A Smattering of Amazing Photography

My brain is a little off-kilter because of the amount of children roaming our den lately. I believe there are around eight smallish creatures on the property this minute, which is why I am very responsibly hunkered down by the computer.

I think that is what they refer to as "hands-on" parenting.

So in the name of chaos, I thought I'd share a few pictures that have absolutely nothing to do with anything except for the fact that they made me smile.

I call the first photo Circle of Life:

(I am naming all of these because I'm pretty sure that's what big time photographers do. And I am nothing if not big time.)

Anyway, as a kid, I remember hating making Mother's Day crafts and planting the obligatory marigold each year. I felt so embarrassed, because I stunk at crafts and thought my mom would rather have some swanky something from Neiman's rather than a pathetic cup with my name on it containing a flower that in all likelihood, will never bloom. (And if you know my mom, nothing could be further from the truth).

But that cup with a tiny plant and my baby's name on it?

Love it.

Now that I am a mom, I get it. I'll forgo expensive and well-wrapped gifts any day over something made with little hands. 

And should it be accompanied by a Starbucks beverage, I will say an extra prayer of thanks.

This next photo I call Fine Art:
This big beauty was sitting in front of me at the stoplight the other day. I may not have had the camera ready for Lilly's Easter program or Jackson's debut on the waterslide, but I am READY for heinously painted vehicles at the stoplight.

It's a gift.

Jackson nearly soiled himself with glee at seeing this truck. For a few minutes, I was tempted to pimp out the Suburban with our favorite Wii game, but then thought better of it. That money could be used for so many other things like buying another guitar or installing stage lights in the living room.

Priorities.

The next photo I call Junk Drawer Surprise:

I'd like to make several observations:

1) This is as clean as it ever gets. I emptied the entire thing last week when it was unable to completely close for 11 days straight. 

Then, I put everything back in neatly. Neater. As neat as I want it to be.

2) That is not a handkerchief in the middle of the junk drawer.

Those are Princess Jasmine panties. And to my knowledge, I have never bought Lilly any Princess Jasmine panties.

I am still trying to connect the dots on this one.

So I guess the moral of the story is to be very careful when you search for a Sharpie because instead, you might find underwear. 

(I felt that the broad application of that little vignette made it blog worthy.)

3) This is unrelated to any of the photos but I would just like to observe that when a child plays the kazoo within a 10 mile radius of my eardrums, it raises my blood pressure to heart-attack ready levels.

And when a child plays the kazoo in the car with me, I simultaneously grip the steering wheel with greater force than the Incredible Hulk and look around for a button with which to eject myself from the front seat so quickly that onlookers will think the rapture has come.

So in summary:

Random pictures=super duper

Kazoos=death wish

Thank you. Back to "parenting."