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Monday, April 28, 2014

313 Project - completed

On May 1, 2013, my friend Emilie and I began the 313-day photo challenge.  Every day except Sunday we would take out our cameras and find creative ways to take photos, find new subjects, and learn more about the art in general.  I know that I had better days than others, and I even missed a few days, but overall it was a fun and memorable year and I learned a lot about my camera and the world around me through my lens.  Make sure to check out Emilie's collection of photos here on her blog.

Day 313:  Finis


Saturday, April 26, 2014

Days 310-312

Day 310:  Black & white

I love having fresh flowers in the window...

Day 311:  Miss Lib

She was excited about wearing a new dress :)

Day 312:  Bubble wrap

Today we unpacked *more* kitchen boxes.  Thank heavens our kitchen is fairly large, thus we were able to cram mostly everything in.  We have a few boxes labeled "hutch" for our hutch that we hope to have in the future.  

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Days 305-309

Day 305:  The truth about unpacking

This was last week, and since then we've made good progress.  And this is just one corner of the basement!

Day 306:  Check it out!

Dad bought a sweet new ride on mower, and now our lawn is nice and short.  Delaney learned how to drive it too, and my turn is coming.

Day 307:  Heads up!

I took this with my phone.  Delaney and I have been playing with the Frisbee every day, and our backyard is the perfect place to do it.

Day 308:  Come little birdies

This is one of the prettiest birdhouses I've seen.

Day 309:  My cat Faith

Is very cute.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Days 302-304

Day 302:  Panes

Mist clings to the window in the early morning~

Day 303:  At the end of the day

Libbey is super excited to have two playmates next door!

Day 304:  New normal

It's so cool to have your own dock in your backyard.  Now we just need to launch our boat.

Monday, April 14, 2014

I'm back!

It's been a week since I posted last, and so much happened in that time!  Not only am I nearing the end of my photo project, we also moved across the country!  This is, again, a photo-filled post.  

on Friday night of April 4th, the Shaws gave us a going-away party at their house.  Over 100 people came!  I was amazed and blessed to be surrounded by so many dear people.  There was good food and lots of chocolate, some music and lots of talking, and LOTS of hugs.  Right up my alley.  I was very grateful to spend time with all of our friends and make memories one last time (for now).  

On Sunday the 6th, our whole church gathered in Fresno.  We took many photos and had a lovely time of prayer and encouragement with our church body.  After a delicious BBQ lunch, most of the adults/older kids played volleyball, and the other kids had relay races and just ran around like kids do.  I tried to take pictures, but didn't get that many since I was socializing and holding babies.  It was a special day. :)

Monday to Wednesday, the 7th through 9th:  packing, cleaning, organizing, packing, cleaning, organizing.  Etc.  Some friends came on Tuesday afternoon to help finish packing the trailer, and that night we had a pizza party at Round Table and ice cream at Raley's.  Tradition, of course!  At 11:30 that evening, after we were kicked out of the closing Raley's, we stood in the parking lot and said goodbye to some of our very dearest friends.  Too bad we didn't have tissues.  

Wednesday morning came quickly.  We did more packing, cleaning and organizing, and when there was nothing to do we just lay on the bare living room floor and daydreamed.  After Dad got in a full work day, he and Chase Shaw packed up the truck and we girls packed the Camry.  Both of our vehicles were stuffed, just like the cars you hope to find on road trip games.  Organization became ridiculous.  Who cares if the kitchen stuff is all together, just stuff that salad spinner over there!  Put that box of Christmas ornaments in the backseat!  As long as it can get stuffed in, who cares?  My OCD tendencies were thoroughly squelched.

At 9:00 p.m., we pulled out and drove on towards our new life.

Day 295:  Inverting

Of course, this is photoshopped.  The original was far too boring, but this helped!  At least, the oddness of it is interesting.

Day 296:  House

Another picture of my house.  Well, it's not mine anymore.  

Day 297:  Crooked

An empty house provides for some fun shots.  This is a rare photo of us smiling on the day we left.  Libbey's doing her best to look happy.

Day 298:  The long road

I think this was in Arizona.  The southwest all looks the same to me, for the most part.

Day 299:  Look now

Sorry for the blur, but it was dark.  I still can't believe that basically all of our possessions are in those three vehicles.  Or two vehicles and one container.

Day 300:  Smiling.....kind of

Libbey had only been awakened just minutes before this was taken.

Day 301:  Home!

THIS is our very own dogwood tree!!!!!!  We actually have 3+ on the property, but this was the most bloomed.  It's beautiful!!!!!

Alrighty, here's a web album with about 34 pictures in it from the last week: Photo album

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Friends

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Can't believe the hopes He's granted
Means a chapter in your life is through

But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

With the faith and love God's given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you'll live in
Is the strength that now you show

But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

Friends are friends Forever
By Michael W Smith

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Redo post!

Well, last night I was informed that my most recent post had vanished.  For a few blissful hours I believed that I had a copy somewhere in my emails, but a quick check this afternoon denied that.  Ugh.  So here I am, starting all over.  Only this time, I have had to re-write all my dialogue and have added my most recent 313 pictures. Enjoy, y'all!

Day 284:  Ice cream & friends

My dear friend Maddie Gindorf flew in from Flagstaff to stay with our family on the 20th!!  She was at my graduation and stayed through the Sound of a Trumpet Conference (the 31st).  She and I have made so many special memories together......I love her to pieces! <3

Day 285:  Adjusting Old Navy 

On March 26th, we drove to the Parish's for the conference.  On the way, we stopped at Old Navy and got some clothes.  We noticed that a few of the storefront models were *scandalously* dressed, so we fixed them up.  This lady's top was all unbuttoned, but obviously we fixed that. :)

Day 286:  Mother's busy hands

Mom is in charge of all the food organization for the annual conference.  She is amazing!  

Day 287:  Boring

Yes, this is boring.  Sorry.

Day 288:  Such color

Burritos, anyone?

Day 289:  Mom's pride and joy

Isn't this beautiful?  We're so blessed to have such lovely flowers blooming in our yard!

Day 290:  We've come so far

Moving is becoming very, very real to us.  This is just a tiny bit of all our stuff!

Day 291:  Closet (brilliant title, I know)

It's been a LONG time since Dee and Lib's closet looked this empty.  

Day 292:  And so it begins

Insanity, begin!  Packing is not fun.

Day 293:  Sweet sis

Libbey catches a moment in between the craziness.  

Day 294:  Pop, anyone?  

Today we are in the middle of some serious packing and moving and emptying.  I will make a big post on that sometime soon.....maybe.


HERE is a link to a web album of my graduation, Maddie's visit and the Trumpet conference.

Clarification

I suppose I have accidentally deleted my most recent blog post!  I'll try to have it back up by tomorrow though :).  Oh well, these things happen, and I have been a bit busy lately.  Well, hopefully it'll all be put right tomorrow!