The Response: A Tangle — Cheryl

This image, of the wild rose bushes in the backyard, was taken remotely. Using my 70-300mm lens, I pointed the camera out the window of the master bathroom.

The Call: Danny & the Remote — Jessica

I went with the obvious here. Lately, Danny has been wanting to push the buttons on the remote to change to his favorite shows. Currently his absolute favorite is Pee Wee’s Playhouse. We really wish we hadn’t bought it because it’s not really the nicest show for kids (lots and lots of innuendo…) but he loves it! And we have to watch each episode over and over.

The Response: A Miracle? — Jessica

I can’t believe that they cancelled school today. The official reason is that many of the buses wouldn’t start this morning in the extreme cold. At least it gave me a chance to have the kids help out with the cleaning, which I can’t believe that they actually did.

Catherine took a break from mopping and was immediately surrounded by the dogs, who, I do believe, adore her.

The Call: Fence, Snow, and Shadows — Cheryl

“I keep deciding to believe in God, even on bad days.” — Doris Betts

Similarly, I keep deciding to take pictures, even when I feel like there’s not an ounce of motivation/inspiration/passion left in my stuffed-to-the-gills brain.

The Response: My Little World — Cheryl

Jessica wrote about resolutions and promises, and it seems fitting that I address the themes. I’m not one to make resolutions, because I know myself too well. No matter how committed I convince myself I am, a resolution will not last more than a week, maybe two. I don’t make promises to myself (and seldom make them to anyone else), but at the beginning of a new year, I tend to formulate nebulous notions about how I might improve my life. One such notion, here at the start of 2015, is to strive for peace of heart by trying to be more present in everything I do, whether it’s creating images with my camera, writing, praying, or spending time with my family.

The Call: A Promising Start — Jessica

I like to make “promises” to myself each New Year. Okay, they are really resolutions and each year I promise myself that I won’t do it and then before I can stop myself I’ve come up with a list of the stupid things. The main problem is that most of my resolutions are “nice to have” or “nice to do” type things. As in, “it sure would be nice if I could post several times a week,” or “it would be nice if I could lose 20 pounds.” So, when push comes to shove, my promises to myself take a backseat to necessities of daily life — like laundry. And dinner. Oh, well. I also promised myself not to dwell on the negative. ; )

The Call: Dinnertime? — Cheryl

Yesterday afternoon, I spread a lovely meal for our local feathered friends, and I hoped they’d be stopping by today. I kept scanning the “dining room” outside my studio windows, but nobody showed. Perhaps the rain kept them away and they’ll arrive with the sun.

The Response: Girls Who Bead Together — Cheryl

Generally, I simply have to start with whatever I have at hand: an idea, a word, a picture, or something more tangible, like a tube of paint. Today, it was a photo in a beading magazine that got things off the ground. Before I knew it, I was getting somewhere — and Stella was right there next to me.

The Call: Somewhere in America — Jessica

Oftentimes when I have reached the limited of my patience I can be heard to shout out, “Will SOMEONE come over here and clean this mess?” My second born will kindly remind me “someone means no one, Mom.”

In the same way, somewhere can be nowhere but it can also be anywhere.

The Response: Traffic — Jessica

Few things are more vexing to me than being stuck in traffic with a car full of tired and hungry kids. At least the light was really cool and the traffic stopped in just the right place for me to snap this shot with the metrorail overhead.

The Call: Morning Sunshine in Her Hair — Cheryl

Flash photography tends to vex me in one way or another, so I prefer natural light. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out as well as I’d like. A little more sharpness in this shot of Stella, along with more light on her face, would make me happier.

The Response: Teatime Snack — Cheryl

Around here, we seldom eat on anything even resembling a schedule. For some of us, breakfast might occur at noon, and dinner often gets served after 8:00 pm. Therefore, teatime snacks (like this yummy pumpkin coffee cake made by Bridget) can mean the difference between smooth sailing and the jitters.

The Call: Evening Fuel — Jessica

It doesn’t make me too jittery, and it really doesn’t keep me awake but if I drink a cup after dinner, I can usually make it to 10:00pm without falling asleep. Good for nights like these when I’ve got too many pots on the burner. 🙂

The Response: DC Experience — Jessica

We spent the afternoon in DC experiencing the foodie, hipster, urban lifestyle at Emporiyum. It was a big difference from our usual kid-focused suburban life. Experiencing new things is a good thing. : )