Best Shot(s) Monday--Embrace the Blur

A week ago, I wrote a post on Shutter Sisters about How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Blur. My best shot for this week fits quite nicely with that post. I snapped this photo while chasing Cadence down our hallway. There's something about this photo that I just love (and I don't say that about too many of my photos). Sometimes, the most perfect way to capture my little whirlwind-of-a-child is like this--a total blur.

In other news, it was Ted's 31st birthday on Saturday (which coincidentally was the 6th anniversary of this here blog). We celebrated w/ a few friends and family members at an Ethiopian place called Ethiopian Diamond. It's been a long time since I've had Ethiopian, and I forgot just how delicious it is. Chicago, esp. the North side has a large Ethiopian population, so there are a number of restaurants to choose from. I think we picked a pretty good one and hope to go back.

After dinner, we headed back to our place for more libations, including shots of a really really good bottle of scotch that I bought Ted for Valentine's Day. As you can see from this photo of Erik, the scotch had its intended effect.

So is anybody else's kid suffering from sleep deficit due to the time change? I have to say, that's the last time we have a late-night gathering on the eve of a spring-forward time change. We had to be up for church the next morning, and Cadence ended up getting only 8 hours of sleep Saturday night. Ouch.

Go see more folk's Best Shot's on Tracey' Mother May I.

Best Shot(s) Monday--Just Can't Get Enough

On Saturday, Cadence and I went to the Kohl's Children's Museum in Glenview, IL, just down the road from my mom's place. It was our first time there, and Cadence had a blast.

There was so much to do, from the moment you walk in. Like all these little doors to open and close? That was even before we went through the admission line. I had to watch Cadence like a hawk because she'd see something cool from a distance and just bolt in that direction.

We were only there for a couple hours because my mom was expecting us for lunch, and boy, was it was hard to get Cadence to leave. I think we could easily spend a good four hours there on a regular basis. Plus, they have Kim & Scott's Twisting Cafe which sells gourmet pretzels. Holy cow, the best darn pretzels I've had in my LIFE. And they're made with quality, fresh ingredients! Check your grocer's frozen goods department and you may find some there.

So here's the latest thing that Cadence said that got me cracking up:

Ted: I'm pooped.
Cadence: Then go to the potty.

This kid. I just can't get enough of her.

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Best Shot(s) Monday--Reunited

One of the downsides of being sick for Cadence has been missing out on seeing her friends. She was so happy to be able to go to church yesterday where she was reunited with her buddy Rudden.

Here was the "conversation" I observed between them as they held hands walking to the nursery together:

Cadence: I love you, Rudden.
Rudden (singing): So we sailed up to the sun
Cadence (with her hand on his arm for emphasis): I love you, Rudden.
Rudden (singing): Till we found the sea of green
Cadence (unwavering): I love you.
Rudden (happy-go-lucky): And we lived beneath the waves
Me (interceding on Cadence's behalf): Rudden, Cadence is saying she loves you.
Rudden (carefree as ever): In our yellow submarine.

Ah, to be 3-and-a-half and have a hand to hold...

And here they are passing notes during Communion. These two are inseparable. Makes going home a physical challenge for both families. Hopefully, we're done with being sick so that these two can spend more time together, especially with the weather warming up (knocking on wood...) soon.

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Best Shot(s) Monday--My Brown Eyed Girl

I recently purchased the SB-600 speedlight for a little more versatility in flash photography. One of my favorite features so far is the ability to bounch the light on the wall BEHIND me. I usually hate the way flash is reflected in the eyes of the subject as little white dots, but I think bouncing the flash backwards makes the catchlight in Cadence's eyes almost natural.

Still, nothing beats natural light in my book.

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Best Shot Monday--Love Notes To A City

Some of you are already aware of the Love Notes To a City project that started spontaneously by Krystyn Heide and Jen Lemen. You can read about it on Krystyn's blog here, here and see photos here. You can read about it on Jen's blog here and see photos here.

When I read about this, my heart let out a resounding YES! I've recruited some co-conspirators, and I'm hoping that we'll be able to do this here in Chicago in the coming days leading up to Valentine's Day.

Here's what I wrote for my friend Tim to post on Facebook to gather more co-conspirators.

"Loneliness. Despair. Hopelessness. Depression. War. Fear. We are surrounded and bombarded by forces that would rob us of our joy of life, our sense of community, our faith in humanity, our hope in love. But what if someone were to plant words of hope, small tokens of love, in our dreams and hearts and waking life? What if, as we picked up the cream at our local coffeehouse, or grabbed that can of chicken noodle soup at Trader Joe's, or looked through the Nick Drake section at the record store, we found a note--an anonymous love note--maybe with a piece of chocolate even, and what if that little note contained the words we needed to hear to bring us one tiny step closer to wholeness? What if people in our city started finding these notes in random places left and right?

Think of it as Guerrilla Art. Think of it as Love in Action. Think of it what you like. If this resonates with that secret chamber in your heart that longs for something more in this life, join in the Love.

You can do this on your own, with family and friends, or with strangers. Some of us will be making a concerted effort to leave these notes w/ some chocolate at various places in our neighborhood during a couple days leading into Valentines Day."

And for once, I will submit just this one photo as my Best Shot for the week. Feel free to join in the love in your own neighborhoods.

Go see more folk's Best Shot's on Tracey' Mother May I.