• Here you will find the chronicles of our family of four. More pictures than words, I am most at home capturing our life with a still camera. Photos help me recognize the beauty and awesomeness in both the phenomenal people I live life alongside and this breathtaking place we live, planet earth.

    I am a child of God. I am the wife to a wonderful man, mother to two amazing little people. I am both daughter and sister. I am a runner. I love to travel and read.

    I often title this season of our life's adventure, The Continuing Adventures of Mallory Girl and Mark Boy. The photography is mine (unless otherwise noted.) Questions are always welcome. Thanks for reading and adventuring alongside us.

Kindergarten Begins

August 22, 2012 Posted in children,home

This little girl has eagerly anticipated the start of kindergarten for the last 18 months, last Monday her day finally arrived. When she realized I would not leave the house without a good picture of her, she started jumping up and down up cheering. Thank you little one, picture(s) captured, we can go now! The irony of this first day of kindergarten is that it lasted 25 minutes. All she had to do was complete a 20 minute skills assessment. The end of day one. Tuesday, the second day of kindergarten, was a half day named Kindergarten Camp. Apparently two and a half hours counts as a half day. We started in the library at 8:30 and by 11 John Mark and I were in the car line to pick her up, she’d already eaten lunch and we hadn’t.

On Wednesday, there was no school event to attend. We received an email from her teacher, Mrs Fielder informing us of her class for the year.

Thursday morning, we were ALL ready for her first day in her classroom, also a half day. Since we had nothing else to do, I’m not entirely kidding, we took more pictures in which Mark NEEDED to be a participant. When I asked him how much he was going to miss Mallory, he shot out his arms and instantly replied, “this much!”

She LOVED her first day. LOVED LOVED LOVED it. Loved it so much that she was up and dressed and in my bed with me before my alarm went off Friday morning. Friday, FINALLY on Friday, she experienced a full day of kindergarten complete with “big-kid school” transportation. She’s been asking to ride the bus longer than she’s talked about kindergarten and I’ve had lots of time to prepare myself for her riding the big yellow bus without me. After a family prayer on the porch & a few more pictures (trust me we had LOTS of time,) we headed across our street to wait for the bus. Thankfully the newness of it all was enough to keep John Mark close (he’s just as enchanted with the bus as big sister.) 

A GREAT first week of school (even if it felt like a month) and the start of a great year of KINDERGARTEN.

 

    
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Gail Day - August 23, 2012 - 9:04 am

Great post! I’m teary now so I’ll go fetch my fall door wreaths…

Lesserlielou - August 23, 2012 - 7:59 pm

Oh my! Time sure flies! I have read your blog for years, since before your daughter was even born. I can’t believe she’s starting kindergarten already. Wow. You have such a beautiful little family.

Jennifer - August 27, 2012 - 12:32 pm

Wow. I think I even teared up. So, so happy to hear it’s been a marvelous experience!!

these two

August 21, 2012 Posted in children,home

These two melt my heart and make pretty much anything better. I’m so blessed to get to be their mommy.

Is there anything cuter? I’m certain Mark will HATE these pictures later in life, but right now he LOVES them and I am taking FULL advantage.

    
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Jennifer - August 27, 2012 - 12:36 pm

Adore these photos! Miss these faces.

meeting my niece

August 16, 2012 Posted in children,family

Upon meeting my niece for the first time, “Hello little one!! We are so so so so SO pleased to meet you! Sleep all you want, I promise to try and wait to hold you until you are awake!” Thank you Jenn and Nathan for braving the 9 hour car trip with a NEWBORN so we could meet your beautiful daughter!! We, and this includes all four of us, are SUPER DUPER excited (as Mark would exclaim!)

Sweet Beautiful Sophie girl likes to be held (yea!) and fed. Goodness does she like to eat! It’s like she’s a little girl trapped in an adorable baby’s body. We are so thankful she’s healthy and growing and especially that she enjoys us holding her!!! She wasn’t all that impressed with swim time. Mark was concerned for her and worried about all the crying, it was super cute watching him watching her, making sure she really was alright! Although to give the girl some credit, I can’t see loving swim time if I’d been woken up from my nap either!

My children are enchanted with their cousin. Both wanted multiple turns holding and feeding and playing with her. Sophie was gracious in allowing their fawning. Pape is so good at holding his grandchildren, and they sleep peacefully in his arms. My one project while in Houston was making Sophie this pacifier holder. Thankfully she seems to like it.

I find the juxtaposition of these “couch” shots funny. Perfect peace and Rambunctious rolling seem fitting titles.

Sophie’s Daddy usually takes the early morning shift, and they snuggle and ease into the day together with a bit of fiction and formula. Sophie girl, we are already looking forward to the next time we get to see you. Remember you’ve got cousins and an aunt and uncle in Tennessee who ADORE you!

    
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Bill Day - August 19, 2012 - 8:30 am

Great pictures recording a wonderful visit!!! Thanks to both Jennifer, Nathan & Sophie and Amanda, Ben, Mallory and Mark for the effort to come for a visit. We had a great time together!!!!

Gail Day - August 19, 2012 - 1:00 pm

What a sweet post! You’ve done a masterful job creating story with these photos!

Jennifer - August 27, 2012 - 12:34 pm

She was equally as enamored with her aunt, uncle and cousins! Thrilled we got to see y’all.

pirate swing

July 18, 2012 Posted in children,family,outdoors,photography

 

Uncle Jeff came for dinner Monday night. He and the children discovered the Pirate ladder swings!!

In other news, I’m completely, head over heels in love with Ben’s new camera. I adore the full frame sensor, the bizillion AF spots, and the gorgeous straight out of the camera images. Thanks for letting me play with the camera.

    
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Gail Day - July 22, 2012 - 2:24 pm

Great photos! What kind of camera makes such fabulous pics?