week 52 | what life is all about

OK -- maybe that's being a little dramatic.  I had planned to take a fabulous picture of the loves of my life ~ Doug and the kids.  But life was crazy-busy (duh) this week.  This picture, however, comes pretty close.  Life is about family, fun and traditions, as shown in this, my last Project 52 photo.  for 2011, anyway.

week 51 | holiday cheer

This picture makes me laugh every time!  Josh had a great time with the dreidle, and nobody was going to take his gelt!

week 50 | festive colors

It doesn't get more festive than a fresh Christmas tree, decorated in years of memories.  These are the newest ornaments in our collection this year (so far), and they're actually old.  They belonged to my Grandma and Grandpa Sackett, and I just acquired them from my sister.  I love them!

week 49 | traditions

The first Saturday after Thanksgiving, it has become our tradition to get the Christmas tree.  This year it took less than 15 minutes (and tears from only one child).  We ended up with a "9-foot" tree that takes us almost the entire living room.  The kids can't wait to get it lighted and decorated!

the kids and Stephanie -- the lovely gal at Foley's who helped us find the perfect tree this year!

week 48 | twinkle twinkle

Lots of lights this week.  But my favorite were at the Creche ~ lighting Darren's gold paper nativity.

week 47 | water

With our big weekend getaway to visit the Payne cousins, I didn't really have time to get out and take pictures of any of the rain water.  I did capture this shot on a nature walk Thanksgiving morning.  I'm thankful for sunshine, crisp cool air, and blue skies.

week 46 | over the top

The Livingstons came to Seattle for business and asked us to join them for dinner.  I decided to work from home and then take the light-rail into Seattle where Doug would meet me before we met James and Lisa at the restaurant.  I happened to look up while I was waiting for Doug, and found the monrail over the top of me!

week 45 | book title

Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See?  (by Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle)

week 44 | muted tones

Of course, now that I'd like some nice, filtered light for muted tones, I get bright sunshine (not that I'm complaining!)

week 43 | shadows

It's hard to capture shadows when the sun won't come out.  So technically, I think this is more "reflections" than "shadows."

week 42 | true beauty

I had lots of good ideas for this week.  But didn't follow up on a single one of them.  So you get to see a picture of one of my favorite things...fall leaves!

week 41 | architecture

this is the view from the 6th floor of the south building at work.  the diving board has great views of the heart of the campus, as well as south lake union.

this campus was just awarded the LEED Platinum Certification.  The certification makes the campus the largest LEED Platinum non-profit building in the world.

and I get to work here!

week 40 | a taste for vintage

I took a lot of liberties with this theme...in part because I thought it was "nostalgia" and not "vintage."

this is a rare daytime photo of our street with nobody in it! our street is awesome and is usually crawling with kids ~ wouldn't have it any other way. but before we know it, these kids are going to grow up and our street will be as quiet as this photo looks.

and that made me a bit notsalgic. or, rather, vintage. see? i took some liberties...

week 39 | man v. nature

Had lots of amazing ideas this week -- but (un)fortunately, I never stumbled upon a raging forest fire that was started by lightning and that was being fought by firemen.

We did, however, encounter more than our fair-share of rain.  And when you're trying to drive in pouring rain, it's man v. nature.

week 38 | the eyese have it

Cute Alie asked me to take her Senior Pictures for her.  I am still nervous about it (and it was almost a week ago), and I hope she found at least one picture she really liked.  In the meantime, the eyes have it in this picture...aren't her eyes beautiful?

week 37 | momentous moments

Last week was momentous for so many reasons...jr. high, middle school, and kindergarten.  But this weekend we started the soccer season ~ and that is a momentous moment for our family!

week 36 | thirst for knowledge

School started earlier this week for most of the kids.  Today, the kindergartners (all 9 of them on our street!) started their educational career ~ can't you just see their thirst for knowledge?

week 35 | lazy

I'm not sure why, but taking photos of flowers seems very lazy...

week 34 | connections

A beautiful soccer tournament gives one plenty of opportunities to capture "connections."

week 33 | slow down & look back

We got stuck in traffic after we left Cashmere much later than we should have (we were having too much fun with Deb!).  But it gave me the chance to literally slow down & look back.

week 32 | my favorite time of day

My favorite time of day is any time I can take pictures...even if it is with my cell phone...

week 31 | sky

we've been seeing a lot of gray skies lately.  so i was happy when the skies cooperative and let me take this yesterday!

week 30 | letter of the alphabet

"T" is for Torchlight.  And we had a great time!!

week 29 | get in close

This was another week where I thought it would be SO easy...but I didn't get around to taking my "get in close" picture.  Or at least, not the picture I thought I was going to take (you know -- of a flower).  Then I saw this one after our visit to the Buchholz and their sweet new puppy Liberty, and I realized I'd done it after all!  :)

week 28 | sweet relief

hmmm...are you surprised to learn that this week was another challenge for me?  It went by SO fast!  I feel like I'm stretching it, but I picked this one:

Dana loves the swing, and the sweet relief for me was listening to her giggle and giggle!

I also liked this one:

on any other summer day, this might be relief from the heat.  but on this dreary, drizzly day, the sweet relief came from getting out of the cold, cold water

week 27 | nature's finest

week 26 | hidden object

this week's theme was another challenge for me.  i was originally going to set up an "i spy" scene.  but i'm lazy and that didn't happen.  however, during a photo walk at work today, i captured this hidden object.  please forgive my obvious obsession with bees.

week 25 | craving

our yard(s) are a lost cause this year.  the clover has taken over the front yard.  i pulled the kids to the driveway and pointed out how many bees there were and instructed them to NOT run through the grass barefoot this summer.  then i realized that these bees were giving me the perfect shot for this week's theme.  hence, i give you CRAVING:

week 24 | make it tasty

I would know if this was tasty by now if we'd had any sun...but alas, I will have to wait.

week 23 | enchanted

I was going to "cheat" and use a photo I took last week at Kerry Park in Seattle.

But then I felt bad, so while the girls and I were headed in to Lake Wilderness Park for Maple Valley Days today, I stopped to capture these bleeding hearts.  To me, they are enchanted:

week 22 | reflection

it's funny -- all those weeks where i struggled to get "the" shot to match the theme.  and this week i saw it everywhere.

this is the one that i chose:

here are some others:

a piece of art that will be on display at work; each blanket tells a story ~ what story would your blanket tell?

week 21 | a need for speed

this isn't my favorite lacrosse player (meaning, it's not Malcolm), however this picture couldn't be more perfect for this week's theme. 

week 20 | spring fever

At the photo workshop tonight at Museum of Flight, I was practicing perspective and bokeh.  I love how this picture turned out.  And it flared up a serious case of spring fever...

week 19 | window light

there is an ugly truth to photography...it often captures things we try to overlook or ignore.  this picture can't be ignored.

week 18 | first thing in the morning

as soon as I saw the theme for this week, I knew this is the shot I wanted. Laurel is very ritualistic in the mornings, and very seldom varies from her routine. i love that about her! it also drives me crazy. :)

week 17 | princess for a day...

I love how this picture turned out ~ I don't think Laurel's friend Kate realizes just how beautiful she is.  Inside and out, this girl is amazing!!

week 16 | furry friends

I didn't think I got a shot in this week.  Until I found this one in the middle of some other pictures.  Henry and Shadow love to wrestle with each other...when kids come to visit for the first time it makes them a bit nervous.  The dogs will tussle in the living room, family room, hallway, kitchen, yard -- it doesn't matter where.

week 15 | how others see you

I knew this was the picture I wanted...at least I wanted a version of this picture.  But I didn't take it during the right week.  So even though I like it, I feel like I kind of failed.

When I was struggling for ideas, I asked my Facebook friends to tell me what they thought of me, in hopes of getting a different idea.  Even though I didn't use them, I liked what they said:

week 14 | fusion

We're on a roll with difficult themes...

week 13 | just for fun!

another week of awful weather.  i had lots of great ideas, but the weather just wouldn't cooperate.  but i did think that this banana/tea party aubrey had with her toby was fun:

week 12 | from the jewelry box

This week the weather didn't cooperate with me.  Except for one day, and then it was my fault that I didn't take the photo I wanted to take.  So this is what I ended up with...

week 11 | darks & lights

This is my favorite pictures from our weekend excursion to Camp Casey.  I do love the hope that tree blossoms bring in the spring!