it's nice to know that some things haven't changed...

... yet.

random : on my mind

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about our family unit – the similarities between us, as well as the differences. Those things that make us uniquely individual people.

The three of us here on Woodburn Drive are undoubtedly distinctive, diverse individuals. And yet we are all very similar. We all have very creative minds. We all have very sensitive hearts. We all have an excess of spunk.

Physically, we match. We are all short. And yet there is one thing that separates us. Our eye color. Brian and Ammon both have deep, penetrating dark brown eyes. Mine? Baby blue, through and through. And while this is so not a very flattering picture of us, the Thomases Three – we are on vacation at the beach, exhausted and disgustingly hot (you can actually see the moisture in the air – s.i.c.k) – but, it is the most handy depiction of the point at hand.

I’ve never liked my eyes. And yet, I find myself admiring them now. Admiring them and the lively personality that they have.

On a normal day, my eyes are a deep azure blue. When outside, they have a cerulean hue. When I wear blue – my eyes are a vivid indigo. When I wear purple – startling violet. When I wake up from a deep sleep – those rare occasions – they are green with a yellowish tinge. And yet after I cry, my eyes look like a crystal-blue sea – a cloudless sky.

Don’t get me wrong: I cherish my brown-eyed boys. Easily done, as brown eyes are my very favorite. But… I love my blue eyes. Maybe one of these days, genetics will forget that brown is the dominant color, and we’ll have another set of baby blues here on Woodburn Drive.

Until then – here's looking at you, kid.

***

Blue eyes -
Baby’s got blue eyes.
Like a deep blue sea
on a blue, blue day.

Blue eyes -
Baby’s got blue eyes.
When the morning comes
I’ll be far away.
And I say -

Blue eyes
holding back the tears,
holding back the pain.
Baby’s got blue eyes…
and she’s alone again.

Blue eyes -
Baby’s got blue eyes.
Like a clear blue sky
watching over me.

Blue eyes -
Oh, I love blue eyes.
When I’m by her side
where I long to be.
I will see –

Blue eyes laughing in the sun,
laughing in the rain.
Baby’s got blue eyes…
and I am home again.

Blue Eyes; Gary Osborne

ode to one who is almost two

Apparently – a certain little boy has not yet fully learned the concept of ‘consequence’.

Big word.

Means lump on head.

Although this particular scrap – this purple ear – was caused by a complete accident… most of the bumps, bruises and other calamities that this boy brings upon himself are not. Ammon is nothing short of a complete daredevil. He. Is. Wild. I laugh riotously to myself whenever any random person comments on his ‘mellow’ personality. Oh what these poor souls do not know about this boy.

In honor of Ammon’s official entrance into that wonder of joys, the terrible two’s – Brian and I have opted to share with you Ammon’s 2-year old theme song. Simply titled, ‘Prisoner of Society’, it fits him to a tee:

Well, we don't need no one to tell us what to do.

Oh, yes, we're on our own and there's nothing you can do.

So we don't need no one like you –

to tell us what to do.

We don't refer to the past when showing what we've done.

The generation gap means the war is never won.

The past is in your head –

The future's in our hands.

‘Cause I'm a brat –

and I know everything.

And I talk back –

‘Cause I'm not listening

to anything you say.

And if you count to three – 1, 2, 3 –
you'll see there's no emergency.

You'll see I'm not the enemy,

just a prisoner of society.

‘Prisoner of Society’ by Living End

- Happy 200th Post -

From:

The Happy Thomas Family... Here on Woodburn Drive.

today

"And what in the name of holy heck am I going to do with a boy?"

That would be what was running through my mind the second we found out that I was incubating a boy... and not a girl. You see, I was used to girls. So much more used to girls than boys. And while Brian said, "I know what to do with boys." my uncertainty was not swayed. That wouldn't help me during the day when I ran out of 'boy' things to do.

And yet, I have found over the last 20 1/2 months that boys seem to already know how to play with trucks and cars and produce bodily functions to make their daddies proud. They come with that know-how. And I haven't had to do a thing. Just sit back and marvel. Sit back and wonder at the inner-workings of a certain little boys' mind.

Today - I am loving this.

boys and their joys

This is a very, very old picture. A very old picture that - after all this time - I find I still want to share. I want to share this simple glimpse into our everyday life because... I love it. My boys. My boys and their joys. Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen toys, to be exact. And, to quote Brian, "And this is only the first phase!" Of course, the second phase has come and gone - yet I still adore this photograph that I snapped on the sly.

Love seeing my boys together. Love seeing my boys so in their element. Just, you know... love my boys.

conversations

A look into one of the frequent battles here on Woodburn Drive – referencing the differences between Peter Cullen (who provides the voice for Optimus Prime in the Transformers cartoon series and movies … and whose voice, by the way, is considered to be the voice of God to boys of the 80s) verses Edward Cullen (whose charms speak for themselves):

Brian: “Peter Cullen is the best Cullen. At least he’s a real person!”

Stacy: “But you aren’t in love with Peter Cullen, you are in love with Optimus Prime. Peter Cullen is an old man. Optimus Prime is a robot. I don’t know which is worse.”

Brian: “But at least he’s a real person! Edward Cullen is fiction!”

Stacy: “Well – dearest – I would much rather obsess over a vampire who, at one point in time, was a h.u.m.a.n … than a r.o.b.o.t who only ever was a r.o.b.o.t .”

Brian: “You don’t know that there isn’t a real Optimus Prime out there somewhere – someplace – saying, “Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.” Take that E.d.w.a.r.d .”

Stacy: “Uh … excuse me?”

Sorry people. I couldn't help myself. Blame Kira. She started it.

To all those fellas we know and love:

Happy Father's Day!

tamra + chris {sneak peek}

A couple of weeks ago, I did a photo shoot for my friend Tamra and her fiancé, Chris. They are getting married in September and asked me to do their engagement photos. I, of course, was more than happy to oblige - and thoroughly loved the experience. I am overjoyed with the results - and, per my family's multiple requests, I have posted a sampling of shots from the session. I posted more here than I had originally planned... choosing one or two favorites proved difficult. Once complete, I will post the link to my online portfolio, where you can view the entire series.

Thanks Tamra and Chris for the opportunity and the laughs. I'll beat the summer heat for you guys any day. Enjoy.