Sunset (and hope) springs eternal!

What a wonderful world
It is truly a wonderful world, a wonderful life.
Writing this it is Sunday and I am in the weekend that I was excited about a few days ago. It is right here, right now and I am enjoying it to the fullest!

The being in the world is so intense when I give it my fullest attention, as I do now: talking to my boy, having coffee with my husband, getting grand kisses from my dog. Music in the background, Youtubing together, every now and then, showing The Boy my old favorites, laughing and hugging - THIS is exactly where it's at. My life.

I have everything I need and want (not right here but right now at least).
The times I get to feel that very emotion, I feel as if I have the meaning of life within my reach - it is as if I almost grab it and then it escapes...
I am close, though.

Life.

Yeah, I did it!

I had been wanting, for quite some time, to capture the gorgeous and fantastic sunset, that I get a glimpse of sometimes when I go home early. I then see it from the train and always think "darn it, I missed out on THAT again"...

For the upcoming weekend I had a secret mission: getting to capture the sunset! I aimed for Saturday and when I aim for something, my aim usually delivers!

So brace yourself and be prepared, here's some of the world's beautiful wonders captured by me:

(no, I couldn't choose, as usual, so I offer quite some photos...!)

As much as I hate repeating myself, it can endure being said again: what if I could be a bird, eh?!

It seems like they have an enchanting moment.

I, for one, loved the moment!

The colors a sunset brings!!

Seeing the photos (beside the warm fire, inside our house) I have no problem pretending this is Miami, right there! Being outside in "The Russian freeze" (what the papers call it), is another story...

And in this pic it's obvious: this is not Miami, not even close!

No matter where this is, it is pinch-arm-beautiful!!!

Looks like someone's feeling kinda victorious, for getting dream shots...

To die for-shots!

It is so breathtaking, I can't believe this is the town that I call home. In the middle of town!

I need absolutely nothing else, nothing else to feel fulfilled. This is soul remedy.

Filling the heart and soul up with beauty and focus is a splendid way to rest and let your hair down. Sitting here Sunday, I feel as if I have been on a vacation and I guess this awe:ing has something to do with it?

Yes, we did more fun things this weekend, that contributed, but we didn't leave town and Sunday I didn't even leave the house! Blessed Sunday of chill....

Listening to yourself is so important, when it comes to life perspectives.

Right now in my life I need weekends that make me feel as if I took a mini vacation - so be it then!

A Sunday as still as this ocean was Saturday. Thank you, sweet weekend!

Repeating myself again - well worth it though - "awe is a darn good thing"!

The marina had things under control, everything was cool.

And boats left in, stayed in...

And as the setting sun left the wonder of magic in my soul and called it a day...

... the moon took on the challenge of guarding our beautiful town during the the night.

Coming to think of it: this photo shoot is one off my every-day-bucket-list for sure!!!

With that I leave you in the good and fresh hands of the brand new week!

What might the week hold?

I really wish you a good one and keep my fingers crossed that you will all be embraced by sweetness and care. 

I hope I will too. Happy Monday!

The Boy behind the lense!

(prelude: making this post I feel naughty, excited and lucky: I lie in my bed, it's Good Friday. The Boy sleeps in his bed still, the husband fell asleep on the sofa and is still there - hence I lie here alone! I opened the window, sucked the marrow out of the early morning, feeling Easter coming, as well as time off with my wonderful family! What a way to start the day and to start Easter!!)


The Boy
The Boy, is special. Saying "The Boy" can be misleading since I have two "The Boy". The Old Boy lives far from here, though, and he mostly goes by the nickname "Mr Fantastic"!!
So, back to The Boy.
He's quite something: always cheerful, playful and shining with a smile. He's very often up to no good with a secretive smirk on his little face. This summer we'll celebrate his sixth birthday and I'll be damned, if I know where the years go?
We got the papers from school the other day, with a list of which of his pre school friends will join his class in august. My hands were almost shaking, reading that list. There were 15 names and these 14 other kiddos will play a huge part in his growing up.
I know 'cuz my dear friends meant the world to me, at that age.

The New Photographer

Well, I shoot "rather than well", as we say here. I love taking photographs and I think there's some magic in capturing moments literally, with the camera. The Boy often gets a camera (and mother) up his face and sometimes he protests and then I have to put it away. Mostly he's fine with it and even wants to check out the photos after.

Recently he, himself, has started to grab the camera and take pics!

The dog is an object that's extremely photo worthy, to The Boy, much to the dog's disappointment. The Boy likes using the flash and getting up kind of close (as close as he dares, which isn't too close!) and getting one snapshot after the other. The dog runs away to hide in his basket in the laundry room.

The Boy also loves taking pictures of the TV and his favourite shows.

Kind of fun is getting weird pics of mommy either up too close or while brushing my teeth or of my foot or anything else that may likely be amusing.

The dog is the first - and foremost - object of photo attention.

A tired mom, after work...

It's not the full moon but it could be. Quite the scary pic, I'd say.

Those horrible stairs, desperately in need of a paint job, never looked better!

My all time favourite, and this I laughed out loud when I found: the hubster sitting in ALL that (his!) mess, organizing. I gave him the mission, 'cuz I can't stand it. He looks hilarious in this pic!

Little boy loves

When I started loading The Boy's pics the pattern emerged instantly: these are the capturings of a five year old boy and he photographs what he loves! There where blurry lego pics, even blurrier Smurfs and cars and the one thing all the photos have in common is: they're the little boy's loves.

Like books. This is one in a series of 17 and we've read them all!

The dog again. This is exactly the face I talked about. He's tired of the boy here...!

Isn't it thrilling finding that a child of yours likes some of the very same things as you like? Hubby and I are crazy about the fact the The Boy loves Scooby Doo, 'cuz we both did. And still do!

Tadaa: The Boy uses the famous I'll capture myself, damn it -method!

Mommy brushing. This is in the morning, pre work. A little bit more energetic in this pic...

OK, I admit he got a little help capturing his favorite.

Haha, did he really capture pre-work-breakfast?!!

Another day. Post work. Tired but happy mom.

Yeah, the feet pic!

Enough of the The Boy's pics. He didn't want the cam up his own face, so I let it go!

What about this sight? Hubby finally got into some kind of workout/jogging thing. I'm very pleased since it's been hard trying to drag him out there. Here he is on Pink Thursday (is there such a thing in other countries?) warming up with the evening sun touching him ever so softly.

***

The Eager Easter Boy

The Boy is definately waiting for Easter. He wants to paint eggs, he loves eating eggs and he waits desperately for the Easter Bunny to show up with the egg with candy in it. He's hoping for some smaller toys in there aswell...

The Being Behind the Lense

What is life, what is "here and now", how do we save the extra treasured moments and what moments turn out to be the ones we do remember? 

What we notice, what we say to ourselves and to others - is what makes life. "Saying" can be intentional or unintentional, it can be through words or through pictures. A smile says so much aswell as a laugh does, I think.

To me it's a lot easier remembering things - and above all: a mood/feeling in a situation - if I've saved the moment with the lense.

Maybe it's even a great gift to give to the boy: saving up moments both in the heart and in the camera?

(postlude: so, The Boy woke up and came in to me, telling me he loves me and asking me to wrap him up good, under the cover. He lay there for a while and then he went downstairs, headed for the new Wii-game he bought last night: The Lego Clone Wars.

Followed by that movement was another movement: Marcus (The Husband) left the couch when The Boy entered it 'cuz with The Boy comes a whole lot of sounds from the TV-game and Marcus was... tired. Now he lies beside me in bed.

This tells me I was right to suck the marrow out of the early morning, 'cuz now it's neither early nor alone any longer!)

Oh, yeah: Happy Easter!