That Time I Shot My Kids {with my camera of course}

During Thanksgiving break I managed to get all three kids out in the yard for a little impromptu photo session.

I was hoping to get at least one shot that was Christmas card worthy.

I did even better.

I got five.









A then there's this one...



If a picture really is worth a thousand words...
This one says it all.

Homeschool Fall Dance {with a bit o' random}

I sure do love this little devotion book.
Sometimes it is just what I need to hear.



Big brother and big sister at social event + dad working late = a date with this handsome fella.
Cutest 10 year old in all the land.



After extensive testing, I've discovered I have an extreme gluten and dairy intolerance.
Cue the end of the world



Doesn't everyone have a freakishly large poodle curled up on their couch?



This year's Fall Dance theme was "It Came From Outer Space"
Han Solo brought to you courtesy of Goodwill.
Not too shabby huh?
Blood Stripes and all.
Eat your heart out Mr. Ford.





Ashten went as an alien from Toy Story.





Do not be fooled by the title 'Homeschoolers.'
These kids have moves people.
Like Jagger.
Hey, is that Princess Leia I see doing the Cha-Cha Slide behind Han???



No dance is complete without YMCA.
Now that you have that song stuck in your head....
You're welcome.



He's such a looker that boy of mine.
Funny thing about this picture...
A friend saw this on Instagram and thought he was holding a long neck.
Um, no.
It's his blaster...or whatever heat Mr. Solo packs.
Of course that is ALL I see when I look at it now.
Sheesh.



"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"

Because Sometimes Real Life Comes Before Blogging

Sometimes life...real life...needs me more.

Sometimes the ever changing needs and seasons of children growing up requires more time...more attention.

Sometimes God opens new doors and brings new opportunities...and they need more time...more attention.

And in the chaos of trying to be everything to everyone...I only manage to feel like I am failing at all of it.

In July I felt God asking me to lay down my blog for a while.

Ouch.

I needed to be reminded.

I blog because moment by moment, memories are being made...and I want to remember...not be remembered.

I blog because I want to capture every moment I am given with my children...not capture an audience. {If I do...I am truly grateful...but not the goal}

I blog because clocks tick without permission, memories scramble in my mind with age, their faces change, their voices change, they grow taller and taller and I cannot stop any of it...only purge every detail here while I still remember.

I blog because every now and again, He gives me something to say...and I am to be obedient in sharing.

I see things like "stats" and "hits" growing...

My inbox fills with offers to write and promote and join...and I am tempted to please the masses...

Maybe I should this...or maybe I should that...I could do this to draw more...or I could start doing that to make my blog more....

Please do not get me wrong or take anything I am saying out of context.
I am so grateful for every momma blogger out there that is able to consistently blog or make a career out of blogging.
I have formed some of the most precious, genuine friendships through the community of bloggers.
My life is all the better because of their willingness to share their wisdom and engage with their readers.
Not to mention my decor.

But so often I have to be reminded...this is not what He has asked of me in this season of my life.

It is not the calling He has placed on me.

It is not to be my focus.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonight...my house is in order...His blessing is on this...it is time.

So forgive me as I break the golden rules of blogging...1) apologizing for being absent so long 2) sharing way too many pictures. 3) writing more than a couple of paragraphs 4) confessing how much I have missed sharing my mindless ramblings with you all. :)

This.....this is why...in this season of my life....I blog.....

Because there are moments I catch a glimpse of my daughter's faith...and it takes my breath away.



Because my youngest child turned double digits...and requests cupcakes and orange juice for breakfast...and I oblige because he is my baby. Poor kid...he doesn't have a clue that I'm never gonna let him leave.



Because even though he's double digits...he still falls asleep in my lap...and I never want to move.



Because my four legged child likes to lay on the air vents...and take them with him. We call this Bo's bling.



Because we make a summer list...and check things off.



Because even at 36 you're not too old to wear braces...again.



Because this exact view has been a yearly tradition for the past 9 years.



Because the kids are older now...and we get to sip our coffee on the beach at sunrise...alone.



Because sometimes...if I'm lucky...a seagull flies into my frame...at just the right time.



Because there is never a dull moment with these three.



Because hot cocoa at The Donut Hole is also tradition.



Because having a teenager means having date night at the beach. ::please refrain from all metal mouth jokes::



Because sometimes they aren't looking...and I catch them...having fun...together.



Because I catch my 12 year old daughter reading Kisses From Katie...for the second time...and I feel terrified/excited/happy/humbled/inspired/terrified...all at the same time.



Because I find a picture of said 12 year old on Instagram and the air is sucked from my chest because I see the stunning young woman she is becoming.



Because she paints things like this...and I think...how on earth did such a talented, passionate, artistic, being ever come from my DNA???



Because we are homeschooling through high school...and Advanced Biology is a beast.



Because my 16 year old gets to do cool things like cadaver labs {yes, real cadavers} at Lipscomb University...followed by lunch dates with mom at Chipotle.



Because at 36 I've not only decided to correct what my 12 year old non-retainer wearing self did to 3 years of orthodontia...but I've also decided to radically change the way we eat in our home.



Because a new way of eating means a new kind of date night. Healthy is sexy.



Because 7th grade leaf collections lead to roaming the lake with my kiddos...at sunset.



Because a spontaneous trip to the flea market leads to super duper cheap vintage finds.



Because summer fades...and gives way to fall...and that means camping on the lake. And pumpkin butter.



Because fall is not complete without our annual LCA {homeschool tutorial} camping trip.



Because some friendships started in the 2nd grade...and are still going strong.



Because every fall we take part in the Junior Docent program at The Hermitage...home of President Andrew Jackson.
Because he is the only kid I have left that does not think he is too cool.



Because every now and then...I get lucky enough to capture a moment like this.
Tyler and his sheepish grin.
Maggie and her infectious smile.
And Aidan...my one of a kind Aidan... being one of a kind Aidan.

Because one day...they will be grown and gone {I will have no choice but to get a lap dog}...and this is all I will have left.

This is why I blog.

Remind me.






"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"

What My Men Have Been Up To In Bolivia {InstaFriday}

My husband and my sixteen year old left for a mission trip to Bolivia last Wednesday.
We haven't had much communication.
We were able to Skype once but I quickly realized that it made things worse.
Getting one message on Facebook per night was best.
Having to hit "disconnect" while looking at the faces of the men I love most in the world was too much to take.

Here are some of the pictures they posted this week on Facebook.
Thought I'd share.
Thank you to those that have kept them in your prayers for me this week.
They come home tonight!!!
Whoo Hoo!!!

To read more about the radical call on my son's life and his momma's not so graceful response to it all click here.



La Paz.
14,000 feet in elevation.
A beast.
We were most concerned about this leg of the trip.
So many people get very sick during this layover due to the lack of oxygen.
The cabin of the airplane is depressurized and your body is met with very very thin air all at once.
Adam said that most of the people on the plane did in fact feel the effects but unfortunately my Tyler was the one to actually get sick.
Twice.
A flight out of the there and a Zofran later, he was feeling much better.
Poor guy...before going that is the one thing he said he was concerned about...vomiting in front of everybody.
Maybe this was God's way of breaking some pride before the trip...who knows.
Nothing says guess I don't need to worry about impressing any of you now like losing your lunch in front of your fellow travellers.



Landing in Cochabamba.
Final Destination.



While there this past week the goal was to help in the construction of a new home to be added to The Bolivian Hope Center for abandoned mothers and their children.
This is an epidemic in their culture.
Women in prison.
On the streets.
Their children along for the bumpy ride.

Adam said that I would have been so proud of our son.
That he was up early every morning and worked hard all day.
I knew one thing before he went...that he would either be miserable there or come home a man.

I have no idea what he is doing in this picture but I can't help but think that they obviously don't know him very well.
If so they would not have placed him that close to that giant hole in the ground.
The boy is super coordinated but graceful? Not so much.
He is his mother's child for sure.



They were able to travel up into the Andes Mountain range one day.
Destination 15,500 ft.
On those roads.



In the back of one of these.
So glad I didn't know till it was over.



These are houses in the mountains.
The Ketchua people live here.



Breathtaking views.
Not bad mints either. ;-)



My boy and his dad.
My heart floods with joy when I think of them experiencing this together.



Tyler and Ashten in the Andes.



More important than any physical work they could do, loving on the children of the Hope Center was the number one priority.

In my few and far between updates from Adam he sent this picture and said that this young lady named Allison had stolen his heart.
She is around our Maggie's age.



He also sent this one of a 2 year old named Sophia.
He said that they told him she doesn't "go" to anyone that comes there.
She went straight to him.
Then she cried when he left.
He said it broke his heart.
I said, "bring her home with you!"



A day of crafts with Allison and Sophia.
Beautiful girls.



It looks like it has been a wonderful trip.
I look forward to hearing all about it.
I know God has done more than take them on a geographical journey.



Here on the home front we kept ourselves busy so that we wouldn't have too much time to think about how much we missed Adam and Tyler.
I am a trip coordinator for our Homeschool tutorial.
Wednesday I took this year's Freshman and Sophomores to Holiday World for their end of the year class trip.
Minus my Tyler of course...he was supposed to be on this trip.
We had a complete blast.
Hot sun.
Cold water.
Amazing well behaved and respectful teens.
I heart them.







"My every mortal breath, is Grace and nothing less"