Celebrations

I had a lovely weekend filled with bright and bubbly people. My eight year old niece, Erinn stayed with us for the weekend, along with her brother's WII and Super Mario Cart! My husband and I battled it out several times and he was victorious over and over again, leaving me only slightly bothered. (We get a little competitive.)

Saturday night, I celebrated my 27th birthday with some of my favorite girls on the planet and laughed a lot!

Last, but not least my birthday celebration continued on Sunday with my family. My sweet mom made the most delicious meal including shrimp, Alaskan King Crab, and steak...Finished with the tastiest double layer chocolate cake. YUM. Moms are the BEST!

Thank you to my friends and family that all made my birthday very special, especially my husband, who was my slave all day Sunday.

Snow Angel

Wow, toddlers are one of the most challenging (but FUN) subjects to photograph. My cat is a much less difficult model. He just sits there and stares into my camera lens with his intense glare. My toddler on the other hand runs and jumps and makes silly faces and requires a bribe of chocolate to say “cheese.” Birds are also a test; they’re swift and they almost never stop moving. Here is the cuteness that is my tot, Sofia, my cat, Kikugawa Gato, and the bird that was torturing my cat outside my kitchen window

Sofia acting silly

Tada!

Good morning tea party

Snow Angel

Warming up

My Kittie

Watch out for my kittie

Live, Love, and Enjoy Life

I think that most grandparents would agree that the very best present that you can give them for Christmas is more grandchildren. The second best gift that you can give grandparents for Christmas is photographs of their already existing grandchildren.

For my parents, I designed a book full of photographs that I took of my daughter and family during 2008. It captures many fun and precious moments from our year and also illustrates how much my daughter changed, physically.

Here are a few pages from the book.

Holiday Recap

Said “Welcome” to my husband’s best friend/ future brother-in-law, “Uncle Doo-Doo.”
Recovered from a cold with the help of Greens, Emergen-C, and Acupuncture.
Visited my never-boring family Christmas Eve.
Laughed as my brother expressed his admiration for the yule log on tv.
Enjoyed watching Sofia open sooooo many Christmas presents.
Cried as we all said “Goodbye" to my twin sister, who moved to Chicago.
Found my daughter during a game of Hide and Seek.
Ate Dim Sum Christmas morning.
Traveled to Orr, Minnesota Christmas night.
Sledded down a hill with two feet of snow.
Snow Shoed across a frozen lake.
Played hours of Super Mario Cart on my nephews new Wii.
Ate way too many Christmas treats.
Celebrated my 2nd wedding anniversary with my husband.
Took a very long nap with my daughter.

Drew and Shelly

Greens

Hide and Seek

Nap Time

Winter Leaf

I found the shape of this winter leaf quite intriguing. I love the way that it hangs delicately from the branch, curling around itself.

Hello Sunshine

I love the way the sun is illuminating these photographs, snapped today when the sun started to set.

Quiet

Winter time quiet. Photographs taken in my front yard.

Winter

I found some colors in my own front yard this afternoon. What is left of my garden is actually much more interesting than I could have ever imagined. Winter creates new shapes that are much more organic, unusual and imperfect than in spring and summer.

Out of Season

Copyright 2008 Jessica Wood
I am in the mood for some vibrant colors, so please enjoy this taste of nature from my photography portfolio.

Hiking in NW Portland, Oregon

I snapped a few photos while on a post Thanksgiving jaunt through the woods in NW Portland to remind me that green plants can thrive outdoors in the United States, even in December.

Today, Wandering

I had some time to wander freely today, just outside of Portland, Oregon. I took a few pictures of the goodies that are in my current surroundings. I have a love for the colors that I find here, even on chilly, gray and foggy days. Unlike my home in Minneapolis this time of year, Portland is still very green. The leaves may have fallen from most of the trees, but their branches are covered in gorgeous moss and lichen that flourish in the colder months. Fall is still upon Oregon and I captured some of the exciting colors. I couldn’t resist taking a few shots of the horses on the farm that I am staying on, including some of the sweetest baby “horsie” with the distinct fuzzy coat and white mark on her head.
Copyright 2008 Jessica Wood

Sofia Amiel

A burst of joy to brighten the day....My tot, Sofia.

Visiting Nana, Leeloo and PP!

I am visiting what feels like my second home, Portland, Oregon. I am so grateful that for ten days, I get to enjoy Nana's delicious home cooked meals, always prepared with vegetables freshly picked out of the garden, lots of walks in gorgeous settings, and plenty of relaxation.

DIY: Whimsical Butterfly Tree

Inspired by nature and leftover birthday decorations, I created a whimsical butterfly tree for my toddler's bedroom. It is a very simple and fun project to create and the results are quite enchanting. It is a very inexpensive project and fun for parents and their children to create together.

Whimsical Butterfly Tree Instructions:

1. Head out to nature (if you are lucky like me, you may have some in your own backyard) and find a gorgeous branch sans leaves, the curvier and more ornate the branch, the better. I used a fallen oak tree branch.

2. Purchase or create decorative butterflies. To create your own, feel free to use the butterfly stencil that I illustrated. Click on it to enlarge. Print it out and the possibilities are endless. I love to use stencils on gorgeous decorative papers, such as these found at Paper Source. Encourage your children to paint and draw on the butterflies to create their own, unique designs.





3. Attach the butterflies to the tree using either thin wire or fishing line.

4. Hang tree branch by attaching string or fishing line to either end of the branch. Hang the branch on something sturdy like a hook or screw.