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practicing the art of an ordinary life

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Pansies, Resilience and Coming Home to Myself

The weekend after the "Big Arctic Blast" we enjoyed a couple of sunny, 60 degree days that melted all but the last little remnants of snow along the north side of the house. That Sunday, I did a little walkabout in my backyard to survey the state of my flowerbeds. And it was there that I ... read more

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The Week in Photos | February 26th

This time last week, Tripp and I were using our shop vac to clean up the water in the basement from the pipe that burst in the nearby outdoor faucet. The Arctic high pressure system (aka Polar Vortex) that poured into the midsection of the US brought with it record-setting cold temperatures. We ... read more

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The Week in Photos | February 12th

Greeting from the frozen tundra of Northeastern Oklahoma! We are in day 5 of sub-freezing temperatures. And as I sit here in my office typing this post, I have on three layers of clothes with a space heater running right beside me. My girl said it best... I AM NOT MADE FOR THIS ... read more

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The Week in Photos | February 5th

This past week I made a little bit of lemonade out of some of life's lemons. This past week I watched as the neighborhood robins had a bit-time show-down at the birdbath in the backyard. This past week I spent a lot of time talking to people through my computer screen. On Wednesday I was ... read more

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Peace at Home

These past few weeks I have been focusing on projects around the house and a couple of weekends ago, I shuffled the contents between two of our bedrooms. I moved our “guest room” (aka Kelsey’s old room) back to the front bedroom where it was originally. And then I moved all of the other stuff to the ... read more

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The Week in Photos | January 29th

Little glimpses of the sun in an otherwise gray, gloomy week. Finding little bits of color and texture in my neighborhood during my afternoon walks with Daisy. Time spent at my desk this week. Working with my girl and making lots of progress in her wedding plans. It was a good week. And I am very ... read more

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About Me

Hi There! I’m Kelly. I am a wife, mom, light seeker, homemaker, and storyteller. From an empty nest to an abundant life, all it took was a little time, a lot of faith, and the courage to see my life differently.

You can read more about my story here.

So now, armed with my trusty Canon camera, here is where I share my journey to live an inspired and intentional life.

Welcome to my little corner of the interwebs!

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Regular Contributor to Focusing on Life.

Story Teller for Ali Edwards Design Team

Currently Teaching at Big Picture Classes.

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This simple process of focusing on things that are This simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity. ~Edward de Bono
More spring bulb goodness from @traderjoes. Betwee More spring bulb goodness from @traderjoes. Between the color and the lovely scent, these hyacinths are sure brightening up my kitchen window. 💜

Also, it feels like it’s been a hot minute since I had my macro lens out taking photos of flowers. I’m always surprised at how easy it is to get OUT of the habit of something. Especially when getting INTO the habit is so much more challenging. 🙄😂
Because of the “Big Arctic Blast” my daffodils Because of the “Big Arctic Blast” my daffodils are a solid two weeks behind where they were last year. Thanks to @traderjoes I get to enjoy these sunny colored blooms a little earlier. 🌞🌼💛☺️
nor·​mal | \ ˈnȯr-məl :conforming to a type nor·​mal | \ ˈnȯr-məl :conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern : characterized by that which is considered usual, typical, or routine.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this time last year. Before the words Corona Virus or COVID19 were a regular part of my vocabulary. Before toilet paper became a hot commodity. Before it became a habit to check my purse to make sure I have my mask. Before it was second nature to take take three steps back from the person standing next to me.

These are not the “new normal” anymore. Their just plain-old normal. And that hurts my heart in a million little ways. Even still, there are a few changes in the past year that I am really happy about. Things like the feeling of gratitude every time I see my family. The personal growth I have experienced from learning how to feel my feelings a little better. Doubling-down on finding little joys and moments of magic in my everyday life.

I am looking forward to the day when life gets back to “normal”. My hope is that I can do so without losing the big lessons this past year has taught me.
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