No Promping Required

Lauren and I have been reading a book called The Sign of the Beaver for history.  I didn't realize how much she was enjoying it until a few days ago when a Native American village began to take shape in our yard.
Jacob helped her to make a bow and some arrows from some small branches.  She also fashioned a spear and began collecting wood for a fire and another tepee.
She asked me to bring my camera outside and take photos of her. I certainly wasn't going to say no.

I love it when my children make learning an adventure.
Lauren now has a tarp around her tepee, a fire pit, another tepee under construction, and all the amenities she may need as she acts this time in history out.

Linked up with Melissa for Friday Photo Journal at Serendipity is Sweet.

A Last Hurrah for Summer

We took one final trip last month; a parting hurrah for summer.  Since it was technically fall it felt good to pretend we were still in summer, even if it was only for the weekend.

We got our vintage camper all spiffed up packed it very lightly (which we laughed about later because we felt like novice campers, which we aren't) and set out for a weekend of just being together.

Those looks are pure longing for the hobo dinners sitting on the edge of the fire ring.  Those little boogers come out crazy hot from being buried in the coals, but the waiting is well worth it.

This man!  He saw this photo and said, "Holy wrinkles."  I say, "Ah, yes! I love every single one of them!"  Twenty-six years together (twenty-two of them married) and I wouldn't trade any of the wrinkles we have earned together.

SIGH.

Good times!

Black Raspberries

One of my favorite things to do is pick the Black Raspberries that grow in the fence rows and woods of my dad’s property.   Words can’t accurately capture the beauty, the peace, the contentment that comes from wandering back into this wonderland.  Then to top it off I get to take along one of my best berry pickers and the excitement she displays when she finds a flower she has never seen before, or an orange grasshopper, or a butterfly…

It is uncontainable!

So she splits her time between picking berries and drawing in her nature journal.  Which in turn makes this homeschooling momma’s heart soar.

 

And when we stop in our favorite place, under this over reaching Walnut tree, God is so very near and we could spend hours here.  Deep in the grass, hidden from noise, soaking in the playful banter of the woodpeckers and orioles. 

It is a kiss from God.

Memories, Dreams, and Reflections 2012

 

2012 was a year of growth, learning, hurting, healing, and a whole lot of leaning on God.  It was a good year and a hard year, a blessing and at times a trial,  yet an amazingly strengthening year. 

2013 is here to stay, but here’s one final shout out for my families past year. I’m linked up with Ashley Sisk and joining in with others as we reflect on 2012 through photography.

 

 

1. Me!

 

2. I Love You – My beautiful family….Joel and are precious little miss… 

 

All my children, Joel, and my mom and dad,  enjoying a walk on the beach.

 

My 3 sisters, my brother, their spouses and children and my mom and dad…. the most important people in my life!

 

 

3. Still Laughing… – in August we had a family get together.  Someone off the cuff said something about a race and before we knew it old and young were lining up on the road.  Some were more serious than others and we got to laughing.  All the children old enough to run thought it was the BEST thing ever and wanted to run again, the older and more winded voted them down!  But, a rousing game of Capture the Flag took over and the surrounding fields were filled with shrieks and laughter.

 

 

 

 

4. Winter Wonderland – we just received 4 inches of snow and I made a trip down the road to capture a winter photo of one of my favorite old barns in my neighborhood.

 

 

 

5. Birthday – I don’t get all crazy over my photography when we are doing birthdays.  I actually use my on-camera flash (gasp), because we always celebrate at night and I am not going to drive myself and everyone else crazy striving for a perfect photo.  My kids birthdays are for them not about me capturing a professional looking photo.  And so my birthday photographs always look like snapshots, but I’m okay with that!

 

 

6. Friends –   I don’t have a single photo that I can share that shows my friends or my children’s friends…. but my two sons are friends and I love to watch them hanging out together.

 

 

7. I Was Inspired… – by Macro photography and had to try it out this summer.  I have much to learn, but I had fun capturing some close up shots this summer.

 

 

 

8. Spring Fever –

 

 

9. Travel or Vacation – Mackinaw Bridge that connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan.

 

 

 

10. Summer Days –

 

 

 

11. A Day In My Life – feeding the hungry, voracious boys in my home!  This is one of our favorites, Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal.

 

 

 

12. All Smiles –

 

 

13. Autumn Harvest –

 

 

14. Family or Home –

 

 

15. Celebrate! – I don’t have any pictures that I could find that shows celebrate, so this one will have to be for celebrating new life.

 

 

16. Let’s Do It Again… –  Vacation in the UP!

 

 

17. I Miss You – SPRING…

 

 

18. Beautiful –  summer light!

 

 

19. Dress Up – What?! Dress up to play in a mud puddle? Yep! I dressed her up on a unseasonably warm day in February and let her play in the puddles. She loved it!

 

 

 

20. Macro –

 

 

21. Holidays –

 

 

22. My Favorite – my beautiful family that I was blessed to take photographs for.

 

 

23. Don’t Ever Change – 

How you think so intricately and all the deep questions you ask…

 

Your gorgeous smile and contagious laugh…

 

Your silliness, I love how you clown around…. 

 

Your kind heart and sense of humor… 

 

 

24. Just Because…So There! –  one of my favorites that does not fit into any of the categories.

 

 

25. Hopes and Dreams – For 2013 my hope is that my family will continue to live strong with integrity, deeply committed, and absolutely in love with our Lord and Savior.  With God in the center everything else will fall into place….Beauty unleashed.

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

Linked up with Ashley Sisk: