Category Archives: Instagram

Best of the last six months of Instagram

Posted on January 31, 2015 | Leave a comment

I looked back to see when the last time was that I did an Instagram update and my-oh-my, six months have passed. So I went back and picked some of my favorite pics to share here. Again, gold star to anyone who makes it to the end.

Poor George. After seeing him (at times) relentlessly licking his paw for enough time to make me concerned, we took him to the vet to find out his nailbed was infected and that he would need surgery… when I picked him up, the surgery report called it a toe amputation. Amp.U.Tation. My dog is more high maintenance than your dog. Does he not look pathetic?

This sweet face… disguises quite the little imp.

And this moment of calm: a rarity.

Driving the neighbors boat… the one boating trip this summer that did not conclude with a bloody Jack (more on that later).

This kid’s ability to sleep through anything amazes me. As does his ability to wake up at 6 EVERY morning.

My little weirdos.

Showing off some killer dance moves.

My first pallet project.

Post-dental visit donut trip.

Amusing ourselves while waiting for Simon.

Mah baby got a grown up haircut in preparation for kindergarten. I still miss his mop of hair but I also love the new cut.

Playing at the school playground prior to school starting.

My boys. The very best part of my days.

First day of school.

First set of stitches – our last boating venture of summer ended before it began when Jack fell getting onto the boat and hit his head on the fiberglass, splitting his forehead right open. At the hospital he got some lovely medicine that made him not care one little bit about the pain or stitches – so much so that after they were done stitching him up, he said, “When do I get my stitches?” And after showing him a picture of his own gaping forehead, he said, “Oh, that looks like it hurts.” He was a trooper.

The granny square quilt before it began.

ArtPrize 2014 winner. Beautiful.

We had so much fun this summer at Gretchen and Bob’s pool.

Medals from their first taekwondo competition. So proud of those boys!

A stretch of craftiness… a chalk-painted cupboard door turned into Thanksgiving artwork.

A board, chipboard letters, fabric and a damaged clearance wreath turn into a little Christmas joy.

Applying craftiness I learned at MOPs to a Christmas wreath.

Life is better with fro-yo.

Our newest ornament…

Scenes of Christmas decor – my favorite time of the year!

Precious moments between Jack and Grandpa.

Girl’s night out with some of my favorite friends! 18 years of friendship!

The Dunkin’ Donuts by our house finally opened so we had to check it out with some neighbors… our mistake was asking them to pose for a photo AFTER feeding them sugar.

My sweet dad as a punkish kid. (both above and below)

Finally checked out Grove to celebrate Christmas with my beau… the company and the food are some of the best around!

Annual family Christmas photo… the one time a year my boys don’t argue with me (much) over clothing choices.

The Brothers Bennett.

NYE 2014… everyone was up until midnight! Though clearly some of us were delirious with the reality of it.

Thanks for playing along and reading this far! GOLD star to the finisher(s)!

the end.

Posted on June 30, 2014 | Leave a comment

Today’s photo prompt from fatmumslim’s photo a day challenge is “the end.” Seems appropriate for the day before my birthday. The end of one year, the beginning of another. So long, 35. Hello, 36. I have no problem with my age, except for “officially” having to round up to 40 – no thank you.

Back in the days of the paper planner (yes, I know some people still use them but I, myself, do not), I had one that listed next to that days’ date, the number of days that had passed in a year and then the number remaining for the year. On my birthday (on a non-Leap year), the numbers for both before and after were the same – hence I discovered that July 1 is the exact middle day of the year (at least three out of four years). There is a part of me that LOVES that symmetry. 182 days that have passed, filled with fun, adventure, mundane tasks, regrets, joys, defeats and all the stuff life is made out of and then 182 more days of possibility to come before the “end” of another year.

The end isn’t really the end, it’s just the beginning. It’s arbitrary. The calendar itself is a convention of man… a way of keeping track of the world. Each year, while cyclical in seasons, sunrises and sunsets, is a passage of time that doesn’t really matter other than a way of keeping track. What matters is what we do with that time. Do we spend it doing the things we love? Simply surviving or thriving? Making the moments special, making them matter, making a difference? Or are we coasting, waiting for something to happen to us? Life is a mix of all that… sometimes we need to sit back and drift a little, to regroup. And sometimes we need to be pushed into the fray or to pick up a cause and carry it boldly forward. Life is, after all, about LIVING. Doing. Being. Loving. Laughing. Crying. Beginning, again and again.

There is great hope in that. New beginnings, even as something feels like it is ending. As a Christian, even death doesn’t hold the same power because it is merely the beginning of heaven… or a continuation of eternity if you believe that eternity starts when you accept Christ’s role in your life.

I’m ready for a new beginning. I’m ready for 36 – I can’t wait to see what is coming. Happy birthday to me (you know, tomorrow).

Instagram

Posted on May 6, 2014 | 1 comment

So hey there… it’s been a little while. Whoops. I am still planning a little vacay recap but I had to get a new phone because the speaker on mine stopped working which meant I couldn’t hear it when it rang and that is kind of an important feature in a phone. But the new phone doesn’t have my old pictures on it so I have to get my act together and charge the old phone and upload the photos that I wanted to share because I’m now the slacker who documents vacations not with her nice Canon camera but with the camera in her phone. [worst intro paragraph ever…]

In the meantime – here’s a big catch up of Instagram pics for those of you not following me there, along with witty-ish commentary (as usual).

But wait… I just finished reading Gone Girl last night… holy crapola, it’s going to be fun discussing that one on Thursday at Laid-Back Book Club.

For a kid that hasn’t ever really liked drawing, I’m impressed with Liam’s ability to make outlined letters (floating in the sky thanks to balloons).

I love coffee and I love pictures of coffee. What can I say… it’s both pretty and delicious.

Pure awesome for crazy hair day! Love this wild child.

And love this bathtub boy.

My ever-present companion, mid-lick. I think he gets hairs stuck in his mouth and then proceeds to lick, lick, lick until we yell at him to stop! It’s especially annoying at night when you are trying to fall asleep.

Back when it was still winter (pretty much last week).

A Pinterest success! Melting plastic beads in a non-stick pan and turning them into a suncatcher. Such a satisfying craft.

This picture really confused and amused my boys. Guess they are related.

A mid-winter’s walk on a rare evening with daddy home.

George does not approve of wearing a neckwarmer as a jacket.

My tattoo-ed boy.

Words to live by.

Mr. Alright-alright-alright is fabulous in this movie. As is the former Jordan Catalano.

Family portrait.

So shy, that one.

TBT – Back to when Jack was a wee baby.

Clearly he is lacking in personality.

Future Calvin student is right at home.

My bracket was heavily dependent on a Big Ten Final Four… alas.

Jack’s chalk-portrait of he and his brother.

Jack prefers to use furniture in his own special way.

The family.

Also a shy, wilting flower.

Evening has broken.

I do love this face, I cannot help it.

Easter/Spring decor… I am that mom who likes to seasonally decorate. Don’t worry… we don’t do playdoh or team sports so you can still like me… I overachieve in only one area.

Art night at Liam’s school.

Pics fro my first blogger social… such a fun evening and has made me think about where I would like to go with the blog. Still TBD.

A special lunch treat all by himself with both mom and dad.

All packed up for spring break.

And we’re on the road at 4:06 in the morning.

We ate a whole lot of Mickey D’s on our trip because of the play places they contain… until we got further south and discovered Chick Fil A also has play places.

Crossing this bridge into Missouri is one of the things I remember from every road trip down to Houston. It always feels like such an accomplishment to make it here.

12 hours on the road and they were still happy to pose for a picture.

Happiness found.

Sharing a bed for the first time… and still smiling after day one.

75 mph speed limit, don’t mind if I do…

Buccee’s… a Texas tradition… the cleanest bathrooms you will ever find in a rest area and every snack and road trip food item you could ever want.

Happy to have reached Padre Island and warmth!

Thar be pirates.

Happiness is hours spent swimming with a pool all to ourselves!

Not to mention delicious BBQ and head-sized brownies.

Sometimes we are cute.

Dolphins spotted…

Margaritas, FTW… sadly, Simon got food poisoning at this lovely establishment and spent the next 24 hours not enjoying vacation very much.

The boys learning how to play online poker.

The boys made it in the local paper.

Doesn’t everyone try to pick honest Abe’s nose when given the opportunity?

The boys might have enjoyed the extreme bubbles created by the jets in Marty and Lynn’s new bathtub. Maybe just a little.

Sometimes you just gotta let them get soaked and have fun.

Jack’s at the age where he doesn’t not like to pose normally for pictures.

Sunset in Joplin.

My sweet, sleeping boy.

A lunch stop for throwed rolls and copious amounts of food and drinks.

No comment.

Had to capture proof that he is still my baby… he hasn’t fallen asleep on my in years!

Back in Michigan…

Liam checked this out as one of his library books… we did not make any of these recipes.

Yet another misuse of furniture.

One of our awesome neighbors planted jelly beans with her daughter that grew into suckers overnight for the neighbor kids to come harvest.

Hunting for Easter eggs (nevermind that was from two weeks ago)

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Posted in Instagram, Life in general

February Photo a Day Faves

Posted on March 9, 2014 | 2 comments

I love Instagram and was so glad when it finally became available for Andoid phones after only being available on iPhones for so long… I won’t even hold that oversight against them. Last month someone linked to a photo-a-day prompt from Fat Mum Slim and I thought, why not join in? Little did I know that it was a monthly thing so after completing February, I started again in March… it’s fun, though some days are harder than others to come up with something, but it keeps me posting something daily which is a great way to look back at what’s going on with life (even when I just take screen caps of an Amazon page because I can’t think of anything for a particular prompt (day 11: mistake, I’m looking at you!). Here are some of my favorites from February:

Day 1: You – This is me, fresh-faced and first thing in the morning. I did add a filter to remove the redness but that’s as glamorous as it gets around here.

Day 2: Favourite – love the Australia spelling 😉 And love my Australian boys

Day 3: Something orange – my lucky fin bead – always on my wrist.

Day 6: Water – (or coffee made from water)

Day 9: Details – one of the boys’ Lego man creations complete with armor and a bow tie.

Day 10: I am… at work. I’m sure the stack of papers under my monitor give Simon heart palpitations.

Day 16: Create – A card Liam made for me… so sweet!

Day 24: Half – Jack always runs to the back door to say goodbye to me when I leave him at daycare… and while he’s there, so is half of my heart!

Day 25: Cut – my muscular boys who love running around with no shirts on. What are they going to do when it is actually hot outside instead of below freezing?

Day 27: My view today – vegged out boys about to start a game of “fight” if only they can stop watching TV for a few seconds.

Day 28: Reflection – Is it any wonder blow-drying my hair makes me so hot?

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Posted in Instagram

Our life via Instagram

Posted on March 7, 2014 | 1 comment

Whoops – it’s been quite a while since I re-posted my Instagram pics, now with added commentary! Oooh.

So way back last year my friend, Heidi, had her fifth baby – the gorgeous, wonderfully sweet Landry. I could cuddle her for ages – and one afternoon I got to do just that. Though that link up there is just for reference since she hasn’t updated her blog in a YEAR – it’s like she has five kids or something to keep her busy… where is her dedication to her blog, I ask you?

Liam got to visit Santa and get his face painted, all at a local furniture store – where else?

Have you had this? In your coffee? On the rocks? It is yum.

My personal elf on the shelf! (Please note our Australian artwork that I finally got framed 7 years after we purchased it – nothing like a new house to spur on decorating.)

Jack at his Christmas program at daycare… cutest reindeer on earth!

My all-star dental patients – ZERO cavities for the whole family (well, those of us there that day – Simon wasn’t as lucky).

Snow + rain = using a sled as an umbrella.

Liam’s Christmas present to us that he made at school – one of my favorites from the collection we have going on our tree.

Winter wonderland – little did we know it was just the beginning of the winter of our discontent.

Our Christmas Eve greeting from the whole family (did you see George in my arms?).

The cousins who get in trouble together, stay together – isn’t that how the saying goes? Those boys are trouble when left unattended – and yet we let it happen. In this instance, they stood and colored on each others’ faces with marker.

Without comment.

Between Christmas and New Year’s we visited our friends in Cleveland. We ate yummy food, had fun and visited Trader Joe’s – a perfect trip!

Simon brought me this surprisingly delicious apple pie with bacon milkshake (I realize it sounds horrible but it was freaking delicious).

The Ohio Turnpike – where children meltdown and Einstein Bros Bagels can be found – you win some, you lose some.

Our New Year’s Eve festivities – nachos and hard cider. If you have a stoneware pan highly recommend it for nacho baking – the cheese stays melty and delicious!

Ready to cheer on the Spartans at the Rose Bowl (from our living room).

A rare smile from my favorite college football coach.

The many faces of Jack – the kid is just so lifeless, I mean, really.

Much less animated George.

No Stress Chess… falsely making kids think they can play chess.

A coffee for the wee one.

Thrown back to toddler Liam – what a little ham.

Love’s ice cream from the Downtown Market for our little love.

He was sitting there with his finger in his nose so I told him I was going to take a picture – he didn’t move. Apparently he doesn’t think my threats hold any water. Won’t he be sorry in 20 years when this pops up in his wedding photo collage?

Every once and a while they get along…

The “new” house has spurred me into seasonal decorating. I’ve switched these hearts (Pinterest win!) out for spring paper and eggs for Easter.

Sometimes there is nothing you can do at a restaurant but take a picture while your kid licks salt off the table. It’s called choosing your battles.

Lucky for Simon, Words with Friends doesn’t use the teenage boy humor dictionary.

Jack turned five and having a dad who works at night means getting to open birthday presents first thing in the morning.

Throw back to the brothers’ Bennett first meeting each other. Jack was still in the NICU and Liam was pretty unimpressed with it all.

Messing around with selfies. We might be related.

Jack requested an “every color” cake for his birthday – Pinterest delivered the goods once again.

Love.

Valentine roses from my sweetie.

Valentine’s cuddles with my furry sweetie.

Polor vortex, take three billion.

My MOPS group did this thing called 1:16 (based on Ruth 1:16) where we were each given the name of another woman and we anonymously showered them with treats and prayer over a couple week period and at the end revealed our identities at a girl’s night out event at church. I received an envelope to open each day with words of encouragement and three of the days included gift cards. It was the best thing to open those envelopes each day!

Again, his lack of personality is just so evident.

Yup.

And the big brother, also a wall flower.

Have you heard of Social Print Studio and Printstagram? You can print your Instagram photos from their website – super good quality and quick turnaround (I ordered on Thursday and got my mini books on Monday).

Simon was on call last weekend and got called in at the same time I had plans to meet two friends for coffee so rather than bail, we packed up our electronics, headphones and snacks and I got to chat with my girls while my boys were entertained. We’re at the golden age where the kids can be taken in public again. Well, almost, the day before this my children got in a physical brawl at Meijer while we were waiting at the deli to get our cheese sliced – so we’re not quite out of the woods yet, but almost. There was punching and angry yelling – it was awesome! Freedom… I can almost smell it.

There are more from February to share – but I’m saving those for another post of my favorites from the photo a day prompts from Chantelle at Fat Mum Slim.

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