"I am soooo bored!".....not this week!

My parents beautiful property

Near Lake Michigan

My daughter is on fall break...for two weeks...ugh! Breaks give me anxiety.  My daughter's favorite phrase lately is "I am sooooo bored!" -despite a room full of toys, a laundry room stuffed with crafts, a spare bedroom littered with legos, a kindle, a DS, games, a bike, movies, and too much more for her to keep busy.  Rather than stay home the entire two weeks we packed up and headed to my parents for the first week. I love my parents house. So in love with it.  First of all, it is returning to my hometown--hitting up my favorite restaurants and shops.  Secondly, my parents house is so beautiful.  I can only wish to have a home like theirs someday.  They built it almost 5 years ago so it is not the home I grew up in, but that does not matter in the least. I don't need to spend money on little vacation getaways when I have my parents little retreat.  Cozy, comfortable, my second home. The landscaping is gorgeous and I still wonder how my mom and dad take care of it all.

After arriving we swung by Lake Michigan to walk along the pier and see the beach and ate lunch at one of my favorite hometown restaurants over looking a 'creek' that opens up to Lake Michigan.  During our visit we also visited a lighthouse museum, took a short drive to visit my college alma mater, enjoyed a wagon ride out to an apple orchard and pumpkin patch, went bowling, and shopped at my favorite outlet mall.

Now that we are back home I was afraid the "I am sooooo bored" whining would return. Nope....thank goodness for twin neighbor girls who keep our daughter laughing and playing!

I do savor every minute of her breaks...I really do.  I know that once I find a job I won't have these breaks with her anymore.... or as much time to visit my parents.  

Walking all the way out to the lighthouse

My mom knows how to decorate her yard

No shortage of places to enjoy a good book on my parents porch

Up by Lake Michigan

My daughter doing a little dance near the lighthouse museum

I miss this view from my parents porch already

Driving the county roads was so beautiful last week

Finally....it's Fall!

Finally it is fall. My absolute favorite time of year. The crisp air, the colorful leaves, spicy chili, pumpkins, football, and hot apple pie equal heaven. I love to take pictures this time of year but I only wish I had a better camera. Many professional photographers (I consider myself a mere hobby photographer) say that it is not the camera that takes great pictures, but rather the person taking the photos that matters. I beg to differ when my camera is slightly scratched up on the lens, has a temper mental flash, and is almost 10 years old. I also cannot tell you how much it sucks only having a 50mm lens.

We went on a day trip to see covered bridges about an hour from our house this past weekend.  I took several photos with my digital camera (Cannon EOS Rebel XT with 50 mm lens) before the battery died. I was so unprepared for this day trip. I switched over to my phone camera which was at 10% battery life...ugh...so unprepared. I got better pictures on my phone than on my digital camera.  The scratches on my digital are killing me!

Maybe you can tell which ones are from which camera...maybe not.  I can and it pushes me to start my camera savings bucket.

I am still in the process of deciding how to change my blog and whether I will switch hosts or not. I am craving change.  Along with my renewed love for photography, I am also diving back into my genealogy.  Under the surface of my hobbies I continue to look for a job. More accurately put- a career and not just a 'job'.  This is proving difficult after being home for 8 years and trying to convince potential employers that I have not sat around watching soap operas and eating bonbons.  I am not a great salesman and I have to sell myself.

A few more days of job search and then my daughter has two weeks of fall break and we will venture around to find great photo opportunities and fall activities.