"This is a Rainy Labor Day Weekend with Your Family and Friends Looks Like!"

Labor Day Weekend! Finally, a much needed and very much anticipated weekend away with my husband and 2 daughters and my college "family." AND of course........IT RAINS!!!!! However, I ought not complain as the rain was much needed, but to go all summer with next to none and NOW, it decides to rain......

However, a little bit of rain, OK, A LOT OF RAIN, did not spoil our weekend getaway. What do you do with three cabins, 1 camper, 10 college friends (2 of which were unexpected visitors but always welcome), 10 kids (plus 3 more with the 2 unexpected college friends--so 13), 1 dog, one set of college friends parents,  and A LOT OF RAIN!!!!!???? Well sit back, relax, take a look and enjoy! This blog may not be big on words, but it is big on memories for me and my family.

The girls on the way to Cannon Dam....

Notice the legs in the sweatshirt...this always makes me smile!

CANNON DAM......and RAIN!!!!!!!!!!

A few lights can always brighten up a room

RAINY DAY LAUGHTER amongst the two oldest girls:)

A CABIN

The old, unstable, kind of frightening, yet still standing playground!

Addison and Madeline making funny faces during a break in the rain!

Not exactly a fish, but hey, nice work anyway!

Fishing instruction in the rain

Playing fetch with the dog during a break from rain as well.....

PLAY BALL.....

More rainy day fun with the little kids

The bigger kids deep into Pictionary

MUDDY SHOES

....AND there we are posing for the camera and tripod! All kids present except the smallest was taking a nap.
That is one good looking crew if I may say so! AND no the girl is the gray shirt in the middle is NOT one of the kids! 

I can still see you but nice try.....

When it rains, why not go to the Visitor Center?

Skirt from the dress up clothes at visitor center

What? Are those kids actually squinting due to the sun coming out?? OF COURSE, go to the Visitor Center and the rain STOPS and SUN COMES OUT!!!

My love.....

My youngest sneaking in some bunny ears:)

Beautiful day after all......

Mother Nature is amazing.....

Good way to wind down a day....

Tired kids after swimming....

Excitement


As you end reading this entry please remember this:

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

Now please check out another amazing blog by my fellow photographer friend Tara!

http://www.taralongphotography.com/blog/2012/9/what-a-color-run-looks-like

This is what Sisters look like.....

 Well, here it is the last day that I have to get this post published. Needless to say I have been a bit behind on doing so. I should be filling this blog with all the pics of all the events which have taken place to explain why I am so behind. BUT I am not any more busy than the next person, so I will spare you the details. SO, this month I will keep this simple because that is what time allows for. I decided to simply make this a quick blog post about my two daughters: The smallest loves of my life. The oldest is in 7th grade and the youngest is in 2nd grade. They are off to a good start at school and seem to be loving it! What I love about that is that they have each other there. They may not see each other often, but none the less they have each other. And let me tell you I know that little one sure looks up to her big sister. It amazes me how different, yet how similar, they are really are. I am glad that they have each other to share this life with. The girls are 5 years apart in age, but all things considered, that age difference works well for them. They laugh, they fight, the share, they play, they joke, they yell...they do what siblings do. And under it all, they really do LIKE each other (I think). The days that they are at each other and have had enough are the days I remind them that they ought to be thankful they have each other. I remind them of when my grandma told me the story about she and her sister. My grandma was the oldest and her sister was substantially younger. My grandma Dorothy was not the most fond of her little sister Mary Lou growing up, but as adults they were best friends. I remind them of this. Often.....

SISTERS HANGING OUT TOGETHER

SOMEONE JUST MAY LIKE HER BIG SISTER:)

ALL SMILES

MY BEAUTIFUL LADIES

THE BIG SISTER: 7th GRADE  THE LITTLE SISTER: 2nd GRADE





So for those of you out there who have a sibling or who are a sibling to someone--
If you have not done so lately, use the small phrase "I love you."
If you have argued with your sibling, say "I am sorry."
If you have not spoken with your sibling in quite some time, stop reading this and go make a call.
If you have lost a sibling (such as I have), I am thinking of you as it is a hard loss to endure.
If you have kids who love each other one minute and fight like cats and dogs the next--embrace both aspects of that as that is how siblings (most) work.
In other words, when all is said and done, do not take your sibling for granted as you never know when it may be the last time you see your sibling.

                                

    Now please go check out another blog entry (and a very nice one if I may say so) by fellow photographer Angie Jackson. Nice work Angie!                                    

    http://www.angiejacksonphotography.com/2012/08/what-looks-like.html

This is What Letting Your Seven Year Old Choose Her "Vacation" Looks Like

ADDISON AND HER CHOSEN VACATION DESTINATION

My husband Dave and I have a seven year old daughter Addison. I have an older daughter Alyssa from my first marriage. This summer Alyssa has gone on two vacations with her dad. Dave and I have yet to have been able to get away with the girls this summer. Recently, Addison pointed out the following: Alyssa has had a vacation, Dave and I have had a vacation (previous blog post) and she has NOT had a vacation yet. So, upon pondering her realization, we came to the conclusion she was exactly right. SO that said, we spoke with the girls and indicated to them that when Alyssa went to her dad's house over one weekend, Dave and I would take a "mini" vacation with Addison. Alyssa being very understanding, and Addison being very excited, the only thing left to decide was WHERE to go. We decided to leave that up to Addison (with us having the final say of course): Tell us your best "mini" vacation ever.  Well, she gave it brief thought and said "Let's go to Aunt Erin and Uncle Billy's house!" That was not exactly the "mini" vacation we had in mind. As much as I would have loved to go see them, they live in FLORIDA (Alyssa might be a tad bit upset if she missed that trip!) So she decided to go with what I refer to as plan B: A zoo and a hotel with a swimming pool. We could put that trip together easy enough for her! DESTINATION: ST. LOUIS                               
                                                                

My smallest love:)

Addison's photo skills

             
The journey began with a trip to the St. Louis Zoo. The day was spent watching a good deal of shows and events that were going on at the zoo. We watched a bird show, the newly created Sea Lion Show, and we touched the Sting Rays and Sharks. All of that mixed in with some random looking at various animals made for a full day at the zoo.

SMILING LIKE THE GOAT:) Ha!

ADDISON LOVED THIS SHOW!

CHECKING OUT THE STINGRAYS WITH DAD 

 The evening was topped off with a dip in the hotel pool. Addison is slowly becoming more comfortable in the water. She was all about having her picture taken to document her newly acquired I-am-getting-more-comfortable-in-the-water-skills:) 

THIS IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ADDISON!!!!!

After a bit of time in the pool, we cleaned up and went out to one of my and Dave's favorite places--Macaroni Grill (which she ultimately loved as a result of getting to color on the paper table cloth).

The second day we let Addison choose what she wanted to do to end the trip. To no surprise she chose a swim in the pool.

MEET "I-AM-GETTING-MORE-COMFORTABLE-
IN-THE-WATER-NOW" ADDISON:)

 This was followed a visit to IHOP for a create a face pancake (her favorite). AND to finish off the "Best Trip Ever" she chose a return visit to the Zoo. She wanted only to get her face painted (had been eyeing it since yesterday) like a Dalmatian (in honor of her beloved Dalmatian Joy, may she rest in peace) and get a look at the Giraffes, and end the day with a trip to view the snakes (I could have skipped that part and been just fine). All in all, I would say it was a successful mini vacation for Adi! How could I forget to mention a trip to the gift shop, in which Adi stated "I need to get something for Alyssa since she is not here." She always and I mean ALWAYS gets something for her sister wherever we go. Such a kind heart......

ADDISON THE DALMATIAN................

SHE WILL NEVER FORGET HER BELOVED
DALMATIAN JOY:)

ADDISON AND DADDY

ADDISON'S FAVORITE

"I am just going to take a rest...."

I don't know about you, but I would say it was a good weekend:) We had a great time, she had a blast, and many wonderful memories were created just a short one and a half hours from home. Remember, it is not about WHERE you go, but rather WHAT you do that counts. May you all be blessed with wonderful memories such as I was on your vacations this summer!

Please click on the following link to enter another local Springfield photographer's blog:

  /http://kindrabostonphotography.blogspot.com/2012/07/what-our-vacation-looks-like.html

This is what TAKING TIME out looks like

SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE A TIME OUT......

The timing for this project could not have been more perfect. Let me fill you in on a little background info to set the scene...My name is Keri. I have been married to my husband Dave for almost 7 1/2 years. We have a beautiful daughter Addison, as well as my daughter Alyssa from a previous marriage. Just like many other married couples who have kids and full time jobs and hobbies and responsibilities and bills to pay, Dave and I are guilty of letting "life" get in the way of our relationship.....


Dave is an amazing individual. However, it wasn't until about 7 weeks ago that I truly realized just how amazing he is, and that I have been neglecting "my best friend." You see, Dave and I have been somewhat living our lives, wrapped in our own worlds, thinking we know each others wants, needs and desires. However, wrapped up as we were in each of our "own lives" we were traveling two paths, with our own agendas, not tending to "our life." He was wrapped up in work and other responsibilities, while I was wrapped up in photography and writing and work as well. We were not listening to each other. We were not respecting each other. We were not taking the time necessary for each other. We put forth all of our own energies on work (we both work for the same place), the kids, paying the bills, cleaning the house, etc. We spent more time in front of the TV or the computer, on the ipad/iphone/ipod, or reading a book, than we spent with each other. We did not tend to our marriage as we should have. We let it go by the wayside, taking for granted that it would always be there. Well, let me tell you something... 


IF you do not tend to your marriage it most likely will NOT thrive. Plants need water to grow. Kids need nurtured to feel safe.  Cars need gas to run. A marriage needs attention to simply survive in this world, let alone thrive in this world. However it was discovered, that with even a small amount of attention, comes understanding and respect and love and nurture and happiness--at least for me--and I am certain for Dave as well. BUT, most importantly for me, all this led me back better than ever before to "my best friend," who has been sitting right here before me the entire time. AND WE COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!!


SO all that said--probably more than you wanted to know--brings me to where I am today:
                    THIS IS WHAT REJUVENATING YOUR MARRIAGE LOOKS LIKE.....

This is what PEACEFUL looks like.

This is what trying to BEAT THE TIMER
looks like!!!!

This is what being with my BEST FRIEND
 looks like :)

This is what HAPPY looks like :)

This is what LAUGHTER looks like!

This is what MARRIAGE looks like.

This is what TAKING TIME looks like...

Dave and I had a wedding picture disaster. Therefore, as a result, we have very few and poor quality wedding pictures. Needless to say I have been bothered by this experience since our wedding day. I have no pics on the wall. I have no pics that anyone has ever seen from my wedding. SO, that fact, along with the fact our marriage needed a little TLC, Dave and I scheduled a weekend away at a Bed and Breakfast. I decided that this would be a good weekend to become one with my tripod and capture the rejuvenation of my marriage--to my best friend :) 


I hope that if you have walked away from this entry with even one thing it is this: In this day and age life keeps us moving forward too quickly. It is easy to do your thing and get caught up in the everyday. It is easy to put your marriage off, put your spouse on the back burner. It is easy to forget that marriage needs just as much attention as the next thing does. And let me tell you, when you realize all this and you begin to focus on your marriage, attend to your spouse, rediscover your best friend-- LIFE IS A MUCH HAPPIER AND MORE PEACEFUL JOURNEY :)

Please check back at the end of next month for another "This Is What _______Looks Like."
Please check out another fellow photographer, Danielle Sullivan,  participating in this project at the following: http://daniellesullivanphotoraphy.blogspot.com/2012/06/ok-all-i-have-never-blogged-before-and.html