the difference.

the difference between photographers and normal people
is that we never stop thinking about light.
as the sun comes up. as it goes down.
as we're driving the kids to school.
as we walk past a window at work.

and in this case, how lucky we would be to capture it filtering through her hair
so perfectly because we happened to be there at that very second
with a camera in our hands.

i happened to say
"oh, what pretty light."
this morning on the way to school.
two groans from the backseat
told me that they knew exactly what i was thinking.

a super short silent tball movie.

tball practice from Tracy Mueller on Vimeo.

sometimes you just have to pick it up and try again.

don't try this unless you're an arborist.

or unless your dad's an arborist.
or your neighbor is.

sometimes we do crazy things in the circle.
we've been known to make pancakes,
have green machine spin out races,
watch movies on garage doors,
and ride home in wheelbarrows.
sometimes we drive into the circle after school
on a beautiful friday afternoon
and find a brand new zipline course.

don't be alarmed.
zac is the best tree climber/ line thrower/knot maker we know.
it was totally safe(ish) and there was a backup line.

wrapping it up.

i'm not sure exactly what to say about this year's swim season.
there is definitely a love/hate thing going on here.

a lot of complaining about going to practice.
a lot of smiles when we pick him up. a lot.
a lot of hard work. i mean hard work.
if you've ever been or known a swimmer, then you know.
a lot of good times with his best buds.
a lot of tuesdays.
a lot of trying to get out of tuesdays.
a lot of progress. a lot of time taken off his best times.
a lot of dry land workouts.
a lot of dreading dry land workouts.

a lot of wondering about how hard
we should push him to finish what he started.

a lot of missing it when it was over.
a lot of talk about this summer.

a lot of feeling so super proud of him
because of all of this.




i took this right before his first 100 back.
he was nervous and didn't appreciate the camera.
last week, he saw this image and said, "awesome shot, mom!"
worth it.

march madness.

in wisconsin,
we're all talking about the weather.
it's crazy. total madness.
that we're planting grass
and running through the sprinkler
and biking in tank tops and shorts.
before st. patrick's day.
lucky us.

kickin' it.

scooter girl says
her super cute little pink mini-kick is no longer cutting it.

three wheels is one too many
if you're going to do cool tricks
like your brother.
go, speed racer, go.








yes.
i laid on the sidewalk to take these.
the neighbors already know i'm crazy.
whatever.

because we are awesomer.

we
found the best fish fry ever. really, ever.
won at cosmic bingo. went on stage. won some more.
got back on skiis. almost didn't get on the chairlift.
were rockstars. crashed. used our better judgement most of the time.
tailgated. skied some more. loosened up our boots.
played dominos. sung 90's hairband songs.
remembered. planned.
and enjoyed every minute of it.

love you guys. xo








also awesomer: grandparents who drive through blizzards.

this good.

dear kiddos,
please be this good for your grandma
while we're being awesomer.
love, mom

truly.

these are so truly and completely
the ten-and-a half-year-old him.
expressions that aren't easy to catch,
but will remind me exactly how he was right now.
and what he would eat everyday if he could.