tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21439858406903861582024-03-16T06:00:32.617-05:00Abiding Moments PhotographyDocumentary Family Photographer, O'Fallon, MOMelissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-52455384617208696742024-03-16T06:00:00.001-05:002024-03-16T06:00:00.151-05:00Turning Eleven<p>For her 11th birthday, our girl decided that she was finally ready for a full-room overhaul! So that we weren't cramming everything into just a few days, we opted to do some of the prepping ahead of her birthday. In the weeks leading up to her birthday, with the perfect shade of teal chosen, this team got to work. Of course, with a change in paint came the need to get some new painting skills from Dad. While I looked on and photographed, I couldn't help but notice those letters of her name that had stayed since the very beginning - and wonder if they would remain this time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_zA5XgIKeFGb8rcHoiJUqOzZ72W_ag0SigiJxtIWrIGkFNnPUoqnVqitoEYcU0X_ERmTmAPUz_3tERygHlJia47VZUlTehC78SKXIYirQfcZdHMGwDr4d0IwrXnNVRyH9RkJat8lilRX7BjuZ2FQrF5P2kIHu8K33PCQQXvr1BAqy9PK8Nq-pBk1jjUp/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_zA5XgIKeFGb8rcHoiJUqOzZ72W_ag0SigiJxtIWrIGkFNnPUoqnVqitoEYcU0X_ERmTmAPUz_3tERygHlJia47VZUlTehC78SKXIYirQfcZdHMGwDr4d0IwrXnNVRyH9RkJat8lilRX7BjuZ2FQrF5P2kIHu8K33PCQQXvr1BAqy9PK8Nq-pBk1jjUp/w720-h1285/Blog-1.jpg" width="720" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After long days at work, this duo spent two nights putting in all the details to finish the job. Of course, they still made time for fun in the mix. It was neat to see them make light of the work together and have our girl repeatedly claim when it was done, "Guess what?!? My room is TEAL!"</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWO0lk15hz-HcAzuxrHd5qTQySC77JudYz-9RGANgHZwpg7r_8gc2oYDCa4NvvAmQm9h3HMt6k6aEeiHQ1GLdJqmv3uboY9emRJo-NFx4W_Ax-56M79EGhJw3znx-ZIXN6bMtE2WxMXb4bB4sKiDBRtXj-f38zUB-XuRhpeVTtmITZv6HidsBtlknlbdnZ/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWO0lk15hz-HcAzuxrHd5qTQySC77JudYz-9RGANgHZwpg7r_8gc2oYDCa4NvvAmQm9h3HMt6k6aEeiHQ1GLdJqmv3uboY9emRJo-NFx4W_Ax-56M79EGhJw3znx-ZIXN6bMtE2WxMXb4bB4sKiDBRtXj-f38zUB-XuRhpeVTtmITZv6HidsBtlknlbdnZ/w719-h1285/Blog-2.jpg" width="719" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">The next planning step was the cake. Several months ago, one of our favorite Emma adorers sent me a message with a panda cake and said, "Show Emma!! I thought of her immediately!" (a common occurrence in our lives at this point). As soon as Emma saw it, she was sold. For those that might have missed it, last year's science experiment in chemistry was to <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2023/10/10th-birthday-cake-baking.html" target="_blank">bake a cake - the week of Emma's birthday!</a> So she and Dad baked her very first cake and it went over so well, I think we'll have homemade Emma cakes for as long as she'll let us.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-19uGEAV3xGw9h_4AK2YKp58KiX87eWh3GZwUusUHzQThWibyb09CNFLC-6Utxso37RbxkHQ4josEMnQ9QJiMwjYkhyltFACbvw_4OmZc_Ea9-by8UlYPxqGncDM2fvXWSydxPKRL87hZrkhAbKH_G57bzzj7_Kis2ZBE_yN5ot_KOpfm9rMa1ooWHPH/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-19uGEAV3xGw9h_4AK2YKp58KiX87eWh3GZwUusUHzQThWibyb09CNFLC-6Utxso37RbxkHQ4josEMnQ9QJiMwjYkhyltFACbvw_4OmZc_Ea9-by8UlYPxqGncDM2fvXWSydxPKRL87hZrkhAbKH_G57bzzj7_Kis2ZBE_yN5ot_KOpfm9rMa1ooWHPH/w724-h1295/Blog-1.jpg" width="724" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The inspiration from Pinterest wasn't exactly to our girl's vision because she thinks pandas playing in snow are the absolute cutest thing. So, snow decor requires things like white icing, coconut shreds, and some bamboo cookies to cap off the details.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEf2NHly-X8vXrLMwOB2nNonMf9KVdrswbDd-8Q4QCFV0FU2BMq5MRWnHiVgdnTQJQLFwmYaw4Tc80VoxcTZhwutHsC0XsW79YFYyiAG5IJ29vPS24R94yPjgf8XT0rKIQvm6H7HIBhpifTRc6PVRdqlWtRpbBtUSw7ZV7eXIpt_A5l5XQsSJm2RRPg89/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEf2NHly-X8vXrLMwOB2nNonMf9KVdrswbDd-8Q4QCFV0FU2BMq5MRWnHiVgdnTQJQLFwmYaw4Tc80VoxcTZhwutHsC0XsW79YFYyiAG5IJ29vPS24R94yPjgf8XT0rKIQvm6H7HIBhpifTRc6PVRdqlWtRpbBtUSw7ZV7eXIpt_A5l5XQsSJm2RRPg89/w724-h1295/Blog-2.jpg" width="724" /></a></div><p>One super fun detail was finishing up a conversation online with a friend while the decorating took place!<br /></p><p>The next day was party day. We started the day with some extra exciting party accessories to make the birthday girl's time amazing. Since our family has continued to be cautious with COVID, we have built an incredible network of friends online. With one of Emma's closest friends having moved to Wisconsin last year, she wanted to have her party online. She did an absolutely amazing job planning it all out, including a slideshow of games! We sent out care packages for the guests to have because what's a birthday without goodies? With a few added touches, her room was party-ready and things kicked off.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xQ0SqbAhl9aEZZ9vXDUt7BetKFeOC5WfXocPMZsc1rAwp20C0iKcq3HCO21JXJrHBcLE5PTxaWt72IOu0vneVOO4A1jZVnw-zgU-qgFZnpqCLwUHlYFiS6LCEVp4roWJpXbYI30BTwpyzYHKSM0XsdqqxtZ6_YAkpHAVqjpAo4Ca6PaZQR_jEoOu4mdd/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xQ0SqbAhl9aEZZ9vXDUt7BetKFeOC5WfXocPMZsc1rAwp20C0iKcq3HCO21JXJrHBcLE5PTxaWt72IOu0vneVOO4A1jZVnw-zgU-qgFZnpqCLwUHlYFiS6LCEVp4roWJpXbYI30BTwpyzYHKSM0XsdqqxtZ6_YAkpHAVqjpAo4Ca6PaZQR_jEoOu4mdd/w723-h1293/Blog-2.jpg" width="723" /></a></div><p>After party games of hot panda, pin the bamboo on the panda, and some sweet drawing fun done by our favorite 11-year-old artist, it was time for cake and presents. If ever you decide to celebrate with family from across the globe, know that mug cakes make the perfect celebration treat and my girl will happily share her tips with anyone who wants them. Cake and presents (pandas galore!) were certainly amazing, but the true joy came from celebrating our girl. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVN1OQ4FxF78WJE9tyfJ3pGkIMo6WXHZT5kHrSDUfu3-Sx_fcpJEOuzTR0AGpZuRwTlOCwOpXE5HlEuQw8pyor8LMiu-EOidVB0fXWTN9Hsy41pQfIIcSX15R-GabuhyphenhyphencB5ewRXlnmfgiUYxub2UW9WYqFg3fHN52Cx2j2Flg8OoBMSGFgTeJaJ9bcRHB/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVN1OQ4FxF78WJE9tyfJ3pGkIMo6WXHZT5kHrSDUfu3-Sx_fcpJEOuzTR0AGpZuRwTlOCwOpXE5HlEuQw8pyor8LMiu-EOidVB0fXWTN9Hsy41pQfIIcSX15R-GabuhyphenhyphencB5ewRXlnmfgiUYxub2UW9WYqFg3fHN52Cx2j2Flg8OoBMSGFgTeJaJ9bcRHB/w728-h1301/Blog-1.jpg" width="728" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> As a side note, I wasn't a big supporter of this disco light idea, but this thing was a huge highlight and let the party keep going well after the planned activities were finished.</div><div><br /></div><div>After a short break, we celebrated with our small crew at home, even doing a Facetime call for a special present, and finally getting to dig into that sweet cake our girl baked. It was a pretty pandatastic day!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6PpQej9qeaaBaUlrMKXgDv03pAXmh0CGHDegsEZYsnC88AQtIhVDFcCwnxTBWbsBvmStdDfVZWdkuOZOT1zj43wkfc8495go2nFk5xzwCMRSYvrpqyIkLNNHkzyuwOSAP0YjkTrbpHxq_gh-zgc-B7a8oGNgQmF-AuHT92WNgtn0sdqpn9htWUIkduuV/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6PpQej9qeaaBaUlrMKXgDv03pAXmh0CGHDegsEZYsnC88AQtIhVDFcCwnxTBWbsBvmStdDfVZWdkuOZOT1zj43wkfc8495go2nFk5xzwCMRSYvrpqyIkLNNHkzyuwOSAP0YjkTrbpHxq_gh-zgc-B7a8oGNgQmF-AuHT92WNgtn0sdqpn9htWUIkduuV/w721-h1290/Blog-1.jpg" width="721" /></a></div><p>With so much happening before her actual birthday, it's difficult to believe that there was anything left, but what's a birthday without celebrating ON your birthday? We opened a couple of presents first thing in the morning, then took a half day from school to have lunch at the park (on an unseasonably beautiful February day).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGwx1AJyrfKOiyLZL4crk-tPbm9fg0DDrTu4QDBGlgtGTy2M6ognrGF7J5jMkkXInHYgw5g_HmQKGQhSzxmDszgkh_aSwYEASh4af-j07Mu2vSLddm0b6gI5mwdVi-kOfKy_LCHBbZ_CXEWdXsauJd1ATHB4NtKRfjlKO3ImqVQVKauLMu3SnuOSF2z6D/s3600/Blog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGwx1AJyrfKOiyLZL4crk-tPbm9fg0DDrTu4QDBGlgtGTy2M6ognrGF7J5jMkkXInHYgw5g_HmQKGQhSzxmDszgkh_aSwYEASh4af-j07Mu2vSLddm0b6gI5mwdVi-kOfKy_LCHBbZ_CXEWdXsauJd1ATHB4NtKRfjlKO3ImqVQVKauLMu3SnuOSF2z6D/w723-h1292/Blog.jpg" width="723" /></a></div><p>She got to add new details for the bedroom, like paper lanterns and panda canvases, and POLISH things off with nail art tools and an entire set of colors to start adding fun to our fingernail adventures.</p><p>A new year has brought us beautiful changes, even if they were difficult at first. Celebrating our girl turning eleven was an unexpectedly amazing surprise, just like our girl was eleven years ago.<br /><br />Until next time,</p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-54966049472246183812024-01-10T15:43:00.000-06:002024-01-10T15:43:59.215-06:00Washington DC, Days 4 & 5<p>We've reached the end of our 5-day visit to Washington DC. With so much of the city under our belts from our <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2023/12/washington-dc-day-1.html" target="_blank">first</a>, <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2023/12/washington-dc-day-2.html" target="_blank">second</a>, and <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2023/12/washington-dc-day-3.html" target="_blank">third</a> days of exploring (click on the words for links to see each of the days), it made sense that our last two days fit into just one blog post. We started day four at the Natural Museum of American History, checking out artifacts from our country's past, including US presidential items like Lincoln's hat and footage from JFK's assassination.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGT1CMfHIDg71IkNdzCbZX6Iy4ZEpdB8zFAwt-UONgr6BiTiAdPZPvmCf0BXN76SL0iBYrwc7cqHJybv_jrFT7Zz1nzaHQOKAR9rhA_lWhwbrnZMbT3qJRIXbmhpjF_KVnWG3ZlMh8PEW1HSHzwNHOX1LpUi4ghb9mAH5hlDYkcvKypvsxMhE99iV4AqJ/s3600/Blog%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGT1CMfHIDg71IkNdzCbZX6Iy4ZEpdB8zFAwt-UONgr6BiTiAdPZPvmCf0BXN76SL0iBYrwc7cqHJybv_jrFT7Zz1nzaHQOKAR9rhA_lWhwbrnZMbT3qJRIXbmhpjF_KVnWG3ZlMh8PEW1HSHzwNHOX1LpUi4ghb9mAH5hlDYkcvKypvsxMhE99iV4AqJ/w744-h1329/Blog%201.jpg" width="744" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We moved on to pop-cultural US history, checking out friends and items from various different heroes in our lives.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix290iwna5gqbIoRNRB7YjB-Ifhw-lTRSUPgU-MqfvDAw5qL_Lxz2WQ6zIQLvrrXJcpdhP_8AnCGM9uCMBg8AoMPtWt2HOC_FN2dvgPA6RLPREtkEJ7c4O45FC9qg9QqmKGo9_8m1yDlow3wQPwaVM76yBTVaBkeNeq8O2HouDjr55yuRYpBu5J8NrfHl6/s3600/Blog%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix290iwna5gqbIoRNRB7YjB-Ifhw-lTRSUPgU-MqfvDAw5qL_Lxz2WQ6zIQLvrrXJcpdhP_8AnCGM9uCMBg8AoMPtWt2HOC_FN2dvgPA6RLPREtkEJ7c4O45FC9qg9QqmKGo9_8m1yDlow3wQPwaVM76yBTVaBkeNeq8O2HouDjr55yuRYpBu5J8NrfHl6/w748-h1336/Blog%202.jpg" width="748" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We wandered through more of history and then decided to venture back to The National Mall and head towards The White House. While we had visited it on our very first day, we realized we needed to be on the other side in order to get the best view. It really is beautiful to see in person and be able to take in as a piece of our country's history. We closed out day 4 here, rode scooters back to a small park area in the city, and had dinner in the park (a pretty regular part of life for us).</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNV5N_37FE1o_7MyaAuhDl6bAF6CzPMbY0WnbBB3VtVCwSUBLU7omRpDrTR5wHBf2ylbAlYF1B4Rt9-PGZ5hDRbtdEhP6-9_pbFKi50FlR_XNmeQqMHMUjsQDe2TQ2KRzUDIJDryr4PnF0bN3WucDYwejVim0M-7C_OUIHNUivtt5-rtWVey_P3JkrwB_/s3600/Blog%203-b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNV5N_37FE1o_7MyaAuhDl6bAF6CzPMbY0WnbBB3VtVCwSUBLU7omRpDrTR5wHBf2ylbAlYF1B4Rt9-PGZ5hDRbtdEhP6-9_pbFKi50FlR_XNmeQqMHMUjsQDe2TQ2KRzUDIJDryr4PnF0bN3WucDYwejVim0M-7C_OUIHNUivtt5-rtWVey_P3JkrwB_/w746-h1333/Blog%203-b.jpg" width="746" /></a></div><br /><div>On our last day, it ended up being a bit more dreary and misty than the rest of our visit. We spent a short time at the Botanical Gardens, then headed to the National Air and Space Museum for a bit. I'm always a sucker for the history of photography and cameras, so I enjoyed reading about the Wright brothers' interest in photography and how the history of the very first flight was captured. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiiypQiZEvgsGOeFmuUlJcpEEMCbJ0zjTOlXzeDTOP_59oY-cvE0jYSiBJcLpvIcRsn3jk0ik-G3QtDG4ZauHNhnhA04lvzkTotSEt5sxaD8QOLGRkpc3DiUAztn8BCnhudLO8p9kus-jpGF20joD-lJ6x_l69CImqOw_E_5eHC9XuX-wF7J5Svldan4L/s3600/Blog%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiiypQiZEvgsGOeFmuUlJcpEEMCbJ0zjTOlXzeDTOP_59oY-cvE0jYSiBJcLpvIcRsn3jk0ik-G3QtDG4ZauHNhnhA04lvzkTotSEt5sxaD8QOLGRkpc3DiUAztn8BCnhudLO8p9kus-jpGF20joD-lJ6x_l69CImqOw_E_5eHC9XuX-wF7J5Svldan4L/w750-h1342/Blog%204.jpg" width="750" /></a></div><br /><div>During our exploration, we had the chance to see so many planes, both larger-than-life displays and models you could hold in your hands. Emma also got to try her hand at a flight simulator; it was fun to watch her enjoy trying something new.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLr0WMONc9aKFzSYHwngtuw_XqJnWSw5N2LJm1cmXhMV1cwwdIbdzDcNcqlCSKOCwvpND704ubpkky74pj8CfwIgyjAZzRUXow_df324_aBMTB5eh5Ah6QvRdmtH4Ardiw3cGwa-H5Kgdnso6uLRLQWCogm556xv1ZK0xIuyvbDuyxLFLzcB5qDsAWVsq/s3600/Blog%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCLr0WMONc9aKFzSYHwngtuw_XqJnWSw5N2LJm1cmXhMV1cwwdIbdzDcNcqlCSKOCwvpND704ubpkky74pj8CfwIgyjAZzRUXow_df324_aBMTB5eh5Ah6QvRdmtH4Ardiw3cGwa-H5Kgdnso6uLRLQWCogm556xv1ZK0xIuyvbDuyxLFLzcB5qDsAWVsq/w748-h1337/Blog%205.jpg" width="748" /></a></div><br /><div>We continued on to see flight in outer space through a model of our solar system. We also saw various other pieces of space artifacts that showed us up close and personal how our history and future were both impacted by the brave people willing to explore new adventures.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidxBu1Cy92ibZApjjuiWUmkAzsvB6kOStaCrdMDPX1bpyEjHdq1tvt2I8pKyTy77eCtMaFeg28kDEfbVzkZ3YHqVt2P3BWQ_WPBSvf4eVgUPX909pQXlRfOzErZcANoRyB5u838rIgJdyTTFPjby9RjPwDChwweCDfFrA7xUDREV7xdMiTrqoDuAfNtcr/s3600/Blog%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidxBu1Cy92ibZApjjuiWUmkAzsvB6kOStaCrdMDPX1bpyEjHdq1tvt2I8pKyTy77eCtMaFeg28kDEfbVzkZ3YHqVt2P3BWQ_WPBSvf4eVgUPX909pQXlRfOzErZcANoRyB5u838rIgJdyTTFPjby9RjPwDChwweCDfFrA7xUDREV7xdMiTrqoDuAfNtcr/w746-h1334/Blog%206.jpg" width="746" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Since it was our final afternoon in DC, my husband asked if I had anything I wanted to try and photograph again before we left. While I was able to get the Three Servicemen Memorial by the Vietnam Wall on our first pass, I somehow missed the Vietnam Women's Memorial. It seemed so fitting to be photographing a statue that was dedicated to the women who cared for the heartbreak of the war in the rain.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9avk67sDANQ2yjAAOeSWe8F4nEwvo_5xOLXslDJJyWYPgxYwXsWJaOnFmAdL5-o6Si77J_9LIWSyrPNvhxpqBShLMWczhZjuNXmLlmtirV6fMtlnoA2KJOlHfK2qUYVHQZVrMUWiVbBV6CqRsX9ztjBiyCvWxIxq4ewgoiX78uS-6tOJ0Fp6gDkZF7uQ/s3600/Blog%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9avk67sDANQ2yjAAOeSWe8F4nEwvo_5xOLXslDJJyWYPgxYwXsWJaOnFmAdL5-o6Si77J_9LIWSyrPNvhxpqBShLMWczhZjuNXmLlmtirV6fMtlnoA2KJOlHfK2qUYVHQZVrMUWiVbBV6CqRsX9ztjBiyCvWxIxq4ewgoiX78uS-6tOJ0Fp6gDkZF7uQ/w749-h1339/Blog%207.jpg" width="749" /></a></div><br /><div>As a final farewell, we decided to see if the Reflecting Pool might have been officially filled for the spring. However, what we discovered was a still empty pool with just enough rain gathered in it to get a small reflection of the Washington Memorial through it. Side note: if you ever see my husband, ask him to see the shot HE took of Emma and me getting this photo. It's fantastic and I rather love it.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope you enjoyed coming along on our journey to visit our nation's capital! We enjoyed getting a closer look at the memorials built to pay tribute to what our country has gone through to become the nation it is today. May we always remember how beautiful our freedom is when partnered with responsibility, but that the cost of freedom is never free.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Until next time,</div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comWashington, DC, USA38.9071923 -77.036870710.596958463821153 -112.1931207 67.217426136178844 -41.880620699999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-54182415580608932152023-12-18T06:00:00.011-06:002024-01-10T15:44:27.460-06:00Washington DC, Day 3<p>On day 3 of our DC wanderings, the National Zoo was an absolute must for our panda obessed girl. If you didn't know, pandas are only found in a few zoos in the US, the Smithsonian National Zoo in DC being one of them. Of course, Emma's obsession of pandas was started by our friend's daughter, Keira, who was an enormous panda lover herself. When she passed from rhabdomyosarcoma at the very young age of 10, Keira was gifted a beautiful set of small pandas to pass on to those she loved. Over 6 years later, Addie (Emma's panda) is so very loved and can be found in much of our daily lives, as can Keira's love of pandas.</p><p>As we went into the city, I loved this cover we saw on the Metro train, reminding everyone that the cherry blossoms are a huge piece of the city. As a side note - I also loved often having only a handful of people riding with us during off peak hours, as well as upgraded air filters running in the trains the entire time.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixBQe6I4ohOJHcgrZuBYYFOu_h7R84wPgvTuIAgDcYOETK88pOKKWZObcGY7j5P8bPiHoy4DVPG8bfki-wnR1QowNaFy-m9OftZU1UIQ7rYDts-M-7keA8BfOK1p4qB8WvBUU3KfY_vi31OOTgfk6eRgr7h4GBxqR6jI4aPyWuFn_GPKdajDUhbRiwole/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixBQe6I4ohOJHcgrZuBYYFOu_h7R84wPgvTuIAgDcYOETK88pOKKWZObcGY7j5P8bPiHoy4DVPG8bfki-wnR1QowNaFy-m9OftZU1UIQ7rYDts-M-7keA8BfOK1p4qB8WvBUU3KfY_vi31OOTgfk6eRgr7h4GBxqR6jI4aPyWuFn_GPKdajDUhbRiwole/w698-h1248/Blog-1.jpg" width="698" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Emma may have been the most excited about being at the zoo and seeing the pandas, but as any parent can tell you, her excitement was exciting to us. While the pandas didn't want to cooperate for picture taking (they do prefer a more solitary way of life), it was still fun to see them. They aren't terribly active animals for the most part, but we love them nonetheless.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImfo9iv17fP1Q64Bdd_WQFMFG_tH8G_0lwvRnCPQWQG4g8elmYQmWPsYdreIrMZXOHf-jzZ3Ug0D48gLqFk-8a7cAVM-5PoARrH0FoV3nE-aodVzZHKQvdciI19XkvLI4i9JgnN_dAJ4-7Eb16ono9ia0um26Yxzcoijwt_eLLG3hZ3VRNfFl429YVQQB/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImfo9iv17fP1Q64Bdd_WQFMFG_tH8G_0lwvRnCPQWQG4g8elmYQmWPsYdreIrMZXOHf-jzZ3Ug0D48gLqFk-8a7cAVM-5PoARrH0FoV3nE-aodVzZHKQvdciI19XkvLI4i9JgnN_dAJ4-7Eb16ono9ia0um26Yxzcoijwt_eLLG3hZ3VRNfFl429YVQQB/w692-h1237/Blog-2.jpg" width="692" /></a></div><div><br /></div>After our morning visit to the zoo, we moved onto the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History for some natural wonders. The size of these displays was so massive. It's sometimes difficult to wrap your head around how creatures this large just freely roamed the earth.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nKsiXWyrKBv23dqI7wY_GIDqNwWz0ww8XU62z92uJvKRYkSuuwkkTmgoONWPH8MQLCIL6PC5XDXEjbJSfsWfSdsJNAhLwMkvtp65hFUtJ8rLcKSX06HVlGeiyGyuVudRDrJDnZG1SPWQHxcrwLteGfI_cNP8PJL41BD8hDE-Jm_-wDePOR5FyWwcw4HA/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nKsiXWyrKBv23dqI7wY_GIDqNwWz0ww8XU62z92uJvKRYkSuuwkkTmgoONWPH8MQLCIL6PC5XDXEjbJSfsWfSdsJNAhLwMkvtp65hFUtJ8rLcKSX06HVlGeiyGyuVudRDrJDnZG1SPWQHxcrwLteGfI_cNP8PJL41BD8hDE-Jm_-wDePOR5FyWwcw4HA/w695-h1242/Blog-3.jpg" width="695" /></a></div><br /><div>Attending a hybrid school has allowed me to be more knowledgeable about all the things Emma is learning in school. In second grade, she learned a lot about dinosaurs and trees. We made a science journal that year and learned to observe and draw nature more intently. We still find ourselves looking closely at trees when we go on walks, as well as our bird learning days from first grade. In third grade, she learned about rocks and geodes, which were a huge excitement that year. It was neat to see both of those interests present in this space. Of course, anything teal, purple, and shiny will catch the eye of our girl, but it was still cool to see her excitement and knowledge applied.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilitBbYu_4Qrh29mJl-7Axkck5jvotevgqq5NVT1RFnl7OtxRzxzdJK0X78Jtw3ETzMNHSRN1GdFR4gyg_DsMNLKvsR6gA4O2cP9rK7oz8pjuPByFnjzi81LYVmZrJcVa-KnOV5_-51d1hO-gWY-Ed9GpA7vbgLF9HN0qC_RUA2fqqpo0shCKXpyo3V_lB/s3600/Blog-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilitBbYu_4Qrh29mJl-7Axkck5jvotevgqq5NVT1RFnl7OtxRzxzdJK0X78Jtw3ETzMNHSRN1GdFR4gyg_DsMNLKvsR6gA4O2cP9rK7oz8pjuPByFnjzi81LYVmZrJcVa-KnOV5_-51d1hO-gWY-Ed9GpA7vbgLF9HN0qC_RUA2fqqpo0shCKXpyo3V_lB/w692-h1237/Blog-4.jpg" width="692" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the last things on our list for the day was taking a trip to the top of the Washington Monument. Being one of the last rides to the top for day gave us extra alone time with the amazing view. When we visit different cities, we try to get high above the city; it definitely gives you a different perspective and helps you see the magnitutude of the city you are visiting.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcvXQquXDaAcyN5WqwwAojrCRtZINKw49XKKwT-TujrsVvqL7FqG9c-OlVBLLRwRTPFEw4MSLtuqxVe0LuJ_dE9ks7WMIpDa85k-1k1LFzH6PP1EkpJVZREgCe0R9us1W15YzCC0-b-OOwoRxb_CAWTrlFod7ZbXUqdY_wvN1Y0hI7s7XC21dQAmBf3jU/s3600/Blog-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcvXQquXDaAcyN5WqwwAojrCRtZINKw49XKKwT-TujrsVvqL7FqG9c-OlVBLLRwRTPFEw4MSLtuqxVe0LuJ_dE9ks7WMIpDa85k-1k1LFzH6PP1EkpJVZREgCe0R9us1W15YzCC0-b-OOwoRxb_CAWTrlFod7ZbXUqdY_wvN1Y0hI7s7XC21dQAmBf3jU/w695-h1241/Blog-5.jpg" width="695" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>On the way down, the history of how the states pulled together to complete the building of the monument is played. It was neat to see the inside of the monument and some of the stones that cities and states had sculpted with their names. And then on our way out, one of the security officers saw my camera and told me that I should get a picture of the door. The officer informed us that the door, with multiple splintered bulletproof glass panes, was damaged on the morning of January 6th by the rioters who later attacked the Capitol that day. In my searching, I found these <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/new-january-6-tapes-show-trump-mob-attacking-police-at-washington-monument-timeline-shifts-122458181529">recordings</a> from US Park officials and <a href="https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/park-police-overwhelmed-hours-before-capitol-breach-on-jan-6th/">this transcript</a> that says close to 20 officers barricaded themselves inside the Washington Monument to protect themselves against the mob of people. It was a sight to be held.</div><div><br /></div></div>We left there and decided to make a return visit to the Tidal Basin for more cherry blossom views, especially since the weather was still lovely and rain was in the forecast for the next day. I was grateful to get the chance at some new perspectives, and watch my girl do some of her own creative work. It makes me smile to think about the impact my photography journey has had on my family.<br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwZZOkBw0cLy7heqDkIaRCfrGxGMsog_jcr_ed3Hs9FnZtG8xKrQKTr8xb1y_CHXcbfe92xch5zQkhfpmwR6_3xUDk-Ml-81YXuJq6W1NqhA-Yc1gJtXs9rpNkmT-w6ECnxgd0zeFm0WvMDedqXrBmw_Wpseuqe8MmeXqXyg4IQDQITKMJJq6oVwS5KgX/s3600/Blog-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwZZOkBw0cLy7heqDkIaRCfrGxGMsog_jcr_ed3Hs9FnZtG8xKrQKTr8xb1y_CHXcbfe92xch5zQkhfpmwR6_3xUDk-Ml-81YXuJq6W1NqhA-Yc1gJtXs9rpNkmT-w6ECnxgd0zeFm0WvMDedqXrBmw_Wpseuqe8MmeXqXyg4IQDQITKMJJq6oVwS5KgX/w693-h1239/Blog-6.jpg" width="693" /></a></div><br /><div>We closed out the day with a walk through the tulip garden, then hopped on some electric scooters to grab dinner with an outdoor picnic before heading back. If you missed <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2023/12/washington-dc-day-1.html" target="_blank">Day One</a> or <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2023/12/washington-dc-day-2.html" target="_blank">Day Two</a>, make sure to check them out!! I'm excited to share our final days with you and wrap up our spring visit to D.C.<br /><br /></div><div>Until next time,</div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comWashington, DC, USA38.9071923 -77.036870710.596958463821153 -112.1931207 67.217426136178844 -41.880620699999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-19847893704996382622023-12-11T11:00:00.008-06:002023-12-11T11:00:00.152-06:00Washington DC, Day 2<p>If you missed our <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2023/12/washington-dc-day-1.html" target="_blank">1st day of exploring in DC</a> and the back story of our travels, I encourage you to go there first and check it out! For day 2, we had a long list of places we still wanted to explore. We started at Arlington National Cemetery, where our first stop was the Marine Corps War Memorial, a statue that depicts the iconic photo taken by Joe Rosenthal from the second flag-raising on Iwo Jima during World War II. The statue is enormous and is a beautiful tribute to the Marines lost in the wars our country has battled. This image is so iconic that not only was it made into a memorial, but on 9/11, as firefighters lifted a flag over the debris of the World Trade Towers, many thought of it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_01vLaZol8g7ibUeHgM1rPNkVnT3sCoxKM9_-AegcZWb_JRBv8JOQqZfYpJUr0eSmNVza67NnzDUG79t32CZXMdx2sPe7FkpfNjaTpRJgY_TbPhxRNik2MWNkoA8BkZQIoQQeaVU8LnyYd9g17LlnlFN8gY49-kkmtA0vOh1rg_naIDGpgnZlelUgIJsd/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_01vLaZol8g7ibUeHgM1rPNkVnT3sCoxKM9_-AegcZWb_JRBv8JOQqZfYpJUr0eSmNVza67NnzDUG79t32CZXMdx2sPe7FkpfNjaTpRJgY_TbPhxRNik2MWNkoA8BkZQIoQQeaVU8LnyYd9g17LlnlFN8gY49-kkmtA0vOh1rg_naIDGpgnZlelUgIJsd/w696-h1244/Blog-1.jpg" width="696" /></a></div><p>From there, we headed to the Eternal Flame, the final resting place of John F. Kennedy & his wife, Jackie. On the hillside behind the flame, you can see the Arlington House, which overlooks the Potomac River and was the home of Robert E. Lee. Today it stands as a memorial, allowing visitors a beautiful view of both the cemetery and some of the city below. Visitors are also able to walk the grounds and go through some of the rooms in the home to see how it looked during its occupancy. JFK visited the home before being assassinated and commented that he "could stay here forever", so his final resting spot is a beautiful nod to that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrg8a0M2vQfjeh-2ENpfTPPjCFag4kGIAaXMlvDwiFcI7KBkqme5tzYUOp5HY99UT3Y9UEKycv5nCjopyKlHfOYheCP5451hON5_H6yZYS4_QQMp9QqTp84UAPzj6bxPTzdjxkMwwfHVRc_nhviSI9mhwPvT7CRG7qK4k6i5AGGk9n9M0GIvU05l52afZg/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrg8a0M2vQfjeh-2ENpfTPPjCFag4kGIAaXMlvDwiFcI7KBkqme5tzYUOp5HY99UT3Y9UEKycv5nCjopyKlHfOYheCP5451hON5_H6yZYS4_QQMp9QqTp84UAPzj6bxPTzdjxkMwwfHVRc_nhviSI9mhwPvT7CRG7qK4k6i5AGGk9n9M0GIvU05l52afZg/w695-h1242/Blog-2.jpg" width="695" /></a></div><p>Next on our list was the Memorial Amphitheater, where you can find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Before going towards the Tomb, we paused to see the Space Shuttle Memorials. Having been a young student when the Challenger exploded in mid-flight after take off, the impact of space shuttle tragedies hits me in a different way. Seeing these memorials was a gentle reminder of the costs so many Americans have given to make our country what it is today.<br /><br />We moved from there towards the Amphitheater, which was both enormous and beautiful. So many of the monuments and memorials are beyond imagination and while they may fit in the viewfinder of my extra wide lens, in real life, they are almost too much to take in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5CVipQYU_rAVImpEW-NAoMuBLjQ8YgW7qUZQdrZVqE8dkqVC4zRCOgplK1DQseAmBxEu7G6RSQJOM_u56uiTx2HOtfNv2nGxgYlYW3PmdoTzQ1Aos_DyO3sOE4wQuQmxgJfBLvMm86SGDed1zlRXgQCMUSiJyRnDAnjAhnWGyeBA8apab5zOg1QvFAV_/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5CVipQYU_rAVImpEW-NAoMuBLjQ8YgW7qUZQdrZVqE8dkqVC4zRCOgplK1DQseAmBxEu7G6RSQJOM_u56uiTx2HOtfNv2nGxgYlYW3PmdoTzQ1Aos_DyO3sOE4wQuQmxgJfBLvMm86SGDed1zlRXgQCMUSiJyRnDAnjAhnWGyeBA8apab5zOg1QvFAV_/w693-h1238/Blog-3.jpg" width="693" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Another experience at DC that is larger than life is the Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. It is such a historic and time-honored tradition to be witness to. The details of this memorial are so lengthy and beautiful that I encourage you to read them <a href="https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Monuments-and-Memorials/Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier">here</a>, as I know I will not do them justice by trying to shorten them for this post.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBv3jmQkrQH4_990_VmKGEl69Pf5KgaZxTB0CPGis4JBnvQteilKGP0-VBN-7l0NENQNxI3669AJmmf-3AH4Wbv2225m0vFCJWEnq2e5pV-yJQ547z5_dXYx4pQho_nRi5dBG0Dm7SFyXTyWrhp22vW4MobhX1vVOFm_RG5ZYL-q5jFW77UtxrLHIyQgI/s3600/Blog-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlBv3jmQkrQH4_990_VmKGEl69Pf5KgaZxTB0CPGis4JBnvQteilKGP0-VBN-7l0NENQNxI3669AJmmf-3AH4Wbv2225m0vFCJWEnq2e5pV-yJQ547z5_dXYx4pQho_nRi5dBG0Dm7SFyXTyWrhp22vW4MobhX1vVOFm_RG5ZYL-q5jFW77UtxrLHIyQgI/w694-h1242/Blog-4.jpg" width="694" /></a></div><p>We left Arlington and headed toward the Pentagon Memorial. Benches represent the lives lost on 9/11 when a plane was hijacked and flown into the side of the building. There are benches pointing both toward and away from the building, symbolizing whether a person was on the plane or in the Pentagon when the tragedy occurred. Each bench also holds the names of people who perished that day. They are ordered from the youngest victim at age 2, to the oldest. It's a pretty solemn place and the enormity of it reminds you of how great a loss of hundreds of lives in a single moment can actually be.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyecPZUHdzEjuoj8x3z1zKROn1du2brQ5NJGHTVjEAoshqFG2H8wtgisWnDDlIHJmslQxZHya4YV1I1J2f_9sMiMjWyzgMGtLfqDh3jTtX1bfXYymKGNXEM3HfuYKUbPy4zeILbfQ6D5EfdGTELF10a64-nbd0FOHNPfEgaMhtRXAO7o1ktUVWwuBynVUe/s3600/Blog-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyecPZUHdzEjuoj8x3z1zKROn1du2brQ5NJGHTVjEAoshqFG2H8wtgisWnDDlIHJmslQxZHya4YV1I1J2f_9sMiMjWyzgMGtLfqDh3jTtX1bfXYymKGNXEM3HfuYKUbPy4zeILbfQ6D5EfdGTELF10a64-nbd0FOHNPfEgaMhtRXAO7o1ktUVWwuBynVUe/w690-h1233/Blog-5.jpg" width="690" /></a></div><p>We left the Pentagon Memorial and headed back to the National Mall for sunset. I loved being able to watch the Washington Monument be kissed by the sun as Golden Hour hit. And all the people who clearly call DC home just milling in the fields as it happened because this is just daily life for them.</p><p>Behind me was the U.S. Capitol. I had decided to bring my long lens for this trip and this day I was so glad I did. The distance between the two buildings is quite long and the extra length allowed me to take shots I would have otherwise missed. While it was heartbreaking to see this symbol of our nation still covered with tarps after being attacked in January of 2021, it was also a historic moment to remember that attacks on our country take many forms.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigRA-w_lrtZhIWtWRNLyS0xNDrFBntRTok9ZB-Osc2nnBoYckCJwnf6lLXLuQXIG5HzyxNwmxxDZLldy0kKOm5RfoBSnqO9ohyphenhypheniSqkDtjETOdE3-fre0LHRzH-ZLbZrfOss6eAZZlU1-rrfhXnhBeBQbD7NHbD3eYh7kgESQoGmvwg4iS0M5LVR29Zp5r/s3600/Blog-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiigRA-w_lrtZhIWtWRNLyS0xNDrFBntRTok9ZB-Osc2nnBoYckCJwnf6lLXLuQXIG5HzyxNwmxxDZLldy0kKOm5RfoBSnqO9ohyphenhypheniSqkDtjETOdE3-fre0LHRzH-ZLbZrfOss6eAZZlU1-rrfhXnhBeBQbD7NHbD3eYh7kgESQoGmvwg4iS0M5LVR29Zp5r/w693-h1240/Blog-6.jpg" width="693" /></a></div><p>We moved closer to The Capitol as the sun kept going and decided to continue exploring and check out a few more spots after official sunset.</p><p>While we never took an official tour day or night, we certainly saw value in the buildings after dark! Seeing the other side of The Capitol lit up by sunset was quite an experience. It reminded me that when things don't look the way we had hoped, perhaps a new view is necessary. For photographer friends, the bottom shots SOC - straight out of camera - had settings of ISO 12800, f/3.5, & shutter 1/250 or slightly more open, with minimal editing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdF8u6d6EpnDS52_OTNDqJ9_Kfb3CeuJL30s2NtNnQ5pIZ-LgoKRr9-9dLjz4PQxVtYDLvOQujIch5xRYNeaDcimDN2RuaN_XyNh8U-25wy8QKLDrI4LTcm0LanyguLJ7KU43RAfelrDChvXlAiUYTDofDNTFn6uRsAPxBzcdgQn2eD2qZPw9uu6W4ppa/s3600/Blog-7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjdF8u6d6EpnDS52_OTNDqJ9_Kfb3CeuJL30s2NtNnQ5pIZ-LgoKRr9-9dLjz4PQxVtYDLvOQujIch5xRYNeaDcimDN2RuaN_XyNh8U-25wy8QKLDrI4LTcm0LanyguLJ7KU43RAfelrDChvXlAiUYTDofDNTFn6uRsAPxBzcdgQn2eD2qZPw9uu6W4ppa/w697-h1238/Blog-7.jpg" width="697" /></a></div><p>We traveled just a few blocks to see the Supreme Court lit up at night. I marveled at her beauty while I considered the role our government plays to serve and protect us all.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VDa02lmvokNe6oNTyOWp-dwJDSgK1RONO9zudwWk9hyphenhyphenbt3F5NwGhmRjYqzntKaQ0oP1akktB4oieWPaH2q5Xlh4oBSHBFVlmznY8_nCb_dC0Er2Dwhu9luDpH5w8H-bK4WDEZIc87cImoJwEN-Nffa4Vb3ct3SvdqDkkOlX3XYOf8rJACDZ__-t3BV9H/s3600/Blog-8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VDa02lmvokNe6oNTyOWp-dwJDSgK1RONO9zudwWk9hyphenhyphenbt3F5NwGhmRjYqzntKaQ0oP1akktB4oieWPaH2q5Xlh4oBSHBFVlmznY8_nCb_dC0Er2Dwhu9luDpH5w8H-bK4WDEZIc87cImoJwEN-Nffa4Vb3ct3SvdqDkkOlX3XYOf8rJACDZ__-t3BV9H/w702-h1250/Blog-8.jpg" width="702" /></a></div><p>And then one last shot, but by FAR one of my favorites from our entire trip. Of course, we still had much more to cover on our remaining days - like a zoo with iconic pandas for our girl to see. I can't want to share them with you!<br /><br />Until next time,</p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comWashington, DC, USA38.9071923 -77.036870710.596958463821153 -112.1931207 67.217426136178844 -41.880620699999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-2158181289382938932023-12-03T09:57:00.001-06:002023-12-06T23:57:28.426-06:00Washington DC, Day 1<p>We've all heard the phrase, "Better late than never". Well, this series is certainly going to fit that description, with all of these images dating back to March, 2023! But before I begin, a brief note. The combination of my medical conditions and the ongoing pandemic has forced our family to make a lot of long-term pivots. Almost four years later, we are still assessing risks regularly, which looks different even for the people who are still actively trying to avoid Covid. With the wide range of feelings on this topic, it is often difficult to share details of our lives openly without fear of judgement. People that we love will say that we are being absurd trying to avoid Covid and that we have to live our lives. While others will say that traveling is a terrible choice for us because of the high risk. What I can say is that we love your concern for our well-being. At my quarterly doctor appointments, I continue to gain insight and guidance from my doctors at Washington University for best practices for myself and my household. I also spend time learning more about this disease and the impact it can have on people like me, as well as others, and I would encourage everyone to do those same things. We appreciate your love, support, and respect for our family and our decisions to protect our long-term health. Now, onto the good stuff.<br /><br />With our kids having different spring breaks this year, we looked into doing a return trip to DC. When our son was only 6 months old, we took a 2-day detour to see the cherry blossoms and highlights of DC after a work trip in Pennsylvania. Of course, two days felt like it was hardly enough to see DC, so we agreed that we would like to return one day. Our son had repeatedly said that he had no interest in going to DC, so when we realized that the cherry blossoms would be starting at the end of our daughter's spring break, we decided to take the day-long drive on Sunday and spend 5 days there. This was our first trip without him and it hit Aaron and me harder than we thought it would. It was a really amazing trip, but it would have been even better to have him there with us.</p><p>For day one, we decided to hit the National Mall and try to see as much as we could while walking. Part of assessing risks for us is doing lots of things outdoors and picking less crowded times, so most days, we traveled off rush hour and saw very few people. I loved this enormous escalator that we used regularly to take us to the subway (more of that to come). We made our first stop at the Washington Monument. It's truly so amazing and really stands as a beacon in the city. For those unfamiliar with the history, the building of the monument started in 1848 but took a pause from 1854 to 1877 during the Civil War due to funding. Because of this pause, different marble was used to complete the building and is visible in color change about a 1/4 of the way up.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMAa5QEJ9GFJaY4iztgMfLfEmse1TsTOHAB2J_LZSm76Rx5Gu25VngnJx0N_8bXECbjPZAjF8cW2U6XpqA5tCfdckFvljCP73uLRZ6fvSN2rFwgdyw0pdMOkkwObPXEeDSNcd63ssWCQEw6H2dlzlQRmK4RpXybez3B2PDQrEYkQ_M9bvmODtIBqN-naM/s3600/Blog%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMAa5QEJ9GFJaY4iztgMfLfEmse1TsTOHAB2J_LZSm76Rx5Gu25VngnJx0N_8bXECbjPZAjF8cW2U6XpqA5tCfdckFvljCP73uLRZ6fvSN2rFwgdyw0pdMOkkwObPXEeDSNcd63ssWCQEw6H2dlzlQRmK4RpXybez3B2PDQrEYkQ_M9bvmODtIBqN-naM/w701-h1252/Blog%201.jpg" width="701" /></a></div><p></p><p>After this, we headed across the street to the World War II Memorial. When we first went with Aaron, the memorial wasn't complete, so this was a new experience for us. My grandpa served in World War II in the Air Force (and flew over 50 combat missions!), so this memorial was a highlight for me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3jNm1WQkx1ek9bpQ5oFn3m4Y-_I0ZAwXhTGylTmkHO43Wp8TcBuJyD9B8M27VMt1JL7aPVbI6xVSzL5jAgXwwZD8ZhtZEf6YmDMs47S9JZmoR3QivavG5Nu3U6_2Dr0ITMHJ8LBBGGaVd1b-RbzlyTFcpmZgzTgT6UeI6ZU9qEe8mYoT7WUtjpkJUUvP/s3600/Blog%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ3jNm1WQkx1ek9bpQ5oFn3m4Y-_I0ZAwXhTGylTmkHO43Wp8TcBuJyD9B8M27VMt1JL7aPVbI6xVSzL5jAgXwwZD8ZhtZEf6YmDMs47S9JZmoR3QivavG5Nu3U6_2Dr0ITMHJ8LBBGGaVd1b-RbzlyTFcpmZgzTgT6UeI6ZU9qEe8mYoT7WUtjpkJUUvP/w702-h1247/Blog%202.jpg" width="702" /></a></div><p>The Freedom Wall of stars above symbolizes the American lives lost during the war. Each star represents approximately 100 American service personnel who died or remained missing in the war. The wall holds 4,048 stars, standing for the 405,399 lives lost. It is a very solemn place to consider what our freedom cost our countrymen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jTqY04Y3AstpwuqcT7Miowbakoh38b31UmhLsrX7WSa4Yr0QLR3FPRWPJjjD8RYVCB-WwsV3lOXM6BAebbx9jYFQdHUvlWgPsHGZJE8y5bnAUWf081qqYjI1fHPlVCqF3eaOPQzL17uOXM0jNDVvrEl0KDD5jK3n7HCroYfsvIVKebYKv-6pAwNfQjii/s3600/Blog%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jTqY04Y3AstpwuqcT7Miowbakoh38b31UmhLsrX7WSa4Yr0QLR3FPRWPJjjD8RYVCB-WwsV3lOXM6BAebbx9jYFQdHUvlWgPsHGZJE8y5bnAUWf081qqYjI1fHPlVCqF3eaOPQzL17uOXM0jNDVvrEl0KDD5jK3n7HCroYfsvIVKebYKv-6pAwNfQjii/w700-h1244/Blog%203.jpg" width="700" /></a></div><p>When the World War II Memorial location was being chosen, some people were frustrated with it being at the end of the Reflecting Pool, located between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. While I can understand, I found it to be a beautiful location in a city so very rich in monuments and memorials of our country's history. I loved that I could capture both of them overlooking the new kid in town - see it in the images above. <br /><br />The Lincoln Memorial was next in the mall and is such a sight to be held. If you look closely at the image below on the right, you can catch a glimpse of a person behind the sign, which shows you how massive it is.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHwdkATO-n2XGmw2XHEhAB1oQyTTinpMAdYmRcTHKI4QP16uX9LDk9NTe-m4JLHXvsyAX2mh92BL5VD5frWY-rf52_zpzZUGnKQ_CP4e3emML8Nk6pJ6JkPHevlYWOB2n5PwbB_B_KtZQVQSpg8zius8nT7VKaqyFe5h03zVFpLix2WGiMwXUDHzq74Xp/s3600/Blog%204c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHwdkATO-n2XGmw2XHEhAB1oQyTTinpMAdYmRcTHKI4QP16uX9LDk9NTe-m4JLHXvsyAX2mh92BL5VD5frWY-rf52_zpzZUGnKQ_CP4e3emML8Nk6pJ6JkPHevlYWOB2n5PwbB_B_KtZQVQSpg8zius8nT7VKaqyFe5h03zVFpLix2WGiMwXUDHzq74Xp/w703-h1256/Blog%204c.jpg" width="703" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Our next stop was the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial, with the iconic Three Servicemen statue. The wall, like many other things in DC, has a slow stream of people always coming and going, but I frequently wanted a clean shot, so I waited. As we headed towards the Constitution Gardens, I loved how the Washington Monument stood as a tower of our nation's history, overlooking so much of the city.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByomgBv2qnWyiN1jYGyZlwQ3IoDRQewX7_aQybPcghOqc6uJrLwfJyqC4Bo1bH3Pr5iPa3-SQGIMhyry6OfewAFyQTekl-xZ7LN9Z51CGclTeKL1XxiJb7DNZrcVb0lfRPojHJAhE9kdnT6On98cmx_GswbnL9gMVJqNDxH2gFrqRv-G-HiQkMwMKrGXW/s3600/Blog%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByomgBv2qnWyiN1jYGyZlwQ3IoDRQewX7_aQybPcghOqc6uJrLwfJyqC4Bo1bH3Pr5iPa3-SQGIMhyry6OfewAFyQTekl-xZ7LN9Z51CGclTeKL1XxiJb7DNZrcVb0lfRPojHJAhE9kdnT6On98cmx_GswbnL9gMVJqNDxH2gFrqRv-G-HiQkMwMKrGXW/w698-h1242/Blog%205.jpg" width="698" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>As I mentioned, the cherry blossoms were just getting ready to hit their height. In some areas, this meant that there were still many bare trees, but in others, signs of spring were very clear. Emma loved getting a close look at a momma duck and her flock of ducklings as we explored the Constitution Gardens. After some time there, we continued on and discovered the District of Columbia War Memorial, commemorating citizens from the District of Columbia who served in World War I. I was in awe of the enormous and beautiful dome that I had never heard of before.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qEUQp6L5tFSbFGMS0bKGSSmoO6eQdJs_K4yAnlfxw1UGDMKW6rKdv-417mlvr-WIXzVchUMxg2hLLWb2qt0pOYLzzEha7W_msiPltQOAVn4wJiynQTOpXXYr_-AwSl1h9UFOJQXPYwfrVQml4zJ4ty8HRnOPWTMtHNCvHfvTp3sZ2XuX63gVOJj5oLNf/s3600/Blog%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qEUQp6L5tFSbFGMS0bKGSSmoO6eQdJs_K4yAnlfxw1UGDMKW6rKdv-417mlvr-WIXzVchUMxg2hLLWb2qt0pOYLzzEha7W_msiPltQOAVn4wJiynQTOpXXYr_-AwSl1h9UFOJQXPYwfrVQml4zJ4ty8HRnOPWTMtHNCvHfvTp3sZ2XuX63gVOJj5oLNf/w703-h1257/Blog%206.jpg" width="703" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>You can't help but notice the light coming through all the beautiful cherry blossoms, and while posed shots are not my forte', I knew something like this wouldn't happen again, so we took a few shots in the cherry trees.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We moved on to the Korean War Veteran's Memorial, another addition since our first visit almost 20 years ago. The wall with service members' names is always a sacred space and one that reminds you of how truly high the cost of freedom is. The "On Patrol" sculptures were also very moving to me. They felt so real and the backdrop in which they were set was very ominous.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCg4O4uHYAEdtj_aBetXpxxARomz533EOOGHmTmmBCB_b52xcE61k2XUxbl3gOfPwDNKxQu8-22l3ztlh2tgmyo6iGNOot2e2a8BkMwh28UwuqOYFzRZKlhqlEqY48X2d54h7gcZqoZnvo__JFjgYMwhVrWesAPHxHA0UtP30gKeDtotxMj-JnEcD8CIaW/s3600/Blog%207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCg4O4uHYAEdtj_aBetXpxxARomz533EOOGHmTmmBCB_b52xcE61k2XUxbl3gOfPwDNKxQu8-22l3ztlh2tgmyo6iGNOot2e2a8BkMwh28UwuqOYFzRZKlhqlEqY48X2d54h7gcZqoZnvo__JFjgYMwhVrWesAPHxHA0UtP30gKeDtotxMj-JnEcD8CIaW/w704-h1258/Blog%207.jpg" width="704" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>We moved from the National Mall to the Tidal Basin, where the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is found on the outer edge. The memorial is so incredible and was impossible for me to get in one shot due to its closeness to the water. The larger than life feel of the memorial is a beautiful reminder of the amazing lifelong impact this man had on our country.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgng3QhmcBW4fnE9p_I1Zc-U2k59Q8XZ07t9ANL-cG14QQDlMY9TPFSScy93PGHYiAJYOj53HLuMe_UbMHGg0InR3pllOflUB5bsCGUWyRzv_sPtRH-dP7vijJtalPDOBmzi5p7qTxrEHUZEAka8r-ExzSijmjPmzbEjDbTp_E1LUGWvX-3gU9eRjalmqrM/s3600/Blog%208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgng3QhmcBW4fnE9p_I1Zc-U2k59Q8XZ07t9ANL-cG14QQDlMY9TPFSScy93PGHYiAJYOj53HLuMe_UbMHGg0InR3pllOflUB5bsCGUWyRzv_sPtRH-dP7vijJtalPDOBmzi5p7qTxrEHUZEAka8r-ExzSijmjPmzbEjDbTp_E1LUGWvX-3gU9eRjalmqrM/w707-h1264/Blog%208.jpg" width="707" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Once at the Tidal Basin, it was time for some iconic shots. We headed towards the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, taking in the view of the Washington Monument across the basin. Once at the Jefferson Memorial, I had a good time finding just the right shot (and timing) for what I was looking to get.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBK47kIV3ggem9d3DyuX1OKbDlu1EEQJq-K9-iApOeWPHkjdFMRQE7Z9jxTkhAv80Nnn9kFCm_QPoZDaVU_uYMvZ-AxIAdmaTRpeBPGqCGxH1YqryaZS8eVm0bZTyLPLm3m1W6cz8qIJ2zXo43ZKVsu94JPLwPbfkDiiLF6RGCbExBQBbgF5-82lo0hMP/s3600/Blog%209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBK47kIV3ggem9d3DyuX1OKbDlu1EEQJq-K9-iApOeWPHkjdFMRQE7Z9jxTkhAv80Nnn9kFCm_QPoZDaVU_uYMvZ-AxIAdmaTRpeBPGqCGxH1YqryaZS8eVm0bZTyLPLm3m1W6cz8qIJ2zXo43ZKVsu94JPLwPbfkDiiLF6RGCbExBQBbgF5-82lo0hMP/w703-h1249/Blog%209.jpg" width="703" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And oh, the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin! They were such an amazing sight. Being back and being able to take the pictures I couldn't 20 years ago was fantastic. I loved all the opportunities we had as a family to explore, learn, and take pictures - all on Day One! Side note: most days, we walked between 20,000 and 25,000 steps - to which my blood sugar could testify as I consumed between 3 & 5 granola bars to stop me from passing out with lows everyday.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1wmrZXPpHi9wIEOTJ_uQez-py6jQcW1RBpOYz1qEypxBZFxLAb2pYOfcXtyx57tnWZwmEUbkrlNwLRoO61_Y3Z0O0guAPENKPKVfo4oQiHFmiZ1W3iML6roWCWx-KCC1IiJTQYbJqeLeJn7zRqvgixOqS-g9dsuRxvVYwAdognzu_dB-cehqNV5O7AoA/s3600/Blog%2010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1wmrZXPpHi9wIEOTJ_uQez-py6jQcW1RBpOYz1qEypxBZFxLAb2pYOfcXtyx57tnWZwmEUbkrlNwLRoO61_Y3Z0O0guAPENKPKVfo4oQiHFmiZ1W3iML6roWCWx-KCC1IiJTQYbJqeLeJn7zRqvgixOqS-g9dsuRxvVYwAdognzu_dB-cehqNV5O7AoA/w703-h1250/Blog%2010.jpg" width="703" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Day 1 was so amazing and even allowed us to watch sunset over the Tidal Basin!! I can't wait to share more of our adventure with you in Day 2!<br /><br />Until next time,</p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comWashington, DC, USA38.9071923 -77.036870710.596958463821153 -112.1931207 67.217426136178844 -41.880620699999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-76862700963675735492023-11-14T13:52:00.001-06:002023-11-14T13:52:41.403-06:00Geode Cracking<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Several years ago, our girl learned about the different types of rocks that exist, including geodes. Her teacher gave each student a geode to crack open at home and she thought that was pretty fantastic. So, when she discovered that she could have an entire set of geodes, those went straight on her gift list. Cracking them isn't exactly an indoor activity, so we waited for a nice enough day for some cracking during the spring!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I always love watching my kids work at hard things. Their young determination makes me both smile and feel encouraged in the same breath. This task was no different and had me grinning from ear to ear as our girl hammered away at her stone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1__4OszlQNtjkbnUZYXm03SeYy5JgJmkoaW6_EmoN5jhZIdbZnnoKUvAE4VGEok0rAU0HDqhetGzjXeI62CywZZFktsiIsws2mvtLTUH-eiLoRk9-6088wxO6ty_mXTuSIcO_vUcrkoHnSQ68QX_Bm0-uy54HTRxc1ojDIcQI7kBVqVwvsqUkiDlglTv5/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1__4OszlQNtjkbnUZYXm03SeYy5JgJmkoaW6_EmoN5jhZIdbZnnoKUvAE4VGEok0rAU0HDqhetGzjXeI62CywZZFktsiIsws2mvtLTUH-eiLoRk9-6088wxO6ty_mXTuSIcO_vUcrkoHnSQ68QX_Bm0-uy54HTRxc1ojDIcQI7kBVqVwvsqUkiDlglTv5/w657-h1175/Blog-1.jpg" width="657" /></a></div><p>We had previously found that it was helpful to have some sort of way to contain all the little chips and chunks that go flying off when you break a geode, so a bag seemed like a good call. If you look closely above, you can see how the force she uses has some real impact on the geode when I photographed it mid air.</p>Eventually, that bag and hammer just weren't getting it done. We took a break and tried again, this time opting for more of a chisel attempt at cracking that geode. We were both pretty excited to finally see a chip at the center because we thought that meant we were close to a crack!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgianCHpF4mqxaS-aMKgveeFjbRWQOA2qYDxj2yhFxPOPg8DiwkU5jpdc_x6rzgf2rqxOK7BD5URTQGD8YKFJ2bULneCbgJQhkNxljemIOY9UCYN1EpEQ8u-pmB1d0PT6AkMc4KJyDO2XE0nQxRrmfFFSwZJ_-EME1wOyqtzeJP4egKvG9oNLJkpAWkM7TG/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgianCHpF4mqxaS-aMKgveeFjbRWQOA2qYDxj2yhFxPOPg8DiwkU5jpdc_x6rzgf2rqxOK7BD5URTQGD8YKFJ2bULneCbgJQhkNxljemIOY9UCYN1EpEQ8u-pmB1d0PT6AkMc4KJyDO2XE0nQxRrmfFFSwZJ_-EME1wOyqtzeJP4egKvG9oNLJkpAWkM7TG/w650-h1161/Blog-2.jpg" width="650" /></a></div><p>The truth is though, some geodes are more difficult to crack than others because of the thickness inside. (Reading that makes me realize how there may be people in life just like that - their feelings and thoughts are fairly deep inside and cracking them isn't so easy.) It really takes quite a bit of determination and strength, so this was an exercise for body, mind, and soul. And even though my girl surely has plenty of all of them, she certainly had some rather sore hands and wasn't always full of smiles as she worked. But then, finally ...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9KJrMOVtM5iVQyfk7FGnbexdRJ4rnPB-zqnv5-B-XCfBu8vQayjiQP7xiOXTDhYbAblg_M4kWhyphenhyphenbMbCAvNa-fsg_CdWNFJQXdPaypswEaHEZXu9ORfzcfhIVAgxlOEh0rUtGy983nzkfIKBk-O6jRwt1ErcmDpNQjBZQ_W4xCefbkJxh5ephIeHKYEqv/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9KJrMOVtM5iVQyfk7FGnbexdRJ4rnPB-zqnv5-B-XCfBu8vQayjiQP7xiOXTDhYbAblg_M4kWhyphenhyphenbMbCAvNa-fsg_CdWNFJQXdPaypswEaHEZXu9ORfzcfhIVAgxlOEh0rUtGy983nzkfIKBk-O6jRwt1ErcmDpNQjBZQ_W4xCefbkJxh5ephIeHKYEqv/w646-h1154/Blog-3.jpg" width="646" /></a></div><br />success!! And joy to see that the reason it took so long was because of a practically solid inside! If you are looking for your own exercise for body, mind, and soul, we have a great idea for you!!</div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Until Next Time,</div></div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-56120278029117321972023-10-30T13:58:00.000-05:002023-10-30T13:58:48.421-05:0010th Birthday Cake Baking<p>While it has been well over eight months since our girl turned 10, the thought of not sharing this set seemed like an impossible ask. After all, our girl only hits double digits once and a decade of life is certainly worth celebrating!</p><p>As many of you know, Emma has been attending a <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2020/02/when-change-is-needed.html" target="_blank">hybrid school</a> for many years. As a part of that, we often have projects and experiments to do at home that align with what she is learning. It just so happened that leading up to her tenth birthday, her class was studying chemistry, specifically the chemistry found in food, in the weeks before her birthday. One of the options for a science experiment was to bake a cake and after many years of new food exploring with Dad, my girl was all in. Since her favorite cake is marble (mine too), it just made sense that she would make a two-layer marble cake to celebrate her birthday. Look out world, because this girl has serious skills and has an experienced assistant to give her guidance.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrYy2JiVu3iFkcIa8GrBxd45ThwnoHGRYFSkb4M92QwIQyhwGNMW1ZvyRmVnYbMuEEuEoq2ouiCmAcq7B-LssWxD-w0OQPTtlN1kTlvQ9pK4FsbhNzldVpK2TPJlgRMD24cIoivNgXavHygWWZqo9sSh0mSxlY4sieg7qRryUyKloENGhKB6H23NaL-6I/s3600/Blog%201-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrYy2JiVu3iFkcIa8GrBxd45ThwnoHGRYFSkb4M92QwIQyhwGNMW1ZvyRmVnYbMuEEuEoq2ouiCmAcq7B-LssWxD-w0OQPTtlN1kTlvQ9pK4FsbhNzldVpK2TPJlgRMD24cIoivNgXavHygWWZqo9sSh0mSxlY4sieg7qRryUyKloENGhKB6H23NaL-6I/w675-h1209/Blog%201-1.jpg" width="675" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It always makes me smile to see people's personalities shine through in my pictures. I love to watch my girl's face light up or a smile sneak across her face as she gets to experience something that brings her joy. Since this was our family's first experience with making a homemade marble cake, there were lots of learning opportunities for making sure that the batter was done according to the directions and teaching her how to get the swirl just right. Then it was time for the actual baking!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7tOzCOI5G-jpaPZIfisEgx8odJYNMeJk7qhg5A3xDS61duIPyHd7oYSruGwtez9vByQXgt8k2Kh8T6-bx1bvc2hh4MiuhjUGuC8asnt4-wkSEqfasdru05ouQDvpyTY2pLsPI4Qd_3rK4NS-KagGWm1A7hVEKjOZIIgTYYlXhpuVqOayR6Ycq9jHhrZr/s3600/Blog%201-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA7tOzCOI5G-jpaPZIfisEgx8odJYNMeJk7qhg5A3xDS61duIPyHd7oYSruGwtez9vByQXgt8k2Kh8T6-bx1bvc2hh4MiuhjUGuC8asnt4-wkSEqfasdru05ouQDvpyTY2pLsPI4Qd_3rK4NS-KagGWm1A7hVEKjOZIIgTYYlXhpuVqOayR6Ycq9jHhrZr/w670-h1201/Blog%201-2.jpg" width="670" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Watching your cake take form is such an exciting moment. Making a homemade cake that has a good consistency and doesn't fall apart when you go to decorate it is a BIG success!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWI-DYU4pEVKv9PzP5R-tXTOvSH4Znec6_yrRTwzYFRQe9W4vrVPEZ3InuGOhLZlKVsDZKmAvwvQc0gXpPaPfKBDRNW2-Dy7ChKuDFAAY-EOjXGtSyWzVQ272SWMRaCiGV6huRSPmEZhej5dRR-FmBpdtfbqwtougttJW-z2IJcFhiAnWY1EG4kJoFGWa/s3600/Blog%201-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWI-DYU4pEVKv9PzP5R-tXTOvSH4Znec6_yrRTwzYFRQe9W4vrVPEZ3InuGOhLZlKVsDZKmAvwvQc0gXpPaPfKBDRNW2-Dy7ChKuDFAAY-EOjXGtSyWzVQ272SWMRaCiGV6huRSPmEZhej5dRR-FmBpdtfbqwtougttJW-z2IJcFhiAnWY1EG4kJoFGWa/w675-h1207/Blog%201-3.jpg" width="675" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But of course, our girl's goal was so much higher! Her vision was iced and sprinkled and lovely and YUMMY!!</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOK_Uiax-OKBgXDuuvxaYdMif5x22ldw0L55eovfpAWpeo_Iv7Yox-jkPloh-ci39LWmaqYU3-ISyZP_NI45a5I1yoEWh1XHjsOUB0_rinYwKps2P9pLPwGYozOlihjLUhIby9sP8qoyVmOipLRYZmXIa5cdqbj0EW5Jgf_q5tnmkhUO9qVqmaQd95kpM/s3600/Blog%20-2-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoOK_Uiax-OKBgXDuuvxaYdMif5x22ldw0L55eovfpAWpeo_Iv7Yox-jkPloh-ci39LWmaqYU3-ISyZP_NI45a5I1yoEWh1XHjsOUB0_rinYwKps2P9pLPwGYozOlihjLUhIby9sP8qoyVmOipLRYZmXIa5cdqbj0EW5Jgf_q5tnmkhUO9qVqmaQd95kpM/w676-h1208/Blog%20-2-2.jpg" width="676" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I was truly in awe of her as I watched her work. Her attention to detail isn't always her highest strength (what ten-year old's is) but today, she was SO amazing! And the final decorating details were definitely her favorite.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1g0LbH5UDpE6szA___0xeg9VEj_FkepaBdxYLZLLQWXHLTTC_fNDlMau3OEHj7xpgiKpOrAoV0bsW9Xf7Xt77Lr_-zPq6qDxXINn_zQS6QYMLbtzAjHprqr5X_9KsF5HJ8-4eAMP7hZuT77udhjGkuKtoh6qmdlAKfQ5v8fEmuGoiclMdbRF7BK5zXRY9/s3600/Blog%20-2-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1g0LbH5UDpE6szA___0xeg9VEj_FkepaBdxYLZLLQWXHLTTC_fNDlMau3OEHj7xpgiKpOrAoV0bsW9Xf7Xt77Lr_-zPq6qDxXINn_zQS6QYMLbtzAjHprqr5X_9KsF5HJ8-4eAMP7hZuT77udhjGkuKtoh6qmdlAKfQ5v8fEmuGoiclMdbRF7BK5zXRY9/w685-h1225/Blog%20-2-1.jpg" width="685" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A ring of butterfly sprinkles around the outside was just what this animal lover was hoping for! And a generous splattering of colorful sprinkles was a must for the end.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNp0FPPEtYbaiu905xgzBaFaTeJQkQd76dAEF0BpImKCCAaKHfGB2saruG6oAxpHOLYu_5jU-ZDYFq0BpC-u-_2q167crAAU0CS8d5yD_y-9GPQmzKi68wykGvCpIqb7vrKy9h8rJz8sjFS1UdKzstt2SDyVDIFsJAZONr4eJ0BU_5Ffb0oHzVSvQ55pI/s3600/Blog%20-2-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNp0FPPEtYbaiu905xgzBaFaTeJQkQd76dAEF0BpImKCCAaKHfGB2saruG6oAxpHOLYu_5jU-ZDYFq0BpC-u-_2q167crAAU0CS8d5yD_y-9GPQmzKi68wykGvCpIqb7vrKy9h8rJz8sjFS1UdKzstt2SDyVDIFsJAZONr4eJ0BU_5Ffb0oHzVSvQ55pI/w674-h1205/Blog%20-2-3.jpg" width="674" /></a></div><br /></div><div>The last step, of course, was candles and wishes for a decade with this beauty. Trust me when I tell you that if smell and taste-a-vision were a thing, you would be all in on this 10-year-old's science experiment too!! My household is looking forward to this girl's skills being available for her next birthday and many birthdays in the future!<br /><br />Until next time,</div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comO'Fallon, MO, USA38.8106075 -90.69984769999999210.500373663821158 -125.85609769999999 67.120841336178842 -55.543597699999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-571471718954630622023-02-19T14:19:00.002-06:002023-02-19T19:26:57.517-06:00A Night of Adventure<p>The night before Aaron was set to leave home for college (a short 45-minute drive away), we decided to do something exciting as a family. <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/10/summer-vaca-2022-final-stops-gooseberry.html" target="_blank">While in Minnesota for the summer</a>, we planned to go on a fun outdoor adventure/ziplining day, only to find out that they were closed on our last available day. So, to make up for it, Aaron found a local place that was a good match - Ryze Adventure Park. Ryze has a four-story tall adventure tower with over 100 unique different obstacles. It really was the perfect fit for my high-adventure-loving son. And an equally beautiful place for my less-adventure-loving daughter to take her first leap.</p><p>High adventure means high safety. When you see all the things that my kids are about to do, remember that their safety system is a double-click system, meaning that they aren't able to unclip from the safety wires that would catch them if they fall until they come all the way off the course. And like many other climbing programs, a lot of how high you go is up to you. You start at a level that feels comfortable and only go as high as you want and when you are ready.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXVbR38wV19RKCtfrNj4JHTl1o8qoWIsW5XoNKnHsqwiEGrAKxNmf4T5lF4EwgkTyq0Di_zadxmAn7AXgDPemmTpk9hD4jwdZj_qhXU2n1ghOOQzj5Ac3eWnr1TLZ90rDD4S42E2QbFd8InbdbX8JVBRQ1AwwMcst_BsLmNHba5WRe0jR9BmWCDV18A/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1605" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXVbR38wV19RKCtfrNj4JHTl1o8qoWIsW5XoNKnHsqwiEGrAKxNmf4T5lF4EwgkTyq0Di_zadxmAn7AXgDPemmTpk9hD4jwdZj_qhXU2n1ghOOQzj5Ac3eWnr1TLZ90rDD4S42E2QbFd8InbdbX8JVBRQ1AwwMcst_BsLmNHba5WRe0jR9BmWCDV18A/w895-h1605/Blog-1.jpg" width="895" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a few minutes of clipping instructions and practice, they were off! They started at the first story and enjoyed the many obstacles there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOX1DSwQ_uGCGz5oJ5mRsAUxmCN96y8tzV7c5thxVkOW0EH_-9GPvERpCs7hGQxzGlAbyl7FFwkoWnUpZDyk7uVtv3c8V3ao17UVfuCQcv4s9XKcT5kDp3vVdERkKLXh16OJ79RRA0cIOs-hIiQTzOg44gOweIXrZqMYYYb6KGfZlgwgws8Y-j5BWsQ/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1604" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOX1DSwQ_uGCGz5oJ5mRsAUxmCN96y8tzV7c5thxVkOW0EH_-9GPvERpCs7hGQxzGlAbyl7FFwkoWnUpZDyk7uVtv3c8V3ao17UVfuCQcv4s9XKcT5kDp3vVdERkKLXh16OJ79RRA0cIOs-hIiQTzOg44gOweIXrZqMYYYb6KGfZlgwgws8Y-j5BWsQ/w895-h1604/Blog-3.jpg" width="895" /></a></div><br />They just kept going, trying out each obstacle, continuing to work at putting one foot in front of the other. Jason and I were incredibly proud of both of them. Aaron was so patient with Emma, and Emma just kept going.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLk3OsqYkfhxuxMLUB0Z1SqqFbIrUvRo58TdhrKyCDbH9nh9DQNlPfnTWeRpbhm4q5fw4AU-EGE6Bi_22oxz3N32OAoNbMd3dwDd7IiB7aL1iSqy74XkGaoLk_xe2fK2oqORprM3mjI0R1zVqlIM-45iStYxqFLYI4DXOtvv_I8L1ZHL4MZMOiw1uYQ/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLk3OsqYkfhxuxMLUB0Z1SqqFbIrUvRo58TdhrKyCDbH9nh9DQNlPfnTWeRpbhm4q5fw4AU-EGE6Bi_22oxz3N32OAoNbMd3dwDd7IiB7aL1iSqy74XkGaoLk_xe2fK2oqORprM3mjI0R1zVqlIM-45iStYxqFLYI4DXOtvv_I8L1ZHL4MZMOiw1uYQ/w894-h1601/Blog-2.jpg" width="894" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The more they did, the higher they climbed. They took on more and more challenging obstacles that both of them worked through to complete.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYGOMAnujoIUH5akJLO4UNuyC2gO6sMYOCL_00yAB2bWpqlCzVSZfIrKWArevw84UkjPJ0YMgmYkK-_dUBR72Uq1hr712PVem5_uNqcF4JFtFp0MhEEf9AD6dsZLPdjKFtSSbhyKxR7Oz6_MJ2HqujM-POf6w0_c0Z-Ow0M8-0mU3HeqWtBOpV1GKZg/s3600/Blog%202-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1603" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBYGOMAnujoIUH5akJLO4UNuyC2gO6sMYOCL_00yAB2bWpqlCzVSZfIrKWArevw84UkjPJ0YMgmYkK-_dUBR72Uq1hr712PVem5_uNqcF4JFtFp0MhEEf9AD6dsZLPdjKFtSSbhyKxR7Oz6_MJ2HqujM-POf6w0_c0Z-Ow0M8-0mU3HeqWtBOpV1GKZg/w896-h1603/Blog%202-1.jpg" width="896" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I loved being able to take it all in and be grateful for this time together. Mostly. And the sunset and the view - it was so fantastic. Looking back, I didn't know how much everything would change the very next day. It feels like just yesterday, while simultaneously being a million years ago. I'm incredibly grateful I brought my camera and bottled this up.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VwhUNgUbwt0ykskvr89jYrWnt5m7EuDkF9eRsKWW6nPMNP2asaqjsWI1ZuDb3JU3Iiu10-n_XDxWMz-k4PMhhkGf6QvcCE_PhU89tyUZxP4W6v-CUbIRx4myeWoVNHuOccS7QLWI2usSkMihzV10uwvyLlzBxe_A80hcoi5j4c2ftjdMpqijQPqTaA/s3600/Blog%202-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1598" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VwhUNgUbwt0ykskvr89jYrWnt5m7EuDkF9eRsKWW6nPMNP2asaqjsWI1ZuDb3JU3Iiu10-n_XDxWMz-k4PMhhkGf6QvcCE_PhU89tyUZxP4W6v-CUbIRx4myeWoVNHuOccS7QLWI2usSkMihzV10uwvyLlzBxe_A80hcoi5j4c2ftjdMpqijQPqTaA/w893-h1598/Blog%202-2.jpg" width="893" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The higher obstacles got to be more complicated. I enjoyed the ones on bikes and scooters, as I knew it took balancing to a different level. And lots (AND LOTS) of upper body strength to work through these obstacles.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gVaB7YN5adHAwJcc2WDLnxKBN5rZmhJJBAAKm_BoESDetDsJ5jg1jdLX3OPd2C1-wa2b3foKy_zD8plwlarUNgzjWCzVlvEddd0JWdWxg8kNYmQVPxGQ6zORbM8mnlrXxOfIuPkc0EhxGW96MxTBmZUhrJHPr7eABQDMeuPiLnj-fgoHBmRnHXLfSQ/s3600/Blog%202-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gVaB7YN5adHAwJcc2WDLnxKBN5rZmhJJBAAKm_BoESDetDsJ5jg1jdLX3OPd2C1-wa2b3foKy_zD8plwlarUNgzjWCzVlvEddd0JWdWxg8kNYmQVPxGQ6zORbM8mnlrXxOfIuPkc0EhxGW96MxTBmZUhrJHPr7eABQDMeuPiLnj-fgoHBmRnHXLfSQ/w894-h1602/Blog%202-3.jpg" width="894" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually, my two made it all the way to the top level. THE TOP LEVEL. For Aaron, this is just another Wednesday (literally, but more on that at the end). For Emma, and most other nine-year-olds, it was a really big deal to hit that top level.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG81_eh4p3bboCuOhWihxILk0L5WwiF_0EkXIxSST6OGE6wtU1iFUuxjUxmda0fskMeYFaAECDe7Xquv1PZYpLs15ZIICey7V4biGnFmjtkJI_GLOf5l5sSQZtrKmFqEVBDA3iLu4x9e6BxmCYlCtHM-eMW3E8Yt_s5hv9FM43P_Blh3_eqaHMgpJMjQ/s3600/Blog%203-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG81_eh4p3bboCuOhWihxILk0L5WwiF_0EkXIxSST6OGE6wtU1iFUuxjUxmda0fskMeYFaAECDe7Xquv1PZYpLs15ZIICey7V4biGnFmjtkJI_GLOf5l5sSQZtrKmFqEVBDA3iLu4x9e6BxmCYlCtHM-eMW3E8Yt_s5hv9FM43P_Blh3_eqaHMgpJMjQ/w895-h1606/Blog%203-1.jpg" width="895" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>At the end, there was a decision to make. Take the "free fall" from the fourth story to the padded landing at the bottom - or, take the stairs. Even though Aaron had already done it once, Emma wasn't sold and decided it wasn't for her.</div><div><br /></div><div>So Aaron did some ziplining. And Emma did some thinking.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe1kiaOm3Op1KcUP1AlCDNzzxQmk-QHtrYJzn7Vd_PDM3agm-TgzpXBnE_4V-JU8z-GcweVt3SVPmolhnXIDxYxpR-3Pirjef31WSxkXHXOfK9ojZBe1JD2wgT5rdHk7mkQR7-SjIY1WheXyp_pdYdLkmNCe34wp2B0PbW6Sh-uu8TvpgMT2dcXjBUQ/s3600/Blog%203-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1605" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe1kiaOm3Op1KcUP1AlCDNzzxQmk-QHtrYJzn7Vd_PDM3agm-TgzpXBnE_4V-JU8z-GcweVt3SVPmolhnXIDxYxpR-3Pirjef31WSxkXHXOfK9ojZBe1JD2wgT5rdHk7mkQR7-SjIY1WheXyp_pdYdLkmNCe34wp2B0PbW6Sh-uu8TvpgMT2dcXjBUQ/w897-h1605/Blog%203-2.jpg" width="897" /></a></div><p>And decided to take the plunge and come down with the free fall after all!!!! It was a great ending to a really wonderful family evening.<br /><br />And as promised, this experience was such a great fit for Aaron that he asked for an application when we were done and enjoys "playing" at Ryze on the regular. He loves getting paid to have fun and getting to help lots of people (including Girl Scouts like mine) to work through the obstacles you see. If you haven't had the chance to check it out yet, what are you waiting for?!<br /><br />Until next time,</p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comSt Charles, MO, USA38.7881062 -90.497435910.477872363821156 -125.6536859 67.098340036178854 -55.3411859tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-33768589514705765762022-10-18T11:59:00.021-05:002022-10-18T12:08:23.030-05:00Summer Vaca 2022 - Final Stops: Gooseberry Falls, MN + The Field of Dreams, IO<p>It's the final installment of our 2022 Summer Vacation. If you've been patiently waiting for the finale, you've made it! If you missed any of it, you can click the links below and check out our travels through the beautiful state of Minnesota (and even a couple of stops in Iowa).</p><p>During our run, we hit: </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/08/bridges-of-madison-county-iowa.html">The Bridges of Madison County</a></li><li><a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-1-minneapolis-mn.html">Minneapolis</a> </li><li><a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-2-lake-itasca-mn.html">Lake Itasca</a> </li><li><a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-2-itasca-park-mn.html">Itasca State Park</a></li><li><a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/10/summer-vaca-2022-stop-3-lake-superior-mn.html">Lake Superior</a></li><li>Gooseberry Falls + The Field of Dreams (this one!)</li></ol><div>When we took the North Shore Scenic Drive along the coastline of Lake Superior, Gooseberry Falls was a must-do on the list! One "minor" detail I haven't really mentioned on all of our adventures is my type 1 diabetes. Since I was diagnosed with T1D at the age of 6, I am fairly good at managing my disease to be in the background, BUT it's always lurking. On our adventures, basic activities like hiking and canoeing meant lots and LOTS of granola bars and glucose tablets, on top of cutting my medicine (insulin pump) down to nothing while we walked. For our first stop at Gooseberry Falls, my T1D also meant that I couldn't manage all the walking with the few granola bars that were left. Of course, like all good lessons, we didn't know it until we had already taken the walk down to the falls. We stayed for a short while, snagging these first shots, but ultimately decided to leave and get some lunch and more granola bars, with the promise of returning the next day. </div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSt-qbWpQyBrJaLxpWr0JfBBaxcmEvMBr2q5wK-QSfKk8S84zBEX9jHDAJfoFP8-olMXE0l4pIJkIBQ8sRlPXgfe9JozkQZic6NG8a42XuWyj7x2ZiM-R-HN5lsVdH8WmbiG6EKee9Oosgkm5cczJh3sGkPwf0ZPkk_dw3F7AFU03GRY5YiEYA4EIZg/s3600/Blog-0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1561" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSt-qbWpQyBrJaLxpWr0JfBBaxcmEvMBr2q5wK-QSfKk8S84zBEX9jHDAJfoFP8-olMXE0l4pIJkIBQ8sRlPXgfe9JozkQZic6NG8a42XuWyj7x2ZiM-R-HN5lsVdH8WmbiG6EKee9Oosgkm5cczJh3sGkPwf0ZPkk_dw3F7AFU03GRY5YiEYA4EIZg/w871-h1561/Blog-0.jpg" width="871" /></a></div><p>When we came back the next day, we decided to start our exploring at the top. Gooseberry Falls are actually a set of three different falls that flow downstream. The falls we saw on our first stop (above) are considered the Middle Falls, while the place we started on our second stop (below) is named the Upper Falls.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwnqLX5rVJ87cNPbop-DmofUugtPkJuwZpqcrmayTHbVZSu_Wt5vOrGKiEAHXQ1TXL-ZeBQdAK5Ow5ooISJ6f1SqBX16dGi-nNwOPaqVjyO_zDtM_CZ-XGWp_2nz98zsFEjJTREvxmQP2ReDimtIJMyg_C6KqksIxux2Ccb_kL5Tg8cbe_VczIGsNAg/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1573" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKwnqLX5rVJ87cNPbop-DmofUugtPkJuwZpqcrmayTHbVZSu_Wt5vOrGKiEAHXQ1TXL-ZeBQdAK5Ow5ooISJ6f1SqBX16dGi-nNwOPaqVjyO_zDtM_CZ-XGWp_2nz98zsFEjJTREvxmQP2ReDimtIJMyg_C6KqksIxux2Ccb_kL5Tg8cbe_VczIGsNAg/w884-h1573/Blog-1.jpg" width="884" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Just beyond that bridge is where the second falls, or Middle Falls, can be found. While they are equally beautiful, the Middle Falls are definitely safer to explore up close. The Lower Falls (below) were certainly the safest space for families to get in, swim, play, and explore. While each of the falls was beautiful, my favorite part was actually the creek bed that flowed away from it all.<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-PWM9tJSuPAkEXt67Iue-y2xo3Jy_TrnQ4JOf3eRTci7aSOp0poq9x7LF_GV-PjGC9rnWXqTbOrmpxPqlbeFwCSnGLPSBT9nscpuapbGFhuB1Sd9xmsYMAKSMHVLYZaybtWCMfJYi19vV2LBzD_GJcbWMXdcbQZhN9yvm_y7zEtUx3dpFIXkdnkRVA/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-PWM9tJSuPAkEXt67Iue-y2xo3Jy_TrnQ4JOf3eRTci7aSOp0poq9x7LF_GV-PjGC9rnWXqTbOrmpxPqlbeFwCSnGLPSBT9nscpuapbGFhuB1Sd9xmsYMAKSMHVLYZaybtWCMfJYi19vV2LBzD_GJcbWMXdcbQZhN9yvm_y7zEtUx3dpFIXkdnkRVA/w884-h1585/Blog-2.jpg" width="884" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It reminded me so much of the movie, "A River Runs Through It". It was so beautiful and calm. We spent several hours here, walking, exploring, taking pictures, and simply taking it all in. It was a lovely last stop before we started our journey home the next day.</div><div><br /></div><div>To help break up our drive, we decided that The Field of Dreams movie site was a perfect last stop. With my baseball-loving husband and film-production major son - it was a sweet match. Although, my husband was definitely more on board than my son, who may not have even known the movie existed before that stop.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1ApiyvGJqWSI7s0FdAJt9BQGTKLv88Lfwpp5GeKZYiHjEmgakGHl0Nf1b48HVPhRNGm-kJzZ-Qij43GzwThZyPRLnlkDiqctQ8UMNZ3jWqz3J1xeHcqaearTUO6Vd-g2QTlcrWv_FnPj_t7Vr9yyTXYh_kUcv4IluMs44tw390kfFxDxruOOa-iS9g/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1ApiyvGJqWSI7s0FdAJt9BQGTKLv88Lfwpp5GeKZYiHjEmgakGHl0Nf1b48HVPhRNGm-kJzZ-Qij43GzwThZyPRLnlkDiqctQ8UMNZ3jWqz3J1xeHcqaearTUO6Vd-g2QTlcrWv_FnPj_t7Vr9yyTXYh_kUcv4IluMs44tw390kfFxDxruOOa-iS9g/w890-h1593/Blog-1.jpg" width="890" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To say that it was surreal being on the field would be an understatement. At the same time, I'll admit - it really was just a baseball field. You know, surrounded by a cornfield, but a baseball field nonetheless. My crew enjoyed running the bases and slipping into the cornfield, while I walked aimlessly wondering what it would have been like to be in person while the movie was being filmed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5jdXyGRcAVqZp7FUca8zOIQqmP9RD7hIU8ItKyxGFMVYaC4aEgUUUusHcLgM9sMH0JW_PmxF1rKr85S2TemS1pLc9gDzATdPB1xDaThjioLeSHKGFArLDCouriVbt0V3PnrJw4Py8UrvRf78T-Vz0cSf3j9OH0J47Ahbpwp_btlQkPo5r7oHUzTWmg/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5jdXyGRcAVqZp7FUca8zOIQqmP9RD7hIU8ItKyxGFMVYaC4aEgUUUusHcLgM9sMH0JW_PmxF1rKr85S2TemS1pLc9gDzATdPB1xDaThjioLeSHKGFArLDCouriVbt0V3PnrJw4Py8UrvRf78T-Vz0cSf3j9OH0J47Ahbpwp_btlQkPo5r7oHUzTWmg/w893-h1601/Blog-2.jpg" width="893" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We even got to see the new field in the background that was played on by the Reds and Cubs just a short while later! The helicopter hanging overhead was there in preparation for the game.<br /><br />So, here's to the closing of our 2022 Minnesota + Iowa adventures. If you've never had the chance to visit, my crew and I would highly recommend you put it on your list!</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Until next time,</div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comGooseberry Falls State Park, 3206 MN-61, Two Harbors, MN 55616, USA47.1456215 -91.465368824.391671298254867 -126.6216188 69.899571701745131 -56.309118799999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-67305474153089252752022-10-06T10:14:00.001-05:002022-10-13T14:28:17.933-05:00Summer Vaca 2022: Stop 3 - Lake Superior, MN<p>After our last stop in <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-2-itasca-park-mn.html">Itasca State Park</a>, my crew took off for the shores of Lake Superior. If you've missed our summer '22 adventures through Minnesota, including walking the Mississippi headwaters in <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-2-lake-itasca-mn.html">Lake Itasca</a>, a few days in <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-1-minneapolis-mn.html">Minneapolis</a>, and even a pitstop to see the <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/08/bridges-of-madison-county-iowa.html">Bridges of Madison County</a> in Iowa, you can check them all out at those links.</p><p>Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world - hence the name, SUPERior. We had heard that the North Shore Scenic Drive along the banks of Lake Superior was a must-do, so that was our big goal. (Side note: in doing some cross referencing for this post, I found out that the North Shore Scenic Drive has just been <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/emergency-erosion-to-close-north-shore-scenic-drive-near-duluth/ar-AA12DAHe">closed for the next five weeks due to an eroding hillside</a>! Eeek! So glad we got this one in!) We landed in Duluth our first night, which we quickly began to see is known for being a port for cargo on Lake Superior. We had no clue how much comes in and out of this area!! While here, we had the chance to stand under the famous Aerial Lift Bridge (a bridge that lifts the road to allow boats to go under), and then take a walk down the Lakewalk and Canal Park to take in the sights of the area. It was a really lovely spot and we even found an ice-cream shop that has dairy-free options (such a win for our dairy intolerant kiddo)!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvslrYDFEKK-yLi4kacs4wb_VrT-nozfBlTIeeo0pToMkLSh2sc2T6ABTsdd_pfaDjfCWeh650rQyrcQX2MX4CHG8UmsZTpEi3WVuEZzONqQmj9fIpdWhi4H4gM1s-FBeNKpearay6rI7NvY7l2gxs27i1X5eY-bG42uxvOYcbro-lGjGrzDu_IiztuA/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1577" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvslrYDFEKK-yLi4kacs4wb_VrT-nozfBlTIeeo0pToMkLSh2sc2T6ABTsdd_pfaDjfCWeh650rQyrcQX2MX4CHG8UmsZTpEi3WVuEZzONqQmj9fIpdWhi4H4gM1s-FBeNKpearay6rI7NvY7l2gxs27i1X5eY-bG42uxvOYcbro-lGjGrzDu_IiztuA/w880-h1577/Blog-1.jpg" width="880" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next day, we took off for the North Shore Scenic Drive. Jeeps are made for drives like this! The sun on your face and the wind in your hair - it's fantastic! At least for some of us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvDrM85O842mTdyJi1zk63V_-wpxt3UwQUu9X5qBV0Md4974ocgmvkPtQfzGrW5tSY9c9UcmPpovfqDlc-I4tAZenxU13g9_OVHCBPHq-4w73xyAURXoeOnfTT9h973UDw2mYaiJb69k8pRyDUj3N6vS6Er_Am5b1IwBvBPeFyl5uRH3dG0d2Wy0Yvg/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1587" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfvDrM85O842mTdyJi1zk63V_-wpxt3UwQUu9X5qBV0Md4974ocgmvkPtQfzGrW5tSY9c9UcmPpovfqDlc-I4tAZenxU13g9_OVHCBPHq-4w73xyAURXoeOnfTT9h973UDw2mYaiJb69k8pRyDUj3N6vS6Er_Am5b1IwBvBPeFyl5uRH3dG0d2Wy0Yvg/w885-h1587/Blog-1.jpg" width="885" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The stops along the drive gave both the novice and experts plenty of rock skipping opportunities, as well as a chance to seek out special rock formations, and just relax as the summer closed down.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdrUPoIT2b984AUWogceF99n1ZzjMzEOKVLpoBAH1n7FV4S0oBsLSohMLF8GpZnhB_Z7vFY6FTqHz7laxicx7p65TFnXkmcS-FXkkjLmqK_Ph9Xmc3jwYPeBbo5V4vite0wo0HfY_QB8M7ZYXvOA7SLSPMdsAguzrbNV22FHghfFyCUxnPKXjK0DxfQ/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdrUPoIT2b984AUWogceF99n1ZzjMzEOKVLpoBAH1n7FV4S0oBsLSohMLF8GpZnhB_Z7vFY6FTqHz7laxicx7p65TFnXkmcS-FXkkjLmqK_Ph9Xmc3jwYPeBbo5V4vite0wo0HfY_QB8M7ZYXvOA7SLSPMdsAguzrbNV22FHghfFyCUxnPKXjK0DxfQ/w887-h1588/Blog-2.jpg" width="887" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The pup came along on many of our adventures, and even gave us a good scare when she decided to jump out of the parked car window! No worries - everything ended up fine, but definitely a lesson learned (hopefully for everyone). We continued on our travels stopping at multiple pull off spots and waterfalls. For those familiar with the area, Gooseberry Falls needed a second trip and its own post.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeyeyt5s2tTdlgusCgUCqR_xNY9yGWF8CUqeDFHRCIdMCiT0PB9zT82DhLUVjgWfkmC_0k_8BLnh8lfo2dqUFGTgRqB-om74-umQ9Mx1WeUG7x_RQFDfCrCw2yNQKJ_meNKL40FhsOzq7rBwCdn2MjoKzCs2PJ_KQGGJqvXysHOP8czWAjjal0HIMhQ/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1589" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHeyeyt5s2tTdlgusCgUCqR_xNY9yGWF8CUqeDFHRCIdMCiT0PB9zT82DhLUVjgWfkmC_0k_8BLnh8lfo2dqUFGTgRqB-om74-umQ9Mx1WeUG7x_RQFDfCrCw2yNQKJ_meNKL40FhsOzq7rBwCdn2MjoKzCs2PJ_KQGGJqvXysHOP8czWAjjal0HIMhQ/w886-h1589/Blog-3.jpg" width="886" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I love all the picturesque opportunities travels like these give me. While I know my husband enjoys trips like this too, I know he also makes sure that I get to indulge in these kinds of chances when we can. We always talk about how we want to make sure we do these types of things while we still have the energy and ability to go down a steep stair case or hike for miles on a trail. One day those things won't be as easy.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemEqqh99_NRtsRQSfZ0tW7darLAuQEWZctWemdvmapvleo3aivCPm-uQCgVhrFncLXcs2AKO49kheBb5zXzoLQVoeL_06lBz7vkAXv_YMo2fKCXsr3-5czPZ9_Nb-0q4eP4MNmczPX0Su_kTgmn704wNs-PsgaU10uuIMWePrGAKQPmg_c43SX7Mu0w/s3600/Blog-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1591" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemEqqh99_NRtsRQSfZ0tW7darLAuQEWZctWemdvmapvleo3aivCPm-uQCgVhrFncLXcs2AKO49kheBb5zXzoLQVoeL_06lBz7vkAXv_YMo2fKCXsr3-5czPZ9_Nb-0q4eP4MNmczPX0Su_kTgmn704wNs-PsgaU10uuIMWePrGAKQPmg_c43SX7Mu0w/w888-h1591/Blog-4.jpg" width="888" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We ended the day in a sweet little town called Grand Marias where we got to see a fun new open concept art space built out of tiny homes as galleries. Each one had a side wall that opened to reveal an artist's work for sale. The town is known as an art spot, but unfortunately our timing didn't work out and most spaces were closed for the evening.<br /><br />We could have easily spent days hiking and exploring, but we were grateful for the time we got. Only a few more pieces to our summer '22 travels are left; I can't wait to share!<div><br /></div><div>Until next time,</div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comLake Superior47.723087 -86.94071619.412853163821154 -122.096966 76.033320836178845 -51.784465999999995tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-4497426777826751292022-09-20T06:30:00.001-05:002022-09-20T06:30:00.215-05:00Summer Vaca 2022: Stop 2 - Itasca Park, MN<p>If you've been following along on our travels, we know that our summer vacation plans changed multiple times, finally ending us up in the Northern US in the beautiful state of Minnesota. We took a pit stop in Iowa to see the <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/08/bridges-of-madison-county-iowa.html" target="_blank">Bridges of Madison County</a>, made our first stop in <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-1-minneapolis-mn.html" target="_blank">Minneapolis</a> to see Minnehaha Falls and the Stone Arch Bridge, and then headed to Itasca State Park for a few days. We spent some of our time on the water enjoying the things <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-2-lake-itasca-mn.html" target="_blank">Lake Itasca</a> had to offer, including walking the headwaters of the Mississippi River and pontooning. And if you missed any of that, all the links above will take you to each post. After that, we made sure to do some trail walking and Jeep driving on the scenic 16-mile loop.</p><p>The hiking, while one of the most challenging parts of this trip for my type 1 diabetes & asthma, was something I loved the most. My son had recently spent 2 weeks in New Mexico at the Philmont Scout Ranch completing a 10-day backpacking/camping trek that covered over 75 miles of hiking. Upon his return, he told me how much I would have loved going and taking pictures - but that I probably would have died. Kidding aside, I may not have died, but all my conditions certainly would have made it difficult on the crew to keep good time. So, getting to have my own little, manageable experience was perfect.</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5_vRI9g5hxc4cNyIYEzs3a-kJYn4PkEuEyLd-05-or1cIrh6ekpKqLNH8njXX5sdag4q10zgxw7ceutseZmIbY8T3Hpu1uY2JRfqDfXysxvtAPbL8--BdJO4-exLOlwVaACrEGVyQav_QX_u2sK7-abRViQ1-cSDI65CaV5NAjiZzdlQH9FKqT09xg/s3600/Blog.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1631" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX5_vRI9g5hxc4cNyIYEzs3a-kJYn4PkEuEyLd-05-or1cIrh6ekpKqLNH8njXX5sdag4q10zgxw7ceutseZmIbY8T3Hpu1uY2JRfqDfXysxvtAPbL8--BdJO4-exLOlwVaACrEGVyQav_QX_u2sK7-abRViQ1-cSDI65CaV5NAjiZzdlQH9FKqT09xg/w911-h1631/Blog.jpg" width="911" /></a></p><div>The icing on the cake was that it was best to have someone with me, and since my daughter preferred the beach on the lake, my husband stuck with her and my son got to hang with me. I really loved the extra time, even if it wasn't much. Something about that final vacation before the oldest took off for college had me feeling all the feels.</div><div><br /></div><div>After one duo spent some time in the woods while the other spent it on the beach, we took off for the scenic drive through the park. We made sure to seek out what used to be the tallest red pine in the state and stood in awe of both its beauty and its brokenness. My very favorite thing in life is to drive down windy roads. I'll take a forest of trees or farmland; it's something from my youth. Itasca did not disappoint.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlEEfCGciUan9pp5cgkDQbtVKeUF4arrqJNzF5UH9ZEOlMJ3EtOWTp7rFOamKUfmbTptSa_P5V4IrZgOqFlwg165mSWK4X-XzUODmKraKWjGMDLoliIajKFTHKS2RRtk4GLDJijK_sW8C1M65KVUC165Ldy3RL-BcLtRQBmD2mP58rW419U8FOWBD-g/s3600/Blog.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1641" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNlEEfCGciUan9pp5cgkDQbtVKeUF4arrqJNzF5UH9ZEOlMJ3EtOWTp7rFOamKUfmbTptSa_P5V4IrZgOqFlwg165mSWK4X-XzUODmKraKWjGMDLoliIajKFTHKS2RRtk4GLDJijK_sW8C1M65KVUC165Ldy3RL-BcLtRQBmD2mP58rW419U8FOWBD-g/w916-h1641/Blog.jpg" width="916" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The drive was beautiful with its winding tree-filled turns and sneak peeks of the lake. The one way, empty road gave me the perfect opportunity to jump out and get the shots I wanted.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURR58VRtvUTgkid-NW3OiWUkVCf0ee-DSEZwvYNwMtvBdq1QTNOwDwLeoFYqRvUVuKpGHJOr5Qe0ti_BgtU-olTctTpVVt2sEY6jH1xB8Up3eeuALn9BcJfK3auaJcWrwd4pSAppE7sFKny9-7wUBLYVgMKo51TkkmzQPcTP0oWfR68wUeIyQH0o98A/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURR58VRtvUTgkid-NW3OiWUkVCf0ee-DSEZwvYNwMtvBdq1QTNOwDwLeoFYqRvUVuKpGHJOr5Qe0ti_BgtU-olTctTpVVt2sEY6jH1xB8Up3eeuALn9BcJfK3auaJcWrwd4pSAppE7sFKny9-7wUBLYVgMKo51TkkmzQPcTP0oWfR68wUeIyQH0o98A/w915-h1639/Blog-2.jpg" width="915" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we rounded out the evening, my crew decided to investigate an observation tower to see about getting a top view of the park. The boys didn't want to stick around with Emma and I for the big tree, so we found the dance they did on the trail a little funny because they didn't realize how BAD the bugs were and insisted they would be fine without bug spray. When we got to the bottom, I decided to wait for them to tell me if it was worth it because I knew that I would need to eat yet ANOTHER granola bar to make it up and back down. And just as I got cozy at a picnic table, a group of 20-somethings came down the stairs, one wearing a CGM like mine for his own blood sugar and they confirmed that if I had the granola bar with me, I would need it, but it was worth it. And so, up the tower I went, catching the last kiss of sunlight over the trees before we left the park for the final time. Itasca State Park and all her riches were definitely a trip worth making.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Until Next Time,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-44051885724063605642022-09-15T09:58:00.000-05:002022-11-01T21:53:32.995-05:00Summer Vaca 2022: Stop 2 - Lake Itasca, MN<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My husband is a big fan of going and doing - meaning he doesn't really enjoy sitting still. So, going on a family vacation is sometimes a bit of a mixed bag because while I don't necessarily feel the need to see and do all the things, his list isn't as short. During this vacation, for fear of being bored in one spot for too long, we had several stops across the state - each only lasting a few days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After our <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-1-minneapolis-mn.html" target="_blank">first stop in Minneapolis</a>, our second stop was Lake Itasca in Itasca State Park, Minnesota. The lake is a glacier lake that is famously known for being the headwaters of the Mississippi River, which we can see anytime we go to downtown St. Louis. We found a cabin called Big Timbers that was right across from the park and had a beautiful view out our back window.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHu3oxzZx6c1aVhXPzfyGqrvRT8KnJOrmQK2HPvkY5o7hfY9U07_f9Ozh55OAYulcDgBbrzWTvJlKuPxCyzrlwx0x4nV-AMxyZw_0dIWNfo_jRgN0IOCKpXurYX0HBdfPqETVjX1ma2kU1oOy9ag6JWuSmQZn95t0RwGIawXWmy92orSq4_g9N64M9yA/s3600/Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHu3oxzZx6c1aVhXPzfyGqrvRT8KnJOrmQK2HPvkY5o7hfY9U07_f9Ozh55OAYulcDgBbrzWTvJlKuPxCyzrlwx0x4nV-AMxyZw_0dIWNfo_jRgN0IOCKpXurYX0HBdfPqETVjX1ma2kU1oOy9ag6JWuSmQZn95t0RwGIawXWmy92orSq4_g9N64M9yA/w877-h1572/Blog.jpg" width="877" /></a></div><br />On our first full day, we hit the lake and did some family canoeing in the morning. Not pictured? The rather loud argument my husband and I had as we tried to navigate the canoe together. The details were all pounded out and we both made it back to the shoreline dry and alive. In the afternoon, we went to the headwaters and joined all the people walking across them. It was a pretty neat and sort of surreal experience.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu69XaT4JL1qockfz6gdI-phHUuWj1df9KlIZbd-c5X6pyhE0QIBHJfXFeiF55E51WT6lYIjPKSFCI6rUzqhiTWnunT8KifzfvprhZPYpQvEWfMAces3yiWYESdkS1a78dxsBk40n65gT2iglQVPdRL1rrAGIphKP5XNy2cx7tyvD5d_c-go53SUtOfg/s3600/Blog%20B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu69XaT4JL1qockfz6gdI-phHUuWj1df9KlIZbd-c5X6pyhE0QIBHJfXFeiF55E51WT6lYIjPKSFCI6rUzqhiTWnunT8KifzfvprhZPYpQvEWfMAces3yiWYESdkS1a78dxsBk40n65gT2iglQVPdRL1rrAGIphKP5XNy2cx7tyvD5d_c-go53SUtOfg/w872-h1562/Blog%20B.jpg" width="872" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Big props to my husband for taking those shots of me walking the headwaters with our kids. Again not pictured: as I was walking back across, I step backward off a rock and sliced my toe. Diabetics and foot injuries don't mix well (hence the reason I really should have been wearing water shoes). The headwaters are about a 15-minute walk and my foot was in no shape for walking. I left behind some blood in the waters and on the bank, but thankfully a mom with a baby in tow also had wipes and I was able to sit for a few minutes with my foot elevated and stop the bleeding. Then I got to enjoy the view out our cabin window for a bit while the family went swimming.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day, we decided a pontoon might be best for my foot. My son goes camping every summer, sometimes multiple times. He has had so many opportunities to do all the water things and it was obvious as we navigated through our trip. It was pretty cool to see him take the skills he's been using in Scouts for what feels like his whole life and use them with us. He helped us back out with the pontoon and got us out of a couple of sticky situations with the seaweed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxC5fsxmDvVpe1CXR_juXGyhmR8BlzmF0gzHmToEyVoJ6yV0PwdnQV95rN5c46tYBLJVlotr7vZTFnHEYyNl_g005xW1FcpnQS8G4E-zMt9U07FGbAGYOtYg8nySwbiw2onHzcMUjPDCkf_KoU_adzhHSzuDIuw3a3dh23qQqSiPYMZMcnsGnUKTsCg/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1575" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAxC5fsxmDvVpe1CXR_juXGyhmR8BlzmF0gzHmToEyVoJ6yV0PwdnQV95rN5c46tYBLJVlotr7vZTFnHEYyNl_g005xW1FcpnQS8G4E-zMt9U07FGbAGYOtYg8nySwbiw2onHzcMUjPDCkf_KoU_adzhHSzuDIuw3a3dh23qQqSiPYMZMcnsGnUKTsCg/w880-h1575/Blog-1.jpg" width="880" /></a></div> <div>Having Nani along for this trip was good for us all. While she was no less of a responsibility while vacationing (we may have forgotten her water on a few hikes), she tagged along many of times that it made sense and loved all the extra time.<br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4rwzyiDLzM_V5dqMbjl2U5ZJrWqzFuF6ejmZWF4XZyeJKQ3Dpfh9MHP3vz2zV0tQw_ZSute3133TWJ15KB4NFzRWMBZD-J_iR1ZQdE5MjZcPxgOin4es4S1xcCwhSAnrMbofzcctUEbCVCI8xzp3xVZcsgZgDOmH3RsqQulV51QPfXWpN4S2Ob-l0g/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4rwzyiDLzM_V5dqMbjl2U5ZJrWqzFuF6ejmZWF4XZyeJKQ3Dpfh9MHP3vz2zV0tQw_ZSute3133TWJ15KB4NFzRWMBZD-J_iR1ZQdE5MjZcPxgOin4es4S1xcCwhSAnrMbofzcctUEbCVCI8xzp3xVZcsgZgDOmH3RsqQulV51QPfXWpN4S2Ob-l0g/w859-h1540/Blog-2.jpg" width="859" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Emma and I both loved the cool patterns that the seaweed made as the water rippled the lake. But my favorite part of being on this lake was realizing that the very place we crossed the headwaters could be seen from our pontoon (as seen in the bottom picture)!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUPHaYrdq1XCoCrLLb-2yQyNalsMRf0V-4H7qpTpN0-qH8HTnElR0CaBrfg9reCHZZJTJyCKdf9jssESdWS9_XR76Zi1-UWU4DgNZ5AQQ674wNTJihP6D7oBat2FdvFRYdSFUb3Tvo_gE9_AUjtwsiCGcrgbUPHGQVJvRkjw-o3Ut42xRfg7T5U3ktQ/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUPHaYrdq1XCoCrLLb-2yQyNalsMRf0V-4H7qpTpN0-qH8HTnElR0CaBrfg9reCHZZJTJyCKdf9jssESdWS9_XR76Zi1-UWU4DgNZ5AQQ674wNTJihP6D7oBat2FdvFRYdSFUb3Tvo_gE9_AUjtwsiCGcrgbUPHGQVJvRkjw-o3Ut42xRfg7T5U3ktQ/w860-h1540/Blog-3.jpg" width="860" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div>Lake Itasca did not disappoint, and we aren't even done with the park! If you missed <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/09/summer-vaca-2022-stop-1-minneapolis-mn.html" target="_blank">day 1 of this trip</a> or our pit stop to check out the <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/08/bridges-of-madison-county-iowa.html">Bridges of Madison County</a> on the way in, make sure to go check them out! I'm excited to share more with you from beautiful Minnesota!</div><div><br /></div><div>Until Next Time,</div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-62631353993196669572022-09-02T06:30:00.001-05:002022-09-02T06:30:00.201-05:00Summer Vaca 2022: Stop 1 - Minneapolis, MN<p>To say that our summer vacation was a little up in the air this year would be kind. At first, we talked about heading West, considering locations like Glacier National Park or Yellowstone. We realized that in the window of time we were supposed to have (ten days), neither of those locations, at a two-day drive, would allow us time to enjoy all there was to see. We then thought we should drive South, giving ourselves less drive time, only to discover how BLAZING hot it is in the summer down South. I know - duh. So, weeks before we thought we would be heading South, we looked East. We quickly realized that the drive would still kill so much of our trip, (have I mentioned we live in the middle of the US?) that we bailed on that idea quickly. That left us North, in the cooler, but still quite picturesque, state of Minnesota. If you missed it, I blogged last time about how the highlight of this trip to me was that we were going to get to stop in Iowa and see the <a href="https://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2022/08/bridges-of-madison-county-iowa.html" target="_blank">Bridges of Madison County</a>. Outside of that, neither my husband nor I really knew what we were getting into. But, getting away for a bit sounded lovely and we already had a hotel (nope, we booked that on the drive), so we were in.</p><p>We decided our first stop should be Minneapolis. We hit up the Mall of America, but sadly, like most malls in America, it was fairly low-key. We saw most of the same stores we see at home, very few people for a 4-floor mall, and a small-scale indoor amusement park - all of which faded quickly. Our next stop was Minnehaha Falls. Minnesota, state motto: Land of 10,000 Lakes, also had its fair share of waterfalls, so we had a few on our list. This one was a good starter. It wasn't too big, nor was it too far of a walk, so Nani got to come along.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHRFUD1qvhx8baIS3jLHqvmyuqFcFTmyQEJI2Z8OxZ-vPp09nojWd-IMtqeMJnGk5NQrljLj93NC42hJsGLCZ1qC7S7_OYKmX9O5YoLeirjTDryS4B_xgMxLeAWhWv-UMyXi0PJ13toh5ysiXqahBd-FUjeGfyQwHZSrXM6UR3xLOTKeGpFD3EE297w/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHHRFUD1qvhx8baIS3jLHqvmyuqFcFTmyQEJI2Z8OxZ-vPp09nojWd-IMtqeMJnGk5NQrljLj93NC42hJsGLCZ1qC7S7_OYKmX9O5YoLeirjTDryS4B_xgMxLeAWhWv-UMyXi0PJ13toh5ysiXqahBd-FUjeGfyQwHZSrXM6UR3xLOTKeGpFD3EE297w/w872-h1562/Blog-1.jpg" width="872" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Jason and Emma enjoyed walking the creek that comes off the falls, and then we headed to the park close by to see a few historic spots. When we saw that our friend's last name (Stevens) was shared with one of the historic markers, we had to take a picture and stop. The house was closed due to the heat, but it was neat to think about the history of the space. And also cool to see the garden and outhouse (what a fun conversation that was).<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozG-wx_4Zn4TTn7JqcEJ80Hnoocm7NvRooFU5EdLW5EUhC2-B2LPT-RrQg1faJz5MmdrsvyMTi9JCJi2runAAEFsvqxxVm9nTZvrQEfIlI33vm0cvlgqQEaoIixw1nvsT8IY_myn0PTVJ1IB35i5KYUG-ftHReTv7fduJwfigo5zpeMD65A5Pienjqg/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1571" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozG-wx_4Zn4TTn7JqcEJ80Hnoocm7NvRooFU5EdLW5EUhC2-B2LPT-RrQg1faJz5MmdrsvyMTi9JCJi2runAAEFsvqxxVm9nTZvrQEfIlI33vm0cvlgqQEaoIixw1nvsT8IY_myn0PTVJ1IB35i5KYUG-ftHReTv7fduJwfigo5zpeMD65A5Pienjqg/w877-h1571/Blog-2.jpg" width="877" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The next evening, we hit up the Stone Arch Bridge in downtown Minneapolis, where we got to have a beautiful view of St. Anthony Falls. The light on the bridge and under the arches was lovely - and clearly, a photographer's dream, as gobs of them flocked to the area. We enjoyed a walk & scooter across as we watched the sun begin to set.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Mi51e3xN4IrAIEk41tt22kADePxbfUE_KDNBmficj4kdVlox3LAQ8Tn4lYkY8xv2Y0G2e7DqMZoN7C7tsGJhr1i1S0HBGGTq1rQv6vKEU8wzAHX1RcY4k4hkx7DlJ1VWp7JBke1z1inlmXqkQLgSMUtuPBdcnKy1Up7XQQWOM_hSGnSGAsFVAa3VfQ/s3600/Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Mi51e3xN4IrAIEk41tt22kADePxbfUE_KDNBmficj4kdVlox3LAQ8Tn4lYkY8xv2Y0G2e7DqMZoN7C7tsGJhr1i1S0HBGGTq1rQv6vKEU8wzAHX1RcY4k4hkx7DlJ1VWp7JBke1z1inlmXqkQLgSMUtuPBdcnKy1Up7XQQWOM_hSGnSGAsFVAa3VfQ/w882-h1579/Blog.jpg" width="882" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Most of our stops were only a few days, but I loved watching my family do the simple things here: walks and talks and just being together. It's the little things that later become the big things that you miss. I'm excited to share the next leg of our trip and some new things that we got to try!</p><p>Until Next Time,</p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-81790328765781910622022-08-15T07:00:00.002-05:002022-10-16T12:03:55.826-05:00Bridges of Madison County, Iowa<p>Somewhere in my life, (likely in high school) I fell in love with the movie, <i>The Bridges of Madison County</i>. The emotions between the two lead characters were so intense that it really stuck with me, only having a close call with <i>P.S., I Love You</i>. When I started photography later in life, it took this favorite movie - about a <i>National Geographic</i> photographer on assignment - to a whole new level! So, when our family vacation plans finally landed on the Northern US, and we were going to be driving through Madison County, Iowa, I was all in! As my son described it: I giggled like a little schoolgirl.</p><p>There are 6 covered bridges in Madison County, and finding them is fairly easy - once you realize that there are road signs everywhere telling you where to head. Previous to that, you might miss one like we did. Our first find was the Imes Bridge. I won't lie - it was sort of magical to walk through our first bridge. It felt dreamy and surreal and I couldn't stop smiling or trying to get pictures of it from different angles and with different light. Oh, the plight of a photographer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYl6eqoPDC1iDluiga5eQrBdbVRyQ-3FFfepdMCHWkb9F7mHof0TSrirzlXKbpfboe3Or2cEgJFSFPFsd0UkNvZccwDEa5-eYwLeqIkrZRlyIMpyA-92rz1rvIPzwduSo0O4quCxIFd_3bZ2LQrgz2DWD2V787RBPMYWpvfcgR84qZq8WkBr-dzu_bA/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicYl6eqoPDC1iDluiga5eQrBdbVRyQ-3FFfepdMCHWkb9F7mHof0TSrirzlXKbpfboe3Or2cEgJFSFPFsd0UkNvZccwDEa5-eYwLeqIkrZRlyIMpyA-92rz1rvIPzwduSo0O4quCxIFd_3bZ2LQrgz2DWD2V787RBPMYWpvfcgR84qZq8WkBr-dzu_bA/w871-h1560/Blog-1.jpg" width="871" /></a></div><br />After that, the hunt was on (and my son was so excited, as you can see)! Our next stop was the Cutler-Donahoe Bridge. While only a couple of the bridges are in their original homes, they all have signs detailing the history of where they started and if / when they were moved. It was neat to read about each one and consider how they had been traveled on during their heydays.<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8Aazzo2YM_l6ZmSkkmqSZdtcUOlwDCwKJLwMzkbbp6lJb_JaxTPR88wnkPudqRpCWNtqYxrGW0Fe1sJeXqtdI1jqyEuX0WFL503cYLXpM3YGo2mFRq7I3IOi9jrKk3k9urd4Ct_MqF3cd-ElsbVcu7tdKwdVGptWLrx_rInJq-VeYdApx1s1b510ew/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1567" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8Aazzo2YM_l6ZmSkkmqSZdtcUOlwDCwKJLwMzkbbp6lJb_JaxTPR88wnkPudqRpCWNtqYxrGW0Fe1sJeXqtdI1jqyEuX0WFL503cYLXpM3YGo2mFRq7I3IOi9jrKk3k9urd4Ct_MqF3cd-ElsbVcu7tdKwdVGptWLrx_rInJq-VeYdApx1s1b510ew/w874-h1567/Blog-2.jpg" width="874" /></a></div><p></p>Next stop was the Cedar Bridge. The COOLEST thing about this one was that we got to DRIVE THROUGH IT!!!! The saddest thing about this one is that it has been damaged by arson twice and had to basically be completely rebuilt. As we visited different bridges, it was interesting to see the sprinkler systems and video cameras that are now inside all of the bridges because of the arson attempts on others.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5Z_NUN-u4d8Am4U9iJvhxTzSOj2mOXxKAW7x_N5uZ_8QGazK6wuoHdGde7zBpT63BSSu87azbTEfjr4HIrlLetsBMy2EnKPpTFHJerEFbB3-TaIQZeUM9TSfo_XKL6FZJtbsXG9x_4E9t-Md69jz6LEoxZ63aKbIg9VFgyhuGv9-T3KAi59NSt5WPQ/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5Z_NUN-u4d8Am4U9iJvhxTzSOj2mOXxKAW7x_N5uZ_8QGazK6wuoHdGde7zBpT63BSSu87azbTEfjr4HIrlLetsBMy2EnKPpTFHJerEFbB3-TaIQZeUM9TSfo_XKL6FZJtbsXG9x_4E9t-Md69jz6LEoxZ63aKbIg9VFgyhuGv9-T3KAi59NSt5WPQ/w876-h1570/Blog-3.jpg" width="876" /></a></div><br /><div>The Hogback Bridge was one of the bridges that have remained in its original home, although traffic no longer crosses it. I really enjoyed visiting this one and getting to take pictures because you could see the water that goes under it so much better! Plus, it just makes prettier pictures. I also loved that it had more of a natural surrounding that allowed for wildflowers and butterflies. I wasn't so fond of the biting flies, but I survived.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEqRdBsQaLcwqYwG02TlJa1SUBCs4Seokw7mny4aXQ3NVtvKFlsq6-eyrMRBcA0Uh19cSJODExNHv58So9n43E5NYNYvSlPoqiDcDULnKSB6R97vFhYC1RO8FAtopwvK5gTlm9UQw23ZSy20mgtz-t2H1CXzwQ3cs8pDHZiayR7G1nJnXgcdzDBjLsg/s3600/Blog-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEqRdBsQaLcwqYwG02TlJa1SUBCs4Seokw7mny4aXQ3NVtvKFlsq6-eyrMRBcA0Uh19cSJODExNHv58So9n43E5NYNYvSlPoqiDcDULnKSB6R97vFhYC1RO8FAtopwvK5gTlm9UQw23ZSy20mgtz-t2H1CXzwQ3cs8pDHZiayR7G1nJnXgcdzDBjLsg/w882-h1579/Blog-4.jpg" width="882" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Our last stop, and one that I definitely squealed over, was the Roseman Bridge. If you've seen the movie, you might recall that this is the bridge where some of the more iconic scenes and photos take place. It was fantastic to think about the history of this space and try to remember the scenes from the movie and guess which angles different things were shot from.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV95IS2F2vGQIZscuyv7-Nk175KJHtoU0bkMaVxsesbC9gv839HfI-tUI0t3pOf0BmT18HcBMo2kFXSDgKiU3aKEbz_3NO33pK_IlZdAlIE1tyXBIwM5rOwzsIfuxNS9SG53lsV33qTcCqUv2LY_2Ls2Bh_kYpFkp60ZwMAp48sCBHDeRIwtA8QT_Wg/s3600/Blog-5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1585" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVV95IS2F2vGQIZscuyv7-Nk175KJHtoU0bkMaVxsesbC9gv839HfI-tUI0t3pOf0BmT18HcBMo2kFXSDgKiU3aKEbz_3NO33pK_IlZdAlIE1tyXBIwM5rOwzsIfuxNS9SG53lsV33qTcCqUv2LY_2Ls2Bh_kYpFkp60ZwMAp48sCBHDeRIwtA8QT_Wg/w883-h1585/Blog-5.jpg" width="883" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I felt a little like a kid in a candy shop and loved the final shots that I got.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVUcypLwcDlY_EcKnNKH1l8ZhvVkLW9nKtYlACUnrLxHMUdleUfyLn-ABhGyscnMlvhAkLdrHnpqC9UiB8eZYKvzUdpa9aeZYZRip87f7MhNr63Cv7biqF6A6jB4z5PAuZnZJuzxidMtu5IKIdgLx_o9DWnq5MpXnBi5RPOc3DdccDWEMFXoGnnd3JQ/s3600/Blog-6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2025" height="1576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVUcypLwcDlY_EcKnNKH1l8ZhvVkLW9nKtYlACUnrLxHMUdleUfyLn-ABhGyscnMlvhAkLdrHnpqC9UiB8eZYKvzUdpa9aeZYZRip87f7MhNr63Cv7biqF6A6jB4z5PAuZnZJuzxidMtu5IKIdgLx_o9DWnq5MpXnBi5RPOc3DdccDWEMFXoGnnd3JQ/w887-h1576/Blog-6.jpg" width="887" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I try to make sure I get shots of my whole crew now on our travels. Hopefully you enjoyed seeing the bridges up close with us and may even be inspired to finally go see <i>The Bridges of Madison County</i>. I'll warn you though - it really doesn't have much to do with bridges.</div><div><br /></div><div>Until Next Time,</div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comMadison County, IA, USA41.2922367 -93.987842715.707556840729701 -129.1440927 66.876916559270285 -58.8315927tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-37564013399122476872022-08-04T07:00:00.004-05:002022-08-15T00:54:18.081-05:00Hanging in the Sunflowers<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you have been following me for a while, you are aware that my family has had its adventures with sunflowers. From our previous visits to <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2018/07/sunflowers-sunsets.html">our local sunflower fields</a>, to our own <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2019/10/growing-sunflowers.html" target="_blank">backyard sunflower journey</a>, we certainly aim to get our fill of these lovelies each summer. Some years prove to be more challenging than others with a Boy Scout that spends weeks camping in the summer, but we lucked out this year and were able to find a night that wasn't sweltering, raining, and everyone was home!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My boys can really take or leave the whole sunflower idea. They go along, they wonder for a little while, my husband even takes some killer selfies, but at the end of the day, my girl could wander and smell and notice all their little nuances for hours, while the boys have made their way back to the Jeep and wondering what ON EARTH we are still doing after 30 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrcejIwd0pwico2ff-SYFxaoJysLCHWFDHdwktEEZE-GX9QsTtqcBGoBtohrqzLHozptXsVIN2z3GXprBoq0GOwid-iuP1gQ_7YlVyX47wt8JZIytfrtkBV4tNxnZrMcNgwgIksUEx1jM8u690CRHE_nQ-ajT5QvBbhanc0tLV9u9Dxk6vwymvSwAfA/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHrcejIwd0pwico2ff-SYFxaoJysLCHWFDHdwktEEZE-GX9QsTtqcBGoBtohrqzLHozptXsVIN2z3GXprBoq0GOwid-iuP1gQ_7YlVyX47wt8JZIytfrtkBV4tNxnZrMcNgwgIksUEx1jM8u690CRHE_nQ-ajT5QvBbhanc0tLV9u9Dxk6vwymvSwAfA/w859-h1534/Blog-1.jpg" width="859" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The reality it, our girl is definitely more interested in the details of nature. She's is my <a href="http://melissakayserphotography.blogspot.com/2016/05/in-field-of-flowers.html" target="_blank">Botanical Gardens buddy</a>, my <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2019/03/hello-spring-wanna-play-in-rain.html" target="_blank">splash in the rain child</a>, and the one who wants to see the details of the flowers the rest of the world wants to fly over with their drones. It may have a lot to do with that fact that after she was born, I started to slow down and take a closer look at what was around me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA4aZWlH6DQeyLT0fB--MXRHABifgwW3r8gTjil2sJtldzGdeDfPJKXifROmR8QTi5WtoYFvvPdV3AA04KsfEMMuOfXnlWRRSLWgAYe2Q-x3YhJmRqovhw8_QyMjiXfWDim9Tay8iQzJEbZCVrlXfncHUf8JtRtHvuzt-Bgl_hPCAFyjIooB5zvKWbA/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1529" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGA4aZWlH6DQeyLT0fB--MXRHABifgwW3r8gTjil2sJtldzGdeDfPJKXifROmR8QTi5WtoYFvvPdV3AA04KsfEMMuOfXnlWRRSLWgAYe2Q-x3YhJmRqovhw8_QyMjiXfWDim9Tay8iQzJEbZCVrlXfncHUf8JtRtHvuzt-Bgl_hPCAFyjIooB5zvKWbA/w854-h1529/Blog-2.jpg" width="854" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The struggle every mom with a camera has is 1 - to make sure to participate in family things and 2 - to be in the photos as proof that we existed. I have gotten better at asking my husband or son to take my camera and take some shots of me while I play. I'm always grateful for the photos others take (big thanks to my son for these). I also started taking selfies a few years ago with my crew and I have gotten better and better at it and often love the outcome!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzuDWVrrMxlIpnC_itFYQObCMEyp80rXuNB7BFNc685DOzlYKZPBoMmwPMA1qrrQJdcVMDpszjqwe-bggiMR0VhKfP04po9iGr0YbL9pRpgyETTVqaJhR7u6d4mkWGT6VX7ij1YwMO9HfTNP3tEjOlE4crqfLeWEr8n1wo3cJNEEAn38zRGKAWsXX-w/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzuDWVrrMxlIpnC_itFYQObCMEyp80rXuNB7BFNc685DOzlYKZPBoMmwPMA1qrrQJdcVMDpszjqwe-bggiMR0VhKfP04po9iGr0YbL9pRpgyETTVqaJhR7u6d4mkWGT6VX7ij1YwMO9HfTNP3tEjOlE4crqfLeWEr8n1wo3cJNEEAn38zRGKAWsXX-w/w860-h1538/Blog-3.jpg" width="860" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the sun began to set, my boys headed back, but my girl was still so interested in exploring. She wanted to walk the path until it ended, but we soon realized we would likely be another 40 minutes and we were loosing light fast. As the sun dipped, I caught some Monarchs mating and watched as my girl ran and ran down the fields. I may have encouraged a few jumps after I saw her hair flying behind her. And it will be a while before I forget the breath in her voice when she saw the moon over my shoulder. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3icw3z89wGP49DR9RTLWbZ3Eedd9cwIE_jtNHWzzDJQ9-FF2vUKmJW1rdmDrZbkoxJoP0o9cOLu7HsbE0ZT1uHRCFXF7UN0_hm_2XDc1TszGdI5M8lcWslfje4n8UX_udhjh_YJLFmihQDAvQLOZWISS5BWhw63BZER97Mn_YwQpJ-owVOVanlRhIw/s3600/Blog-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1561" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3icw3z89wGP49DR9RTLWbZ3Eedd9cwIE_jtNHWzzDJQ9-FF2vUKmJW1rdmDrZbkoxJoP0o9cOLu7HsbE0ZT1uHRCFXF7UN0_hm_2XDc1TszGdI5M8lcWslfje4n8UX_udhjh_YJLFmihQDAvQLOZWISS5BWhw63BZER97Mn_YwQpJ-owVOVanlRhIw/w871-h1561/Blog-4.jpg" width="871" /></a></div><p>As I pulled this set together, I couldn't help but remanence on the years we've enjoyed the sunflowers, and how our time to do these sorts of things is having the sun set, just like this. And yet. Over our shoulders sits the moon, ready to take on a beautiful new part of journey. One, that if you are watching for it, just might take your breath away too.</p><p>Until next time,</p><p></p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-60112446436993240282022-07-15T18:06:00.000-05:002022-08-15T00:54:55.696-05:00Christmas Cookies in July<p>When I went to start this blog post, it made me chuckle to open up my blog and realize the last time I put up a post was December 2021 - and that it was actually about Christmas. Unlike today, where I am going to put together a post about Christmas cookies - from Christmas - in July. If you have had the chance to spend time with us in the last few years, you'll know that things haven't quite returned to normal for us - although we are significantly closer than we were a couple of years ago. This means that I often need to live life day by day. Most days are ok, but honestly, my heart is still healing from a rough few years. Recently, I considered just quietly letting my blog end (and for those that are curious, I am still unsure about my business quietly ending). This week, though, it occurred to me that I often find great joy writing these posts. And my girl loves them. And I am literally creating a time capsule for my family. So, here I am, posting us making Christmas cookies from December, in July.</p><p>As I look at my messy kitchen and my family in their everyday digs, I can't help but smile. This IS my kitchen and my people - in all its beautiful chaos. I once took pictures in a friend's kitchen and she proudly proclaimed to me that she had cleaned her counters before I came over. It was lovely, but totally foreign to me in the pictures. Her kitchen, like so many of us, typically had used counters. Maybe one day I will be able to keep my counters clean. In the mean time, I embrace the clutter. It certainly doesn't stop us from knocking out some yummy Christmas cookies - starting with my girl and her favorites: sugar cookies. Secretly, I think she likes those the best because she gets to decorate them. It's certainly a labor of love to get those things from start to finish.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfDRN9dqvh-LlLpCMM6fhZt5IUUFPjIjTl89z5jynh8mgkMW7YZJWHxyk-LSrP1Rk2jsmlQNwe1wMu27yHEhKmWB0hauxoQLx3dQph2b5pemoMLtMM-tMm65YMN-r0L0UIN4Rpj46-IV6R1wd9QumqlOPmDfIE0kVllnJ_9oFNNFeoGwQIHlTDA1DCA/s3600/Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfDRN9dqvh-LlLpCMM6fhZt5IUUFPjIjTl89z5jynh8mgkMW7YZJWHxyk-LSrP1Rk2jsmlQNwe1wMu27yHEhKmWB0hauxoQLx3dQph2b5pemoMLtMM-tMm65YMN-r0L0UIN4Rpj46-IV6R1wd9QumqlOPmDfIE0kVllnJ_9oFNNFeoGwQIHlTDA1DCA/w852-h1526/Blog-1.jpg" width="852" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My boy is a standard chocolate chip kid. Ignore those Craisins - those are for my husband's World's Best Cookies recipe. Don't ignore that goof ball smile hidden behind my boy's silliness though. I will miss that kid this fall more than I can describe. Good thing the dog and Christmas cookies will bring him home. The cookies may be standard, but he's still serious about the cooking. I mean, who wants to mess up chocolate chip cookies. That would be sad.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5BE86HnQcP7ylnG9KVurHo9CLFAuytMzHdMlPWi3FpcMsFM08_qxZnXXhHo5COJK_RVgR2yD82lhxQErCxLHDg0OYe7aZfDGWb5J_h1VLeaqln2kprILDL3F25zgd8X5CHBh94reXdNqqBWcgoRPqyrd95Tn0cToIsny32WUq2ukFEEV1hVbmUHJAw/s3600/Blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1519" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5BE86HnQcP7ylnG9KVurHo9CLFAuytMzHdMlPWi3FpcMsFM08_qxZnXXhHo5COJK_RVgR2yD82lhxQErCxLHDg0OYe7aZfDGWb5J_h1VLeaqln2kprILDL3F25zgd8X5CHBh94reXdNqqBWcgoRPqyrd95Tn0cToIsny32WUq2ukFEEV1hVbmUHJAw/w848-h1519/Blog-2.jpg" width="848" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While the boys' cookies baked (sorry, I missed my husband's baking this year), my girl's were done and ready to be iced. Oh the joy she finds in bringing her creations to life. And also the joy my son might find in sitting back and waiting. I rather loved that he landed right under that mistletoe.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyOiUNPxC-62thYX30LmGxI4GnkdpH8orT_NZgqFf4YXmTDYj9niSzFkcv7UThwqy8V5eIeiXWGq7k_VdX_R6Mz7sYyPbycp5F4dgg-zLQf1RABEi3ATu4qj735gPk1zGIemOXSE97co_f9pxheMuWOqwZE5Q1d6H1jfE_RuDqwKxrdM7e5SW1jsjFQ/s3600/Blog-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3600" data-original-width="2009" height="1520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyOiUNPxC-62thYX30LmGxI4GnkdpH8orT_NZgqFf4YXmTDYj9niSzFkcv7UThwqy8V5eIeiXWGq7k_VdX_R6Mz7sYyPbycp5F4dgg-zLQf1RABEi3ATu4qj735gPk1zGIemOXSE97co_f9pxheMuWOqwZE5Q1d6H1jfE_RuDqwKxrdM7e5SW1jsjFQ/w848-h1520/Blog-3.jpg" width="848" /></a></div><br /><p>And the final sugar cookie creation. I have to laugh at the backwards (NEW & made by my son) logo. Evidently when you flip a picture, Lightroom likes to give you away in the print templates. Ha! Oh well. Here's to embracing the chaos!</p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-68667478144385008642021-12-24T09:11:00.000-06:002022-08-15T00:55:14.357-05:00St. Charles Christmas Traditions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last year, while hunkered down at home, Emma learned a TON about the history of the 50 United States and the start of our country. And since she was virtual schooling in our living room, I got to listen and learn along with her. If I'm honest, as a student, I always hated history. It seemed so boring and irrelevant to my life. In my late 20's, however, a visit to Washington D.C. changed that for me. I saw pieces of history in front of my eyes and I couldn't deny that it was amazing. I began to have a much greater appreciation for the history that existed in my world, and have since become more fascinated by it. As Emma learned last year, my eyes opened even more to the beauty of our country's history.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For over 20 years, I have lived a mere 20 minutes from St. Charles, MO, the first capital of Missouri and starting point for Lewis and Clark's two year expedition to the West. Here, history is <b>literally</b> on every corner of Main Street, which is still a brick road. For decades, the city has been a historic area full of block after block of small businesses that were once homes, hotels, shops, and more. Every Christmas, the area steps back in time as they have what they deem an outdoor festival every weekend in December. Characters from Christmas past, both fictional and historical, are dressed in time appropriate clothing and wonder the 8 blocks with trading cards for children to collect. When you meet them, they tell you about the history of different Christmas traditions from their countries and time periods. It. Is. Magical.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year, with a more historical perspective & appreciation for simple thing, the details that I might have missed before, now stood out. As we walked the blocked streets, I paused to take in the houses, 100's of years old, many decorated with simple greenery and bows.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh45BZdOLPqOOhGTvPVPJcY0gg6bBdg0frIftcULMpc9aUAJRTJnGzpCWnPKZwJl7cP0cDiexINO-QS1U4UfpWb1J3vwdKIBc_J5CG3QwDqcOWIIn7dd45xLV0lahOIQbOXje_CjR5OoXsvVYlcwSBSpgw41PTNSqffGUZuADzWGNhJWjkMPlBJGIfa9A=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh45BZdOLPqOOhGTvPVPJcY0gg6bBdg0frIftcULMpc9aUAJRTJnGzpCWnPKZwJl7cP0cDiexINO-QS1U4UfpWb1J3vwdKIBc_J5CG3QwDqcOWIIn7dd45xLV0lahOIQbOXje_CjR5OoXsvVYlcwSBSpgw41PTNSqffGUZuADzWGNhJWjkMPlBJGIfa9A=w873-h1564" width="873" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Another simple Christmas tradition that overflows on Main Street are the groups of Christmas carolers at every turn. Not only do they look smashing, but their voices and personalities are FANTASTIC. My dad would have loved them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhREQyHJKhx2rD6TGX-fv7GfNNI0HXPabdqjhtjYH_5vjB2aXqvth254uHcbnGvlZVniiJlrkotaJ1PDisSCLbXSFbCsKDl9MMGAwjcYlsFkgQ6EY0S3BYL0X6kMkyzZlvXPqlAhnA6Zj6d7Sy_HokQ8CYOKuYZSFMT4PgkJfONdb8SOBpDunapiXq6xQ=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1551" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhREQyHJKhx2rD6TGX-fv7GfNNI0HXPabdqjhtjYH_5vjB2aXqvth254uHcbnGvlZVniiJlrkotaJ1PDisSCLbXSFbCsKDl9MMGAwjcYlsFkgQ6EY0S3BYL0X6kMkyzZlvXPqlAhnA6Zj6d7Sy_HokQ8CYOKuYZSFMT4PgkJfONdb8SOBpDunapiXq6xQ=w865-h1551" width="865" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Some of the characters we saw are, well, characters! Jack Frost has a very pun-filled and sarcastic banter about him and is always a favorite! We saw several characters from Charles Dickens', <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, including the Fezziwigs, who were Mr. Scrooge's boss from his Christmas past. We watched the inventor and toy maker, Herr Drosselmeyer, interact with his creation, the Nutcracker Prince, who inspired the 1816 tale <i>The Nutcracker and Mouse King</i>. We also saw many four-legged friends, definitely a popular guest families bring along, as well as getting to take pictures with the Sugar Plum fairy wings painted by a local high school student for young visitors to enjoy!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIHU5Lkn9ggncUewjy0LiurICeCuw9meRXrgPunnFKoUWqU5waGoGXyuF77tWQdEWekT2cvTUAOosZXOHGclx9jezfvjj_DGiY4uG-X6MhQlTUrFY9yIW7NseyzWf-SfCHdQCbA0fiJdFjk-uA7BpGUO60-xbN-YWytdhJTzcC0vs77Lgql8BIJPjY1A=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIHU5Lkn9ggncUewjy0LiurICeCuw9meRXrgPunnFKoUWqU5waGoGXyuF77tWQdEWekT2cvTUAOosZXOHGclx9jezfvjj_DGiY4uG-X6MhQlTUrFY9yIW7NseyzWf-SfCHdQCbA0fiJdFjk-uA7BpGUO60-xbN-YWytdhJTzcC0vs77Lgql8BIJPjY1A=w863-h1546" width="863" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, what would the traditions of Christmas be if they didn't include the Santas from history? We got to meet and learn about the Civil War Santa, Pere Noel from France, Father Christmas from the United Kingdom, and Saint Nicholas - the bishop from ancient Greece. We learned that Saint Nicholas was famous for secretly distributing his riches amongst the poor (sound familiar?) and later became the story for children receiving gifts in their shoes on Saint Nicholas Day, December 6th. We also got to hear of the Russian Snow Maiden, Snegurochka, who helps to bring in the New Year half way around the world.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDsbstMZNklGWBoXEv0I5RnzeKxU-3zSTnPXLMBjSjugCL3wAc3-jXOdKrNQjG4G9_wdnrDpJ5BYY3mikHhW2OAK75Pfe-RwqMQMSqOaHSlV7Po5TRnEdkdV3FyE-akhsgn4Wo5qcXoelLSlKQ9a8OQpSHhoc--DcaQz05Xzz1Ual5CsiBzgoavFBacA=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDsbstMZNklGWBoXEv0I5RnzeKxU-3zSTnPXLMBjSjugCL3wAc3-jXOdKrNQjG4G9_wdnrDpJ5BYY3mikHhW2OAK75Pfe-RwqMQMSqOaHSlV7Po5TRnEdkdV3FyE-akhsgn4Wo5qcXoelLSlKQ9a8OQpSHhoc--DcaQz05Xzz1Ual5CsiBzgoavFBacA=w862-h1546" width="862" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course our time wouldn't be complete without a stop to see the North Pole Staff, Mrs. Claus, learn a little Christmas Tree history, and finally see ... </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEUf_rVFxmBtnphc80mo1WzkYJp_7S_83J0uB-6xWbMylRwIuGKBhl7ksQkTaDZ11ddp_cyApdyKIk4X09SCT-xz86ThfpcZN20n2Rjl57MDoSG0bst40SfrvxS5_ck5ym8c9XteL13whnARK0a7gMMvDfEXiax-Y-oyGVKQsRLOkvsUJzBKCPnx4V0g=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEUf_rVFxmBtnphc80mo1WzkYJp_7S_83J0uB-6xWbMylRwIuGKBhl7ksQkTaDZ11ddp_cyApdyKIk4X09SCT-xz86ThfpcZN20n2Rjl57MDoSG0bst40SfrvxS5_ck5ym8c9XteL13whnARK0a7gMMvDfEXiax-Y-oyGVKQsRLOkvsUJzBKCPnx4V0g=w863-h1546" width="863" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>the big guy himself - Santa. Our girl got to have a very quiet moment with Santa (behind glass) and share her simple ask for under the tree.</div><div><br /></div><div>We were so thankful for this chance to engage in some Christmas traditions from history and look forward to doing it all over again next year! Merry Christmas to all!</div><p></p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-80417131777059289182021-11-09T07:00:00.004-06:002022-08-15T00:55:34.509-05:00It's the Little Things, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mom and I were recently reflecting on how life is built of the little things, as my son slowly approaches the end of his high school days. In many ways, the last 18 months has been a magnifying glass on that idea. So, since my girl has been begging me to write a blog post (reading them has become a new favorite past time of hers), it felt like the perfect nudge to reflect on our little things of 2020 and why my blog posting suddenly hit a wall. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The start of 2020, in many ways, was much like years previous. We had just finished spending Christmas with my mom, only our second one since my dad had passed. We had our new puppy and were ready to start a new year. Little did any of the world know, it would be a year with very little of what we had seen before.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdpaAad88iOnTp-0SvIf901WWCOFF-CEvxg54Z52lSmyEUEbPGn5bqYQB2jw29XNjvRZGeAS7GdMlmKD_WmNPT6JmSjn1TkCXC6JkUb0UdgGnD7tVGLAEe1tflOwl8FIzq7jsQzSXdPv0/s2048/Blog+1-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdpaAad88iOnTp-0SvIf901WWCOFF-CEvxg54Z52lSmyEUEbPGn5bqYQB2jw29XNjvRZGeAS7GdMlmKD_WmNPT6JmSjn1TkCXC6JkUb0UdgGnD7tVGLAEe1tflOwl8FIzq7jsQzSXdPv0/w861-h1542/Blog+1-1.jpg" width="861" /></a></div><div><br /></div>We welcomed 2020 with our growing puppy at the front door, as we resumed back-to-school life. We cashed in The Gift of Time presents, to spend more time together (oh, the irony), as we painted pottery at our local pottery shop. Aaron got his Eagle Scout Project approved and began collecting materials for what seemed to be the next big thing on the list, and we participated in Girl Scout events with friends, including viewing the super moon in February.<div><br /></div><div>When March 2020 hit, I already had a clear understanding that any virus can be dangerous for me as a diabetic. When my condition was on the top 5 list for high risk complications, this was suddenly a whole different game. The world seemed to also acknowledge the seriousness, which made staying safe much easier. We watched life slow down through both our physical and computer windows. School and group functions went purely online, and our backyard and short walks around the block became our new world.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbngsfsEbBJp6KIvz19hW28bmJeu9uiAKnfHME98AbZcl9QK2dPAoI4Gz6cC3i6zYJlzMeR2CywE8YMe956yLpzFPvduYWfxbrMqCacAl0-r0QZm_gikrFt9PdpUHWzfXOcuRXMFZ9wveJ/s2048/Blog+1-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbngsfsEbBJp6KIvz19hW28bmJeu9uiAKnfHME98AbZcl9QK2dPAoI4Gz6cC3i6zYJlzMeR2CywE8YMe956yLpzFPvduYWfxbrMqCacAl0-r0QZm_gikrFt9PdpUHWzfXOcuRXMFZ9wveJ/w863-h1546/Blog+1-2.jpg" width="863" /></a></div><p>In some ways, it was rather beautiful to mark things off our calendar and begin to learn things that we loved about spending time together. My husband built my daughter a swing for her favorite tree and my son got papers signed off for his Eagle Project. We designated nights for each member of our family and spent many of them learning about what made us individually tick, as well as what we could have fun doing together as a family. We had plenty of backyard fire pit nights with s'mores (at least some people did), and I was able to witness my first ever Mother's Day book addition, which consists of handprints and hand written notes, always done in secret until 2020.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Lu3EKAs_akQYxqe3HLjwtdQSXoRLDgla-whJ38RFrU6ZRSzuDTfKLDmVvtQPziQqXHv4ryvEP82s5cBTaNuh4Hx30AMT6mM7GKRWeP3mu_cYg8xcb1AmtAZ8Pp4a6ueiPhq1-ZHOqnDC/s2048/Blog+1-3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Lu3EKAs_akQYxqe3HLjwtdQSXoRLDgla-whJ38RFrU6ZRSzuDTfKLDmVvtQPziQqXHv4ryvEP82s5cBTaNuh4Hx30AMT6mM7GKRWeP3mu_cYg8xcb1AmtAZ8Pp4a6ueiPhq1-ZHOqnDC/w868-h1554/Blog+1-3.jpg" width="868" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We sought out a few families that we asked if they were remaining mostly separated from others and Aaron worked to finish his Eagle Scout Project outdoors with masks. The project portion of his rank was complete by the end of May, leaving him 1 badge, installation, and paperwork. We were so excited for him to be able to mark this off his list.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLqlWAT16tvm9Hy1XAlhME-JJS6qPGcNpMLWUZII3Gp5NkVqsadNY0-ZhcsBbsxwacVGbdVZ6iBkuzOy2KBuMcVZc39fX_EZONiJNb6xeD4QFFUyXKuN5nKYIMQeZ5yiyNs00j2Jr0Qe3/s2048/Blog+2-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLqlWAT16tvm9Hy1XAlhME-JJS6qPGcNpMLWUZII3Gp5NkVqsadNY0-ZhcsBbsxwacVGbdVZ6iBkuzOy2KBuMcVZc39fX_EZONiJNb6xeD4QFFUyXKuN5nKYIMQeZ5yiyNs00j2Jr0Qe3/w868-h1556/Blog+2-2.jpg" width="868" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Being at home had its ups and downs in the beginning, but it was about to get much more difficult than we could imagine. In May of 2020, people started getting together with others. The phase of life in our area that was "masked and six foot apart" began. In the mean time, my doctors were advising me to remain out of stores and restaurants and to not engage with people who were in high contact with others. By then, almost everyone we knew had resumed spending time with people several times a week or had jobs that were considered front line workers, so that left us without options. As life began to get into a rhythm outdoors, we continued to celebrate from indoors or our backyard. There was a Father's Day scavenger Hunt, front yard July 4th fireworks, virtual driveway Girl Scout bridging, and a 16th birthday with a night long video game celebration. All of which, while done with a smile, was always done with an understanding, but heavy heart.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNgnPcae-hRzOHyqLT95CeXMRlQZ2IQg3sj7LuP8Ubsl8SndNLeP5iwY49DUjvCRkohKL2uyBDGLlIdiDfmrLKB2tOD1b9ZmJq5LpPbZFcjHF86WtI7uZbGsG-orlTJ-mJfBzMgVvT5G7/s2048/Blog+2-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNgnPcae-hRzOHyqLT95CeXMRlQZ2IQg3sj7LuP8Ubsl8SndNLeP5iwY49DUjvCRkohKL2uyBDGLlIdiDfmrLKB2tOD1b9ZmJq5LpPbZFcjHF86WtI7uZbGsG-orlTJ-mJfBzMgVvT5G7/w871-h1563/Blog+2-1.jpg" width="871" /></a></div><br /><p>School started back up and life around us resumed for most people we knew. I had to pull myself off social media many times because it was so very painful to watch people posting as their lives were returning to normal and ours was remaining the same to keep me safe. The few times we considered re-engaging with a group outdoors, we would later find out that someone at the gather had gotten COVID and it made my heart skip a beat to think we could have been there. My kids continued to attend school and Scouts virtually, our family attended church and care group virtually, and I attended my Moms group and lunches with Annie virtually. I was SO very thankful for the ways that people helped us to stay connected, but it was also so hard on our hearts to still be on the other side. I emailed and called my doctors frequently, just to double check that they would give the same advice. I was advised to continue the same path: my household was to remain out of stores, out of restaurants, out of group gatherings, and away from people in high contact jobs.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJPUjzznH4aBqHSJeHWGHZh0rbGdGfqu-tqfsKNKcMS7iM085GYSHxD3JK0gFGB3plQHXp7-kSVwOGVsZL3efgLVRHe0L3WbVR0pqhD29GnURc9cj3TJ2oo_KGTfVijRwERnnioe9D3sf/s2048/Blog+3-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJPUjzznH4aBqHSJeHWGHZh0rbGdGfqu-tqfsKNKcMS7iM085GYSHxD3JK0gFGB3plQHXp7-kSVwOGVsZL3efgLVRHe0L3WbVR0pqhD29GnURc9cj3TJ2oo_KGTfVijRwERnnioe9D3sf/w866-h1552/Blog+3-1.jpg" width="866" /></a></div><br /><p>With so many people around us getting back to normal, it was difficult for some to understand why we weren't, especially as the holidays arrived. My family stood firm with me in following my doctors' guidance. They loved me so deeply; more than I am sure I could ever know. They made sacrifices for me that I will never fully comprehend. I have always listened as people would tell me they could "never do" the things I have to do to stay alive. They could never turn away from sweets or count carbs or take shots or be limited in their day to day lives. I have always responded that if their lives depended on it, they would find a way. Over my almost 4 decades with this disease though, I have learned that that actually isn't always true. I have watched as people didn't take the medicine, didn't say no to the food, or didn't listen to the advice of their doctors, and this disease took their life because of it. Or worse, they did do all the things, and diabetes still won. However, there are, in fact, people who COULDN'T do what I do, and couldn't do what the people in my home did for me this last year. I will never be able to tell my people how deeply grateful I am that they did THE biggest things in their lives in 2020 (and 2021) to keep me not only healthy and sane, but feeling so very loved.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHi48pI5QrnyPvGTgD6mJE3LgozbjOfUD67sjNXXrep1gOZ1zUyTtORICtxxbs6tnq2kj3dUEk1aD4CWFuEvugXGwFL7DM6L2cJf-JVm9pdDbQ9qUVLWpeIvk4D6FW-Bid9a0KSYapSBA/s2048/Blog+3-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEHi48pI5QrnyPvGTgD6mJE3LgozbjOfUD67sjNXXrep1gOZ1zUyTtORICtxxbs6tnq2kj3dUEk1aD4CWFuEvugXGwFL7DM6L2cJf-JVm9pdDbQ9qUVLWpeIvk4D6FW-Bid9a0KSYapSBA/w870-h1558/Blog+3-2.jpg" width="870" /></a></div><p>Our holidays were as low key as the rest of the year. We made our first turkey, and masked up to quickly snag a Christmas tree in a parking lot instead of our usual tree hunting with large groups in hayrides and shuttle buses. We decorated our way-too-large tree with decades worth of sentimental ornaments and celebrated with Charlie Brown reminding me that I have so much to be thankful for, even in the darkest and hardest of years. That my little family, who loves me with a level of sacrifice that speaks beyond my words, is one of my greatest gifts. That 2020's little things, really did amount to being the biggest things of all.</p><p>Until next time,</p></div>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comO'Fallon, MO, USA38.8106075 -90.69984769999999210.500373663821158 -125.85609769999999 67.120841336178842 -55.543597699999992tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-17054025395044952862021-08-07T09:19:00.001-05:002022-11-01T21:52:52.574-05:00Papa Tom's Fairy Garden<p><i>For those of you that are loyal followers, you may have noticed the very long delay in posts. I promise, I'll talk about that at some point, but not in this post.</i></p><p>Our family has some wonderful neighbors and friends, Mr. Tom and Ms. Karen. When we first moved into our house, we met Karen when she brought us over a meal after a day of moving in boxes, because that is the love of Ms. Karen. It was fantastic to have real food and a lovely start to a friendship that has lasted well past a decade. Our girl became good friends with Mr. Tom. She would ride her bike or scooter on the sidewalk in between our houses and chat with Mr. Tom from his usual perch in his garage. It became a sweet routine and constant in our lives. I wish I had real photographs of it, but it always felt like an intrusion into their space, so I didn't ask. I only have 1 from very far away, and I deeply regret not asking. When Mr. Tom's on and off sickness took an unexpected sharp turn this summer, it left us all so very lost that he would not be returning to his perch.</p><p>Karen and I had talked about trying to get some photos in with their family the next time their grandkids came into town, but things moved so very fast that we never had that chance. Instead, Karen, her daughter, and her grandchildren decided to create a beautiful memorial Fairy Garden for Papa Tom and I was able to photograph it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Zbdj_tPtXUrX2JEQAuySJ8e2XpRnafSODuM5ZNXojBHd9-BAZIEyncTv9uNd7I2zNwPJw4bA38W3YsKA9zXshhV2Zy4EmWHyqTMdWSelG43gOME2-q1_YS0YgPXV3CzpPmt98Dykd4aX/s2048/Blog+1-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1609" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Zbdj_tPtXUrX2JEQAuySJ8e2XpRnafSODuM5ZNXojBHd9-BAZIEyncTv9uNd7I2zNwPJw4bA38W3YsKA9zXshhV2Zy4EmWHyqTMdWSelG43gOME2-q1_YS0YgPXV3CzpPmt98Dykd4aX/w899-h1609/Blog+1-1.jpg" width="899" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the creating began, Kathryn, Tom's oldest daughter, and I chatted about how the beginning of this wasn't as picture perfect as it appears. Between figuring out all the details, there were small voices that were desperate to make sure the pieces they picked in the store landed safely in their garden for Papa Tom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wqCGqRP-PjzB30Bfqi6xN3OLLYKnMln_JRqkNnBcaqQf4wrpbEO7YWjwJgfj-BuC9avMBgWJO7dAHOeGRFJl_7AN-pJbrfcVXDvQWMCF7zoW6UVykrlhRnOAcrH9fCO02yKbvNX5MKy-/s2048/Blog+1-3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1609" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wqCGqRP-PjzB30Bfqi6xN3OLLYKnMln_JRqkNnBcaqQf4wrpbEO7YWjwJgfj-BuC9avMBgWJO7dAHOeGRFJl_7AN-pJbrfcVXDvQWMCF7zoW6UVykrlhRnOAcrH9fCO02yKbvNX5MKy-/w898-h1609/Blog+1-3.jpg" width="898" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Of course, you can understand why that matters. Papa Tom was pretty fantastic. I have no doubt that under the normal parts of being kids, were the more sullen parts that were understanding these were no ordinary fairy gardens.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEv_WizoP7CVO9e3Zrea-zuuyn26SnAeCgvE6M26d6swsedp3VnC618olhTfHKqTb-RXGxWvMymSLnNcp4mFgSP9PCmbJAA2qnC-LjFt_xKLz-45N0_GdPBa3HUO_R5IK9CZtw-jiqLIYC/s2048/Blog+1-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEv_WizoP7CVO9e3Zrea-zuuyn26SnAeCgvE6M26d6swsedp3VnC618olhTfHKqTb-RXGxWvMymSLnNcp4mFgSP9PCmbJAA2qnC-LjFt_xKLz-45N0_GdPBa3HUO_R5IK9CZtw-jiqLIYC/w902-h1616/Blog+1-2.jpg" width="902" /></a></div><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Everyone worked so diligently as they began to lay out their designs. When rocks ran low, Karen was quick to find more with her granddaughter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirruUChsO4WUnZRs50xYQYXcfdW5MmckyY4to10iO1nwLe6w7I1VRpsHco8kcEc3IRlkQDKv2XuXc3V_DjeI83hhWv2GnKxfAFeQM5dUu71w1HyJJjTW37RnYXhmAkD6cefwEKYtw3cZbF/s2048/Blog+2-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1621" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirruUChsO4WUnZRs50xYQYXcfdW5MmckyY4to10iO1nwLe6w7I1VRpsHco8kcEc3IRlkQDKv2XuXc3V_DjeI83hhWv2GnKxfAFeQM5dUu71w1HyJJjTW37RnYXhmAkD6cefwEKYtw3cZbF/w905-h1621/Blog+2-1.jpg" width="905" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was really very beautiful to watch the kids work on something that was so special to them. Of course, there were still those in between moments where pieces were being held to tightly for fear of being relocated to a neighboring garden, but that was ok.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12r2Q3TFTSQrjA1JlYkQzU_A3QreRoijMcyE2R3clqxtod28c7qi4KfmiMnm6FNLoX6T4nQzK0iFmCjl7K3b2cdfRoXq4zKCx8tQAvzEMcgoJLqn64f1ehCYYHUMKUdWylGiGXUMDVwdS/s2048/Blog+2-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg12r2Q3TFTSQrjA1JlYkQzU_A3QreRoijMcyE2R3clqxtod28c7qi4KfmiMnm6FNLoX6T4nQzK0iFmCjl7K3b2cdfRoXq4zKCx8tQAvzEMcgoJLqn64f1ehCYYHUMKUdWylGiGXUMDVwdS/w909-h1626/Blog+2-2.jpg" width="909" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As the kids continued to work, I found myself watching Karen and wishing Tom were there with them all. I know I wasn't alone with those thoughts. He would have loved watching those kids pour themselves into those gardens.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEpPq2uz_CgGDvcl4mL4t2K3ebHs8iaGEpOPY9DTdo10y41pamZic2G_VH_f2Zy9cT4poQQxVIMUusk2fwRRX3bxyS34gHE9yttEyuHhP2q94b9FELC1OQMh3VIv0JUw5JCiP2N46p3ec/s2048/Blog+2-3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoEpPq2uz_CgGDvcl4mL4t2K3ebHs8iaGEpOPY9DTdo10y41pamZic2G_VH_f2Zy9cT4poQQxVIMUusk2fwRRX3bxyS34gHE9yttEyuHhP2q94b9FELC1OQMh3VIv0JUw5JCiP2N46p3ec/w912-h1634/Blog+2-3.jpg" width="912" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before the end came, there was rock sharing and piece giving and lots of pride to be had about the creations they had made. But there was just a little more left to do - picking the perfect location.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRVA7nc2ctnK_FxbOg5M7eOgwAkzB_D_rR9_3FgVWdgsrbZ8J-bNzNYEJDyAmiMGNJbt0EE6tKUh77KXpTWKZ1hI8oeriFyJ6J4xlC_alRtshHAekW7GRcN173o8c7ptTH8EXA790JvPY/s2048/Blog+3-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1635" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRVA7nc2ctnK_FxbOg5M7eOgwAkzB_D_rR9_3FgVWdgsrbZ8J-bNzNYEJDyAmiMGNJbt0EE6tKUh77KXpTWKZ1hI8oeriFyJ6J4xlC_alRtshHAekW7GRcN173o8c7ptTH8EXA790JvPY/w912-h1635/Blog+3-1.jpg" width="912" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And the real beauty of any fairy garden - pixie dust. The kids each took some and shared what they loved about Papa Tom. I found myself catching my breath as I shot through memories of Papa Tom going fishing with his grandson or how his granddaughters just loved spending time with him and knowing that he was so kind to everyone. Indeed. Emma and I would second that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJZRaUVGI-uluxI6uxfFGPPNVsNaSsSxqVd6UBimFBv8PWWQS6aF0J7UQ2MKw-5gHuHgNpiDp3ML8nF6qbMNdD8fCNPHlsx9yD9mXdX91htYPUDqzkfgf24O3OKM8VvfDEaPHeMm_PUo8/s2048/Blog+3-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1646" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJZRaUVGI-uluxI6uxfFGPPNVsNaSsSxqVd6UBimFBv8PWWQS6aF0J7UQ2MKw-5gHuHgNpiDp3ML8nF6qbMNdD8fCNPHlsx9yD9mXdX91htYPUDqzkfgf24O3OKM8VvfDEaPHeMm_PUo8/w919-h1646/Blog+3-2.jpg" width="919" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The glitter caught the sun and the wind and scattered everywhere. I loved to watch it fall and think that Tom was all around. I could see him poured over each of those beautiful children he was a part of.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3Jws_h2KUUe2zBTIbxVqhH6G0jz4zybeeM8zUt3R62dQuRJiAubumFBKO48D9B3KLmHwxcy48hLVbQLMuzENZdWBy30MKgsW_qdR58XYUPJXrXN7p6fOFM6k2O8iuPLTYyzAbsBmmahT/s2048/Blog+4-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1664" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij3Jws_h2KUUe2zBTIbxVqhH6G0jz4zybeeM8zUt3R62dQuRJiAubumFBKO48D9B3KLmHwxcy48hLVbQLMuzENZdWBy30MKgsW_qdR58XYUPJXrXN7p6fOFM6k2O8iuPLTYyzAbsBmmahT/w929-h1664/Blog+4-1.jpg" width="929" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The final products were so beautiful and such personalized pieces to hold memories the kids shared with Papa Tom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h2S6ZFQEbX8D_Dr7-DEO7qdouwVE7N8y9EaPIh_XmsKrk8iYqD355YM_qG-4KgG-y0GOj4Fp1-sxLdcGoaEWBUnUY4rqgMJ97NpZN6nttbCGnMcP_WXdqfhVVog1MAlNpDe_c-XiP3xp/s2048/Blog+4-3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1664" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_h2S6ZFQEbX8D_Dr7-DEO7qdouwVE7N8y9EaPIh_XmsKrk8iYqD355YM_qG-4KgG-y0GOj4Fp1-sxLdcGoaEWBUnUY4rqgMJ97NpZN6nttbCGnMcP_WXdqfhVVog1MAlNpDe_c-XiP3xp/w929-h1664/Blog+4-3.jpg" width="929" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was one final send off with glitter to the wind.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fACBr5tDQFP_x9clTswS5U7mrnEMAS3KiUCWmcawxvln6qywMkAQ3BMLAtnNYtLTuJ1Cs2d7SZkRKw893oR00K1yJp3Jrb4WG1L23ga2dd4gVOPngVg42MrQoIyXHrx-ZqfRtJhvbb2S/s2048/Blog+4-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1143" height="1658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fACBr5tDQFP_x9clTswS5U7mrnEMAS3KiUCWmcawxvln6qywMkAQ3BMLAtnNYtLTuJ1Cs2d7SZkRKw893oR00K1yJp3Jrb4WG1L23ga2dd4gVOPngVg42MrQoIyXHrx-ZqfRtJhvbb2S/w926-h1658/Blog+4-2.jpg" width="926" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And a for sure feeling of all the love felt for Papa Tom that would remain behind like the glitter of the world.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Until next time,</p>Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-53623910475043128232020-04-07T16:49:00.000-05:002020-04-07T16:49:27.705-05:00Documenting Your Everyday - Step 2Hi friends! Last post, I gave you your <a href="http://abidingmomentsphotograph.blogspot.com/2020/03/documenting-your-everyday-step-1.html" target="_blank">first step to becoming a better documenter of your everyday lives during this crisis</a>. How's that been going? I remember starting at that step (unknowingly) and finding myself STRUGGLING to overcome my previous habits and really do that step well. It took some time, and honestly, I still struggle sometimes, so if you have had a hard time making the transition, have heart. It gets better, just keep practicing. If you missed it, make sure you go check it out because it really is the foundation of being able to do this well. And leave me a comment on that post to let me know how it helped you.<br />
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Step 2 is very reliant on whether or not you have been successfully working on step 1. When I work with clients, I always have a sit down meeting with them to learn what I call the "insider secrets" about their people. It's one of my favorite parts of this style of photography! I love to sit and listen to a parent start to spill all these beautiful details about their family members. Since YOU are the actual insider though, you likely already KNOW all of that knowledge that I have to go collect. The one thing is, you probably haven't ever really paid attention and made a list of it all. So, that is step 2 - (silent) Observing and Noting. In addition to our quarantine images, I am going to pull from my archives too, so you can have a better understanding on this one.<br />
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What you will note for each person will be different, and it will very much be a reflection of how you see them. Here's a VERY short list for the people in my house and images that I feel like show that piece. My husband: his hard work / serious looks, his baby blues, his lightheartedness and silliness, especially as he plays with the kids, his multiple unique smiles.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaMQtfcLhAOgAPbxAtTrI2hg9u4ra2l_PHAO5e5Q-p2HDpO-tyDzlPnX-7_kW4jwrVmTh2fpET6HvFvIYDp3gifKJTKiQFVpQZ_0b9SA0v1-b44DtFJtdS53L-9PDxedgLmLzTk_HBWEf/s1600/Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="893" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaMQtfcLhAOgAPbxAtTrI2hg9u4ra2l_PHAO5e5Q-p2HDpO-tyDzlPnX-7_kW4jwrVmTh2fpET6HvFvIYDp3gifKJTKiQFVpQZ_0b9SA0v1-b44DtFJtdS53L-9PDxedgLmLzTk_HBWEf/s1600/Blog-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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My son: his kindheartedness, his goofiness, how he behaves when he is uncomfortable, his serious face.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRMUG7XGun6Ss03dwIOS_M9yl6zkLN_T4DXHitopCqeMfqAqHq-xMVcDR6l63sg4WMaLdgoJSwxsmy_cJ2AXofiR3fOaASTVwC3ne-ZA8ZqgW0cBAdV-eqGAMvd7kud7IQazrQVahW09o/s1600/Blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="893" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRMUG7XGun6Ss03dwIOS_M9yl6zkLN_T4DXHitopCqeMfqAqHq-xMVcDR6l63sg4WMaLdgoJSwxsmy_cJ2AXofiR3fOaASTVwC3ne-ZA8ZqgW0cBAdV-eqGAMvd7kud7IQazrQVahW09o/s1600/Blog-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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My daughter: her infectious laugh / smile, her care and love for others, her more serious side, her openness (with us) to dance / sing with shows or play pretend.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrejZats9plvWPjhBh4ORxC9E6GsazU36sUDrUa8HZLF30r0gceo8z_mCi_gkeIDWMOOU0ft7XwucsiiY77WvSOoV1mP5_xIFz8ypIlqiVFjn9ByWkLXgPH6X8w4MTYN9ua9H3l65yKkC/s1600/Blog-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="893" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrejZats9plvWPjhBh4ORxC9E6GsazU36sUDrUa8HZLF30r0gceo8z_mCi_gkeIDWMOOU0ft7XwucsiiY77WvSOoV1mP5_xIFz8ypIlqiVFjn9ByWkLXgPH6X8w4MTYN9ua9H3l65yKkC/s1600/Blog-3.jpg" /></a></div>
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The most important piece here is to really be observant and start writing things down - and this list can collect for a while. In fact, when we finally get out of this isolation thing, if you and I get to work together, this will be a big help when we sit down to talk about your session and family. More importantly though, it will be a huge blessing as we all continue to spend tons of time in our homes together. <br />
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So remember, (1) be present by single tasking, and (2) be observing and taking notes. Recognize that when observing, it's important that you not be directing or controlling people or a situation. Your main objective is to be watching people for who they are naturally, not who you tell them to be. And be watching for the beauty God has designed in them, even in their PJ's and messy hair.<br />
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Until next time,Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-85121364393425236182020-03-30T21:46:00.000-05:002020-03-30T22:36:26.905-05:00Documenting Your Everyday - Step 1 I don't know where you are right now, as we begin week 3 of the US shut down. Perhaps you have been counting down the days until day 15 was done, excited to socially reengage, only to feel defeated to find out that day 15 was not the end. Perhaps you haven't seen much of a difference in your everyday because you typically work from home and don't really spend a ton of time out and about. Or maybe you are somewhere in the middle, like I think so many of us are. Where ever you are right now, it's likely that you have had time to do many of the things you always find yourself saying you wish you had more time for - like having family meals and spending family time together. Extra time on your hands may have even led to a list of things you seem to never have the time - or maybe energy /desire - to tackle. {Unless, of course, you are one of the countless of essential workers that are literally the heartbeat of our country right now. If you are, there are simply not enough words and ways to tell you how much the people of this country appreciate all you are doing and sacrificing for us all. My family is so very grateful to you as we have been as isolated as possible for the last two and half weeks because of and for you.}<br />
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While you have had the opportunity to spend some extra quality time with your peeps, I encouraged my FB followers to be documenting their days in the ways I would, were I to be with you. In case you missed it, here were my exact words: <i>"What a beautiful time to be engaging as a family, building both memories and wonderful habits of spending quality time together. As you start making time for just living plain old life together, with no busy schedule, hear me cheering you on and being stupid excited for you. How I would love to be taking beautiful pictures of your lives right now, so make sure to take pictures yourselves. This is a historic time in our world and lives and you'll be so thankful for pictures of it later."</i> Now that the time has been extended, I wanted to do something more than just cheer you on. I wanted to help you make the most of this time and give you some tips that might make your photo journal more meaningful, and more beautiful because of that.</div>
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Enter in this series, "Documenting Your Everyday". I have made a short list of the things I believe will be most powerful to you as you go about being immersed in living everyday life to help you see the beauty of it all. I am going to break this down into separate posts, using images from our quarantine time, in hopes that it will give you a chance to practice that skill before the next step comes. SO, I'm going to start with one of the steps I think is not just a necessary step for being a better documenter, but for improving lots of things in life. I believe it can improve our relationships, our attitudes, and our lives overall. What's this magic step?</div>
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Learning to be present.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95BGZGu2GgTdbL4RoJOMhMCWJICxGf6T2Prt_YEuuKMcJSvdhUNJnuw_CFvamAFFlZkhqBkV3j26mMdLmy48Yprlufr3s2O3nCSSXqhiSKw4ybW4blICJGoOJ2XwPai55PL-1p95hZKlm/s1600/Blog-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj95BGZGu2GgTdbL4RoJOMhMCWJICxGf6T2Prt_YEuuKMcJSvdhUNJnuw_CFvamAFFlZkhqBkV3j26mMdLmy48Yprlufr3s2O3nCSSXqhiSKw4ybW4blICJGoOJ2XwPai55PL-1p95hZKlm/s1600/Blog-1.jpg" /></a></div>
Now, before you blow right over this step, I want to tell you something critical about this one. Without it, your documenting may lose a lot of its meaning, and the rest of the steps really don't work. Also, that's kind of the point of this thing we call life - having meaning in what we do. You will miss what is going on under the surface when it comes to your kids, your spouse, your friends, your co-workers, and so much more. Missing that will mean that your relationships will suffer. Trust me on this one - it is a must.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIoXB1CufTeY6QdNYhqraNZvNQJOq24bI7ZdU-Z4TbmtxbPQj7wHicnWorBpjcTmE-Zkz9axWzd30TNQt5bvTdg7QAMIJs1dMHALE-os5SgRTKpaCUVV4ntQ_c7s9pUlk_bkLlgLIjEPu/s1600/Blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoIoXB1CufTeY6QdNYhqraNZvNQJOq24bI7ZdU-Z4TbmtxbPQj7wHicnWorBpjcTmE-Zkz9axWzd30TNQt5bvTdg7QAMIJs1dMHALE-os5SgRTKpaCUVV4ntQ_c7s9pUlk_bkLlgLIjEPu/s1600/Blog-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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For some of you, this will be so much easier than others. I admit, depending on what is going on, this can be tricky for me. I want to take pictures of all the beauty I see, which tends to be allll the things. And I want to be able to show people how their everyday can be just as beautiful. But that doesn't really allow me to be present, so there are times that I just have to put the camera down. God has made us all uniquely different, but whether you are a do-er whose task list never seems to dwindle, or a natural social distance-r who gets drained by engaging, it's important to be present so you can actually see the story as it unfolds.<br />
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So, what does this look like? Simply put, it means<b> single tasking</b>. If your family is playing a game or taking a walk or having dinner or watching a movie, that is the only thing you are doing. You are not on your phone or laptop. You are not on social media or doing chores. You are not listening to music or texting with a friend. You are simply present and engaged fully in what's going on. (But, Melissa, how will I take pictures? Cool your jets. You aren't there yet. We'll get there.) In the beginning, this may be difficult. You will want to be constantly multitasking, but resist that urge and learn to be present. And resist your need to control and direct things. (More on that next time.) Your goal is to be able to SEE what is happening, by focusing on just one thing. I know you can do it! I would love to hear how this goes for you over the next week. I know it isn't going to be easy, because it isn't going to be your default move, but then again, neither was cancelling all your plans for three weeks, and social distancing, but you did it - or at least did your best, so, give this one a shot.<br />
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Until next time,</div>
Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-4139345768545334822020-02-06T14:34:00.000-06:002022-10-13T14:29:23.122-05:00When Change Is NeededHaving a second child is likely one of the biggest growth areas I have had in life. My first born was easy. Not only do I know I was a tougher parent, I know he responded to it. My second? Well, let's just say she didn't respond the same way. I knew that I would need to pivot, and thanks to a lovely friend and author, I read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cultivating-Peace-Receiving-Within-Chaos/dp/0692583513/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=stephanie+haynes&qid=1581018668&sr=8-2" target="_blank">a book</a> that helped me to see the struggles we had between us and adjust my parenting to fit her needs. I continue to learn more and more each day about how those adjustments will keep coming.<br />
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When kindergarten started for our girl last school year, it was a HARD transition. We had nightly melt downs and the need for naps several days a week. Since the beginning, her attitude about school hasn't been what I expected. I knew we would need time to adjust, but as we continued on in the year, not much changed. Kindergarten and First grade should be the years that kids still like school because learning can be fun. There shouldn't be complaints about it being boring or long. As a parent, and previous teacher, it concerned me that day after day, my daughter almost dreaded going to school, and rarely had exciting things to say about what she was learning. Even friendships were difficult, and we started seeing more emotional struggles and holes starting to surface in her learning. I began to ask questions and learned about the changes our district had made and realized that how they were teaching in elementary school just wasn't the right fit for us anymore.<br />
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So two weeks ago, our family made what I would consider a drastic change. We had learned about a program in our area called University Model Schooling that was structured with 2 days of traditional classroom learning and 3 days of satellite / home schooling. After a day long visit, lots of praying, applying, and testing, we took the plunge and started the new program.<br />
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Our first few days were ROUGH. School was great. For once, my girl was telling me how much she liked learning. She wasn't complaining about sitting on the carpet all day or telling me stories about friends that did something mean or inappropriate at school. (Which is not to say those won't ever happen, but right now, they seem to be less.) At home, we started filling in holes and working on things that had been neglected in her two short years at school. We used manipulatives (an abacus - what, you don't have one in your living room?) to work through math facts she hadn't started memorizing yet, and my girl loved the idea that she could practice her spelling words (something she hasn't had so far) by painting.</div>
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As a previous teacher, it was hard for me to let go of the idea that everything I had learned about traditional learning wasn't true. The world has preached that successful schooling really only looks one way - a classroom. It looks like straight lines and students working hard in seats fitting the mold and being in the box. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how silly it is to think that learning can only happen in a classroom with a certified teacher. Learning can happen literally anywhere and by anyone who knows about something you don't. It can even be self learning through examination, which happened quite a bit when I taught because I knew that kind of learning stuck way longer than just reading or listening.<br />
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The benefit of schooling on a more flexible schedule was that we did some of our Monday work over the weekend so we could have a morning off and head to the Zoo when the weather was predicted to be beautiful.<br />
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We enjoyed lots of physical activity and certainly could have made a field trip out of it, but we just enjoyed our morning together instead, returning home to finish up school work and get ready for a new week.<br />
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So far, the change has been a bit of a roller coaster. Seeing first hand the ways her learning has been impacted has been eye opening to me. Of course, this means she is working harder to catch up for now, which can sometimes be overwhelming. I am seeing though, how flexibility has been so good for us both and how she is picking up on things quickly and able to move forward to the next thing. This model has already shown that it is a much better fit for us than our local school. And for what it's worth, if you think it might be a better fit for your family too, don't hesitate to reach out and ask me more about it. I am happy to tell you about our experience of learning to make ourselves a new mold.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-37882605901298594222019-12-17T05:00:00.000-06:002022-10-13T14:29:36.559-05:00Christmas Traditions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Cutting down a live tree has been our family tradition for the last 15 years. The weather rarely cooperates and the hunt to find a tree we love never seems worth it, but there's that memories making thing, and at this point, I get it and choose to play along. This year, we had a new puppy and it felt like she needed to be a part of the fun. So, we bundled up and headed out to Eckert's.</div>
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About 10 minutes in, our girl was running like crazy and our pup was shivering in equal crazy mode. We soon realized that bringing a small dog out in the cold is exactly why people buy little dogs coats.<br />
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So, my son took on the role of dog watcher while my daughter ran the fields in search of the perfect tree. After only a few selections, our family tree was chosen and OUR GIRL wanted to be a part of cutting down the tree.<br />
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And THEN, she wanted to help CARRY IT. SO ... she did. All the way to the end (with maybe a break or 2).<br />
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We got back into the shuttle and made our way back to the hot cocoa & restrooms. When we first came in, my husband and I noticed that although it wasn't that late (2:45) Santa was in the parking lot walking towards the cars. Sure enough, when we returned after our tree, Santa's spot was empty. Most people were choosing to use the empty space to their advantage, so I decided to get a few shots of Nani and the kids.<br />
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Then off we went to load up the tree and go caroling home in my Jeep lit with Christmas lights.</div>
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Once home, we began stringing lights and garland. We took a break for dinner and pj's, then started back up with ornaments. How these kids of mine are growing so fast is beyond me, but what they say is true. Don't blink.<br />
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We polished off the night by getting our tree slice from last year decorated to add on and topped her with a star, by my boy who is evidently able to do that task on his own. It's definitely started feeling like Christmas around our house, which is good because there's less than ten days until the guy in the big red suit arrives. Merry Christmas friends!!<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-12504047793356130902019-12-08T06:00:00.000-06:002022-08-15T00:56:45.131-05:00Fall Portraits ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Portraits. Ugh. I have such a love hate relationship with them. But every picture has a story, right? And this set certainly has THAT. I try to take boring portraits of my kids for family purposes every year. Last year I failed, so I took them in the spring. I like the fall though, so about a month ago, I wanted to catch the colors before they were gone. I wanted my kids to look like they own nice clothes and their hair has seen a comb more than once a week. But, my kids? Meh. My son, a typical teenager, doesn't own jeans or khakis, and wears athletic pants and a hat almost daily. My girl, she will wear a fancy dress on a random Tuesday, and then sweats and a stained shirt the next day. And since portraits are really meaningless to me, I get super grumpy and just want everything to be easy and done. It just doesn't go like that though. Instead, we had a fight in the middle of Walmart over pants my son would never wear, and I threw my own kind of fit right before we walked out and traveled home in silence, instead of going to the park for pictures. Blech. After a silent hour lunch, I came back to earth and got some clarity on what exactly we were struggling with. I decided my kids should wear something they were comfortable in without holes or stains and grabbed my camera. If they turned out terrible, we could try again. And they were fine. I mean, I could sit and point out everything about them that isn't perfect, but really, why? The things that stand out as imperfections are a kind of cool piece of who my people are.</div>
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We walked around to a couple of different places and did a few different posed shots, and I just let them be done. That's when everything got better.<br />
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There's a lovely, enormous downed tree at our local Rec Plex and my kids started counting the rings. Then they wanted to climb and jump, which I felt they certainly deserved after all the junk I had just put them through, so I told them to go for it, and I just shot.<br />
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When I look at the first part of this set, all I can think about is how we fought and argued before we even started and that it was just miserable. That I was not the Mom I want to be and in turn, my kids were not the kids they normally are.<br />
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When I see the second set, I catch my breath and I think, OH, my kids! They are so grown and sweet and loving life. I remember this sweet time in the park that felt so carefree and calm and like time had slowed down, if only for this brief few minutes. Plus, that light behind my girl gave me allll the feels.<br />
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This is where my heart is. Those portraits just made things bitter and robbed us of some of this goodness. And I don't know about you, but I sure could use more goodness in my life.<br />
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Until Next Time,Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143985840690386158.post-38425270182337369472019-11-24T05:00:00.000-06:002022-10-13T14:29:59.752-05:00A New PuppyIt has been many years since we have had a dog living under our roof. Ten years to be exact. And while I certainly haven't been counting the days, months, or years since we had to have Max put down, like I have with the loss of my dad, there is something about the loss of a pet that stings more than you expect. It took us some time to be able to even consider getting a new dog. And then some time for our son, and then our daughter, to get on board with the care of having a dog around. But, when they finally DID get on board, the count was on. We researched and signed up for a waiting list and when we finally got the call, our girl was over the moon.<br />
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We had known for a few weeks that we would be getting her, so we had been slowly gathering items. The bed, however, was something that seemed fitting to make a special visit to the pet store for.<br />
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After picking up food, a bed, and a couple of chew toys, we made sure to get an exact weight (a big 3 lbs) before heading home. Then, it was time for a little bath and some snuggling.<br />
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It surely felt like our new addition was over me taking pictures, so I tried to limit how much I hovered. I let the kids get to know her and and her to know the house. She has taken to Emma and followed her around every where today. Lots of playing and petting, which is so exciting to our girl.</div>
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By the end of the day, she was pretty tuckered out. At dinner, we finally agreed on a name - Nani (pronounced NAH-nee, which is Hawaiian for beauty) - and I got a few opportunities to chill with her. I know once everyone returns to a regular schedule, I will have TONS of one-on-one time to cuddle with her - and clean up after her as we go through all the stages of puppy training. It's a good thing she's so dang adorable.<br />
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Until next time,Melissa Kayserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11308792428872676999noreply@blogger.com