Why I Love Photography (even if I stink at it!)

Sometimes taking meaningful pictures of one's children can prove to be tricky. Mine are prone to constant movement, unpredictable bouts of humorous activity and occasional but acute camera-itis. So capturing slight traces of their busy lives on the medium of film (albeit digital) is not only a challenge but a joy to behold (well, for me anyway).

Some of our recent events caught in the moment...or split-second...

Tucker single-handedly held off a small army of dodgeballers at Sky High and picked 'em off one by one, closing the game and proclaiming himself Tyrant of the Tramp. (Okay. I made up the title. But he was pretty impressed with his skills).

Kalli's stance of preference: bouncing off a wall. Cousin Macy's corresponding energy level makes them a perfect match.

You know you're a mom when a million things can be going on around you, and you can easily shut out the entire world and direct all of your attention solely to your own kid. My camera was feeling the vibe because Tuck's the only one in focus!

Kalli's tongue has a spasmodic reaction that is solely dependent on her level of concentration. I love her little tongue and all it's funny poses.

Tanner and his new lid. Check out the flat-billed baseball hat. It's twice the size of his head but draws a bounty of "oohs" and "aahs" from envious peers. I think this is truly a sign that my weak foothold in the goings-on of the younger generations is slipping, cuz I don't get the hat appeal.

Dog in bag. Don't ask.

Katelyn and Kalli decided to hold a mock photo shoot. Kate did the makeup; Kalli posed with the out-of-character leo, tutu and flower wand (thanks Marlo!).

This is what I love most about families. You always have an accomplice in some random act of adventure, imagination and even boredom. I love my peeps.

Tuck's scriptural interpretation, Kate's cake, Tanner's burrito, and Kalli on being Kalli

In an effort to bolster a sense of tranquility on Sunday mornings, we have a quasi-custom of doing"stations;" meaning simply that we set up four different activities and the kids rotate separately through each activity every 10 minutes. They do everything from thank you notes, journals, and emailing cousins to spending one-on-one time with Sean and/or myself. We got the idea from a Friend magazine article; it's a great quiet time alternative for our active crew.

This past Sunday morning I took the opportunity to sit down for 10 minutes with each of my kids individually and read out of a great book I got them for Christmas entitled, "Why? Powerful Answers and Practical Reasons for Living Gospel Standards." It's a great book for kids over the age of about eight; I highly recommend it.

Anyway, Tucker was interested in the chapter title, "Why is it so important that I gain an education?" In this particular chapter, the authors present quite a bit of secular data regarding the topic and also include some scriptural perspective. One of the scriptures included was the following, which refers to the many different fields of study in which it is suggested we educated ourselves. As we read the scripture, I asked Tucker what he thought each particular phrase referred to in regard to learning. His answers are in italics.

D&C 88:79
Of things both in heaven and in the earth... Astron-onomy and geography
and under the earth... dirt and stuff
things which have been... old stuff and dead people
things which are...the news
things which must shortly come to pass...guessing future stuff that you don't really know because it hasn't happened yet
things which are at home...chores and stuff mom makes you do
things which are abroad...huh?
the wars and the perplexities of the nations...another huh?
and the judgments which are on the land...judges and stuff the police make you do
and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms...geography. Hey, they already did that one.

I love to hear what's going on upstairs in Tucker's head; he always makes me smile. Especially when he doesn't mean to.

Tanner's Happy Food of the Month: Taco Bell's 89 cent five-layer burrito with a hidden layer of nacho cheese sauce. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is notably a day replete with random acts of kindness, so I asked Tanner if he would like to dine at Taco Bell for lunch (my random act of kindness: check!) He gave me his gleeful squeal that is reserved for only the best of news. I wish I had a picture of him eating his three beloved burritos. His shirt now sports telltale signs of the feast. Blasted hot sauce is impossible to get out of clothes.

Katelyn is a great little baker. I always know when she's missed me, because she often bakes me my very favorite Country Apple Fall Cake. It's divine and delish. I can tell by the cinammon-sweet smell that thumps me in the nose as I walk in the door after being out for a couple of hours that she's missed me. She'd never admit it in words; no way. But the cake says it all!

Kalli is perfecting her shifty ways. Where there's a sweet and innocent smile, there's also often an ulterior motive lurking in the wings of her ever-active mind. Case in point. Last week I asked her what her favorite recess activity was.
"Wall ball, for sure," she replied.
"Yeah? You any good?" I asked heedlessly.
"Sure. I always win. Natalie is the only other girl whose any good. And all I have to say is, 'Hey Natalie, I sure like when you wear your hair down.' She then takes out her ponytail holder and the wind blows her hair in her face so she can't see and I win the game."

Definitely her father's child. :)

Wings

Last night as Katelyn was looking through some recent photos, she came across the two pictures shown below. She asked who these women were, having no recollection herself, and why I had had my picture taken with them.

I immediately suppressed the desire to tell her that one woman was her birthmother and the other was a woman that had offered $100 to take Kate off my hands and sell her into slavery and that I was seriously considering it. I decided instead that this would make a better teaching moment than an opportunity to tease.

So I told her about the woman in the first picture, JoEllen Carlson, and how I had at the age of 11 babysat her four children every Friday night. How she and her husband Clark had treated me like a daughter and had trusted me entirely with their four very young children. She would often write me notes of appreciation and buy me gifts, small things that "reminded her of me." I told Kate how it had made me feel to be so appreciated and esteemed by adults whom I considered at the time to be so much cooler than my own parents. I told her how I, being relatively young and full of imagination at the time, would play "house" with her kids, pretending they were my own. I cooked, cleaned, did laundry and played endless hours of chase, hide-and-seek and helicopter and loved every minute of it. JoEllen was perhaps the first woman I had really looked up to besides my mother and thought, "I want to be like her when I grow up."

When I was in Denver two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to chat with her at church for a few minutes and was so incredibly pleased to find that she was the same faithful, fun-loving and contagiously optimistic person I had remembered. All of her babies are grown with babies of their own, which makes me feel ancient-ish, but I am so grateful to JoEllen for the friendship, trust and example she was to me as a young, very impressionable girl.

DISCLAIMER: My little buddy, 9-year-old nephew Trevor, who has nicknamed me "The Hobo" took these pictures. We're working on his stabilizing and focusing techniques. :)




This dear, sweet woman is the mother of my "big sister" Niobe (who is actually the wife of my eldest brother, but she's been my friend for a very long time). Niobe's little sister Nadine was one of my closest high school friends, and when things were rough at home or I was feeling particularly mistreated by the world, I'd often end up at Nadine's house. Nadine and Ni's mother, Gloria, was like a second mom to me. I loved her sense of humor, her immense patience and her willingness to hold me to higher standards than I sometimes set even for myself.

I also had the opportunity to spend some time with her in Denver and continue to admire her deep faith and perpetual smile.


I honestly believe the family unit is irreplaceable and unmatched in its capacity to instill in us the morals, beliefs and a sense of security that are requisite to reaching our full potential. However, I also believe in the distinct necessity for external influences in our lives, especially as we launch into puberty and later into adulthood, in helping us determine who we really are as well as our potential for being loved by others outside of our immediate families.

These are just two of the many, many people in my life who've provided the lift I've needed at pivotal times in my life to rise a little higher than I could have on my own.

Roots

On New Year's Day 2010 my sister Anna, her sweet baby Liam and I left our respective homes near Seattle long before the sun rose and headed via airplane to Denver, Colorado, to surprise my eldest brother for his 40th birthday. The convergence of the entire Houser clan was imminent, as our other five siblings and my parents were all en route to the same party destination.

A little history about my family. My parents, as young converts to the church, insisted on outdoing most other viable family units and popped out eight children in 11 years. Since they never intended to parent any children prior to joining the church, I consider my siblings and I lucky to have made it to mortality at all!

Having grown up all over the planet, we maintained relatively close ties as siblings out of necessity. It's hard to maintain external friendships when you move every two years or so. As teenagers, most of us drifted apart a bit (or at least they all voluntarily drifted away from me!) but as adults we've gravitated more and more toward spending as much time together as circumstances will allow.

So when all ten of us managed to attend Javan's 40th birthday party on January 2nd, it was with great satisfaction that I got to spend some time with each of my siblings and my parents. Not to mention the extensions of each of them, meaning their wonderful spouses (we seriously scored in this department) and beautiful children (although not all the in-laws and offspring were in attendance; there are over 50 of us now).

When asked where I'm from, I usually say Colorado; I was born there and graduated high school there with so very many "homes" in between. But when I really think about it, I can't say that I have geographical roots anywhere . My roots lie in the familial terrain forged by two determined parents who, regardless of the volume or quantity of complaints, rarely wavered from regular Family Home Evenings, family prayer and scripture study, frequent temple attendance and much fervent personal prayer on behalf of their rowdy crew. My roots are spread throughout four states and nine homes, because where my family is (regardless of the stinky pranks they've pulled on me in the past), there lies my history and my origin. And my love.


The Sibs: (l to r) Becca, Jamin, Anna, Javan, Mara, Judah, Tami, Deborah (in front)

The Bros: Judah, Jamin, Javan

Con and Glo added to the mix (plus a few of the grandkids). Make note that my hair color is a perfect match to Ni's family room paint!

Victoria willingly removing toe jam from my peds.

Nephew Trevor taking liberties with my camera. Notice the pink Snuggie: a sure sign he has three older sisters.

Mom and Becca (and twin #1, Treyton)

One of Judah's many faces. His facial expressions are almost as entertaining as what comes out of his mouth!

Sister Debbie. There is perhaps no one funnier on the entire planet, and her sweet baby Amara. I love Deb's smile.

Niobe and Javan, dressed for his party. I do not know where he finds the mullet wigs and white trash attire, but he wears it well!

Chillin' with some of the sisters, four neices and two nephews. I'm the only sister without a baby! So weird...

Amanda, Jessica, Javan and Rachel at Javan's party. He's a great dad to his teenage girls.
And they're great girls to their teenage dad!

Christmas 2009, Part Dos

Continuing on, we attended yet another musical event, Kalli's first piano recital. It was held in the local Methodist church. Here is Kalli, amidst her buddies, with the big gap in her maw. Still waiting for the front teeth to make their grand (and permanent) appearance.



I was most impressed with Kalli's maturity as she introduced herself and the pieces she'd be playing. There was no goofing around whatsoever, which could possibly be a first for her.

I forced her (post-recital) to sit at the piano and let me take a picture of the front of her head.

Katelyn and her friend Jonica showing us what not to do in a Methodist sanctuary. I gave them a stern talking to. :)

Christmas Eve found us at Dale and Susan's for dinner, ice skating and a movie. Apparently "Night at the Museum Two" left a lasting impression on Sean and Eden.

And, as always, the annual nativity reenactment. I love that a few yards of fabric, two towels, some tinsel and a naked doll can bring about the true spirit of Christmas like nothing else can. The kids love this tradition.

We're not sure what part Sean was playing here. But I think it's a nice new look for him, no?

After a delicious dinner and the usual festivities, we returned home for our annual pj opening party. This is where the frenzied excitement usually picks up steam and my kids remain pumped until well into Christmas afternoon.

See what I mean?!

Christmas morning before the slashing of wrapping paper and the shouts of elation.

The stocking ritual; my personal favorite part of the day.

Kate and a little bit of cocoa with her whipped cream and candy canes.

Kalli bought Tanner his very own bottle of French Vanilla coffee creamer. Look at the face: eyes closed, head tilted back slightly, lips puckered. Pure ecstasy.

At ten o'clock, we headed to Ben and Sommer's for brunch and the cousin/grandparent/in-law gift exchange. We then went to Anna and Dave's for dinner and games. Grandma Glo bought all the local grandsons night vision goggles. Here's the result.

This is a common visual of what transpires when it is time to part ways with the Crosbys. There is much puppy-dog-eyeing, whimpering, pleading, begging, cajoling..."can we please have a sleepover??" You get the picture.

And lastly, there was sledding the next day with some of the Sundwall clan. Tuck and I remained at home as Tucker was trying to kick a head cold and I was on the brink of mental collapse with the disaster that had descended on my home. After two loads of laundry and a good vacuuming, I was myself again. :)

December 2009, Part Uno

Ah, December. It could be argued that there is no busier month of the year. It could also be argued that eggnog rubbed on plantar warts causes one to hallucinate about frolicking pain-free in a field of wild clovers, thus proving that one can argue almost any point on one's blog and no one will bother arguing to the contrary because hey, it's an inconsequential family blog, so why waste the time?

Major digression.

Back to December. We launched the merriest of months with the Santa Dash 5k/10k run in Kent. While sitting in the car waiting for the race to begin, what did our wondering eyes behold? A "what not to do before a run" representation in full view. See picture below. The upside was the conversation we had with the kids about the logic behind the following equation: smoking + running still equates to shrunken, blackened lungs and cardiovascular disease. They nodded knowingly. All hail to multimedia health presentations/scare tactics employed by the public school system.



Sean ran the 10k, although I have no pictures of him. My defense is that he's just too fast :). But here's Tanner at take off. Tucker was planning on running as well but opted out when his toothpick legs turned blue and his bones fused to their joints due to the cold.

Here's Tanner rounding the turn near the finish line. I love his focus when he runs. It reminds me of the intense focus it takes for me to get my sorry rear end out of bed every morning.

Ah, and what would the holidays be without a middle school band concert? Tanner is admittedly pretty impressive on the ol' swing machine. Although it hasn't made any middle band concert programs that I'm aware of, his favorite song to play is called, "Caveman Gets a Haircut." It comes complete with two junctures in the score where the sax player grunts decisively.

Though now a graduate of the less-than-easy-listening sixth grade band, Katelyn has become a pivotal clarinetist in the seventh grade band. I begged her to wear the blinking Rudolph nose but she opted instead for the Santa hat. Conformist.

To boldly quote Herman Melville, "Thar she blows!"

I Saw Tanner Kissing Santa Claus. It doesn't have the traditional ring of the famous Christmas jingle, but this is a better story. A co-worker of Sean's dared my kids to kiss Santa, promising in return two extra lottery tickets for the prize drawings at the office Christmas party. Tanner and Kate were the only takers. There is no picture of Katelyn kissing Santa due to a failed flash, but here's Tanner laying one on Jolly Ole Saint Nick. He was mortified that I caught it on film, so I respectfully offered to buy the rights to his photo with a super-sized Slurpee.

While Tanner's ticket was not chosen in the drawing, Katelyn scored a 40" plasma TV (see below). It now resides in our family room, with the promise that it goes off to college with her in six years.

The holidays have been peppered with frequent visits/sleepovers with the Crosby clan (aka "The Flight Risks"). We love having my sister Anna and her family nearby again. Hopefully they'll make it through the winter before fleeing the state! This picture is but a single representation of the many wild moments our kids share together (they're getting fired up for a wrestling match against the girls).

This picture is worth a closer look. The lesson to be learned here, I believe, is that if a child warrants being smothered by a pillow, one should not do it too gleefully. Child Protective Services frowns on that. One should also not smother other people's children. (This is NOT her child :). Thanks, Jen, for the mid-blog, child-rearing "what not to do" moment.

Jen and her sweet boys hosted a raging Christmas party before they left for Utah. The decible level reached the sound barrier breaking point, if I recall correctly.

The kids honing their gift opening skills at a pre-Christmas morning event with Andrew, Preston and Jen, all surrogate Sundwall family members, on the 18th.

AAHHHH! I just realized my family is downstairs having fun without me. Must run!