52 Week Photo Project. Week 15: In Flight

This week's theme was 'In Flight.' I had several pictures that I couldn't decide between. I finally chose this one:

This was taken at the Naval Aviation Celebration in San Diego last year.  

The 52 Week Photo Project. Week 14: Softness

The theme this week is Softness.  I thought for awhile about what I wanted to photograph.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to try and show softness through the lens quality or through interpretation.  I was thinking about what represents 'softness' to me.  I started thinking about the relationship between Franklin, the stuffed animal, and my grandson, affectionately known here as The Rock Star. 

Franklin is a stuffed turtle from the Franklin books.  The Rock Star LOVES him.  Franklin lives at Grandma's house, where he patiently waits for visits from TRS (the rock star).  TRS lives in another state, where is patiently waits for visits from Franklin.  Between visits, Franklin sits on a shelf in our office.  He has been known to talk to TRS on Skype.  TRS asks about him when we talk on the phone.  Whenever there is room in my suitcase, Franklin travels to visit TRS.  The rule is that he only visits, because if he stayed there he wouldn't be as special.  TRS is almost 6.  Franklin's days of being special to him are probably numbered, much like Woody and Buzz from the Toy Story movies.  For now, Franklin and TRS have a very special bond and it shows the softness of a little boy's heart.  Franklin depicts softness simply by virtue of being soft, but putting the two together spells out softness in a whole new dimension. 

Franklin rides in the car with TRS whenever they are together.  Franklin has had minor surgery on his bottom to sew up a spot where he had been loved to stuffing exposure.  Franklin has slept with TRS at Grandma's house, his house, the cabin at Lake Tahoe and the bunk bed in the old trailer.  He has waited for him in the hotel at Disneyland and in the car too many places to mention.  He shows up in countless pictures.  Often dangling by a foot.  Their adventures are as special to Franklin as they are to TRS.  Here is a picture of the two of them visiting Grandpa's work:

Someday, TRS will come to visit and he won't take Franklin off of the shelf.  I pray that day doesn't come any time soon.  We are going on vacation together this summer.  I have to make sure there is room in my suitcase for Franklin.  We are going to have too much fun to leave him behind.

52 Week Photo Project, Week 13: 'Messy'

Last June while we were visiting our daughter in Utah, we went to Leatherby's. When my children were little, we had one here in Southern California. The ice cream is great and the portions are messy and huge. After a day of hiking last summer, we all decided that we needed to visit their local Leatherby's. The ice cream was just as tasty as I remembered it to be and the portions were still huge. You can probably tell from the picture how messy it was.  Hubby and I shared this:

I hope it makes all of you just as hungry as it does me.