portraits at the park

My cousin asked if I could take some pictures of her and her son (her husband couldn't get away from work, unfortunately). I said sure and off to the park we went. This first shot (above) is my favorite of the bunch, probably because it looks like a Parisian photo.

Here are some more just for your viewing pleasure:

Tessa helped with editing a bunch of these, and the way she did this one below, you can barely tell they are outside! Jmo was full of fun faces this day:

There was a [giant - seriously, half as big as he was] squirell he chased around and up this [giant] tree.

We've found the ducks. They held Jmo's attention for the rest of the shoot.

While shooting this picture, Jmo took off towards the ducks, the ducks came straight at me, then as they curved away, Brittany shouted, "Fast! Fast!! Jayci, I hope you're fast!!" Well I got a cute one, after all!

Here is one of Britt's favorite. Isn't she looking fantastic for 6 months along? I know!

Aren't they a cute duo? I think so too.

family time

We love being with my mom, dad, and sister, but we miss you, Mark!

My mom snapped a few pictures of me and Mont on Sunday after church. It was a nice, rainy, relaxing time to spend on the floor just kicking our cares away; Mont was teaching me all his tricks.

he's right there!

Mark: Mont's going to love what I got him this year!

me: You got him something?

Mark: Ya; it's a good one.

me: Really?? What is it?

Mark: I'm not going to tell you! He's right there! What are you thinking??

(surprise for Mont: a new baby monitor - yippee!!)

my bags are packed

And only mine. Sadly Mark has to work, so Mont and I are jet setting off to the land of rain, then the land where palm trees sway.

There was an Anthropologie advertisement last month that depicted almost exactly what my bags would contain. So close... its just that their style is just a tad more stylin' than mine! But all the "Destinations" and "Contents" are the same...plus a little more cover on the swimwear.

If you're traveling, I hope you do so safely! Wish me luck with Mont. Woohoo!! Here I come "mom & pop!"

... is there any way to leave those 'travel bug jitters' at home? I could do without them stomping around in my stomach. It's a bad case of The Butterflies.

tie dyed

I took this picture with my phone just this morning. He is kicking like crazy, so sorry about the blur. I tie-dyed this onesie on July 3rd, knowing he wouldn't be able to be hippi-fied until the winter. But now he gets to wiggle away in this. Happy kicking!

freezing fog

This morning I pushed out my solitary trash can full of left-overs, empty food boxes, bags, etc. There must have been enough "smell-goods" in there though, that something with a big black beak and eerie caw was tempted to dig through it and scatter its finds all over in front of my drive way. 

I noticed this because I had more trash to take out, so I glanced out my front window and saw I still had time. I left the last trash bag open so I could clean up the mess out front. 

My red coat was the one I chose so my red plaid pajama bottoms still looked a little stylish. Opening the front door I noticed I was walking into a cloud. But as soon as I took that first step I realized it wasn't just any cloud. I was walking through particles of ice! I looked at my door stoop and saw that my Christmas wreath looked like one of those 'frosted' ones you can buy in the store. The snow had a layer of ICE on it, and the stairs were super slick. Don't worry... I have been perfecting my mountain-goat-sure-footedness. 

I thought I had walked through icy fog before... but not like this. You could pluck out the ice just hanging in the air! Poor garbage-men... I hear them outside now. Hope they're bundled up nice and tight!

hello, stranger

Driving into the city today, there was a strange fog that shrouded the bright sunlight that I was hoping to see more of. Oh well... it was still pretty.

(the air base calls it freezing fog, and yes, it did look this strange yellow color!)

moments

I love Alaska's people. Propping a bike against a gate might seem like no big deal to some, but to me I see a perfect little picture. People here set up these moments for me all the time. Many of these moments I don't get a photo of, because many of them are of the people themselves.

If I were braver, I would just pull out my camera (after having figured out the motion setting), and snapp their picture - having asked them or not. People here can be so interesting; their huge fur parkas, their aged and weathered faces from mountaineering in the cold weather for years and years, the way they wear small crampons on their shoes just to walk from one place to the next, the way their faces light up when the talk about salmon runs, or packing a moose out from 30 miles from the nearest road in thigh deep snow.

The people here are so interesting! The moments they create are so interesting. Interesting in a marvelous, intriguing, inspiring way. Even if I don't hunt, or I don't ski, I love to learn about the people and the moments around me.

it takes a lotta work

Mont has started squeal-talking this week. I think it's hilarious! Hopefully people on planes and at church will too - not likely! I love how he has to gather up all his energy, tense his face, then squeal. I love tickling him and cuddling him when he's like this. He's just such a happy boy!!

jingle bells

Using these kickers I have here, I can fill the room with the sounds of bells and chimes. It's quite Christmas-y. Mont's Christmas gift to me; I just do the placement.

Jingle Jangle!!

on the first day of Christmas

Here's my version of a snowman! Nice and warm inside.

The wind is howling outside turning the delicate little snowflakes into something fierce and unfriendly. I like my version of a snowman, where I can see him all day long, in a warm golden hue of indoor lighting.

So what is your favorite Christmas tree ornament? Go take a picture!

frosty

Coming home from church today I noticed so many snowmen!! So before it got too dark (this is around 3:45), we rushed out to take some pictures.

I still have never made a snow man - I don't know what I'm waiting for... maybe New Years?

Happy snowman making!

*added at 9:39pm: the face-less snowman now has a face! Guess they just weren't done with it.

my thanksgiving list

• family - immediate and extended (and especially new additions!)
• friends - wish I could name you all
• a living prophet
• a home
• love and support 
• clean drinking water
• clean air to breathe
• delicious food to eat and cook with
• electricity (and indoor plumbing!)
• artistic inclinations (whether they turn out or not, it is fun!)
• Buckwheat
• uplifting and inspiring media (music, television, films, etc.)
• my happiness
• military efforts to protect freedom and people's liberties 
• good health

I just asked Mark what he's thankful for:

• his muscles

I'm also thankful that he can make me laugh!

when the first baby laughed

Yes, that is our timer beeping ever-so-loudly. 

I finally got Mont's laugh on video tonight with the help of his funny dad. I love his big ole' raspy laugh.

little man

No, this is not a BabyBjorn add, but if it were, I would buy it! Mont is too cute for me to resist. My friend lent me her carrier to try it out for some upcoming travels. So far, Mont really loves looking around while Mark walks around. He hates to face towards you and be strapped in though, so that's too bad. But at least this way is golden. Here are some other pictures from today:

I love how he looks at the lights. We set up Christmas today; can't start it too early with the Bensons, I've discovered. Seriously, one cousin of Mark's has a Christmas ROOM in her basement where she has Christmas set up all year long. And after July 4th she begins listening to Christmas music. ha!

Mont has found his voice!! Along with laughing, he'll carry on full one-sided conversations with us. We love it.

He really does look concerned with whatever it is he's explaining, doesn't he? What a fun munchkin:

And some more pictures of us lounging around the house tonight:

He has the same stick-out ears I do! awww:

He's figured out that he can hold up his weight as long as I hold him steady. He loves that 'standing sensation' and will stand straight as a board even when lying down just so I'm forced to put him upright.

This is "Big Chief" face, as I call it.

Or as Peter Pan would say, "Red Man"

14.5 lbs?!

Two days ago, I hopped on the scale, then hopped off.

Then Mark handed me our tall baby, and we hopped on together.

The scale went up 14.5 lbs!! He's only 3 months and 1.5 weeks!

This weekend Mont was cranky all the way from Friday night to Tuesday morning. It was a rough little weekend, and it was the first time in Relief Society I had to back out of the room while giving everyone (felt like everyone was looking) the "I'm sorry" look!

I thought it was a tooth coming up, which I can feel a little rough spot there, but after he was happy again yesterday, and after I weighed him, I think he was just having a major growth spurt. I haven't measured his length in a while, but I think he has to be over 25 inches.

He nurses every 2 hours or so during the day (holy schneikies), and at night he can go 7 hours from the time he last eats before he falls asleep. Then after that, he can go every 3 to 4 hours until 8 o'clock when it's time to get up.

Now we work on getting him to go back to a 7 or 8 o'clock bed time. Hard days in a row (like he had) always get him off his schedule (if it can be called a schedule)!

Beijing, China

Outdoors. The Summer Palace.

As I have come to expect, Mark has captured more incredible scenes through the lens of the camera he gave me exactly one year ago (happy birthday to me, tomorrow!). There are many photographs that I want to showcase (chose my favorites from ~800), so I'm going to put them in subcategories. enjoy!

Landscapes:

Mu Tian Yu. The Great Wall.

Man at work. Summer Palace.

MY man at 'work.' The Great Wall.

Architecture:

Rooftops. The Summer Palace.

The Summer Palace.

The Summer Palace.

Architectural Detail:

Outside. The Summer Palace.

Tile Rooftop. The Summer Palace.

Black temple wall. The Summer Palace.

Marble Staircase. The Forbidden City.

Outside. The Summer Palace.

Outside door. The Summer Palace.

Side Rooftop. The Summer Palace.

Indoors. The Forbidden City.

Wall. The Forbidden City.

Artwork and Sculpture:

One of thousands. The Summer Palace

Character stamps. Shangri La Hotel, Beijing

Outside. The Forbidden City. *Mulan's friend?*

Display on walkway. Summer Palace.

Outside. The Forbidden City.

An artist's signature. Summer Palace.

Nature:

Tree bark. The Forbidden City.