guestpost and dessert

Guestposting about this today over here!

my lovely friend.

This is Shelby, my amazing friend.  

We like to laugh.  A lot.  And we like to take pictures. 

On Friday, we had a little photoshoot that wasn't in any way professional, but was tons of fun.  We only got a few decent photos, but that was all part of it.  You see, we talked to each other during our little shoot, and ended up with some gorgeous photos of ourselves, like this:

Yes, this is me.  I can't believe I just posted this.

Shelby and I have been friends for almost three years.  Not as long as some, but long enough for us to become like sisters.

And for each other's siblings to become like our own.

Isn't she beautiful?!

She and I laugh a lot.  Did I say that already?  That's probably why we were up way too late on Friday night! 

Shelby, I could write some sappy thing about us, but you already know how much I love you.  :)

The end.

What do you think?

outtakes

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Hyper children + a tendency to not listen = photos like this.  When one smiled nicely like I asked, the other thought it would be hilarious to make a silly face.  Hence these photos.
I love these kids!
All SOOC

food loves

Food photography.  Love it.  It's a wonderful excuse to make things that may or may not be healthy for me.  And it's a new challenge - finding the right light, setting the scene.  It's all part of the fun...  What are you loving right now?

p.s.  Thank you all for your sweet comments on my last post!  You really encouraged me!

i'll never stop doing it.

i've been worrying too much about followers and comments and pageviews.  i never used to care, but lately, i've been watching my follower count closely, and wishing for more of them.  today, i asked myself why.  why am i worrying over trivial things like this?  why am i sad when i only get two or three comments on a post?  truthfully, i don't even know.  but what i do know is this:  i'm going to stop.  i'm not going to stop blogging, because i don't think i could do that.  blogging has been an amazing outlet for me to share my photography, and a comfortable place for me to write.  no.  i'm going to continue, no matter how many followers i have, no matter how many comments i get.  i'm reminding myself that it's not the comments that count, and all that stuff.  i've been truly blessed to share my thoughts with you, share my photos with you.  so i thank you for that!  even if there were only five people reading my blog, i would still write and photograph.  but, there's 167 of you.  and that's a pretty big number.  and...i wish i knew you all.  so, i'm still going to write for you, and i'm still going to photograph for you.  i don't think i'll ever stop doing that.

i heart faces | pets

friday favorites - end of summer happiness

buckeyes.

They sit quietly on my shelf, waiting.

Waiting for the right time to begin their journey.

Slowly, so slowly you don't even realize it, they begin to open.

And remind us of new beginnings.

pizza.

Not necessarily considered a beautiful food,

but it can still look yummy when you take pictures of it.

In amazing window light.

this girl.

Who still loves to cuddle, still lays her head on my shoulder.

Please, baby girl, don't ever grow up.

early morning light.

The mornings are my favorite time of day,

when the sun is just beginning its daily trek across the sky.

It's rays pour through only a select number of windows

so it can come and dance on the hardwood floors.

mason jars.

They make perfect subjects, sitting still for as long as I need them to.

And - unlike my siblings - you don't complain when I've made you pose for too long.

For that, I thank you!

my mom's camera phone.

Which takes amazing pictures.

Of the sunglasses that I loved but didn't buy at Target.

flowers.

I could spend hours take pictures of flowers.

And I'm a poet and didn't know it.

the art of tubing

Oh for a telephoto lens to capture these moments a little bit better!  

//

There's a way to tube...and then, there's a way to tube.  If you're brave, you'll let my dad take you tubing, and you'll have the time of your life!  :)  But first, here are the rules:

1.  Start relaxed.  Stretch a little bit and talk to each other.  It's always good to not pay attention to the driver.

2.  You can do this too - if you're cool like that.

3.  Always stop and admire the clouds that look significantly like popcorn.

4.  Don't be a meanie-head and spray your little brother.  He's only six for goodness sake.

5.  Oh, and maybe it would be good if you tried not to pound him with your tube.  People can get hurt.

6.  Please, oh please, try to hold on!

7.  When you're about to fall off...

8.  ...it's best to just let go!

p.s. It's my wonderful friend Shelby's birthday today!  Go wish her a happy birthday!  :)

musings of miscellany

School starts soon.  Actually, it starts in six four days.  I'm excited, but also a bit sad.  I'm ready to learn new things and have a schedule again, but I would love to have justa few more weeks of these wonderful summer days.

The weather has been glorious. Finally, the skies opened up - just for a short while - and watered the desperate ground. Since that rain, the temps have dropped from ninety to a welcomed seventy five. It feels like spring again - in the middle of August. The windows have been open, and the air smells fresh. 

I know - I've been gone for a while.  My family spent the weekend at the lake (internet-free!) with some of our wonderful friends (and my best friend)!  It was a perfect ending to a great summer.  There was good food, swimming and tubing, a few scrapes and bruises, and lots of laughs.  We spent Friday night sitting around the campfire, reminiscing about our childhood and the crazy things we did, and dreamed of what we want to be "when we grow up"/

I admit that I've complained about how boring the summer has been.  When I started to answer every "What are you doing today?" with " I really don't know", I got a little scared!  But now I realize that those were the best days.  No school work to worry about, no stress over deadlines, and zero things on the calendar.  Those were our summer days in one sentence.

This week, I'm pulling out the binders and dividers and organizing them to my heart's content.  I'm packing the pens into my pencil case and and somehow, I'll find a way to fit everything into my backpack.  I am homeschooled, but this year is a little different.  Two days at my co-op with old and new friends.  To say the least, I'm excited.

This summer went quickly, don't you think?

So, lovely friends, how are you spending your last days and/or weeks before school begins?

the weekend

the weekend:

-didn't have my camera the entire weekend

-got numerous scrapes and bruises from tubing

-i tubed --- a lot

-i laughed --- a lot

-made rainbow cupcakes --- yum

-watched soul surfer--- loved

-cleaned --- it never ends

-watched food network star --- we're addicted!

so, what did you do this weekend?

-

some updates...

A few updates for you lovelies...

a new blog button.  You can find my new blog button on the sidebar!


sponsor page.  Yep.  I finally caved.  I've set up a sponsor page.  Check it out!

a month of posts.  Do you follow my blog for girls, Sealed for Redemption?  Well, in my opinion, you need to!  :)  Anyway, I am doing a month of posts on a range of topics.  You can click on the button below.



Well, that's it!  Let me know if you put the button on your blog, and be sure to email me if you are interested in sponsoring!

p.s. Guestposted here today.