Haven in the Woods

Every so often we are invited up north to this wonderful piece of property owned by our friends parents. It's so nice to get out of the heat and somewhere a little cooler. The boys have a blast while we we are there. It is like a huge playground to them. It is so relaxing and I love stepping out of our trailer and inhaling the fresh air and pine tree smell! So great! There are endless things to do outside.

They have this swing...





There are pinecones to gather...



There is plenty of open grassy areas to play a game of wiffle ball...



A small pond for throwing rocks and catching glimpses of little water snakes...






Plenty of woods for an awesome hike with friends to an even bigger "pond"...





And this awesome "fort" out in the woods behind the cabins that the kids found and "worked" on all day...





And of course ample opportunities for me to have many spectacular photo shoots...







Ok so maybe they aren't super spectacular, but they are fun for me! And what better place to take pictures of my kiddos? Can you tell which two kids were the cooperative ones with mommy's photo shoots?? :)



With all these things to do there is one thing that is my absolute favorite...







I LOVE sitting around a campfire roasting hotdogs and marshmallows with my family and friends! I could sit all day and roast marshmallows, trying to get the perfect marshmallow that is warm and gooey all the way through but NOT burnt. I despise burnt marshmallows, how can you people eat them??

If we get bored of the outdoor activities (but seriously how could we) we can head to our trailer to relax, take a nap or the boys and I will play a fun game of Yahtzee, Uno, Phase 10 or 500 Rummy!

We are so blessed to have friends who enjoy our company enough to invite us with them to this haven in the woods. I always feel so relaxed when I am there, away from the worries and chaos of home, and in to the great outdoors with fresh air and pinecones and roasted marshmallows.

My Model and a Photo Shoot

This is my little man, who at times is forced to be my model whether he wants to be or not! And usually since it's hard to get him to sit still or even smile at the camera, he gets bribed to do so. I think during this recent photo shoot he was being bribed with some sort of candy. It's amazing how the promise of something sugary and sweet can get a little guy to sit still and pose and look at the camera for a semi-extended period of time!




While I have always loved taking pictures, I am just recently getting more in to the art of photography. When my good friend Kristy introduced me to Pioneer Woman's website, this really spurred me on in my love of photography and making me want to be a better photo taker. Although I do have quite a ways to go before I would call myself good, I do have a lot of fun thinking of creative photo opportunities and capturing precious moments of everyday life as they happen! PW has also ignited my love of cooking (which we will save for another post). PW's blog was also one of the first I ever read and if you love cooking, photography or hearing interesting and quirky stories of life on a ranch then you have to check it out!







I think my little man did amazingly well throughout this photo shoot! What a good sport!



Hide and Seek!