It's a Boys World: Photo Dump (& Project Life 2013)

I don't know if you noticed (if you did...thanks!) but I kinda ceased posting our Project Life pictures. For those of you that forgot, or didn't notice, or don't care (keepin' it real) this was my third year scrapbooking in the Project Life format. That is, taking photographs of the here and now and documenting it in the here and now for an accurate reflection of what life is like, here and now. It's an awesome system with beautiful products and I'm just as much in love with it now as I was in 2010 when I tackled it for the first time.

I have continued to take pictures. And have continued to plan pages and work on making our album. But...I totally lost track of my weekly routine of processing pictures, planning my pages, and posting them here, shortly after moving. I spent much of the latter half of this year adjusting to everything *new* that it all just kinda fell apart. Rest assured, I will have a complete album for this year...it's just going to take a few late nights to complete the album.

This, then, naturally flows into how I am going to tackle this much beloved Project Life for 2013. In 2010 and 2011 I followed the picture-of-the-day format, and this year I changed my focus to looking at the week as a whole (as there are some days that warrant many pictures, and some that get none). For 2013, I am going to loosen that grip even more and use a month by month lens for documenting our everyday life (for many reasons, none of which is of any importance to explain). It is likely that I will still end up with four distinct weeks, but I need some flexibility in that. What that means for the blog is that I am going to step away from the weekly Project Life posts I've been doing. And that is primarily because I have found that I end up repeating myself quite a bit. Between the Project Life posts, the other stories that I share here (which are printed into books at the end of the year), and the boys scrapbooks, many of the same stories are told over and over again. Enough of that. So, instead, I'll do a monthly photo dump of those pictures I'm including in our Project Life album that I haven't yet shared throughout the month.

You follow? No? I'm still taking pictures. I'm still doing Project Life. We'll just leave it at that. :)

So sit back, relax, and take a look at a few of the photos that made it into the last quarter of Project Life 2012. (In no particular order, because I can't keep three cameras and one app straight.)

Brad's usual routine after the boys are asleep for the night.

{I have big plans for this basement in 2013!}

Dreaming he's riding a roller coaster? Or scoring a touchdown?

The boys' room...so far.

Upon an invitation, Brad spent a Saturday in the early fall golfing at the very fancy schmancy golf club in town. Like, 33 million dollar renovation schmancy.

Our first non-family house guests: the Vrieze family, of course!

Brad comes home for lunch. Reed pretends to hide. Every.single.day.

Ummm...we have a lot of puzzles. Like, a lot a lot.

Lego/puzzle/craft/etc table made by 100% recycled materials found here in our home. Lovingly made by Brad. It's awesome.

Another friendly invitation took Brad to Ann Arbor to see the Michigan/Iowa game. It's good to know people.

Couldn't reach the size I needed so I sent in the troops.

Oh yes I did.

I'm sure I've mentioned, but so worth mentioning again...our library is sweet!

Michigan has had some weird I-think-I'll-try-new-things-I-used-to-think-were-disgusting effect on Brad. Within the first week of moving here, he ate peas, refried beans, and cherry pie. This winter, he's been trying various coffees. I haven't been able convince him these are fine culinary experiences, but apparently Michigan can.

I love our sweet dog. But spending $200 for an annual check-up, ear infection, and a broken toenail isn't so sweet.

Photography by Reed.

Drew's school hosted their second Reading Promise night of the school year, and the students and their families were invited for dinner, books, and prizes. The students were encouraged to wear their pajamas as it was catch-your-own-pancakes for dinner. For real. Like, stand behind the line, hold your plate, and they flipped pancakes to you. It was crazy fun.

I've started meeting on Thursday afternoons with two friends for an hour of Bible study and book discussion. Reed comes along and usually plays with my friend's son, who is the same age. He couldn't make it this week, but this is how the two of them usually spend their time while the ladies are chatting.