Project 366 has moved!!

In my sudden burst of Springtime organizational energy, I decided to streamline my blogs and eliminate for myself the work and stress of updating two blogs at any given time. Thus ALL previous Project 366 posts have been imported into my primary Shannon Holden Photography Blog. All future Project 366 images will also be posted there. To find those specific photographs and posts, go to the Categories in the right side column of the blog and click Project 366.

See ya over there!

My daughter loves her bath. She’d play all day in the tub if we let her. This time of year, the bathroom has beautiful light in late evening through two huge picture windows beside the tub, too beautiful to pass up.

I’ve become a Redsox fan! Despite over three decades living in Atlanta, being a mostly loyal Braves fan, another team has won my heart. Hopefully Tom Glavine won’t read this blog, since I seem to run into him all over Roswell. I wouldn’t want him upset with me or anything.

My boys both decide to try out baseball as the chosen sport for this Spring. They are playing through a school league, and they were both placed on the same team. That makes life so much easier for us … one practice, one game, fewer schedule conflicts. And we are excited to see how much they are improving each week.

Previously, both played soccer. My oldest enjoyed it, but he spent most of his time during the game watching the sky, the birds, counting leaves of grass, or pretending he was a super hero. My younger son spent most of his time during the game crying that he did not want to play. Baseball seems to have captured their interest and it’s wonderful to see! Matthew was even awarded the game ball last week! He played hard, stayed focused, and got a hit at every bat.

So here are my two favorite Allstars. Go, Redsox!

I think I have figured out why he’s having trouble hitting the ball.

I’ve been praying and thinking a lot about this. I loved the idea of Project 366 when I jumped in (without a lifevest). I still love the idea! But I love other things more (in no particular order) … time spent with my husband and children, time spent with my clients, time spent with God, time spent with dear friends. If you know me personally, you know that I am very, very good at getting myself overcommitted. And you also know that I have a very hard time admitting to myself that I’ve done so.

As I sat at my desk one afternoon, staring at a To Do list that grew longer by the day, and which included in repetition, “Update 366 Blog”, I procrastinated a few minutes and hit some of my favorite blogs.

My dear friend and amazing photographer, Kimberly Hill, had posted this story:

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar… and the coffee…

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things – your faith, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else – the small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

And thus was my epiphany … Project 366 is sand. It’s a beautiful thing, but I can’t afford to pour so much of it into my jar anymore, because I have to save room for the big things. God, my family and my friends are my golf balls (though I prefer to call them my rocks … much nicer sounding). My clients and my work are the pebbles. Project 366, for me, is sand.

So while I’m a little sad to have to admit that I could not follow through on this project as I’d hoped, and a part of me is feeling like I failed, I feel a sense of relief to release myself from the daily commitment.

Please keep checking in on this page. Project 366 will become Project 250-300ish. I still plan to spend some free time, when it comes up, photographing for fun and creative development. That is my primary hobby anyway! So I will keep this blog open to share the images that happen along the way, the ones that fall outside of my work as a portrait photographer. And I hope to still update this blog very often, including some images from the last couple of weeks that are still waiting to be edited! It just won’t be updated daily anymore. And that’s … ok. Right?

Sigh. Can I get a hug?

This photo evokes a memory for me … just a Mommy Moment that I’ll cherish when she’s all grown up.

Recently, my husband heard for the first time Steven Curtis Chapman’s song, “Cinderella”. He said it brought tears to his eyes as he thought of dancing with Erica at her wedding. On this afternoon, Erica was playing in the kitchen as I made dinner. I had the radio on, and “Cinderella” began to play. I looked over at Erica, who was turning circles and “singing” along in her best toddler fashion. I wish my husband could have been there to see it. I had bittersweet tears in my eyes as I grabbed my camera.

For those who have not heard the song, please have a listen. You can hear the song here on Steven’s Website. It’s such an incredible song.

I actually took this shot a while ago, but I just pulled it out to play with some processing techniques. So I took a day off from shooting and had some Photoshop fun.

My son and his best friend (he plans to marry her one day) recited “Jack and Jill” together on Nursery Rhyme Day at school.

I love baby feet! I love it when they curl around each other. These toes are 4 months old.

It was our wedding anniversary last week. Eight incredible years!