I Love Fall.

Oh how I love Fall. I love everything about it. I love our pumpkin patch where we grow our own pumpkins. I love the cool, crisp feeling in the air and the smell of the leaves. I love all the colors and I'm in complete ahh in the beauty that surrounds me.

Today, is the first day of my "week in the life" project and I took over 200+ photos. I know it was probably over-kill but in my photography world, you can never have enough photos. I am embarking on this project while I'm on vacation. My focus will be documenting everyday details over the course of seven consecutive days. I want to make sure I capture some of those little things... the way things look in our house, how I am feeling, what my girls our up to, etc... Oh, did I mention that I started my 9 day vacation today and I'm so excited. I'll be charging my camera battery every night and ready to start documenting in the morning.

My grandparents left today, and I was very sad to see them and their trailor leave. It was absolutely the best having them up here and being able to share stories and have their presence around. They have been up here since the Spring and have been coming up here intermittently throughout that time. I took lots of photos during that time and I was so glad I did. I want my girls to always remember that special time and be able to look back on all the pictures I took.

McKenzie's class today painted their pumpkins they picked out on a field trip they took last week to Pheasant Field Farm in Phoenix. This is McKenzie's pumpkin and artwork. It's beautiful!!

Pumpkin Patch and a Project.

When I visit Ali Edward's blog, I know I want to make something amazing with all my photos but then I get overly-inspired and decide I'll leave it for another day.  But then today is gone.  Sigh.  So, when I read her invitation to join her in a simple project to record a week in the life of my life, my family, using my photos, featuring what I see as important today, I will admit, I got a burst of inspired energy and determination.  Maybe I can do this.  Maybe I'll start very soon.

 

Why this project?  Why now?  I guess it's just the thrill of having this moment in time distilled into something tangible.  Something I can hold in my hands as a reminder of this priceless and fleeting moment of my life.  I take photo after photo and am usually content with that being the end result.  But the idea of using photos as a springboard sparks my interest.  It's as if the photo is just part of the process.  It's a whole new perspective and it's as simple as focusing in on just one week of my life.  I think it sounds wonderful and I plan on taking Ali up on her invitation by following along with her on her blog to see what I can come up with.  Why not?  I'm taking a vacation real soon, so I'll have no excuse to take photo after photo for one week.  This is totally do-able and I'm so excited because there will be so much to document. 

 

Let Me Remember This Moment.

I found this quote online this morning and I think it's perfectly fitting for this moment.

 

Mary Jean Iron:  Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.  Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.  Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.  Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.  One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch  myselft taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.

Catch of the Day.

Took the girls up to Howard Prarie for some fishing.  My grandparents meet us there, where they rented a covered boat.  We were on the lake for 5 hours and McKenzie had the only bite and catch of the day. 

 

McKenzie loved the experience and Callie on the other hand... well, I have to give her credit that she didn't jump ship.  The motion of the boat made her so sleepy.  She wasn't about to fall asleep.  She wasn't going to miss a moment of all the goings on.  It wasn't until I strapped her in her car seat that she slept all the way home.

 

This will be a trip I will always remember and that I hope will be in McKenzie's memory forever.  I have so many  wonderful memories that I shared with them as a child growing up... camping, fishing, my first DisneyLand vacation with them, picking apples in their orchard, my grandpa teaching me how to ride a motorcycle.   Memories I will never forget.  I am so grateful for one last fishing experience... that my girls were able to share in what my grandparents love,  I am so grateful they are my grandparents.  I am so grateful my girls are able to spend so much time with them.  I love them so very much.                              

Altogether Too Happy.

This picture was taken early September inside GiGi and Grandpa's trailor.  I love it.

 

I also love this quote I found!

 

     In the private sanctuary of one's own conscience lies

     that spirit, that determination to cast off the old

     person and to measure up to the stature of true

     potential.  (Thomas S. Monson)

Friends.

Friends are like shadows... they follow you around everywhere.

 

From left to right:  Brooke Hall, McKenzie and Gracie Logan having a popsicle on the lawn at AMS as a cool down snack.

 

This is an important message I read today... and it reads:

     "embrace the passion that drives the artist within to create, believe in your dreams,

     follow your heart and create your own reality."

Happy October 1st.

So, it's October 1st. I think if I had to pin myself down, October is my favorite. Summer, with all of its fun behind us and the craziness of the holidays is still just out of reach. The weather is generally good and the leaves are turning brilliant colors and the return of the "pumpkin spice latte" at Starbucks. What's not to love?