Thursday Photo Challenge: Stairs

This was taken while I was on a cruise.  There were natural stairs built into the shoreline.  I love this photograph!

Thursday Photo Challenge: Silly

This week's theme is "silly".  With so many nieces and nephews, I have quite a collection. Here are a few of my favorites.

Thursday Photo Challenge: Hands

"How true Daddy's words were when he said: all 

children must look after their own upbringing. 

Parents can only give good advice or put them 

on the right paths, but the final forming of a 

person's character lies in their own hands."  

- Ann Frank

This is a photograph of my nephew, N.  He was watching the neighbor's children playing outside last Easter and wanted so badly to go join them.  Unfortunately, dinner was nearly ready.

Bridal Shower Fun

This past weekend we were invited to a couple's bridal shower for my husband's cousin and we had a wonderful time.  The wedding is in a few months and the couple now has a fully stocked kitchen!

The reason I am sharing this with you is that they had a wonderful process for how the gifts were opened.  At the beginning of the shower, each participant (or couple) was asked to share a memory of the couple.  When it was time to open the gifts, one of the bridesmaids read the stories aloud and the couple had to guess who it was - then open their gift.

It was nice way to get to know the couple and some of the stories were quite entertaining!

Thursday Photo Challenge: Three

This is a picture I took of my nieces and nephew at the Elgin Fire House Museum.  I love this picture of them.

Here is another photograph that fits into this category:

An Early Spring

After a very mild winter with less than 20 inches of snowfall (Chicago usually has closer to 60 total), we were blessed with an early spring.  The last week has seen record highs between 70 and 85 degrees and lows around 50 or 60.  We have had a few rain showers, too, and everything looks so green!  It is wonderful.

In honor of this weather, I decided to share some of my recently snapped photographs.  Since joining the Thursday Photo Challenge, I've been traveling with my camera everyday.  I hope you enjoy them!

The daffodils in River Grove, Illinois are peeking through the dead limbs from
 last year.   They are persistent fellows!

A beautiful flowing tree.  I shot this in Gevena, Illinois as I was traveling
to pick up our new compost bin.  I  passed  someones house and couldn't
resist snapping a few photographs.  

Same tree - just a closer view of the blossoms.  

This was taken in Addison, Illinois as I was traveling to work.  If they ever ban
photography  while driving (as they have with texting), I will surely be in trouble.
 I see the most interesting and beautiful things on my way to and from work.  

This was taken at the O'Hare International Airport expansion site in Bensenville,
 Illinois.  I couldn't resist the image of  "peeking through the hole" to witness
another sign of spring -- construction traffic.  In the back you can just
make out the dump trucks traveling along the new road.

It is hard to believe this was once a beautiful and thriving neighborhood
where families raised children -- Mayor Daley always got his way despite the
effect his projects would have on people.  I am glad he retired from public
service!  

Thursday Photo Challenge: Green

The theme is week is GREEN.  This photograph was taken at a pond near our home in suburban Chicago.  The water is reflecting the trees that surround it.