wayward wind

Thank you everyone for the well-wishes, I had a wonderful June 7th this year! I feel so blessed to have great family and friends who make me feel special not just one day every year, but especially that one day every year.

His face when I told him how old I was. I know son, I'm getting up there.

*~*~*~*

Lately, I have been thinking about seasons. But mostly a lot about the wind. It may be the Kansas heat, or for that matter, it's vicious hot winds that remind me of how something you can't see can still have an effect on everything.

Like the trees.

Take for instance, the leaves that have no choice but to sway in whatever direction the wind is blowing...

But also think about the base of that tree. The same tree several feet up that has no choice but to follow the wind, imprisoned, tossing it back and forth...that base holds it steady.

If we're lucky, we have a base. Something or someone strong holding us when we get the wind that whirls us around and shakes us, sometimes to our core.

Some call it luck, others call it fate. I call it the roots that keep me centered on the ground, when everything else is moving at a relentless, unforgiving pace.

Either way you look at it, I enjoy the times when we can get out of the wind, get away from the life that pulls us this way and that.

It gives us time to focus on our loves.

and their loves...

At the end of the day, it's good to stop and look around, to see how important each moment is. Even when the wind is blowing us, and we don't know where we are going to end up next. We should instead focus on the opportunity we have to just be.

Be where we are.

park-ventures, AKA learning camera techniques

I am certainly never going to claim that I am a natural-born artist. I just love good photographs. And I am loving having a piece of equipment that is giving me just that. I know I have a lot to learn...especially since I am only on "automatic" settings and haven't ventured into the "manual" setting that I am so intrigued with. If you don't know what I'm talking about, just ignore me.

All I'm saying is someday I will master the intimidating but fascinating functions that my new camera has. It's a secret door, that I'm dying to open, but am almost apprehensive, because I know it is a new world that will take me in, show me around, and I'll never want to leave. Until then, I am enjoying the amateur settings and am already noticing its distinct beauty.

Great news is, I get to use my beautiful kids to practice taking pictures...and you can never go wrong with that.

weekend celebrations

We had a very fun and busy weekend. Full of Riverfest activities, a golf tournament, an impromptu shopping trip in Newton, and of course fun in the sun.

Then, the start of my "birthday week". Growing up, this was always a running joke. But as I've gotten older (hence more birthday candles appearing on the cake), I have realized how incredibly lucky I am to have so many celebrations for my own birthday.
This is just one instance...

the traditional "birthday plate"-it certainly makes one feel special :)

my brother worked on his secret sauce for two days, yes it was VERY delicious!

I had family travel all the way from Colorado, just for me! Well, that may not be entirely truthful, but they came and celebrated and that was very, very special!

Some other photos of a great evening!

I want to thank everyone who helped me celebrate my birthday this weekend! And a very special thank you to Mark's family for treating us out to a great dinner and yummy cake Saturday evening. It's not even my "official" day but I feel more special than ever. Moving to Georgia is definitely going to change these types of celebrations, so I will cling on to this one for years to come. Thank you everyone, for making me feel so loved.

And if you noticed a nice change in the quality of the photos I've featured in this post, it's because my husband is awesome and wonderful and made my dreams come true, giving me a birthday gift that left me speechless and in tears: a new camera. Thanks honey, and more to come on my latest photographing adventures!!

exhaustion

Have you ever felt the immense exhaustion that follows everywhere you go?

Lately, I have been battling several forms of exhaustion. The intense fatigue that hits me between 4 and 6pm. Getting woken up by an alarm (or energetic kids) and coming up with every creative measure to get that extra 5 minutes of sleep. And then there's that persistent lack of energy that never lets up. The kind that stops you from running extra errands, or staying on your feet long enough to try a new recipe, maybe even the type that makes you attached to the couch instead of playing with your kids.

I call it my "up and at 'em", and let me tell you lately I've been missing it. So, I decided to do some research (what I like to do now that I'm not in school), to find some ways to battle this ferocious beast. Because I figure I'm not the only one.

-Get a check up. It doesn't hurt anyone to get into that arena of scales, tongue depressors, sphygmomanometers (sorry, my nursing is coming out), and much needed lab work. A change in electrolytes or something like low B12 can make a difference in how you function in the day to day.

-Take "cat naps". If you find yourself struggling through the afternoon, or you find yourself seeking snacks to get you going, you might consider the fact that closing your eyes for 10 minutes alone can give you that little burst of energy you need to get you through your day.

-If you don't feel like taking a nap, get outside and take a brisk walk. Getting that fresh air will help wake you up and invigorate you.

-If you do need a snack, try and stay away from the "bad" carbs. It's true, they give you that fast high, which feels nice at the time, but then you rebound and sink even lower in your fatigue level. Having cut up vegetables handy gives you a quick option when you feel like you can't make it until dinner.

-Most importantly, get 6-8 hours of sleep at night. When you consistently let your body get enough rest, it makes a world of difference in your fatigue level. I know I have a lot of trouble at night shutting off the TV, committing myself to a good bedtime. But, think about your best energy levels-for most of us it comes better in the morning than at night. So, get to bed early and work toward an earlier alarm setting. Then you can get the rest you need, and can still have that uninterrupted productive time.