Photo shoot that I got to do this afternoon for some friends. They are a beautiful family! I had fun with them. These are just a few, really quick edits that aren't out of my "real" program. I was just so excited to go thru them and start playing with editing them... I couldn't help myself!!!

Mamma and daughter

I guess she just loves this lil too too! What a little cutie, she was so mesmerized by the water and then the ducks that she didn't even care that I was there. That's better then screaming mad;-)

Fun. I just love doing this. Makes me smile to see the beautiful images later:)

I want to make this sometime soon, doesn't it look amazing? My husband will love the idea, it has raspberry after all!

Raspberry Cream Tart

Stick with fresh berries for this elegant dessert. We found frozen berries water out too much. Prep: 20 minutes. Bake: 35 minutes. Cool: 30 minutes

1 16.5-ounce roll refrigerated sugar
cookie dough, cut into '/2-inch-thick slices
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese,
softened
Vi cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh red raspberries,
blueberries and/or blackberries

2 teaspoons granulated sugar Powdered sugar Fresh red raspberries, blueberries
and/or blackberries (optional)

1. Press cookie dough slices into bottom and fluted sides of a greased 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Do not prick. (Or,press onto bottom of greased 12-inch pizza pan.) Bake in a 350° oven 20 minutes or un­til light brown. Remove from oven; set aside.

2. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1A cup sugar, egg, lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until combined. Pour cheese mixture over warm crust and spread evenly.

3. Place the 2 cups raspberries in a single layer on top of cheese mixture. Sprinkle raspberries with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes more or until cheese mixture is set. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool for 30 minutes before serving.

4. Just before serving, sprinkle with pow­dered sugar. Garnish with additional fresh berries, if you like. Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition facts per serving: 388 cal, 20 g fat, 67 mg chol, 319 mg sodium, 47 g carbo, 2 g fiber, 5 g pro.

This is for Kristi.. This is what Saturation is and what it looks like:)

After the spring rain...

The Lilacs are on their way!

Kind of a cloudy sky, but pretty rain drops..

Jonquil in focus.....

Jonquil out of focus w/ the rain drops on the leaf in focus....

My flowers make me so happy. I am thrilled to see them again. I didn't realize how much I had missed my flowers and my yard. And, taking hundreds of pictures of them:)

Good reads for a rainy day...

I have read a lot of good books and I never get around to blogging about them. This one was unexpectedly good. I was attracted to the cover first:) Shallow, maybe, but it turned out well. It was really a good book because it broke down judgemental barriers that woman always fall into. It had just enough detail to let you get to know the characters well but not so much that it'll bore you:)

This is more the kind of book I normally read. A good mystery. I love for there to be a purpose and a goal in a book. This was a good book. Moved fast and kept my interest well.

CAREFREE...

Arrogant people smear me with lies, but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart.

Psalm 119:69

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

Psalm 89:14

Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.

Psalm 86:11

Doesn't this look like fun? This is carefree childhood. This is a neighbor boy who is so cute. He was doing "action" things for me so that I could get photos of him doing the stuff. Don't you sometimes wish that you could be a carefree kid again? don't care what time it is. Sometimes as adults we have too much to do, to think about, bills to pay, drama... it's always something.

I'm tired of knowing what I don't want to know. I hate what satan and people's lies will do. What it will bring you to do. Sometimes I just don't know what to do. I am very content and happy. There is just other people's... stuff that I don't want anymore. I don't want it to be mine anymore. But, what do I do with it? I do have the truth on my side and that's such a blessing. What a mess we can get ourselves into when you stray from the truth. I am hanging onto the truth. Like something that's slipping out of my hands.

In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!

Psalm 45:4

Gather the nations together! Assemble the peoples of the world! Which of their idols has ever foretold such things? Which can predict what will happen tomorrow? Where are the witnesses of such predictions? Who can verify that they spoke the truth?

Isaiah 43:9

Lord, help me BE truth, live truth, want truth, speak trough, through YOU! Amen....

{Sunny Day}

Matt was working on his boat and I laid in the yard enjoying the sun and my husbands company. Neighbors stopped by and chatted too. It was really nice..

My view from the ground, Matt fixing the boat and the tree... :)

Me, laying in the sun... ahhh.. it's back!

And to leave you with some more sun..... :-)

Making bread.. yummm...

after the rise...

The buns... getting ready to raise again... I love making bread. It makes me feel like an old lady:)

Ready to bake!

BeAuTiFuLy out of the oven. I started to make them and then I thought, "If I'm going to all this work, I'm going to make a double batch" and then I wondered what I was thinking! I sometimes bake like I have twelve children. So, I gave some to the neighbors that I saw today... we have pretty amazing neighbors and they are such a blessing!

random, random, random.........

things that make me happy.....

some pretty candy in jars...

Dusty bottles... :) No, really, I am a good house keeper. I think I've pictured this before, but oh how I love them.. so pretty and simple.

Handsome brother, Tanner. He's 19 now. Hard to believe. Does that mean I'm getting older too???

I love markers. I baught these for myself. I didn't need them. But, I love them. These are Magic Markers. Oh. I love these. Now, I need to find uses for them... should I have figured that out before I got them???

Spring sunsets... the sky looks like it's on fire in a few of these!

Tyler's house that we've been working on siding. He's done a lot more since this picture last week!

The before and after...

I spent a LOT of time painting this little roof... had sore abs the next day:-)

Go here and maybe you'll win this neat ring!

O-VER-CAST

This is the sky we've been looking at for what feels like weeeeeks.. it's really only been days. There have been some pretty clouds. But no sun:( I might have been driving while taking this picture:-O

But, there is good news! The barges are back!!! We are so thrilled by this. Matt and I look for them every year! It's a sign that a whole new world is opening up to us. It's a sign of SUMMER. And, they are back!!

Re-Siding Anyone!?

Last Sunday we went and helped my brother, Tyler, start the re-siding process of his house. We will have to do this same thing some day:-/ It was time consuming. It was vinyl, then insulated cardboard, then cedar siding, then some paper stuff... and then it was the place we wanted to be!! There were so, so, so many nails!! That siding wasn't going anywhere.

See all the layers!?

It was cold!! We really thought that it was going to be nicer... it wasn't. There was one side of the house that was warm and that's where I was the most productive!

Our finished product! And then Tyler did a lot more later that night and the next night! He is so ambitious!

Puka! She's the star of the show, really. She's so fun and cute! She's got her own little personality!