This post marks 50 days into my Project 365. It’s gone quickly, but I can’t say it’s always been easy. Sometimes I find myself struggling to find something worth photographing, especially after dark when I know the photos will be less than perfect. I am trying to remind myself to take more pictures of the everyday. That’s the purpose after all – a record of our life this year. Now on to the next 50…

This little one has developed quite the personality. This look is one of his classics. He dips his head and looks with his eyes upward and a stern look on his face. Then I return the look and we stare each other down until Samuel starts laughing. After laughing for a few seconds he gives me the look again in the hope that I will continue to play the game. This can go on for quite some time.

Posing for a quick picture with some Wiggly fingers. Yes, that is a Star Wars shirt – his other obsession. Don’t worry, he has never seen the movie. He just understands the story and characters through conversations with his friends. He has also gathered quite the collection of small Star Wars figurines. It’s like they have multiplied and taken over the house. But he plays with them almost every day, acting out scenes in his imaginary world, so it’s worth it.

Spring is already arriving in Portland. Of course now that I’ve said it out loud, we should be expecting a snowstorm any day.

On of the many ways that we have witnessed Thomas’ growth this year is with his love of drawing and art. I has been amazing to watch how his drawing has changed in just a few months. When he started school last September, he was drawing people with one big circle head/body with stick arms and legs. They all looked the same and were all declared to be Stormtroopers. Now he draws elaborate scenes with people who have heads and bodies and elbows and fingers. Today he drew a picture of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, complete with a tornado. He has also been learning about French artists in his after school program and every day I receive a lesson about Monet or Picasso or Seurat (for the record, Monet did not like Seurat). I thoroughly enjoy his enthusiasm and hope it never goes away.

There is so much going on in this photo:

1. Samuel enjoying a snack after school by himself. He often sits by himself at the table because he likes to linger while he eats and the rest of us run out of patience. Today he sat there for about 30 minutes before dinner and another 30 minutes during dinner.
2. The helmet is back. Samuel is obsessed with hats and if he manages to get his hands on his helmet then he’ll wear it non-stop until we hide it while he’s not looking.
3. Still wearing his jacket and shoes even though he’s been in the house for 30 minutes – another obsession.
4. Red paint samples on the wall to the left that promise a soon-to-be painted dining room and a big massive pile of paint swatches in the middle of the table – although I’m not sure how having 1000 paint colours to choose from makes the decision-making any easier.
5. A tiny little bit of daylight remaining at 5:45pm – the days are getting longer.

We begin this P365 post with a photo that is not the best, not even in complete focus, but that tongue in the cheek says it all. Pure concentration. Thomas came home from learning about Monet at his after school program and just had to paint. I think you’ll agree that his work of art would rival Monet any day of the week.

Just a couple of days before Valentine’s day and that means candy has begun infiltrating our house again.

Kei and I had an actual adult night out on Friday. We visited a restaurant that I been wanting to try for a long time (about three years) and the food was AMAZING! I’m still thinking about the soft shell crab with the shrimp gumbo, paired perfectly with a cucumber mojito. Then we headed to see Avtar in 3D (fun, but a little long) before picking up the kids. The only downside to the entire evening was that we didn’t have time to make it to Pix for a totally extravagant dessert. Next time we’ll see a shorter movie.

I told Samuel that I was going to take a picture of us. He said “no picture” and pushed the camera away. This is the result.

For the past couple of months I have been purchasing our groceries online from New Seasons. It means paying a little more – both for fully organic groceries and the “bring it to the car” fee, and I have been wondering if it is really worth it. Today we decided to make a trip to Fred Meyer for our weekly grocery shop, mainly because we had to pick up a couple of things that were not available from New Seasons. Within five minutes I had decided that New Seasons was worth every penny. No whiny children asking to buy every toy they see, no guilt at having to purchase products that were likely shipped from halfway across the country, and no wasting two hours doing something that you can do in 30 minutes with a laptop. I think I’m sold.

Here’s the whiny kid – well, one of them.