40 Phone Pictures I Love

I am for sure a 'big camera', all the lenses girl. I love that thing, but once in a while I look at what is on my phone and it makes me so happy. I thought I'd do a blog post looking at some of the things on my phone. Here are a few memories I love: 

1. Our 26th Anniversary dinner -- this was what Anna ordered and she loved it so so much! I love how close Scott and I are sitting. Click HERE to read more about that day/trip. 

2. This trip -- all of us together. I think we put this on a rock and set the timer. I can see in my face the love I have for these people, my little family. 

3. I remember this -- it was after a photo shoot and we drove to another park, another spectacular lake. And I love the light shining through Anna's dress. Click HERE and HERE to see more about that day. 

4. Exhaustion after landing in Boston at the end of our trip. We stopped for a pizza since we hadn't eaten all day. I'm wearing Anna's tee because I think that was all that was left. 

5. We finished another 'Girls Club' this summer all about friendship. 

6. One random Sunday in the summer after Mass 

7. Our porch wall / travel wall project finally happened. And I do love it so much! Click HERE to see how it turned out. 

8. Scott had major hand surgery. This was a month after. 

9. This scene: my girls, out on the porch, talking hours after dinner was eaten and cleaned up. Still talking. Best friends. 

10. Anna's roommate Caroline (love her) had a friend that was on campus early. She snuck into Anna and her future room and took a few pictures so they could start to plan it out. 

11. The day of hand surgery. 

12. Took the girls shopping. 

13. Went to like a million doctor appointments in the summer. 

14. We celebrated Anna's adoption day out to dinner this August and it was fun! 

15. And we thought about where she came from. This from the orphanage in China. Takes my breath away sad. 

16. Went to a farm for the best ice cream I've ever had in my life. 

16. The girls working on their diary together (from the trip)

17. We let too much time go by before seeing these dear friends. We love them so much! 

18. I started decorating for fall in the middle of August -- next year even sooner! Click HERE to see the dining room all done. 

19. At the same time I was working in my classroom to get it ready for the first day. (with a lot of help) 

20. It must have been a really great Bible morning if I stopped to take a picture. 

21. I remember taking this picture to remember these plants -- they live in my classroom but were home for the summer on our porch. Not sure where the other 10 are! 

22.  The cutest back to school haircuts with my girls. 

23. There was the Back to School Blessing dinner. Click HERE to see more of that evening. 

24. Grandma came by to bring Anna cookies before heading off to college. 

25. All of a sudden it was move in day for her sophomore year -- which now feels like a long time ago. Click HERE to read more about that spectacular day. 

26. Then it actually WAS the first day of school for all of us (with not picture of Scott on his first day) 

(I love my team!) 

(first class activity) 

27. Love these in my classroom. 

28. First "Baker Novel Time" (read and recorded by my Dad) 

29. I call these "happy boxes" and they get to build with them at the end of each day. 

30. Just after Mass -- missing Anna 

31. Our first visit to see Anna (haven't been back since and miss her so much) 

32. Love having cookie dough balls in the freezer for hot, fresh cookies 

33. In my classroom during the first few weeks we celebrated our unique and beautiful families - had so much fun making these houses with them. 

34. Last Saturday was her first viola morning: chamber group, viola tour group, Vivace orchestra... she loves it all! 

35. Finally, this took for what seemed like forever -- in my classroom - I have the parents of each child write their hope and dream they have for their child (for their 4th grade school year). I hang them all up in the classroom. Love it so much! 

36. Walking the "red carpet" on the day our Classroom Library opens for the first time. Nothing better! 

37. High School open house (parents night) This is AP Biology. I didn't even understand how the class runs so I have no idea how she makes it through even one class! 

38. Our classroom tree -- for the month of September they have colored their first book they have started this night. We change it each month. (oh and behind you can see the "I Believe in You" wall. I have an 8x10 portrait that I took on the very first day and their celebration family houses hanging there. 

39. Another hallway bulletin board. 'What to do with an Idea'. Black and white copies of those portraits. They cut the head open (I know, sounds weird) so that all of their ideas and come out. What a powerful activity this was! 

40. Reader's Workshop in full swing. Digging into real books to find narrative features. Love this stuff so much! 

Well, there you have it... my phone pictures all on one post!