a great piece of art

gratitude

getting my room finished ~ Sloane
a quiet day at home & my sweet Jeffrey ~ Relyn
our car is fixed ~ Jeffrey

I really loved this piece of art hanging in the lobby of the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art.  It's the only piece of art that I missed getting the name and artist.  I can't find it online, either. 

Kansas skies

gratitude

sleeping in ~ Sloane
a great time with my new team & getting my schedule ready for next year  ~ Relyn
I got a lot of work done. ~ Jeffrey

a view from the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art

paper lantern light

gratitude

hanging out with my cousins ~ Sloane
exploring the Johnson County Community College today, especially the Gallileo Pavillion and Garden and the Nerman Art Museum ~ Relyn
Lucy's great meal, among many others ~ Jeffrey

Tonight we had a great time setting off a paper lantern like in Tangled.  Sloane and I have been wanting to do that for ages.   *cell photo

enjoying our mini-vacation

gratitude

softball with my cousins ~ Sloane
watching Mary Poppins in such a wonderful theater (Starlight Theater in Kansas City) ~ Relyn
the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art  ~ Jeffrey

before Mary Poppins 

a reminder

gratitude

playing softball ~ Sloane
the amazing day Jeffrey and I had & that Sloane had a great time home with her cousins ~ Relyn
historic homes ~ Jeffrey

This is a drive by photo taken in Independence, MO.  It's mostly just to remind me of all the wonderful photo ops in that town.  I've got to go back!   *cell photo

best name ever

gratitude

rough-housing with cousins ~ Marisa
Pinterest ~ Julian
getting a day off from normal life ~ Avery
privacy ~ Lucy
our family here and the evening together and for the strength that I get from family members ~ Arlen
hangin' wit my broskis (Mom translation: spending time with my cousins) ~ Sloane
time with family and rain forest cupcakes ~ Relyn
Jeff Shaara ~ Jeffrey

This is a real mailbox we spotted on a recent walk.   *cell photo

they only think it's a Cardinal's game

gratitude

getting to go to the game today ~ Sloane
I am so thankful Jeffrey and Sloane got to go to a Braves game. ~ Relyn
getting to go to the game ~ Jeffrey

Sloane selfie at the Cardinals/ Braves game   *cell photo

#stache

gratitude

getting to go shooting ~ Sloane
scoring Braves tickets for Jeffrey and Sloane tomorrow!!  (Thanks God, and Carrie) And, a great girl day with Morgan today ~ Relyn
getting to shoot with Sloane ~ Jeffrey

the stache girls - Sloane selfie   *cell photo

first tomatoes

gratitude

being with the Lawsons & being Sloane's quister ~ Lauren
getting my brace off! ~ Sloane
Today has been a wonderful day.  We got Sloane's wall redone.  Jeffrey was home.  We had our first tomatoes.  Lauren spent the day with us and we had lots of fun.  And, best of all, Sloane was released by her knee doctor.  No more brace, no more physical therapy. ~ Relyn
Sloane has a full release. ~ Jeffrey

These are the first tomatoes of summer.  They are an heirloom variety.  The original cutting was from our beloved neighbors.  YUM!   *cell photo

pods

gratitude

Dad is home. ~ Sloane
Jeffrey is home!  My nephew Leonidis Apollo was born safely. ~ Relyn
being home with my girls ~ Jeffrey

at the Ozarks Botanical Garden in Arkansas - I think these are oriental poppies before the bloom - not sure though.

garden statue

gratitude

safety ~ Sloane
God's amazing hand of protection today ~ Relyn
 I get to be with my girls tomorrow ~ Jeffrey

at the Ozarks Botanical Garden in Arkansas

Queen Anne's Lace

gratitude

we got my new bulletin board created and hung ~ Sloane
a great dinner with John, Melinda, Papa John, and kids ~ Relyn
a great visit with my family ~ Jeffrey

* cell photo

Sloane selfie

gratitude

my VBS crew~ Sloane
the way Sloane performed at church today for VBS, not because she loves to do it, but because the kids love for her to do it ~ Relyn
a quiet day with my mom and dad ~ Jeffrey

Sloane took this one with her cell phone. 

for sale

gratitude

Warehouse 13 ~ Sloane
quiet time at home working on projects ~ Relyn
a chance to shoot with my cousins ~ Jeffrey

Wish we had $1,800 cash. 

brothers

gratitude

hangin' wit da broski (Mom translation: spending the night with Tara) ~ Sloane
a nice, quiet time at home ~ Relyn
my Brown family ~ Jeffrey

Jeffrey and his brother

in the garden

gratitude

VBS was really, really good today. ~ Sloane
Sloane and I always have fun together. ~ Relyn
fishing with my dad ~ Jeffrey

at the Ozarks Botanical Gardens in Arkansas

Ethel's men

gratitude

I am thankful the stuff for my bed came. ~ Sloane
my pastor ~ Relyn
I had a good trip to the airport with no problems. ~ Jeffrey

Jeffrey with his mom, dad, and brother

girls' lunch

gratitude

VBS ~ Sloane
a wonderful luncheon at Tracy's and the amazing dinner Jeffrey put so much love into this evening ~ Relyn
strawberries with balsamic vinegar and a dash of sugar ~ Jeffrey

our group at Tracy's house today, minus Sloane and Whitney  *cell phone pic

garden mirror

gratitude

working VBS ~ Sloane
Jeffrey and Arlen took care of our mattress situation ~ Relyn
my brother's help ~ Jeffrey

at the Ozark Botanical Gardens in Arkansas

dragon shadows

gratitude

walks ~ Lauren
Lauren spending the night ~ Sloane
getting so much done on the house ~ Relyn
the work went so well yesterday ~ Jeffrey

Sloane's bookshelves * cell photo

classroom personal bulletin board

gratitude

time with Alex ~ Sloane
Papaw's house is sold!  Plus,a  great time at dinner with Tom and Patty. ~ Relyn
the ability to exercise ~ Jeffrey

In my classroom, I always have a personal bulletin board.  This was mine for the 2014-15 school year. 

a castle

gratitude

spending the night with Alex ~ Sloane
I love the way the birds are covering the sunflowers growing beneath our kitchen window. ~ Relyn
our 2011 yearbook Relyn made on Shutterfly and our bird feeder~ Jeffrey

This is a sketch someone drew on the display easel at IKEA.  I loved it. *cell photo

silly selfie

gratitude

my mirrors ~ Sloane
our new "hang out/ movie" room re-do ~ Relyn
getting a Folio edition of Princess Bride with book credit~ Jeffrey

a silly selfie from when we went to IKEA  *cell photo

on the walk near home

gratitude

popcorn ~ Sloane
my wonderful, new closet! and a nice, long walk ~ Relyn
our new bed frame ~ Jeffrey

I snapped this with my cell phone on a recent family walk. 

red and white

gratitude

I got my books done. ~ Sloane
Jeffrey is working so hard on our house! ~ Relyn
bed ~ Jeffrey

I have wanted this IKEA lamp for years.  I just love it!

IKEA geometry

gratitude

microwavable food ~ Sloane
how hard Jeffrey and Sloane worked today putting down more flooring in the attic and organizing everything ~ Relyn
my great mower and how much we got accomplished ~ Jeffrey

IKEA provides free lockers for their customers.  How great is that? * cell phone pic

Jeffrey

gratitude

rain ~ Sloane
time with Greg and time to work on the Sparkle Room ~ Relyn
time with Greg ~ Jeffrey

Jeffrey and I took the girls down to sit on the field and dance around to the pre-fireworks concert.  This is him smiling up at me. *cell phone pic

all of us

gratitude

getting to hang out with my cousins ~ Sloane
America! ~ Relyn
celebrating the Fourth with my family ~ Jeffrey

a family Fourth *cell phone pics

sun shade

gratitude

gas station food ~ Sloane
It was a wonderful day: QT picnic, IKEA shopping, and a mini roadtrip ~ Relyn
We had a great trip to IKEA. ~ Jeffrey

our super-cool aluminium picnic table and umbrella at the QT, where we had lunch *cell phone pic

Jeffrey's smile

gratitude

hanging out with Hallie and Lauren last night ~ Sloane
getting the Sparkle Room painted ~ Relyn
the amount of work we got done ~ Jeffrey

I love Jeffrey's smile as he hugs Sloane. If you look closely, you can see his parents feet in his sunglasses.  This photo is from last month. 

Sloane with Papa and Grandma

gratitude

getting to hang out with Mason ~ Sloane
having Mason over ~ Relyn
my biography of Ulysses S. Grant ~ Jeffrey

This picture is about a month old, when Papa and Grandma were here.