Day 210

Memories of Days Gone By.. are right in our backyard. Here's the sandbox right beside the pool. Every once in a while, my youngest and her friends will play (or have a mud pit style moment). But other than that, it's only friends with little ones, or the toys hang out and we look over and have flashbacks of the now teens playing with the Tonka trucks and Fisher Price little people as kids. Where does that time go?

Day 210

ISO 200, 1/2500, f/2.2, 50 mm

(muted colors)

Day 204

Thanks to a kind father on the team, he made this score board for all of us. Who said that moms don't know what's going on? Very cool. Loved this!

Day 204

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/500, 75 mm

Day 196

Another gorgeous sky tonight! Love the blues, but don't love the power lines so much. So, I cropped that out. :) 

Day 196

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/6, 135 mm

Day 189

This is my new screensaver. I liked the star inside the flower. So summery and patriotic for July! :) 

Day 189

ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/2000, 50 mm

Day 182

More midwest storms! This photo didn't do it justice. It's brutal to be stuck in between houses with powerlines everywhere. No hill to stand on, no mountain top to get the entire horizon. Sigh. 

Today is a bittersweet day. We are excited to send our daughter our to Uganda for a 2 week missions trip. She flies out tonight! She has never flown out of the country before, but is excited at the new opportunity to serve and see new places! I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous. It is a dream of mine to go to Africa! We got her a huge memory card, an older digital camera is all we could find (after she lost her newer one), and she's off! She's very creative, so I cannot wait to see what she brings home!

The skies are lovely, they look like cotton candy swirling around. I wish I'd had my camera settings done correctly! NOTE TO SELF! Too high of ISO from the night photos I took before. Oh well! What a newb. ;)

Day 182

ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/2000, 35 mm

Day 175

Look who was outside my window! He was fast, though. Every time my camera clicked, I'd look and he was in a different spot and turned around all together. This is our state bird, the Northern Cardinal. They are a lot of fun to see, and seem to like our backyard. I wish I could find their nests. They are a lot better at hiding them than the little guys on our satellite dish and motion lights! 

Day 175

ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/320, 230 mm

Day 168

New roses in front! I do not have the greatest collection of flowers, but every once in a while the several times over transplanted bushes throw out some beautiful roses!

Day 168

ISO 200, f/1.8, 1/1250, 50 mm

Day 161

Summer is here for us!! This picture means the pool is open, kids are having their friends over, and it time to unwind! (or wind up in some cases) I just needed this in my collection because this is how I spend a lot of my time. Replenishing the basket of towels outside... it's okay. It means we're all enjoying the outdoors again!

 Day 161 

Settings:

ISO 800, f/2.5, 1/100, 50 mm

(evening)

Day 154

I didn't get out much today by way of pictures, but I was thrilled to be headed back to the baseball fields where we found the bullfrogs nearby. Bottom line? We were late, the sun had gone down, and I was scrambling for my photo. So, what did I do? I remembered back to my weekend workshop where we pushed that ISO and got great photos! So I pushed it, and got that slivery moon. Yay for understanding so much more! 

Day 154

Settings:
ISO 800, f/7.1, ss 1/15, 85 mm

Day 147

Friday I was running around trying to get stuff ready for my all weekend photography workshop! I will tell you more in another post. So I was taking my son to baseball practice, I spotted all this chain linked fence wrapped around some junk. It was rusty, had some character, and I just liked it. It was interesting to me, so this is really all I got on Friday! 

Day 147

Settings:
ISO 400, f/2.5, ss 1/500, 500

Day 140

I love Dandelions. I love the beginning where they are bright and yellow, and the end when they turn to seed. Why are they a part of such a wispy, fun tale that's waiting to be told? I just adore everyone's photos of them. I definitely wanted some for my collection and my 365. I wanted the huge, towering ones everyone else seems to find, but living in the city, "all grass must be cut!" They are hard to find! 

Day 140

Settings:
ISO 200, f/1.8, ss 1/1600, 50 mm
added a scratched texture for fun

Day 133

What a weird night last night! My son's team (after my daughter's last game of the season) had an 8:30 game (school night, mind you!). 

We pulled in as the black clouds were rolling in. They were calling for t-storms and they were definitely showing up! Just as we started warming up on the field, beautiful lightening was beyond the outfield. Normally .. they'd call it, right?

Nope.

The coaches and umpires huddle. Game on!

After 20 minutes of playing (lightening continues) the rains come down. Luckily for us, I brought my stadium umbrella and kept 3 of us dry. A little nervous with the lightening, but we were under a tree to stay safe. *wink*

All in all, we were sunk. We came up against a team that had been together since they were little. Our team and whole organization is new this year. Sad for us, good for them. 

The skies were so cool. Behind us was the sunset, and in front of us were just black clouds rolling in fast. The trees were so pretty as they were on the field, I loved the natural colors when I was taking pictures.

Day 133

Settings:

ISO 200, f/1.8, ss 1/30, 50 mm

Day 126

Tonight we spent some time at the park. What a long day! Little one had a friend with her and they'd been stuck in the car for an hour and a half while I navigated traffic and got kids to where they needed to be. As a mom, it's all about the schedules and keeping them, isn't it? 

I'm tired.

I also had a fun shoot today. I will be posting them on my photo blog in the next few days when I finish them. 

Tonight we are going to watch that movie. Last night you wouldn't believe it. My husband drives our son to his game 45 min away, and as soon as they drive up, it downpours! 

Game cancelled.


So we watched who got kicked off of American Idol instead. But, tonight we watch Voyage of the Dawn Treader on the big tv. We are relaxing! Tomorrow the oldest two both have double headers on complete opposite sides of Chicagoland. Aren't we lucky?


This photo was calming to me. Today was all about rushing. I like this photo because it's empty! :) Maybe a little selfish of me, but it was nice.

Day 126

Settings:

ISO 200, f/1.8, ss 1/320, 50 mm

Day 119

I am almost to the end of my Chronicles of the Magnolia. Hah. I am afraid I am a couple days too late to capture every stage of this flower. I'm a little sad, but this will have to be my opened flower shot. My dear, sweet neighbor will love the collage I am going to give her to commemorate the 50 years that she's had this tree this year. I've had a lot of fun doing this project, and I will post the collage when I'm done with it. I think I will wait until the last few petals fall, and get them on the ground. Hopefully I will get there before her lawn service comes!

I actually am working on another project, I was asked to design a bookmark for the church for Mother's Day. So, my photos will pretty much be vertical for awhile until I figure out exactly what I am looking for. I can always use older photos I've taken, but while I've got this on my mind, I am practicing it here! 

Day 119

Settings:
ISO 200, f/2.8, ss 1/1000, 50 mm

Day 112

Absolutely no time for a camera today. :( I am adding something I took a week or so ago. I really like it, and wanted it in my 365 anyway, so it's a perfect time to add! Today the skies have been all gray, and it has been pouring almost all day. I think the weather is perfect for reflecting on what this day symbolizes.

This is Good Friday. It is the day that Jesus said, "It is finished." A simple photo, red is also symbolic. Thank you Jesus, for shedding your blood for us!

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” 

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. - John 19:30

Day 112

Settings:

ISO 200, f/1.8, ss 1/80, 50 mm

Day 105

Today is just one of those days. I feel like I'm at the bottom of the rope looking up. This verse is a perfect reminder of where my heart needs to be. The photo looked a little cluttered to me after adding my stamp..etc. But, this verse is "just what the doctor ordered" for me today. Don't you just feel overwhelmed sometimes? Not like I need someone to swoop in and save me, but I'd love for everyone to be responsible for themselves sometimes. :) Okay, a mother's exhausted rant. I do appreciate being a mom. But some days are harder than others.

From the end of the earth will I cry to you, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

Day 105

Settings:

ISO 400, f/2, ss 1/250, 50 mm

added texture and verse

Day 98

I actually took this yesterday, so I am falling within my own guidelines. I'm just a little behind. I thought the daffodils were so pretty after the rain, so had to grab the shot. It reminds me we are closer to Easter!

Day 98

Settings:

ISO 100, f 1.8, ss 1/800, 50 mm

Day 97

Yesterday I got behind again. It was my oldest 16th birthday! And, would you believe I don't have a very good "birthday-like" photo? It was a school day, we were running, she had a game, rushed home and made yummy steak dinner, ran son off to baseball practice. That was her 16th b-day. We made it as festive as possible, I should've at least taken pictures of the cupcakes in the box! 

Nope. Too busy!

Hopefully today a better one? Here is one from this morning homeschooling. My 3rd grader is practicing, along with the phone she wants someday sketched in between the multiplication exercises. Hah.. 

You can tell it's extremely overcast today, as this is in my room, and all the window shades were open! The best lighting I could get. 

Day 97

Settings:

ISO 400, f/1.8, ss 1/125, 50 mm

Day 91

Today was just a painting kinda day. It rained all day, and we didn't do much. It was a great day to just relax! Now it was the youngest one's turn to be creative. She had a great sunset going, but this was the one I chose.. had a little fun on photoshop for something indoorsy to do. ;)

Day 91

Settings:

ISO 800, f/1.8, ss 1/20, 50 mm

converted to black/white, erased to expose the color on bottles and mug

Day 90

Quite late! I know, it was yesterday. We were at my husband's great aunt's wake. She lived to be 93! She was beautiful up until the end. She lived a full life, full of amazing family and friends, and lots of those who loved her by her side. We talked about how "that's how it's supposed to be." Living until an old age, and relatively healthy, then she went pretty fast so I don't think she had to suffer much. 

Today my oldest is painting. I love to see her settle down, no texting (until restriction is up tomorrow), relaxing and painting. She is calm, content.. and so are we! She is painting a baby seal. Getting the background going, then the eyes, now bringing in the whites. I caught her mid stroke, so it's a little blurry there, but a little focused more on where the paint was still wet.

Until our next post! Tonight's number 91. Here's hoping I get a good photo by evening. Happy April Fools Day! Any good things happen to you? 

On another quick note, have you seen the eagle cam? Three little eggs are about to hatch today. The momma is restless, and bedding down tighter into her windy nest. There used to be about 6,000 viewers constantly, now it is at 138,600 and climbing! It's a beautiful thing. She's gorgeous, and I can't wait to see what happens! Yes, this is live stream for me right now on my computer. God is good! His creation is just amazing.

Day 90

Settings:

ISO 800, f/1.8, ss 1/30, 50 mm