Thankful

Sometimes I have to consciously remember to be thankful. Not thankful when someone does something nice, but thankful for the small things in life. There are a lot of things in my life that I am grateful for. And I was thinking about them the other day. I love the sound of our wind chimes. They seem to relieve stress throughout the day while I am hanging out in the living room. I can hear them every time the wind blows. In an odd way it's like they connect me to nature. Even if I can't feel the wind blowing, I know it's there.








I am also thankful for stormy days. When we lived in Alaska, there weren't stormy days like there are here in Kansas. It's amazing how much one can need a thunderstorm. I guess I don't know that anyone else needs thunderstorms, but I do. Stormy days are nice, refreshing. Out with the old, stale, hot air and in with the fresh breeze, smelling earthy. And the light on stormy days is incredible.








Zac is the love of my life, my best friend. We laugh together, love the kids together, discipline together, play together, but most importantly, we talk. We talk about everything together. We bring each other back when we're getting too serious and when we're getting too crazy. He is my rock. I can cry on him when times are tough, confide in him when I need to. I love Zac with everything I have. And I appreciate everything he does for me and for our family.












Not only am I thankful for Zac, but also for time with him and the kids when we get to hang out. Drives in the truck are some of the best times we have as a family. They are peaceful and they remind me what home is. Home is our family. Not our house.








These last couple of years have been the best of my life. Having the opportunity to stay home with the kids has been wonderful. Not many adults get to play in the rain.















Not only do we get to play in the rain, but we get to have hot chocolate and marshmallows afterwards (in the middle of August.)












Days like play in the rain days and goo days are my favorites with the kids. They make life worth living. Goo just makes you smile. I made it for the kids, but found myself playing too. The smiles on their faces were just so genuine that I couldn't help myself. Who could resist doing something that makes you that happy?

















These are the things I am most thanful for. I am thankful for my 3 best friends, Zac, Maebelle and Orion and the time I get to spend with them.

A Very Peaceful Feeling

Some good friends of ours were married a couple of weeks ago at the Broadway Methodist Episcopal Church in Kansas City, MO. Zac was in the wedding, so we had to be there very early. Which was okay, because it gave me a chance to capture some of the amazing details in and around the church.












Old churches like this one have so much character. The stained glass is amazing. It was brilliant and detailed. The windows were large and bright. Colors were vibrant and smooth.
















The pictures seemed to glow. All of light that was filtered through the windows made the church seem pleasant and inviting.












There was a man there taking care of the church before the wedding began. He was a very nice man. He would pick weeds, or help with anything they needed. I caught him one time resting between weed picking excursions.
















The bell tower of the church was so tall, with stone old and worn. Yet it was nice and well kept.
















I love the feeling I get when inside an old church like this one. It's so peaceful and quiet. The colors - usually reds and yellows and the browns of all the wood - are warm and welcoming. And the long lines of the pews and the aisles are just delightful. They hold so much emotion in them, each week. And for so many years. It's amazing, really, what the pews of a church like this have seen.

CPA Picnic

Here are a few shots that I took at the CPA Picnic here in Eudora. It was a fun time for all. The kids absolutely loved it.








The first night Nana bought them bracelets that allowed them to go on as many rides as they possibly could. I wasn't there that evening, but they told me all about it and it sounded like they had a blast!








We ended up going to the CPA every night. Friday and Saturday nights there was live music. With an area set aside for dancing and lots of kids, Maebelle and Orion ran and danced and played and hugged and danced some more.








Orion got to stand inside a firetruck! Firetrucks are one of his favorites right now, and he was in heaven! There is a look that he gets when something is exciting to him. For example he gets it when he eats really good ice cream, or if he did something all by himself. That look didn't leave his face the entire time he was near the fire truck.








Then on the last night, Nana stayed with the kids so Zac and I could go back and take some photos. Spending time talking with Zac and being able to people watch and take pictures was fun and we were both thankful for the evening.








And we got to see them take down some of the rides and such. It was very interesting. The colors and lines involved with a carnival are so bright and busy. So visually pleasing.

My Grandma's Garden

I know that I did a blog similar to this on Myspace a couple of years ago. But I was at my grandma's house one day earlier in the summer with the kids and I was enjoying looking at her flowers. I missed them last year. I started taking photos and talking to her about them.












It was nice to get to talk to her about what she is passionate about. She knows so much about the flowers and can remember lots of the names, even though there are probably a thousand.












The flowers must understand that she loves them. They seem to grow so perfectly for her. Every one beautiful in it's own way. Some frilly and pretty, some smooth yet bold.












Her gardens are such a peaceful place to be. Their backyard takes me back to childhood. Running through the grass (the perfect grass), playing croquet, NOT picking the flowers. :)












There will always be a place in my heart for my grandma's garden. Her garden represents her in so many ways - so beautiful, so full of life and love.