Tag: life as I know it

A Few Instagram Favorites of 2017

A Few Instagram Favorites of 2017

Posted on by Mama

I absolutely must say that Instagram has become my favorite social media platform during the last couple of years, probably because I love to express my own self through photography so much. I can enjoy a quick look at all the quirky, beautiful, fun and amazing photographs in my feed without having to wade through all the opinions and sharp words that often come with other forms of social media. If the old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” is true, then I can uncover a million stories in a fraction of the time it takes to scroll through Facebook.

So in the spirit of sharing a tiny glimpse of life and welcoming the new year, I want to pass along some of my favorite Instagram moments from 2017. But before I show you my picks, I want to pass along the top nine most liked photos according to Small Talk Mama’s followers and the stats. Here they are:

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Okay, so while I don’t think stats lie, I do think they often fail to tell the whole story. Some of these top photos garnered likes because they were associated with a project or challenge, which adds lots of nontraditional traffic to a particular post. . . and why a photo of my curtains made the list, I’ll never know. So let’s forget the data for a bit while I share a few of my 2017 Instagram favorites you might have missed. . .

 


 

 

#kansascityzoo on a beautiful March afternoon.

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on

 

 

What a crew at the Tulsa Zoo! #tulsazoo

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 


 


 


 


 

 

First splash of Memorial Day. #memorialdayweekend #swimming #familyfirst

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 


 

 

Formal night

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 

 

This is Alaska!! #summervacation #cruise #hollandamerica #family

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 


 


 


 


 


 

 

Happy birthday big boy!

A post shared by Small Talk Mama (@smalltalkmama) on


 


 


 


 


 

The Calm That Comes Between October and December

The Calm That Comes Between October and December

Posted on by Mama

the calm that comes between October and December

What a crazy fall it has been! Hmm, that sounds familiar, because I believe I echo that same sentiment every year about this time. We ramp up around here in October for our son’s birthday and then barrel on through Halloween and into Thanksgiving before decking the halls for Christmas. If we add the end of daylight savings into the mix with all the seriously gray days here in the Midwest, it makes a mama feel like she is wading through really thick mud! Thankfully we woke up to the glorious, long absent sun shining on us today, which helps me tolerate the wind that blew in with it.

So with all the endless putting up and taking down of decorations that accompany our autumns at the Three Acre Wood, I have decided to claim my new favorite holiday as Thanksgiving. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love to decorate for Halloween, dress up our child and hit the houses for tricks or treats and I also love the hustle and bustle of Christmas with all its holly, lights and gift giving; but I have begun to seriously appreciate the calm that comes between October and December.

Thanksgiving is just one of those holidays that is a good return on investment. You get to visit family, eat loads of delicious food and maybe even take in a movie, do a bit of shopping or play a friendly football game in the cow pasture (okay, so not everyone has a cow pasture for playing, but any old yard or park will do). There are no presents to purchase and no packages to wrap; just bring a dish or two (yes, I’ll be making Nannie’s pecan pie), wear something with elastic, show up with a smile and plan to stay awhile. There’s no need to make multiple trips to the attic ahead of time, because decorations are minimal with a few hand turkeys here and some multi-colored leaves there. You might even get to eat on the fancy dishes and actually use that gravy boat that has been gathering dust since this time last year.

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You just can’t beat a turkey coloring tablecloth and a huge jar of olives!

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There’s always something for the kids (and grownups) to enjoy, like this turkey craft kit.

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One never knows when the aunts might show up sporting all their craziness!

Thanksgiving, by design, is meant to give us a day to pause and reflect on all our blessings, to give thanks for our family and friends and for all that gives our lives some meaning. It is a time for remembrance and appreciation and a time for laughter and warmth. For me, Thanksgiving is the calm that comes between October and December and the restoration that comes before the scurry and hurry of the grand daddy of all holidays. It is a day to refocus on what really matters and a day to appreciate everyone in our lives.

So to all my family and friends, I thank the Lord for your presence in my life. I am truly blessed!

 

Solar Eclipse Quite the Sight in KC

Solar Eclipse Quite the Sight in KC

Posted on by Mama

solar eclipse

Wow, what an exciting day in Kansas City! We started the morning off with clouds and rain and polished off the afternoon with flash flooding. . . but thankfully the skies cleared inbetween so we could see today’s amazing solar eclipse in all his totality.

solar eclipse

My husband came home for lunch and eclipse viewing from our front yard, and we were both amazed at how quickly the event came and went and at how cool it all really was. Considering it will be almost 200 years before we can witness another event like this from our own front door, we decided to make the most of our ISO approved glasses (thanks Barb S.) and stare into the sky for a good long while. While we wished our son could have witnessed the event alongside us, he was making his own memories at school while staring into his own little glasses and learning all about eclipses.

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Luckily, I decided to give my digital camera a go by pivoting the viewfinder so that I could look down into it while my lens pointed to the sky. I got some really fun pictures of most of the eclipse, but had to battle intermittent clouds along the way. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a “totality” shot because it was only visible for a few seconds, but I did get to see it with my own silly-glasses-covered eyes and it was awesome!

I tell you, I never stop being amazed at the coolness of our vast universe, and this truly was an amazing day.

solar eclipse
Flooding in our backyard just two hours after the eclipse.
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