a natural beauty

today I give you a natural beauty....taken during my trip in Guatemala.

One of my all times favorite shots.

silver lining....

This post is an ode to the silver lining....

that was once hidden in a drawer and  is now on display in my dining room!

I have all sorts of silver trays, bowls, lids that I have inherited from Andy's family.   

It is the sort of thing that a couple generations ago people used all the time to entertain....

and now they are being repurposed as beautiful wall accents.  why not!  it is beautiful!

What I am also loving about this is the photo display on the little table....

I have always loved old family photos and having them around this space feels

even more appropriate since almost everything in this room was 

inherited from both of our grandparents.

I recently purchased this beautiful vintage photo cube from my friend's Etsy shop

The Vintage Violet

Yep, that is me playing dress up as a little girl on the inside of the cube.....

this cube is beautiful and holds all those treasured family photos.  I love browsing through this little cube seeing the generations of photos... 

My children will be able to see these photos that go back 5 generations. 

Isn't that amazing... I love, love, love it!

love photo session

Can't resist sharing a little bit of an engagemnt photo session with a wonderful couple....

Allison & Kyle

They are in love.....

They want to be together forever and say....

Can't you just feel how excited they are to start their life together?!

May you always feel the warmth of your love in your heart!!

over the bridge

3 out of our 4 little people  went over the bridge....  how I wish Jud had been here!   I was just checking out the new bridge in town that is connected to a trail.  Checking the light, the possibilities....

....which are many!

There is something so easy about shooting here....

I even like how the shadows are creating this pattern.

There are fences to hang on to.

And I just love how the bridge frame actually frames the shot....ahhhh.

 Drew is so darn photogenic...."gap", "boden" do you see this kid?

And then the trail just creates this natural background to play in...love it!

Gosh...I wish Jud had been here for this walk over the bridge!

Touch of Sun...

Once in a while the sun does this....and lights up this little guy that lights up our world.

i heart faces: touch of sun photo challenge.

pet love...

We love our pets around here.....really do

There are furry friends and not so furry friends.

but they are loved all the same.  This is my oldest son's pet, Sonic the bearded dragon.    He eats crickets and veggies....he is just generally cool.

It's pet week at i heart faces so I had to share some pet love.  Now I am going to go snuggle with Bob the bulldog in bed.

water jump!

summer fun= water

This shot is one of my favorites from a "cousins" photo session last week.

cousins....oldest to youngest jumping into their grandparent's pool= summer fun & memories!

i heart faces: water photo challenge

so sweet...

 so sweet.

such a sweet shot of our babes sharing a birthday.....8 years apart.   life is sweet.

gift of a polaroid....

There were countless moments that have stayed with me for 3 years from AIDS Walk Africa in Swaziland. But for me what comes to mind first are the interactions with the children.  The children especially loved to have their photograph taken with our digital cameras so then be able to look at their own sweet faces.  I am quite sure there were many children that had never seen their very own smiling face before.

Before we went to AWA we were prepped for the journey.  The foundation (EGPAF) shared that children would likely be very curious about our cameras and some may want to see their photo.   It hit me quickly...why not bring a Polaroid camera!  A Polaroid camera so that I could take their photo and gift it to the children and mothers I encountered.  So I ordered the camera and tracked down Polaroid film.  It seemed like such a simple thing to bring along, one that would bring so much pleasure!

It may have been one of the single best ideas I ever had.....one that was incredible for the mothers and children, but filled my soul with such joy that I can still feel it today as I type these words!

I was able to witness the pure wonder of a child as they looked in total awe at this photo developing right before their eyes. They clung onto their special photo as if it was gold. I was able to bring 80 Polaroid photos for the polaroid camera.  Each time I took a photo I felt such joy in being able to give them something meaningful that they will treaure. And for me that is one of my greatest treasures ever.

Can you imagine what it would feel like to live in a very remote area of Swaziland.  Have this group of Westerners visiting your little village, walking....with air conditioned vans following them.  They bring cameras, smiles, some supplies.   I wonder how it felt for this little guy.  If nothing else I do know he loved his photos!

This mother was was excited to have a photo of herself with her baby girl...

Every mother wants to be able to capture these special moments.....

I am so happy she has at least a couple photos for them to share.

photography....a polaroid=joy

Scavenger hunt

What I love most about scavenger hunt Sunday is that it gets me looking around....looking for those shots around me that I might not otherwise be looking for or find.   This week I found all of these shots right here at home.in a very short span...it was just plain fun.

Window/Door-   

Our back door...I love the reflection coming through of the me in the back yard and windmill.

Eyelashes-

Jack could barely sit still for me to catch a shot of his eye lashes...but alas, I got it!

And I love how the sunflare is pointing you right to his eyelashes.  bonus.

Leaf veins-

These are leaves from a "the smoke tree" in my garden.

Paint-

look at what a little glossy white spray paint can do!  yahoo!

Faceless Portrait-

love these sweet little hands

photo challenge

you know how I love to share my photos...and all of these are from seeing my family this weekend.

 love it.

Emotion:

When you sit on grass for the first time...this is how it feels.

From a Flower's Perspective:

Letters:

My brother tells me his shirt says "What's Up?!"....he is a sign language interpreter and is awesome....

Frames:

Bliss:

My Dad, aka Pops
This is what happens when you are truly loved....

we were all together, all of us, on father's day.....that is a moment of Pops' bliss

Let's here it for the boys....

Let's here it for the boys.....  

There is something so simply wonderful about a little guy eatting watermelon on a summer day.  And this cutie patootie happens to be my nephew.  Isn't he squeezable?

An i heart faces photo challenge!