Photo Challenge, Day 5 and 6

Day 6:

Low Angle

Assuming this is close to what Jonah sees daily.  

Although he does a lot of looking up too.  But these are from his domain.

 Why is it that little feet are so stinking adorable??  I just love them!

There are always a pile of books and toys on the floor.  

Yep - more little feet!

Day 5:

High Angle

This one was hard to do.  So I ended up looking out my bathroom window, and this is what I saw.

Bonfire

Somehow this post got missed and saved instead of published.  oops.

Tonight, we decided to make a bonfire with all the sticks we've been collecting over the summer.  Last year Jeff replaced the fountain in the back with a wonderful fire pit.  Tonight's dinner - roasted hotdogs and smores!!  Woo Hoo!!!  I love fall!  Jeff was watching the UT game tonight and eating chili, so us girls had a night outside (and Jonah joined us too).  

Haley and Caitlin having some sweet sister time!  They were having so much fun.

How incredible is this?  YUM!

Woops - we let a little marshmallow spill on the bricks

She really enjoyed that s'more

Jeff came out for a while to enjoy the big fire

Well, looky here.  ... Someone gave Jonah a chunk of their chocolate bar.  He LOVED it!!!  I tried giving him dinner after this - he'd have NO sweet potatoes.  "More chocolate, please!"

Love me a fall bonfire!!!!

Photo Challenge: Day 4

Day 4

Something Green

I decided to go around the house to see what green things I could find. 
I thought it would be hard, but apparently I like green.

Haley, my favorite 7 year old, in green pj's and in our green kitchen.

The moss on our front rocks.

Some of the lst green leaves falling to the dead ones.

My favorite 2 year old.

My favorite coffee mug 

Jeff's cigar and football watching chair.
*Note:  this chair is NOT my favorite, more of the opposite, but my favorite person likes this chair, and he uses it very often.  So it reminds me of him.

Photo Challenge: Day 3

Day 3

Clouds.

Today was a overcast day, specs of sun, but mostly grey clouds.  Perfect day for a picture?  The clouds near me were almost too faint.  Hard to get a good picture of them.  My first try was out the front porch, but we have tons of trees, so you could just see light grey.  

Then out the back, still, just grey.

Finally I drove down the street and found some with a little color difference.

Mexico Continued

Sooo happy to be in Mexico!

Out our balcony.   Warm sunshine, a beautiful day!

Headed out to town to walk around.

 

We did lots of reading by the pool and beach.

And lots of walking on the beach

Taking a break for some lunch

Jeff enjoyed a few cigars.

Cooking

Recently, Jeff and I have been talking about trying to cook through a cookbook.  BUT - I am super picky.  Jeff loves foods with complexity.  I like simplicity. 

So how do I cook through a book that I don't like most of the food in?  Well, I finally got a cookbook I think will be good.  The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond.

My mom sent me "The Pioneer Woman Cooks" - very down to earth normal kind of food.  My kind of cooking.  So here I am, first meal from her:

Chicken Fried Steak and Mashed Potatoes

Cubed Steak - double battered 

Off to the oil.  They got cooked and almost burned, but still didn't seem crispy enough.  Not sure why.

Potatoes: Yukon Gold ones - then added cream cheese - never would have thought that.
 I over cooked them a bit at the end. 

I added some green beans.

Overall, a good meal.  I'll do this one again.

Photo Challenge: Day 2

Day 2

What I was wearing

Photo Challenge: Day 1

Day 1: Self Portrait

Not sure if there are specific rules, but I did take this picture on the timer, and I AM in it.

Mexico

Jeff and I just got back from a 5 day incredible vacation to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.  After having our third child last spring, we both knew we were going to need a good break.  So we started planning.  Goal: Warm weather, sunny beach, no worries.  We began counting down.  Almost 7 months in the making - October rolls around, and finally reality is coming into view - we were about to head out for a trip alone for 5 whole days.  So thankful God took some bad weather away right before we were to get there and held it off til we left!! 
The leaving day came - off to drop off kiddos.  The two babies went with my sister (who already has 5 kids of her own) and our oldest went with her Papa Jan.  All kids had a great time as far as we know!  Thank you so much Jan, Dabney and Robbie for making it possible for us to take a much needed vacation!
Since our flight was such an early flight, I had this grand idea - we could drop off kids, go to a late  movie, have a late Waffle House date, then go crash at the air port til they called us to board.  Kids off, good movie, great waffles, then we get to the airport only to find they actually shut everything down at some point in the night.  We couldn't even use the kiosk to go on and check in.  So we waited, and waited, and waited. Fianlly 4 AM came, and we headed over to stand in line to wait for the employees to get there - 30 minutes later - we had our tickets in hand and were off to start our vacation!

The good thing about leaving so early in the morning, was we got to Mexico before lunch! We still had so much of the day to enjoy! 

Look what we walked in to?  Beautiful, huh?



After dropping off our stuff in the room - we were off to the beach!



30 Day Photography Challenge

Years ago - I LOVED taking pictures.  Life has gotten in the way, and I simply don't take many pictures anymore.  I saw a friend of mine doing this 30 Day Photography Challenge, so I thought I'd give it a shot.  I think it'll be fun.  Who knows?  I can do anything for 30 days, right?  I may just do it on the weekdays, but we'll see. 

Family Pictures - Fall 2011

A dear friend of mine from elementary school (http://www.thegraceimages.blogspot.com/) has become an incredible photographer! We were in Nashville a few weeks ago, and had her take our family pictures. Thanks Amy!!

My wonderful family

Our 3 incredible Blessings - All different and yet so similar!

How can this face not just make you smile?

Haley is getting so old.  This is probably the best picture I have seen of her in a while - such a good natural smile!

How can I pass up the little feet shot??  I LOVE little feet!!



This captures Caitlin's personality so well!



I love that after 10 years - he still makes me smile like this all the time, and I feel like it on the inside!  I love this man!!!