Photo Challenge... Day 16

long exposure

friends & creepers

when i was teaching i followed two different blogs.  it was the "beginning of blog-world" for me.  a friend of mine followed the same two blogs and we would often chat about these ladies and their lives as we stood in the hallway waiting for kids in the morning, over lunch, and throughout the school day.  we often laughed when people asked who we were talking about.  it's awkward to say, "oh, this family that we've never met, blah, blah, blah."  their lives sparked conversation between the two of us that we might not have had otherwise... a strain of faith, grace, and a love for the Lord ran through both of these ladies' lives and it was something that the two of us desired as well.  i think we both found encouragement, humor, and LIFE in the midst of their writings and in the midst of our friendship... at least i know i did... i pray she did too.

now that i stay at home i have a bit more time to spend clickin' on the lives of strangers.  it's so fun to read hil-ar-ious stories about other people's kids (only because i can TOTALLY relate most of the time), be encouraged by other's victories, and pray through other's struggles.  PLUS... to be totally honest... it's fun to look at pictures, check out cute houses, and escape into another world... even if it's just for a few minutes during nap time (or, quite frankly, a few minutes while i should be doing laundry, cleaning, spending time teaching my 3 year old the alphabet).

there are a few blogs that i check often just to see if maybe they've posted recently.  i "follow" them for different reasons.  lots of them because i KNOW THEM and love them... and love reading their stuff.  some because they are stinkin' hilarious and i can't wait to read more... some because their lives model truth and are an encouragement... some because they've (& these guys too) adopted and that's close to my heart... lots because they love photography and do cute projects... and some because they have an amazing way with words... others i follow... just cause... well... cause i can.

i feel like i know lots of these ladies personally and yet... i NEVER click FOLLOW or leave a COMMENT.  i just creep on (yes creep... thank you lauren... i will forever think of myself as a creeper!) and creep off.  never even introducing myself.  i guess i just always assume that they don't care or even want to know who is reading. so... today... i'm going to leave a comment... or click follow.. and YOU should do the SAME!

if you're one of the THREE people reading my blog (mom, you don't have to leave a comment) leave a comment, say hello, click follow... let me know you're OUT THERE! :)  AND if you got HERE from someone else's blog (like on of the ladies... [kara, danielle, chelsea, rutheah, steph, amy]  doing the 30 Day Photo Challenge with me) CLICK BACK and leave a comment for them!!!  we would ALL LOVE to hear from you!

eyes... part 2

i should have waited to post my challenge for today...

these are much prettier to look at (sorry bent!)

Photo Challenge... Day 14

eyes

ol' bent doesn't get much attention these days.

crazy how things change.

Photo Challenge... Day 13

yourself with 13 things

i should have taken this picture at the pool yesterday like chelsea did. 

or on the way there... like kara.

13 things... swimming pool... PRIME opportunity.

but i didn't. 

then last night i was going to snap a picture of us at dinner (there were at least 13 things on the table, i counted).  then scott said, "don't do that, do something creative, isn't that the point?!?"

seriously... who asked him anyway?!?!

so... i didn't take a picture at dinner either.

now...

it's today.  my post is late.

AND

i still have ZERO creativity.

well... scratch that.

i have SOME creativity... 

and ZERO energy or motivation.

it's one of those days.

so...

i picked up my camera.

set the self-timer.

and parked myself in the midst of my our mess!

1&2 (boys)

3 (blocks for building... strewn ALL over the floor!)

4 (basketball) 

5 (tripod, i got it out to take a "better" picture... 

then realized the part the fastens to my camera is in scott's car, so much for that thought)

6 (jaron's bowl of cereal)

7 (pjs on end table, need to be put away!)

8 (jaron's water bottle, it's behind the basketball, you can just believe me)

9 (lamp)

10 (end table)

11 (tv remote on floor)

12 (jace's green tractor)

13 (more blocks... seriously this was HARDER than it should have been!)

and now, as i type, blocks are being THROWN across the house.  

it's time to be a big girl and face this mess!

so... my sis... started a blog... if you wanna good laugh you should check it out.  she's funny and lives a TOTALLY opposite life than i... plus... she's doing the 30 day photo challenge!

Photo Challenge... Day 12

sunset

Photo Challenge... Day 11

something blue

Photo Challenge... Day 10

a childhood memory

this is the view from my front door...

it's also a vivid childhood memory

we currently live on my grandparent's place

the place that we came for christmas and spent summer vacations

there are two houses on the property

our very close friends live in one... and we live in the other

there are also two barns, a green machinery building, 

and this... 

the "little shop"

my grandparents farmed for years

when they retired they started a small woodworking business

betty's saw n' dip

this building is where they did most of their woodworking

we spent hours and hours in this shop with my grandparents

they let us paint, cut, sand, glue, hammer, and saw just about anything we wanted

we listened to talk radio, sat on wooden stools with comfy blue and rose covered seat cushions, 

and spent time with grandma and grandpa

when it was time to sell their creations

they loaded up everything and drove from craft show to craft show

they ALWAYS came to a craft show in denver (our home)

we would get to go before the mall opened and "help" set up

we would eat at chick-fil-a and play with the fancy calculator 

(you know the kind that printed the numbers out on a roll of paper)

my grandparents don't live here anymore

and the shop is emptied of any woodworking memories

occasionally i stare around the place and think about the way things used to be

but most of the time... 

we are too busy making memories of our own

Photo Challenge... Day 9

today's challenge is to take a picture of...

someone you LOVE

easy enough...

but i have about ZERO creativity tonight

so...

here ya go!

(& yes... he does have a nice new haircut!)

Photo Challenge... Day 8

a bad habit

so... today i'm airing my dirty clean laundry

i'm not sure when this started... maybe sometime in june of 2008?

i don't know... that's just a guess.

LAUNDRY

i don't have an issue sorting, washing, moving, drying, or even folding

(although i don't really enjoy any of the above)

my issue or BAD HABIT is... PUTTING IT AWAY

i do most of my folding and sorting on our bed

i make lots of neat piles... jace's clothes, jaron's, towels, scott's t-shirts, 

stuff that needs hung up, comfy pants, socks, etc.

then... i leave it

on our bed

you know... for the right moment... 

for when i FEEL like putting it in the right drawer, closet, or on a hanger

when i get the urge... 

for some reason... most days... i NEVER get the DESIRE

so

it stays on our bed

then...

10:30 rolls around and it's time for bed

well... 

by then it's too late

so i NEATLY (yep... NEATLY) put all of the piles in a laundry basket,

PROMISE scott i will put them away TOMORROW, 

and i go to sleep!

tomorrow comes... 

i do laundry

sort and fold on our bed... 

and

well... you get the idea

10:30 rolls around and now we have TWO laundry baskets full of CLEAN FOLDED laundry

and i promise scott that TOMORROW i will put it away...

 folded clothes placed on floor last night

clothes ready to be folded

nicely organized piles of CLEAN clothes

 the goal... empty laundry basket!

 oh my!

BONUS bad habit... 

just for my mom!  

aren't you proud!

for cryin' out loud... who runs this joint anyway???

Photo Challenge... Day 7

daddy went to work all day yesterday, we quick celebrated jace's birthday with

scott's parents, and then he was off to work again (this time refereeing).

he came home around 10:30 and stayed up late assembling the boys' new kitchen.

what a guy!

it was a birthday gift from grandma and grandpa schukar. thank you!

i'm pretty sure i've already spent my monthly grocery budget on a pink frosted donut, an onion, and two muffins (i think i've checked out a dozen times today!)...

oh and i bought some fruit too!

daddy also had to go shopping the minute he came home from work today!

Photo Challenge... Day 6

from a low angle

this one was tricky for me. i'm gonna need to practice the LOW angle a bit more.

father's day

just a quick HAPPY FATHER'S day to...

my husband.

thanks...

for being the leader of our home.

for working hard to provide for us.

for enjoying the boys.

for loving me.

for making us laugh.

for the man you are.

for the DAD you are.

love you!

my dad.

thanks...

for you hardwork.

for your fun stories.

you concern for my boys.

your smile.

the way you light up when you have a gift for mom.

your service and love for our country.

for not giving up!

love you!

update... photo challenge

we are on day 5 of the photo challenge. it's been fun to check out everyone's work! we've had a couple more girlies join us.

my cousin steph joined us on day one and my friend rutheah is starting tomorrow! yippeee!!! you should check out their blogs. if you click on their names above it will take you right to their blog. don't forget to visit kara, chelsea, and danielle too. also... if you are joining us MAKE SURE you let us know... it's so fun to visit everyone's site and leave a comment or two.

*amber... wanna do it too? you could post it on facebook? or even START a blog!

**anyone else? come on. you KNOW.WHO.YOU.ARE!!! you KNOW you want to. come on! just do it!!! it'll be FUN!!! i promise!

Photo Challenge... Day 5

from a high angle

we had a little get together tonight.

we celebrated daddies and jace turning three.

there were lots of little kiddos and a picnic in the front yard.

i got as HIGH as i could... i should have climbed up on the roof.

it doesn't look crazy high...

but it was high enough.

proof of how high i was???

check out the girlie in the bottom right corner!

SHE thought i was high, and tonight...

that's all that counts!

Photo Challenge... Day 4

something GREEN

today's challenge was to photograph something green.

easy enough... there is green everywhere.

we made a quick trip to omaha this weekend.

i took a few pictures for my sister-in-law's family reunion.

the boys spent the morning painting with aunt tiff.

we ate lunch, shopped a little, had ice cream, played at the park,

and celebrated both jace and tiffany's june birthdays.

there were lots of green things around...

grass and trees, scott's shirt,

a green turtle/frog/dinosaur ride thing-y at the park,

green interstate signs, lights, and state park maps,

green, green, blah, green...

still... nothin'

on the way home i was handing back crackers, sippy cups,

tractors, books, more crackers, jaron's favorite blanket,

jace's black bear and...

jace's comfy GREEN pillow

it's GREEN!

not because his room is green

it's green because it's the match to MY comfy green pillow

scott and i splurged on these sheets when we got married

they are still the sheets we sleep on today

i LOVE them...

anyway... back to the pillow...

i'm not sure when it started

i think jace was having a hard time getting to sleep.

i told him that he could borrow my

MOST COMFY PILLOW EVER

if he thought it would help him sleep

he thought he'd give it a try and

sleeping with mom's pillow did the trick!

mom's comfy GREEN pillow

he still calls it mom's pillow

and he smiles every time he says it!

(almost like he's getting away with taking it)

he sleeps with it every night

takes it to the couch when he's sick

drags it in the car on road trips

watches cartoons on my bed with it

reads books on top of it

lays on it in the bathroom closet (on the second shelf up) while i get ready

pretty much takes it anywhere he wants to be

"COMFY"

lots of kids have special "comfort things"

a lily, a blanket, a bear, a pacifier...

jace...

has a comfy GREEN pillow

dear jace,

i've been working on this letter for an hour now. i've written about how crazy it seems that you are three, the day you were born, how much you mean to me, what a sweet little boy you are, and nothing seems to be sounding "quite" right. i'm not sure what to say. what do you tell your first born little boy who is celebrating his THIRD birthday?

i could tell you that i love you. i hope you know that. i tell you often during the day. or at least i think i do. i know i tell you when i tuck you in at night. unless it's the sixth time i've tucked you in... then it's usually, "stay in your bed, i will see you in the morning, good NIGHT!" maybe i should tell you i love you more often... i do... i do LOVE YOU!

i could tell you about the day you were born. that's a fun story. it's definitely a day i will remember for always. it was a scary day and a happy day... all tied up in one blue bundle of joy.

i could write about what we are doing for your birthday. plans have been kind of up in the air. we are going to celebrate though! i could write about how anytime we talk about your birthday you remind me that you want a big orange bike for your birthday.

(are you ready for a big bike???)

i could tell you how much you've taught me over the past three years. i'm not sure i have enough room to write about that. i pretty much thought i had this "kid" thing figured out. you know, when you have a master's degree in education you think you kinda know kids. HA! wrong. wrong. wrong. oh my... wrong!

i could tell you what a funny little boy you are. how you make me laugh each and every day. how when you run around crazy like on your tiptoes (when you think you're getting away with something) it makes me giggle. how your smile lights up my world.

(yes, this IS what it looks like. i walked into your room and you were sitting on your dresser,

in the buff, singing away. this picture is in the "pull out for high school graduation" file)

i could write about what a fun friend you are. how i love watching you play with other kids (most of the time... there are definitely moments where i want to crawl under a rock and shout, "who's kid is that and why is he SO rude?"). you are a sweetie though... and most of the time a very kind friend!

i could write about all of your loves. that you LOVE tractors, dirt, mud, basketball, your DADDY and your little brother. that you love reading stories before bed, jumping off of anything and everything, playing outside, and sweet snacks. you love hugs and tackles, doing things by yourself and being silly.

i could write about what a crazy big brother you are and how much i love watching you and jaron play. i'm sure there are times when you'd prefer that he didn't take the book you were reading or the toy you were driving BUT for the most part... you adore him and won't let us put him to bed before you give him a hug and a kiss and tell him, "your my BEST brother!". i love it!

i could write about any of those things. they just don't seem to quite say what my heart feels. i could write about all of my desires for you and all of my hopes and dreams and wants for you. i'm just not sure.

i think what i want to tell you is... how thankful i am for you. i am thankful for the person that God has created you to be. i am thankful for the fun days of being your mom and i am thankful for the hard days. i am so incredibly thankful that because i am your mommy, i want to be a better person. i am thankful that God has trusted us with you. i am thankful for the last three years of your life and i am SO looking forward to what God has in store for you.

love you to pieces jacers!

-happy THIRD birthday-

Photo Challenge... Day 3

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,

where moth and rust destroy,

and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust destroys,

and where thieves do not break in and steal;

for where your treasure is,

your heart will be also.

photo challenge... day 3 [clouds]

Photo Challenge... Day 2

so. there's this lady. i read her blog every once in awhile. she always does this "what i wore wednesday". she always looks adorable, put together, and TO.TOP.IT.OFF her finds are almost always thrift store purchases.

now, if you know me very well you know that i am not a big fan of thrift stores or garage sales. i have never had much "luck" finding super great deals and it's a lot of time and effort to put into rummaging through other people's leftovers. that doesn't mean i don't have great respect for people that do. there are a few girls in our church that are professionals at garage sale-ing. i think i need to take some lessons from them! some of our best toys my mom-in-law purchased for pennies at garage sales.

that being said... back to the lady and her blog. always super cute and always SUPER cheap. i may not be much for thrift stores but i am up for saving money and looking cute while doing it. anyway, that didn't have much to do with today's photo challenge other than it's another girl who posts her "what i wore" so... excuse my rabbit trail!

what I wore today

(in my defense... we didn't go anywhere today, i've been cleaning, it's hot out,

my husband isn't coming home today, and my kids don't care what i wear)

comfy shorts from target (3 years ago),

light weight hoodie from old navy (maybe 4 years ago?)

regular white tank (target)

totally exciting huh?!? well... at least i'm honest!

Photo Challenge... Day 1

so. here it is. day one of photo challenge. and... you guess it! i'm already slackin'. i told ya. the "actually" doing stuff is tough for me. i'm not sure what that says about my personality... but i'm pretty sure... it's not good! the fact that the challenge is to TAKE A SELF PORTRAIT might have something to do with my lack of enthusiasm.

anyway... it's 10:13. i'm just now accomplishing a few of the things on my list that should have been done MUCH earlier! one of those things is my bible study. humor me as i take a slight detour from the photo challenge... ha! and prolong the inevitable just a bit longer!

right now a friend and i are reading through lysa terkeurst's "becoming more than a good bible study girl". i've been slacking on that too. we started the first week in june. i'm a little behind. but. i'm doing it and hopefully... will start to do it on a more regular basis! tonight when i was reading she was talking about that VERY thing... our daily time with God. she writes, "a daily battle is being fought for our attention and our devotion. satan would love nothing more than to keep us seperated from the power God gives us during our time with Him. it's time to stop feeling GUILTY and ILL-EQUIPPED and start embracing the incredible privilege to meet with Jesus every day. remember, devotions don't have to be perfect to be powerful, and effective. Jesus just wants a willing soul to come to Him..."

what a good reminder that we don't have to be in the perfect spot, at the perfect time, in the perfect mood to meet Jesus. he takes us JUST.AS.WE.ARE... tired, cranky, stressed, hurt, depressed, and messy. i'm have to admit that i spent more time this evening trying to figure out the perfect "self-portriat" (how to focus, where to set the camera, how not to cut my head off, where to take it, how to smile, and blah, blah, blah) then i actually did on my bible study. i was more worried about "appearing" put together than actually just BEING.

so... with that said... you ARE getting a self-portriat. BUT... it's not perfect. it's tired, a little cranky, slightly stressed, kinda sad and well... a messy me. goodness. that sounds depressing... betchur SUPER excited to see the picts now... ha! hopefully i meet tomorrow's challenge with a little more zest! enjoy!

on a fun sidenote... some very special girlies (kara, danielle, and chelsea) are doing this challenge too! you should hop over and check them out... they're all adorable!

30 Day Photography Challenge

I ran across this 30 Day Photography Challenge while browsing on *Pinterest.

*side note on pinterest... um... i LOVE it! you should definitely check it out... if you want an invitation you can either sign up on-line and wait a couple of days until they send you one OR you can email me and i'll send you one!

Anyway, back to the challenge. I re-pinned it from a friend and didn't think much about it.

Then another friend of mine said we should DO this!

Ha!

There's a concept. Look at something. Think, "Oh that looks like fun." AND THEN...

here's the tricky part...

actually do it!

I'm not so good at the actual DOING part (i.e. the once a season blog posts, constant struggle with my quiet times, 3 baskets of laundry to put away, and running a 5k).

So... we are going to do it! If you want to join (you know WHO you are!)... it might be kinda fun!

Oh... and we are starting TOMORROW (the actual one started June 1... oops)!

Happy shooting!