i ♥ Faces--Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Photo Challenge | Tickled Pink

This week’s theme is “Pink” in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness and all those who have been affected by this terrible disease.   At present, a girl has a 1 in 8 chance of battling breast cancer at some time in her life.    October is breast cancer month.    Help fight for a cure, and in the mean time, access to early detection for ALL women.   Do it for all the mighty girls in the next generation and their daughters, for generations to come.


Check out more pink photos at I ♥ Faces.

I ♥ Faces--Hands

Check out this week's contest over at I ♥ Faces, where the theme is hands.   This was a hard call, because we got so many great hand shots over the 5 days of Riot Fest in Chicago.   There were guitar playing hands in action, crowd hands clapping and raised high to the bands, there were close ups of colorful, tattooed arms with multiple wristbands.   This is one of my favorites, from Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg.   They played an intimate after show at AAA that was a hands down (or should I say hands up) favorite.

i ♥ Faces--Water

Water--fun to play in, crucial to drink and this week's i ♥ Faces contest theme.   Here's Sagezilla with her ubiquitous red water bottle sling, playing in the water post zoo camp, on a hot Cincinnati day last month.   We have traveled 2 states away for the last 3 years to enroll the kids in this world class zoo camp (and visit the grandparents).    


With 110 degree heat index for most of last week, we've been loving and appreciating water more than ever.   Although Chicago set an all time rainfall record in the last 2 days with more than 8" of rain!   That saved me from having to water....

http://www.iheartfaces.com/

i ♥ Faces--Red, White and Blue-66th Breakfast in the Park

66th Breakfast in the Park, photo credit:    Kenaz-Mara 2011   ChiILMama.com

double click photo to enlarge

Hope everyone had a star spangled 4th.   We began celebrating Saturday morning in Cincinnati, where a patriotic, private "4th of July weekend breakfast in the park" has been going on SIXTY SIX years.    Only 3 of the originals are left--including my Mom who was 7 years old at the inaugural one.   This one included 2 main families with 4 generations related to the originals and ages ranging from, I believe, 96 to 1.   We also had Cliff, a close family friend and retired Marine from World War II, who was attending his 65th breakfast in the park.


The 3rd and 4th, we were back in Chicago, where we enjoyed a ton of fireworks displays from our back yard.   Individuals stepped up to fill the void of the 2nd year black out of the official Chicago fireworks.    Click below to check out more red, white and blue fun at I ♥ Faces.

i ♥ Faces--A Touch of Whimsy

This photo is from the kids' end of the year play with Lil Buds Theatre.   They wrote, directed, and acted in their own show, and created their own costumes.   This is Du-Jay as a Mythical Griffin.    


We've been rockin' the imagination play this summer.   Our kids are presently mixing potions, creating multiple clue hunts, and playing pirates on the hammock ship.   Nothing says whimsy like kids with great imaginations.

i ♥ Faces--Let's Hear It For The Boys

This week at i ♥ Faces, their contest is all about the boys.   I'm a lucky Mama to have a sweet, long haired, creative 10 year old.   His best friend's mom calls him a walking hug.    So here's to all the boys who aren't bullies, jocks or trouble makers.    Here's to the boys who love long hair and aren't intimidated by strangers mistaking them for girls.   I pin my hopes on boys like you, for a peaceful and evolved future for our society.    Forget GI Joe and his buzz cut n combat boots.   I'll take a long haired artist or musician over that role model any day.

i ♥ Faces--Bright and Vivid

Double click the photo for full screen view

On less of a monochromatic note.....Bright and Vivid is the contest of the week over at i ♥ Faces.    We spent a relaxing Saturday afternoon at a birthday party at Promontory Point, along Chicago's lakefront.    It was fun to be back at the point at this time of year, since 11 years and 1 day before, we got married there.

Promontory Point's fire pits are perfect for marshmallow roasting and it was a chilly, gorgeous day.   What says bright and vibrant spring colors like a little green wagon with bright yellow wheels and red fleece-clad child with muddy knees?

For more takes on Bright and Vivid, click below.

http://www.iheartfaces.com/

Double Mellow Yellow-Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies at Beat Kitchen

We frequently contribute some of our weekend highlights to the fun meme, Mellow Yellow Monday, but I don't think we've ever done a double yellow.   This week with the aforementioned +  I ♥ Faces picking yellow as their theme today...we'll there ya go.   There's always a first...    At least they picked a great week for us to double up.   Sunday's show was quite colorful and there's more than plenty of the sunny side up to go around.   


We've skimmed off the shots with at least a hint of amarillo.   We'll post the rest soon.   There were some rockin' ones with tiny bubbles.    Check in early and often for our video interview with the band and loads of live show footage.    These guys sound as fun as they look!


Click below for more Mellow Yellow fun from across the planet.

i ♥ Faces--Yellow

 Sharp Cookies' Awesome Drummer relaxing before the gig 

Beat Kitchen-Chicago

photo:   ChiILMama.com

Kenazworks 2011 all rights reserved     

Mr. Singer and The Sharp Cookies, Chicago kindie (kids' indie) favorites rocked the final show in Beat Kitchen's popular Concerts for Kids series.   It doesn't get much more yellow than this!

Check out more entries at i ♥ Faces--Yellow this week.

i ♥ Faces--Mother's Day

casual Sunday

We may not be dressed up in designer clothes, and my grubby little monkeys have dirt on their faces, but I wouldn't trade 'em for anything in the world.   This Mother's Day we stayed home all day and relaxed together, enjoyed the spring weather  in the yard, and watched movies as a family, with a big bowl of popcorn and a couple wishful looking dogs.   It was beautiful!


The kids (and their Dad) surprised me by making me breakfast in bed, assembling a new glider bench for the porch, hand making cards, and arranging two vases of flowers for me.    The best gift of all was getting to go out late to a gallery opening and Club Foot with a group of Mama friends and sleep in till 10am!    And the kids even mostly managed to pull off the only thing I asked for for Mother's Day....a fight free day without arguing, antagonizing, teasing, talking back, bickering, quibbling, or complaining.    If we can't achieve world peace quite yet, house peace is a lovely way to start!

I ♥ Faces--Sun Flair

There's nothing so precious and rare as sun, during the long Chicago winters.   The kids and dogs had fun playing in the snow recently, while I had fun playing with the sun flairs.   They seemed to beam right down on the playhouse, where my daughter and her friend, Lucy, shared a play day.

i ♥ Faces-Anything But Faces

Look Ma...no faces.   There's a unique challenge this week at I ♥ Faces.   Our entry is from the Circus Teens show at CircEsteem, Chicago.   These talented teens wrote, directed, choreographed and executed every aspect of their show themselves.    Here's a daring leap over 7 peers and a grown up!

The kids are CircEsteem summer camp councilors, teachers and mentors to younger circus hopefuls, and world traveling performers.   Click below for more non faces this week.

i ♥ Faces-Phone Photos

As a location sound engineer, my husband has done a number of shoots on the Willis Tower Skydeck.   These are little glass floored, glass walled rooms that protrude from the tower formerly known as Sears.   Nothing says Chicago, quite like the view from the top of our tallest skyscraper!


This is a chef from Moto, Daryl Nemits, and the photo was taken on a Blackberry, tho we've been jonsin' for iphones and are just biding our time till our contract is up to defect.   Click below for more phone photo fun.

Happy Valentine's Day-I ♥ Faces-Red

Sure, Valentine's Day is all about hearts...

But the most precious heart of all is the one that keeps us all alive.   Because little girls deserve to be silly, playful, and happy.   Little girls deserve to grow up without heart disease robbing them of grandmothers, mothers, and their own chance to grow up and grow old.   


We're joining I ♥ Faces in featuring the color red, for Go Red for Women.

February 14th – Red

It’s as week of love around here! Let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day in a bright, vibrant, fun way while also spreading the word about a fantastic cause… Go Red for Women.

You must have a human face clearly showing in your photo entry…and the color red.

This week’s challenge is in support of Go Red For Women.

Cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 American women each year, yet women were not paying attention. In fact, many even dismissed it as an “older man’s disease.” To dispel the myths and raise awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of women, the American Heart Association created Go Red For Women – a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health.

Go Red For Women encourages awareness of the issue of women and heart disease, and also action to save more lives.

Find out how you can help or give to this cause here.

I ♥ Faces-Hearts

Puppy Love

It's not too early to get in that Valentine's Day mood.   We always make sure the kids and the 4 legged kids have something special, to let them know they're loved.   Just keep the chocolates away from the hairy children!!   They can't be digested by dogs and can cause convulsions in some.

Photo Challenge | Hearts

i ♥ Faces-Best Face January

Rubblebucket LIVE at The Double Door-Chicago 1/15/11

i ♥ Faces--Winter Wonderland

Photo Challenge | Winter Wonderland

i ♥ Faces--Smile

Here's Sagezilla having the time of her life at Lollapalooza, with our art teacher friend.   Can't wait till summer concert season again!

Click the button below for more fabulous photos

Photo Contest | Smile

i ♥ Faces--Pets

Here's our grandma of the pack, Alia Serendipity, who is 16 1/2 or approximately 115 1/2 in dog years!   She's getting a "spa" treatment with Clary Sage shampoo, by our own Sage(zilla) and Du-Jay.   Two years ago, we were sure she was celebrating her last Christmas with us, and yet, here she is.   Our "puppy", Igraine The Brave (or Iggy Pup), who will be 1 year old January 12th, is helping.


Check out i ♥ Faces this week for more pets.

i ♥ Faces--Self Portrait

This is where I love to write, during the snowy, cold Chicago winters.   We installed an eco-friendly wood burning stove in the living room last year and it's been WONDERFUL.


I almost stopped posting to i ♥ Faces last week in frustration after participating weekly since March of 2009.   As the community has grown, people have stopped leaving comments much, despite an official request to comment on 5 other blogs.   The sense of community has changed and it's not such a friendly space any more.


Last week, I was chastised for inviting people to comment back--evidently it's against the rules, so don't ask/don't tell.   Still, the challenges are fun and it gives people a chance to blog hop and see all the wonderfully creative photographers out there.   So, for the time being, I will continue to play, and comment on other i ♥ Faces entrants.   And we'll see how things go for 2011.   It might be time for a change.