Jennifer Stocks Photography – The Blog

Day 31 of documenting the life of my family over the month of January. Today is the very last day!

Captured as we went for an evening stroll.

The story - Well, today is the last day of my January Challenge. It has been the most wonderful thing to do for our family, and I have enjoyed documenting our lives. It was kind of hard today knowing this would be the last day, but hey, there is always the option to continue if I really feel the burning desire! I was kind of hoping our baby would make its entrance into the world before the end of the month, but alas, bubs is still warm and safe inside my belly right this minute. I am however, hoping this will change very soon!

We had a super day today. It was my dads birthday so we headed out to mum & dad’s place for a yummy relaxed lunch. The boys played with the dogs and we took them to the park down the road. We headed back home for a relaxed afternoon, before the boys and I ventured out for an afternoon/evening walk. We went to collect the eggs, but realised we didn’t have any egg cartons so we went to borrow some from Hayden (who works for us and lives on the place too).

When we got down there we discovered the chooks were having a blast digging up his yard. The boys then proceeded to try and hunt them out the gate. Dusty was all about the chase, while Beau was a little more subtle in his approach with the occasional “shoo, shoo chickens”. Then Damien stopped by, and for the sake of todays photo they collected a chicken each for Dusty and Beau to check out (no – it’s not really normal everyday life for our family to pick up chickens and pat them – I just thought it would make a cool shot).

I have really enjoyed this project. It is such a great legacy to leave for your family, and I would encourage everyone to do something like it. I am so keen to carry this on into February (or at least until the babe joins our clan), but am undecided as to whether I will. Stay tuned… you just never know!

Day 30 of documenting the life of my family over the month of January. Stay tuned for a picture a day of my family just being themselves.

Captured as we shared a lovely cafe breakfast together this morning.

The Story – With the arrival of our new bundle any day now, Damien thought it would be nice to head into town and share a yummy breakfast. So, that’s exactly what we did. I decided to take along my camera because you just never know what situation will present itself for this project.

Well, the light inside the cafe was superb so a cafe shot became our image/s of the day. It’s so lovely taking the boys out for a nice breakfast, lunch or dinner. Mostly because I remember just how HARD it was when they were younger. We avoided these situations like the plague! But now, honestly – the kids are so fantastic. Sure, they still up-end the salt and pepper shakers, shred their napkins, and blow bubbles in their milk-shakes but overall they are little legends. It helps that there are so many cafes and restaurants in Bathurst making an effort to have kiddie friendly activities like pencils, books, etc so the experience is enjoyable for everyone. But age is the biggest thing. Three was a massive turning point for Dusty, and as Beau fast approaches his third birthday life is becoming quite easy!

Soon however, we will be back to prams and highchairs and sterilisers and rattles and bonds suits and booties and smooshed-up apples and bottles and breast-pumps and cots and wraps and rolling and crawling and walking and climbing…. The list goes on.

Even though Beau is not even three, he is such a grown-up little man. He has done everything so quickly, and matured at an astounding pace. It’s going to be strange (but wonderful) having a baby in our house again. I’m told having another baby is like riding a bike – if you’ve done it once it’s easy to get back on and pedal again.

So, here is an image of my family for today. It’s got me thinking about what we are now, and what we are going to be in a very short time. It’s scary and exhilarating at the same time, but I am looking forward to the ride.

Day 29 of documenting the life of my family over the month of January. Stay tuned for a picture a day of my family just being themselves.

Captured as we hung about outside this afternoon.

The story – As the day cooled down a little, the boys and I ventured outside for an afternoon play. Dusty and Beau love to dress up in random outfits, so today I decided to take out our dress-up basket and my camera to see if they boys would pull off some snazzy dress-up combinations for our photo a day. So, today was scripted in a sense. I also pegged up some bunting party decorations i’ve had sitting around for a while, encouraged the boys to have a dress up and and hoped for the best. Well, what did they do? Hmmm. Dusty put the peg basket on his head instead of the dress-up clothes, and they both took off for the sand-pit. Hmmm…. Well, that certainly worked a charm!

So, I just waited them out. I sat. I waited. I waited some more. And then some more. And then…. eventually they decided to venture over my way again. Dressing up and being cool for mum was not on the agenda, but what I did manage to grab in the end was FAR better. The boys just being themselves. Doing what they do, and not conforming to any of my creative ideas. Just being them. I love these photos. I love the colours and the pure childishness.

Day 28 of documenting the life of my family over the month of January. Stay tuned for a picture a day of my family just being themselves.

Captured in the yard while the boys pottered around.

The Story – Santa was kind enough to bring Beau a ride-on tractor (with trailer) for Christmas this year, and boy oh boy, did he give the ultimate present. Our little man just loves it and pedals around like a crazy man. I have been meaning to take a photograph of Beau and his tractor for a while now, so was happy to get a few snaps today. It’s actually one of the only ways of getting him to look at me. Tractor = smiles. Tractor = happy times. I also had to add the last one of Dusty – there’s just something I really love about it.

Day 27 of documenting the life of my family over the month of January. Stay tuned for a picture a day of my family just being themselves.

Captured while the boys watched hay being unloaded into the shed.

The Story – Tractors seem to be quite a common theme in my photo a day challenge, but there is a very good reason. Our kids love them. Like REALLY love them. They love riding in them, watching them, helping ‘fix’ them and they speak about them as though they are tractor experts. Actually, besides Mum & Dad, Dusty’s first word was ‘tractor’. He has now branched out in his machinery taste, and loves a range of machines. But Beau, well…. he just thinks tractors are the world at the moment.

Together they play toy tractors inside, and take it all very seriously. They change up their implements to plough, spray and irrigate their paddocks. They build tractors and machinery out of lego, knex and meccano. They push tractors through the dirt in the gardens (much to my annoyance at times), and they stand next to the fences and stare whenever they hear or see a tractor going past. This house is just such a boy house!!