Summer Photo Contest!

Y'all know I've been MIA a lot from here this summer, so I'm fixing it. :)

I have been taking a lot of pictures like I said, so I was super excited to find this gem!

I've been working on some photo books through Shutterfly~ Lily's first and second years!

Shutterfly is having a super photo contest this summer too! Each week there's a theme in which to submit your photo. I think the subjects they chose are perfect for summer!

What's in it for you, you ask??

The possibility of a trip for four to The Bahamas and a professional photo shoot as well as instant prizes when you submit a photo!

Get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering!

{You can enter at any point during the 5-week sweepstakes period.}

Get your photos submitted, friends! Easy peasy!

I submitted my 1st one~Americana and my instant prize was 2 free 8x10s!! Yippee! I love free prints!

The rest of the deets:  

Hit up Shutterfly's Facebook Page about the contest to submit and for further info:  http://bit.ly/sweepS

PHOTO THEMES

• Week 1(7/9): Americana

• Week 2 (7/16): Great Outdoors

• Week 3 (7/23): Water Fun

• Week 4 (7/30): Sports & Activities

• Week 5 (8/6): Parties & Celebrations

PRIZES

• Instant win prizes just for submitting a photo!

• Weekly prizes (contestants can enter one time/week)

• Weekly featured photos: up to 5 weekly entries will be selected from the gallery and featured on the Facebook fan page and awarded a $500 gift card on Shutterfly and a copy of the new Lonely Planet travel photography book.

• Grand prize: trip for 4 to Bahamas, 4 nights, family photo shoot

Ice Cream Date

Last night, George, Lily and I headed out for ice cream after supper.

We don't do it often, but I lovelovelove ice cream and after having been in a funk long enough this summer, I told my husband I really just wanted to go tonight.

You know, there's nothing two and a half scoops {and that's a small!} of deliciousness can't cure! This place is newer to us, has so many different flavors to choose from, and it's so reasonably priced. Can't beat it!  Lily loves ice cream! They have teeny baby cones {for free} and they're perfect for the Lilinator.

We got her a teeny chocolate cone. 

{i love her sweet little fingers holding onto it}

George sampled cotton candy and black raspberry. I sampled German chocolate cake and caramel salted pretzel. We both liked them all! He went with cotton candy and I went with the German chocolate cake this time.   Lily was, of course, thrilled with her chocolate.

She sat happily on the bench eating her "eye-keem."  

There was an older man~grandfather type~ sitting on the next bench over who started smiling at Lily. She smiled at him and then started closing her eyes at him like she does when she thinks someone can't see her.

She entertained he and his wife.

And us.

We'd ask her if she wanted help with her ice cream or needed a napkin and she'd sweetly say, "No, Mama. No Daddy."   So we let her have it her way. Down her arms, all over her face, dripping on her shirt, her shorts, her legs.

She also wanted to be down... so a picture with me was entertaining.

A teeny cone was all she needed.
An ice cream date with my love and my littlest love was all I needed.



Play that Funky Music

Hello??

*tap tap tap*

Is this thing on?

Remember me?

I've clearly been missing for some time.  Yes, we've been busy and it's been miserably hot this summer, but truth be told, I have been in a serious funk this summer.

The heat hasn't helped. At all.

Thanks to my mom friends and our playdates, I have managed to keep some of my funk at bay. {thank you, ladies~although I know you had no idea how much you were helping}

I've seen Andrew a total of four days this summer so far as I've mentioned he would be traveling to visit family and going to Scout camp.  I miss him.

George's work schedule changed from perfect to not-so-perfect and it's really gotten to me. It's been a lot harder of a change than I had expected. Like whoa. I miss him too.

Lily is nearly two~like 12 days left until she is. As much as I have loved spending these last weeks of one with her~largely one-on-one, it also makes me sad how quickly she's growing. Thank God she's truly hysterical with the things she says and keeps me laughing even when I'm in the funk that has been present this summer.

So, I'm working on getting myself pulled out of the funk and working on reconnecting. I have been taking a lot of pictures at least.

Hope you'll stick around.