Loving this smile! Feeling so blessed to have such a happy little girl!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
When Daddy falls asleep
A few days ago we were enjoying the sun and the kiddie pool in the backyard. I went inside to put Lauren down for her nap and when I came back David was sleeping on the lawn chair and Sarah and Calvin were making "chip soup" next to him. The soup soon turned into a fun place for Dora to go swimming. Awesome.
My Girl
This girl has got a lot of energy and often has me totally worn out at the end of the day. The other day we were hanging out in the backyard (me with the camera) and Sarah lay down across from me. Glad to have captured a peaceful moment in an otherwise chaotic day.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Splash Pad
Today was one of those perfect kind of days (besides bedtime). This morning we packed the kids in the car and went garage sale shopping. We found several great treasures, but the best one of all was finding this splash pad... just 2 minutes drive from our house! Seriously, I could barely believe it. Thank goodness we found it now and not at the very end of summer.
So after nap time David went to Pete`s and the kids and I spend 2.5 hours at the splash pad. The kids were in their glory. They made lots of little "friends" and kept cool on a really hot afternoon.
Taking photos at a splash pad is a tricky thing to do. I did get really wet on a couple of occasions, but it was worth it. After my initial joy of finding a splash pad for the kids to play in, I couldn't help but be excited that this is an awesome photo worthy splash pad. Half of the park is lined with trees (not ugly parking lots) and the other half is a nice grassy area, trees and picnic tables. I couldn't help but be mesmorized by the sun and the sparkle of the water drops as they danced in the air. The expressions of joy on my children's faces and the giggles of delight as they ran through the water warmed my heart. I was a happy mama. These are the days of summer that I love and cherish; the days where I really feel alive, full of love and joy.
You just never know what you'll find when you're looking for garage sales.
Lauren`s starting to intentionally raise her arms and sometimes waves. So glad to catch her in the act. Loving this stage!
Fun at Agrifair
On Friday we spent the afternoon at the Agrifair. The kids loved sitting on the tractors and having a pony ride. So fun!
Bike Ride
We went on our first full family bike ride this past week. The two youngest in the trailer and Sarah rode her own bike. We took the "long" way to the school playground and played for awhile. It was mostly a success, just a lot of complaining from Sarah on the way home.
Calvin and Composition
This past week I was being more intentional about getting some "framing" photos for our chat about composition on Thursday. Calvin was wonderfully framed in the circle above but then jumped out at the last second. Oh well, love the expression!
I saw a photo with this idea awhile back. Thought it was really creative and loved how the cereal boxes framed the child. My background isn't so good and the light wasn't great but I'm still gald I gave it a try. Loving learning and pushing myself to try new things. I've decided to take part in an online "study along" online photography workshop this fall. Just have to decide which one to take (so... many awesome ones).
Friday, July 27, 2012
No Nap
Calvin didn't have a nap today. This is what happens when Calvin doesn't nap, he falls asleep on the floor. He has yet to make it a full day without having a nap, even if it's in the car on the way home. I love this image, it's peaceful and precious. It's the kind of image that grips my soul and reminds me how much I completely and utterly adore my children. That crazy, do anything for them kind of love. Yes, they drive me insane some days but my life wouldn't be complete without them in it. I understand love, God's love, so much more because of the way I love my children. Being a mom is one of the hardest things that I've done/ continue to do, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Blessed.
“The details, that’s what the world is made of. Those are the paints.” -Wes Anderson
Photography is helping me remember and cherish my children's details. It helps me see my world more beautifully, I notice the little things. It's the details that I love.
Beaver Lake Camping Trip
This past week (Fri-Tues), we enjoyed time at Beaver Lake (just past Winfield). Many of my cousins, aunts, uncles, etc came joined us for a wonderful time. We had a BBQ on Saturday evening and there were 34 of us! I adore my family, all of them. It was such a gift to spend quality and quantity time with them. Memories were made. This is what it's all about for me. Living in community and sharing life with those that I love.
We're not a perfect family, none are. We have our issues and are learning to love better, be more authentic and live out our faith in a more real way. We're all dealing with things and trying to make sense of our own struggles (personally and within our family groups).
Putting my heart on my sleeve here...This is the first summer since my uncle Dave passed away in the fall. He was a camping man and therefore camping will always be a fond memory that his wife and children have of him. My aunt Erika, cousins Rachel and Nick came up for a couple of nights. It was so great to have them! The rest of their family couldn't make it up, kids are growing and leaving the "nest," not an easy time for my aunt. I feel for her, even though I don't understand this stage I can get that it would be incredibly hard to "let go" of your kids after taking care of them for so long.
One of my cousins and her family didn't come up. I know that my aunt and uncle wished all of their kids could have been there, not to mention their grandchildren. They are all loved beyond words. My brother and sister in law and nieces didn't come; camping isn't for everyone. That said, it would have been great for the kids to play together and share a bigger memory with their family. Perhaps one day. My moms boyfriend and sons came on the trip as well. This had the potential to be kind of odd, however they were great guys and we ended up having a great time getting to know them.
So there it is, struggles, some sadness, wishes, akwardness. No one needed to say these things, one just knows they exist. There will always be some of these feelings in a family. But in the end it was good. We had a great trip and enjoyed the time we shared, it was positive. Time spent brings people together.
Everyone enjoyed my aunt and uncles kayaks.
We played a lot of games. We had some not so nice weather so it was a good thing that we're a game loving family!
The kids loved playing at the waters edge.
There was a petting zoo that was a HUGE hit with our kids! They loved the guinea pigs.
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