minding my nest

practicing the art of an ordinary life

  • Home
  • Blog
  • 2025 Desktop Calendars
  • Lightroom Tutorials
  • Online classes
  • Class Login

Ten Things–What My Parents Did Right

I can’t believe that in a little over a month we’ll be taking Kelsey to move-in at college. {Insert wailing and caterwauling here.} As I get ready to watch my little fledging leave the nest and test out her wings, I hope and pray that I’ve taught her everything she needs to know to safely navigate ... read more

Filed Under: 10 Things, family, life Leave a Comment

My Kind of Garden

Tripp and I worked in the yard all day Saturday installing a new sprinkler head.  We spent the day digging a 12 inch deep trench, making a trip to Home Depot (what weekend would be complete without one I ask?), extending the existing sprinkler line, and finally adding the new pop-up sprayer.  To ... read more

Filed Under: gardening, home 1 Comment

Glasses Half-full

Pop-quiz! The following picture of drinking glasses is: a.  glasses from a dinner party the night before b.  impromptu vases for garden flowers c.  an experiment in musical acoustics d.  the number of my water glasses collected from around the house in one day. If you ... read more

Filed Under: life Leave a Comment

Bathroom Renovation–Epilogue

It was about this time last month that Tripp installed the final towel bar and I finished filling our Q-tip and cotton ball canisters in our brand new, bright and twinkle-y bathroom. We’ve been using it for about a month now, and after approximately 120 teethbrushings, 60 showers, and  20 ... read more

Filed Under: home, life Leave a Comment

I can do this.

You know that scene from Father of the Bride?  The one where Annie tells her father, George (played so perfectly by the incredibly talented Steve Martin), that she is getting married.  Annie at the age of 24 or so is sitting across the table from her parents and begins to describe how she and her ... read more

Filed Under: family, life 2 Comments

Unwinterized

We finally got the boat back from being unwinterized just in time for Father’s Day weekend. My parents and my brother and his girlfriend came for a fun day on water.  After some nachos at our new favorite lake hangout, Barnacle Bill’s, it was time to get tubing.  My brother considers ... read more

Filed Under: family, life Leave a Comment

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 262
  • 263
  • 264
  • 265
  • 266
  • …
  • 288
  • Next Page »

My New Photography Class Is Here!

Here’s where you can find me on the web

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

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!

Learning to See Photography Series

December Daily® 2023


Popular Categories

  • 10 Things
  • ordinary life
    • family
    • faith
    • friends
    • travel
  • creativity
    • photography
    • memory keeping
    • blogging
  • home & garden
    • recipes
    • gardening
    • crafts
    • holidays
  • my favorite posts
    • my not-so-empty nest
    • the art of an ordinary life
  • Memory Keeping 2019
  • Photography
  • About Me
  • Contact

AROUND THE WEB

Regular Contributor to Focusing on Life.

Story Teller for Ali Edwards Design Team

Currently Teaching at Big Picture Classes.

My Portfolio - Kelly Ishmael Photography

Some of My Favorite Topics

10 Things 31 days 50 Stories 52 Weeks of Pinspiration! blogging crafts creativity faith family friends gardening holidays home Learning To See life memory keeping Nature photography recipes seasons Summer Magic The Week in Photos travel Uncategorized

Copyright © 2025 · Faithful theme by Restored 316