Daphne – Page 4 – M. Sullivan Photography

May 1, 2014 M. Sullivan Photography Animals, Daphne, Garden, Photos, Weather

Searching

The skies have been gray and dreary all week. We have had a mix of snow, rain and wind each day since Sunday. We are all craving sunlight and blue skies. We were somewhat satisfied that there was little to no precipitation today and temperatures were in the mid 40’s. It should be in the mid to upper 50’s this time of year, but we will take what we can get. To celebrate the departure from rain and 30’s, Daphne and I went for a walk after work. When we returned home I spent some time searching, not for blue skies, but for any sign of green in the backyard. When you look at the yard as a whole, it looks brown. Well…except for the patches of white snow. If you look closely, you will see this…

Moss From A Different Angle Is Still Moss

A departure from green…brown.

And then there was this guy. We are accustom to seeing big gray (and sometimes black) squirrels in the city. We never see these cute little red squirrels. We have affectionately named this one “Hammy”. As in “Hammy” from the movie Over the Hedge. He moves around our backyard like he just downed an energy drink. That is why my photos are not as close up or as crisp as I would like. He never stops long enough to get a sharp photo.

During my search for spring foliage, I uncovered this Mother’s Day stepping stone Sebastian made for me with his hand print when he was 3 (with the help of his Aunt Dee Dee). I will have to clean it up and replace the missing “E”. Even with moss growing on it, I still love it.

I can’t believe his hands were ever that tiny. Now look at him.

February 16, 2014February 16, 2014 M. Sullivan Photography Daphne, Family, Flowers, Photos, Weather

Hopper Happiness & Sock Monkey Madness

We gave the kids a few small things for Valentine’s Day. Nothing fancy, just some chocolate treats, gum and a small gift for each kid. Sophia had her eye on a giant stuffed frog that was on display in the gift section of a local store since mid-January. Every time we stopped by the store to pick up a few items, she spotted the frog and begged to have it for Valentine’s Day. It was a little overpriced and ridiculously pink and large, but she declared her love for it each time she saw it. Early this week I had to do some errands and stopped by a different store for a few household items. I decided to pick up some Valentine’s treats for the kids and a card for Mike. While I was debating on whether or not to get a small stuffed bulldog for Sophia, I looked up on the top shelf and spotted the same frog that Sophia had seen at the other store. I decided that it must be fate. Not only was it the same frog, it was almost half the price. Sophia became the proud owner of a giant pink and white frog on Valentine’s Day. She couldn’t have been more excited. Now we just need to figure out where to keep him. Sebastian’s gift was not quite as bright or exciting, but he was very happy with his new fleece blanket (a.k.a. Woobie).

Hopper, Socky, Sophia, Sebastian & The Brown Blanket

In addition to her new frog, Hopper, Sophia also received a gently used sock monkey hat with her Valentine’s Day loot. Sock Monkey was also a big hit with her as seen below in the snapshots from earlier today,

I also enjoyed my Valentine’s gift…a beautiful bouquet of roses, truffles and a nice card from Mike.

Sebastian had a basketball tournament in Zimmerman, Minnesota today. Mike made the 2 1/2 hour journey with him. It was a long day, with less than ideal road conditions, but the boys played well and they made it home safely at 10:40 p.m. tonight. While they were away, Sophia and I took care of shoveling the freshly fallen snow. We did take some time to have a little fun and enjoy sledding in the back yard.

Daphne also joined in the fun.

We are looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and enjoying a quiet day at home…or maybe skiing in the fresh powder.

February 9, 2014February 11, 2014 M. Sullivan Photography Basketball, Cooking, Daphne, Family, Gymnastics, Photos, Piano, Sports

Catching Up

Mike and Sophia went to a Father-Daughter event at the end of January. They had a double date with friends of ours and had a wonderful evening of dancing, laughter and fun. Here they are right before they left for their big date.

Sophia & Her Friend Enjoying Kiddie Cocktails

The weather continues to be below average making it less than desirable for outdoor activities.

We hosted the annual Super Bowl Party at our house. We got a little creative with an old tablecloth to add to the football theme.

Sophia made sure we didn’t forget what day it was by marking it on our daily board.

Sophia made Seahawks and Broncos Rainbow Loom bracelets and sold them for $0.50 each. I forgot to take of photo of them, but trust me, they were super cute and sold fast! Daphne was exhausted the next day.

Sebastian had his first of two band concerts of the school year. The concert included performances by the 6th, 7th & 8th grades. They all did a great job.

Sophia had her own musical performance this week. She played two pieces of music at a piano festival in front of judges. The festival was at a nearby college. I wasn’t able to be in the room with her when she played, but she said it went very well. She will find out the results later this week.

Festival At The College of St. Scholastica – iPhone Photos

We enjoyed my work of art…this giant cookie after dinner on Saturday. I think I finally have it perfected. Homemade cookie dough (my secret recipe) baked in a 9 inch springform pan. Crispy, chewy and delicious!

I tried to find inspiration outdoors for a few photos, but came up somewhat empty-handed.

The week ahead looks busy with school conferences, a piano lesson, gymnastics, basketball practices and a tournament. We may try to fit in some skiing on Sunday if the weather permits. We are enjoying the longer days and are looking forward to warmer temperatures in the long, long range forecast.