Transportation. Week 26-52

26 weeks already? Where did the year go?  We spent the weekend in manhattan with great friends of ours.  The kids got such a kick out of riding the subway.  I liked the gritty texture of this filter as it seemed appropriate for NYC transit.

We got to see lots of people enjoying the latest form of public transportation in the city - Citibike is here! NYC finally catching up with the other great cities of the world.

Of course there have always been plenty of bicycles in NYC... but mainly used for pizza delivery.

Young. Week 25-52

Last weekend Seb called me on the way home from work saying he had a big surprise waiting for me.  Ducklings!!  A whole weekend of duckling sitting!  It was so much fun for the girls (and for me).  They were a week old!  So tiny, so cute and they were inseparable.  This is their first time on grass!

They got to check out flowers and leaves for the first time.  I love this one of Charlotte's hand holding out a little leaf that they want to see.

And they also got to go swimming in a little tub we made for them.  So adorable seeing them dive under for the first time.  I thought it would be cute to introduce them to our rubber ducky.  Apparently real ducklings are terrified of fake ones.  I removed him immediately (well, after I took the pic).  I promise no ducklings were hurt in the production of this image.

 By the end of the weekend I swear they had doubled in size.  They grow so fast.  As do my children.  Yesterday was Annabelle's last day at daycare before she starts pre-school.  She had the BEST person ever watching over her so we made some fun (and sad) photo cards for her.  I got this cute font at picmonkey.

Writing. Week 24-52.

Man... some weeks parenting can be rough.  One evening last week I had to put my 6 year old in time-out.  When that didn't work I gave her one more warning before it was ""no books tonight" - the ultimate punishment.  She wasn't happy about it at all.  After a pretty major meltdown (and no books) she finally quieted down and started writing little messages which she threw down the stairs (and then shouted "Mum, there is a message for you).
This was the first one " I love you, but sometimes I don't.  I hope you understand"  Yes. I was pretty crushed.

Six more messages came down the stairs that night.  I had to wait until the following day to get the message I really wanted though!

Countryside. Week 23-52

I was so lucky to go home to England last week and surprise my aunt for her big birthday. Luckier still that England was awash with golden sunlight from the minute I arrived until the moment I left.  Truly, I think that there is nothing prettier than the English countryside.  Here's just a sample.

And then of course there are english country gardens with little gates and gorgeous daisies

railway tracks that head off into the distance

signposts to the village hall

flowers that grow on stone walls with my uncle waiting patiently for me to take yet another picture

But mostly in the countryside you can be guaranteed a pub lunch/sunday roast with a yorkshire pudding that will blow your mind.  Oh England, I miss you.

Action. Week 22-52

A little action for Charlotte and her enthusiastic (awesome) aunt Sara at the Memorial day carnival.  So much fun.  I've been making major progress with my understanding of the various focus modes on my camera.  I have to say I was pretty thrilled to catch this shot even though they were spinning around and going up and down at a million miles an hour.  Continuous tracking is my new best friend.

Signs. Week 21 - 52.

I love this little sign at my daughters school.  It directs the children to the playground.  Magical place.  Doesn't it make you just want to follow the sign?

  Not sure why but I just liked the lighting on this sign - that late evening sky with the neon sign just starting to light up.

Communication. Week 20-52

From the oldest member of my family to the youngest... we are connected.  Don't know what I would do if I couldn't reach my family across the ocean in an instant.

Food. Week 19-52

I have been dreading the "food" theme.  Taking good photos of food intimidates me completely.  So instead I just decided to take pictures of everything I ate all week.  Of course I forgot about breakfast and lunch.  But most dinners I remembered.  Not that anyone cares but this is what I ate!

Monday night: Cinco de mayo leftovers... fajitas and Monday night margaritas

Tuesday night - Birthday dinner at a tapas bar: scallops, lamb meatballs, seared tuna, chocolate cake

Wednesday night. Grilled shrimp salad on placemats from home...

Friday lunch (I guess I forgot Thursday dinner): Random mix of salads with crab cake and spicy chicken.

Friday night: finally i found a decent pizza  in our town. Thin crust with perfect ratio of sauce/cheese.  Real cheese.  Not that kind of goopy cheese grease that you find at most pizzerias. Of course I also tried the divine grilled octopus. yum.

Then we all (reindeer included) went out for icecream.  I'm stuffed.

Reflections. Week 18 - 52

Hi!  Here I am in the reflecting glass of some rather peculiar (and filthy) sunglasses.

This goose was chilling out at the fish hatchery.  Clearly hoping to get fed.  The water was so perfectly still that reflections were easy to come by.  Week 17 already?  This year is starting to fly by.

Home. Week 17 -52

Real estate in New York is not for the faint of heart.  Today I came across the birdhouse market - masses of houses (all rent-free) right outside my daughters school.    So many to choose from but each with their own issues..

 Too red.

 Too Thatched.

 Too decorated.

 Too bee-hivey

Too jail-like

I finally found where the birds chose to make their home...

This little one came out from where the straw is...

 This little guy came out of the gap/hole below him.  I guess home is where the heart is...

Private. Week 16-52

I can't tell you what's behind this locked gate... it's private.
I must confess I took this picture a few weeks ago.  This week I just didn't have it in me to take many photos.  The Boston tragedy sort of overwhelmed me. I love that town.  #Bostonstrong.

Yellow. Week 15-52

Little flashes of yellow just keep popping into my life in the strangest places.  I had to peel all the labels off these little bottles so my five year old could do her science experiment at kindergarten.  She did about 3 of them and I did the other 22.

I love the traffic light but mainly I just like the pigeons on the rooftop in the distance.

Lemon yellow. Yellow lemon

Love how these chairs were all set up.  And the bright pop of yellow amidst all that grey.

I spend a lot of my work day talking about food labels and nutrition.  So I got a kick out of this label.