I am staying fairly current with my year-long album project, and if I’m being honest, it’s easy to do because I have truly let go of the idea that I have to save it all. If you’ve been following this project, you know that I’m really only looking to create a time capsule—slices of life that tells a good enough story. And that, my friends, is exactly what this project does! Here are my pages for June 2018.
PHOTOS TAKEN: 1,600+ (Note: I took a TON of sports shots and deleted many of them, too!)
PHOTOS USED: 23
It was a big month for Cole. He played at his final high school ultimate tournament. He graduated. He headed out with some friends for a 16-day exploration of the great state parks of the American West. Me, Dan and Aidan all said at one point or another: I wish I was a Canyon Boy.
I kept the division of photos simple. This entire page is about the final tournament. And yep, I even have a picture of me with my rented big-assed lens. How ’bout that?
Page three was all about graduation and the Canyon Boys. These boys are all fellow teammates of Cole’s, and they planned this trip in early spring. I’ms seriously so grateful for their safe travels and just that Cole was able to have this experience. We planned his grad party for the day after graduation so he’d be able to finance this trip. Yay for good timing and beautiful vistas.
And that’s a wrap for June.
I just wanted to say that life is amazing. Celebrating stories is a gift, but being part of it and living them? That is the very best thing of it all.
Earlier this week, Dan and Aidan were driving home from a few days up at our family’s cabin in Northern Minnesota and hit a deer head on. Thanks to my Subaru’s safety features, they walked away from the accident, Aidan only suffering a bruised leg from the driver’s side leg airbag deployment. The deer came out of nowhere. Neither of them even saw it, thank God, so there was no swerving, which can lead to worse accidents from what I have heard.
I am so grateful they are okay. It has shaken me up for sure. I like to think I connect to the fact that we are all fragile beings on this planet, but this reminds me that each day is to be lived with gratitude and passion, and this life is to be loved deeply.
And I will most definitely replace Stevie with another Subaru.
Note: as I re-read the post about purchasing Stevie back in 2015, I realize now she did keep us safe. The car payment was worth more than I could ever imagine.
To see my other pages from 2018, click here.
If you’d like to see more of this project, check out my 2017 posts here. or you can watch my album recap video to see my completed project from last year!
Want to learn my system for approaching a year long project?
Sheryl says
Love your pages. So glad Dan and Aiden are ok.
Cathy Zielske says
Thanks, Sheryl. Me, too.
Helen High says
So happy that Aidan and Dan are okay. This year has been filled with examples that life is so delicate in my family. We’ve lost more people than I care to count. My heart has gotten so heavy that it the most common feeling for a while. Trying to pick up the pieces.
Life is so delicate. Grateful and thankful are the words that race through my mind most often these days.
Cathy Zielske says
Indeed. In my mind, too.
Jana says
So glad they’re ok! Our daughter had a deer leap out in front of her Honda Element – hit the front bumper area – she was fine, and the car was amazingly repairable! So grateful! Then, just a couple of weeks ago we were driving home at twilight – almost total dark – when I spotted a very large deer rear-end directly in front of me – facing off the road (so I assume – never did see his head…!) & he wasn’t about to budge – I squawked “Whoa, DEER” & my husband the driver jerked the wheel to the left, then back to the right – rather violently – and our Subaru just stayed the course as we continued forward – fine & dandy… but again, soooo grateful for my husband’s mt. biking & skiing reflexes… !
Cathy Zielske says
Wow! I’m just glad my daughter didn’t have time to swerve, only in that she’s only been driving for three years, got her license a bit late at 19, and not sure it would have been a good thing! But, I don’t know if Stevie is repairable… it doesn’t sound like it but I will be getting a replacement!
Amanda says
Cathy – How do you get your son and daughter (and husband) to pose for you in so many photos? Do you bribe them or are they just used to doing this for ‘scrapbook Mom’? I have trouble getting people close to me to do this willingly and as a consequence don’t take as many photos as I would like to and then regret it after the event.
Cathy Zielske says
So the trick is this: My daughter loves to have her photo taken. Cole, not so much. So if you notice, I get LOTS of sports photos, because he’s 100% okay with those. The grad photo is by a professional photog, so he had no choice. Lol. The others are taken mostly on the sly. Hubby could care less if he’s in a pic, or not! But… I can also say they are used to this because they know that mama puts bread on the table with this job. 🙂
Cathy Zielske says
And I should add: the pics from Cole’s camping trip? He texted me a few of those, and i feel VERY lucky to have them. Same with the pic in front of the car of the four boys. Another mom took that one.
Cathy Zielske says
And here’s one more tip: don’t feel you have to ask for a posed shot. Just be like a journalist at any event, walk around and take some photos unobtrusively. I do that from time to time. Just snap people while they are interacting. 🙂
Yolanda says
So long, Stevie. Thank you for keeping your precious cargo safe.
Love how much we’ve gotten to see of Cole, lately. Looking forward to seeing how your family’s story evolves when both of your little birds have fledged the nest this fall.
Have I missed Dan news? Has a lucky school scooped him up for next year?
Cathy Zielske says
Yes, Cole has been “in” the books a lot lately. Dan did get re-hired for a different grade at his same school. So we are very relieved to say the least.
janel says
I am so happy to know you are all fine! It is definitely very scary to have a deer hit your car….it happened to us and we too were so fortunate. And I want to congratulate you on moving into this next phase of life. Documenting your loves and the most important moments in your SYY is a perfect way to remember the highlights…and each photo triggers more memories. I am so happy to have taken your class and happy that I continue to complete pages each month. Enjoy the summer…and “happy everything”! So grateful for your “less is more” philosophy. Thank you!
Cathy Zielske says
Thanks, Janel! So glad you’re enjoying the process of Scrapbook Your Year!