Perfect Moment Monday: HE WENT TO JARED'S

Perfect Moment Monday is about noticing a perfect moment rather than creating one. Perfect moments can be momentous or ordinary or somewhere in between.

Once a week we engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. Details on how to participate are at the bottom of this post, complete with bloggy bling.

Please visit the links of the participants at the bottom.

Here's a perfect moment from my week. I hope you'll share yours, too.

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Regarding the title: well, kinda sorta.

Fifteen years ago when I proposed to Roger, we didn't want to spend a lot of money on wedding stuff. Instead we wanted to shoot our wad backpacking for a month through Greece and Turkey. So we economized on my engagement and wedding rings.

See, there had been a past, uh, relationship on my part, one that involved a ring with a small diamond. When I was 21, a boy asked me to marry him. It did not occur to me to say no (I thought marriage was what you did after college).

The ring was so pretty and the boy was so charming. The "no" became clear a couple of years later, at which time I was sad I had to stop wearing the ring. It stayed in a box in my drawer for many years, a literal hidden gem.

Fast forward to my true Mr Right. He was, in fact, SO right that he didn't mind if I recycled my cherished ring. If fit in with our plans to not go overboard with "stuff,"and to invest more in the marriage than in the wedding.

So we took the setting (on the right) and added a beautiful lavender tanzanite, and voilà -- engagement ring. Then we took the small diamond and added a band (with one to match his), and voilà -- wedding ring (on the left). They were simple and beautiful and suited me.

We had always talked (and by "we" I mean "I") about getting me a fancier ring for our 5th anniversary, to honor the kids we'd surely have.

Well, the 5th went by and the 10th went by and darn if kids aren't expensive. Other priorities came up and it didn't seem appropriate to spend on my wants rather than my family's needs.

Now the 15th anniversary looms later this year. The stars aligned recently for me to get a ring to celebrate this stage of my life, so I mySELF went to Jared's to see what they had. I wasn't impressed.

I found an online jeweler that allowed me to design a ring with diamonds (tiny) for Tessa's birthmonth and amethysts for Reed's. In addition, their names are etched onto faces of the band, like this sample (which has sapphire stones):This is my new bling, which honors my family, and makes me feel perfectly loved.

(click on any image to enlarge)

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To participate in Perfect Moment Monday:

1. Between Sunday night and Tuesday night, write up your own Perfect Moment in a blog post, on Twitter, on Facebook, or simply leave a comment below.
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4. Visit the Perfect Moments of others (from the links below), and let the writers know you were there.

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What Perfect Moment have you recently been aware of? Be sure to visit these moments and share the love, and please come back next week (click to subscribe).






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Grant Us Peace

To: You
From: Sheri and Tami (my sisters) and me
RE: 2010

Tami, me, Sheri

May you find peace in your heart and may you spread it big.



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Perfect Moment Monday: Jigsaw

Perfect Moment Monday is about noticing a perfect moment rather than creating one. Perfect moments can be momentous or ordinary or somewhere in between.

Once a week we engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. Details on how to participate are at the bottom of this post, complete with bloggy bling.

Please visit the links of the participants at the bottom.

Here's a perfect moment from my week. I hope you'll share yours, too.

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We spent a Thanksgiving week-let (5 days) in Breckenridge, CO, in a lovely mountain home that sleeps all 14 of my family members.

My parents, both my sisters, all our husbands and our children hiked, cooked and ate the roast beast, skied (well, not me), held singalongs, and chatted over this:

Completing a puzzle has become a tradition for such get-togethers. Doing so keeps us up waaaaay past a decent bedtime, and gets us up to see some beautiful sunrises.

Moments at the puzzle table are perfect. (Except for when either Sheri or Tami hide that last. puzzle. piece. You know you do.)

To see a related moment, 8 hours later, click here.

For more Weebles in Breck, see this Summer 2007 post.
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To participate in Perfect Moment Monday:

1. Between Sunday night and Tuesday night, write up your own Perfect Moment in a blog post, on Twitter, on Facebook, or simply leave a comment below.
2. Grab the URL of your Perfect Moment.
3. Use MckLinky below to enter your (or your blog's) name and the URL of your Perfect Moment
4. Visit the Perfect Moments of others (from the links below), and let the writers know you were there.

Once you make a Perfect Moment post , you may place this button on your blog.

I Capture
Perfect Moments.

What Perfect Moment have you recently been aware of? Be sure to visit these moments and share the love, and please come back next week (click to subscribe).






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Show & Tell: Wedding invitation

This past week, Roger and I marked the 15th anniversary of our engagement (click all images to magnify).

As longtime readers may guess, we are not the traditional type that would have a traditional wedding. Or traditional wedding invitations.

And before we had children, we were big film aficionados.

These were the RSVP cards.


And, as if out of a time capsule, our closing arguments in why invitees should attend our wedding.

See what my classmates are showing and telling over at Mel's Show & Tell.




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Hallowinter

Due to Mother Nature's recent cold flash, I am subjecting you to another slide show, so soon after the last.

(By the way, Manly Man is not Roger. He's a guy we saw at the sledding hill. As far as I could tell, he was not high.)

Also, for those of you who were worried, I GOT MORE WINE!

We had a BLAST, and I laughed my abs off. Snow days CAN be fun when you're all grown up.





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Show & Tell: Father-Daughter

Note: child pictured.

Tessa is now 8. This "show" is from when she had just turned 1.

I love this memory.

See what my classmates are showing and telling over at Mel's.

Perfect Moment Monday: We Get Up Again

Perfect Moment Monday is about noticing a perfect moment rather than about creating one. Perfect moments can be momentous or ordinary or somewhere in between.

We gather here once a week to engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. Details on how to participate are at the bottom of this post, complete with bloggy bling.

Please visit the links of the participants at the bottom.

Here's a perfect moment from my week. I hope you'll share yours, too.

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It's Saturday morning, 6 days since Roger came home from the hospital after The Ordeal.

Right after breakfast, Tessa and Reed are dancing to a mix CD I'd made for them years ago. They are hoe-downing with each other to Chumbawamba's Tubthumping ("I get knocked down, but I get up again"). Their giggles are infectious, and Roger and I are only too happy to heed when they breathlessly command, "watch me!"

Segue to the next song. Tessa, with her winsome ways, says, "Dance with me, Daddy!"

As much as his broken ribs will let him, Roger Splish Splashes with his daughter, spinning and twirling her carefully while Reed and I cheer them on. The four of us are thrilled to be together on this sun-splashed morning, a day of promise and togetherness.

It's joyous and my heart sings.

***

To see Tessa with her Aunt Sheri on the Utah vacation, click here.

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Once you make a Perfect Moment post, you can place this button on your blog.

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Perfect Moments.

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The Brady Crunch

One of our favorite shows when my sisters and I were growing up was The Brady Bunch.

While we didn't quite grasp that Carol was a widow, and we weren't wishing away our own Dad, we DID fantasize that there was a man somewhere with three boys of his own, and that together we would make quite the lovely household, and that an Alice would appear and do our chores.
Well, we all grew up, brotherless, and got married, finally garnering our three boys of our own. Don't think too hard about the incestuousness in these bullet points:

• I, Marcia, married my Greg (Lori and Roger).
• Jan married her Peter (Sheri and Tom).
• Cindy married her Bobby (Tami and Gino).

By the way, Alice did not magically appear.

Anyway,

• In June, "Bobby" broke his elbow in a fall at a swimming pool.
• In July, "Greg" got all busted up in a go-kart accident,
• Yesterday -- because Jan just couldn't handle ME being in the limelight -- "Peter" broke both wrists, a rib and an elbow when he went over his bicycle handlebars in trying to avoid a car.

In the words of Sheri/Jan:

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD,
WON'T SOMEONE RETURN THE TIKI TO THE CAVE?

All three Brady boys are going to be fine.

(But we'd still like an Alice.)

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Show & Tell: Dynamic Duo

Here's Roger and me one our way to a wine tasting this week, courtesy the alumni council of his graduate school.

This occasion is remarkable for two reasons. First, I wore lipstick. I always need Tessa's help with this because I don't actually own any lipstick. I've never bought lipstick. But somehow, my 8 year old daughter has a stash, and she came up with a not-unflattering color for me.

Secondly, this week marks the 15th anniversary of the day Roger and I first met, although I'd had my eye on him for a few months before that. I suppose that makes me a stalker. And seeing as how I have 3 years on him, I am also a cougar. Yeah, I'm a cougar/stalker. Can you blame me??

Rrrrrrrrorrrwwwwllll.

See what non-cougar/stalkers are showing and telling at Mel's Show & Tell.

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The Mom Behind the Mom I Am

(originally appeared on Mile High Mamas.)

I was her first. She and my dad had waited nearly 4 years after getting married for my arrival.

Mom and Dad both had a strange sense of humor, as evidenced by the names they came up with for me. Good thing I was a girl and became Lori. If I'd been a boy, according to family lore, I would have been given my father's initials, and thus been named, Golden Folden Holden.

Mom was hands-on. She was always playing games with us, teaching us to play piano, living at our level. Unlike me as a mom, she seemed, in those early years, to have no interests of her own other than raising her three girls (see, no boys. Proof of God?).

Consequently, I learned to read at age 3, because Mom spent hours upon hours reading to me while I potty trained. I grew up thinking books and bathrooms go together, like Dick and Jane.

We had only one car back in those days, and my dad took it to work. So Mom was without a car from 7 am -6 pm. I can't quite recall when she ran errands and got groceries. We rarely ate fast food and she had three homemade meals on the table each day. These days, my children and I practically live in the car and just use the house as a place to sleep and store stuff (well, the stuff that's not stored in the car).

I remember Mom adapting to some of our health issues. I was a rather sickly child, having severe food allergies as well as asthma. Mom learned to cook without eggs and nuts, attempted to keep a dust-free house, and she shuttled me to dozens of doctor's appointments to find answers and remedies (not sure how, without a car). When my middle sister was 11 months old, she contracted spinal meningitis. I don't remember my Mom panicking the way I would. (By the way, mom was told by doctors that if Sheri survived, her physical stature and mental capabilities would likely be stunted. She is 5'9" and pretty darn smart.)

I love my Mom's quiet strength. I remember vividly the day I found out we were infertile. She did not probe, suggest, plan, solve, push, advise. She sat on the grass with me that summer day and listened. Allowed me to wail and rail about the unimaginable fail. Even though I was sure it was the end of my world, I sensed that she knew I would inevitably find a way out. I hope to be and do this for my children, to simply dwell in their space with them.

My Dad is the quotable one. In fact, my sisters and I made a book of Dad-isms we recollected from our childhoods. We tried once to put together a similar book for Mom, but she has always been more about feelings. She's made us feel safe, loved, cared-for, important, interesting. She is by no means quiet (she's actually one of the wittiest people I know) but she delivers these loving sensations with her day-in, day-out actions rather than with words.

Mom has continued to nurture her grandchildren the way she nurtured us. When Sheri had twin boys before her first son was even 18 months old, Mom and Dad made frequent trips to the other side of the state to help Sheri during those bleary years. When I experienced post-adoption depression syndrome, Mom was there daily to relieve me and reassure me. When Tami's husband suffered from full paralysis, Mom stepped in to care for their then 2 year-old son. Nearly round-the-clock, for months. And not a complaint.

I often feel I can't hold a candle to her. I did not sit patiently, reading Pat the Bunny countless times while my children potty trained. I do not put 3 home-cooked meals on the table each day, every day. I do not play game after game after game with my children. I have not handled our health blips with the same aplomb she did. I complain. A LOT (ask Rob). I have my own interests, and I make them a priority.

I'm not actually sure what I *did* get from her, but I shudder to think how I would have turned out without her.

I am, perhaps, the luckiest daughter in the world.

What are some of the mothering traits you got from your mom? In what ways do you differ from your mom?

or

In what ways did your mom influence the woman you are today?

Leave your Mother's Day tribute post in Mr Linky below, if you'd like.

This post is part of a world wide blogging tribute to Moms led by TheBlogFrog.

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Perfect Moment Monday: dinner party

Perfect Moment Monday is more about noticing a perfect moment than about creating one. Perfect moments can be momentous or ordinary or somewhere in between.

We gather here once a week to engage in mindfulness about something that is right with our world. Everyone is welcome to join. Details on how to participate are at the bottom of this post, complete with bloggy bling.

Please visit the links of the participants at the bottom.

Here's a perfect moment from my week. I hope you'll share yours with us, too.
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I'm writing on Saturday, during a break in the action.

Roger and I used to entertain quite often BK (before kids). We also tried to entertain in the early days of kids, but until today, the stress and strain of planning, shopping, prepping, cooking and cleaning while keeping two kids safe and occupied, well, that took a toll.

We are having two couples over tonight.

I just realized that Tessa and Reed have helped! Their net give was, for the first time, bigger than their take. They helped clean. Tessa helped me make a key lime pie. Reed helped Daddy shop and apprenticed in making the short ribs.

Tessa and I have set the table and cut the squash. Now, she and Reed are playing together nicely while Roger and I put on the finishing touches to the appetizers.

We have music on, and we're all singing to each other. The harmony in our house today is beautiful.

And the guests are yet to come. There are sure to be even more perfect moments when the evening really begins.
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Once you make a Perfect Moment post, you are qualified to place this button on your blog.

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Perfect Moments.

Now. What Perfect Moment have you recently been aware of? Be sure to visit these moments and share the bloggy love.

Show & Tell: Dad's night

Is this Show & Tell Day or Career Day? No matter.

Fellow classmates, I bring to you My Dad, the Superhero. No, he's not a fireman, an astronaut, or a rodeo clown.

He's even more exciting.

He's an economist. Da-da-da-daaaaaaa!

Earlier this month, my dad was honored by a Colorado-based think tank for his legacy of community activism and political mentorship.


The Independence Institute awarded the Vern Bickel Award for Grassroots Leadership to Dad during their annual Founders Night.

Because of his VIP status, my mom, my sister, and our husbands were able to crash drink at this hoity-toity party and even dine at Table #1 with President Jon Caldara (even if you disagree with him, you're sure to find him entertaining) and keynote speaker Michelle Malkin.

(Gino, Tami, Dad, Mom, me, Roger)

After Dad received his award, he gave an incredible speech about responsibility and sacrifice, freedom and liberty, the lengths people will go to gain it, and how easily it can be lost.

I was moved nearly to tears by pride for my upstanding and eloquent Dad. I think showing off a bit about him is appropriate for Show & Tell, don't you?

Ready for recess? First check out the other Showers & Tellers in Ms Melissa's room.

Perfect Moment Monday: The Upwelling

Back home again after the events of the past week.

First, for those of you wondering, Gino is doing well. He has been an incredible support this week to those who need it most.

Second, here is a Perfect Moment from this sorrowful week. "Perfect" for me today is synonymous with"overflowing," for that is what I felt a few days ago.

The minister dismissed us as he ended the short memorial service.

Unexpectedly, one of the Tweens (age 11) stood up and went to the podium. "Wait," he asserted. "I have something to say."

And he read a letter to his dad. It included love and questioning and some anger. He moved the microphone to his level and looked out at the people who were there for him. He held the room as well as any million-dollar speaker does. His timing was impeccable -- we hung on his words, and even found reasons to laugh with him. He managed in his P.S. to work in an off-color quote from Slingblade and make it seem okay within the walls of the chapel.

There was not a dry eye.

I had lumps in my throat, in my chest, in the center of my head. I had lumps in my lumps. It was all I could to do keep them from exploding.

My Perfect Moment lies in his courage and clarity, and in how he completely broke open my heart.

1. Martha has two Perfect Moments: one with a 13 year-old, and one regarding the splendor of nature.

2. Susan, so not a girly-girl, celebrates the start of football season with a memory.

3. Amber says her Perfect Moment was "this morning with all of us piled in our king-sized bed snuggling, playing and talking about our day ahead. No matter what mud is slung during the day, ours always ends together talking about it on our bed." Mmmmm. Delicious. (And you should check out her gourds.)

4. Courtney has a daily double: (1) she reconnects with and old friend, and (2) she realizes, amid heavy burdens, just how strong she is.

5. Yours...?

Write up your Perfect Moment anytime during the week, and leave your link in the comments below. I'll keep moving the links up to the body of this post.

Once you make a Perfect Moment post, you are qualified to place this button on your blog.

Click here for last week's collection of Perfect Moments, and consider adding this to your Google Reader.

Everyone needs a pick-me-up now and then.

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Sending out my gratitude to Amber, Andy, Anna, Antigone, Beth, Cassandra, the Casual Perfectionist, Catherine, Cathy, Chicklet, Courtney, Crystal, Deanna, Denise, Excavator, Furrow, Gabrielle, Geohde, Kim, Kristin, Leslee, Loribeth, Luna, LJ, Lollipop, M, Martha, Mary Beth, Meghan, Melissa, Michell, Millie, Mrs Spock, Ms Planner, Nancy, Pam, Phoebe, Robin and Sue, Steph, and Tammy.

Your support, love and light are even now having rippling effects in the lives of my loved ones and me.

Namaste, my friends.

Dots and circles.

We have traveled to be with loved ones.

I am sorry for talking around the situation. I feel comfortable writing about my experiences of what's going on, but it feels wrong to tell the full story because it belongs more to others.

A BIG thanks for your outpouring of support, love, light, prayers and warm thoughts. They are being received and they are truly working wonders.

From the time I heard the news until we arrived last night, I had this need, a pounding need, to know the sequence of events. How did people hear? What time? What led up to certain things? How did people react?

I needed to organize the bits. But it felt like I was connecting dots without being able to make a picture. Last night I was able to get that timeline from my sister, and consequently I slept well. It is comforting, for some reason, to turn the dots into a clearer image. Even though the image still doesn't make sense.

Last night was also about letters. From one to many, and from many to the one. It was very cleansing, and I am so proud of The Tweens.

On tap today? A birthday party at noon. For the world's best M&Ms organizer.

A few hours later, a viewing.

Talk about the circle of life.

Tomorrow we'll hold a celebration of life.

We are surrounded by love and light. Among us and from those of you holding us in your hearts.

I am so touched to be held up by you all.

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Question: what has been the most helpful thing someone said or did when you experienced a significant shock to the system?

Here yesterday, gone today

I went to bed last night with one reality and woke up this morning with another. I'm not exactly sure at what moment it changed. Was I sleeping soundly? Was it one of the times I was awake, looking at the clock for an unknown reason? I have this need to know the moment, even though really, it doesn't matter.

How does one tell young tweens, who are still figuring out their own ways of solving problems, not ever to use the problem-solving method their role model chose? It's easy to tell them, I suppose, but so hard to make words speak louder than such a decisive deed.

I understand sadness and despair. I do NOT understand myopic self-centeredness that cannot take into account one's influence and impact on others.

I am feeling such a swirl. Anger, anger, anger, sadness, disbelief, compassion, shock, more anger.

Those stupid stages of grieving.

I've got to get myself together so I can be of service to others more directly affected.

(Many hugs to my Internet friends. Your emails, calls and Tweets have meant so much today.)

Wordy Wednesday

Me and Tami, circa 1970, Asbury Park, NJ

Being the mother of three little girls, and having no means of transportation during the day while my dad took the Rambler to work, my mom was delighted when her friend, the mother of a son my age, offered to take me for a haircut.

To a barber.

I have not had short hair since.

My sister gave me this framed photo a few years back, and it sits on my mantel. Today I'm sharing it in a not-so-wordless Wednesday.

She STILL sasses me at every chance.

Perfect moment: roots and branches

In the Fall of 1932, Fay married "Cap" in western Nebraska. They began together a simple but rough life as farm people. They had three children, who had children, who had children.

And 303 seasons later, their 27 surviving descendants are gathered in a reunion cabin in the mountains of Colorado. We come from Arizona, California, Colorado, Ohio and Oregon.

Cappie died right before Tessa was born, in 2001. Grandma died in 2005.

Their children include my mom and her two brothers. There are two spouses, one being my dad.

My generation includes my two sisters and me, plus three surviving cousins and one who is with us in spirit. Among us, we have five spouses.

The newest generation consists of Tessa and Reed, Dominic, three of their cousins, and five of my cousins' children.

As I exclude myself from the activities to document the morning, I see a group working on a 2000 piece puzzle of the Vegas Strip. I did the hard part (of course) earlier and now they are merely filling in. Slackers.

My cousins are preparing apple-sausage crisp. Smelling good. My cousin Debora has just chimed the 5 minute alert. Salivary glands are activated.

I am delighted that our children are playing so well together, in spite of a very late night of sing-alongs and a very early morning of mountain sunlight. There is quite a buzz among the kids about the bear that got into our garbage last night (despite the tite-lock bin) and left paw prints on each of our cars (luckily no damage).

I am supremely happy.

(See this post from last year's mini-reunion of my immediate family, if your are the odd interested sort who loves other peoples' pictures.)

An open thanks to Oopiderf and his wife

Did you know that in about 75% of world languages, the word for "mom" starts with an M sound?

I find that curious. The "m" sound must be the most fundamental, the most intimate, the most primeval, for so many peoples to title this most sacred person.

Anyway, my mom has always been just good old Mom, so reliable that it's easy to take her for granted. And she's never had a nickname. Just Mom. But as far as nicknames, Dad is another story.

His name is Fred. As a joke, Mom would sometimes all him Fredi-poo. At some point, this morphed into its backward twin, Oopiderf. I rarely call him that. But I will in this post because the sound of it makes me laugh.

Oopiderf and Mom came with Roger and me to a conference we are running. Was it because they wanted a vacation in a mountain resort? Nope. It was so they could watch our kids while we worked. It's been 4 days and we are all exhausted.

Soon, when I am at the BlogHer conference and hanging out with Lollipop Goldstein, Pamela Jeanne, Luna, Frenchie, Amber, Millie, Steph, JCK and Slouching Mom, again my parents are going to take care of Tessa and Reed. Again, they will keep my kids safe, occupied, and loved.

How should I show my appreciation to Oopiderf and Mom? What do you do when you are deeply grateful to and for someone?

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Show & Tell: Dad-isms

If it's Sunday, it's Mel's Show & Tell.*

Today -- Father's Day -- I tell.

Does anyone else have a Dad who says the same things over and over?

I do. So about 20 years ago for my Dad's birthday, my sisters and I put together an ENTIRE BOOK of his repeatisms. I will spare you the insider ones such as "I always carry a garlic shaker" and leave you with some of the true gems, the ones that turned out to be helpful in life rather than just annoying in the moment (said with a smile, Dad).

And ones that will possibly show up in my own book of Mom-isms one day.

• Sometimes you COUNT the votes and sometimes you WEIGH them.
• You are blessed with parents who care.
• Everyone is NOT doing it because YOU are not!
• What kind of sissy word is "fair"?
• Treat people when you don't need them the way you wish you'd treated them when you do need them (sit with it a moment 'til it makes sense -- it actually got me a job once).
• Leave things better than you find them.
• Come in when the streetlights are on!
• Elbow your way in.
• Draw a wider circle. (meaning: don't find reasons to exclude yourself)
• I'm glad I had daughters because they are so genteel (usually said after a burping contest -- or worse).
• 90% of the world's work is done by people who don't feel very good (we were not allowed to slack much).
• Drive like everyone else is out to get you.
• Just because G*d picked your nose doesn't mean YOU can (said to one of my sisters, I'm sure).
• Here's a book I want you to read.
• Starting is half done.
• Everything in moderation, including moderation.
• Put the short things on the short shelf and the tall things on the tall shelf (he actually said this to me last week when looking in my fridge for tonic).
  

Up there is a photo I found online of my Dad, the consummate teacher (although not by profession) teaching citizens about his main passion, freedom.

We kid him a lot, but my sisters and I hold immense respect and love for our Dad. It's amazing to us that this man who grew up without a father had it in him to become a great one anyhow.

XOXO, Dad. Thanks for loving us so well.

Now I'm going to obsess and compulse over the height of things in my refrigerator.

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I must make an addendum to last week's Show & Tell photo.

I was reminded that besides the boots and the pipe, I was outfitted in a red velvet dress that my mom sewed. Not only sewed, but also embroidered and crocheted or one of those arts that was completely lost on me. The bib was made of organza into which she needled my name.

So amidst the charge of rotten-ness I leveled at them, I must also acknowledge the love they have always showered on me.

XOXO to you, too, Mom.
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Need a summer reading suggestion? Visit All Thumbs for a brief review on the book that kept me up late recently.
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* That was my homage to Tim Russert each week. Now it's also a touchstone to a Sunday ritual I was not ready to part with. My condolences to his family, friends and fans.

Show & Tell: my friend captures my family

Thanks for stopping by during Mel's weekly Show & Tell tour. When you're done here, click on over to see what the rest of the class has to offer. And get yourself on the tour, too!

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Not long ago, I posted about my real-life friend, Mary Beth, and her burgeoning talent in photography. She blogs here and she photo-blogs here.

I asked her via that post if she would take our annual portraits, which have always been tortuous days of cowlicks, ketchup stains, ill-timed grumpiness, and asynchronous smiles.

Graciously, Mary Beth didn't even make me say "pretty please." Instead, she invited us to her Secret Beautiful Place and gave a Sunday afternoon to us. Here's a sample of what she captured. (I've chosen fairly anonymous shots, due to an agreement I have with my husband about the limits of my blogging.)

Tessa had just had her birthday mani-pedi.

The Casual Perfectionist has turned me on to shadow pix.
At the right time of day, they make you look 10 pounds lighter!

Reed had a minor cactus mishap. He's picking needles out of his socks.

Me and my Tessa.

Toot, toot, tootsies, goodbye.

If you thought these were impressive, you should see the shots with faces. MB is a lady of immeasurable talent. I'm so glad that this year we broke the bonds of chain store portraits and entrusted our moment in time with her.

Now go on over to Mel's Show & Tell for more of this week's display.
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Current post on All Thumbs Reviews: This Just In. See who's joining me in dishing doozy dirt!