2018 Lifestyle Project - Introduction and Week 1

It's been a couple of years since I've attempted a 52 week/year project, but here I am again. When my kids were small I constantly had my camera and would document them and their little lives, our life. When I started my portrait business I wanted pretty portraits and photos that I would be proud to show, which meant I didn't document so much anymore. I didn't wand the boring and messy of our real life. It makes me a little sad; I still have plenty of photos, but real life isn't always picture perfect and it doesn't need to be and those photos are missing. It's about the real memories. So this year's project will be just that; documenting our life as it is. The kids may not be as little and cute and cooperative as they once were, honestly it's much harder now that they spy the camera immediately, sometimes getting cross or frustrated, sometimes (which I prefer) just ignoring me, but these memories are important. I love looking back at them. At the end of the year I'll have at least 52 authentic photos of our life. Thanks for following along and let me know if you are doing something similar.

I will take photos all week and choose a favorite to post no later than the following Monday.

Without further ado: 1/52

If you've been following along for a while, you know that we recently moved our family from California, to Bristol, England. That means I lost all my sunshine; my beautiful light. Seriously, it is cold and by the time the children are home it is already getting dark. It is dreary. A photographer is always looking for the light and I am being forced to use the ugly, harsh artificial lighting as so often we are indoors. Sigh. But it is what it is. This is my reality right now. Littlest working on homework earlier in the week.

And a couple of bonus photos as this was a highlight. We were amazingly blessed to have friends visiting from California over the Christmas break and before they headed back today, we went into London this weekend to spend last precious minutes with them. We met up at Kensington Palace (as you do) and were walking the grounds to find the Princess Diana Memorial and Playground when we stumbled upon an area with parrots. They were not in cages, they didn't appear to be tagged and they were incredibly tame. They would land on the kids and eat seeds or nuts right out of their hands. It was such a sweet surprise and an incredible memory made. We will go back for sure.