our annual week at the Gulf

"Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat" -Laura Ingalls Wilder

Every Summer we spend a week at the Gulf  with my parents, siblings, and all of the cousins. We always look forward this special time away. It really is one of my favorite places to be. Today, I am sharing a glimpse into this beautiful week on the coast. 

I am linking up with a group of fabulous friends that I have posted with the past few years as part of a 10 on 10 project. This year, we are just making it a goal to post once a month. No rules or themes, just us. Please follow the link over to Melissa Weiker's blog. She is sharing some of her memories from August. Her work is always so soulful; you won't be disappointed.

the hose at sunset

"Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives. Such striving may seem admirable, but it is the way of  foolishness. Help them instead to find the wonder and the marvel of an ordinary life. Show them the joy of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears. Show them how to cry when pets and people die. Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. And make the ordinary come alive for them. The extraordinary will take care of itself." -William Martin

There's a beauty I want our children to know in the ordinary days at home. The afternoons in our own backyard. Just us. We don't have to be traveling the world to find this. We don't need all the latest technology or toys to achieve it. And we don't need a yard full of friends to experience it. There's a simple beauty watching the ordinary come alive for our children. I treasure these memories. A simple night by the lake at sunset . 

This is part of storytelling project called Pieces of Life. You can see some of the other artist's entries and work by going to this link.

the dock

I hope when they look back on their childhood, they will remember the fun days they shared; playing together, encouraging one another, learning together, and truly becoming the best of friends. And I hope they will see what a gift they were to one another. Such a beautiful way to start out the week and so thankful for each of these moments together. 

what a week at the gulf looks like

Every year we spend a week at the Gulf with my parents, my siblings, and all of the cousins. The children and adults alike countdown to this memorable week. I love the memories that are made sharing space and unrushed time together for seven days.  There really is something special when you spend days and nights living among one another and having time to just linger. With almost ten grandchildren this year, it was also filled with a bit of chaos, but in a good way. Today, I share with you What a Week at the Gulf Looks Like .  I don't think I could ever accurately share our week together, so I have picked some of my favorites. There really is something magical about the Gulf.

Head on over to see what talented Ashley Jennet | The Stork and the Beanstalk has shared this month.

what time in the mountains looks like

I am excited to be joining an amazing group of photographers and friends in a beautiful  project called What         Looks Like. In mid-July, we headed to Georgia to spend some time in the mountains. It was just the five of us, plus our almost 15 year old lab, Buster. It is hard for me to put into words how much this trip meant to me. We had long meals on the porch, hikes in the woods and hours exploring on the river.We laughed and loved and just lived in ways that we all needed. I didn't realize how much we needed time for just us.

Today, I share with you What Time in the Mountains Looks Like. These memories will be in my heart forever.

Head on over to see what Jules Trandem's month looks like. She always amazes me with the beauty she captures in her everyday world.

just us at sunrise

It is rare to find any of our children or myself up before sunrise.  This week we were up early every day so we could get to Vacation Bible School. One morning we had some extra time before we had to leave. Our middle child and only son loves to fish, so we shared some time together just the two of us. I love when I get time with any of our children one on one. The water and the light were beautiful, but our talks by the lake were the real highlight of this morning.

Kaleidoscope | April

Last year I became friends with a very special group of ladies and participated together in a 10 on 10 project.  This year we wanted to continue to do a project together, but wanted to do something a little different.  Our new project is called Kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscope  is derived from the Ancient Greek (kalos), “beautiful, beauty” (eidos), “that which is seen: form, shape” and (skopeo), “to look to, to examine.”  Hence “observation of beautiful forms.”

We are a group of friends, moms, visual artists and photographers from around the world who are passionate about capturing images of the real, the messy and the magical-the wonder of the everyday.  Like a kaleidoscope, our photographs are playful and experimental, ever-changing and infused with light and colour.  Once a month, we assemble a single mosaic comprised of our collective pictorial tiles, one submitted by each of us, that reflect the shared meaning and beauty in our lives.

This month I captured a Sunday Family Night dinner at our home.  The days are getting longer and we are enjoying longer days down by the lake and in the back yard. I am always grateful to get all of our family together on a weekly basis.

Kaleidoscope | february

Last year I became friends with a very special group of ladies and participated together in a 10 on 10 project.  This year we wanted to continue to do a project together, but wanted to do something a little different.  Our new project is called Kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscope  is derived from the Ancient Greek (kalos), “beautiful, beauty” (eidos), “that which is seen: form, shape” and (skopeo), “to look to, to examine.”  Hence “observation of beautiful forms.”

We are a group of friends, moms, visual artists and photographers from around the world who are passionate about capturing images of the real, the messy and the magical-the wonder of the everyday.  Like a kaleidoscope, our photographs are playful and experimental, ever-changing and infused with light and colour.  Once a month, we assemble a single mosaic comprised of our collective pictorial tiles, one submitted by each of us, that reflect the shared meaning and beauty in our lives.

I love seeing how each photographer sees her part of the world.  It is beautiful to see these images all together. Please be sure to head on over to our blog to see our Kaleidoscope for February.

This month my image came from a group of images from one afternoon on the lake with some of the cousins. The sun was shining, the skies were blue, and the water was inviting.

summer in january

This week we  enjoyed a beautiful, warm and breezy January day. We packed up our school books and headed out to do our school in the fresh air. We ended up spending the entire day outside. These are the best kind of days.

cherish this day l jump

"every summer has a story" -unknown there is such  beauty in the long summer days and the carefree essence that seems to accompany them.  this summer, my children have been spending most of their free time playing outside with their cousins.  it's something i truly never take for granted.  i love that they are each only a short walk away from our home. i love that having them in my home is very familiar for me and them.  and i love the craziness when they are all together.

i cherish this time of our life--it is unique and something i never want to let go.

i participate in this project with a very special group of ladies. they each were part of my first Everyday Beauty workshop.   i'd love for you to go to the Cherish This Day blog and see all of their amazing work. they have each grown so much in the past two months.  i will be hosting another workshop in July if you are interested in learning more about capturing the Everyday Beauty in your own home.

the beauty of grace

My oldest daughter is now 9. We share the most wonderful talks these days.  I love to hear the thoughts that are filled inside of her head.  One thing I have clearly noticed over the past few years is the struggle she has with perfectionism.  I can identify it well, as I have lived my own life with this--as long as I can remember.   As a mother,  I  see how it can pull at us and paralyze us from being the person God has planned for us to be.

My sweet 9 year old will come to me  filled with grief for something she "thought" or something she has done.  She struggles as we do her math together; wanting to get it perfect the 1st time and getting upset when she is unsuccessful.  She notices the behaviors of those she is around. When they aren't being kind or respectful, she doesn't quite understand why.   She loves everyone and opens her heart the only way she knows how.   We have talked a lot about others and that kindness will not always be offered to us in return. I struggle with this a lot myself and it's hard to be honest and explain to her that the world is filled with people who will not love us for one reason or another.  Or sometimes, for no reason at all.  I believe perfectionism comes hand in hand with people pleasing.    And one of the hardest things to accept is that not everyone will like us; much less love us.

This week I was in the car with my three children when my daughter downloaded the song "Hello, my name is" by Mathew West.  I sat in the car  listening to this song and really thought about the lyrics.  And then we sang it over and over again...all 4 of us.

The song says:

Hello, my name is regret I'm pretty sure we have met Every single day of your life I'm the whisper inside That won't let you forget

Hello, my name is defeat I know you recognize me Just when you think you can win I'll drag you right back down again ‘Til you've lost all belief

These are the voices, these are the lies And I have believed them, for the very last time

Hello, my name is child of the one true King I've been saved, I've been changed, And I have been set free “Amazing Grace” is the song I sing Hello, my name is child of the one true King

I am no longer defined By all the wreckage behind The one who makes all things new Has proven it's true Just take a look at my life

What love the Father has lavished upon us That we should be called His children I am a child of the one true King

My children wanted me to explain the meaning of this song to them as they usually do when they hear a new song.  In my opinion,  this song could have so many different meanings.  But yesterday as we sang it, what I wanted to tell all of my children was that our Heavenly Father has "lavished His love upon us"  and "amazing grace is the song we should sing".

I want my children to have grace with themselves and grace with anyone they come in contact with.   I want them to know I do not expect them to be perfect and neither does God.  I want them to live their lives and open their hearts to others with the type of grace Jesus has given us.  This world is full of people "pointing their fingers" at others, shaming them, and judging them.  But, who are we to judge anyone? I pray that our children will grow up loving others and seeing the best in humanity.  I want my children to see others through God's eyes.

"When we face a difficult situation or are dealing with difficult people in our lives, it becomes very easy to see them through our eyes.  We see the hurt they cause us.  We see the wrong they've done to us. We see their actions through the lens of our own personal experience.

When we face a difficult situation or are dealing with difficult people in our lives and we seek to them through God’s eyes, we are able to see them as a hurting or lost person.  We see their woundedness or their confusion. We can sometimes see where they are being deceived. If we seek wholeheartedly, we can even see their possibilities instead of their liabilities.

Seeing the world and others through God’s perspective takes the focus off of us.  This keeps us from taking things personally. And when we don’t take things personally, we can be more objective, we can better stand in the gap in prayer for the other person, and we can see things as they are instead of seeing them as we are."- Jill Savage

We try hard to remind our children of all of this.  And as a mother and adult, I need this reminder myself.  I want to remember to not only see others through God's eyes but to see myself that way too.  I am growing and learning more and more, day by day. I will fall and with God's help I will get back up.  There is not a "standard" to which I need to be as a mother, wife, daughter, friend, or person.  I just need to live for God daily and ask Him to guide me to continue to be the person He wants me to be.

I know I can't keep my children from facing their own struggles; whether they come from within or through others they come in contact with. But,  I can pray for them and try to remind them that we have been given God's Amazing Grace and it is such a beautiful thing.

letters to our children | a letter to my son | february 2013

dear bubby, for your birthday a few months ago  i shared a letter with you about how you complete me in so many unexpected ways.  having you, our only son, has taught me so much about love.   you have shown me that love doesn't always come easy; it can be messy, hard and challenging.  but wow, what a gift your love is. it can be quiet and tender and so thoughtful as well.

you are all boy in all you do. you are fearless and competitive and you love to be rough and explore the world around you.   i often wonder if somehow you are missing out by being surrounded by girls all the time.  you are the middle child in our family with two sisters and you live on the same street as five of your girl cousins. sometimes,  i get sad as i see all of the girls playing, that you do not have a boy to share your childhood with.  yes, you have friends, but not a brother or a cousin close by in age or proximity.

i have come to realize that you are just fine and you are going to be an amazing man one day because of being the only boy.   you indeed are all boy, yet you have a tender side to you that is beautiful.  you care how other people are feeling and you express empathy for them.   you have learned patience as your sweet girl cousins admire you and always want to be near you.   you have learned to find your own "role" in your sisters' pretend games. God had an awesome plan with blessing our family with you as our only boy.  we all have learned so much through you.

thank you for being who you are. thank you for the laughter you bring into our home and the love you speak, not with words, but through lovely actions.  i am so blessed to have you as my one and only son.

i love you to the moon and back.

te amo, mama

i am blessed to be a part of this circle of amazing artists and friends to write letters to our children each month. up next in our group is amy grace.  she is always able to use her incredibly soulful words and images to capture the beautiful love she shares with her children.

grace | film

"everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets up back into the slow circles of nature, is a help.  gardening is an instrument of grace" - mary sarton a little over a month ago, i found my old canon rebel 35mm camera.   it had been in a box through many of our military moves after being "replaced" by numerous digital cameras in the last 10 years.  i have admired and watched artists who have recently pursued film and done it with such beauty.  i was intrigued. i was lured by the colors, the depth, and the feel to film. in addition, i loved the idea of minimal processing.  i knew i had to give film a try, yet i was without doubt that there was so much i did not know.  i honestly didn't even know if this old camera of mine still worked. i read an article on let the kids dress themselves and i was encouraged. then,  i got the FIND book for Christmas which is an amazing read that i keep reading over and over.  i began asking a million questions on the bloom forum from some pretty amazing and open ladies. and i began shooting.  i've gone through a lot of film the past month. i've tried different brands. i've tried different processing sources including CVS, walgreens, and Indie Labs.   i've been excited, frustrated, nervous, excited, frustrated and nervous. i circle with emotions, but i haven't given up.

this film journey has been a wonderful reminder of grace and that we all need grace in our lives.   i have to remember i did not become the photographer i am today with my digital camera overnight, and this journey it will take time and patience and more time and patience.  there are things i love about my digital nikon d700 which i just don't think i could ever completely give up, but i am excited to learn more and play in this fun world of film.

the images below are some of my favorites so far. they are shot with fuji 400H and developed at CVS. and i ended up having to have the negatives re-scanned at our local walgreens because for some strange reason all of my pictures originally had lines going across them.   grace & patience...i must remember these words.

i am thankful personal post l final week

thank you for joining me the past month for this wonderful project and reflection. the little, the big, the everyday, the extraordinary; they are all blessings i never want to take for granted. i am thankful day 22- i am so grateful that my children are getting to grow up with their cousins all so close. and that they truly are all the best of friends.

i am thankful day 23- i am thankful for hot chocolate on a chilly florida morning and snuggling with daddy's childhood blankey ♥

i am thankful day 25-i am so grateful for the baby of our family. for the joy and laughter she fills our house with. i will never forget when she was in the NICU as a preemie and her dr. said she was a "super star"...she's lived up to that name ever since. she's so full of life and love. we are all blessed.

i am thankful day 24-i am so thankful to live on the lake. it is such a blessing to have this as our back yard now. most days you will find our children happy as can be playing and building in the sand down by the water.

i am thankful day 26- i am grateful and in complete awe of God's amazing creations. when i look around at everything He created for us to enjoy, i am amazed ! from my beautiful children, to the earth and sun...there are so many creations that just leave me speechless.

i am thankful day 27- i am thankful for moments like these. when i see the laughter, spontaneity, and love between my three children. nothing makes my heart more warm and filled. so blessed to be their mama.

i am thankful day 28-thankful for movie nights with the family. {especially nice during the Christmas season--love the Christmas movies}

i am thankful day 29-today i am thankful for pictures. i am grateful for the stories they tell. when i look at our stairwell of memories, i am flooded with emotions and thanksgiving. i am thankful for all of my family..each person whom i love dearly. but especially my husband of 13 plus years. i couldn't be more blessed with a giving and loving man. but most of all, a leader of Christ in our home. i see these pictures and i am reminded how blessed we are.

i am thankful day 30- i am thankful that Jesus came and made the ultimate sacrifice. without Him, i would be nothing. without Him, none of these blessings would be. i am humbled and grateful and blessed to be His.

dog washing l a mother's heart

“enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” robert brault

look into my eyes l a mother's heart

"look into my eyes and hear what I'm not saying, for my eyes speak louder than my voice ever will."

summer's end 2012 l a mother's heart

i love the long, sun-drenched days of summer and am always sad to see them come to an end. these memories will always be cherished and never be forgotten. as i look back on these pictures, i see the beauty that is found on even the most ordinary day.  i see the details, the smiles, and connections of my children and my heart becomes so full.   i see the warmth of the sun and glimmer of the water that surrounds us daily and i feel so grateful.   i feel so blessed to call this place home and these amazing people family.

summer's beauty 2012 from Ginger Unzueta on Vimeo.

i am so grateful for Let the Kids Dress Themselves and their Summer Shot List Project  .  i had such a great time doing this project over the summer months.

gorgeous light and a beautiful love = a great combination

i had the best time capturing this soon to be wed couple in love. as a photographer you never know what to expect when you go to a shoot.  with couple shoots it is key to be able to interact together naturally, so that i can capture the essence of what you feel for one another.  well, this couple did just that. they were amazing together. they were full of laughs and their love just shines through these pictures. and we had the most amazing light during the whole session.  i hope you love these as much as i do.  it was such a pleasure to hang out with you and capture this special time in your lives...

project 52 l week 29 l reflection

this week for project 52 our theme is reflection.   i can't wait to see all of the different ways our group will interpret this theme.  i have been busy photographing our church's vacation bible school this week and was lucky to capture this image with my iPhone on a walk one afternoon.   i am pretty smitten with this little fellow.

i am thrilled to welcome Mary Schannen of Melange Photography back to our group. she's been a way the past few weeks, and i am so glad she is back this week. she is just amazing, so enjoy!

project 52 l week 27 l 4th of July

we spent the week of the fourth at long boat key, fl.  i cannot wait to share more images from that fantastic week, but for today our project 52 theme is 4th of July -independence.  i captured this beautiful image of my 8 yer old daughter as the sun was setting. this image seems very fitting for this week as i watch her become more and more independent each day.

please continue on to the blog of Clara at Heart Inspired Photography and see what fabulous image she has this week...