Thursday, June 28, 2012

Click It Up a Notch :: One for June

my girls eating ice cream

























Here is my favorite for this month.  I've been focusing on using natural light to my advantage.  We enjoyed an outing in the evening and I was so please with the beauty of the light as my two girls enjoyed their ice cream.  

I'm linking up with Courtney for her monthly photo challenge.  Click on the link and check out all the beautiful photos other's have contributed this month...

Click It Up A Notch

365 Photo Project :: day 128 june 28

























Commentary:  Beyblade! Beyblade! Let it Rip!

365 Photo Project :: day 127 june 27


Commentary:  Picnic in Sellwood park

We finally had a sunny day on Wednesday and sought to enjoy every moment of the sun!  The day started off with cooking banana muffins and enjoying a visit from Phoenix friend (whom we all agree should join the Bates family).  Then we discovered a new park in North Portland, McCoy park.  The kids loved the big spider web and the water feature.  Abigail and Ethan filled their afternoon with painting birds with crayons and watercolors while Sophia and I had some rest-time.  A picnic dinner was packed with Summer Celebration Pasta (which is my go to recipe in the summer and includes any fresh ingredients I decide to throw into pasta:  tonights ingredients-ham, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, and black olives with a garlic parmesan dressing).  We picked up Abbey's sweet friend and headed to Sellwood park for our dinner and then splashed, kicked, and swam in Sellwood's lovely outdoor pool.  Yes it was a fun-filled Wednesday!  And to top it off my dearest friend and I were able to catch up on the phone.   

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

365 Photo Project :: day 126 june 26


Commentary:  strawberries ready to freeze 

Best way to freeze berries:

I learned this method from a friend and it works great.  After picking berries, wash, cut off stems, spread out on a baking sheet covered in wax paper, freeze, then once frozen put the berries in zip lock freezer bags.   Using this method will keep the berries from sticking to each other.  

We've been enjoying variations of strawberry smoothies and will need to replenish our stock soon!  Today our smoothie recipe included orange, peach, mango dole juice, one banana, frozen strawberries, and vanilla yogurt.  So good!  



Tuesday, June 19, 2012

365 Photo Project :: day 119 june 19


























Commentary:  My sick little girl enjoying a popsicle (this is the only thing she could keep down today...it brought her a smile)

Monday, June 18, 2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012

365 Photo Project :: day 117 june 17

Piano Showcase at Miss Brooke's
photo of the day: duet feet
Abigail playing the Russian Sailor piece 



duet Crawling Spider


Phia



Wednesday, June 13, 2012

365 Photo Project :: day 113 june 13

Summer Birthday Celebration : strawberries and shortbread cookies

photo of the day:  strawberries
there were 8 kids turning 8 over the summer in Abigail's 2nd grade class...it was quite the birthday celebration! 


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

365 Photo Project :: day 112 june 12 :: Abigail's Kingfisher Bird Costume

photo of the day:  Abigail as a Kingfisher bird

Abigail's Art's Focus School featured their end of the year dance showcase.  The 2nd graders have been studying birds and performed a piece where each student was a different bird.  

The kids were encouraged to create their own costumes.  Abigail was excited about this!  She told me just what she wanted.  On Sunday, after church, we picked up some blue felt and feathers.  We created a template.  She and I worked quickly tracing the pattern and cutting out felt pieces.  Then we glued the felt feathers to a white shirt.  We went berry picking for the rest of the day.  When we got home we added feathers to the wings(sleeves).  She wore a skirt and legging from Old Navy.  And her costume was complete in just a couple of hours.  She looked so beautiful and her dance was captivating.

Monday, June 11, 2012

365 Photo Project :: day 111 june 11

photo of the day:  chickens at Kruger's farm



























Abigail is bringing strawberries to her class summer-birthdays celebration



playing fish and minos 

Sophia picked strawberries, put them in her basket, and then ate them

one more month to go!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Ten on Ten :: June 2012

once a month on the tenth taking a photo an hour for ten consecutive hours. Finding much life and beauty among the ordinary things of our day! 


Our little Sophia Olivia Esme turned two today!  We had so much fun celebrating her birthday as a family.  (We celebrated the 10th a day early as her Daddy is a pastor and works Sundays)


good morning birthday girl!

coffee crumble cake with fresh fruit for breakfast

Sophia Olivia Esme in her new birthday outfit

playing in wildflowers 

my beautiful birthday girl

ticket and zoo key in hand

Abigail and Ethan viewing the mountain goats

time for a nap on the way home from the zoo

birthday gifts...Sophia loves being a princess

angel food cake with peaches and raspberries 




ten on ten button