First and Last part II

The other three are off enjoying their last day and I'm happy to say we made it! This year has been long and quick all at the same time. I'm so proud of all of them and their triumphs this school year but I am looking forward to summer adventures.

Once upon a time I used to photograph every little detail of our lives, our yard, family...everything.
But lately I just can't believe how my days just fly by with every moment full of something, everything and nothing all at the same time.
When my kids were little, 4 of them 8 and under, I would try to imagine what it would be like when 3 of them would be teenagers together.
My imaginings didn't even come close to how difficult and wonderful it is.
And so here we are and my children have taken to being our crazy life photographers/documentors.
And that's ok. In fact it's better than ok. I love it.
These photographs are some of the latest downloads from Hannah's camera.

The weather has finally warmed up and with it our flowers have blossomed and our grass dried.

MDH checked out the sprinklers and fixed the winter casualties on Saturday.

I was talking to him from the porch while he was testing the sprinklers and low and behold a rainbow appeared. Quick thinking Hannah grabbed her camera and documented it.

 Last late summer/early fall MDH planted some random tulip bulbs he liked.

I had never seen the packages and so I had no idea what he'd planted.

This spring I was surprised with tulips in sunset hues!

They are so beautiful they make me want to cry.

This little leaf doesn't know if it's a leaf or a petal so it's both.

I've never seen one like it before.

Nature is awesome!

Meet Daphne.

When we lived in Oregon our friends had a Daphne-Odora bush by their front door.

It was so fragrant and beautiful you felt like you could and should drink it up.

Then we moved into a new house that also had a Daphne-Odora right by the front door.

We promised each other when we moved that one day we'd have a Daphne-Odora by our front door again.

Last year we made that promise come true and we planted Daphne by our front door.

This spring we are enjoying that sweet-sweet fragrance again and loving it.

It is one of the best things you will ever smell! I promise.

If you don't believe me come on over and smell for your self.

I love you Daphne!

Our daffodils have been especially cheerful this year.

And last but not least, tonight's sunset was a real winner!

Frosty

A frosty February morning out our front door.

Taken by Hannah.

A frosty January morning out our back door.

Pictures taken by MDH.

My Girls

The oldest was all dressed up and I had a little time so I decided to do her Back-to-School pictures a few days early.
We ran off to the red brick wall down the street to a little photo-shoot.
Of course the little sister wanted in on the fun and I was happy to oblige.

Behind the scenes.

I thought the pictures turned out adorable.
It probably doesn't hurt that my girls are so gorgeous!

Photography Skills

Just in case you were doubting the skills around here.
Here's proof that we have some. Or Hannah does because she took the picture....

Sometimes I Pretend I'm a REAL Photographer

And just so we have this straight it's fun to play pretend.

Wouldn't it be awesome if I had the equipment and the training?

Yes, yes it would.

But in the mean time I get to pretend with my old point and shoot.

Here we have MDH's sister and brother-in-law.

Thanks for the laughs, the practice and the cookies.

If you give a girl a camera (and a tri-pod)

Not to be confused with, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie".

Although the results are very similar.

One Monday morning I wanted to get some things done on the computer.

My busy, busy, busy daughter (did I mention how nonstop this girl is?) wanted something to do.

At first she climbed on my back while I sat at the computer.

Then she tried to poke my nose.

Yes I know, she wanted attention, but believe me she gets plenty and sometimes I need to get things done.

Then she stuck her fingers in my ears and that wasn't pleasant.

But then she saw the camera!

And she wanted to know if I would take her picture.

Then I had a brilliant idea.

Camera + tripod + timer =  a distracting activity for my girl.

So I set up the tripod, showed her how to zoom and use the timer, and let her have at it.

She was in heaven.

The following pictures are from her photo shoot.

They are in the sequence in which they were taken. They have not been edited. I did however leave out duplicate pictures and a couple that made me look like a scary monster.

Enjoy!

Now just like in , If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, she thinks she needs more. Her own camera, her own cel phone (because they take pictures too), her own blog, her own computer, etc, etc, etc....

This could be a hobbie in the making.

Possibly a profession?

Who knows.