Finals are done!

Now that finals are done, I feel like I have some time to breath! This semester was a tough one for me but I'm glad I stuck it out. Here's my final portfolio for my photography class, one of my favorite classes. I chose to do light painting photography (aka using lights like flashlights to draw out your photo). Anyways, I had never done it before and wanted to try it out for myself. Thanks to all my helpers, I couldn't have done it without your help. It just seemed like a waste to put so much effort into this project and have no one see it, so take a look and enjoy!

Also, a little about the project. Each picture correlates to a saying about the home.

My whole theme surrounded the home and my photos are my interpretation of those sayings.

I live in my house as I live in my skin: I know more beautiful, more ample, more sturdy and more picturesque skins but it would seem unnatural to exchange them for mine.

Primo Levi
If I were asked to name the chief benefit of a house, I should say: The house shelters day-dreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace.
Gaston Bachelard

Home is where you truly believe

They are the happiest, be the king or peasant, who find peace in their hands.
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts to build a home.

Home is where we love- home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Home is where we are free to create who we are.

Give a Little...

Now that our family is back into our own place again, it's been fun celebrating the holidays together and finding new traditions. This year we got to help Santa out by giving a toy that would go to another child.

Justin's Aunt Sherri told us that in her neighborhood the kids get to bring a gift for another child and tell Santa what they gave. If I remember right, they've been doing this for about 4 years. It's all in a garage, there are tables for presents, refreshments and of course Santa is there too!

Santa passed out candy canes to all the children. Marie was the first in our group to talk to Santa. I was hoping that if she did then Ikaika wouldn't be so leery of him.

Marie and Sherri. Santa was calling a bunch of kids by name and i think they were so stunned that Santa actually knew them. It was funny seeing all the kids reactions

Ikaika and Daddy. This is what i get when i say smile! ha ha

I was proud of Ikaika he jumped right into his wish list, which consisted of the toys he saw other kids bring in. ha ha. and he did tell Santa what he brought. He took Justin up with him as well, didn't want to do it without his daddy, his hero!

I Love this kid so soooooo much.

Sydney was so cute with Santa. If she was scared of Santa, i didn't see it. She just smiled and answered all his questions.

Jordan was probably the warmest one there, it was pretty cold in that garage.

Conner wasn't feelin it but he did let me take a picture of him :)

All the yummy desserts, but i think the hot chocolate was the best!

I think this will be a fun family tradition for us and someday Ikaika will understand what it's all about.