stuff I want my kids to know: your life is a gift

Kids,

Sometimes I watch your from afar and I am overwhelmed with love for you. I pray that you come to know just how much your life is a gift, stretched out before you with endless possibilities. Imagine yourself as an explorer, embarking on a journey. Only you can make the choices to abundantly live, or squander away, your life as you make your way through the mountains and valleys.

Whether it be in the public eye or in the quiet of your own private struggle, with God's help, you are capable of accomplishing any goal, or working through any obstacle. And you are strong enough to bear any cross. (For there will be crosses to bear.) With him, you possess more strength than you know.

So in good times, climb that rock and stand with the Light on your face and thankfully count your blessings, for there will be many. A thankful heart will always keep your heart in tune.

In difficult times, climb that rock and stand with the Light on your face, humbly take up your sword and shield and set your heart and mind to the truth that you are a warrior. A good warrior who is deeply loved by a sappy mama and a good God.

Mom
xoxo

(My Picture Inspiration theme this week was to capture "exploration". Couldn't help but capture this little explorer with his shield and sword, looking out over the valley below him.)

stuff I want my kids to know: don't settle for the monsters everyone else is making

Kids,

I know it may not be the easiest path but...

Don't settle for the monsters everyone else is making.
Explore the reaches of your own creativity.
Push yourself to create rather than copy. Innovate rather than mimic.

"Gelatin Monsters" are waaaaaay cooler than the standard martians because you thought them up and chalked them into existence.

I can speak from experience as to how frustrating it can be when you take the longer path of exploration, when you bump up against the limits of your present self. But if your set your mind to the work you will be rewarded with the discovery that you are far more more capable and gifted than you first believed.
 
Do not settle for the false satisfaction that imitating will feed you.  

Do not settle for the monsters everyone else is making.

xoxo
Mom

stuff I want my kids to know: you are already cool.

Kids,

I know I am just your mother, much older than you, and soon to be totally unable to relate to your life, but I just wanted you to have a very important little nugget of truth that will help you get through these next few years.

Here it is:

While you struggle with trying to "fit in", wondering just how far you need to go to be "cool" in the eyes of those who define "cool" (whomever that may be), please know that cool is what you make it because you already are, and forever will be, cool.

I know this is a very parental thing to ask but, who makes the "cool rules" anyway?

In my forty-two years of living I have not found that person outside of myself and I am pretty sure you will not either.

You = cool. Period.

Mom
xoxo

stuff I want my kids to know: don't be afraid to wear your Big Birds

 

 

Kids,

Son, if you really want to know how to attract the ladies then take a cue from your little pal above, and then listen to your mama.

What we're both tryin' to say is: do not be afraid to wear your Big Birds. *

I know this sounds funny, but your underoos really do have secret powers (sort of). Batman and Robin knew this, and most super heroes would also agree. You see, on their own, the Big Birds do not have the secret powers until you have the confidence to put them on. The magic happens when you decide to wear them regardless of what you believe the girl might think. It's all in how you carry yourself. And how you carry yourself is directly linked to how you value yourself. (Which I hope you know, of course, how valuable you are.)

Before you get too embarrassed, please know that I am not at all trying to sound suggestive. I am simply stating a fact, that there is nothing more attractive to a woman (well, at least this woman) than a man who carries a humble, quiet confidence in his approach to life (and his wardrobe). There is an indistinguishable, attractively good power that a man can possess when he is able to carry himself with a spirit of humility and a calm belief in himself. In other words, a man who does not need to prove himself by telling you he is wearing his expensive, flashy Big Birds.

And Bean, if you ever meet a man that needs to prove himself to you via outlandish displays of money, accomplishments, expensive clothes...who likes to fluff his feathers..who is unable to wear humility with honor...who scoffs at the man who wears Big Birds...then turn around and run for your life. He is not yet worthy of you.

Understood?

Okay, to sum it all up:

Son, if you have Big Birds and you love them, wear them with quiet confidence. You will possess an attractive confidence that will drip with magic.

Bean, if you meet a man that needs to show off his Big Birds, or laughs at the man who would dare to wear them--walk away. He needs more time to grow into a man.

Mom
xoxo

p.s. A real man also knows when to keep his pants on.

*Note I did not say, wear your Big Birds, I am just sayin' that you should not be afraid to wear your Big Birds. And when I say "attract the ladies" I am jesting. I know that embarrasses you, it's just that I cannot help but saying it when I look at these photos. :) 

summer love: a blue sky and a pink hat

Just a little bit of our day yesterday.
Yes, it was this beautiful.
It was a day to wear your pink hat just to celebrate all that blue.

Happy Summer Love Friday.
T

the first and last

This is for my sweet J...

She asked, and then shot down every excuse I gave her.

I said I would think about it for awhile because I swore I would never say yes to a wedding.

So, after I awhile I said yes. I said yes because I love her, I wanted to support her in this new chapter, and she swore the wedding would be small.

The day was perfect, the light beautiful, the bride relaxed, the gathering indeed small, the kids adorable (more of them later), and my nerves...well...they did pretty well. Except that I could not sleep that night because I kept taking pictures in my head, hearing the click of the shutter.

I know it's always good to say never say never, so I will allow myself room to change my mind, but this was my first and last wedding. I loved capturing the story of the day and the in between moments, but I have no need to step into this realm of photography. I have many friends who do this for a living and I would humbly and happily be a second shooter, to be the invisible spectator to the blessed event.

So J...these photographs are for you girl. They are just a few of the first I have edited. Just 999 more to go!

Love you.

t

moody

My Picture Inspiration assignment was to capture "moody".

We could take it in any "mood" direction we wanted, but we were to pay attention to light and composition in a way that would evoke a mooooood.

Hmmm...I might have added an extra dimension by literally capturing "mood". I didn't set out to do this, it just kinda of evolved.

Extra credit?


(And yes, I did make up that word "attitude-y".)

a berry good time

At the berry picking farm you first must weigh your empty berry basket, after which the farm worker takes a piece of masking tape and marks the bottom of the basket so that when you return with your load the worker can subtract that amount from the total berry weigh-in.

I joked with Bean that we needed to weigh her before we began picking, mark her bottom with a little piece of masking tape, and then sit her on the scale when we returned to weigh her berries. It was an act of great will for her to not munch her way through the berry patch.

We found a life-sized strawberry ripe for pickin'....

Adding to the stash...

"One for my basket, and one for me."

Gotta wear the appropriate shoes...

This is the apple orchard you can pick apples in during the fall. 

The light in there was so beautiful I was crying for a chance take my camera in there.

Waiting to be weighed...carried to the car. Officially hers to eat as she pleases.

This is the fourth year we have kicked off our summer with berry picking and every year my son
is Mr. Intense about it. He is the master berry picker and makes sure we have enough for cobblers and pies. Can I tell you that in just the last four days I have eaten so many berries that Bean and I have a rash? Happens every summer and then our bodies adjust.

Here is the berry pickin' gang. Note the child second from the right. She's mine.

I love summer simply for the fruit it brings. Don't you agree?