Documenting

One of the things I love the most about photography is documenting life. It's ups and downs, ins and outs, good and bad. I can go through my photos and know exactly how I was feeling at that time, it's like etching the memory into my brain, it comes to the surface much more quickly than trying to recall something that I don't have a photo of. This day was effortless. A low-key Saturday, with a few errands, a good outfit, and a lot of sunshine. The hubs had the kids playing outside while I played with my camera. I put together this outfit based on a photo I found on pinterest. I felt beautiful. Not solely based on what I was wearing, just a general feeling of well-being. This skirt/dress has special meaning to me. I found it trying to find something to wear to my grandfather's viewing, almost exactly a year ago. I wore it during a time of family togetherness, when my brother was home and my family was around our extended family a lot. Celebrating life and contemplating death.

Peace is something I'm constantly in search of.
Peace in my thoughts,
peace in my family,

peace in my heart.

In my mind

[garden - just before our tomatoes stopped producing from the heat. this is my sacred space. growing our food.]

[ellie, along with all of us, has fallen in love with tomatoes. she carries them with her everywhere.]

[a bird's eye view of what little girls do.]

[oh, bella.]

[what moms do when the husbands are watching the kids. get dressed up and take pictures.]

[i didn't know glacier national park was trendy, found this top at target.]

[my beating heart.]

[bella's newest artwork. she constantly amazes me. bottom drawing is from her daddy.]

We've been hunkered down, riding the tumultuousness that is life. Nothing too serious. Just life. Sickness, happiness, job status.

There are ups and downs to not having a television. I don't have the opportunity to check out, so my mind is always on. We've said time and time again that we love not having it. But then, there is no opportunity for my mind to check out, so it IS always on. It can be exhausting at times. I think this is just my personality. Dealing in real life circumstances rather than letting my mind wander to not real life. Maybe a little respite from the real world indulging in a little book now and again would do me some good.

I think this is just where life is for us right now. Constantly living on the edge.. stress eats at the edges of me and I'm constantly trying to breathe through it. Yoga has really been amazing for me, my body loves it, my mind loves it. My phrase that I've been repeating to myself lately is, "Anger makes nothing better." Simple and straightforward, it really clicked with me a few weeks back. Whenever I want to be angry about something, especially something silly, I choose another emotion instead... I feel like it's allowed me to love more deeply. Actually learning these life lessons and not just reading a verse has deepened my spirituality. I feel it, I know it, I live it.

Some lovely moments we've had lately: trips to the beach, chalk drawing, wandering through the garden, snuggles, laughter, good food, slowness.

I'm ready for a journey.