Capturing Beauty {a picture recap of 2013}

As I was looking back on the photos I took in 2013 I was thinking about how much I truly enjoy capturing God's beauty with my camera.  It's a way for me to pause in amazement at the wonderment all around, all the time.  So, I wanted to bundle together some of that beauty here, in this space, all in one post.  Want to have a look with me? 

Capturing a bit of Valentine cheer against the backdrop of beautiful white.

My favorite tree in our backyard.  I love to watch the changing of the seasons through this tree.  It's always beautiful, whether bare-branched, covered in snow, bright green or autumn yellow.  Such a gift this tree is to me.

It's sometimes a challenge to find the beauty in the often dreary dark days of winter, but I love capturing the everyday bits of cozy and comfort in our daily rituals.  And I've always been a lover of steam in sunlight. :)

There is such beauty in the dishes we create!  The color!  The art!  I love snapping a few shots of kitchen beauty made.

Amidst the waking of Spring, the kids were blowing bubbles this sunny afternoon.  Bubbles are always stunning!

The first violets of Spring lovingly picked and given to me by the kiddos. :)

This picture was taken at the park while feeding the ducks.  I love the reflection of the trees on the water, and it also makes me chuckle because, right in the center, is an ENTIRE slice of bread my daughter hurled into the water, as opposed to tearing it up into little bits.  So funny. :)

Springtime always makes me wild for a bit of green.  Seedlings on the window sill--perfect.

Whenever the buds start to turn all pink and irresistible I find myself wanting to capture them all on camera.  Such a symbol of newness and such balm to my winter-weary soul!

more buds!

I've always loved ferns, and these bright cheery fiddleheads popping up all over make my heart sing!

I've always been a sucker for the beauty of flowers.  I mean, they're just BEGGING to be photographed!

Field of clover in the backyard...one of the benefits of putting off mowing ha-ha!

These tree stumps are happily perched at the foot of our backyard.  I love to watch the kids hop about them on green afternoons.

Peonies--one of my favorite flowers.  They were my mom's favorite, too, so they always make me think of her. :)  I especially love this pale pink variety.

Just a little helicopter seed amidst the grass.  Love finding the simple beauty all around.

Gorgeous hilltop view at one of our favorite parks.

This picture doesn't even do justice to the sea of green that was this swamp.  It was breath-taking to be there in person.

Along with flower shots, I'm also a sucker for shadows!  So simple and, quite literally, always around! :)

bouquet of clover the kids brought me.  (The perks of not mowing frequently give all summer long!!)

This picture screams 4th of July!  I just love the memories it evokes--BBQ with the family, hot sticky happiness. :)

Fore is endlessly captivating.  I could stare at it for hours!  (But it's hard to photograph!)

This shot was taken at a children's museum with the kids.  I'm continually amazed by the God's beauty reflected in man-made art.

Sunflower against a brilliant blue sky.  End of summer awe.

Marsh grass.  So simple.  Amazing.

These budding morning glories in our backyard were so serendipitous!  Since it was our first summer at the new house, I had no idea what was planted anywhere.  All summer long I thought these were just weeds that but then, one day in August, they burst into bloom!  They lasted well into the Fall, and I just loved watching them open and close each day.

Morning Glories in all their...well, glory!

A last bit of summer's wildness as chilly Fall nights start to make there way.

Late summer is one of the best times to capture amazing sunsets!  Every evening the kids and I would run outside to catch a glimpse of the sky on fire.

More baked goodness.  A gift of deliciousness, enjoying the last of the season's blueberries.

End of summer is also an amazing time to catch the moon looking GIANT and amazing. (Another toughie to photograph without a DSLR!  I do what I can with my point and shoot.)

While on an afternoon walk with the kids at the pond down the street we happened to see this swan.  So beautiful!  We were lucky enough to catch him visiting a few more times throughout the season.

I LOVE succulents.  Always have.  This beauty is extra special to me because it was given to me by one of my oldest friends at her wedding.  I will always treasure it. :)

Stunning view from atop a lighthouse while on vacation in North Carolina.

Amazing sand dunes on our vacation.  I love to see how God's gifts of beauty differ so much from location to location.

The ocean--one of the most amazing of God's creations.  So vast.  So powerful. Always changing.  There's something therapeutic about sitting and watching the waves for hours. I always feel renewed.

Aaaah...Fall bursting in all it's technicolor splendor.  This shot was taken at a nearby apple orchard.

One of my favorite fields down the road from me.  I love to see how the seasons change the view throughout the year.  Here it is a lovely golden brown as the last of the golden rod dies off.

Nature silhouettes are always so much fun to snap.  I love the simple shapes, without all of the color.  It's such a different way to see beauty--through outlines.

Another one of my favorites in nature are colorful gourds!  Lit up by afternoon sun, they are breathtaking.  Each one is so unique.

A bit of Halloween yum I made for the kids' birthday party that past Fall.

The leaves were falling, and we spent the afternoon soaking up the late-autumn beauty at the park.  It's amazing how things still look gorgeous, even as they're dying.  The muted browns and spent seedpods have a rustic beauty of their own.

More late autumn beauty.

We were delighted to find this Praying Mantis at the park!  We watched it for a very long time.  God's creatures are so amazing!

Autumn path on a sunny afternoon.

Jack-o-lanterns!  So much fun!

Feeding the ducks on a chilly November day.

My favorite backyard maple turning a late-autumn golden yellow.  This tree turned colors long after most of the surrounding trees had already faded.  It was extra special that way!

More evidence of the beauty in nature, even as the colors fade.

This gorgeous sky was greeting me right outside my backdoor!  I ran to grab my camera before it floated away!

I love finding mushrooms on trees.  The patterns they make are captivating.

The first snowfall of the winter, at sunset.  Amazing.

I just love Advent.  The calmness.  The stillness.  The anticipation.  The sense of renewal.  Though it's a challenge to make room for the quiet in the midst of obligations and to-dos, each year I fall in love all over again with this 4-week season.  It was extra special for me this past year, since it was the first one settled into the new house. (Last year Advent was all about unpacking, since we'd moved in at the beginning of December!)

December afternoon moon.

We were lucky to have quite a bit of white this past December (pretty unusual in Connecticut!)  I just love how snow highlights the shapes of everything (much like silhouettes!).  Whether it's the first snowfall of the season or the fifteenth, snow never ceases to look stunning.

Aaaand, that's all!  It was wonderful to look back on all the ordinary everyday beauty I was privileged to capture these last 12 months.  It's so much fun to wrap up the year and all its changing seasons in one post like this--a first for me.  Thanks for looking with me! :)  I can't wait to see what everyday beauty 2014 brings.

Happy {almost} 2014!

2013 has been a whirlwind year.  A wonderful year of challenges and blessings--new house, new baby, new town.  It was a year of embracing the new and letting go of the old. As the frenetic season of Christmas Crazy calms down (Merry Christmas, by-the-way!  I sort of stepped out of blogging this past Advent.), I find myself reflecting on life in general.  Like many others do, as the New Year approaches, I pause to consider the blessings, goals and challenges of this ending year and the year ahead.

Last year, in that swirling sea of change, I determined my one word goal for the year would be "trust".  Lots of changes all-at-once kind of forced me to trust.  As I realized how utterly out-of-control I truly was, I needed to anchor myself to something firm.  Thankfully we have a loving God who is happy to be our rock!  Trust allowed me to feel more steady, amidst the chaos.  My year of trust grew me in many wonderful ways.  Whenever my head started to spin with worry and overwhelm, I was able to steady myself time and time again by reflecting on my one word.

As 2013 comes to a close I've been thinking about my new word for 2014. It came to mind pretty quickly for me:

Present. 

My goal for 2014 is live each moment fully present. Too often I find myself "in my own head"...wrapped up in mental to-do lists, plans for the future...just being elsewhere and missing all joy of the present.  In all of my distraction and half-attention, I rob myself of the beauty of the now.  And of course some moments in life can be brutal.  I'm know all too well about the ugkly moments--the mom-stress, the teething baby, stubbed-toed kid-howls and snippy exchanges with family.  Of course these are all parts of life and don't feel all that beautiful as they occur.  But even in those moments, we can still grow closer to God, to attune ourselves to the life lesson in that moment. And when we stretch ourselves to fully live each moment, the present becomes a present.  A gift to self, an inner-quieting, a place where God can enter and the soul can sing.  I don't want to give away my present away to worldly noise.  I deserve better than that, and my family does, too.  By robbing myself of the present, I also rob my loved ones of the best of me.   So  goodbye to distraction, to worry and half-measures.  God has a plan for me, and I don't want to miss it.  No more idling my time away with fruitless pursuits,  mindless online clicking, numbing TV, procrastinating with chants of  "later, later, later".

I know this is going to be a challenge.  Bad habits creep in slowly, and purging the noise I've let in is not going to be easy. Holding myself accountable, moment-by-moment, to live with intention ALL THE TIME sounds overwhelming, I have to admit!  It strikes that balance of making me want to dive right in and simultaneously run for the hills!  But that's how I know it's right.


2014 promises to bring more change, as I recently discovered I'm expecting our fifth child (due in August!)!   I'm excited and nervous all at once!  Though I don't know what the future holds, I do know that I am fully committed to being present for it all.  I commit to living fully each moment, to seek joy, to live purposefully and find the wee little miracles (apparently I've grown a bit rusty at my own blog title!).


So, whisper a prayer for me as I embark on this year of living the present and I will pray for you, in your goals, too.  Do you have a one word goal this year?  If you do, I'd love to know what it is!  Pop in the combox and let's discuss! :)

Happy New Year, everyone.  I wish you many blessings in 2014!

Celebrate St. Martin of Tours {Free Martinmas Lantern Printable!}

Today is Martinmas (the feast day of St. Martin of Tours)!  St. Martin was a Roman soldier (and later became a Bishop) born in 316 A.D. He was forced into the military when he was quite young.  He is most well known for the famous story in which he encountered a beggar on a cold wintery day.  Filled with compassion for this shivering man, Martin cut his cloak in half, giving part of it to the beggar.  Later that night he dreamed that the beggar was Jesus himself.

In many countries, Martinmas is celebrated by children processing with paper lanterns at night. They sing songs, receive candy and build bonfires as well.  To honor this tradition, I thought it would be fun to make a paper lantern printable for children to cut, color and light (using an artificial candle, that is!). Today, the feast of St. Martin coincides with Veterans Day, which is nice since he is the patron saint of soldiers.  There is a prayer for soldiers included on one of the panels of the lantern, which would be nice to pray this evening.

Below is the printable.  Simply click on the link and you will be directed to Google Docs:

St. Martin of Tours Printable Lantern

 (The printable is a microsoft word document)

Here is how to assemble your lantern:

1.  After printing (and coloring!) your lantern, cut and discard top section of page along thick black "scalloped" lines.   

2. Fold lantern into 4 vertical sections along dotted lines.  Cut along folded lines from the bottom up to the solid line.  This will create 4 flaps that will become the bottom of your lantern.

3. Fold bottom flaps along solid lines, placing glue on the inner bottom of each flap (I used glue stick).  Place one flap on top of the other, holding in place for a few second to let glue dry.

4. Place tape along the opening of the lantern walls to close remaining gap.  Your lantern is now complete and ready to illuminate!

5.  If you want your lantern to have a handle (nice for children to process with!), simply cut a thin strip of paper, cardstock or ribbon, and tape across any 2 opposite walls of the lantern.

6.  Place a battery-operated artificial tea light candle inside and enjoy the pretty luminary you made!

And remember to say the pray in honor of our soldiers this Veterans Day! 

Happy Martinmas!

Giving Trees {A Simple Kids Craft for Thanksgiving!}

With Thanksgiving approaching, there are many beautiful crafts and activities to do to show our thanks.  But along with giving thanks for all that we have, why not also do an activity about giving to others?  "Giving Trees" are a wonderful way for little ones to think of ways to serve others this Fall as as Thanksgiving draws closer.  Inspired by the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, along with wanting a craft to celebrate the feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17th), I came up with the idea of making a giving tree.  The base is made from a paper lunch bag, and on the leaves are written ways to give to others.  Simple and sweet!

One of my favorite children's stories!

The trees are very easy to make, and you only need a few basic supplies:

Supplies:

--a brown paper lunch bag (I used the larger size)

--scissors

--autumn colored cardstock, cut into leaf shapes

--a hole punch

Instructions:

1) Open your brown paper lunch bag and set it on the table. 

2)  Grab your bag around the center and twist in one direction, while keeping the bottom of bag (your tree base) pressed firmly on the table.  While twisting center of bag, be sure the base will stand upright.  If you wish, you may tuck the corners of the bag so they are not visible, making it look round, instead of rectangular.

3) Fan open the top of your bag and make about 8 vertical slits with your scissors, down toward the center of your "tree trunk". These strips will become your tree branches.  They should be approx. one inch wide and 4 inches long (this craft is very forgiving so don't stress over counting and measuring!)

4) Scrunch each strip with your hands, twisting tightly in any one direction to form your tree branches.  You may wish to shape them by giving them a bit of a curve, like a real tree branch.  This is the fun part!

5)  Once all of your branches are formed, be sure to twist the tips of each branch very tightly, so that your paper leaves will be able to slide onto the branches easily.

6)  Cut some simple fall leaf shapes from your cardstock.  Punch a hole in the top of each leaf.

7)  Write various ways to give to others on each leaf.

8)  Marvel at the simple beauty of your Giving Tree...and then get givin'! :)

Here's a quick at-a-glance reference of each step:

That's all!  Easy, right?  They look really pretty placed in a group together (like a forest!), and would make a beautiful centerpiece for a kid's table on Thanksgiving.  

And, of course, you must read The Giving Tree together, to make this activity complete. :)  And, for my Catholic friends, if you wish to incorporate this activity with St. Elizabeth of Hungary's feast day, the Loyola Book of Saints (a wonderful book which arranges saint stories by theme!) has a lovely story about her life of giving, and Charlotte from Waltzing Matilda has a beautiful coloring sheet that you could use as well.

Happy Crafting!

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The Walking Game {a.k.a. Easy Kid Fun!}

A couple of days ago the kids were feeling a little restless--you know, the dreaded pre-dinner witching hour was beginning to strike.  As I often do in times such as these, I decided to read aloud (one of our favorite pastimes).  I grabbed the latest issue of Spider magazine (another favorite!) and got to it.  One of the stories was called "The Walking Game" by Linfred Longenecker.  Intrigued, I started to read.

Love Spider magazine.  LOVE.

The story tells of some rowdy siblings who are getting annoyed with one another (the spooky E.S.P.-esque realization that I had picked this story in the midst of sibling crankies was not lost on me!).  The mom decides that, in order to remedy the squabbles, the kids need to play the "Walking Game",  in which they head outside in different directions, returning home once they were no longer feeling annoyed.  The assignment works like a charm, and the kids come back refreshed with unique treasures in hand, resulting in a nice dinner together.

Ummmmm, yeah.  This girl needs some serious cheering up come witching hour.  What was it that Shakespeare said... "though she be but small, she be fierce"!

 Genius!!  I immediately needed to put this idea to the test!  After finishing the story I sent the kids outside in different directions to collect 3 things each, that we would arrange on the table as a dinnertime centerpiece. I know.  I veered from the original story.  But just a little.  Keep in mind that our yard is not nearly as interesting as the one in the story, in which the kids come back with all kinds of spectacular garden fruits and flowers!  So, I figured I'd add in the treasure-hunting aspect.  IT WORKED.  Worked like a charm, it did!  The kids thought it was uber-fun to see what they could find, and loved the added intrigue of keeping it a secret from one another.  They all came back with cute little finds (cute for a considerably boring yard in late October, anyway!), and had a blast arranging their treasure for our centerpiece.  Then we had a nice (and peaceful!) dinner together...and the rest is history!

Our centerpiece :)

Witching Hour: 0,  Mom: 1.

In fact, the kids loved it so much that they asked to do it again the next day!

Witching Hour: 0,  Mom: 2.

So, if you find yourself desperate to occupy the littles some late afternoon, I highly recommend giving the Walking Game a try!  You could easily modify it to become an indoor hunt on bad weather days--just send them to different areas of the house to find something special.  Or, if you want to get crafty, you could have them each make something to use instead.  And if you want to get even more creative, you could have them each find or make something specific (e.g. something red, something symbolizing a favorite activity, something holiday-themed, etc.)  The possibilities are endless!  For us it struck that perfect balance of feeling special (an official centerpiece!) with mystery/ rivalry (who will find the coolest stuff?  What will everyone else pick??).  If you want to read the original story to add to the fun, I found it online here: The Walking Game.  Try it, it worked for me!

Easy and fun...a win-win!

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Works for Me Wednesday