happy new year!
This morning my 5-year-old woke up as a 13-year-old: she sassed and stink-eyed and slammed doors. It was pretty much exactly how I didn't want to start our year. But I heated up some frozen pancakes (thanks, Trader Joe's) and made myself coffee, and soon enough we were happily marveling over the fog out our windows and the evidence that Little Jacky Frost had visited our neighborhood. With the promise of new years brunch with our friends (who just happen to live around the block), we got ourselves dressed for 2013. She selected a dress flecked with golden threads and her favorite "party shoes," and we dug through basement boxes until we found the appropriate accessories for the day. But before we headed out to celebrate the new year, I told Franny about a project I wanted her to do with me in 2013. I have never participated in a 365/52/12on12 or any other photo project. I take photos every day, I share them in all sorts of places, I've just never committed to anything specific. But recently a client showed me a journal of sorts that she did with her daughter, documenting something everyday for a year, together. I knew immediately this was something I wanted to do with Franny, and it's been in the back of my head ever since, but I had forgotten to actually prepare myself for the 1st day of the year/project. So without a book to stick it in, I told Franny briefly about the project, and she jumped on board as soon as I said the word Instax - she loves my little mini instant camera, and the promise of getting to use it regularly. I don't think we'll use photos daily, I think some days she'll draw something, maybe tape something in, write, I don't know exactly. I just know we're going to do it together, every day, and that thrills me. I'll do my best to share bits of it here from time to time as well. And even though every day won't be a photo, the project certainly needed to start with one. So out to the sunny/foggy/frosty street we were headed, and she looked so dang cute in her little New Year's get up, and she was participating willingly with the photo-taking with this whole 365 idea, so I got a little excited and maybe a tad over ambitious, and when I grabbed the Instax, I also grabbed the iPhone, my dslr, and a 35mm film camera. And though I shot with all of the cameras, I think this iPhone capture is the best thing I got (though I won' t know what's on that 35mm for some weeks, exciiiiiting!). By the time I picked up the dslr I got one frame before she said "Mom you didn't even put a sweater on me!" at which point she marched back into the house, and with the threat of the 13-year-old returning we hustled our now bundled-up selves to our friends for crepes and nutella.
We had a wonderful day that included naked bandits (preschool style), swerving to miss a head-on collision with a hawk, a failed attempt at a picnic which resulted in a parking lot tailgate style picnic (no joke), taking down the Christmas tree, packing up the decorations, and composting the gingerbread house (sniff sniff), a walk to the playground, and finally, a dinner that consisted of colored foods representing what we wanted more of in the new year: corn chowder (yellow, for sunshine), sweet potato fries (orange, for Rusty, our cat, I'm sure you can't imagine who picked that one), crusty brown bread (for dirt/nature), and kale salad (green for prosperity). So today's 365 entry will include a scrap of unicorn stationary with my notes about our day, a Franny drawing of the front of our car and a slow-moving hawk, and a lovely underdeveloped* Instax image of a cheesy smiling girl. Perfect. *Turns out they won't develop when it's 32 degrees out so the process was delayed until we got into our warm home, which resulted in a super washed out but bright and happy photo.
If today was any indication of how 2013 will treat this family, days that start out on the wrong side of the bed, will shift to sunshine, adventure, healthy food, and a whole lot of silliness; color me excited! I hope this year brings your family whatever you are wishing for, and surprises you with what you didn't know you needed.
Happy 2013 ya'lls!
xo, PQ
