A Morning in the Life of Maria and Malan

 January 2014

Our House

Morning Routine

Malan comes to my room first, nice and early, with binky and blanket in tow.

When she gets bored, Malan starts going through the bathroom drawer or ventures
into the closet.

Today she found the birthday book stash.

Maria sets her clothes out every night. . . part of her night time routine.

The morning joy is starting to wear off.  Malan is getting irritable
and wanting her sister to get up.

Malan is taking her sister's wake up into her own hands.
(I do not recommend this!)

Maria is NOT a morning person, and does not aprove of my camera in her face.  Malan, as you can see is dressed and
ready for the day and Maria is still on the floor doing her stretch and whine routine.

Put the camera away!

Really!

Malan makes us laugh and gets a smile out of her sister when no one else can.

Maria is still in SLLLOOOOOOOOOW motion mode.  Malan has thrown everything at her by now,  including purple undies.

Sister love to get the day started.

Malan eating like any good bird does.  She is a VERY messy eater, hence the 're-feeder' bib and the run-off  catcher
place mat.

Maria on her tippy toes on the stool. (Yes, she has fallen off multiple times, scraping her face,
 her neck, her belly, you know we learn from our mistakes around here!)

Feet crossed: Malan
Tippy toes with a front tucked shirt: Maria

Maria is always doing a couple of things at one time, this picture is proof.

Once Maria figured out that some cereal boxes had activities ('ativities') on the back
of the boxes, she would do this little set-up while she ate.

A little extra time (MIRACLE, right here) before we needed to leave for school, meant Maria could draw.

Back to Miss Messy Wiggle Pants.  She is out of her buckles. Bib and bowl are on
the ground.  Pretty normal.

Writing a thank you card to Allie for a bday present.

Focus face and Destructo face.

Maria drew a peace sign for Allie.  She said she knew Allie would love it.

And off to school.

In January I took a Familyness Workshop by Davina Fear.  The workshop taught about the value and process of capturing Familyness (everything that makes your family who and what they are) on film.  The course talked a lot about telling a story with your photographs and capturing your family just as they are, because that is where the beauty really is.  It taught about focusing on the little details that make the memories so special and tell so much of the story we want to never forget.  

I thoroughly enjoyed the online course, and though my lenses were broken and I only had my 50mm fixed lens to use during the class, I felt that I learned a lot about story telling and about the importance of taking in all of the elements surrounding my photo subjects to really add to the message being shared by my pictures.