For Eric....

This post is dedicated to my brother Eric because he so kindly texted me tonight to remind me to update my blog. So, this one's for you, brother!!

Day 20: Bokeh

Ok, mom, I know you're wondering...bokeh is the blurry, out of focus area in the above picture. Not the best example of bokeh...but I think you get the picture.

Day 21: Faceless Self-portrait

Just in case there's any confusion...that's a picture of my growing belly. Hello, third trimester!!!

Day22: Hands

Ok, this is kind of a weird picture of my hand. I have many of these pictures on my computer that I intend to eventually delete. Often when I am taking portraits, I get to a location early to scope it out. While I am scoping the location, I often hold out my hand where I think a good picture spot would be to see what kind of lighting hits my hand. I don't know if this is an effective thing to do. It's probably very amateur and nothing a professional photographer would ever do...but it's what I do.  And hence, I easily found a hand picture for this day. :)

Day 23: Sunflare

I love a picture with a good sunflare! I can't say this is my favorite pic I've taken with a sunflare...I don't really like how the sunflare is right on Ben's forehead...I'd rather it be more in the corner. But, I love this picture of Ben and our nephew Simon!

Days 18 & 19

Day 18: Your Shoes

First of all, sorry about showing a picture of my ugly feet...that is not even a very good quality picture anyway. But, thinking about shoes reminded me of this story, in which I happened to take a picture of...

So, the story is...Holly and I were visiting our brothers in Chicago. Holly was going to stay with her brother and sister in law, and I was going to stay with my brother. We all met together for dinner....and in the course of the evening, Holly's sister in law's shoe broke. After dinner we all went to hang out at my bro's house. In a gesture of kindness, I offered my only pair of shoes to Holly's sister in law in order for her to get home easier. I was going to see her the next morning, so I figured I could go without my shoes for the night. To my great surprise, the next morning, my brother really wanted to go out for breakfast before Holly and company came back. I told my brother it would not be possible due to the fact that I had no shoes. He insisted we should go and that I could wear his shoes...the only problem is that my brother's feet are huge!! I resisted at first, but finally my bro talked me into wearing his flip flops out in public in the big city of Chicago!! He promised me we could drive to our destination so that I would not have to walk far in his clown shoes. So, I swallowed my pride and slipped on the gargantuan flip flops. I was able to laugh at myself and even thought to take a picture (see above) of this hilarious and humbling situation. In the end, I didn't have to walk far, and I was able to hide my feet under the table during breakfast. In reality, no one probably even noticed my ridiculous shoes. But, my brother and I sure had a good laugh over it!

Shoes #2

I had to add this picture because today, in Northwest Indiana, we experience our first flurries for the winter. Now, I have to say that winter is my least favorite season...but the one redeeming quality about it is snowboarding. After I saw the snow today...I could just start to feel the snowboarding itch. I get it every winter and it is usually remedied by a trip out to the Rockies. This winter however, in my pregnant state, I think I'm going to have to endure this itch, and wait to get on my board next winter. Hmmm. Oh well!!

Day 19: Something Orange

My something orange is a my Crate and Barrel mixing bowls. I got them for our wedding and I love them!! Each one is a different color...only the largest one is orange. But I love having them setting out on my counter. Something about them just makes me happy! :)

Check out everybody's else's 30 Day Challenge on Tami's Blog!!

17: Technology

Sometimes I'm slow to embrace technology. Sometimes it bothers me that everybody is "plugged in". Sometimes I wish for simpler times where we all use pen and paper, and if I'm not at home, I can't be reached. 

But, since technology can't be avoided in this day in age...and I must admit that in many ways technology makes life so much easier...I have learned to embrace it. I am in no way a "techy". I still try to maintain a somewhat "unplugged" lifestyle. Sometimes I leave home without my phone because I don't always want to be at everybody's beck and call. I think technology is great...I just never want to be more involved with my computer, phone, or other gadgets that it gets in the way of my real life activities and real life relationships. 

When it does come to technology...I do have a preference. :) I'm an Apple girl. I love all things Apple....I do! :) Last winter, Ben and I made a special trip to Chicago just to go to the Apple store....and this is me with my new MacBook Pro strapped to my back. You could say, that I was (and still am) a pretty happy girl!!

more catch up!

Days 13, 14, 15, & 16...

Day 13: Yourself with 13 things

I wanted to say that this is me with 13 extra pounds...but I exceeded that many weeks ago! :) But what is true about this picture is that this is me with 13 weeks left of pregnancy!!! As of today, I am exactly 13 weeks from my due date!! It's going so fast...this both excites me and scares me!! I can't wait to meet our little boy or girl in February!!

Day 14: Eyes

I love this picture of my little cousin, Mason. His (unedited) blue eyes are so striking!! And he loved posing for my camera!! What a cutie!!

Day 15: Silhouette

Here's a silhouette from our trip to Florida. Can't believe it's almost been a month since we went! Time is flying by!! We've been having such beautiful fall weather lately...but I'm afraid in a few weeks, I'm really going to be wanting to be back where these beautiful palm trees grow!

Day 16: Long Exposure

I really don't play with long exposure on my camera enough. Another palm tree pic....except this one's from our trip to Phoenix last May.

......and I'm finally caught up!!!! Yay!!

Catch up day 2

Today I will post days 10, 11, & 12....and hopefully by tomorrow I can be back on track with everyone else.

Day 10: Childhood Memory

The house I grew up in! So much of my childhood is wrapped up in this place! My parents moved there 2 weeks before my oldest brother was born, and they still live there today. The front yard alone has so many memories...building countless snowmen in the winter, mowing the grass summer after summer, learning to ride my bike on the grass...then venturing onto the driveway, playing basketball and catch, laying out the slip n slide on a hot summer day, shucking corn on the front step....and that's just a start! I love going back here to visit my parents. It just feels like home! :)

Day 11: Something Blue

I love this picture. I took this last spring soon after I got my new camera. Ben and I went on a walk around Valpo, so I could have some fun with my new gadget. We discovered this charming, old garage in an ally near our apartment. It's paint was peeling everywhere, but I just thought it added to the character of the old building. We walked by the same garage a few months later, and found that the owners had painted it green. In my opinion, it looked much better with it's old, peeling, blue paint. 

Day 12: Sunset

One of my favorite things about living in Northwest Indiana is living so close to Lake Michigan. It's such a novelty to this girl who grew up in the middle of cornfields to have a beach only 20 minutes away!! I love it!! Here's the sunsetting over the beautiful Lake Michigan!

Catch up!

I'm really falling behind on this 30 Day Challenge! After the craziness of moving, and not having internet for awhile, I'm finally settled in and ready to catch up! I think technically today is Day #13, but I'm just going to do a few each day and catch up a bit more gradually. Today I will post days 7, 8, and 9.

Day 7: Fruit

I love oranges! A good, juicy, ripe orange is just as good as candy in my opinion (which is saying a lot because I love candy!). So glad we're coming into orange season!!!

Day 8: A Bad Habit

Sorry to bring my friends into this...but laying out in the sun has been a bad habit in my life. I took this picture while we were in Arizona...and you better believe I was right there in the middle of them, soaking up every ray of sun that I could. There are few things as alluring to me as a lounge chair, next to a body of water, a cold beverage in my hand, and a good book that I can't put down. My poor skin! I love the look of a golden glow...but in recent years, I have been trying to think long-term about the condition of my skin. I really don't want to age prematurely or even worse...skin cancer! So, I have been taking strides to lessen my time in the direct sun. A book is just as fun to read in the shade! And if I am in the sun...I always wear sunscreen!!

Day 8: Someone I Love

Ok. So there are a lot of people that I love that I thought about featuring for this day...but this guy is #1. A few of the many reasons that I love him are: he is thoughtful and kindhearted, he loves the Lord, he can always make me laugh, he's so excited to be a dad (and he's gonna be a great one!), and we can have fun together no matter what we're doing. I could go on and on....but I will stop. I love these pictures of him! I came home the other day and found him playing his guitar while watching the goings on outside our window. I love him!!

Check out Tami's blog here to catch up on everybody else's 30 Day Photography Challenge!

I'm still alive....

I know I'm kinda lagging behind here in the 30 day challenge...and it's kinda stressing me out. I haven't quit, I'm just a bit busy this week with work, moving, social obligations, and such. So, sorry for being lame and not keeping up. I will get my act together soon!!!

Day 6: from a low angle

I should be outside right now taking current pictures from a low angle since it's so nice out...but instead, I am posting this cactus picture that I took when I got to tag along on Ben's business trip to Phoenix last June. I just love the scenery of the southwest. It's so unique and beautiful! 

Day 5: from a high angle

A pic of my favorite Tom's taken from the high angle of me sitting in a chair looking down at my foot. That's about as good as it gets when I wait to post at 11pm. That's all I've got. See ya next week, folks!

4: Something Green

My something green is a picture of the awning outside of our apartment. This little, mildew covered awning has greeted me everyday I get home for the past year and 1 month. I have always liked this awning. It somehow reminds me of a European countryside cottage. 

I chose this picture because nostalgia is starting to set into my heart. You see, Ben and I are moving out of our cozy, little, one bedroom apartment next week. We are moving into a townhouse so we have a little extra room for Baby B. I'm excited for this "upgrade" to a little more space (and hopefully functioning windows that keep out drafts), but I am sad to leave the little place that Ben and I have made our first home. We have created so many good memories here. But, it is time to look forward. New adventures are on our horizon! New memories are to be made at our new place! So, pretty, green awning, I have enjoyed your welcoming presence this past year, but I am moving on to new things....goodbye!

Day 3: Clouds

While talking to my mom this morning, she expressed a bit of confusion about this 30 Day Photography Challenge that I'm doing. So, I will try to make it a bit more clear. In honor of her 30th birthday, my beautiful, talented, photographer friend, Tami, has created a list of 30 different "things" to take a picture of for 30 days. Here's the list:

And I believe these different assignment are open to creative freedom and can be as literal or non-literal as you like. It's just a fun little challenge to be creative and take some pictures!

So here is my day 3: Clouds. I have two. Both taken while Ben and I were on vacation in Florida last week.....wish we were still there!!!

let's try this again....

Blog fail.

That would be a good way to describe my follow thru on keeping up with this blog. I had good intentions...I really did...but, 3 months later, I am finally getting around to my second posting. Better late than never, right?

To the 3 people that actually know that I have a blog...you can thank my good friend, Tami, for getting me back in the blogging saddle. She has issued a 30 Day Photo Challenge, which I have decided to take part in. I missed day one, which was "self portrait"...so I am combining yesterday and today, which is "what I wore" into todays picture.

So, here it is. Day 1 & 2

Not my best or most creative self portrait...but it is in fact a self portrait, and it does show what I wore today. I was running out of daylight...so I quickly ran outside to get a pic...then my neighbor came home and was hanging out outside and I began to feel self-conscious and decided that what I got was good enough. And, I also wanted to capture my growing little baby bump. Mission accomplished! Oh, and if you are dying to know what shoes I was wearing...they are grey Toms. :)

Who's Milly Mae??

Wow. My first blog post. Well, I guess I can't actually say it's my first. I kept a secret blog for awhile listing 5 blessing a day. It wasn't so much meant to be for the blogging world. It was more of just an exercise for me to think of 5 things I was thankful for everyday. So, I never even told anyone it existed....but now I just told you. ha!

Also, I remember once declaring that I would never start a blog. I think my friend Taryn could attest to that. It always seemed odd to me to display one's thoughts and life out on the internet for all to see. Does the whole world really need to know everybody's business?? But, while I strictly denounced blogs for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed following many other's blogs. I realized that blogs are not an avenue to bare your soul, but a way to share ideas, inspiration, and insight. I don't know that I have many ideas, inspiration, and insight, but I do have family far away that just might be interested in what's happening in my life....right mom? So, here it is....Tracy's blog.

"So, who is Milly May and why did you name your blog after her," you ask. Milly is the name of one of my grandmas and Mae is the middle name of my other grandma. I highly love and respect both women. Their godly examples to me have been invaluable. So, because of those reasons and because I think those names sound so cute together...I decided to name my blog Milly Mae. The end.