Climb your heart out (36/365)

Explorer (35/365)

Remember: You are the money maker! (34/365)

Doesn't look that scary does it?

Not until you see it from this angle: See the crack to the right of that tree? That is the ledge that Dan is jumping across! It is just wide enough for a person to slide all the way to the bottom of the canyon. In Kristen's words to Grayson when he was jumping across, "Remember, you are the money maker!"

Lone and dreary world (33/365)

I wore them out (32/365)

Two professional cleaners, one awesome sister in law, my best friend and neighbor, and I worked our butts off to deep clean the house, make it smell good, touch up a lot of paint (just how in the world does one's door frames get so scuffed, nicked, scratched, and dirty?) all for the first showing of the house.
Whew. It was close. Here's the aftermath:

Two worn out girls. Were going swimming tonight while the realtors have our second and third showings. Hope someone makes an offer......

I feel so accomplished (31/365)

Here is my bedroom that I have worked so hard to cuten up. Originally this was the office, but Dan and I competing for the one desk, when we both work from home, was getting kind of ridiculous.

(Sorry for the close up. I only have my 50mm right now. I lent my wide angle out to a friend and she just had a baby, so I'm thinking I won't get that lens back for a while. Who would want to make that call: "hi, um, I know you just had a baby and are in the hospital, but I need my lens back so I can take pictures of my pillows......." silence. ;) not me.)

Do you like my lampshade? I covered it myself. And I framed the fabric on the wall.

I've got skilz. Just kidding.

The time has come....(30/365)

to sell our house. Our home. Our neighborhood. We have the coolest, laidback, friendly neighborhood. I feel like we are selling out from the neighborhood. Right down the street is the elementary school where many of our neighbors work. I am very happy, yet also have a feeling of longing for the perfect little elementary school experience for my sweeties. I am happy with the hope that a new little family will move in and get to have a great experience. Maybe East Coast schools can be great too?

Talk about a Leap of Faith (29/365)

Innocence (28/365)

Patriotic (27/365)

Beneath the stars (26/365)

Pyrotechnics (25/365)

I realize these are not the best pictures, but I thought they turned out CRAZY and looks a little dangerous.

Short fuse. Almost lost a leg on that one.

Random fact: the house pictured here is the house I lived in until I was 12 yrs old, when my parents bought the house across the street from it. The house that my parents live in now, the one I lived in until going off to college, is not pictured here. Funny huh. But I love the new house so much that I want to buy it when my parents move to Arizona.

Faces (24/365)

How many clowns can you fit in a car? (23/365)

Good thing its not a close up...(22/365)

There is orange icecream everywhere :)

Kaboom! (21/365)

Craziness for Dan getting this fireworks store open for his business partners in Evanston.

Little Daredevil (20/365)

My little daredevil. Loves anything scary, spicy, dangerous. Especially rollercoasters. Mine is the second to last car next to the hot guy in the yellow shirt. Look how happy she is. She kept her hands up the whole time!

Last wedding for a while (19/365)

(18/365)

Great Friends (17/365)

Start of something good (16/365)

Great night out (15/365)

Seattle Cafe (14/365)

Healing Sun (13/365)

Ah, whenever I see the Sun I can't help but be happier and more optimistic. I believe the Sun has healing powers.

Happiest Place on Earth (12/365)

Deep blue (11/365)

"Mama Belle" (10/365)

My girls and Grandma Belle share a special bond (it must be the red hair). Although there is no blood relation, you would never know by watching them interact. They have a very loving relationship.

We had the privilege of staying with "Mama Belle" (as Adrienne calls her because Grandma is too hard to say) while we were in California. And woman is this lady a social butterfly, lunch and cards with friends by day and dinner reservations and cards with us by night. Highlight of our trip!

50's Diner (9/365)

Nice people, good eats. Dales in Long Beach, CA

Beauty (8/365)

* For the record. Dan wants everyone to know that this was not planned, posed, or contrived in anyway. He was adamant that he would not participate in any such cheesy posing experience. This happened all because I went back the the car for my camera and was last one out. And I'm great at candid like that. ;) *
But I still like it. Cheesy or not. I think it is beautiful.

It never rains in Southern California......(7/365)

Anyone else heard that song? Dan drove around So.Cal singing that song to me. It made me happy. Dan and the singing and the sunny weather and the palm trees. Oh the palm trees.

San Marcos

Priceline.com name your price, thank you very much. Neither Dan nor I had heard of San Marcos before you. We were worried you would be ghetto, but you are not. Lake San Marcos is fun and cool with comfy beds, vaulted ceiling, a man made lake, and the only one to accept our bid of $55.I did not take this picture. It came from the resorts website: http://www.lakesanmarcosresort.com/html/activities.html

Oldie but goodie 5/365

Two years later and she still loves her thumb. Its a comfort thing. I was seven months pregnant here.

Shoulder to lean on 4/365

My big sis, who is smaller than me by about 4inches, is still my shoulder to lean on. Two days ago I was really having a bad day, struggling with depression. I called her and tried to be strong, but she saw right through it. She talked and listened and empathized. I love this lady. And by the end of the conversation I felt so much better.

Its in the blood

My Grandpa Maurice "Sunny" Alt. was a photographer too. He lived in SanDiego and was a lifeguard and sailboat instructor and once had an article written up in the newspaper which mentioned his "sunny disposition". His other pictures are unreal how cool they are.
This is a picture that Sunny took flying over a part of SanDiego (I think Mission Bay- where my mom grew up, if I'm not mistaken) in a helicopter. This is my destination today. 12 hours in the car with two kids.........totally worth it!

BRING IT 2/365

I am taking on the 365 Challenge 1/365

I am taking on the 365 challenge. Where you take a picture everyday and post them for 365 days. I have been wanting to do this for a while, but I've been a little timid about having something to show every day for one year. Yet when I was cleaning out my archives the other day I realized I take a ton of pictures that never get posted because they don't fit in my family blog or in my photography blog. So here they will lie.



I've seen other people's 365 day challenges: http://www.memoriesinraw.com/ & http://blissfullydomestic.com/photo-bliss/are-you-up-for-the-365-challenge/and I am always inspired by the different ones I see. It is a beautiful creative outlet everyday of the year and will help me immensly with my quest for consistency. Hopefully at the end of the challenge I will have a beautiful culmination of what my life was like for that year. With all its ups, downs, and all arounds.