I heart faces - silhouettes

This is what makes enduring the long Michigan winters worth while...


Paul, Sage (on daddy's shoulders) and Regan enjoying a great West Michigan Sunset at Holland State Park.


I took this picture on Memorial Day, not knowing anything about the I heart faces challenge. My Launa told me about the silhouettes contest this week, so, I thought it would be fun to enter this picture!! Check out I heart faces for all the other great entries!


Thanks for looking!

Learning is fun!

I have been having a ball since last weekends photography workshop! We were introduced to Lightroom, an Adobe software for editing photos. My friend and teacher, Debbie, designs 'presets' for it and was giving one away this week called 'The Dude'. I applied it a picture I took of Regan this week and love the effect.

I wasn't planning on buying anymore software any time soon, but I am thinking after my 30 day trial is up, I might just be a little addicted to Lightroom!

Photography Workshop

I had the privilege of attending a photography workshop this weekend in Ann Arbor. The teacher was Debbie Layden, a friend I have 'met' through ScrapGirls. She is a fabulous photographer and teacher. I had a great time and learned lots of new things!

Sage has been my 'subject' the last two days and has been fairly cooperative in letting me play. Of course, the first day she thought she was prolonging her nap and the second day she was 'paid' with m&ms!! LOL!

These are a couple of my favorites from today. Yes, she has a bandaid on her chin! She fell on the playground. :) I am sure there is a way to photoshop it out, but I think it's kind of cute!

The cost

of a few priceless photos? ...a handful of m&m's. :) Sometimes bribery works!!







We went to Fredrik Meijer Gardens Sunday. The natural lighting in one of the barns is just fantastic, but the girls weren't very excited about posing for a picture. Fortunately, for me, they really wanted some more trail mix, especially the m&ms!! :)

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail

No, I am not talking about the postman! I am talking about our girls and their bikes! :) They love to be outside and love to ride their bikes. The warm weather photos here are from april and the winter one is from January.

Paul has started working with Regan on riding a two wheel bike. She has a pretty good grasp of what to do and was making good progress the other night. Then, on the second night, she fell and got something in her eye. That has put the brakes on wanting to try any more this week. Her body is ready to do it...now if we can just convince her mind of that!!

It has been pretty wet here lately, with a day or two of sunshine mixed in. I guess it's better than snow and at least gives hope that warmer days are ahead!!

Hope your days are filled with Sonshine!

Happy Easter!

Hope your Easter Morning is blessed! We had a fun time yesterday, reading the Easter story, making resurrection rolls, painting eggs and talking about Jesus death and coming back to life. Today was a wonderful service at church too.

My thoughts...

Today, I was volunteering in Regan's classroom. As I was washing the tempera paint from the paint brushes and watching the murky water swirl down the drain, my mind wandered to another world. As I performed the simple task of cleaning paint brushes, I couldn't help but think about those who don't even have clean water to drink, let alone to clean paint brushes with. I was thinking how the water washing off the paint brushes today was probably cleaner and safer than the water they drink every day.

Over Christmas, our church participated in the Advent Conspiracy. In the three months since then, my mind has wondered often to the water needs of our world and the ministry of Living Water International.

As I have prayed about these things, I have been constantly asking God 'what do you want me to do about it?'. He has laid on my heart lately that every little bit counts, so do what you can and I will bless it.

Yesterday, I visited the Living Water Site and read this:

A child dies every 15 seconds because of the lack of clean water. It costs us an average of $0.98 to provide clean, safe water to one person for one year: every dollar makes a difference!

I am not someone who finds it easy to ask people to give money to something, even if it is something I believe in. And now, of all times, isn't the best time to ask...so, I won't.

But I do have something to ask of you and a way that you can help! I write my blog mostly to record things for my family to remember. However, I am curious about who actually reads it! LOL!! So, if you are reading this, leave me a comment. Tell me what ministry or cause tugs at your heart strings. If you had a lump sum of money that your HAD to give away...where would it go??

For every comment left here...I will donate $1 to Living Water International. Your simple post will provide one person with clean water for one year. It doesn't get much easier than that.