Vintage solo...

Shot for the challenge of "odd"...since there's only one rose.  I know, it's such a cliche...but I will always love shots of the keyboard.

Ready, set, learn!

Life is getting back to something more like "normal", so I've had a little more time with my camera.  Shot this for the challenge of "lines".  I really love the look of brand new No. 2 pencils, before the erasers get all beat up.  lol

Confusion...

Why do you keep rushing up to me Mom?  Just because I want to crawl off the bench??   :)

Fall texture...

Pet pumpkin...

How cute is that?  Bought the little metal eyes, ears, and nose at the arboretum.  Hannah enjoyed picking out which pumpkin to decorate.  She was very opinionated about it.  lol.  And the nice thing is that the decorations can be used again year after year. 

"I'm done, Grammy"...

Yep, there's no coaxing a 2 year old to look at the camera when she's not in the mood.  :)  At least she showed us that little dimple. 

Life is messy, but there's hope...

"Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

When the sadness of life is overwhelming, I'm grateful for the promise of spring (literally and metaphorically). The world can be an ugly place, but I find comfort in knowing there is a purpose to everything (even when I can't see it). SOMEDAY, it will be made right. And I'm grateful for the One who holds the universe in His hand. It is His purpose that will stand and He can be trusted. 

'To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Games babies play...

Lately, after a diaper change, Abigail likes to pretend she forgot how to roll over and sit up and crawl.  She just lays there for the longest time until she eventually gets frustrated.  She KNOWS how to sit up and she crawls all over the place...QUICKLY too....so what's THAT about????  Silly girl!

Bootiful...

Well, what do you know? Both looking in the same direction...(sort of).  :)

On shooting children...(with a camera, that is),

I'd like to say that I'm very intentional about setting up my photos but, with preschoolers?...I'm still in the "pray and spray" mode... shooting as many pics as I can while they are relatively still and hoping/praying for ONE good shot.  lol.  The randomness of that can be frustrating, but I think it's fun to see subtle changes from one photo to the next...how their expressions change and the stories they tell. 


Hannah might engage with the camera for one or two photos...Abigail?  Not so much...



Then Hannah's done...but that's OK, because I like how attentive she is to Abigail here.  Sweet.  Abigail is clearly fascinated with the straw.  Watch how her lap gradually fills with more.  :)

Probably my fave in this series.  I just love Hannah's body language.  She's all laid back and happy.  Abigail is still focused on the straw.  :)

Meanwhile, Daddy tries to get Hannah's attention by putting a tiny pumpkin on his head and calling it a "pumpkin hat".  Hannah clearly thinks that is hilarious.  Abigail?  Yep...she's still focused on the straw.  :)

 Now, don't ask me what happened between the former frame and this one, because it was nothing...absolutely nothing....but clearly, Abigail is DONE with the straw.  :)

Too funny! 

The littlest pumpkin...

She enjoyed playing with the straw...until something else captured her attention.  :)

Finger lickin' good...

Love how Abigail is stealing the show.  Wish Hannah had been engaged, but you can't have it all in group pics.  lol

They come in all sizes...

It was fun visiting the arboretum again with Jenny and Nathan and the girls.  EVERY walkway is lined with pumpkins...and yep...they come in ALL sizes. 

Mary Janes...

I know it's silly, but I love this shot.  Love the textures and patterns of the leaves and concrete...not to mention those sweet little Mary Jane shoes and ruffly socks. 

Story time with monkey...

Hannah loves Mr. Monkey.  He's almost as big as she is, but she drags him around to play with him.  I was tickled today when she climbed up to "read" him a story.

Then, after much maneuvering, she climbed into his lap to "read" some more.  Priceless!

9 months old and rarin' to go...

Yep, I think our days of her sitting still for a monkey pic are coming to an end.  :)

Thankfully the lamb toy helped today...for one shot anyway.  :)

Funny Face...

I shot these on the same day as the eager eater pics a couple weeks ago.  Just now getting around to processing.  I do think Abigail is Queen of Funny Faces!  Love her!

Playin' solitaire...

Saw this outside our house a few days ago.  Just loved that one lonely leaf in the curve of the tree trunk. 

Lily pond...

Shot at the Monet house at the Arboretum...Of course, they had a lily pond!  This was the last of the nature/art pics.  The following week, I went to the Arboretum with Hannah and Abigail.  Hope to post the pumpkin patch pics soon (once they are processed).

Beauty around every corner...

Have I mentioned how nice it was to have time to wander around with my camera (and Kara!)?

A winged "flower"...

 Not quite in focus, but I still like it...

I have no idea what kind of butterfly this is or what kind of flower for that matter...but it was simply swarming with butterflies.   So pretty....

Art and nature...

I thought it was really interesting how this exhibit was displayed in nature.  Don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it.  I especially love these glass boulders in this setting.  Beautiful!

Chihuly reflections...

Another fragment of a glass sculpture.  Really love the textures and shapes in this one.  Kara looked up Dale Chihuly on Google on our way home. Interesting that he is about 70.  A long time ago, he was involved in an car accident and thrown through the windshield.  His face was badly cut and he was blinded in one eye. He continued to blow glass after that, until his shoulder was injured in a sports accident.  He cannot work the glass anymore because he can't hold it.  He said it had given him a unique opportunity to stand back and view pieces from a different perspective.  He describes his role now as the "director, rather than the actor...the choreographer, rather than the dancer."  I love that.  Clearly, still a very creative individual!

Close up...

Well, if you can't go wide angle enough, come in close for a different effect.  lol.  Reminds me of an abstract painting and I love it.

Chihuly balls...

This display was so cool.  Wish I'd had a wide angle lens to really do it justice.  It was crowded tho' and I couldn't get far enough away.  I especially love that ball in the water.  Reminds me of a Christmas ornament and check out the reflection in it. 

Gratitute...

More from the arboretum.  The orange in the background is actually a pumpkin and I added a little texture, just for fun.  So grateful for cooler days and time to be with Kara. 

Pumpkin with a twist...

Yay for October pumpkins and this one worked perfectly for the challenge of "twist".  These miniature pumpkins were all wired to the little fences in the pumpkin patch at the arboretum. Fun!

From the mist...

The Chihuly glass exhibit is at the arboretum for one more month.  So glad we finally had time to see it.  What an interesting place to display blown glass.  There were sculptures around every corner.  This was one of my faves...especially when the mist sprayers started up on the pond.  Spooky, huh?

Kara in mono...

Love this thoughtful pose too.

R & R...

Kara and I finally had time for some R & R at the arboretum.  Can't even remember the last time we went anywhere just for the pure fun of it!  And we had perfect weather too. 

Catch!

You know holding your mouth open and wearing fairy wings helps you throw higher, right?  :)  Hannah had a great time that day....especially if Jenny had to fetch the ball from the street.

Yay me!  I finally got an action shot.  Don't hold your breath waiting for the next one.  :)