How I got hooked

As I hear Bethany's bus go by, 

I hurry to the window.

It's my favorite moment of the day 

to watch her

being her.

This time, instead of coming in

she grabs a shovel

and goes to work.

Unaware that I grab a camera

and go to work.

Blissful work.

My friend Kate asked me the other day

how I got hooked on taking pictures.

I thought of the years lived overseas.

Of the scrapbooking kick begun before I was even married.

But today I realized

THIS is how I got hooked.

It's the series that tells the whole story.

Love.

Family field trips

Although we love our kids' schools and wouldn't want them anywhere else, 

I have to admit that I envy the fact that homeschool families

can go on field trips almost anytime.

We still go on a lot of family field trips,

but unfortunately they sort of need to coincide with the school calendar.

We missed a few days of school for our Christmas trip,

but I think we did a decent job of providing educational experiences.

Like this trip to the Holy Land Experience.

And this roadside stop at a cotton field.

Nothing like seeing for yourself why Eli Whitney was a hero.

We were passing by this college town,

so we stopped by for a taste of the college experience.

And by taste, I mean we visited the football stadium.

We learned all about westward expansion and the Louisiana Purchase

at the Gateway Arch.

And last but not least,
I taught Ben how to use Photoshop.  

Because racecars need numbers.

Once a teacher, always a teacher.