Wk 34: Secret

You can throw a rock further if you're not wearing a shirt. 

Wk 33: Out of Focus

 Tonka Trucks could be defined as the essential and classic toy for every little boy.
We've had two of these trucks for awhile. Owen on occasion would fill them up with dirt and they have always been a necessary fixture on trips to the beach. But for whatever reason that little boy dump-truck bond always seemed to be lacking. Then a sweltering summer day in mid-August changed everything for the better.

It was after nap time, the boys had eaten their snack in the shade of our front steps and were ready to engage in the rhythms of constant motion this gorgeous Seattle summer afforded us every afternoon. Knowing that within moments of playing little beads of perspiration would form on Jesse's upper lip and not long after that they would both have sweat dripping down the sides of their faces, I stripped them of their shirts before sending them off into the grass to wrestle. Due to the heat, their enthusiasm for sticky skin-on-skin contact quickly waned so I plopped their Tonka trucks on to the hot pavement of our driveway. Owen, uninterested for the moment, left Jesse to his own devices with the shiny yellow trucks.

  Jesse quickly clamped a chubby hand on each side of the dump truck's bed and started with a quick trot down the slight slope of our driveway. Just like that he was hooked to the vibrations of metal and plastic rumbling beneath his tiny hands. Up and down, back and forth, trotting then pausing to rest in a perfect crouch, the bond between dump truck and boy strengthened. It only took a few moments for Owen to figure out what he was missing and he quickly grabbed the other truck and joined Jesse in his joyous journeys up and down the driveway and street.


45 glorious minutes of repetitive activity later sweat was streaming down the sides of the boys' faces. Tonka trucks by nature are covered in dirt so it was only fitting that the boys take them through a truck wash. It only took a few tentative moments before the boys were racing their trucks through the sweet cool water flowing from the hose I held up high.

(This was my picture of the week)

 

Ode to my bro

My tiniest brother Galen turns 21 today.
He is a bit of a word guy so I thought I would celebrate him by making a list of 21 things I think are pretty awesome about him.

1. He is a painter with words, overly verbose perhaps, but can run circles around anyone with his fantastic vocabulary.
2. He is fearless in his own sense of style.
3. He can finish a book from cover to cover in a day.
4. He loves the Lord.
5. The piano is an extension of his hands.
6. He is excellent at making those around him feel valued and loved.
7. He still loves to listen to Adventures in Oddyssey.
8. Even when we tie his hands when playing word games he still manages to beat us every time.
9. He wears vests and bow ties.
10. He keeps his room immaculately organized.
11. He enjoys a good cup of tea.
12. He calls to check in on our Mom when our Dad is out of town.
13. His artistic talents are impressive.
14. He will engage his imagination to play knights and dragons with his nephew for hours.
15. He babysits like a champ.

 
16. He's the only one I know who counts sugar plum fairies during the Nutcracker, light posts on road trips and knots in wooden ceilings.
17. He has a rapist wit (otherwise known as the keen perception and cleverly apt expression of those connections between ideas that awaken amusement and pleasure) - love, Josh
18. They don't make pants skinny enough for his bony waist.
19. His intelligence is inspiring.
20. He is a master of puzzles.
21. He loves his family. 

We love you Galen Parker! Here's to a wonderful year of new adventures ahead of you.


This picture still pretty much sums up my siblings. 

Wk 32: Truth

Truth: Shooting in fog is the best!
My brother (seen above) probably has more talent in his pinky when it comes to graphic design, photography, basketball, loving his wife, and picking out mopey sounding music than anyone else I know. 
But the truth of the matter is, I think he's awesome.
Anywhoo...we decided to go on a hike to Lake 22 one fabulous Saturday morning with Elias and Theresa.
I love this hike because it's challenging but has all the things a hike should have to be awesome: a babbling stream along the way up, old growth forest, and a majestic alpine lake to relax by at the end.

What made this trek particularly amazing was the heavy fog that settled over the forest, lake and mountains like a cozy blanket. Let me tell you shooting in fog is addicting! Every click of the camera feels like it's capturing a tiny bit of magic. I have always wanted to shoot in fog and it was so fun to do it for the first time with my big brother.

 

 

Wk 30: Relationship

My sweet boy, what a blessing and a joy he is to my life.