31 Days of January

I decided to kick-off January with a photo-a-day. 31 days sounded much more achievable than 365. Even with our limited daylight (yes, there's lots of bedtime photos), I didn't skip a day. It felt good. I hadn't been photographing our every day nearly as much as I'd like and I needed the reboot. It was a cold month, warmed with birthdays and blue skies. It was a hopeful month, filled with a new year, a new start and a new niece. It was good.

Snippets of our January.

1. welcoming 2018
2. his last day of 10
3. he's 11
4. celebrate
5. birthday-slumber party
6. the game of life
7. celebrating 11 with family
8. mattresses are apparently better on the floor
9. after-school walk
10. the response to "help me make your bed"
11. picking up the boys "smell my hand to get in the car"
12. packing up Christmas
13. Sunday drive out the road
14. major storm day became major lounge day
15. after-school walk, checking out the storm's damage
16. attempting to sleep in her own bed
17. attempting to sleep in her brother's beds
18. attempting to sleep in our bed
19. explaining why the sink is full of her hair
20. women's march
21. the flu got me
22. quadruple pig tails
23. a slow day on the "tsunami that wasn't" day
24. playing Old Maid
25. her new favorite book
26. friday night slumber party
27. getting fresh air while pretending it's not zero degrees
28. batter up
29. testing out jumping abilities of the new mattress
30. after-school walk
31. upset I won't take her to visit her hours-old newest cousin

You May Also Enjoy:

Mark & Elise

The Alaskan wild rose blooms each summer, unfurling its soft pink petals, to soak up the sun and rain, and whatever else the Alaskan weather hurls its way. Much like love, it is beautiful and it is strong. 

An Alaskan engagement session, among the wild roses. 

You May Also Like:

Ruby Sue's Renovation: The Airstream Diaries

Last summer we bought an Airstream. Something we've lusted over for quite awhile, & motivated by a wedding we were traveling to, this beauty popped up on Craiglist, conveniently located an hour from our final destination, and looking pretty good in her 1986 condition- we couldn't pass her up. Ruby Sue, the namesake I've placed upon my first car, first girl puppy, and first Airstream. Ruby Sue wasn't supposed to be renovated. She was in very good condition, so we were only going to replace the floors. After returning home, and squeaking her lengthy body off the ferry, I dreamed of painting the cabinet doors white, and maybe the end panels, and perhaps the walls. The carpet came out, the doors came off cabinets, then a wall here, a cabinet there...then she was gutted. Oops.

Conveniently, I did all this at the same time we were building a 4-plex, so she had to sit awhile, a long nine months while, but the real work began in May. We washed, sanded, washed again, primed and painted the entire inside, and Mike has rebuilt everything. We opted for only a toilet, skipping the shower, giving us a few extra feet of counter space and less mold-making, plus the outdoor showers are pretty high-tech these days. The bed is staying in the same place in the back, and has a hatch cover for ample storage, plus there's hatch covers in the bench seating in the front, for even more storage. The table is on a pedestal, so we can lower it into a large bed for the kids. Flooring and light fixtures have been installed, as well as cabinets & plywood counter tops; little tweaks will happen here & there, but for now, she is ready for her first excursion!

Photos from last summer to now.