June 2022

I was swamped in June. I must have kept my head above water, because I'm still here, but I just sorted through several hundred pictures my children took and found only about a dozen of mine. Just imagine a grumpy, sunburnt, middle-aged lady gardening and cooking, and you'll have a pretty good sense of June around here.

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As you've probably guessed, Susannah took all the nature photography on this opening post, while I snapped the people. (Snap!)

I Took None of These Pictures

 
...and I don't know who did. (Never mind. Piper just saw this post and took credit for them all.)

I do know that we had a lot of company in June. We hosted some old favorites (looking at you, Newmans and Dagi) and we got to meet a few friends that the older girls know for the first time (Howie, Kellie, Margaret, Joel M.). There are no pictures of the boys on my camera card, so I'm guessing they were hiding under tables from all the chaos.

Here's Kellie, though! Kellie looks sweet, and she is.
She is ALSO FULL OF MISCHIEF AND THOSE SOFT BROWN EYES CANNOT BE TRUSTED. (She's coming again this weekend, and I need to steel myself against her wily charms ahead of time.)

This girl heard the word "mischief" and came running.  (Don't worry, Corynn, I'll post a picture showcasing your beauty soon. Besides, most of the few readers of shotsnaps know this face well.)

There's not a drop of mischief in this one. (HA! But she's at least better at hiding it from the camera.)  :)

Judging by these pictures, they had a grass-blowing musical competition, 

as well as a full-out pillow fight. 

Looks like a successful weekend to me.

Nut Berry Turns Fourteen! (6/2022)

 

Four birthday pictures? Ah, well. I was probably out working in the garden for most of the day. She's the girl who was born five weeks early, so she's used to it. If only you'd waited until July like you were supposed to, Piper, your mama would spend ALL DAY in the kitchen every year instead of nearly all day in the garden. ;)

I know she had a birthday supper. Souvlaki? Spicy chicken wraps? I don't know about supper, but Piper was one of the few people who requested a decorated cake this year, and I should have taken advantage of the opportunity by spending more time decorating it. Millie sauntered in after I was done, glanced at it, and commented, "Wow, you've improved since you made MY horse cake." I'll take the back-handed compliment for what it's worth, I guess.

Piper is loving and cuddly and sweet and gracious and bubbly and goofy. She loves to sew and quilt and create, and Grandma J. is already pinning her hopes on Piper taking garbage bags of fabric off her hands. (DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, PIP.) She looks like a true Owen with those gorgeous brown eyes and nutty skin, but I think she's got at least some of my sass.

She also has a beautiful smile. 

We love you dearly, Piper Joy Owen! God grant you good in this last third of your fourteenth year. 

Lephtovers (Mostly Phrom the Phone)

John came home with a birthday surprise for Piper, and we all gathered around her like hungry puppies.

We couldn't stop laughing at supper one night because my shadow self was so impressive. While I talked and made faces, someone took these pictures to send to Annika, who was at work.

 

May 2022

Look'ee here. I've posted four months' worth in January-- a mere eight months to go. Are they slapped on hastily without tender, loving care? Yes. Are they still consuming far too much time? Also yes.

*Susannah should just take over shotsnaps. She took all the nature photos on this opening post (except for one sunset and one flower picture). I took all the human pictures (except for the one of Ransom sitting on his three-wheeler, which she took). The cute, little reptile pictures also belong to her. I'll give her a chocolate bar in thanks.