakes.....and it just reiterated why I am so in LOVE with what I do.  It may not have been a "lull-breaker" for 365, but it was a reminder that I love to capture those moments in life.... love to capture the art of life.... just love life.

(Be sure to click the link above to see more of today's spontaneous MiniSession!)

Day OneHundred-SeventySeven

It's a done deal.  Or so we think......
It's supposed to be a done deal, but as consistent with the Franks' Move-Law, we like to buy in a high market and sell in a low market....so when signing a contract with the builder (that the builder rep created) we assumed all was good.  That's when this shot was captured.  However, back to the "Franks' Move-Law" corporate decided they could get more from this sell, so didn't accept (their offered) listing price.  Confused?  Us too.  Needless, to say....negotiations still under way.  Outcome yet to be disclosed.

Day OneHundred-SeventySix

My first day out of bed and back in the land of the living..... looked up, saw the shot, knew it was needed in this phase of 365.

Day OneHundred-SeventyFive

I was lucky enough to have Dad stay home from work for the first couple days my shut down, to keep watch of Moe & Cakes, but when Moe headed back to school and Dad back to work, I wasn't sure how I would manage this firecracker when I couldn't even swallow my own saliva, let alone get out of bed.  Luckily, I have one of the best friend's ever who stepped in and took my little Cakes for a mini-vacation.  Cakes was such a trooper and such a good little "mommy" prior to leaving.  Endless blessings all around.

Day OneHundred-SeventyFour

To help with the sadness, my Jak moms decided to set up email addresses for all of our kiddos, a sort of international pen-pal system!  I got my first email address at the age of 19, Moe got hers at the age of 7...crazy.  But it worked.  When we opened up Moe's email and there was a message from her bestie from half way across the world, she absolutely lit up.  No matter how awful I felt, I knew I had to capture the moment.

And reading their little notes back and forth from each other.....priceless.

Day OneHundred-SeventyThree

So not only was Moe sick with ear infection, but she was also sick with a bit of "home sickness for Jak".  The first week in her new school went well, but after a long weekend, and then being out a couple days, the nerves and sadness began to creep in.  This was found next to her bed one morning.  Moe is known for her amazingly creative "creations", laptops being one of her specialties.  My heart instantly just went out to my baby girl.  Still makes me tear up.  The message on her "screen" tells all.... 

365 Goes Silent....

Easter came and went and then "disaster" struck.  It started with Moe at the doctor for a double ear infection and fever.  Throughout the day of caring for her, I began to ache, spike a fever... and break down.  The following day I headed back to the doctor for what I thought was strep....loaded with antibiotics, I headed home only to spiral into more misery.  Long story short, what started with aches and fever, ended up as mono.  I won't go into the awful details, but it was a week spent in pain, misery, and bed, along with the help of a wonderful husband, family and friends.  

.....So as you probably guessed, my camera was not on the top of my list last week.  I did manage to grab a few shots here and there, not my best work (in fact I'm in a bit of a lull at the moment, another story altogether) but I'm pushing through.... pushing through a kicked and bruised immune system, as well as this lull of TheDailyLife!

Still on the mend, I'm finally getting back around to 365.  

Day OneHundred-SeventyTwo

This picture was taken yesterday, but I couldn't resist using it.  There are just so many things I love about this shot, two in particular.

Firstly, Moe is a shy girl, who likes to completely ignore most people when they speak to her.  She also doesn't like to put herself into situations where she isn't very comfortable.  So when she said she wanted to play washers with her cousins and Oma, I was pretty impressed.  And standing next to her 16 year old cousin (who has grown a foot since we last saw him, now standing at 6'4") it was even more impressive!  All their cousins have always been good around the girls, Grant included.  This moment caught between the two of them, to me, just captured all of these emotions.

Secondly, it also brought back memories of me and my cousins.  My siblings and I were the "second round" just like Moe & Cakes.  The closest cousin to me was 5+ years older than myself.  And this is about how I felt whenever we were around them..... A little intimidated and a little in awe.

There is nothing like family.

Day OneHundred-SeventyOne

It's just not Easter for a little girl without a new dress, shoes, and stylish hair.  Cakes saved all of these things for an entire week just for today.  And Moe actually let me braid her hair - something other than a ponytail.  These were both BIG deals.  And boy, can these two girls pose.

Happy Easter!

Day OneHundred-Seventy

It was such a gorgeous day that Moe couldn't resist doing what she does best while enjoying the perfect day.  Notice she is still in her pj's....

Day OneHundred-SixtyNine

I can't say I've ever really actually felt like a "stay-at-home" mom.  The years before Moe started elementary school, I worked full time...and during my time in Jakarta, Cakes was in school half-day and the life of a "stay-at-home-expat-mom" is a little different then most.  It's been a week since I've been home with this one...and I'm finding her damn entertaining.  I mean I knew she was my comedian but geez.  The conversations that I've had with Cakes over the past week continually make me laugh.  Things such as "Mom, soooo I think I need a big party when I turn 5" and "Mom, let me know if you're belly hurts because I will rub it" and "Mom, so what do you think we need in a house?" and "Mom, so there is this stuff called Gak, it stretches and bounces.  I need it for my birthday, okay" and "Mom, so what do you think Moe is learning in school today?" and "Mom, I now know my name.  It is Lily Franks Kathryn Cakes" and, and, and.....it NEVER ends.   Talk to me in a week, and I may be ready to lock myself in a closet, but for now, she's pretty good company...when she isn't throwing fits that is.
And just a little more of Lily Franks Kathryn Cakes....

Day OneHundred-SixtyEight

Moe has been in an American school for all of 2 days and she came home today with a new pose.  "Look Mom, I'm blowing off the top of my gun" ... um, should I be concerned?

Day OneHundred-SixtySeven

Other than last summer, truth be known, I haven't done a bit of laundry in almost 2 years.  The many perks of a live-in housekeeper.  Cakes is having to get used to the ins and outs of being with mom all day including running all errands - big and small (as she can no longer just stay at home if she feels like it) and chores - i.e. laundry.  This was her feeling on the latter.  But at least she was a great helper and looking so pretty while doing it! 

Day OneHundred-SixtySix

I once repinned a saying on Pinterest that said, "Grandma's house is where cousins go to become best friends".  It hit home.  All because of this crew...and this is only 5 out of the 9 (on Mom's side).  It's why living on the other side of the world was so hard, and why coming home means so much.

Oh, and we now have enough strawberries to feed a small army.