Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! Here are my finds for this week's Scavenger Hunt...thanks to Ashley for hosting!

:: Windows/Doors ::

:: Eyelashes ::

:: Paint ::

:: Leaf Veins ::

:: Faceless Portrait ::

Simple Pleasures Saturday #3

Today is a beautiful day but pretty typical June weather. I was down in San Diego where it was boiling hot & blue skies, then drive back up north to spotty clouds with some sun. But it is the perfect temperature & I don't mind some gloom. Saturdays are so nice...not having to work, and with my back feeling a little better I have been able to enjoy some more activity than usual! I went with my mom & stepdad to the 30th annual Scottish Highland Games...I didn't expect it to be so cool, I loved it!

My simple pleasures for today are:

♥ Freezing cold air-conditioning in the car when it is blistering hot

♥ Free food samples

♥ Eating a spoonful of peanut butter straight from the jar

♥ Getting the last parking spot

♥ Singing as loud as I want when I'm alone in the car

What simple pleasures are you enjoying on this fine Saturday? I love to hear all of yours...makes me so happy!

Thank you to everyone who commented last week!! Unfortunately there can only be one winner of the awesome mug, & the winner is (drumroll please).... Susan Branch! It was so fun doing a giveaway, can't wait to do another!

Daddy-O

This is a little late, but...

June is a fun month because I get to celebrate my dad twice. June 15th is his birthday & father's day is right around the corner. There have been a handful of times the two actually fall on the same day and I have a very specific memory of one these two-in-one years, I was pretty young & our family spent the day at our favorite beach. Someone left & got my dad's favorite gigantic ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls from Cinnabon & we sat on the beach devouring them! That's my kind of celebration...decadent food and the beach? Can't go wrong.

For my dad's birthday this year, we cooked him dinner - homemade manicotti, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, salad w/ balsamic reduction & drum roll please....my mounds candy bar-inspired cake! So yummy- chocolate cake with fudge buttercream, shredded coconut & chocolate ganache. We had a great time.

For father's day he was in his element - barbecuing up a feast. He can make magic with a Webber grill, some charcoal & his homemade BBQ sauce. It was a beautiful day, we sat on his rooftop deck with a view of the ocean & ate to our hearts content!!

My dad has a heart of gold and I am lucky to have him, and to be so close to him!! I have so many wonderful memories with home over the years. Growing up, my dad would tell me a "little boy story" every night before I went to bed. He was the best story-teller and he had such good stories of him when we was my age & growing up...and I will never ever forget them ♥

Did you do anything fun for father's day? Any special memories with your dad?

Snapping Out Of It

Do you ever have those off days? Today I just woke up in a

funk & could not snap out of it all day.

Felt uninspired, bummed, the day itself was stressful & come 4:00 I was frustrated.

With the hope that getting out of the house would help, I ran an errand, then went for a short drive while listening to my ipod - always a mood booster for me.

And of course I had my camera with me, so when I saw these fascinating plants I had to pull over for a mini photo session.

By the time I was home I felt a little better.

Do you have your go-tos when you have an off day?

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Emotion

From a Flower's Point of View

Natural Frame

Letters

Bliss

Thanks to Ashley for hosting, & for using some of my prompt ideas!

Simple Pleasures Saturday #2 (And a Giveaway!!)

Round 2 of Simple Pleasures Saturday! What simple pleasures did you enjoy this week, or right now for that matter? For me....

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Having someone else fill my gas tank.

Receiving a wonderful unexpected compliment.

Feeling the sand below my feet at the beach.

A surprise bouquet of tulips.

Eating cake straight from the pan - no plate.

Buying greeting cards.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Speaking of simple pleasures, who doesn't love getting mail? And free stuff? I bought this mug yesterday with all you in mind and I want to give it away to one lucky reader!

:: "Enjoy the simplest pleasures in the everyday." ::

Nice little reminder isn't it? Simply leave a comment telling me the simple things that are currently bringing you joy, or leave a link to a blog post! Giveaway will be open for 1 week until next week's Simple Pleasure Saturdays when I will announce the winner. Have a wonderful Saturday!! ♥

A Taste of Summer

I tend to notice that my photos reflect my mood during the time of the shot. When looking at my most recent photos taken on my phone, they all had such a warm, summery, happy feel to them! I love seeing the slight changes that come with each season, and although slight in Southern California, finding them brings me such joy. I am getting excited for summer! Beach days, warm weather, bike rides, bonfires, s'mores, farmer's market trips, peach pies....

Simple Pleasures Saturday

I am all about the little things. Life is so unpredictable with so many ups & downs that I try my best to really appreciate the simple everyday joys. I find myself getting overly excited over seemingly mundane things, but they are sometimes exactly what I need to get me through.

I want to start acknowledging these simple pleasures. Recognize that big happy feeling I get over the little stuff. So please welcome (drum roll please) Simple Pleasures Saturday...where I simply list a few things from my day that make me smile! Anyone can join me!

Today I am very much enjoying:

A much-needed Lazy Saturday.

A bag of animal crackers.

Burger & fries for lunch.

Jeans, hoodie, & no makeup.

Tell me...what simple pleasures are you enjoying today?

The Color of Texture

Focusing on textures transforms the world around you, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. Take notice of how visually stunning some textures can be!

Farmer's Market Eye Candy

I love going to Farmer's Markets year round, but especially summer. All those wonderful stone fruits & berries just calling to be baked into pies, tarts, crumbles, topping ice cream, breads...endless possibilities. Not to mention all the beautiful colors, interesting shapes, handcrafted goods & fresh flowers. Such a wonderful source of inspiration!!

♥♥♥♥

Escaping Cancer - Trip to the West

Sunday I attended & photographed a very special event. The Western Roundup hosted by PCRF (Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation) is a western-themed carnival & picnic intended to provide a fun day for oncology kids & their families. Activities included carnival games & rides, face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides, live entertainment, a raffle, a bouncy house, lunch & lots more.

If you are new to my blog, I am a pediatric cancer survivor myself. For so long I didn't identify with being "a survivor," it was something I wanted to get so far away from & forget that I didn't consider it a part of me. I was happy to be alive, but because I didn't have a choice of enduring cancer, in my mind it wasn't so spectacular that I overcame it. Well that feeling changed. I am not sure what exactly triggered that transformation in my mind but at some point something clicked. Now being a cancer survivor is just a part of my identity, no less than having green eyes or loving photography. I am also proud of how far I have come & I believe I am meant to use my experience to help others.

Seeing all these kids having fun & taking their mind off being sick was so special to me personally. It has been 11 years since my diagnosis but I can remember like it was yesterday the way I felt. The constant hospital stays, procedures, blood draws & transfusions & feeling sick constantly. It is not fair that these kids have had their childhood stolen from them, so it touched my heart to see them play, laugh, smile & just be the kids they rarely get to be.

I hope that all these kids will survive & experience all life has to offer. I hope they too can someday be proud to call themselves a survivor. I hope that I can make a difference by sharing my story & giving current pediatric cancer patients hope.

I haven't finished looking at all the photos from the day but here are a few of my favorites so far.

There was a dove ceremony at the end to honor those who didn't survive or those who were too sick to be there. For more info about PCRF or if you have any ideas for ways I can help by sharing my story, please feel free to contact me! & hearts; ♥