Catching Fireflies

Day 212/365
It was a perfect summer night and as we were driving home from VBS, we saw the fireflies dancing in the field. We stopped to run through the cool grass, attempting to capture a little magic in our hands.

The Blog Photog

Day 211/365

Busy Bee

Day 210/365

Letting the Light In

Day 209/365

Snapping Beans

Day 208/365

Ready and Waiting

Day 207/365
She was the first one ready to go, waiting patiently for us to finish loading the car for our trip to Germantown

Corn Tassels

Day 206/365

Queen Anne's Lace

Day 205/365

Observation Deck

Day 204/365

Epic Wildflowers

Day 203/365
The drive into Epic is dotted with wildflowers and they added a pop of color to an overcast day, along with the red barn peeking over the ridge.

The Fair with Friends

Day 202/365
We made another trip to the fair today so that Davin could see all of the kids' projects. We also spent the afternoon with friends, riding rides and visiting their sheep. I didn't ride any rides, but I did eat a delicious cream puff.

Summer Rain

Day 201/365
The rain fell off and on all day, giving us a day to slow down and enjoy being at home. It's been such a busy week, I was thankful for the slower pace, a chance to do some cleaning, and an evening together with games and lots of laughter.

Visit to the Fair

Day 200/365
It's been a long time since we've been to the Dane County Fair, and we had so much fun getting to see the livestock, the 4-H projects, enjoy the food, and watch some of the entertainment. We also had a chance to see our friends show their sheep, and this is one of my favorite pictures of the day.

Bonus picture: Jevin with his champion Lego creation. All smiles!

Project Check In

Day 199/365
Today was check in day for the 4-H projects for the Dane County Fair. Since this was our first year in 4-H, we didn't really know what to expect. Some of the projects were judged when we checked them in, while others will be judged tomorrow morning. The kids received some great feedback about their projects, and they both earned some first place ribbons. Enavi spoke with this judge about her crochet projects and received blue ribbons for both. I'm so proud of their hard work. We'll be returning to the fair tomorrow to see the rest of the 4-H projects.

Fair Frenzy

Day 198/365
The kids are finishing up their 4-H projects for the Dane County Fair, which are due tomorrow. Jevin is wrapping up his woodworking piece, a tic-tac-toe game board. They have both worked really hard over the last few days to get everything done and ready to go.

Under a Shady Tree

Day 197/365
A beautiful oak tree standing tall at Donald Park.

Waves of Grain

Day 196/365

Lifest Family

Day 195/365
Davin and the kids drove up to meet us for the day. We even received three free tickets, so they all got in for free - yay! The weather was hot, but there was no rain, and we were once again in the bleachers so that we could escape the heat and enjoy the breeze. Today we heard Todd Agnew, Love and the Outcome, Ryan Stevenson, Hawk Nelson, Crowder and the Newsboys. What a lineup! My favorites were Crowder and the Newsboys - they both put on amazing shows. I'm so thankful we were able to enjoy the day together, along with 20,000 of our closest friends.

Break in the Clouds

Day 194/365
The weather was not as friendly today. There were several rain storms that moved through the area and we even left the festival grounds in the afternoon in order to avoid the inclement weather. We decided to head back for the headlining act, For King and Country, and I'm so glad we did. The rain poured, but we were sitting in the bleachers, protected by the roof, and the show was amazing. The rain cleared by the time we headed back to the hotel, after hearing I Am They for bonfire worship. Such a great day of music!

Lifest

Day 193/365
I get to spend the next couple of days hanging out at Lifest in Oshkosh with a few friends, enjoying some wonderful worship and hearing some of my favorite Christian artists. It is amazing to be with twenty thousand other people, praising the Lord. It's also fun to see all of the different Christian-themed gear people have at these events. We were waiting for Toby Mac to take the stage, and I spotted this hat - one of my favorites of the night.

A Prairie Sunset

Day 192/365
Another gorgeous evening with a fantastic sunset! We went out to dinner at Sugar River Pizza in New Glarus and the sun was setting as we drove home. We stopped several times to take pictures, and the sunset just got better and better.

Miss Mary's Brownies

Day 191/365
My dear friend makes the best brownies and she brings them to just about every event where food is served. She graciously shared her recipe with me and I made them today to bring to the group of kids serving at Madison Missions this week. They don't taste quite as good as when Miss Mary makes them, but I'm sure the teens will enjoy them.

Summer Sunset

Day 190/365
We were gifted with an amazing sunset tonight. I saw it just as I turned onto Colby Road, so I pulled over and ran over to our neighbor's field to capture it. I love the beauty of the sunset, but I also love that you can see the three most commonly grown crops in our area in the field. A true summer sunset of southern Wisconsin!

Yahara River Walking Bridge

Day 189/365
After dropping the kids off at Blackhawk Church for their week-long adventure at Madison Missions, Davin and I drove to Lake Monona, where I had a photo session with a family I met last year. It was another gorgeous evening, and even better by the water with the cool breeze off the lake. This is one of the bridges that crosses the Yahara River, near Lake Monona. There were lots of people out and about, in the park and on boats, soaking up the lovely weather.

Summer Evening

Day 188/365
A beautiful evening for an after dinner stroll... or bike ride... or scooter ride. As long as we were on the move, the mosquitoes couldn't find us.

Friday Night Bonfire

Day 187/365
It was a gorgeous night and we decided to enjoy the evening with a bonfire, complete with s'mores. Enavi built and lit the fire herself, a new skill she learned in her outdoor cooking class at camp.

The Stable at Dusk

Day 186/365
This is one of those picture that I've had in my head for some time and was finally able to make it happen. Several weeks ago, I noticed that the large steeple in the Stable at Epic is lit at night. After a very warm and sticky day, the evening turned cooler and it was actually pleasant to be outside. I asked Jevin if he wanted to head over to Epic with me to take some pictures, and he agreed, so we made it an adventure. We found a couple of cool things to shoot from our location on the soccer field before we were chased off by the mosquitoes! This was the picture that I wanted, and I love the little stars twinkling in the twilight.

Colby Road Wildflowers

Day 185/365
It's good to be home! There was little traffic on our drive and we were able to be home in time for dinner. I spotted these wildflowers as we pulled onto our road and it was a very cheery sight.

Sky Lanterns

Day 184/365
We celebrated the 4th a day early with sparklers, sky lanterns and fireworks.

2018 Looper

Day 183/365

Back at the Lake

Day 182/365
We are so glad to be back with the kiddos! We had a great trip, but we sure did miss them. It was a gorgeous evening to enjoy the lake.