Snapshots | Sunsets & Streetlights

Putting thoughts into words has been a struggle for me lately, so I figured why not just share a few photos from a recent trip to Punta Gorda instead. Writing down my thoughts doesn't always come easily, but it's especially hard when I'm not sure which thought to start with at the moment. Peaceful photos and nighttime images seem to do the trick when the mind won't quiet itself.

Sometimes when the sun sets, all the madness and chaos of a busy day fades into the darkness.

The moon comes out for the night and casts calming a glow over the water.

Streetlights and car lights make for gorgeous night lights. I improvised and used a concrete piling near the waterside as a tripod. Maybe I'll get a real tripod one of these days. Until then, I'll continue getting creative with what's available.

Playing around with long exposures is something I want to learn more about, because there's something sort of magical to me about capturing an extended amount of time in one frame. There's such a beautiful exaggeration to light when you keep the shutter open for a couple seconds longer than normal.

Sometimes if you look long enough, you'll find beauty all around you.

Flower Power! Or Not.

{ flowers in my dad's yard in northern Michigan }

Flowering plants to me, in the most simple explanation I can think of, are like little people. Except plants actually come with some instructions and children don't. Plants come with those handy little plastic things, stuck neatly into the soil, that explain the plant's needs. Shade, plant separation distance, and water needs are all covered in the guidelines on that little piece of plastic. Even with the extra help though, I still manage to kill off our pretty little flowers time and time again.

We had a beautiful hanging basket full of flowers that lasted about 1.2 days on our patio. The death of our flowers left me miffed and confused. What did I we do wrong this time? Was it too much water? Or did the plant get too much light? I don't really blame it either. That Florida sun can zap the life right out of you in no time flat. Too much, and even too little, of a good thing can be a bad thing. Now I'm even more confused. These little people/plants are harder to take care of than I thought. Or are they? Maybe I'll pretend the death of our flowers was just a fluke, because I am able to keep our other plants and basil alive just fine. I'm not sure we want to spend the money on another hanging basket if it's just going to kick the bucket after we get 30 minutes of enjoyment out of it.

God help us when we get a puppy or, even scarier yet, a child. How will we ever keep it alive? At least babies grow up to be children, who eventually learn to speak, so we'll be able to ask what they need with time. Now that I think about it, flowers and puppies just might be scarier than children. They don't speak. Who am I kidding? Kids are scary, because they grow up to become adults. On second thought, maybe I will buy more flowers.

enjoy some more flowers from my dad's gardens.... I promise they won't talk back...

so pretty and green

beautiful flowers line the porch steps

spiders enjoy flowers too

lovely hydrangea

 bright as sunshine

this morning glory wraps around a glass with an avocado pit growing its own roots

Do you love being surrounded by flower gardens?

If you have any secrets on how to keep flowers alive, that would be much appreciated.

Something Beautiful for Your Weekend

First of all, thank you all for the nice comments from yesterday's post about my new haircut. I was beyond grateful for each kind word you all left for me. Thank you!

Second, this past week I had a wonderful week (almost) in Michigan visiting my family and friends. I did not take quite as many pictures as I would have liked, but I did get some that only begin to show you the beauty of northern Michigan. As each year passes, I learn to appreciate it even more. I am blessed to have grown up in such a naturally beautiful and quaint little town.

I grew up on an incredible lake, that I definitely took for granted at the time, but now I understand what a rarity it was to grow up with such a special place as my "backyard". Seeing a couple of meteorites shoot across the sky on my first night in town almost made me want to never leave. If only my husband had been there too, maybe we would have stayed.

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. May you get a chance to do something that you love or at least spend some time with loved ones. If not, get outside and at least appreciate the beauty that surrounds you. What are you plans for this weekend?

Happy Friday!

Come Fly With Me

It's been a while since I've blogged, and I have so many things to share with you!

Today I wanted to share some photos from an air show that we went to last month.

(it was actually much more than just an air show)

To finish off the month of March, we spent a day at the

2012 Sun 'n Fun Fly-in and Expo in Lakeland, Florida.

Sun 'n Fun is a whole week long display of airplanes, fly-bys,

exhibitions, events, and even includes rides for kids!

You have to experience it for yourself to fully understand

the enormity of this event. It's pretty incredible.

Our household just so happens to be rather interested in airplanes and flying.

I did marry a man who flies airplanes for a living, so it should be expected, right?

Throw in my obsession with airports { read about that here } and we're a pretty well rounded family

The Sun 'n Fun Fly-In & Expo in Florida was pretty amazing for a lot of different reasons.

You can actually get pretty close to the flying

that takes place over the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport.

See? We were darn close to the action!

It was honestly a bit scary hearing loud booms and seeing smoke while at the show. Don't worry though. I prayed it wasn't a plane crash and was relieved to find out it was all just part of the show.

Nate's father and stepmother were here visiting from Colorado, so they went to Sun 'n Fun with us!

There was always something going on throughout the day, and when the sky wasn't full of airplane action (which was almost never), there were plenty of airplanes on the ground for your viewing pleasure. You could sit and relax or get as close to the flying as a fence and the security guards allowed.

My husband and I really loved the P-51 Mustang that flew around for quite a while, but it's always amazing to see a fighter jet in action. Those things are so incredibly loud and powerful!

{ Here's the front end of a gorgeous P-51 Mustang }

I really enjoy getting up close to the aircraft, so one of my favorite parts of Sun 'n Fun was just walking around and browsing the assortment of airplanes.

We dream of having our own airplane some day. It would be pretty incredible taking our own plane out of a hangar and taking off into the wide open sky. How freeing it is to have all that open air surrounding you! We can dream. Winning the lottery would help make that dream come true much faster than saving for eternity. (:

Winning the lottery would also make having a luxury jet a much more attainable goal.

If I had a cool ten million laying around, I just might buy this lovely little jet that we explored while at Sun 'n Fun. See that smile on my face? That's a smile that says I can go wherever I want at the drop of a hat. (That is if you can afford gas for your jet)

All joking aside, we had a great time at the 2012 Sun 'n Fun Fly-In & Expo!

We would surely go again another year.

I hope your week is flying by!

too cheesy?

Do you enjoy air shows too?

Saint Petersburg: The Dali Museum

If you read yesterday's blog post, you will notice that I'm very delayed in writing about our Labor Day weekend. After viewing the USS Independence in Saint Petersburg's port, we found ourselves wandering around the Dali Museum's property.

Spanish artist Salvador Dali is probably best known for his paintings of melting clocks, but he has so many other amazing pieces of art. His Metamorphosis of Narcissus is one of my favorite pieces. I cannot wait to actually get inside of the museum one of these days.

Not only do I want to get inside of the museum and view Dali's art, but I also want to experience the museum's architecture. The world famous HOK Architects designed the museum, and if the interior is anything near as amazing as the exterior then I will be a happy girl.

{ Can you spot me in the photo? }

{ a bench, complete with crutch and melting clock, outside of the museum }

{ gorgeous reflections on museum glass }

I really cannot wait to get inside of the museum some day soon! The grounds around the museum are incredible. I have tons more photos from outside of the museum, so I may share a few more with you tomorrow. The weather feels like it has slightly cooled off here in Florida. I'm looking forward to it cooling down further! Is summer over yet where you live?

In the Bag!

Today is day 18 of the photo challenge over at All Kinds of Complicated,

so that means I'm sharing what's in my bag.

Yes. I'm one of those girls who carries around a big purse, or duffel bag as I like to call it, so I have lots of stuff inside it. Since there are so many random little things inside my bag, I'll share just a few of my essentials.

I think the only item that really stands out as odd is the Flip video camera. You mean you don't carry around a video camera in your purse? I bought this video camera, after my husband and I moved to Florida, in hopes of capturing fun videos to share with family and friends. You just never know when you might need to hop out of the car to video an alligator or two (like in these videos HERE). Not to mention catching the occasional shuttle launch (you can read about that HERE). Video cameras actually really come in handy for sharing fun stuff with loved ones who are far away.

Anyways, that's what you'll find in my bag.

Unfortunately my dSLR camera does not fit in my purse,

or you would probably find that in there too!

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Oh and speaking about photography, you can find me guest blogging for a dear blog friend.

Alisha is has an etsy shop featuring some wonderful photography of hers.

Check out her photos while browsing her blog!

Anyways, what are you waiting for?

Head over to her blog, because I'm sharing a recipe for some very delicious macaroni & cheese.

You're hungry, right? Go visit Alisha's blog: Alisha and Brandon. 

Better Late Than Never : Disney

Remember how we watched the Atlantis launch a couple of weeks ago? Since we were in the neighborhood, we stopped by Downtown Disney on our way back home from the east side of Florida. These photos from our visit to Disney are better late than never, right?

After navigating heavy traffic due to the launch of Atlantis, my husband and I had worked up an appetite the size of Texas. Subway sandwiches just didn't do cut it. I could feel that we were getting closer to Disney, so I convinced my husband that we must stop at Downtown Disney for food (and maybe a little bit of tourist activity too). Score! Mentioning food always seems to do the trick. My husband likes food, and I like Disney. Actually, I really like food too. It was a win-win for me, but my husband was the tough sell.

Downtown Disney is great for a few reasons. It's very close to the interstate, which makes it a quick stop for enjoying a meal or browsing the many stores. Not to mention the parking is free! Anything 'free' at Disney is hard to come by, so take what you can get. Granted, you will most likely spend money in their stores and/or restaurants. However, with a conscious effort, you can manage to spend a small amount of cash while still having fun.

We walked the entire length of Downtown Disney, and I made sure to stop in almost every store along the way. I wanted to get our time's worth of stuffed animal fondling and merchandise ogling. Not to mention, the obligatory silly hat-wearing photos. We managed to escape the grasp of Disney without spending money on anything other than food and drinks. Not too shabby if you ask me.

After browsing some dinner options, we decided to eat at Paradiso 37 where we split appetizers for dinner. The water view from our seats was probably the best part about eating there. Our ceviche was gorgeous, but it looked much better than it tasted. I gave them an A+ for presentation, but we have enjoyed much better food elsewhere. We should have known better than to order seafood at Disney. You live, and you learn.

We probably should have drank/ate our dinner at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop instead. I'm sure that would have been a fail-safe option. You can rarely go wrong with chocolate for dinner. Right? There's always next time!

After having our fill of over-priced appetizers, we made our way through the shops of Downtown Disney. Curl had some really great surf-inspired clothing and accessories, but my favorite shop was the TrenD boutique store. The chandeliers hanging overhead made the whole place feel luxurious and chic. They sold some candies in really great boxes with silly names and phrases. I found some scarves that I liked, but someone already gave me one as a gift. It was really fun just browsing all of the items, and it was even more fun walking out without spending a penny! After making our way across Downtown Disney, we made mental notes of places we would visit again when we return.

On our way out of the park, we noticed the House of Blues was selling fairly affordable tickets to a concert. Unfortunately we had not planned on staying out all night, so we passed on the tickets. Attending a concert at the House of Blues would be a fun way to spend an adult evening at Disney World. They really do have something for everyone at Disney!

Walt Disney World always gives you plenty of things to look at while visiting. They have beautiful gardens, they pay incredible attention to detail, and they provide plenty of entertainment throughout the parks. Minus the cost of entrance, if you are able to avoid buying everything in sight (they don't make it easy to avoid) and eating the over-priced food, you can probably escape Disney without hurting the pocketbook too badly.

Have you ever visited Disney on a budget?

How did you fare?

Challenge Me

Today I'm linking up over @ Outside Voice.

Lauren made the word 'challenge' her most recent

'Get the Picture' photo theme.

{ Head over there now to link-up or read all about

the many definitions of 'challenge'. }

|ˈch alənj| noun: a task or situation that tests someone's abilities.

Lauren asks us, "What is challenging?"

and "What challenges you?".

A challenge can take on many forms and definitions. Challenges may consist of the mental, physical, or emotional variety. By definition, a challenge tests our abilities. Everyone has such different abilities, strengths, and weaknesses; it's no wonder that we all find different things to be challenging.

For me, a challenge is something that seems near impossible but turns out to be a character builder instead. Challenging tasks are often just a state of mind that can be overcome. Anything can be a challenge if you let it, but challenges are made to be overcome. Taking on a challenge is almost always worth the effort, and the rewards are typically bigger than you could imagine. Sometimes the best gifts are in the unknown, and challenges are exactly that, an unknown area just waiting to be explored. Nothing is impossible, and with each challenge you learn more about your own capabilities. Not to mention, the view from atop a challenge is pretty incredible! There is always something to learn from a challenge.

If we let a challenge scare us away, then we probably won't get the opportunity to experience the growth and joy that comes from stomping on a difficult task. It feels great to push through something that most people think you're not capable of doing. There's something wonderful in knowing that most challenges can be overcome with some perseverance, determination, heart, and sheer will. Anything is possible. Don't let challenges stand in your way.

The power of the mind is amazing, so use it to your advantage. Challenges make you realize that you're much stronger than your body's limits. Set your mind on a goal, forget about the pain, and hopefully the challenge you face won't seem so challenging any more. Thinking about mind over matter always comes in handy when facing a tough situation.

Some of my best learning has come from challenging situations. I surely would not be who I am today without the challenges I've faced in life. With age, life experiences, and growth, I expect my definition of the word 'challenge' will change with me. Maybe I will reach a point where things just don't seem so challenging anymore? Maybe not. Either way, I welcome life's challenges; learning and growing will always be a part of my life.

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Now go and link up with Lauren over at Outside Voice!

Remember: Everyone defines a challenge differently than you, so use that knowledge to help others through their life challenges. We'll all be better in the long run if we help each other through the tough times. It just wouldn't be nice to purposely make life more challenging for others now... would it?

A Sunset for Saturday!

Yesterday we experienced our first sunset as Florida residents. It was pretty amazing. The couple that we talked with on the pier were really excited for us and hopeful that we will love Florida. All in all, we had a nice night and a lovely sunset to top it off!

Instead of talking about the sunset, I'd like to show you.

Here goes.

The sunset was beautiful, and I hear that no two sunsets are alike. We have a lot to look forward to here in Florida.

Where have you witnessed the best sunsets?

Was it on vacation, or was it right outside your back door at home?

Unpredictable By the Day

The snow has been never-ending in Colorado lately. The area has already seen almost twice the average snow fall typical for the month of May. The Denver area gets rain and storms, and in the foothills we get lots of that fluffy white stuff. Yesterday we accumulated probably almost 3 inches of snow, and this was by 3pm. Lately, the meteorologists have underestimated the frequency of our snows. Snow apparently has a mind of its own and can be very unpredictable.

My aunt just bought some flowers to decorate for my cousin's graduation this weekend, and we had to bring them all inside. Poor, pretty little flowers. It's way too cold for them to be outside. I'm pretty sure that it's way too cold outside for me too. However I am sure that we, me and the flowers, will manage to survive this wintery May weather.

Every once in a while we heard thunder rumbling in the distance. When there was a big lightning strike we saw the foggy sky light up for a brief moment. Thunder snow is amazing! My mom, who is here from Michigan, and I sat on the covered porch and listened to the weather for a little while. It was pretty amazing. Since she has been here we've seen rain, hail, snow, and sun. You just never know what you're going to get! Colorado has been quite the mixed bag of weather these days.

Even the cats stopped to smell the flowers during this snow storm of ours. Twister thought the flowers were for him. Little did he know, they're actually for my cousin's graduation. Silly cat. Good thing the snow didn't bother him too much. He hibernated in my aunt's room on and off all day, but every once in a while he did stop to smell the flowers in the living room. Flowers inside the house really brightened up the dreary day here in Colorado.

The snow will probably melt in a day, and it will be like we never had any snow in the first place. Funny how quickly the snow disappears in the hot Colorado sun. The meteorologists might give us an idea of the forecast, but it seems to vary from their plan quite often lately. I'm learning not to rely on the forecast very often. High expectations only create disappointment when things don't go the way you would like.

I snapped a few pictures of the snow and realized that it was really beautiful outside. The clouds always make for great photos. The diffused light makes things much easier to photograph, because you see things without harsh shadows that too much sun creates. One thing predictable about the weather is that my photos will not turn out overexposed, and I'm thankful for that!

What are you thankful for in this unpredictable life?

I'm Back... and with a Picture Sneak Peek

As you might know, I have been in Las Vegas visiting my husband for almost the past week. Unfortunately I'm not familiar with guest posting, not to mention I didn't leave myself enough time to schedule any blog posts before I left, but I am glad to be back with you all today! Please don't think that I left you for good. I would never do that. Hopefully you all had a great weekend, and I wanted to share with you a few pictures from my time spent visiting my husband in Nevada.

Later this week I'll go into detail about:

travel and airline "perks"

free entrance into an incredible pool

visiting the Hoover Dam and some "Damn" jokes

our ride on a world class roller coaster!

I hope you'll join me!