Spring Break favorites: Day 1

For Spring Break this year, we had a semi-staycation that also included a trip to my grandparents' farm that's about an hour away.  It was COLD most of the week, so I was glad we chose to stick close to home instead of heading to the lake or the beach.  Here's a quick review.

Day 1: We had a play date with a big group from church at a super huge playground that has a 3-story slide, although the kids played on the merry-go-round almost the entire time. Then it was a treat to get Sonic since we don't have one anywhere near our house and we miss the times when we used to get slushies in Chattanooga. So it was a fun treat to eat at Sonic. Then we headed to Bass Pro where I thought we'd JUST go to see the fish. WRONG. We ended up spending almost 2 hours there looking at the animals, live and stuffed, practicing our shooting skills at the shooting range, and then after  checking out the boats and ATVs we got some ice cream. Yes, slushies and ice cream all in one day. I didn't realize it until it was too late. But those ice cream pics are some of my favorite from the week.  The last event on Day 1 was a softball game out in Trussville. I don't have pics of it because I was coaching.
  

Oh, and I forgot to mention that SK has a big band-aid over her eye because she fell on the playground at school 30 min. before school let out for Spring Break resulting in 6 stitches and a good story to tell.

Be back with Day 2 tomorrow!

Sister Sister

Earlier this summer I caught my girls hanging out in the shade of some bushes eating apples. They were just talking, sharing secrets, and enjoying each other's company. Moments like these are somewhat rare but so precious.

Over the next few days I hope to post some of my favorite pics from our summer in an attempt to resurrect the ol' blog. This is mainly for my own personal enjoyment since I've really been working on improving my photography. And even though Karen really encourages us to capture our everyday selves, I still really enjoy portraits.  BUT I'm attempting to do better about the everyday stuff too. And I like a good challenge.

Here are some that I took yesterday, all within about a 10 min. frame of time.

Blanket tent

So this is how I found the kids watching TV the other day.  This used to be a familiar scene before the girls went to school, but it MAY have been McClain's first one. And he loved it. So of course in an effort to capture more "everyday us" shots, I pulled out the camera. I asked them to peek out, and this is what I got. Love it!

  

 

And yes, the wall of boxes is still there. But that's not the point. Practicing with the camera, capturing who we are IS the point, which is why I'm posting.

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Practice

Lately I've been doing a lot of practicing with my camera. I've been pulling it out for the littlest of things trying to capture a taste of what it's like around here everyday. I love that Karen's class is forcing me to do it. I'm learning so so much! Here's few I got last week while working on composition. (These are SOOC like Karen encourages us to do. Hopefully I'll have time to go back later and edit them just a bit.)

These first few were for our Week 1 assignment:

(camera tilt) 

(non-camera tilt) 

 

(trying to creatively "frame" using my azalea bushes) 

 

(eye-level shot) 

And then I looked around and tried to find what Sarah Kate was doing. She was playing on her Princess computer and I ended up getting this series from her. (using the leading line of the sidewalk edge.)

 (She spotted me.)

(All giggles. And right as I shot this McClain walked into the frame with the bucket of chalk. 

We're going to call that more creative framing. Ha! I still love her little expression though. 

Finally a NATURAL one of her.)

Again, these are SOOC (straight-out-of-the-camera, for those of you who don't speak photography) so they're not edited in any way. Just being in the class for 3 weeks now has made me realize how hard it can be to get a technically "good" photograph while trying to capture 3 busy, semi-cooperative little beings.

But it's been SO fun! I'm a sponge soaking it all up, and I have to say, it's brought me a lot of joy where there really hasn't been these last few months. This class has been a big bright spot for me and something I look forward to every day. I'm very blessed to be taking the class and so far I'd highly recommend it to anyone interested in bettering their photography skills.

Thank you, Lord, for the little things, the passions you plant in our hearts and then let us explore. What a gift!

Sarah Kate scoots

While practicing and working on some of my photography assignments I caught these of Sarah Kate. She's pretty stinkin' cute, don'tcha think?  I certainly do!

And she LOVES to be on some sort of wheels whether it's her scooter or her bicycle. ( I love that in this shot McClain is trailing behind her pushing his car. They'd do this ALL afternoon if I'd let them.)

I had no idea she'd love it so much, especially the girl who self-proclaims that she "doesn't like to sweat". At age 6. Yeah. If I've said it once, I've said it a 1000 times. She's our girly girl for sure. (Even with her tongue sticking out in concentration.)

 

But I never said she doesn't like to pose. Ta Da!!

**Warning Proud Mama Moment**

Please excuse the following gushing over my child, I'm one extremely proud mama right now....

 

 

It's that time of year again. One of my most favorites. Last weekend we spent the entire weekend at the ballpark. And while I'm sure that will soon get old (fast) right now I'm just so proud of my girl I have to share.

 My girl, MY GIRL, proved to be a big hitter last weekend. She hit 3 homeruns, one of which was a grand slam, and 3 doubles over the course of 3 games. The third game she was playing for another team who needed a sub to play with them (so it's an honor to be asked). 

So to see her excel at something, I mean REALLY do well at, I just couldn't be prouder. Of course it doesn't hurt that it's the game that I love, a love passed down to me from Dad, and now to Caroline too. But just to see her big smile as she touches home plate...I'm one proud mama. I love that this is something we can do and memories we can share TOGETHER.