Saturday, March 22, 2014

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 20 ~ Guilty Pleasure

I have set up our DVR to not only record this every Monday, but every time a re-run is on.  Through this means I have watched *almost* every episode of every season, and have now hooked my daughter H on this show too!  :)  Love it! 



30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 19 ~ Something you bought

Purchased yesterday, and watched last night!  Enjoyed by the whole fam!


Friday, March 21, 2014

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 18 ~ Color


30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 17 ~ Childhood Reminder


I have a small photo album of my grandparents' 45th wedding anniversary celebration.  My grandpa had heart disease, and we celebrated their 45th pretty big because we weren't sure he'd live to see his 50th.  He didn't.  Even though this was in 1975 (I think) and the styles were pretty far out, looking through the album brings back such great memories of my childhood.  Vacations with the cousins, Sunday dinners at grandma and grandpa's house, the Barbie furniture grandpa made and the Barbie clothes grandma made.  Three of the people in this picture are in heaven now.  A fourth one, my uncle, met my single aunt, married, ranched happily for many years, and died, all after this picture was taken.

These are some of my people.  I love them.  I'm thankful we celebrated my grandparents' marriage while my grandpa was still alive to experience it.  I'm thankful I enjoyed such a close relationship with them.  I'm thankful I have this album, and I'm so thankful for each and every person pictured in it.

(I am the one on the far right with glasses and the barrette in my curly brown hair.  I was around 12.  And I loved that dress!)

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 16 ~ Random

I keep a small chalkboard on the back of our downstairs bathroom toilet because Truth matters.  I try to put reminders of the truth everywhere, especially in places that are high traffic areas and where I have a captive audience. ;)

Every once in a while I change the verse or saying on the chalkboard.  This is what it currently says.


30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 15 ~ Sweet


When my two piano players sit down (or stand!) and play because they want to.... THAT is sweet!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 14 - Want


30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 13 - You with 13 Things

Me with 13 articles of clothing to give away!

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 12 - In Your Closet

 Hmmm, not sure why anyone would want to see this, but okay, I'll play along!  My standard "two sliding door" closet....


And my husband's "two doors open out side by side" closet.  I actually love his closet.  It holds all his folded clothes as well, and I get the right side for my dresses.  So I guess it's really "ours"!


30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 11 - Artwork


These are two framed pieces by daughter G.  They were hubby's and my Christmas gifts year before last.  They hang in the kitchen where I can see them all the time.  Love them!


Daughter G's latest piece, just finished in art class.


And the peacock she painted for daughter H's Christmas gift a few months ago.


This horse was drawn by Little Man!  (I know, right?!)  He learned how to draw horses in his drawing class at co-op.


And these next three are by son L, who is taking a cartooning class at co-op.  This first one was an assignment to design a comic book cover.




(this last one inspired by our neighbor, who religiously chases down every single leaf on his green, manicured lawn!)

Monday, March 10, 2014

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 10 - Hands


These pics are a little blurry because I had to zoom in so much to take them, but these are four generations of hands... my grandma's, my mom's, mine, and my daughter G's, when she was four months old.  I love how each hand tells a story.  Hands have always been fascinating to me, and these hands in particular are just so dear.  My Grandma's hand, obviously old, worn by years of use... and daughter G's hand, so obviously young, with her cute baby fat making pudgy lines, still learning to grasp, with years of use yet ahead.  Mine and my mom's hands somewhere in the middle between those two extremes!

These are the faces behind the hands.  It was the only time my Grandma and daughter G were able to meet face to face on this earth, and it brings back a flood of happy memories.


30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 9 - Something You Made


About two or three times a year I go to a "stamp camp" and make 20 home made cards.  I love being able to send homemade cards to people!  This lovely tin that I keep my cards in was made for me by my sister Gayle, so that is something SHE made!  But the cards inside.... I made. :)

Sunday, March 9, 2014

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 8 - Favorite Object


Okay, this is kindof a stupid one, because my very favorite objects are my Bible and my wedding ring, but those are rather obvious.  And of course even more important than that are the PEOPLE in my life, but they are not "objects", so....

I will do as my friend votemom did and just pick a thing that I like.  Actually two things.

This first picture is our computer desk.  It looks pretty messy right now because our desktop computer died and my husband is in the process of trying to fix/move files to other devices/check the damage, etc...  But this is literally an old library table, as in, it used to be in a library.  I am not sure how my grandparents acquired it (mom or dad, explanation please?), but my dad's parents had it in their home and I am told that my dad used to lay his little toddler body on the thin line of shelf that is at knee level (you can see it just see below the drawer).  By the time I was a young girl it was in my own parents' home.  People I love have done paperwork at this desk for years.  They have read their Bible, agonized and prayed over family problems, paid bills, done homework.  This desk is full of the history of my family.  I love that it is my family's turn to do life on and around this desk.  If only it could talk!


This china cabinet and hutch (we refer to it as simply "the hutch") belonged to my other grandparents, my mom's parents.  It was organized much better when my grandma had it (!) and displayed many of my grandma's pretties.  When I was in high school my grandparents moved from out of state to our town, and we got to see them much more often.  I can remember so many Sunday dinners in my grandparents' dining room, with this hutch looking on.  It just takes me right back to those days.... my Grandma's quiet grace and wisdom, my Grandpa's deep knowledge of the Bible, and sometimes fiery opinions.  So many prayers have been said in the presence of this hutch.  So many family celebrations.  Again, it is full of the history of my family. 


I know these are just things.  Just pieces of furniture.  But they are special to me because they remind me where I came from.  They remind me of my roots.  When I look at the library table and the hutch I am filled with gratitude for those who came before me, who lived faithful lives of service to the Lord. 

Saturday, March 8, 2014

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 7 - Trees


I love this!

It is from last fall, and reminds me that spring will follow winter, and summer will follow spring, and fall will follow summer.....  I am so thankful that God made four distinct seasons, and that as long as life on this earth exists the seasons will follow one another in their God-ordained pattern.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

30 Day Photo Challenge, Day 6 - From a High Angle


This is the view out my bedroom window.  It has been the same for over three months.  I really look forward to it being greener.

This is the view down our basement stairs.  It does not look inviting, this I know.  Son G's desk is at the bottom, and just around the corner is our delightful school room which I love.  The molding leaning up against the wall and the box of preschool stuff on the floor need to find better homes, and they will eventually.  Don't judge me. :)


THIS is the view from son C's top bunk!


And this one is just to prove that I actually hauled my fat hiney up to the top bunk to take a picture!  My younger two boys thought it was great fun to have me up there, and I decided I need to do it more often, but probably with shoes on so the rungs don't kill my feet.


30 Day Photo Challenge

So apparently there is a 30 day photo challenge for the month of March going around the blogosphere right now, and I have been challenged by a friend to participate.  I have never participated in something like this, but since I am often in need of some light hearted fun, I thought I'd give it a try.


Wednesday, March 5, 2014