After being inspired by my friends in Pursuit 31, I convinced Jason that we needed to make a 101 things to do in 1001 days list.  So last Saturday evening, we put the kids to bed, poured some iced tea and headed out to the front drive-way.  Jason sat in a reclining lawn chair with the iPad and I improved my basketball shooting skills while we came up with our list.  Some of these items are for both of us, and some will obviously be for one or the other of us.  I’ve indicated those with a “J” or “A”.  Here’s our list!  Our official start day is September 1, 2011 and we have until May 29, 2014 to accomplish it!  If you see an item you can help us with, let me know!

1. Pay off all debt and refinance the house
2. Go to Disney World with the kids
3. Buy a D700
4. Drive the Dragon’s Tail on a sport bike
5. Attend a Cards/Cubs game at Busch Stadium with Matt & Steph Polites {4.15.12}
6. Attend a Cards/Cubs game at Wrigley Field with Matt & Steph Polites
7. Eat at every self-serve yogurt place in Springfield in one day with Brandon Hedgpeth (J)
8. Star Wars Marathon with the Henderson’s
9. Visit Nate Dodd wherever he may be at the time
10. Visit Jonathan & Susie Stratton in St. Louis and go to Botanical Gardens
11. Go to the Final Four
12. Fix dinner for my grandparents (A)
13. Take John and Debbie Lindell out for dinner
14. Visit John and Shannon Hurliman in Denver
15. Do a century ride with Brandon Cottey on a fixed-gear (J) {10.15.11}
16. Spend the day antique shopping with Mom & Dad (A)
17. Three Stooges Marathon with Dad (J)
18. Plant a rose garden in the back yard
19. Expand the back deck and put in a patio and fire pit in the backyard {fire pit built 4.8.12}
20. Go horse back riding {5.19.12}
21. Take the kids to see the ocean
22. Go to a “star party” (J)
23. Do a day-in-the-life photo shoot with both grandmothers (J)
24. Ride the Katy Trail with Uncle Don (J)
25. Go to a Pursuit 31 Retreat (A)
26. Plant an herb garden
27. Learn the art of bonzi (J)
28. Visit Alan & Heather Bixler in Florida
29. Shoot a deer with Ray Phillips
30. Finish a coloring book
31. Sleep in a tree house
32. Eat at Bobby Flay’s restaurant in Vegas
33. Spend a weekend with Meghan & Cameron Cushman in KC
34. Shop Michigan Avenue with Stacey Rhodes
35. Have a bonfire complete with food, worship, God-talk, and all the kids with Josh & Lindy Burkett
36. Bless 5 families with a photo session and a framed print
37. Plant a hydrangea
38. Go back to Alley Spring and wade in the water
39. Take A.J. rock climbing
40. Visit the Biltmore Estate
41. Go to Mackinaw Island with Jason’s mom
42. Photograph a bride in a live oak grove
43. Put an organization system in place in the office
44. Make a huge leaf collection with the kids
45. Buy a pair of Nikes
46. Complete One-year Bible together
47. Drive an Audi R8 (J)
48. Get a tatoo
49. Meet the NYC Bike Snob (J)
50. Take kids to Dogwood Canyon (this was attempted on May 6, 12, but we had to get a rain check)
51. Paint a picture with Alice Phillips (J)
52. Hunt for arrow heads
53. Shoot a senior girlfriends session on prom night or homecoming in Flora
54. Paint and tile the kitchen {painting done September 11)
55. Visit a Civil War Battlefield with Grandpa (A)
56. Make business cards for the man who mows our yard
57. Take the girls to have a “princess” photo session with Kia Bondurant
58. Family Session with Dawn Shields
59. Have Greg & Valerie Eastman over for a cookout
60. Build and give away 3 bicycles (J)
61. Replace overhead light in the office
62. Build a workshop in the backyard and set up Grandpa’s framing equipment
63. Do a sub 14 second 1/4 mile in the Audi (J)
64. Plant a lilac
65. Plant a mimosa tree {4.18.12}
66. Ride in the MS 150
67. Haul off stuff in the attic and garage {4.28.12}
68. Find a Life group {10.16.11}
69. Watch a meteor shower from a roof somewhere
70. Go camping with Matt & Tally Morris
71. Go home for Christmas {December 2011}
72. Shoot (photos) from the sidelines of a basketball game
73. Try frog legs
74. Spend a full day at a spa
75. Spend a day in silence at a monastery (J)
76. Make a YouTube video explaining the importance and how-to of monitor calibration (J)
77. Design an album for a bride and be thrilled with she accepts it and makes no changes
78. Win a print competition at PPA
79. Learn how to make Italian bread
80. Be named on someone elses 101 in 1001 list
81. Teach Audrey and Alyssa how to ride bikes
82. Help the kids memorize 101 scriptures
83. Complete P90x
84. Sit by the fire all day long doing nothing but watching football and knitting something (uninterrupted) (A)
85. Figure out how to use Google Reader
86. Photograph a combine harvesting in Southern Illinois during a sunset
87. Implement cleanup time after dinner every night for 30 minutes
88. Implement weekly Wii family game night during the school year
89. Replace all bathroom towels
90. Play pinochle with Dad, Aunt Carolyn, and Adrian (A)
91. Visit the Lincoln Museum with the Rues and the Fords
92. Drink fresh-squeezed lemonade while watching the kids play in the backyard
93. Install a privacy fence
94. Update all pictures in the house to canvas
95. Learn Lightroom {Spring 2012}
96. Have a cup of Kopi Luwak coffee (J)
97. Host a Life group {Fall 2011}
98. Complete all 7 Jillian DVD’s in 42 weeks
99. Learn to properly drive the Audi (A)
100. Complete One Campaign Promise by 1st Sunday in new James River West building
101. Praise the Lord and tell everyone when Jason is healed from his pain

Jason and I were very proud of him but we didn’t want to completely lose the artwork so we asked if we could photograph it so we’d have a copy for ourselves.  They sent it home, carefully wrapped in plastic and cardboard and Jason got a shot of it in good light.

I knew we had to print it for him and thought at first about using our own printer here at home to print it on art paper.  But then the Lord started speaking HIS ideas into my heart, you know the ones that say… can we afford that?  :)  So I called Jason and asked him about the resolution of the file and how big we could make it and “when is that sale on canvas?”  Before long we had ordered a 24×30 canvas reproduction of A.J.’s original 8.5×11 piece.  Thinking about this brings tears to my eyes even as I type.  As parents we just LOVE to make our kids’ good works stand out.  A.J. won this award from the teachers because he put his best effort into the work.  It was clear evidence to us that what we are teaching and doing our best to exemplify to our kids is actually making an impact.

Jason and I claimed this Scripture over our photography work years ago….

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.  You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

We wanted to make sure A.J. knew that we wanted his good work to shine in our family.  So we ordered the print and waited until the awards ceremony yesterday to give it to him.

He was so surprised.  What a thrill it was for us as well.  We didn’t expect his art teacher to allow us to give it to him on stage in front of his entire school, but she and the principle… the entire McBride school is pretty dang awesome!  After the ceremony was over we were even able to get pictures of A.J. with his original piece hanging in the hallway.  Mrs. Brundege, the art teacher, and Mr. Reed, the McBride principle let us take pictures with them too.

Grandma and Grandpa Stratton even drove all the way from Floratown to see A.J. receive his award.  Then they took us out to one of A.J.’s favorite restaurants, Hu Hot, for an early dinner before heading back to Illinois.

And now for the best part of all of this ….

We honestly don’t have money to be spending on huge reproduction prints of our kids’ artwork.  Canvas prints are expensive even at our cost, but when God gives an idea, He follows through with the provision to see it through.  The lesson in all of this is priceless to A.J. and our girls… it’s priceless to me as well.  A.J. may not always keep his room perfectly clean, he may forget to brush his teeth once in a while, he avoids taking a shower unless we tell him to.  He has his mother’s short temper at times …. but his artwork, the things he creates, he puts the best of EVERYTHING he has into that, and God knows what that is like…. He is our Creator, we are His artwork.  He LOVES it that we want to be like Him.  A clean room, personal hygiene, and self-control are disciplines that we must all learn…. we don’t HAVE to create beautiful things, we do it out of worship to the One who created us.  I believe that is why the Lord prompted me so heavily to order that print.  He knew what would happen next… We took A.J.’s artwork, made it bigger, and gave it back to him…. now God has taken the artwork + our gift and is turning it into something even BIGGER…

Last night I took a quick shot of the finished piece hanging on our living room wall.  I wanted our Facebook friends to see it…  But then we started getting requests to purchase a copy.  After talking to A.J. about this, he decided at first that selling reproductions might be a great way to fund the purchase of a new play set for him and his sisters…  We suggested that maybe he could save the profits for college or perhaps use the profits towards Kid’s Camp.  But we let him decide….. Kid’s Camp won, his costs are covered already… not only that, he wants to see if he can sell enough to pay for several other kids to go to camp this summer too.

So, if you would like a signed and numbered reproduction of A.J.’s beautiful painting “Aspen Trees” on canvas, ALL of the profits from the sale will be donated to the JRA Kid’s Camp scholarship fund!  There are 5 sizes available and you simply need to email me at aurelia@jasonandaurelia.com to place your order.

Here are the prices, we’ll determine the shipping cost, if needed, and give you a total via email response — Again, ALL of the profit (approximately $50 for each size) will go to the James River’s Kid’s Camp Scholarship:

• 11×14 – $100
• 16×20 – $125
• 20×24 – $150
• 24×30 – $170
• 30×40 – $200

How many times in life to we know that we know that we know God has given us this amazing idea and we go forward in faith just to have it all fall apart when life interrupts us?  And we wonder if we misunderstood Him.  He obviously knew life was going to interrupt.  Notice there are no “after” pictures… no cute shots of my kids eating scones and no pictures of scones stacked on a pretty plate with whipped cream and orange zest.  Not this time.

I could smell them baking.  It was going well!  10-15 minutes is what the recipe said.  So the oven started beeping at 10 minutes and I checked them.  They were just about done so I closed the oven and then I saw her.  Alyssa.  Standing in the hallway in front of the bathroom holding her dress up.  She had had an accident.  The potty-training is going fairly well but every few days, we have accidents and have to do major cleaning – major cleaning for me anyway.  The scones immediately left my mind and I went to clean her up.  5 minutes later I hear the timer go off from her bedroom where I was changing sheets.  Oh no!

Burnt.  Ruined.  Sad.

I tried to be positive.  I took them out of the oven and immediately slid the over-baked mess, parchment paper and all onto the cooling rack and off of the hot stone.  I pulled a piece off and thought perhaps with a little butter they would be edible, after all they were only a little burnt, not black and charred.  My hopes were dashed with one bite so I left them to cool.  I knew they needed to be thrown away but instead I left them and hoped that maybe one of the kids would like them…. or Jason, who seems to like EVERYTHING I fix would eat them and rave over them.  Big mistake.

Audrey found them first.  ”What’s this?”  takes a bite, makes a face, “Um Mommy, these are not good at all.”  She throws the remaining piece on the floor and skips off.

Aly, “Let me try.”  takes a bite, “Yuck… I want a banana.”

A.J. doesn’t even bother to try them because Audrey announced to him that they were gross.

I should have thrown them away, but maybe Jason would find some creative use for them?  He came home, and without my knowledge tried one but didn’t tell me.  Later on that evening he said… “You know, I think those scones would have been really good….”

I interrupt, “Yep, if I hadn’t burnt them, right?”

“No… if they didn’t taste like shrimp.”

What?  Shrimp?

This morning, I threw the rest of them away.

Sure, I can try again and they will probably be fine.  But so many times in life you get ONE chance to take some precious left-over and make something of it.  So many times I don’t attempt great things because I know without a doubt, life is going to interrupt me and I won’t be able to give those dreams my full attention.  I am obviously not a multi-tasker.  And I hate ruining things.  Is this about more than grape pulp… yes…. there’s always more to it, isn’t there?  God teaches through little things, little situations, little people, and little mistakes.

I will find a use for that “grape pulp”!  And when I need them, I know I can count on willing taste-testers and honest feedback.  They may not like everything I attempt but I know they don’t want to see my efforts go to waste any more than I do.

This summer we are also offering EVERYONE the chance to spruce up your home with our very popular gallery wrapped canvas groupings!  All sessions booked between June 1st and September 1st will receive a stack of referral cards!

Here are Erin’s images.  :)

“I want to make a profound difference in this world, but I think you do that by focusing on the “little things,” by loving one person at a time rather than trying to do something “big” all at once. I don’t know where I am headed, but I am content living day to day and enjoying every moment!”  This is Erin’s voice, in all she does and is.

By the way… Erin has a blog and she is a published author!

Erin’s Blog

Erin lives it.  She helps me to remember how important the little things are, even the potential greatness of grape pulp.  But she isn’t afraid of the big things either… she wrote a book, after all!  So thankful for the lovely people in our Life Group.  So thankful for their influence in our lives each day, even when they are not physically present.

More of the ladies in our Life Group coming soon!!

I already had it in my mind that the girls in our life group were going to be the recipients of my “Blessed Moms” contest sessions.  But I hadn’t told any of them yet, so I decided we’d surprise Jackie first.  I knew the other girls would want to get in on it once they saw the results of Jackie’s big surprise.  I rallied them all together and with the help of one of my lovely photographer friends, Gina, we pulled it off.  Tarrah and Megan from our life group took care of Jackie’s boys and Erin’s daughter so that Erin could bring Jackie over to the house.  Gina pampered Jackie with a makeover and I captured these lovely images of Jackie.

Amazing.  Giving.  It never gets old to me.  Jackie came over last night with some friends to see all of her finished images.  I think I could get used to this.  In fact, I can’t wait to show you the results of the shoots with ALL of our life group girls.  They are just amazing women and I’m super excited that they are going to be the first entries in my personal photography portfolio behind my mom and Jason’s mom.

Isn’t it just like the Lord to give you MORE than you ask for?  That happened yesterday when we realized that not only were we going to see a Cardinals vs. Cubs game at Busch Stadium with Matt & Steph Polites, but our friends Blake & Jackie Leitch joined us too!  Not only that but the weather was absolutely amazing while we were at the game.

So #5 has been checked off the list!  And I’m happy to tell you that the Cardinals came away with a win yesterday over the Cubbies!  But more than that, Jason and I have “won” some amazing friends that love us no matter what team we cheer for.  Thanks so much for spending the day with us guys!  Here’s a little video Jason put together of our trip yesterday.

Mom’s are at their best when they are doing what they love with their little ones and my mom was great at doing just that with me and my brother. Mother’s day is coming up so don’t forget to thank your mom for all the great things she did for you as a mom and maybe give her a loving “hard time” about those things we didn’t appreciate at the time… Like eating alllll your sweet potatoes before you could get up from the table. I love them now, Mom!  ~ Jason

Jason’s mom was very easy to work with and took instruction very well.  She is a natural!  The first image was an indoor shot in their sun room (50mm 1.8) and we took the last 3 outside against their fence (85mm 1.8).  I loved the smiling and laughing shots because I can hear her laughing when I look at them.  We were balancing on the bridge over her koi pond trying not to fall in so laughing was an easy thing to do that day.  ~ A

One of my favorite things about my mom is that she knows how to relax.  When I think of her I don’t picture her running around like a crazy person trying to get a ton of stuff accomplished.  I don’t know that I have ever seen her hurry.  She’s not lazy by any means, but she doesn’t rush around the house like her mother does.  She’s a lot more like her dad, calm, collected, smiling, and discerning.  She’s an excellent judge of character and while she isn’t quick to judge, she’s slow to trust.  Nothing wrong with that, of course.  When I was in middle school dealing with all the dumb things 12 and 13-year-olds deal with, mainly having a mouth full of metal to straighten out my teeth, Mom gave me a bookmark with this poem on it…

Don’t Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will

When the road your trudging seems all up hill

When the funds are low and the debts are high

When you want to smile but you have to sigh

When care is pressing you down a bit

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit!

Life is queer with it’s twists and turns

As every one of us sometimes learns

And many a failure turns about

When he might have won, had he stuck it out

Don’t give up though the pace seems slow

You might succeed with another blow

Success is failure turned inside out

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt

And you never can tell how close you are

You may be near though it seems so far

So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit

It’s when things seem worst, that you

MUST NOT QUIT!

~Author Unknown

I memorized that poem years ago … and yes, I typed it out from memory and only googled it to check my memory.  It looks like there is another verse in one version but this is the poem I remember and it’s the one in my head and heart.

My mom has struggled with wheat intolerance for over 30 years and is also allergic to chocolate.  It really is horrible, I can’t imagine life without chocolate.  But she deals with it gracefully.  After being sick for so many years, a person who finds the root of the problem will dig up that root and never plant the seed again.   She is seeing an allergist to be retested this month because unlike Celiac disease, a person can “grow out of” the wheat intolerance and food allergy.  If she is no longer allergic to chocolate, we are all going to party!

I was thrilled to “shoot” my mother a few weekends ago.  We did this session in natural light in my parent’s bedroom with their East-facing window and a few reflectors.  (Nikon D80, oh yes… 50mm 1.8)  I asked her to wear white because I forgot my grey card and expo disc (photographers will get it).  I love these.  I love it that I shot them all on my own while Jason kept the kids out of the way.  I love that I barely had to do any processing work on them because my Mom has been eating such healthy foods and using her Mary Kay skin care faithfully for over 15 years.  And I love that I was able to work in the room in their house that used to be MY bedroom.  My parents took the smallest of the 3 bedrooms and let my sister and I have the two biggest rooms until we moved out.  I love that window in my old bedroom.  And I love my mom.