What I...

I am taking a cue from Beki over at The Rusted Chain for my post today.



What I know...

Happy is he... whose hope is in the Lord. Psalm 146:5

What I miss...

Texas and Blue Bell ice cream

(and all of our family, of course!)

What I wish I were drinking...

Strawberry and lime water

        

What I was drinking...

over ice! YUM!

What makes me giddy...

Canada Geese

Where I like to go...

Oquirrh Lake, Daybreak, UT

What made me happy yesterday...

Receiving our Christmas ornament from

The Rusted Chain

What I love...

My family

So... What do you?

Instalove and a little more

It amazes me how fast the days travel by. There are many that slip through my grasp and there are those that I am happy to get passed. 
I am striving to live with better intention. With more purpose. 
To savor and thank God for the sweet blessings and thank Him through the struggles as well. SO.NOT.EASY.

I just have to tell you how much I love, LoVe, LOVE Instagram. I am a little addicted. Absolutely.

I may not use it exactly "right"... however that is. But I adore it.

First introduced by my girlies, I quickly became a big fan. I am blown away by the "real" photographers who are so amazing that my talent genes are crying out. They have the ability to transport you to places you have only imagined or dreamed of. You can visit when normally you wouldn't have the ability.

Yes, I know that photographs have long been published in books, in mags, and online. There is something different about this Instagram thing. They are all in one place. Tiny. But all together. Whether they are from Istanbul or South Carolina... you can see them all. You can pick and choose, you can comment or not, and you can like it or leave it alone. We each have the ability to make it our own.

I definitely have made my Instagram my own. I do not have a theme as most people do. Oftentimes you find scenery... drop dead gorgeous scenery. Those are the pics that help me take a deep breath and feel God's Peace. This time of year it is the fall colors. The trees and leaves which make me smell pinion wood burning. Don't know why... just does. It's calming.

Some people stick with people. I mean, they photograph people. Typically these are not my favorite. Yes, I know that sounds so wrong. It sounds weird. I think it is because I think of hanging them on my wall. The Instagram photos, that is. And so, I think... why would I want to hang a picture of someone I don't know? That being said, there are a few exceptions. I love seeing pics like this...

...that allow me a little glimpse into the life of my college girl and the crazy things she is doing. :-) I also love pics of people from my talented blogging "friends" like Carissa, Beki, and Kelle because I "know" them and like to see their family photos. Because they are my family, too. Most of those Instagramers are photographers as well, so their photos are jealous worthy. ;-)

MY feed is a mish-mash of stuff. From family photos to beautiful sunrises. Just whatever makes me happy at the moment. I do find myself "studying" things more closely. Stopping in the middle of the street because "Oh, that would be an awesome IG photo!" or my infamous "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?!". It works for me. Especially now... just a difficult season. Thank you IG for helping me see God's beauty.

My youngest introduced me to Kristin. Her photography skills are amazing and we both love her sense of style, if you will. However, my favorite thing about following her on Instagram is her ability to shoot her family. Of course, that is, take photos of her family. They are unique. They are vintage. They are creative. They are love through her eyes. She has been featured at A Beautiful Mess for their "At Home With..."  which will give you a glimpse into her life. You must check her out!

Speaking of my youngest, as I was a bit ago... this pic is one of my faves of hers. I might be a bit partial because it is of her sister.

She has entered it into a contest (don't have results yet) and used it in a portfolio that she submitted for Sterling Scholar at her high school. We found out yesterday that she has been chosen as the Visual Arts Sterling Scholar. WooHoo! So happy for her!

Now on to regionals...

Have a great weekend all!