Day 61. 2012.

I am going to cheat just a little bit, the following photos weren't actually taken today, but I can't help but post them!

There is something about summertime having a magical quality, especially when you are living on a farm and take the time to stop and smell the flowers (as I have been trying to do this year!)
Thanks to an awesome senior (I will post his photos later this evening) for showing me this amazing sunflower field.

My only wish is that I would have cleaned the kids up a bit and gotten them dressed in nicer clothes....

And wouldn't you know, this time around, the photo taking went SO MUCH BETTER!

We were on our way to the barn to help Trav feed calves....and shock of all, I actually enjoyed it! Watch out world....here comes farmer Mandy! She is not one for all of the noise!

Day 60. 2012.

We had a spontaneous picnic lunch on the new swingset today and it made me smile so BIG!

Last year when I started gently asking Travis about building the kids a new play area (the hand me down- rusted out- falling apart swing set they were using was ready for the scrap yard!) there is NO way that I could have envisioned the one that we were sitting in today.

My kids are so lucky to have him as their dad!

The swingset is amazing and very LARGE and according to him and the kids, is only 1/2 done!

Day 59. 2012.

I am going to let these photos do the talking, but seriously I don't know why my kids are always 10x harder to photograph together than others children?!

They are pretty hilarious to watch though...you can feel my stress from the other side of the lens, can't you?

And so it begins, I should have known from this moment on that this was not going to go as I had envisioned!


"The sun is soo bright mom!"

Boys will be boys eh?

"BUT I DON'T WANT HIM TOUCHING ME!"

I like this one!


One word, d.r.a.m.a.t.i.c.!


This shot couldn't be any more true to life...doesn't get much more real than this.

Can you tell that I was hoping that all the drama would go away if I stayed 'hididng' behind the lens?!

And this was what I got when I got after them for fighting...

hahaha, (SIGH) not a ONE looking at me, what I was even doing?!


Honestly the best group shot...we may have to try this again when dad or gramma is with!

tears...after literally 5 total minutes of shooting. poor kid, he was D.O.N.E.! And then miracle of all miracles, he gave me this gem of a smile..

and then stated, 'NO MORE!'

When I asked my math minded kid to show me how old he was going to be in a month, this is what he did.... Showed me doubles...

Stinker.

And last but not least, my easiest little model...at least I have one, right?!
So, that was it, my attempt at a session with my kids. I love them dearly, but there is a reason I am passionate about capturing life, and not posed forced smiles!

Hope your attempts at photographing your own children goes better than mine!

I have to say that it was easier when they were little!

Day 58. 2012.

Our community offers an array of fun activities for the kids to participate in and I am so glad that they do!

Today, Tanner had baseball...or Rookie League as he is constantly correcting me, and while I was taking this photo got a triple.

He was more than excited!


It's so fun to watch kids this age play, they usually congregate together in the middle of the field hoping to field the ball. Taking a time out to talk about the game. Tanner and Timmy, these two are serious about this sport and play catch together a lot! And there was no way that I could resist stopping when I saw these cuties advertising for a car wash on this HOT day! The kids were also very good at staying clear of my poor window that is still missing (since I shattered it when a rock flew through it last week after mowing). I was a little nervous I would be riding home in a puddle of suds and water!