30 Day Challenge 2 of 30

Day 2: What I wore

Today we went to Naha for the biggest tug of war in the world! I believe there were about 275,000 people there & I was so happy to get to see it up close this year. Two years ago, the first weekend we were on the island we went to the festival but didn't see a thing! Such a disapointment. This year we went w some friends & we all got to actually pull the rope too. I'm so happy we made it back there. It's always nice to see something from a new perspective. So today, this is what I wore: the baby in the Ergo. It got a little hairy there for awhile, in a crowd of 275,000. Luckily he never got too scared but this was pretty much the expression he had the whole time. haha

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joy of LOVE 16: with you

This isn't a great picture by any stretch of the imagination but it is pretty much what happens when my kids get together & I tell them they can do whatever they want. I think they kind of weren't sure what to make of that suggestion.

ISO 160 f4.5 1/125

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joy of LOVE 10: space, where they feel most comfortable

Yeah, it probably took abt 2 seconds for me to think about this one. Where does the baby feel most comfortable? You guessed it. Mama's lap. The focal point didn't fall directly on his noggin & the side closest to our window is a bit overexposed but I don't mind.

ISO 500 f2.8 1/125
Yeah, my ISO was probably a little high but the sun kept coming in & out of the clouds & I only had abt 10 minutes to take these so...

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joy of LOVE 08: Love from the heart (what they have said, promised, done, given)

This prompt really couldn't be more appropriate for today bc today is my 8 yr wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been 8 yrs bc really, I can remember our wedding like it was yesterday. He promised to always love me & take care of me. I promised to never be perfect. We had our rings engraved w "My beloved is mine" & "I am his".
Every year on our anniversary the husband writes me a card (a really long one!) & gives me a run down of the past year's highlights. I'll spare you that but I will tell you it's been 2 I do's, 8 yrs, 12 countries, living on 3 continents, 3 kids (each born on a different continent), hundreds of dollars in phone bills, 5 (at least) deployments, endless tdy's, 1 main car, 6 secondary cars, 4 half marathons (3 for me, 1 for him), about 200 refrigerator magnets to commemorate each adventure & a cheese fondue & chocolate cake every February to celebrate.
I love you, husband. You were chosen by God for me & I can't even imagine what our future will be, but I know it will be bright bc we'll be together.

ISO 320 f1.8 1/250

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joy of LOVE day 03: then and now.

I have to tell you, I had a really hard time w this one. First, I like keeping to my one photo a day. It forces the indecisive me to be decisive. I didn't want to post an older picture & then take a new one to compare them. Not that there's anything wrong w that! I just knew the amount of time & searching & deciding(!) that would entail & frankly I didn't have the energy for it today. So I went kinda broad w this idea & while I did photograph something I love, it isn't a person. My persons were not in the mood to be photographed today. Especially after one had spent the previous night throwing up, another had a fever (teething) & the other had a potty accident (an hour & a half from our house). You can guess how much I cared abt taking any pictures at that point!
So my then & now are the cherry blossoms. They only come once a year. A few wks ago they were barren, naked branches. The sun hid behind the clouds for days & the sky rained & rained. The wind blew & the cherry blossom festivals commenced even tho sakura were few. Finally, over the last couple of wks the branches began sprouting sakura. Bright & delicate. Today we ventured up a slow mountain to take in their beauty as they canvased over the cars that motored below. Shocks of bright pink, hot pink, pastel pink & almost white. I love the cherry blossoms. They only stay for a few short wks so I hope to see them again before they are all gone.

ISO 100 f1.8 1/800

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Monthly pedicure apt w the girls.
If you've heard of Okinawa, chances are you've heard of Cocok's (silent k).
Foot soak, leg massage w oil, hot steamy towels & then the most amazing nail art you've ever seen! When I first moved here I couldn't believe everyone had their toes painted so elaborately. It seemed - just tacky! But now after a year here, I can't even imagine my toes painted any other way. I've had hibiscus flowers, cherry blossoms, a Halloween montage, snowmen & trees for Christmas & my favorite so far, gold & black tiger stripes w a hot pink tip! I honestly have not had just one color painted on my toes in a year.

ISO 640 f2.8 1/125

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I got a pedicure AND did yoga today. Lucky you.
I'm doing p90x in attempts to lose the rest of my baby weight. It's not a NY's resolution kind of thing, in case you were wondering. Just a coincidence. Not that there's anything wrong w NY's resolutions, I just don't make them. I resolve to do things in my own time. :)
Nothing feels better than fanning your toes in Cobbler pose. (Did I just rhyme??) I love yoga & rarely have the time to do it so I'm excited it's a part of the p90x program. My goal is to be able to do Crane pose. For like, 60 seconds. That would be awesome.

ISO 3200 f2.0 1/160