Colors of School

Every year when school arrives I become a giddy school girl myself. I LOVE school supplies. The smell of a new box of crayons, filling up a backpack, organizing and re-organizing new supplies. Ahh... It's wonderful. That was one of the things that I looked forward to when my daughter became old enough for school.... buying new school supplies.

CC

Where are you at?

This sign tells you all. You are now in Ohio. Thanks for coming. :)

Vintage Machine

A Ferris Wheel is one of those classic fair rides. One of those 'good ol' day' moments.

Sweet Corn

Last night my family went to the fair. My daughter, Maggie was totally into the Sweet roasted corn. (She ate two cobs!) I just thought she looked sweet.

Long ago Heartache

When I read this challenge I was stumped. I then thought of going to a cemetery. Everyone who has a grave, has people who are broken hearted still left behind.
I saw this grave and my heart just broke. It broke for the parents who must have died inside after their two sweet children died, just five days apart from each other. It broke for the dear little children who obviously must have suffered before the end came.

It makes me think that just 6 months ago, my children were almost these exact ages. I know that I would be a broken woman if they were taken from me at such a tender age.

In case you can't read it, this is what the tombstone reads:
William Badley
Died Dec. 3, 1844
Aged 5yrs. 7ds.

Amelia Isabella
Died Dec. 8, 1844
Aged 2 yr. 4mo. & 6ds.

Son and daughter of Alexander and Jane Arrison

Sleep, brother, sister, side by side,
No chance, no change can you divide;
Together in the dust you lie.
Together tread the courts on high.
If once the eye of faith could see
Your full, complete felicity.
How would our sad repinings cease.
And all our sighs be hushed in peace.

Inspiration from on High

This is the Columbus Ohio Temple. It is one of the smaller Temples of the LDS church. It's still so beautiful. I think the best inspirations I've ever received were when I was serving in the Temple.

(Sorry I've been MIA.... Internet's been down... bummer....)

Natural or Not?

OH yeah. I went there. I opened up THAT can of worms.

Right now in our country there is a huge debate on whether or not being Gay is natural. If it is instilled with you since birth or if it is a choice that you made.

As a member of the LDS church, I feel that it is definitely a choice that you make.

My Mom's brother is gay. I remember when I was 5 years old my parents sitting me and my brother down and telling us that he had/has AIDS. We've been really lucky that though some break through medical treatments and superb doctors he's still with us today, doing fine, feeling good. He's had full blown AIDS for 22 years now. We were always told to love the sinner, not the sin. I have been extremely blessed that we are such an open and loving family. There is no judging. We just love.

Anyways... Yesterday I came across a Gay Pride parade on my way to a quilt show. Interesting.

So there you have it... my thought provoking Natural or Not picture of Gay Pride.

Pop!

Wow Blake! That was a tough one to think of. Good. But tough. Way to keep us on our toes :)

When I thought of circulation, I first thought of a circle going around in a circle. (Lame, I know). When my daughter suggested that we go blow bubbles today, everything clicked. Bubbles are little circles that are circulating around in the air. :)

I wish that I had a faster camera so I could have gotten some mid-flight, but I'm sure my time will come :)

I like how these bubbles in the picture are waiting for take off. ;)

Double Take

They put this billboard up by my house a few weeks ago. Every time I drive by it, I have to do a double take! Good thing the guy is probably over 10 feet tall, otherwise people really might think someone is after the goodies on the billboard :)

A is for Art Festival

Today the City of Columbus was having is annual art festival at the Columbus College of Art and Design. I drug the girls along with me for the ride. (Who knew everything was going to be cash only.... with no ATM in site!?!)
This is a monster of a sculpture (probably over 4-5 stories tall) is the school's trademark installation piece. There was a lot of fun artsy things to take pictures of, but I thought this sculpture was the epitome of "ART"
(P.S. My husband who has a Masters of Fine Art emphasis in painting and drawing, but also does plenty of sculptures- HATES, HATES, HATES this sculpture... I think it's pretty funny that he has such strong feelings on this piece~ haha.)

Little Miss Mags

Today was Kindergarten graduation for my sweet Alli. I brought Maggie with me so we could have lunch with Alli and play with her on the playground after wards. Maggie was the delight of everyone. She got chased around and around the play ground, with every child wanting to play with the 'baby'.
Maggie got a kick out of it!

Picture Perfect

Since I had no willing subjects today to get their pictures taken, I decided I would take a portrait of my rising cholesterol. ;)
I stumbled upon a recipe blog, and this totally screamed my name!

Annie's Lazy Daisy Oatmeal Cake with Cream Sauce

Such a Sweetie.....

Yeah RIGHT! Today my delightful daughter came along with me to a park so I could shoot some sweet smelling flowers (I think that Brittney and Susan and I were on the same wave length today!). My little Sweet child decided that all she could manage to do was throw tantrum after tantrum.
She was NOT liking that I was taking her picture either. (Her arm is up in mid-swat to push my camera away). I love that the clouds look as ominous as her attitude!

I love that all I had to do to this picture was download and add a border. I love how it turned out!

One More Day

Some days I wish that being a 'Mom' as a job didn't entail cleaning, errands, chores, things to do other than just playing with my kids, but unfortunately life doesn't happen like that. Life is messy, time is always running out, and good intentions often fall by the way side.

This challenge really got me thinking. If I could have more of something, what would it be? The words to the Diamond Rio song, 'One More Day' came to mind.
I think the one thing that I truly would want more of, is more time with my sweet family. .

This picture is taken at sunset just as a storm was rolling in. .
One more day in the books.

Her Desire....

It was a nice hot day today. I decided to take our girls up to a waterpark at the mall. We love going there to hang out and play. My sweet daughter was having a hard time posing for pictures. She was longing to go back and play in the water to cool off.

I thought it would be interesting to take a picture of her watching the other kids playing in the water, as water from her last run though the fountain was dripping down her shoulders.

Fluid down the window

I know this isn't original in any way, but it was whatI could think of.
Rain has been abundant these past 2 days here. :)

Oil Change

With all of the silly car problems that we have had this year, we are on a first name basis with the folks at Midas. I went and got my oil changed the other day. After the car was done, I looked at my sticker and noticed they put a personal thank you on it! I died laughing.
I guess that is what happens when half your salary goes to one place....

Balancing Act

Today we were at the zoo (FUN!) I love how the flamingos can balance on one leg all while folding their necks around their body.
It's a great thing that I'm not a flamingo. I'd fall flat on my face!
I also like how the flamingos little white eye is peaking out. He was watching everything.


When I first got this challenge, I was so excited. I was going to work (I am a teller at a bank), and I was going to take a picture of one of my co-workers balancing their drawers at the end of the day. Sadly it was against our security policy. Bummer.

I'm glad that my first idea didn't work out. I think my flamingo is much cuter than one of my co-workers :)

Key to Happiness is....

Finding little treasures along the way........

Today my family took a walk at one of our local parks. We were walking by a pond and this little guy popped up to say "hi".
In my life I have found that when I'm having a really bad day, it's always the little things that I can be thankful for that can turn my day a little bit brighter.

A Nice Hot Drink

Hot Tamales, Red Hots, and Cinnamon Bears, Ohh my.

This was a difficult challenge this time. I kept coming up with ideas, then went to look at the blog and someone posted it already! *sigh*
I thought this 'hot drink' was interesting. I probably took 100+ pictures to get a picture I liked.