01.07.20

Maui greeted us with the brightest, most long lasting rainbow I’ve ever witnessed. Literally, this rainbow was glowing from when we checked into our condo, to when we drove to a restaurant with way too long of a line, drove back the other way to another restaurant, and all the way through dinner until the sun set right around the time we were ordering dessert.

01.02.20

I decided that in addition to continuing my photo journal this year, I’m also going to join in with the Clickin Moms P52 project, which consists of a new photo assignment for each week of the year. Week 1’s assignment is “The Dreaded Self Portrait,” so here ya go. This will count for my photo today as well.

I’ve also created a separate space just for the P52 assignments, so you can follow along there too. It’ll be a much more minimal forum to view them all in one place.

01.01.20

New Year’s Day. I know it’s just another day, but to me it feels more like a fresh start, a clean slate full of hope and possibility, than any of the other 364 days in a year.

This year started slowly on the couch, with coffee and the latest Click magazine. Then followed a pool adventure with the littlest Jensens. Sorry, it’s a bit of a photo novel.

December 2019

12.25.19

Christmas brunch with my faves.

 

12.23.19

Christmas Eve eve. Testing out the interval timer for present opening with my favorite kiddos.

Also, Norman almost killed himself getting part of a bone stuck somewhere in his mouth or throat. He seems ok now, but is being extra pathetic and snuggly.

 

11.20.19

A little before and after adding treats to the equation.

 

12.14.19

Family sesh today. Good lord was this little one a cutie.

 

12.11.19

Grandma and I took Luca on a Christmas adventure today. We started at Seattle Center to see the train village and ice rink at Winterfest, then took the monorail downtown and checked out the 27th Annual Gingerbread Village at the Sheraton. Pretty cool stuff and highly recommend. And we only got rained on a little.

 

12.03.19

Getting a bit festive in here…and I’m not mad about it.

 

12.02.19

I look up from my cooking to see this….

Not creepy at all, Norman.

November 2019

11.29.19

Aaaaand now we’re back to snuggles on the couch with Norman.

 

11.28.19

Thanksgiving was at my place this year. This really should be a whole separate blog post because it’s so many photos, but I figure it might make up for the sparseness of the November posts. Plus, the light was really pretty, and the kiddos were just so cute, so how could I possibly cull these further?!

 

11.22.19

 

11.22.19

Snuggle time.

 

11.21.19

We LUCKED OUT at the zoo today! It was gorgeously sunny, there was virtuously no one there, and I’ve never seen so many of the animals out and active! I was absolutely kicking myself for not bringing my big camera! Gah!!!

 

11.20.19

Seriously.

 

11.18.19

Forever my snuggle bug.

 

11.16.19

Look at that sucker! My plants are miraculously thriving!!! Also, Norman is in this picture.

 

11.14.19

Seward Park. Getting out early often pays off.

 

11.09.19

It’s not a photo, but I couldn’t resist adding this. Sometimes we have fun at work, even getting signed off on our competencies.

 

11.04.19

Spent the morning with this little love and her mama. Look at that face! And those eyelashes!!!

 

11.03.19

This goober.

 

11.02.19

This sunset had its own CICU peanut gallery.

 

11.01.19

Norman likes the view from the bed also.

October 2019

10.31.19

Switched rooms…again. Now I can sit in my bed and watch the sun set behind the Olympics. No idea why it took 7 years to figure this out.

 

10.30.19

SOOC.

 

10.24.19

Oh, buddy.

 

10.23.19

Luca: “I want to go to the beach!”

Aunt Steph: “OK, let’s go to the beach!”

Luca: “No! I don’t want to go to the beach!”

Aunt Steph: “That felt somewhat like entrapment.”

 

10.22.19

Luther Burbank.

 

10.21.19

Westcrest Park.

 

10.20.19

We hit up the Mosby Farm Pumpkin Patch, something that seems to be becoming an annual tradition.

 

10.19.19

Yes, those are Uggs, short for ugly af, and also the single best purchase of my life (aside from Norman).

 

10.18.19

Alki today.

 

10.16.19

Couch time. Unable to fall asleep until about 4am.

 

10.15.19

Norman came and snuggled with me while I was on the floor doing knee PT, and he was so sweet and lovey that I had to break out the tripod. It’s been a while since I’ve done any self portraits. I need to do them more because with just 20 minutes of effort I now have photos I’ll cherish my whole life. Because I was here too.

Also, today’s Lincoln adventure with my Norman love. This really is a beautiful place to live. So fortunate.

 

10.13.19

The phone photos continue, along with the phone editing, which makes it hard to really see what I’m doing, but oh well.
It was supposed to rain today, but instead it was gorgeous. Went to the dog park, walked Lincoln, toured my dream house (well, house with my dream view), applied for some per diem jobs to save for said dream view, went to the gym. And with that, my one day off is pretty much over.

 

10.10.19

I am determined not to fall into my usual seasonal depression this winter. Flowers and getting outdoors, no matter the weather, will be my mainstays. 

 

10.08.19

Caught a break in some crazy weather to walk Lincoln another day. Shortly after this was thunder, lightning, black black clouds and a downpour.

 

10.07.19

Sometimes we hold hands.

 

10.06.19

Lincoln.

 

10.05.19

I am absolutely depleted from the last two days of work. Like bone tired. But I forced myself to get out of the house and wander Lincoln Park, and now my soul feels mostly reset. Being outside in nature needs to be a non-negotiable for me this winter.

 

10.01.19

Finally broke out the big camera today and headed over to Vashon with my fave little fam. Even though it was laughably disastrous getting there, our lunch and beach time were so fun. Norman found himself some elbow deep mud to slop around in, and Arlo found himself some pirate treasure, as well as a praying mantis.

September 2019

09.30.19

I feel like I blinked and September is over. Fall is truly here, and even though I love the array of color it brings, the coziness of adding an extra blanket at night, and the new crispness in the air, I always feel a sense of impending panic too. With the dark days, lack of foliage, and the extra effort it takes to get outside in warm clothes, fall makes me feel like I’m heading into a thousand mile unlit tunnel. I know there’s spring at the other end, but it’s a long slog to get there.

Here’s a smorgasbord of Norman, Alki and the daintiest little sleeper you ever did see.

09.25.19

I might be a Discovery Park junky, and I so wish I lived closer to this place. It’s worth the drive though - and the traffic. There’s really just no easy way to get there. But maybe that’s part of why it’s often so sparsely populated, so I guess I won’t complain too much. Shhhhh! Don’t spread the word about this gorgeous spot!

09.24.19

Missed a few days. Whoops.

Today I walked my favorite park in the world. It was overcast and a Tuesday so there was literally me and one other person there. Perfect. My soul could breathe.

Then I met up with my bestie and her kiddos for lunch. Luna agreed to model her new winter bonnet.

09.19.19

No worries, Norman. I wasn’t trying to do my PT or anything.

09.17.19

I just can’t with this guy. Sorry for all the phone photos. The best camera is the one you have with you.

09.16.19

Starbucks date and a stare down.

09.15.19

Just us.

09.14.19

Went on a solo adventure (well, solo from a human standpoint - I had my canine sidekick with me) to Rattlesnake Lake. Found about a million heart rocks.

09.12.19

My first official walk since knee surgery. Made it a mile and a half.

09.09.19

Those ears!

09.07.19

I have discovered the Square Space mobile app. Probably very late to the game, but I’m excited because it makes posting iPhone photos so much easier.

That second photo is terrible, but I love it anyway. Norman found his safe place during the crazy thunderstorm we had.

09.06.19

Yes, that is my foot Norman is hugging in the second photo. He was out of his comfort zone and needed to be close.

09.05.19

I just never get tired of watching him watch the neighborhood. Especially in the evening light. And I should probably trim back those roses, but their shadows are just so pretty!

09.04.19

The most beautiful sunset. These are unedited, aside from straightening the horizon.

09.03.19

Portrait mode = great for stationary objects but not for wobbly babies in bad artificial light. Still pretty darn cute though.

09.02.19

Could this kid be any cuter?

09.01.19

Ellie the goat. Photos will likely be mostly phone photos for a while. It’s just so convenient and easy. Still doesn’t compare to the big camera though, so fear not, I’ll pick it up again soon.

August 2019

08.31.19

Hello, portrait mode. 😍

08.30.19

Proof that my phone actually worked for a few hours after being dunked in the toilet. RIP iPhone 6.

08.29.19

The sky this morning. And my sweet boy. I can never resist the way the light falls on him when he’s on his bed.

08.28.19

Flowers from my mother and flowers from a sweet man.

08.27.19

A very serious tiny visitor followed by an Alki sunset. Side note: a benefit of photoshop is that I can make my couch look like it doesn’t have huge holes in cushions. 😂

08.26.19

The light this morning. 😍

08.21.19

Norman’s most sultry come hither pose…

08.20.19

What a goof.

08.19.19

My view from the couch. Icing and elevating on repeat.

08.16.19

Norman’s newest habit since the weather has required open windows. He’ll sit here for hours watching the neighborhood and sniffing the breeze.

08.15.19

I get the cutest visitors.

08.14.19

Norman amidst the chaos. What a good boy.

08.13.19

No caption needed.

08.12.19

Knee surgery day. So relieved to finally have it over and begin to move forward. Time to heal!

08.11.19

So soft. Doesn’t this just make you want to put your face in the fuzz on his ears?!

08.09.19

Lincoln Park and tacos. Also, multitasking at its finest.

08.07.19

When your clients are this gorgeous…

08.06.19

Me on my birthday. I’m posting this because it scares me to do so. This is not what I looked like a year ago. A year ago I was perhaps at my lowest point in life, yet it was the most content I was with the person reflected in the mirror, the fittest and most comfortable I was physically. Ironic, that it took that level of stress for me to like what I saw in the mirror. So unhealthy.

I hate saying this because I want to be accepting of myself as I am, but it’s just easier being physically lighter. Life is easier. Clothes fit better, working out is easier, generally moving around is easier. It’s so frustrating, because this photo, today, is where my body wants to be. This is where I find balance, between health and living it up, between whole foods and indulgence, between working out and obsessively working out. But it’s not physically comfortable. I don’t know what the answer is.

Anyway, I also took lots of pretty photos today, so if you’re interested, check out that post here!

08.05.19

It was a day filled with some of my favorite people.

08.02.19

Snuggling and hooked on the Crossfit Games! I cannot wait to get my knee fixed and get back to this stuff full force!

08.01.19

How is it August already? Beautiful start to it, with the lowest tide I’ve ever seen at Alki. And I ate a semi-normal breakfast without my stomach rebelling! Woohoo!

July 2019

07.31.19

We are in hard core recovery mode over here. Made it to the dog park for about 20 minutes and I was done for. Harry Potter audible for the win.

07.30.19

First time in four days I’ve been showered and in clean clothes, so I figured I’d take a selfie to commemorate the win. Also had a stern conversation in bleach with the bathroom and washed everything I might have touched, so naturally, Norman wanted to be the first to experience the fresh sheets. I do not recommend this type of GI clean out.

07.29.19

The very best watchdog. Flowers from my momma for being sick as a dog. She also took me to the ER.

07.26.19

Patchy pockets of light. Love.

07.23.19

Apparently it’s time to clean my front window again.

07.20.19

Another beach day. Westport this time, and I haven’t been there for maybe 15 years, when I used to come down to surf (or rather, paddle and flail). Talk about nostalgia! I could seriously spend every day on the beach and never get sick of it.

07.20.19

I hate this photo. It’s not where I’d like to be with how I look, or more importantly how I feel. But it’s the only one I took today. And it’s truth.

07.19.19

Day 1 of the 15th annual Pediatric Bioethics Conference. Also the day that I got stuck in horrendous traffic with the gas light on, chickened out, ditched my car in an illegal parking spot and got sushi while waiting for it to die down.

07.18.19

Missed a few days due to a work stretch, but whatever. It’s most days I’m going for, right?

These two love to sit and watch my screen saver whenever they come visit. Look at how Luca’s mirroring baby Ada’s pose on the computer in that first shot! Love these two munchkins!

07.14.19

Such a fun day in the sun at Seward with my besties! And also a random assortment of photos that may or may not be technically terrible. Full sun is not my strong suit. But seriously, Arlo’s turtle?! And Luna’s little hands when she sleeps?! 😍

07.13.19

I don’t know who this dog is anymore. He leaps out of bed super early in the morning and runs to look out the window. Used to be I couldn’t get him out of bed without physically dragging him.

07.11.19

That storm light! I just love it!

07.10.19

Finally, a game with the camera that Norman was happy to play!

07.09.19

Got an impromptu visit in with one of my fave fams today. Baby snuggles are everything.

07.08.19

Sometimes the light that filters through the house at certain times of the day just gets me.

07.06.19

Those droopy eyes that I love so much.

07.05.19

Puzzles have been my saving grace this past year. There’s always one in progress on my dining table and has been since last August.

07.04.19

Only one photo today and I totally missed focus. Oh well.

07.03.19

There’s quite a few photos today because my niece and nephew are just too cute. #7 photo cred goes to my momma. I love it when I actually get to be in photos rather than always behind the lens!

07.02.19

It’s a Norman day today. So gross out, and I’m feeling so unmotivated and full of dread, for no good reason. Very much looking forward to when my head gets to hit the pillow tonight.

07.01.19

I cannot quite believe it’s July, but here we are. Seattle is basking in its own beauty today, so naturally, the pup and I could be found by the water. We were joined on this adventure by my momma. Also, there was an owl. Shall we dub the owl who stays awake during the day the Vampire Owl?