June...A Month in Photos

     As I considered what to fill this space with today I felt a bit at a loss...not because there is nothing going on in our lives, but because there is so much going on in our lives. So much day-to-day stuff, so many celebrations, so many milestones and moments and events...It's all wonderful, but do you ever get so caught up in the whirlwind of family life that you realize it's just blazing by and you wonder if you're really able to enjoy the moments the way you'd like to? To really take it all in. 

     I met a woman in the grocery store the other day who stopped to smile and admire the baby..."She's so sweet...Mine are 21 and 25 now...You forget that they were that small once." 

     "I'm sure it's gone by in the blink of an eye, hasn't it?"

     "Oh yes...so quickly. Enjoy it." 

      "I'm trying." Believe me, I am trying. 

      I would bet that many of you have had very similar conversations with strangers more times than you can count. It's a universal feeling. It's why I continue to blog even though I feel like I should be unloading the dishwasher or picking up the ruckus that is my house right now. It's one tool I have for capturing life as it blazes and whirls and twirls its way around me. 

     I once had the delightful opportunity to briefly interview Ann Voskamp at a blogging conference for an article I was working on. She told me that for her "blogging is a net that captures all of the moments of her life." 

      She went on to explain life happens so quickly, and it is so full, and there is a family to provide for and needs to meet and daily tasks beckoning our attention, but if you don't stop to catch what you can, it just floats right on by...she attempts to capture some of her life in that net on her very well followed and beautiful blog...

    And ever since she said that to me I feel compelled to do the same thing here...Not very consistently at times, but as often and as well as I can...For the few of you who are reading this and for for me to print out and read someday when time has passed and I want to reminisce  Also for my girls to read when they become mothers and are pondering whether I felt as crazed and joyful, as disorganized and grateful, as overwhelmed by the mess and the wonder, as they are feeling. 

       Yes, my dears, yes I did! Beautiful and crazy. 

      And so today the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" comes to mind. I don't have time to write a thousand words, but I am glad that we keep taking pictures. Snapping away...nothing fancy, no great camera angles or lighting or prize worthy shots (I'd like to learn how to do all of that with my camera...but alas...the time...)...just life captured mostly on my I-phone and shared here. 

      Blogs and I-phones...the nets that are capturing life. 

      And so, in lieu of words, I offer a bit of a photo journey of life at home this past June (:

An actual shot of our whole family! (Thanks Alison Fancher (:)

Ava turned 6

Scott and I turned 34 and 35...Yes, I'm older! 

Ava finished kindergarten...

All of her stuff coming home got me all choked up!  I expected to cry at the beginning, but not at the end (:

Ella's first dance recital

These next few photos were taken one day when I thought I was about to be swallowed by stuff...kind of like Jonah being swallowed by the whale...our house feels like the whale sometimes!! There were the groceries...

And the kitchen table...

The baby stuff scattered about...

Nightgowns and papers and remotes...

Our fridge covered in art!

The types of random piles that seem to appear everywhere lately! 

Haha...the playroom....This is actually when I was in the process of cleaning it one day, so it doesn't look too bad...

What I did when I was completely overwhelmed and didn't know where to begin...I sorted crayons! 

Little sweet pea...

Ella with Miss Aubrey and the hula hoop she placed around her...

The girls with Aunt KK making cotton candy at a local strawberry festival. 

Ella's dinner consisted of Cheetos, a hot dog and cotton candy that day...We only live once, right?! 

Lots and lots of smiles!!

Ava on my Birthday... I needed a super hero that day!! 

Freshly picked strawberries. 

My painting from a girls night out at a local art studio where they teach you to paint!

Scott playing Wii...which was Ava's, ahem, Scott's birthday present! 

A weed growing taller than anything else in our front yard...representative of the fact that life is nutty and there is a newborn in the house! 

Ella placed all of Aubrey's socks in the television cabinet...I was looking for them for hours...I found them when I stopped to feed Aubrey and was forced to stare at the cabinet for 10 minutes! 

My first attempt to take them all shopping! Fortunately I dropped the older girls off in the store's kids room shortly after this! 

Happy 4th of July!!!

Here's to a new month of summer moments and memories!