Wordless Wednesday, Double Trouble Edition

 -Bethany

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

Goodness, I love Christmas.  It's been a mad dash to get back into the house and unpacked in time to decorate for the entire Christmas season (I dont want to cheat out on any of the days!), but so worth it.  I adore this time of year and it fills my heart to see all of the holiday decor.

Our family is full of traditions and every year, I make a list of the things we MUST do during the Christmas season.  Reflecting back on our photos of activities, we've packed in a lot of our Christmas favorites.

The trains at Northpark...

Flying like an angel after Sunday school...

A wreath making party with friends (and the host had to come over a week later because my wreath just needed, well, help!)

A family photo session when you're just a tad too early for church...

 

 

Bundling up with two hats when baby, it's cold outside...

A new favorite, the 12 days of Christmas displays at the Arboretum.  Grace was obsessed with the "ladies dancing".

Getting all fancy (even when your first dress ripped right as you got in the Uber).

The daily anticipation of a Lego advent calendar (the best present idea ever!)

 

Sporting straight hair for your brother's second annual performance as the lead soldier in the Nutcracker...

We are so proud of this soldier who practiced for six weeks to star in the show.

 

Growing up, we celebrated the four Sundays of Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, with present opening and a devotion.  Grace nearly asks me every day, "Is today Advent?"  Both kids are a big fan of the tradition continuation.

A tradition of service, hosting a caroling party for the residents of a seniors center...

Word to the wise, don't invite the Jordans to your white elephant gift exchange.  Unless you want to go home with a pet...

Sweet neighbors who throw such a nice party for the block children...

 

All in all, these kiddos have been more nice than naughty.

Tis the season and we've got a few more days to go!

-Bethany

Wordless Wednesday

 -Bethany

Big Bend

I keep a Pinterest wish list available at all times for anybody seeking ideas.  On my birthday, Rick consulted the wish list and saw that I had suggested a 4-hour Camera 101 class from a local photographer.  Rick decided I "needed to get serious if I was going to learn" and booked me the 4-DAY class instead...in Big Bend National Park.

The class focused on landscapes and consisted of four people.  Lucky for me, three people backed out the week of the trip.  So...I had a private photography lesson in Big Bend for four days.

My entire goal was to get my camera off of the auto settings and onto manual.  I think the classes were helpful, but I'll let you be the judge.

The best part of the weekend was being completely off the grid.  Unplugged and disconnected.  In today's world, this is such a rarity and something at which the modern person bucks.  Slowing down is losing and crossing things off of a never-ending to-do list is winning.  It was such a treat and rarity to have near solitude for four days with limited connection to the outside world's hustle and bustle.  For a few days, I reached within, expanded my own skills, practiced mindfulness and worried about things like the timing of a sunrise and cloud coverage. 

The photographer's wife joined us so that I could practice some portraits...

 

 Perspective.  Sometimes you gotta look up to realize that your "big" problems are actually very small and insignificant.

We kept the camera shutter open for twenty minutes for this one and captured twenty minute's worth of the earth rotating.

May I stop and smell the roses more often in the new year and breathe with intent.  For with such grounding comes gratitude and patience.

-Bethany