I don't usually blog twice in one day. This brought tears and thought I would share...
Out of all the blogs on my "blog-roll", this is the one I frequent most. It is called, "Holy Experience" and it is beautiful! I learned about it through a friend named Kelly, and it has been such a blessing/inspiration to me.
This particular blogpost for some reason just really got to me. Guess because I remember growing up in the country. My father was a citrus grower, and one thing that I loved was being outside; Smelling the scent of the orange blossoms, and running free. I remember my grandfather, who was also a citrus grower, he actually taught me how to drive a car in the groves (his International Scout vehicle). I would ride with him to check on the citrus, and was pretty much his little sidekick.
Such fond memories of my grandparents and I miss them so much!
Hope you enjoy this blog post: Click Here for Holy Experience by Ann Voskamp
To truly appreciate the beauty of the earth brings such sweetness to life!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Gaming to Success; Summertime
Interesting article on gaming: Click Here to read How Playing Video Games Can Boost Your Career
Speaking from our own personal experience...since our son has been gaming in between his lessons, and doing the interactive Modern Warfare, he has definitely improved in his reasoning/strategic thinking, and in the area of becoming more persistent with not giving up (all of this in positive ways).
We are thankful we listened to our Dr. who suggested to have him game in between broken up shorter lessons. It is said to help tremendously with the adhd (if done in the right manner). Our family has found this to be true. Gaming and playing drums have been positive activities in his life. As in all things, moderation is the key.
Over the summer break our son has been pulled way into gaming a little too much (so must the other guys he is playing with as they are on there playing too haha ;) and having such a great time with his cousin back home and friends from back home, and even new friends here where we live now. We have to keep it in check, like anything else. Mostly been in the evenings or late night. Whereas daughter and I have been more pulled into renting movies or watching the History channel in the evenings...or in her case the disney channel. One movie we both LOVED was The Young Victoria.
Concerning music...We are SO thankful for our son's drum instructor who is also our daughter's guitar instructor (oh and my piano coach for chords)...he has been such a positive roll model in the lives of our children and family. Last Tues he even worked with our niece while she was visiting with us. Thanks so much Chris L.!! Chris, you'll be happy to know that our whole family played "O Taste and See" together as a family. :) We had some awesome worship on our living room yesterday!
Summertime schooling: We usually school through the summer, but this month have taken a more relaxed approach. We have had family visit from out of town and friends from back home...and we are just enjoying sweet time together.
We are still schooling some throughout the summer, and starting back next week with a tighter summer schedule. So all of our late night habits will be slowly ceasing. This past week we have all been in bed by 11pm, which is a good start for us. haha. Each week we have been getting to bed earlier and adding something more academically into our normal routine of Bible Study and regular reading schedule.
This week son and daughter read the Pied Piper of Hamlin, and both are listening to 20,000 Leagues under the Sea on audio books. Daughter recently asked to read Romeo and Juliet, so Friday I requested to have this book transferred to our local library branch (our branch only had it on audio). There are so many books on audio now via the online library...wow! I've even been able to find classic literature books on the online audio vs NOT being able to find the actual book in the library.
Our girl prefers to read "actual books", whereas our son prefers audio. He does also read in "actual books", but retains more through audio books.
Can't remember if I mentioned it, but our church is fasting TV the whole month of August. Our pastor presented this to our church congregation recently, and our family is going to participate by shutting the TV off for the month of August. Which we are excited about doing as a family...well, Husband and I are excited about it. Our children are not as thrilled, however they are both in agreement and willing to do this with us. It will be great to do as a family.
We are also NOT supposed to use other electronic things to fill our time. So, as a family we are also going to have to keep tight limitations on the gaming and computer. Husband and I both use our computers for business and all of us for learning. I'm on here a LOT studying and reading about photography or editing photos. However, I am taking a break from Facebook. Only going to check it once a week for customers who may be requesting about photography, or to upload photos for clients who want a few prints on FB. Other than that, I'm taking a huge break from it. In turn going to spend even more serious one on one time with the Lord and in Bible study. I've also got about 3 books I'd like to finish (spiritually uplifting books).
Hope everyone is having a fun summer. We have been trying to swim and go to the beach as often as possibly. Yet we've had so much extreme heat where we live, that we have to swim either early in the morning or late in the evening. I can't tolerate the 99-108 degree heat. Last night we went late in the evening to swim, and it was much milder. Many others had that same idea as well. ;)
With the summertime we have left, we plan to make as many day trips to the beach as possible (any of my friends who want to go during the week, just call or email me). It just doesn't seem as hot at the beach for some reason. Perhaps it is the wonderful breeze, and the sounds of the ocean that gives me a cooler impression. Either way, the summer seems to be flying by so quickly!!!
Speaking from our own personal experience...since our son has been gaming in between his lessons, and doing the interactive Modern Warfare, he has definitely improved in his reasoning/strategic thinking, and in the area of becoming more persistent with not giving up (all of this in positive ways).
We are thankful we listened to our Dr. who suggested to have him game in between broken up shorter lessons. It is said to help tremendously with the adhd (if done in the right manner). Our family has found this to be true. Gaming and playing drums have been positive activities in his life. As in all things, moderation is the key.
Over the summer break our son has been pulled way into gaming a little too much (so must the other guys he is playing with as they are on there playing too haha ;) and having such a great time with his cousin back home and friends from back home, and even new friends here where we live now. We have to keep it in check, like anything else. Mostly been in the evenings or late night. Whereas daughter and I have been more pulled into renting movies or watching the History channel in the evenings...or in her case the disney channel. One movie we both LOVED was The Young Victoria.
Concerning music...We are SO thankful for our son's drum instructor who is also our daughter's guitar instructor (oh and my piano coach for chords)...he has been such a positive roll model in the lives of our children and family. Last Tues he even worked with our niece while she was visiting with us. Thanks so much Chris L.!! Chris, you'll be happy to know that our whole family played "O Taste and See" together as a family. :) We had some awesome worship on our living room yesterday!
Summertime schooling: We usually school through the summer, but this month have taken a more relaxed approach. We have had family visit from out of town and friends from back home...and we are just enjoying sweet time together.
We are still schooling some throughout the summer, and starting back next week with a tighter summer schedule. So all of our late night habits will be slowly ceasing. This past week we have all been in bed by 11pm, which is a good start for us. haha. Each week we have been getting to bed earlier and adding something more academically into our normal routine of Bible Study and regular reading schedule.
This week son and daughter read the Pied Piper of Hamlin, and both are listening to 20,000 Leagues under the Sea on audio books. Daughter recently asked to read Romeo and Juliet, so Friday I requested to have this book transferred to our local library branch (our branch only had it on audio). There are so many books on audio now via the online library...wow! I've even been able to find classic literature books on the online audio vs NOT being able to find the actual book in the library.
Our girl prefers to read "actual books", whereas our son prefers audio. He does also read in "actual books", but retains more through audio books.
Can't remember if I mentioned it, but our church is fasting TV the whole month of August. Our pastor presented this to our church congregation recently, and our family is going to participate by shutting the TV off for the month of August. Which we are excited about doing as a family...well, Husband and I are excited about it. Our children are not as thrilled, however they are both in agreement and willing to do this with us. It will be great to do as a family.
We are also NOT supposed to use other electronic things to fill our time. So, as a family we are also going to have to keep tight limitations on the gaming and computer. Husband and I both use our computers for business and all of us for learning. I'm on here a LOT studying and reading about photography or editing photos. However, I am taking a break from Facebook. Only going to check it once a week for customers who may be requesting about photography, or to upload photos for clients who want a few prints on FB. Other than that, I'm taking a huge break from it. In turn going to spend even more serious one on one time with the Lord and in Bible study. I've also got about 3 books I'd like to finish (spiritually uplifting books).
Hope everyone is having a fun summer. We have been trying to swim and go to the beach as often as possibly. Yet we've had so much extreme heat where we live, that we have to swim either early in the morning or late in the evening. I can't tolerate the 99-108 degree heat. Last night we went late in the evening to swim, and it was much milder. Many others had that same idea as well. ;)
With the summertime we have left, we plan to make as many day trips to the beach as possible (any of my friends who want to go during the week, just call or email me). It just doesn't seem as hot at the beach for some reason. Perhaps it is the wonderful breeze, and the sounds of the ocean that gives me a cooler impression. Either way, the summer seems to be flying by so quickly!!!
Friday, July 23, 2010
Interesting...
Maybe I should invest in an iphone and a few $50 floodlights from Lowe's. ;)
Goes to show...we don't need fancy equipment to make quality images. Only need to know how to work the light. :D
Love this!
Goes to show...we don't need fancy equipment to make quality images. Only need to know how to work the light. :D
Love this!
Monday, July 19, 2010
I Can't Believe It, 19 Years!
Wow...we are moving toward the Silver Anni!
I'm posting this today, because we are actually celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary tonight. The actually day is tomorrow though. But WHOA, as I type this, I can hardly believe it!!!
Tomorrow we will have been married 19 yrs. Wow, I realized so recently how our nieces and nephew were getting so grown up!!! No to mention our own children as well!
Our oldest niece Kathryn was only about 6 weeks old when we were married in Lakeland, FL at Victory Church!
God has done such amazing things at Victory Church. It has grown by leaps and bounds since we were members there!!! We moved to NC not too many months after we were married. The building we were married in (which was their main sanctuary at the time), is now the youth and children's building. They've also built an actual wedding chapel since we were there.
It is so great to see how God has increased their territory. We miss the Blackburn family so much, and the Jasso family as well. The really neat thing...the pastor who was my youth pastor at a different church (and who did the communion part of our ceremony), is now the associate pastor at Victory Church. So, when we go home to visit Victory, we get to see all of these special people at one time!
Wedding photography has come a long way since this photo was taken. :)
Our life has been a journey of healing, joy, sorry, pain, and most of all love...the love of God working on our lives. With God, we have certainly lived out: to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, in sadness and in joy...and I pray we will have many many MANY more years together before we get to the final chapter here on this earth. He makes life on this earth so sweet and special.
I love you my handsome Rev. Poohbear!!!
I'm posting this today, because we are actually celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary tonight. The actually day is tomorrow though. But WHOA, as I type this, I can hardly believe it!!!
Tomorrow we will have been married 19 yrs. Wow, I realized so recently how our nieces and nephew were getting so grown up!!! No to mention our own children as well!
Our oldest niece Kathryn was only about 6 weeks old when we were married in Lakeland, FL at Victory Church!
God has done such amazing things at Victory Church. It has grown by leaps and bounds since we were members there!!! We moved to NC not too many months after we were married. The building we were married in (which was their main sanctuary at the time), is now the youth and children's building. They've also built an actual wedding chapel since we were there.
It is so great to see how God has increased their territory. We miss the Blackburn family so much, and the Jasso family as well. The really neat thing...the pastor who was my youth pastor at a different church (and who did the communion part of our ceremony), is now the associate pastor at Victory Church. So, when we go home to visit Victory, we get to see all of these special people at one time!
Wedding photography has come a long way since this photo was taken. :)
Our life has been a journey of healing, joy, sorry, pain, and most of all love...the love of God working on our lives. With God, we have certainly lived out: to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, in sadness and in joy...and I pray we will have many many MANY more years together before we get to the final chapter here on this earth. He makes life on this earth so sweet and special.
I love you my handsome Rev. Poohbear!!!
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