I’ve decided to participate in the WordPress Photography 101 Course.

It challenges participants to a photo assignment per day for four weeks.

I’ve ignored this course before because, well, I’m not really a photo blogger.

And posting once per day for four weeks is – just honestly – probably not going to happen.

But I know I could use some photography tips.

Funny thing about that? / Small confession before we start?

My husband is a professional photographer.

And I’m gonna use my iPhone for this.

Cobblers family and all that.

I figure it will make for good dinnertime conversation.

Before getting to the first assignment, for those who haven’t visited my blog before, I have a dolly theme (two preschool daughters – I TOTALLY took the branding bit of Blogging 201 to heart) and when I do a series, I’ve started to assign a dolly co-host.

In preparation for this course, I dutifully Googled “free dolly camera images” and discovered the limits of Google. After a couple of permutations of the search, I’m pleased to introduce my Camera Dolly Co-host:

Isn’t she just adorable?

I haven’t named her yet and am open to suggestions in the comments.

With that said, assignment #1 was to take a picture of home, recognizing it as an elusive term.

When we think about this word, we might picture different physical locations. And while home is often found on a map, it can also be less tangible: a loved one, a state of mind.

So here’s the photo I took this morning for the assignment.

This is my house. This morning, November 3, 2014 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.It’s our 1960s 3-bedroom Campeau bungalow and we love it.

My husband and I moved in December of 2007.

At the time, every room on the main floor was painted a different shade of pink.

Here we are “bringing down” that last wall as we renovated our kitchen.

Two months shy of my giving birth to the first of two daughters.

De-pinking time well spent!

We have since met and know our neighbours. The grandson of one even goes to daycare with our girls and I’m delighted that they play well together.

Because home is bigger than house. It is also community.

But mainly? Home is family. And our house is home because that’s where we brought both our babies home to; where we’ve begun to raise them; and where we’ve become a family.

It’s funny.

The house I first lived in (about a block and a half from where I now live) went up for sale and sold a few days ago before there was ever an open house. First transition since my parents sold it when I was 10. I had a pang of regret that I couldn’t creep the open house and visit the bedroom of my childhood.

I’m curious if the room I remember would match reality. I believe places and spaces hold meaning in our memories.

I may just have to be neighbourly in the near future – if opportunity presents and it isn’t too creepy.

Before I close, in case any of you were feeling of house and home musically inclined tonight, I wanted to suggest you swing by our Baby Gates Down Sister Post about House and Home in Song.

I talk more about the exciting world of Campeau bungalows while tieing in Paul Simon, the Beatles, R Kelly, Tom Jones and MORE! With one quick click, you’ll also get to meet Moody Blythe, my musical dolly cohost. And I’ve been neglecting her of late so she could use some love and attention.

Until (maybe tomorrow) where we go street (because the next assignment was already posted but by then it was time for home; and family; and dinner; and alphabet bingo and; the Gruffalo and yeah – that can wait until tomorrow.

Because we’re home.

I also think this is “Mom enough” to link up with another hop I’ve been missing of late, so I’m also catching up with Mommy A to Z on her weekly parenting hop because, among other things, I think the past week has proven my commitment to the alphabet.

W.O.R.D.

That’s four letters.

And my five-year-old (when trying) knows ALL of them.

Boo-yeah!