Life with Teenagers

Our lives are getting ready to encompass three teenagers.

One 15, one 14 and one 13.

Only our baby girl is hanging out at age 10.

I’m not sure there is anyting in life that prepares you for teenagers unless it is remembering back on your own teenage years and possibly talking to your mom everyday to remind you of what that was like.

Since mom is dancing happily with Jesus now I rely on my dad, my husbands memories, friends and God.

I thought three in diapers was hard.

There are football games, and homework and a new school to get accustomed to this year.  Football practice is five days a week.  Two of my boys leave at 8am and return around 7pm.  It is like having a job and more!

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It’s a new season of our lives.  I’m proud of my kids and my two who play football starting as freshmen.  They are tough, talented and blessed.  They attend two different schools and play for two different teams.

HCS vs Westminster-12

 

It’s a crazy year.

But God always pulls through and provides for us.  Drivers.  Carpools.  Community.

How are you guys handling the new year with new grades and kiddos all over the place?


Winding up for Summer!

Life has been full of end of the year activities.

A football game that ended in a concussion for one of my boys.

A very hurt toe for baby girl.

And several weddings for me.

Today I took my camera out armed with a plastic bag over the lens just to have fun.  I left a small opening in the middle for focusing.  Here’s my setup:

 

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Classy, huh?

And here are the fun photos this produced:

The top of a mushroom…

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Our “very fast” guinea pig’s curious nose…

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The perch coming out of our bird feeder…

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and a closeup of one of those garden balls in my neighbor’s yard…

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After a busy month is was nice to take a few minutes to play.  Speaking of which, I think I hear the pool calling!  Have a great day!


Therapy Tuesday – San Marco, Florida

Today after dropping the kids off at school I needed to find something to do with myself for an hour or so before an appointment so I grabbed my camera as we headed out the door for school thinking I would go and explore San Marco a bit.  I have shot there a few times for clients but wanted to explore a little more.

I had no idea I was walking into a rest and a peace God had waiting for me.  There was something so serene about shooting for my own pleasure.  I think as photographers we sometimes forget how important that is.  I know I do.  We strive for the perfect shot, great composition and something that will please others.  But today it was all about me.

So here’s a trip to San Marco, Florida for you non-Floridians…

I love this house.   It has quite the story behind it as told to me by a neighbor today.  But seeing how I don’t know if it’s true, nor do I know who lives there, let’s leave it at VERY IN-TER-ES-TING!!! (insert Sesame Street Vampire voice)

Here is a close up.

Hmmmmm.  The texture!  I especially love the entryway.  This is one of the few houses that has fallen into disrepair.  Good bones though.  Good bones.  And from the front stoop you have this view-

Driving a few blocks down the street brought me to this beauty- (I love shooting here).

There is a well in the middle of the park across the street from this house with the most scrumptious brick sidewalk.  I’m still trying to decide if this is one last name or an initial and a last name –

Around the well I found a lone flower with it’s face raised towards Heaven.  Me and that flower, we were on the same page today!!

I drover further down the block, turned a corner and found this beauty.  I’m definitely knocking on this door for my next photo session.  I wanted to park the car and swing for a bit, but I settled on snapping a couple of shots instead.

I love everything about this house, especially the shutters.  LOVE!!!

San Marco is a wonderful place to dream –

And in doing so I discovered another well…..

Here is that same well from across the street –

I watched squirrels play and chase one another over acorns which are still green here!  EVERYTHING is green in Florida.  Can you find the squirrel?

I stopped for a bit of history…

And I found this sweet “fortress” for sale for a cool five million boasting 12,000 sq ft and 8 full baths!

Next was this sweet one car bridge over the canal.  I could just imagine the clomping of horses hooves as I walked across it…

This was my view from the bridge and between the concrete pillars.  While down on the ground trying to remain inconspicuous I found a bit of spanish moss beginning to grow.  It’s everywhere here, especially near the water.

Oh the colors!!!

I ended up here:

Which was really the oddest little spot.  One circle around this giant acorn (ICE AGE) and three parking spaces in a semi-cul-de-sac!  Yet, it is called Celebration Park.  Not quite a park.

However, this made me giggle.  I wish I had gotten the entire shark fin on top.  It was really cute and situated right by the river.

This was the sewer cover near the “park”.  Quite historical looking I thought.

As I looked out over the water I wondered what this woman was reading and what life is like living on the river.  A client told me that manatees often migrate through here.  I want to pet a manatee.  There is a serenity about San Marco because you can see the hustle and bustle of the city that is right across the bridge yet San Marco itself is remarkably quiet and quaint.

I loved all the textures and sounds.  I watched the mailman walking door to door delivering mail like we once had when we lived in Hopkinsville, KY.  I remember how I loved hearing the slot open and the mail drop onto the hardwood floors of our house.  I stood by one of the wells as grandparents left from visiting grandkids and listened as the recycle truck drove through dumping rectangular blue bins of paper and plastic.  I saw a man sitting on a bench.  I wanted to take his photo (like HONY – Facebook:  Humans of New York:  just a side note, if you do not follow them on Facebook it’s a FB must!  I think he’s my hero.  If you find his story and how HONY began it’s a good ‘un), but I digress.  I chickened out.  Several men were fishing.  The lady walking her dog told me about the first house you saw and it’s strange criminal history that made me want to knock on the door.  Maybe I will one of these days.

I got to experience life today just a little removed from it, as if I had taken one step back.  I observed other people’s lives in a remarkable hour of worship, thankfulness and quiet.  I had no idea my soul had been so restless until I felt the Hand of God usher me into this rest today.  I shot until my battery died.  No worries about smiles or closed eyes or blinks.  Just me, God and a cool Florida morning with shorts and a sweatshirt.

I was a happy and better person after being here today.

Thanks San Marco!  I will visit you again soon!

 

 

 


As the Season Ends…

My baby girl has played an amazing season of soccer.

Cuteness abounds on her team.

We have this sweetheart who is a powerhouse.  You will see her on the Olympics one day, I guarantee it!

The girl can play some soccer!!!

This guy has the heart of a champion.  I just love watching him…

Here they are going through the check list with the referee (Is that what you call them in soccer?)

This awesome guy played goalie on Saturday!

This coming Saturday is their last game.  The boys games are over too.  My second born led his team to the playoffs as QB!

And our oldest won the Championship Saturday night.  7 on 7 is a fast paced “touch” game of football that is 150% for 30 minutes.  Their game are back to back and they usually play 2 to 3 games each weekend.  Touch is an understatement for the games are very physical!

I love watching the kids play and am so proud of all they have accomplished this season.

I love you guys!

**PS – for all you photogs out there notice the difference between the first 9 images and the last 2 images.  The first were shot jpeg and the last 2 shot RAW!

 


What would you do?

What would you do if you knew you would not fail?

That question changed my life this week.


A new lens!

For Christmas Rocketman graced me with a new lens.  I am still trying to figure the darn thing out and am having more trouble shooting with it than I’d like.  But since I’ve sold my other two lenses that I used before getting this one I’m stuck with trying to figure it out.  It’s a Tamron 18-270mm IS Lens and I can’t take a clear shot for the life of me.  I tried several today in the yard and others at the boys flag football game but UGH I’m struggling.

Here’s a couple that turned out ok.

That’s Fred…the rather large cat!  Anyone remember that post and his weight?

Here’s one of the azaleas blooming in the yard.

It seems if the object is still I can capture it but if it moves a hair I’m toast.  Any advice out there??  Tap.  Tap.  ????


Change, change, change

Several things have happened recently.

We won the championship for our flag football team for the second year in a row.

Yippee!  This yummy little guy will be playing before I know it.

Isn’t he adorable???

These guys crack me up with their hand motions but “hey” it won the game!!!

(unedited)

This one of mine did not play this year but he sure had a knack for sucking me out of 50cents for a ring pop every game….

And this guy did play.  He takes after his mom….look at those legs stretch!!!

And I’m spending my days boxing, boxing, planning and all that jazz to move to our rental home in JAX.

I’m sad, happy, nervous, stressed and all that jazz.

“And the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

I need that pasted on my forehead.

IN HIM…….

Julie


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