yellow is happiness!

Winter is long & this one feels especially long. It's still snowing & there's still a lot of snow on the ground. It's actually quite unusual for us. It typically all melts & then we get the ceremonious dumping for Easter, just in time for the kiddos to dig through the cold stuff to find their eggs. This year I don't think there will be any melting prior to Easter. So we went looking for some spring. I bought some daffodils at the store & found a bright wall in town to take Ry's pictures in front of. After all, yellow is happiness, daffodils smell like spring & so we're almost there. Almost.

like I said, almost. It was windy & cold & he wasn't too happy when a nice gust got him!

cm monthly challenge: sweetness & love

February has ended & with March comes my post for the Clickin Mom's monthly challenge. This month our group is focusing on 'how I view sweetness & love.' There are so many ways to define these two words. I knew I wanted to photograph my boys for it, but wasn't sure what setting to use...so I let the wild rumpus start on the bed. They wrestle, tackle & irritate each other just as often as they make each other laugh & smile & it all usually ends with hugs & kisses. My boys are my sweetness & love, just as they are that for one another...enjoy & be sure to check out all the other work this month.

Thanks for stopping by & please be sure to head on over to view how Susan views 'sweetness & love' (Susan Edge Photography).

cm monthly challenge: new beginnings

This year I have decided to join a talented group of ladies for the Clickin Moms monthly photo challenge. Each month we will have a different theme that may be reflected through a single image or multiple images. Each photographer will post their images on their blog & link up to the photographer after them. It will be well worth it to look through all the photographers' work & see how differently we interpret the same theme. After visiting my page, please visit Photography by Danie's post. January's topic is New Beginnings, which is of course fitting as we start off a new year. This year, we certainly had our share of new beginnings in our house. On Christmas Eve, my Grandma was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Three days later, my dad flew down to Seattle to be with her & the rest of his family. Two days after that, my sister & I arrived in the afternoon, my mom in the evening. We hoped we'd have enough time to say goodbye. Thankfully we did. While there, we counted down to 2012 as we drove down the highway. We missed my niece's 2nd birthday. Rylee turned 5 before I could get a ticket home. It was definitely a different & unexpected start to a new year, but we are so fortunate to have had that time with her. She passed away on January 11th, after spending almost two weeks in an amazing Hospice Center. She was comfortable, peaceful & surrounded by her family throughout her last days. Grandma lived an incredibly full 89-years of life. While we spent her last days with her, I took some photos. I was torn about posting them because they make me cry, but they truly define new beginnings for me right now as we all embark on life without our Grandma, Mom & Wife.

Grandma always sent all of her family (there's a lot!) Birthday cards- she didn't forget. She even sent the great-grandkids cards at all the holidays. While lying in her hospital bed, she wanted cards to sign for one of her son's, granddaughter, great-granddaughter & great-grandson.

we suggested a pedicure & she gladly accepted

lots of time was spent at her bedside, holding her hand

a couple years ago, she had asked one of my uncle's to write a song for her service...these are the lyrics

when I was in Seattle, Rylee turned 5...we had a big party for him when I came back