Life Through The Lens

I think we all see life through our own lenses. I love to capture life happening before me with my camera knowing it is a sense of documentation for the years to come.  

  

The essence of childhood.  

My brother with my daughter.  Two of my favorites standing on the property where he will marry the greatest love of his life moments from the day this photo was taken. 

My firstborn.  One of the most resounding compliments we've always
received about him are about his smile and sweet nature.  To this day, he smiles, I melt. 

Pure joy, play, and love. Shared among a dad and his little girl.

My lastborn.  My fierce and precious thing, full of determination and love. She will do big things in this world. She will change Gods kingdom for His glory. 

My brother and his girl.   

Easter 2014

We had a wonderful time celebrating Easter with some of our family.  We hosted at our home, which we always love to do.  I have really been thinking a lot about the meaning of Easter and what it means to me.  I've got a lot of room for growth personally, and to realize that I have the offer to be made new again through Jesus is gives me hope.  

I managed to only get photos of the all the kids, though I fully  meant to do some family photos.  Somehow my camera lens is totally attracted to them.  I'm biased but I find all four of these to be quite easy on the eyes. 

Cooper teaching Luke how to play baseball.  Melt. My. Heart. You can see how much little Luke looks up to him :>)

suave. debonair. 

handsome face

he cracks himself up.  a great trait to have!

handsome face take two. that smile. 

Easter egg hunt! 

We did at least four easter egg hunts, because it was so fun.

relaxing on the hammock over the creek. love that his pillow is his baseball glove.

catching a quick nap

they loved hunting eggs (and the treasures inside!) 

huckleberry luke. down by the creek.

love how they are looking at each other.

all my loves

sweet nap on the hammock over the creek

ah-dorable. love.

we are incredibly blessed and so thankful

What I'm Loving

1. The North Carolina Coast. All the beautiful quaint fishing towns along it. And taking ferries to and from the inland to the islands.

Quiet coastal town. Alone on the beach.

Leaving the port on a ferry.
The seagulls stayed behind the boat the whole trip.

2. Movies about quiet, quaint fishing villages, with houses that are alone on the shore, and waves crashing against them.

3. Staying up late and sleeping in.

4. Drinking coffee while rocking on the porch while the breeze wraps me up.

5. Sitting on the beach all day, talking to my mama, watching the babies play and the husband fish

fresh flounder.

puddle jumping.

highwaters. it was a bit cold some of the trip. 

6. Seriously good , local seafood. (think fresh tuna, caught right of the boat. we didn't even cook it...)

That is the shark he caught. Yes we ate it. Yes it was delicious.

7. Not having to get in my car. Anything we need , we can get to on the island by golf cart.

8. Lighthouses. Seeing their lights flashing at night on the ocean.

9. Nightwalks on the beach with flashlights , watching our shadows and chasing crabs.

10. Long Island iced tea with mama.

Right after she arrived.
She was excited for the Long Island's in our future.
I love my mom.  

11. Staying on the beach until late afternoon. So quiet and peaceful.  

Life's A Beach. Don't. Want. To. Leave.

12. Mimi

Storytime with Mimi. LOVE.

 13. Naps!

Waking Up Happy

Waking up happy.
With awesome bed head.
She get it from her mama.

She just started folding her hands and putting them under her cheek right before she closes
her eyes. That's our cue that sleep is about to ensue. Love this sweet little thing.

13. Cooking fresh good food. With the doors and windows open, feeling the breeze, after a long day on the beach, listening to the babies play on the porches.

Our lobster.  Affectionately referred to as "the monster" by our children.

14. Curling up on the couch at night, with the doors and windows open, listening to the waves, watching movies and laughing with mama and husband.

15. Babies on the beach!!

sunbathing and building castles.

chasing that bird

16. HALF BIRTHDAYS!!!

Happy Half Birthday to you!
Celebrate them while you can.
Celebrate every day. 

I'm seriously considering early retirement at this point. Wouldn't you ??

Hey Good Lookin

Whatcha got cookin....

The Perfect Omlet
Step by step, with photos; full recipe at the end of post.

Fry up a package of bacon (or sausage). While cooking the meat, dice fresh green peppers, onions, and spinach.  (Play around with this and use your favorite vegetables)

In the bacon (or sausage) grease, lightly sautee the onions and bell peppers.  Put biscuits in the oven.

 It takes less than a minute for the spinach to wilt, so toss it in last and mix it with the other vegetables quickly, them remove the vegetables and place on a plate. 

Take a milk break. With your adorable bed-head. 

Dice the cooked bacon, grab your eggs and shredded cheese.

Share a piece of bacon with your adorable toe-head.

Crack the eggs, mix them together, then pour in the pan. 

Cover the eggs with the cheese. 

Let the eggs and cheese cook for a hot minute while you pull the biscuits out of the oven. 

Share a biscuit with the cute little boy.  

Place the diced bacon and sauteed vegetables on one side of the omlet.  

Continue to let the cheese melt while you share another piece of bacon with the precious little begger girl. 

Fold the half without bacon and vegetables over.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Then slide the omelet out of the pan and onto your plate.  Enjoy!

And there you have, the. perfect. omelet.

And if you don't count the cheese and biscuits, it's totally paleo.  

The Perfect Omelet

1/4 fresh green pepper

1/4 fresh onion

1 cups fresh spinach

3 slices of bacon

3 eggs

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1. Fry bacon until crispy

2. While the bacon is frying, dice up your pepers, onions, and spinach

3. Remove cooked bacon from pan, toss the peppers and onions in the bacon grease and lightly sautee. 

4. While vegetables are cooking, dice up the bacon. 

5. Toss the spinach in last, toss with the other vegetables, and quickly remove. It wilts quickly and you don't want to overcook it. 

6. Crack eggs in a bowl and whisk together. Pour egg mixture into frying pan.  Let eggs cook on low for one minute.

7. Sprinkle the cheese over the egg mixture (saving a small sprinkle's worth) and let cook for one minute. 

8. Top one half with the bacon, then the vegetables.  Let cook until the cheese is melted.  

9. Fold the half without the filling over the bacon and vegetables.  Sprinkle the last of the cheese over.  Let cook for one minute. 

10.  Carefully slide your perfect omelet onto your place.  Enjoy with biscuits and grits.  And sweet tea.  Or a mimosa. Or long island iced tea. Or coffee.  You get the picture.

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