Our 27th Week ~ 2014

It is hard to believe the year is half over already!  We had a great end to June and beginning to July!  Relaxing and playing and learning and reading.  Of course there is always some whining and bickering and fighting thrown in for good measure.  We are only human, after all.  :)  But, I have to say, for the most part, the kids are getting along well this summer.

Continuing with Fat Mum Slim's Photo a Day challenge, here are my photos for last week ...

{June 29: Delight}

Obviously this was taken while on vacation.  I was having a hard time coming up with a "delight" photo and this verse kept coming to mind, so there ya go.  :)

{June 30: The end}

Staring down the wrong end of the barrel.  :)  Nick was excited to help me with this prompt.  And, don't worry, all safety precautions were taken in the creation of this photo. Except for the whole pointing a gun at me thing.  :)

{July 1: Red + White}

Keira doesn't usually wear red lipstick and she's not this pale (I lightened her up a bit in PSE) but she agreed to help me make this idea come to life.

Oh, and I have challenged myself further for July ... I am trying to include at least one family member in each prompt.  Even if it is just a finger or toe.  :)  Wish me luck!

{July 2: Something beginning with K}

King.  Too bad I don't know how to play chess.  :)  Doug does though, so this is something he does with the kids.

{July 3: Match}

Or in this case {mis} match {ed}.  :)  (These are my feet, by the way).

{July 4: Stars}

Keira and I had fun with sparklers in the back yard.  And then we watched our neighbors set off fireworks.  They were LOUD!  :)

{July 5: On the table}

My cousin had this old typewriter that she wanted to find a home for.  I knew my kids would love it (and they do) so she dropped it off on Thursday.  It has been sitting on our dining room table ever since.  The kids are having a blast messing with it!

And just for fun, here are a few fireworks photos from the show we watched Saturday night.  A friend invited us to the home of the person who hosts the show every year, so we had front row seats.  It was cool!  (No electrical wires in the way this year).  :)
  

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great week!

Linking with Tamar.  
(can't grab the button today for some reason)  :/

Tweet

Our 26th Week ~ 2014

Twenty sixth week?!  That means we are half way through the year!  Yikes!  Time to look over that list of goals and see if I have met any or if I need to recommit.  :)  Anyone with me?

Last week was a tough one.  I think the week after vacation is normally that way, right?  Trying to get caught up on sleep while getting back to some sort of normalcy.  But there isn't much "normal" about life these days.  Boring sometimes, maybe.  But not normal.  :)

We did some exploring, hiking, swimming, and biking last week.  Doug and I had an impromptu date on Saturday afternoon.  After a morning bike ride, we went out to lunch (and took in all those calories we just burned off - and probably then some) and did a little shopping.  It was a much-needed fun break.

Continuing with Fat Mum Slim's Photo a Day challenge for June, here are last week's photos ...

{June 22: Growing}

These lilies are growing on our hillside like they do every summer.

{June 23: In this moment}

Watching Alex reaching his toes toward the sky with not a care in the world.  Except to swing higher than his brother.  :)  That's what I was doing in this moment.

{June 24: What June looks like}

We didn't spend a lot of time in the pool this month, but we are planning for more pool time this summer.  The kids loved swimming in the pool at the condo where we stayed in Virginia, which is where I took this picture of Nick thanks to my husband's handy little waterproof camera.

{June 25: Sun flare}

I originally shared this photo of Keira on the beach since on June 25 it was quite rainy and I didn't think there was any chance of seeing the sun in order to take a new picture.  (Wow, that was a really long sentence!)  :)  However, just before sunset, the sun decided to show itself and I hurried out to capture some sun flare photos.  This is what I came back with ...

{June 26: Dreaming}

A cute little fox at the Virginia Zoo.

{June 27: Loving}

There is none more loving than our Heavenly Father.

{June 28: Bed}

Inspired by a photo I saw on Flickr, Keira helped me with this "bed of roses" photo.

Linking with Tamar.


Before you go, I have a giveaway happening over on my Facebook page, Kimberly Vensel Photography.  Perhaps you'd like to go check it out.

Have a great week!

Tweet

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  ~ Psalm 19:1

We have had some really pretty sunsets lately.

And some not-quite-as-pretty ones.

But the thing I love about each one ...

is the fact that the sun was shining.  

Here's to many more beautiful sunsets!

Linking with:

      
NC Sue and Share the Joy

Tweet

Project 52 - Week 26 - Lightning!

After several weeks of little to no rain, we have been getting more than our fair share this past week or so.  Lots of thunderstorms.  And lightning!  The kids and I are getting a little antsy.  Hoping for nicer weather soon!

Saturday evening I spent some time trying to capture the lightning.  I stood on my porch, poised and ready.  Capturing lightning requires a great deal of time and patience.  And super fast reflexes.  I had many unsuccessful shots.  And then ...

I got it!  It isn't spectacular, but I still got it!

Funny story ... this was actually captured from safely inside my house ... out an upstairs window.  Because just before this, the loudest combination of lightning and thunder happened that scared the stuffins out of me and sent me running for the hills. Or at least inside the house.  :)  That was too close for me!

This morning is just rain.  Lots and lots of rain.  Looks like a good day to read a book.  If only ...  :)

     

Tweet

Coneflower

Consider how the wild flowers grow.

They do not labor or spin.

Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor

was dressed like one of these.  ~ Luke 12:17 NIV

Photo of the Day - October 20 - ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/100s, 18-105mm lens on Nikon D40

Back in the spring when I ordered my butterfly bushes, I also ordered a coneflower plant.  As soon as it arrived, I placed it into my flower bed excited for it to bloom.  I checked on it occasionally, weeded around it, but didn't really see any activity.  Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed and considered requesting a refund. 

Then, at the beginning of October, when most of my other flowers were dead or dying, it showed signs of life.  I decided to photograph its progress, so every few days I snapped a photo.  I'm sure it won't last long as frost is certain to come soon, but I'm glad it decided to bloom.  Better late than never, right?

Tweet