Wednesday, July 15, 2015

The Creativity Project: Loud

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We were lucky enough to spend the Fourth of July
with some dear friends at their cabin.
Look at that serene, glassy lake.
A setting for our "Loud" theme
It hardly looks that way.
But looks can be deceiving.

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Flapping Loons

Because out on that lake some loons are teaching their babies how to swim and find food.

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They had a few things to say VERY loudly!

Jet ski

Especially to the noisy jet skiers.

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Lee needed a project to do, so he recruited some help and went to work on the old oak stump.

Tree

Definitely loud.

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In a nearby small town there were bed races on the Fourth.
It was plenty loud there as the community turned out in droves to cheer them on.

Rub a Dub Dub

The rubber ducks had my favorite bed, decorated as a bathtub.

Scooby Doo and Up

They were closely followed by the Scooby Doo Mystery Mobile,
along with the house from "Up"!
They all ran through the course twice, each time with a different sort of stunt event.

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Parade

I loved the fact that there were people of every age, supporting all of the participants.  So fun!

Also Ran

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Back at the cabin there was the sound of laughter and delight

Madelyn paddle board

as the little dog got in on all the action.

Lake

Ice Cream Creation

Then there was the sound of the loud beaters making ice cream base.
Everyone added their own secret ingredients to make their flavor entry for 
the ice cream making contest.

Ice Cream

Oh. my. word.
YUM!!!

The Judge

You couldn't possibly find a better judge than we had.
A quality control expert, who once worked for Haagen Dasz.
We eagerly awaited the results--
and it was Ben who cheered loudest when he won the prize 
for his Mint Oreo Ice Roar (even his ice cream had a loud name!).

Fire time

There was the chatter and the giggles and the selfies around the fire, 
before the fireworks…

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…some across the lake,

Our fireworks

and some by our own fire.
BOOM!!!

It was the most peaceful loud weekend you could imagine!

This post brought to you by The Creativity Project.
We are all posting LOUD posts today.

Is anything loud going on in your world?
We would love to see what it looks like!
Take a look around the circle for some inspiration, beginning with my friend Shalana.
I do not know how she does it, but her photos have an amazing way of giving you room to breathe.
(Well I do know how she does it, it's called negative space--
but it requires a self-restraint I don't seem to possess.)
Then if you want, post your own on The Creativity Project Facebook wall.
We'd love it!

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Evening on the Town


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Meet Nicole.

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I had the pleasure of spending the evening with her this week.

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I am quickly learning how much fun high school seniors are.
Nicole and her mom and I had this brainstorming session on the phone.
When we started, they had "no" ideas.
Well, except the percussion.  
And the first day of school rock in the front yard where the roses bloom.

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And the dogs.  (Oh hi Mom and Dad!)

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Well, there is her guitar playing too.

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Don't be fooled by all the sweetness, though,
because she could take you down if she had to.

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The girl is serious about her hockey.
If you saw "Inside Out" and wanted to know if girls playing hockey is really a thing,
well if you're from Minnesota, you betcha!
Nicole is hoping to be selected to a team at a Division I school.
I bet she makes it.  (Keep your game face on, Nicole!)

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In case you were also wondering if she always laughs and smiles so freely,
well, she might, I'm not totally sure.
On this day her sweet friends came along to cheer her on.
Where would we even BE without friends?  I loved hers.
Nicole loves her city, and she lives just a few minutes from this skyline view of Minneapolis.

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She envisioned a few photos with this backdrop, also a favorite of mine!

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We hung out on the Stone Arch Bridge

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and down below until we lost our light.

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And then it was time to imitate a few of the faces at the heart of the Guthrie theater

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and enjoy the sunset.

Nicole, I had a blast with you!  We even captured the haze from the Canadian wildfires as a "tribute" to your Canadian heritage. ;-) The way you shine makes it obvious that you are as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside.  I am looking forward to hearing how God uses your spunk and your compassionate heart in the years to come.  When I look at you, I see his fingerprints everywhere!