a few days

Almost every Saturday I work with Andrew at an auction. You never know what you will find at an auction...that is part of the fun. The past few auctions in a row I have photographed some "auction babies". Basically creepy old dolls. I like them. Not to buy and keep, but just to take photos of. I may have to start a photo series of all auction babies!


The birthday celebrations are over for now. My Max is 6. I am feeling strange having a "baby" who is six!


After any kind of occasion where Max receive gifts, you can bet that for a few days my kitchen table will be covered with Lego projects. After Christmas, after birthdays. I really love it, and hope that he loves Legos for a while!


My heart feels heavy thinking about Oklahoma today. I honestly haven't watched that much footage of it because I am really really afraid of storms. Footage of big storms sends me into a bit of panic. Lately I have really started to hand this fear over to God. My kids know how to check the radar on my phone, and whenever the sky is a little dark Max asks if we have to go to the basement. Max especially can sense his mama's fear. I want to teach them to be cautious when it comes to storms, not afraid. I see them becoming afraid, and it is not what I want for them. After seeing the total destruction from yesterday a big (okay, huge) part of me is afraid. A smaller part refuses.

Mother Nature cannot be trusted, but my God can.

I know that to some that doesn't make any sense seeing how people lost their lives yesterday. It is my truth, no matter how crazy it seems.

{My favorite Oklahoma girl addressed the storm here. On a much lighter note: please read her blog. It is wonderful and delightful. Beautiful photos and cute kiddos galore. Oh, and she has chickens! I talk about Ashley like I know her in real life. Weird? Probably!}

oh coconut

Dear Coconut (our lovely dog),

Please do not chew our phone line anymore. I like the Internet, and am sad when I can't use it. Please chew on things that don't interfere with my daily life. (Even though I don't use my pretty porch rockers daily that doesn't mean you can chew those. Or the kids' toys. Or shoes. Or really anything else.) Thanks for understanding.

Your Human Mom

Yes, Coconut disconnected us from the Internet once again. She really is a good girl, just likes to chew up stuff. Bless her little doggy heart. So, I have lots of photos for you to look at!

1. I'm pretty sure that Ada is the cutest thing ever. When we go to watch Max play soccer I take a blanket thinking she'd like to romp around on the ground and play. No sir. She would like to sit up in the lawn chair thank you very much.


2. More Ada. She loves to play in the little kitchen upstairs.


3. Last Saturday kicked off birthday-a-palooza. Max turned six this week, so there have been lots of celebrations. Lego all the way!


4. Look out horse pulling world. Max and Andrew started training our minis. It was pretty much the funniest thing ever. The horses have a little modified golf cart as their pulling sled. It is hillbilly deluxe for sure. I can't wait for more mini horse activity!!


5. Mother's Day cards from Max and Cora. They made them at church. I cherish anything they draw for me!


6. Lately Max has been into catching bugs. We tried to keep this one in a jar. It is now dead. I thought he would be sad about it, but now he just wants to find another specimen.


7. Max is also into Star Wars. You know, I have never seen Star Wars. Not any of them.


8. We signed Cora up to play soccer with Max this year because she kept talking about how she wanted to play. She participated in one practice. She is more happy participating in her own sideline antics.


9. Today was Max's last day of preschool! I really feel like he just started. Tonight is his graduation. I really hope I don't cry. This is his awesome teacher, Susan. What a great experience we have had!


*Sorry I didn't put all the photo specifics on each photo--I just wanted to get them all on here before I got them all mixed up!*

technology and traditions

It amazes me how a baby can pick up a phone, and seems to instantly know how to use it. I swear Ada can even find the games she likes on it by herself now.

ISO 400, 1/20, f1.8

On another technology note, the other day I found these two playing a Lego game together. I always worry about Max picking Ada up by himself. Whenever I see it happen I always gasp and carry on about how it is dangerous. Max looks at me like I am crazy. Lately Ada goes around holding her little arms up in the air wanting everyone to hold her. It is pretty irresistible. Irresistible for Max too. I can't blame him.

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Now for the traditions. I love traditions. I love traditions that we have started for my children. One of my most favorite things my in-laws started doing is that twice a year they take my babies to get new shoes. We go to Brinkman's, and the kids get properly fitted. My mom used to take my brother and I there when we were little. You got new shoes, got a balloon, walked up on these special stairs to see if your shoes fit just right. It was great. It is still great. The kids get new shoes, get balloons, and walk up on the special stairs. Tony, who is the owner, fitted me for shoes when I was little, and is now doing the same for my children. Love it. If you are local you need to check out Brinkman's! (Thank you Kay and Max for doing this for us. We are so blessed by this tradition!)

ISO 400, 1/320, f2.5

Yesterday was so great. My mom came over to work in the garden, and the kids were basically outside all day. They got completely dirty and ate about ten popscicles each. Childhood at its best. Cora has created a "marigold garden" in this particular garden box. (I'm not sure if she is saying marigold or miracle. Whichever it is she is very busy with it. Watering, digging, transplanting dandelions.)

ISO 200, 1/5000, f1.8

I am hoping that this garden tradition continues too. There is no possible way I could have a garden without my mom's help. She does all the hard work while I run in and out getting popscicles. It works well!

green

I love how everything is turning so green outside! Ahhh. So beautiful and wonderful.

My sports photography needs to improve. I took my zoom lens, but I just parked myself in a lawn chair during Max's game and shot from there. I was feeling a little lazy. Next time I will try harder!

ISO 400, 1/640, f5.6

In the orchard! We have four apple trees, enough to constitute an orchard, don't you think? Well, the trees are full of beautiful blossoms. I was thinking that our trees produced fruit every other year, but I may be wrong. If we have apples I vow to do more with them come fall time. Last year I made one batch of apple sauce and then I was pooped. (It takes a lot of work to make a little batch of apple sauce!)

ISO 100, 1/2500, f1.8

Last night my cousin and his fiance came over for a little engagement photo session. Andrew wasn't home yet, so all the kids "helped" me take pictures. Thank you Levi and Stephanie for being so patient. This photo was taken after daddy made it home. The kids now like to climb the grain bins. Lord have mercy--a new danger.

ISO 200, 1/640m f1.8

Hope everything is beautiful and green where you are!

girls

Last night Max had his first soccer game. He looked so darn cute and grown up in all his soccer gear. I didn't take a picture of him in action because I left my zoom lens at home. Next time. This little cutie was sitting close so I got her:

That little frown of hers looks familiar. (Whenever people see Ada they comment on how much she looks like Andrew. She does look like him, but I think the frown is all mine!)

Cora girl loves things that sparkle and shine. She loves to wear her princess dress. This picture is so Cora, even though you can't see her face.

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful day!

travel times, sick times

Oh my gosh, hi. I bet you thought I was never going to show my face here again! It has been a little while! I am so happy to report that even though the last couple weeks have been crazy, I have still managed to take a picture of something everyday.

Last weekend Andrew and I (barely) managed to get away for a weekend. Just the two of us. To Vegas! It was something we had been looking forward to for months, and I say we barely managed to get away because Andrew was soooo sick right before we left. Hours before we were to leave for the airport I thought we were going to have to call the whole thing off. He managed to pull it together just in time.

The day before we left I snapped this one of my girl. Her hair looks so red here!


I am beginning to realize that I am the worst at taking photos when we are away. I think I had maybe 14 total pictures on my big camera from Vegas. Bad! Not a single photo of me from the trip that is in focus. Only a couple of Andrew and I together. On my phone. They are not good. I vow to do better at travel photos!



While in Vegas we stayed at the Venetian. That place is neat-o. I am so blessed to be able to say that I have been to the real Venice (twice!) and this place captures the feeling of the real city pretty closely. Just add the smell of fish.



Back home again in Indiana and now I start to feel sick. Not good.





Ada still loves the dishwasher. Now she likes to climb in. Baby girl is climbing everything now!





Max's big 6th birthday is coming up in May, so today we had a super short photo session to prep for his party. Can't believe he'll be 6!


There you have it. Twelve days fully accounted for! Thanks for stopping by--hope your week is off to a great start!

growing

Spring is here and the bulbs are blooming:

ISO 320, 1/800, f2

Today we took Max to kindergarten round up. Kindergarten. I think his little hands look so old in this picture. I don't even cringe anymore when he cracks the eggs. He's getting so good!

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