photo challenge day sixteen: breaking the rules

today's challenge of the day was long exposure photography. who in the world knows what that is? well, probably professional photographers and people willing to research it a little further than googling it and then deciding i don't really want to figure it out. so... i'm breaking the rules. i looked at the total number of pictures i took in the month of june and the final count is 591!!! maybe that is normal for some of you but with this photo challenge, i have captured way more on camera than i ever would have without doing it. besides it's summer and there are just way more exciting things going on than in the dead of winter. so, i decided to do a little photo collage just highlighting the main events of the month of june. as i was trying to pick just a couple pictures it hit me how incredibly blessed i am. i just got done reading in a study that a friend and i are going through "becoming more than just a good bible study girl" by lysa terkeurst. She is talking about the importance of praise being on your lips. it is so easy to pick on the circumstances in my life that i just don't feel are right or how they could be different, or possessing a general ugly attitude. when i look at these photographs i don't see how anything but praise should be on my lips. no, life is far from perfect... and obviously i wouldn't take pictures of the negative circumstances that may surround me at times, but regardless of the situation i am in i need to praise Him and not my circumstances. so, right now, i am so thankful for an amazing family, sweet friends, the freedom to enjoy summer with two healthy kiddos, the precious memories that we are able to make while these little ones are little and so much more.
june, you were a fun one! bring on july!!

photo challenge day fifteen: a silhouette

i took this picture when we went to the lake last weekend. this was the kiddos first trip to a beach. so sand, lake water, it was all a new experience. let's just say that i don't think this is a beach we will be visiting often.. it was kinda icky. jed kinda thought so too, so he just stood on the sidelines and "observed"! i didn't blame him... i was good with observing also! photo tip: i attended a photo class with some other wonderful ladies this spring and one thing i learned is to try not to crop off "limbs" when you are taking a photo. if i could do something differently i would have stepped back farther and gotten his legs in the picture as well! i think an exception would be the photo below where the point of my picture was jed exploring the sand... if i would have gotten the rest of his body i think it would have taken the focus off of his exploration!

photo challenge day fourteen: eyes

photo challenge day 13: yourself with 13 things

here is me with 13 things:

1. jed
2. my water cup
3. lunch bag
4. sunscreen
5. a bucket
6. my flip flops
7. elli's flip flops
8. jed's sippy cup
9. mini beach ball
10. kara and the girls' pool bag
11. addi's carseat
12. beach towel
13. kara's dress hanging on the fence

p.s. i cheated a little and kim took the pic. juggling 2 kids, 13 things and a self timer at the pool was just too much for this mama to handle! thanks kim!

photo challenge day twelve: sunset

O Lord, Our Lord how majestic is your names in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens... When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:1, 3-4 i thought that when i decided to do this photo challenge that it would just be a fun thing to participate it... i honestly didn't think it would really make me think any further than exploring different angles, different editing techniques or just for the pure fun of seeing my other friends similar pictures. i have to say... some of them have made me ponder further than those relatively unimportant things.

i took this picture at johnson lake last night. i knew that today's challenge was 'sunset' and i just happened to look up and the sun was setting... perfect! i snapped a photo and we were ready to go! tonight as we were checking fields i looked straight ahead and again noticed the sunset. i have to be honest, i have never been one to marvel at god's creation. i feel like i have taken it for granted. anytime elli sees the stars, the moon, the sun setting, she points it out in amazement... "the MOON!" like she is seeing it for the very first time. i need to get that back... that shear excitment and joy that i am able to experience God's creation yet one more day! i am amazed that the God who created that sunset and everything that surrounded it even knows me or cares about me. as the verse says above "what is man that you are mindful of him?" i do not deserve that God of the heavens and the earth to even know my name let alone the number of hairs on my head. i'm thankful that He gives me a sunset every night.

photo challenge day eleven: something blue

the kiddos and i had a little pool fun this afternoon... and no kiddy pool afternoon is complete without popsicles! hmm... what flavor to give them??? blue of course... mama needs to accomplish her photo challenge for the day!! totally in love with these two!!

photo challenge day ten: a childhood memory

i loved thinking about this throughout the day. i had a sweet, sweet childhood. i thought about all of the things i could have posted, the millions of popsicles in summer, jumping off the front porch into the baby pool, camping trips in a moments notice, bringing our live baby animals into the hosue and dressing them up, rollerskating in the garage, jumping on the trampoline. my childhood wasn't extravagent at all... it was probably very much the opposite... very simple and i loved it! i feel tears welling up just thinking about those precious memories made with my sister, brother and parents. i so desire our kids to have the same sweet, simple childhood.

i chose to take pictures of some similar toys that my sister and i played for hours on end with. i grew up in an old farmhouse and tessa and i shared a room in half of the attic and in the other half was the playroom. some popular items in our pretend "house" were a kitchen and doll cradle. we took care of our babies, made meals, ate dinner, went to the movies, like i said hours and hours of pretend play. so when i see my kiddos playing with their pretend house and watching my daughter tuck her babies into their beds it brings back precious memories.

the blanket and the baby in the crib were both toys that belonged to my sister and i. how does time fly by so fast that MY baby is playing with them already?!?

photo challenge day nine: someone you love

i'm so thankful that today's challenge was so easy. God has blessed me with many many people that i love! unfortunately i didn't see them all today! i only took pictures of those that were accessible to me today! i should have taken my camera to the field so i could have snapped a pic of my hardworking hubby... but i didn't so here are a few of the people i love:

miss elliana is truly a blessing. she is sassy and sweet and i just love her so much!
jedidiah is showing his true feelings... the poor boy has a fever and feels awful and this is what he looks like if he is not in mamas arms. and then there is #3. a surprise little someone to love... even though this little one was indeed a surprise... i know i will fall heads over heels in love with this baby just as i did the first two!

photo challenge day eight: a bad habit

i don't know why posting this bad habit is maybe even more embarrassing than posting a self portrait but it is for some reason. i'm going to be real, so here it is... I LOVE CANDY!!

i just do... i'm not particular about the kind, clearly as you can see from the photo. there is chocolate, sweet, sour, hot... pretty much covers all the basis. i go through periods of time where i keep zero candy in the house (for good reason!) but apparently i'm not going through one of those stages! i can't blame candy disappearing on anyone else in this house either because jon doesn't ever eat it and i don't let the kiddos have it... so process of elimination says IT'S ALL ME!! perhaps once this junk is gone i need to not buy anymore!!

well... i'm off to go clean and ignore this bowl of candy that is staring at me!!

photo challenge day seven: fruit

mmmmm fruit! i love this time of the year because the watermelon, peaches and strawberries are so yummy! i think i could make a full meal of fruit! even though i'm pretty sure i have at least a little bit of each of those fruits and maybe some others in my fridge, i decided to whip up the kiddos and i a little smoothie that we enjoy after naps all year round!


i usually use 1 cup of no sugar apple juice, a handful of no sugar added frozen fruit (mango, pineapple, stawberries) a few icecubes and a squirt of honey. today i was out of apple juice so i used orange juice and a banana that needed to be used. it was still yummy!

photo challenge day six: from a low angle

yesterday the challenge was to take photos from a low angle... it was also a pool day! after laying on the cement and squatting as low as i could go... this is the best i got! elli is a natural pool rat... she loves the water! jed was hesitant the first time but yesterday got in the pool by himself! i was so proud of him for conquering his fears. he still hangs near the side of the pool but at least he is enjoying himself.. which means mom can enjoy herself too!

photo challenge day five: from a high angle

with today being father's day i had high hopes of getting some amazing pics from high angles (and low angles and maybe even some in between angles while i'm at it!) of my babies and their wonderful daddy... do you think that happened?? of course not! but i did get a couple pics of dirty kiddos having a blast at their buddy jace's 3rd birthday party! what more could i ask for?

my first "high angle photo" is of mr. jed! let me explain... this boy is a serious dude. not a whole lot of smiles come out of him! and when he is in the mood he has what i like the call the "cheeser face". totally adorable in a very cheesy way. so the fact that i got this photo makes me so happy because he is smiling AND do you notice what he has in his mouth?? a cap from bubbles. this boy also is obsessed with "little junk" and he has a special obsession with cap of any sort. it is these little things that i want to capture and i love that with photography you can do that!

i must mention that i never would have captured this if my girl kara wouldn't have pointed it out to me as i was just complaining to her about my lack of high angle photo opportunities! thanks kara... and that's why i love this challenge... it is helping me to think outside of the bubble!

this photo was a total surprise as i was trying to take a picture of miss elli and her friend cordelia pulling her in the wagon and i clicked just as she had a sweet little smile! it isn't necessary from a super high angle but she was kinda looking up! and here is the man of the hour... happy father's day to my amazing hubby and elliana and jedidiahs daddy! you are so wonderful to us! we love you with all of our hearts! XOXO

photo challenge day four: something green

my something green includes beans, lettuce, and tomato plants from my garden... we are excited to enjoy the fruits of our labor later this summer and fall!

for "dampa"

my dad or more importantly, elli's 'dampa', has been waiting and waiting for some pictures of 'miss elli riding her tricycle with her big girl ponytail in!' so this is for you dampa... and probably damma too! here is a summer update:

we have beening enjoying some water fun, wagon rides, a visit from damma and aunt tessa, picnics in the park, vacation bible school, and talking to daddy any chance we get!!

photo challenge day three: clouds

today's photo challenge was clouds. much much easier than let's say a self portrait or what i wore! i took this photo... bam... done! today started out cloudy and rainy and then the sun came out, the heat turned on and it felt like summer again. to some whether it rains or shines may not matter a whole lot... to this family it means everything! last night my hubby was up watching the radar to predict which of our farms would probably get rain, which ones don't need rain, which ones need field work done, etc, etc, etc. and trying to plan the day for himself and his guys all based on what the weather might do. it seems that spring and summer are filled with praying that it rains or praying that it won't rain, praying that the crop will be protected from a possibly hail storm, wind, drought, and the list goes on. but in all of this... God is faithful and provides and we are thankful that we find out security in Him and Him alone and not in what the clouds may look like the next day! so... this simple cloud picture to me is a reminder that my farmer husband was able to work the ground that needed to be worked today... and for that i'm thankful!

photo challenge day two: what i wore

today's challenge was "what i wore" and you get an extra special treat because... I GOT READY FOR THE DAY!!! not because today was what i wore day... but because i had to take my baby boy to the doctor :( not fun! anyway, let me explain my wardrobe situation. it's boring. i have what i like to call "uniforms" and they go something like this:

uniform 1: stay at home uniform = tank, comfy shorts, flip flops

uniform 2: going someplace uniform= cotton tee of some sort, shorts or capris, flip flops

uniform 3: going to church uniform= cotten tee of a fancier sort, capris or skirt, sandals and maybe just maybe some earrings or a necklace to spice things up.

so there you have it... if anyone wants to volunteer to be my fashion consultant i would LOVE it! until then.. i will stick with the uniforms!

since i know fancy 'what i wore' blogs do this i will give you the dets of my uniform of choice...

shirt: gap

capris: silvers

shoes: roxy

k.. i have to go change into my stay at home uniform... being so dressed up is just killing me! ha!!

photo challenge day one: self portrait

so some friends of mine came across this 30 day photography challenge that i think looks like a lot of fun!

i think it will encourage me to take pictures that i normally wouldn't (ahem... like todays... a self portrait! no. thank. you!) but i'm going to do it anyway because i want to follow the rules and i know it will make my sister laugh and my parents might like it because they love me and they would probably like to see my face sometimes too and not just my kids! anyway... you can stay tuned each day for another random picture! my girls danielle, kara, and kim are joining so if you want to check out their random pictures too... have at it (just click on their name and it will take you to their blogs)!! so... here goes!

so i have to explain... i think this is something that is supposed to be FUN and not STRESSFUL so i literally grabbed my camera and step stool (you know... for a tripod) and marched out my back door right after i put the kids down. my hair was curly (which anyone who knows me know i'm not seen in public with curly hair very often... so why not post some pics on the interweb for the world to see??) i had my comfy clothes on... and for the life of me i couldn't get my camera to focus on me after i set the timer soooooo.... have a good laugh! i cannot believe i'm posting this but i don't want to take up anymore of the precious naptime!!

well hello... you look a little fuzzy. it's probably fitting because i feel like my brain is a little fuzzy MOST days

oops... a little crooked and a little too close... oh well! seriously. don't be jealous of my photo skills! the best is yet to come!

stay tuned for tomorrow... the topic is "what i wore today" (this will be good!!)

a big boy haircut

i had put it off for as long as i could... or as long as jed's daddy would let me. the big boy haircut. it had to be done. somehow i felt like by saying goodbye to those sweet soft little curls i was admitting that my baby was no longer a baby... but a little boy!! jed is proving more and more each day that he is very much a little boy and he doesn't want to be a baby anymore... so a big boy haircut it is! jed and daddy pre-haircut... i know that daddy is jumping up and down inside... don't let his cool exterior fool you!
miss elli isn't sure what is about to happen... but she is happy to watch from the sidelines

...and off they go...

and post-haircut... a brand new man!

that sweet little duck was the perfect place for me to say goodbye to the curls and hello to my big boy!! it was the same place my little brother got his 1st haircut!

speaking of sweet little ducks... how cute is this bib?? my mom had it saved from when i was a little one... elli got to try it out!