I fell behind in the photo a day, but look what I found

High School orientation, yearbook recognition ads, finishing up a newborn shoot, and 4 days with a kid home with a viral upper respiratory infection.  Researching my rights on refusing parcc testing and helping to inform other parents, raising awareness for the evils or Pearson's parcc and common core standard.. and I couldn't keep up with my photo a day.  Hoping to sit here tonight and catch up on all the days that I missed.
But I'll share with you, what Gov Christie said on the 101.5 interview incase you missed it.
And if you don't feel like listening to the whole thing, I'll give you one quote.

 He said, "We have to test children to see if they're learning. How else are we gonna know if we're doing our jobs or not"
So like I been saying. It's all an unfair assessment of teachers. Not our kids
Christie on 101.5

Another rotten thing he says is.."Oh those frantic white suburban soccer mom's who don't like to hear that their children aren't as smart as they thought they were; who want to make sure that everybody gets a trophy"...

I got news for you Gov Christie, I'm a white suburban BASEBALL MOM, not soccer mom, and I still hate parcc and common core. My kids are high average in advanced classes and I still hate standardized tests
Christie is more concerned with common core than he is with parcc.  Is that because his kids go to private school and won't have to take this test? Obama's kids too.  They're also in private school.
Maybe if THEIR kids followed the same rules our kids did, they'd be MORE CONCERNED

Day 11/365

The weekend was hectic.  So Christmas gets to stay another week!

Day 10/365 ~Pearson's Owl

I didn't post yesterday, because I have been very VERY busy researching Pearson, and his parcc test.
After MUCH reading and careful consideration, I have decided to refuse the test for both of my kids.  8th grade and 4th grade.
Late last night after I was done reading, and needed a break, I took out my camera and decided to try and find an interesting way to snap a pic for the 365 photo a day challenge.  I decided to play with macro.  I used my 35mm lens, and put the macro ring on.  I turned the aperture wide open, and upped the ISO all the way to 12,800.  I took random pictures of various little Christmas decorations around my house, 75 in all.  And after the day I had reading so much about common core, and Pearson's parcc.. I decided to use this little owl.  He stands on the back of a moose on my yankee candle holder for the 22 oz jar.
I started out by thinking, an owl always depicted the teachers in many movies.  He was always a wise old owl.  Winnie the Pooh, The Fox and the Hound.  Teachers were represented by owls, wearing glasses, standing tall.  I started to think that this little yankee owl, looked like today's teacher, after her soul was sucked dry, staying up late, writing student growth objectives, marking papers, and doing lesson plans.  Today's teacher spends an average of 40 hours a month on her own time after she clocks out doing school work.  This isn't what education is about.  Children have become data points.  They are not being TAUGHT.  They are being prepped for tests.  Test after test.  Benchmark tests, placement tests.. and it doesn't really affect them much.. I found out really ~how well our children do on these tests, count as 30% of a teacher's evaluation.  So knowing what I know, and knowing many teachers who have decided to stick it out, and not give up, and spend time home on their couches,  there but not there, with their families lost in student growth objectives this is what has become of the wise old owl

A little cracked a little chipped, scratchy red eyes, fading away, but still standing tall and holding her ground.

And I went on to find you a link where the stereotype of owls, were wise old teachers, and I found this~

"Owls[edit]

• The wise owl
  • In Greek mythology, Athena, goddess of wisdom, is regularly associated with an owl.^[7]
  • Other examples: Owl (Winnie the Pooh), The Animals of Farthing Wood, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Bambi, The Sword in the Stone, Kaepora Geabora (The Legend of Zelda)
• Although owls are often associated with wisdom and intelligence, this is not universal. During the Middle Ages owls were seen as stupid and evil helpers of witches. In many paintings of Hieronymus Bosch the bird is seen as a symbol of stupidity and/or evil. The Dutch profanity word "uilskuiken" ("owl chick") is used to insult a stupid person; the Dutch saying "Wat baten kaars en bril als de uil niet zien wil?" ("What use are a candle and glasses if the owl refuses to see?")reminds people of this opposite view of owls. In Asian culture owls are traditionally seen as dumb instead of wise. Portrayal of owls as evil can also be seen in films such as Rock-a-Doodle."

So low and behold, the wise old owl is NOT universal. During the middle ages, they were seen as Stupid evil helpers of witches.  So, Pearson~ You may have us blinded but other countries know, what you've done to our educational system ~ doesn't make you a wise old owl. You are evil.  Pearson's parcc should not implemented, or required to graduate.  It should not reflect on our teachers at all.  It should go.  We all hate it, and we are outraged.

Day 9/365

A few years ago, I would have reprimanded him for not cleaning up after his bath.  But now that he's getting older, I don't know how many more times I'll see these monster trucks lined up on the edge of the tub.  So I was smiling this morning when I saw them still there from his bath the night before.

Day 8/365

The prettiest skies happen after a storm.  Especially if we are talking about a sunset right after a snow storm!~

7/365

The day after it snows, it still looks like it's snowing.  A gentle breeze is blowing the snow off the trees

6/365

Running a day behind, I knew I'd flake out.. but at least I'm keeping up~ Today I'll post two :)

So yesterday, as we had our first snow, I got out the macro lens and tried to photograph some snowflakes.  I tried the front and back step as it was falling.  I laid on my stomach for an hour with my head out the door, camera up to my face trying to find the perfect snowflake.  And what I discovered was that there was not one whole flake in sight.  They were breaking somewhere between the sky and where they landed.  So I went over to the recycle can where they were piling up, and tried to find one there.  I took over 900 pictures of snow.  This is what I found on the rim of the recycle can.  Broken snowflakes

Blakey's First Snow~!

When I opened the door, Blake went all.. "I'm not putting my feet in there!"

Pitiful.  "Mommy do I have to? Can I just eat it off the step instead?"

It sure is pretty....

Can you SPOT Blake? Bwa ha

Lemme in Lemme in Lemme in!!

LEMME IN LEMME IN LEMME IN!!~

EEEk~ Missed one already~

I was growing tired very fast last night, and I thought to myself, I better post my photo a day before I forget, or before I fall asleep, but as my life always goes, something kept pulling my attention away.  "Jaim come watch this real quick!" Demands my husband as he watches documentaries on TV, and "Mom, look at my hair, doesn't it look so healthy since I cut it? Mom watch this youtube video, it shows you how to perfectly apply eye liner, Mom when I grow up, I'm going to keep my house full of fresh fruit and I'm going to eat healthy and organic.. oh real quick, when are you buying more oreos.. " says Leah.. "Mom can I go on the computer? Mom wanna watch me play this game? Mom wanna take turns? Mom come check out my new ap on my ipad, wanna try it.. " And that's little Jim.  THIS is why I am a flake.  This is why I can never finish anything and I'm forgetting everything.  Do other households go like this? Do other people's kids and husbands make the Moms watch and look at EVERYTHING?? All day? It's good and bad.  At least they want to share everything with me, and hopefully it continues into the years when someone offers them drugs, or they're at a party and hopefully they call me rather than get into a car with a drunk, or drive drunk.  I do like that our communication lines are open.  I just wish it was filtered.  I'm 38, I don't want to watch how to perfectly apply make up.  OR how awesome a virtual dirtbike can jump a hill.  I want to finish one thought, one task.. But these days are flying, and someday, I'll have my own brain back.. but for now.. here's my photo from yesterday,

Day 5/365

These are my dragonfly wind chimes flying all around as the wind picked up yesterday.  

There are two things in this world that I love

One is dragonflies, the other is the color periwinkle.  2 worlds collided and this little gem makes me so happy.  He was flying all over the place yesterday, much like my thoughts do.  Maybe today since the storm blew in, I'll get some exciting snow pictures! OF course it had to start snowing right as the bus was coming this morning, now I have to worry all day about my kids getting home safely from school.  Only because that's what I do  worry.. Flying random thoughts.. just like my dragonfly blowing in the crazy wind

Day 4/365

I just did all that preaching on the previous blog entry, about how moms or whoever is usually behind the camera should get in the pictures too once in a while, SO for my photo today, I'll use the one Jim took of me and my Grandpop and my kids

Highlighting Christmas 2014

So Christmas for me started in November.  Like a runaway train.  Out of nowhere, I was SWAMPED with photoshoots.  But it was fun, and eventhough I spent DAYS on the computer from 8:30am ~2:00am editing, with no end in sight.. it ended.  I wasn't sure if I'd have time to shop, or bake or wrap, or even get a snap of my own kids for my cards, but I did, and with plenty of time to spare.  I was able to finish the shoots so that they could order their cards and have time to send them out, and even order photo gifts and prints, and I kept moving.  I have some shoots that I want to revisit, and edit a few more, and now with the kids being back in school tomorrow, I'll have plenty of time to get more done.  I still have one big double family shoot and a newborn shoot to work on too.  Here are some highlights from the shoots, in no particular order, and I wish I had more squares so I could post one from all of them.... but here are the ones that were in the most recent folders.. so these are the ones I uploaded

I was so excited to get cards with all the pics of these lil cuties in the mail, and I have the best friends ever! I got gift cards and candles, and WINE, and K-cups, all things this girl LOVES.  so thanks so much again!

Our tradition here is, we put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving.  But I was so bogged with photoshoots, I just wanted to keep moving and get some finished before I had to shoot again, so this year, our tree went up one week late.  Jimmy is 9 years old, but one tradition that stays is, the youngest puts the star on.  So once the tree is up and lit, I get my yearly pic of him topping the tree.

We always spend Christmas Eve at my Grandmom's house.  We do not do the 7 fishes any more, She's 89, and my Grandpop is 93.  We still honor the "No meat on Christmas Eve" rule, but we just have breaded tilapia and spaghetti and salad.  I bring over the cookies.  I baked enough cookies to make 4 trays to share, and have lots left here for when we had visitors. That was a three day event staying up passed 2 am too! Ugh my back hurts thinking about it.

But I am so blessed to be 38 and still have 3 out of 4 of my Grandparents. I'd do anything for any of them.

When my son picks up my camera, it's nothing but Shenanigans.  We try not to take life too serious.  We were waiting for Grandmom to come in so we could exchange gifts.  I didn't know she was back there watching until I uploaded the pictures!

The best years of my life were when I lived with her when I was a kid.  She taught me how to cook, and play 500 rummy, and to be selfless.  The minute someone got sick, she turned the stove on.  She made food for everyone, especially when they couldn't make food for themselves

My kids are sitting here with my father and his wife.  Even if you don't see people all year long, everyone comes together for Christmas 

My Grandpop is 93.  He has ALWAYS HATED having his picture taken.  He wouldn't even look at you.  But if my kids sit with him for a picture, he even smiles.  sort of

So when we got home, we all put on our Christmas jammies, and Jimmy got the cookies ready for Santa.  

Little Jim was SO EXCITED, he didn't fall asleep until after 2:00am.  It was the first year I got to relax by the tree on Christmas eve, I had all the wrapping done.  I didn't have to be locked in my room away from everyone.. And yet, I couldnt' relax because I was terrified I was going to fall asleep before him.  I finally made it to bed around 3:30.. and they didn't wake up until 7:30, so I got a good solid 4 hours of zzz's

And the chaos began!

I had to beg them to open one at a time taking turns so that I could see and take pics, and so that Christmas wasn't over in 7 seconds

All she asked Santa for this year was an iphone.  Tricky Santa put it in a big box fill of tissue paper to throw her off~ 

Santa even came for Blakey <3 He got a whole stocking full of new toys, and a box of cookies

2 things I am grateful for.  He still believes in Santa, and he still loves his stuffies.  Santa brought him this moose dressed in camo.  He loves camo

After we open gifts, it starts to get daylight.. (just kidding) ~ We go to my Inlaws' house for our traditional Christmas breakfast! My mother in law makes pancakes, and eggs and toast and bacon and sausage, she puts out pastries and donuts, (and I bring cookies) And we all eat, then open gifts. Our family is growing! My oldest nephews have girlfriends now who've joined the family traditions.  My husband is the youngest of 4 brothers, and we all have a boy and a girl! We are now, 17~!!! My kids favorite family tradition is when all the Cirillos are together.  They love their cousins and Granparents so much

The Cirillo GIRLS~! The generation before them, was always the Cirillo boys! Mom had 4, so when her boys had daughters, it was fun to say, the Cirillo GIRLS! 

(L-R My daughter Leah, my niece Brielle, my nephew Nick's future wife Jackie, and my niece Gianna)

Leah, Mom and Gianna

Grandmom and Brille, handing out the Christmas presents

My son Jimmy and my husband Jimmy opening their gifts

Santa's lil helpers.  Jimmy and Nicky, our oldest nephew

Every holiday at mom and dad's, the kids and the dads go outside after we eat for a game of Around the World.  Here my nephew Frankie is lifting my son for a slam dunk

Jim, Jimmy and Frankie

One task that's not easy is getting all the Cirillo kids in one spot.  A harder task is getting them all to look at the same time.  And with the boys, you only get one or two shots before they start to walk away.  Gotta be fast

(L-R Brielle, Frank, Gianna, Nicky, Jackie, Michael, Leah and Jimmy in the front)

Uncle Art and Aunt Roe~ Our favorite Aunt and Uncle <3 Leah just thinks Aunt Roe is the funniest girl

Dad, Michael and my brother in law Anthony 

Michael, Mom, my brother in law Frank, Leah, Jim and Jimmy

I take thousands of pictures.  I take posed and candids.  I group and regroup.  If I see you standing there chatting, I'll snap, and then get you to group for a quick snap.  One thing I learned very young, you just don't know what tomorrow brings.  You don't know when you will get to see these people that you love again.  You have to take lots and lots of pics. In the end, it's all you have left.  No one cares what your hair looks like, or what you're wearing.  Or if you have make up on or not.  And as far as moms or the person behind the camera goes, you have to get in too sometimes.  Don't wait to lose weight or color your hair, get in the pictures.  Your kids are not going to look at these pics long after you are gone and say, OMG can you believe mom wore that??!?! Or look how fat mom looks.  They will look at it and think, there's mom, she loved me, and they will be flooded with happy memories of how you made them feel.  Stop hiding and get in pictures

And as far as editing goes, when I do photo shoots, I worry about composition, and dof, and settings and white balance.. during the holidays and family functions.. not so much.  I just get the settings real quick, put it on manual and shoot.  And I shoot everything.  I don't worry about getting the perfect picture.  I just worry about freezing a moment.  It doesn't have to be perfect.  It just has to be the way I want to remember what we are doing.  Stop stressing over always being perfect.  It's not necessary. It's irrelevant. 

Anyway.. back to Christmas, after we are done visiting with all the Cirillos, we just go home and let the kids enjoy their gifts~ I usually just make raviolis later that night just for us, and we stay home.  Whoever wants to visit us is more than welcome to stop by, all week long.

And that's what happened.  We had lots of visitors, shared alot of laughs, had friends over and visited friends.  Leah is so lucky to be blessed with a large circle of girls, and they all have great parents.  One brave set hosted 8 girls for a sleepover AND she took them all to the mall the next day shopping to spend their Christmas money~!! I love it! I'm so happy for them to have each other.

We also visited too! We got to see my Annie and her twins who are my son's age.. Annie is my cousin (sister/bff) BUT, I forgot my camera and only have cell phone pics.  Can you post cell phone pics to a blog?? I wonder

We also went to visit my other Grandpop, my Mom's dad.  He's 96~! Sharp as a tack, LOVE him!

Jim took this pic for me..

Jimmy, me, Grandpop and Leah :)

We had lots of lazy days this break.  Some days we didn't get dressed. We stayed up late, we sat by the tree, we ate, A LOT of food.. drank lots of coffee with my favorite, white chocolate peppermint bark.  Just last night, as one last hoorah, before break was over, Leah's friend Karah slept over, and my friend Sandra spent the whole day here, and all we did was eat, snack, drink coffee, and laugh..

They asked me to quick do a few BFF pics, but it was getting dark very fast we were very limited with light and location.  I just see two happy lil girlies!~

But, as usual, break was fun, and it went too fast, what we do to make Christmas special takes all month long and is over in a flash.  Shopping, baking, wrapping, cards, friends, family.. it's all so magical in December.. and I am so sad when it's over.  I'm like a kid.  Why can't it be Christmas all the time.

But until next year... I'll miss you Christmas

What do you do that's fun? Do you follow traditions? I hope your holiday was fun and magical too.  I hope you are surrounded with wonderful family, and I hope my message is loud and clear.  Take more pictures.  Get in the pictures. The End

Day 3/365

So here's Blake.  He's 9 months old.  We adopted him in August when he was 4 months old.  He got to spend his first Christmas with a real family and not in  foster or a shelter.  He really loved Christmas.  

And he loves Kong toys.  He doesn't care if it doesn't have a cookie or a treat in it.  He just chews on it anyway.  Here, he's watching TV, laying under his tree, chewing his kong puppy bone.  Life is good in the life of Blake

I made it to Day 2~!

Day 2/365

January 2, 2015

So Jimmy got an ipad mini for Christmas from Santa.  He has spent most of his Christmas break like this.  Staring at it.  Watching a series of minecraft videos called Dumb and Dumber.  Here, he is between his Dad, and his moose, laying on a bed he made for everybody, underneath the Christmas tree, including Blake, the spotted wonder at the top of this photo.

What is it with these videos?? Does anyone else's kid watch it like crazy? The only thing he says to us is, GUESS WHAT EPISODE I'M ON?!?! 

He says they're really super funny

Day 1 out of 365 

January 1, 2015

I have chosen my Christmas tree as my first photo.  Christmas is my favorite holiday BY FAR.  And there is nothing better than sitting in the living room at night with only the tree as a light source. 

I really hate when it's time to take the tree down, for me, it feels like somebody died when the tree comes down.  I hate it.  But one song has stayed with me allll these years, I've never forgotten it, and I have always loved it.  It's from the Sesame Street Christmas Special :) Keep Christmas With You All Through the Year.
I remember sitting on the living room floor of my old house when I was a kid watching them sing that song at the end of the show, and even though I loved it, I felt sick thinking about Christmas being over.
So I'm starting off this New Year, by Reminding all of you to keep the joys and magic and happiness of the holidays with YOU all through the year.  And may 2015, be the best year yet for you!~
 I hope to inspire many people, as my friend Crystal (  Here is Crystal's Blog,  ) did for me, to take one photo a day, not just to document your life, but to also grow as a photographer.
And in case you never heard it, or you forgot the words, here it is.
Keep Christmas With You, All Through The Year
When Christmas time is over and presents put away, don't be sad 
There'll be so much to treasure about this Christmas day and the fun we've had 
So may happy feelings to celebrate with you 
And, oh, the good times hurry by so fast, 
But even when it's over there's something you can do to make Christmas last 

Keep Christmas with you 
All through the year, 
When Christmas is over, 
You can keep it near. 
Think of this Christmas day 
When Christmas is far away. 

Keep Christmas with you 
All through the year, 
When Christmas is over, 
Save some Christmas cheer. 
These precious moments, 
Hold them very dear 
And keep Christmas with you 
All through the year. 

Christmas means the spirit of giving 
Peace and joy to you, 
The goodness of loving, 
The gladness of living; 
These are Christmas too. 

So, keep Christmas with you 
All through the year, 
When Christmas is over, 
Save some Christmas cheer. 
These precious moments, 
Hold them very dear 
And keep Christmas with you 
All through the year. 

365 Photo a Day Challenge

Happy New Year~
It's been 4 years since I've logged into this blog.  So now, my New Year's Resolution is to take part in the 365 Photo a day Challenge~
I've decided to come back here, and post one photo a day of life as I see it.  Alot has changed in 4 years.. and what better time to start then now!
When I take pictures, I can force you to see things the way I do.. So I'm really excited to try this again, and document life as it unfolds here, and also watch my photography grow even more.
I hope you follow along!~
Have a safe and happy healthy 2015~!!