Slutty...

...blossoms!

Nothing like a potty word to reel ya in huh?!

Austin was a bit bored today and when I came home from grocery shopping he was waiting on the driveway to help w/the bags. {that part cracks me up} He wanted cookies...homemade cookies...Peanut Blossoms to be exact and he wanted to help make them. Ok...the child was putting away the groceries as I was recipe hunting! {that cracks me up too} I didn't have the Kisses to put on top but this IS a chocoholics house and really, I don't know if it's just boys or kids in general-but they don't care if they have perfect cookies or even if they aren't made EXACTLY like the recipe is written. He was just happy to be in the kitchen, just the two of us...

baking slutty cookies!

Oh...I learned that term over the summer only it was with brownies. Seriously. Look up Slutty Brownies. I've not made them yet but the phrase was coined because they're so easy to make and they're "filthy" looking. { cookie crust, Oreo cookie layer and brownie mix on top!}

Ok, these arent' filthy but they ARE easy and Austin say's they're sinful so the name stays!

They are a mess! But you know what? I don't have to eat them...Austin's happy as a clam and we made a new memory!

Happy (slutty whatever) Snapping!

xo

Kelly

I have some 'splainin'...

...to do

I was explaining on IG this morning that I was moody yesterday-partly because of the weather & partly because it's the end of the week & at the end of the day, I'm still dealing with a sick mom and a dad in re-hab who is working really hard to be able to come home but isn't ready to go OR be received. There's coordinating, and phone calls, update emails, dinner to make, pick ups at school, drop offs at gyms...It can be overwhelming. I like what my IG/blogging buddy, Roban, said, "Sometimes we just have to melt into the moment." Words of truth my friend. 

I've resigned myself to the fact that 2013 is "the year" I just want over...then I think to myself, it's only January-A lot can happen yet...and then I think...oh yikes...anything good OR bad can happen. And so it goes...the little voice goes round and round in my head, over thinking, over processing, over analyzing, and then I wear myself out! It's a wonder I even at night! So I "melted" into that moment, felt it and moved on. 

{Inhale} I take a deep breath and tell myself this is all going to work out the way it's meant to, try to find the good in a bad situation, don't be so hard on myself-rely on loved ones.{exhale}

I have only allowed myself little snippits of my losses. I think I'm doing 2 things at once. I'm either preparing for a total loss at the thought I'm never going to have my mom back to the way she was OR hoping that I will. 

I just keep saying to myself that I'm on this journey...not one that like if I walked into a travel agency and said, "I want a trip that sucks in every way possible" but none the less...a journey bumps and all.

I'll take it, learn and grow from it and hope (there's always hope) for a happy ending.

Happy Snapping!

Kelly

xo 

phone...

...friday

This is me today. 

Happy {rainy-day} snapping

xo

Kelly

It's all a blur...

...to me

Yup...like I blinked...and it's Monday 21st. Some of you know what's going on through IG-for the rest of you my friends-I'm going to give you a re-cap:

Last Friday, my dad was rushed to the E.R. with his blood sugar over 600 (his glucose meter only goes to 599) and his BP was over 200/120. A brain scan showed a blood clot due to a blunt force trauma he suffered before Christmas. He was accidentally knocked over by a grocery store employee and my dad hit his head on the way down. Fast forward to today...no stroke, no more bleeding, he's in an amazing re-hab center making good progress. His insulin was cut in half and even though he has his "la-la" moments, I savor his moments of lucidity. My mom is s-l-o-w-l-y doing ok...but that can easily slip at any moment. My brother and I are doing everything we can to make each of their lives...well...livable. I'm surprised I sleep at night.

I had my 49th birthday a week ago...it passed quietly this year.

I should have posted this on the 14th...but the sentiments are still the same.

I released 2 beautiful female an 1 very handsome male monarch last week.

One will emerge tomorrow and I still have 3 left. The weather is super warm for their release...We're just going on 9 straight days of wind...(grrrrrr) So Frankie made me this cute little net carrier to take the butterflies to a less windy spot.

I found Juniper berries in my spice cabinet. I'm sure there is a very good reason and recipe somewhere-I've just forgotten! But I liked how they photographed at any rate.

Frankie, Austin and I drove downtown for a hike. Oh...it was just beautiful. 80* and NO dang wind! We hiked up to the Griffith Observatory. The views of the entire valley in all directions was breathtaking. Was not thrilled, however, w/Matilda's performance...I have got to send her away to get the focus points aligned...Honestly, I don't know why I'm dragging my heels...well actually I do...I'm mad that I have to do it in the first place!

I've loved having today off, I got a lot done and I wanted so bad to sit and visit with you all.

I ticked off everything on my list...

Now...

I'm off to visit your blogs.

Happy (no wind) Snapping

xo

Kelly

A fresh...

...perspective

After a brief bout with a foot injury & procedure to fix it, I can finally wear shoes again! Since I decided on my word, LIVE, I bought a new pair of walking shoes and have started walking again after a year of doing nothing that resembles exercise hiatus! It feels good to get out and breathe the fresh air again. But I tell ya, after living in the same neighborhood for 12 years, there's not a whole lot else to see.  Sooooooo, I had a lightbulb moment & quite honestly don't know why I hadn't thought of it before. (that's sort of normal for me!) I did everything opposite.  I walked the opposite side of the street, where I end my walk, I went that way first. I actually ended up on a street I hadn't been on in....well, years.

We live in a pretty typical southern California suburb & there's no real character to the homes...not that I'm not grateful for a beautiful home-but now that I want to photograph everything, It's hard to find  anything worth snapping around here anymore.

I do love big baubles in the trees.

It IS sort of cool we see blooms are year round here.

Now, there's nothing extraordinary about these shots.  The point is, I would have missed them had I not changed things up to get a fresh perspective...which is always a good thing. Oh, and I scored me them lemons! So, this year I am looking to find little ways to get fresh perspectives. I'm already trying things  I don't know too much about but hopefully will become as natural as brushing my teeth. And if not, that ok...I tried. It's so easy to fall into what's comfortable, and sometimes we need that too.

 But for me and my word, LIVE, fresh=good!

Are you doing or trying anything new this year? Please share with me. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Happy (fresh perspective) shooting!

xo

Kelly 

Bucket o'...

...love

I swear, I spent more time on the dang title than I care to share & I'm still not diggin' it...

...I DO want to share something I scored at a Vintage Faire I go to once a month.

*They make me swoon! The guy selling these said they were Japanese berry buckets from the turn of the century. Frankly, I couldn't tell you if they really are that old or not. In Kelly-land...they are-because I'm a dreamer!

And for $10 bucks a pop...I was NOT going to argue with him! 

He had me here...

...and here...

Oh for the love of textures...

*There were lots of other people that seemed to love them too because I was stopped half a dozen times so other hunters could swoon at them too!

The antique faire is every 4th Sunday & you can bet my calendar is marked for Jan. 27th! I'm always on the lookout for a turn of the century typewriter and this time I'm hunting for French magazines, books and postcards. I'm a tad obsessed fascinated with anything French at the moment. 

One of my Hanukkah presents from Frankie (swoon!)

These events are fun because people are actually chatting & laughing face to face-like old times-before cell phones. I am always thrown back to my childhood by items I remember having as kid...it's a natural trip down memory lane. 

I'm still thinking about a better title... :-)

Happy (Paris) Snapping!

xo

Kelly

Kinfolk...

...magazine

I must be the last person on the planet that has actually held a KINFOLK magazine in my hands! What with bookstores closing down faster than anything...I've only ever heard about this little gem. Kim Klassen held a little contest before the end of the year and I won this copy form her and it was waiting for me when I got home from Fla.
I only 1/2 heartedly read the announcement...DUH
http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe
I must have been in la-la land...my name is clearly written!
It is simple and delicious!

There are NO ads...

...& NO pesky postcards to yank out (I'm weird like that)...

...just pure, simple, visually appealing photos, and stories. 

I'm in love...

Happy (whatever makes you smile) snapping!

xo

Kelly

This and...

...that

It's a ridiculously blustery day...

And I shot this for no other reason than I'm a sucker for tree bokeh!

This is a Phoebe. She's been hanging out between me & my next door neighbor, Sharon.

Phoebe loves crickets!

I have a new batch of "critters." Seven in all. Three are already in a chrysalis state, One crawled up to the top of the enclosure just this morning. Two are just about ready to pop and make their way to the top as well. The last one has about 10 days or so before he makes his way to the top. And much to Frankie's relief, the milkweed out side is free of eggs! We built a smaller indoor inclosure to house the critters safely & is sitting in my living room. 

I'm just chillin' for the next five days before school/work resume.

Not sure if I'm ready or not...

Happy (nature) Snapping!

xo

Kelly