March 27, 2005
mother, me and easter tulips
mother, me and easer tulips
Originally uploaded by in retrospect.
i always go to the family gatherings at my uncle's house and lurk around with my camera to get shots of my young cousins (once removed) dashing around. i always feel a little out of place with all the couples and babies and gourmet cooking stories. my cousin's wife katie was even in martha stewart's living last summer. seriously.
but i realized the i rarely get photos of me with my mother.
so here's a special easter treat. me with my mother. and the tulips as a prop.
my mother certainly knows how to pose for a photo.
Posted by heidijanet at 08:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
February 12, 2005
verbal tangle
my niece just turned two and is rapidly developing her verbal skills. it's obvious that everytime she talks to you she's desperate to have a conversation.
the other day she got herself in trouble, and managed to successfully argue her case:
suz: "what did you do that for?!"
isabella: *pause to concentrate*
isabella: "five!"
oh and by the way, she's also learning to count.
Posted by heidijanet at 01:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 30, 2004
what is this christmas?
hanging on the gate
Originally uploaded by in retrospect.
i think that quite possibly the reason that we breed (besides the whole propogation of the species thing) is for moments like this.
as the cynicism sets in, when you've forgotten the simple joys tearing open wrapping paper, how the world should absolutely stop at the sound of a baby's cry, and how to break into dance at the slightest, silliest tune.
lest we forget.
Posted by heidijanet at 10:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 28, 2004
christmas
spending christmas in a subzero climate has been fantastic. i've spent lots of time holding, feeding, dressing and roughhousing with babies. i've been squeezed by dozens of my inebriated in-laws, trudged through snow and ice and torn through more gifts that one person really deserves. i've overslept, overeaten, overdressed and overindulged.
i've finally met, and fallen in love with my new niece sophia, who (in stark contrast to her tasmanian devil of an older sister) does nothing but smile and giggle. and eat.
i've enjoyed myself so much, that i'm psychically digging my heels in at the thought of returning to the left coast tomorrow.
Posted by heidijanet at 10:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 22, 2004
little man in the family
as of last night at 7:00pm, i became the proud aunt of a new nephew!!
my little brother shay and his wife shannon welcomed wee fisher brady thomsen into the world.
as my brother kept repeating over and over immediately following the birth, "this is a really big deal. really. just really a big deal."
yes shay, yes it is. i'm so excited!!
Posted by heidijanet at 01:26 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 28, 2004
thankful
this year's thanksgiving celebration was significantly less stressful than last year, with my wholly domesticated cousins and their amazing home-cooked pies and stuffing competition. my poor aunt had to cook a third turkey to go with all the leftover stuffing.
my aunt has honed her hostess skills to a science like few have ever seen. if anyone questions where my fussiness and control freaky tendencies come from, look no further than my immediate family, where i am decidedly laid-back, low key and practically slovenly by comparison.
the best moment of the afternoon came as all twenty of us were finishing up our meticulously prepared salads. my cousin jenny prepared to get up to clear the salad plates so we could move to the next course, and abruptly received a refresher course for her mother's "system".
aunt joyce: "sit down, i have this handled."
jenny: "but i was just trying to help clear the salad plates."
aunt joyce: "i have a system. please sit down."
jenny: "i know about the system, aren't i part of the system?"
aunt joyce: "no, you're not part of the system. please sit down."
jenny: "what, do you think i can't handle your system?"
as my cousin andy came up behind me to gather up my salad plate, i held on to it and suspiciously asked, "i don't know andy, are you part of the system?"
i might add that jenny is a mother of five, is the president of her ladies church group, and runs marathons and triathalons...and had, as a matter of fact, participated in the dana point turkey trot just that morning. all this while still managing to prepare homemade stuffing and two amazing pies for dinner.
as a girl that can barely manage to find the time to order take out at the end of an evening after a 14 hour workday, i threw my poor body into shock eating my way through three full days of turkey, stuffing, pies and loooong naps.
Posted by heidijanet at 05:00 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack