We Really Like Good Pictures {Photo Contest}

When we decided to invest in a camera to take pictures of the little one we were expecting four years ago, I wasn’t half as excited as I should’ve been. Now that I look back on the years of memories that I have from the days when the Bear was just a wee little thing, and the glorious swaddled up images from the morning after the fateful nine-minute delivery of Tiger Tank, I am just so grateful that those memories are captured, especially since we’re now thousands of miles away from where any of them took place.

{Can you believe this is the Bear? Totally what the Tank looks like right now!}

Now that we are able to not only take quality pictures, but also print them out on high quality photo paper or on a gallery-wrapped canvas, (ya know, in the Quiver Tree Gallery) I have realized that I value that investment even more. It has already happened a couple of times that folks have brought in pictures that weren’t captured particularly well, and the Hubs has had to discuss with them the likelihood that printing them on a big old canvas might not come out as nicely as they might be hoping. Sometimes the images are just low-resolution, other times (in addition to the low-res problem) feet have been cut off or the angles are strange — and I remember that I’m a rather fortunate gal to have a Hubs that knows how to use a camera very well.

I digress. But it seems that’s what I do best!

I just caught wind of a photo contest I wanted to tell you guys about. Shutterfly has had a photo contest running for a few weeks now, and there are two weeks left. Each week they have a different photo theme — this week it’s Sports & Activities (7/30 to 8/5) and next week it’s Parties & Celebrations (8/6 to 8/12).

{Water Fun was last week — wish I’d taken a moment to send this in!}

They’re giving away prizes each week, but the Grand Prize winner will win a trip for 4 to the Bahamas, which will include a 4 night stay and a family photo shoot! Score. I wish Quiver Tree Photography was the outfit responsible for doing that shoot. (Preez?)

Anywho, you just need to head over to Facebook, like Shutterfly and upload a photo to enter. Apparently you’ll get a gift from Shutterfly just for entering, but I don’t know what dat is. 🙂 You can enter this week and again next week… so if you have a moment, I think you should go for it. And if you’re not already a family of four, I have a suggestion or two about who you can invite to join you if you win. 😉

The official rules are right here. And I feel like a responsible adult for taking a moment to share them.

And after this photo contest is done, I’m thinking I should maybe host one right here with a giveaway. Would you send in a photie for a chance to win a prize? I’m thinking the odds would be in your favour ’round these parts!

xCC

Travel With Me Again This Tuesday?

I feel totally confident no more than twelve at least twenty of you are absolutely gutted that Travelling Tuesday hasn’t hit the web yet today.

Perhaps you want to yell at me like this?

Maybe you’d rather give me a good shot of your back side.

Or mayhaps you just want to give me a disdain-filled ignore like this?

Well maybe once you take a wee travel to see what I’ve been working on today you’ll forgive me. Preez?

Cos I sure didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. And I promise that the previously promised pictures from Kruger Park are coming your way soon. They’re even friendlier and more exciting than the ones posted here!

Are we still friends?

xCC

Travelling Tuesday: From the Backseat of Africa

Happy Tuesday, dear friends! This Tuesday is scheduled to be yet another actual Travelling Tuesday as we will be making our way from our beloved Bloemfontein down to Gordon’s Bay, and our whirlwind of travels will be done! Thank you so much for your prayers — although it has been a very busy and slightly tiring adventure, we’ve also been incredibly blessed during these travels. I’ve come down with a cold and the Bear has a runny nose, so please keep our health in your prayers. I cannot wait to show you pictures from so many of the spots we visited!

Today, since we have been on the road so much and I’ve been pressed for time, I thought I would simply arrange a special post “From the Backseat” for you, so you might feel like you were able to come along for a bit of the journey. Ready to hop in? Sorry, but you can’t ride shotgun.

Check it out! Kids sliding down a hill on cardboard boxes. Wanna stop to join in?
Too bad. We’ve got a long way to go.

We spent a long time passing through roadworks in a town called Mthatha.

I watched this fella with the front-end loader almost hit three people passing by.

If only we could’ve stopped to look at those dresses! I bet we would’ve gotten a good price!

Slow down, Cow Crossing!

Sometimes things feel a little like home…

That could be a North Carolina overpass, besides the names I guess.

And this made me think of Hamburger at Lee Chevrolet Pontiac Buick in Washington…”All Roads Lead to Lee.”

And this Chicken place smelled like B’s Barbecue back in Greenville, North Carolina. Funny how a smell can transport you 8,000 miles in 3 seconds.

It’s amazing how things can be so similar and so different at the same time. I could get some Kentucky Fried Chicken, but this sure ain’t Kentucky.

I think this seems like a reasonable name for a river.

And look! We finally reached another of our 7 destinations, and the Bear decided he’d do the last leg on his own!

So that was a slice of Africa from the backseat! Did you enjoy being along for the ride? I’m excited to share some awesome shots with you over the next few Tuesdays! Whoo-hoo! I’ll write you again from Gordon’s Bay!

xCC

Keen to join in on the Travelling Tuesday-fun? Whether you’re documenting an adventure at your local Wal-mart or last year’s schlep to Timbucktu, we’d love to have you along! Drop your Travelling Tuesday post’s link in the Magic Link-Up Robot below, and be sure to link your post back here. Otherwise you’re just being cheeky. 🙂


Notes from the Road AND (Still) Travelling Tuesday: Jeffrey’s Bay, SA

Well, we’re still pounding the African pavement — but only figuratively speaking, Mr. Potato Head is doing all the hard work. And so far we’ve travelled from Gordon’s Bay to Jeffrey’s Bay to East London to Durban to the Drakensberg to White River. And since I have a feeling that doesn’t mean a whole lot to a whole lotofya, I will also say that’s 3,000 kilometres. And in case that doesn’t mean a heckuvalot to a lotofya, I’ll translate that to about 1,864 miles, repacking our suitcases and car 5 times in 7 days, and encouraging the Bear to nap in the car a lot.

The good news is we’re taking a break on this bright and shiny Travelling Tuesday to hit Kruger National Park. The Bear will hopefully see a lot of firsts, but I’m especially excited for him to see his first real live zebra, because he can say zebra, (yes, it sounds like zuh-zuh, but it’s zebra, I speak baby!) and I can’t wait to see him point out the car window and say Zuh-zuh!!!!

We are tired from the adventures so far but excited for what’s ahead, and I’ll let that conclude the Notes from the Road so we can get on to more important matters, namely the Travelling Tuesday at hand.

This is a slice of our brief tour of Jeffrey’s Bay. There is some special and important ministry happening there, but for now I’m just sharing a bit of scenery with you. It’s scenery worth sharing!

Allow me to first introduce our dear travelling companion and YWAMer extraordinaire, Abel.

Abel is Brazilian. I must now digress to mention that I never met a Brazilian I didn’t like. What’s not to like? They eat lots of meat, they have zeal for life and when they know the Lord, their passion for the Lord is inspiring. They’ll take any excuse for a party, play “the beautiful game” (soccer) like no other country on Earth, and their awesome presidente was one of time’s 100 most influential people this year. Keep up! They’re also an impressively green nation and known for incredible pizza. Like I said, what’s not to like? But me a ticket to São Paolo when you get a chance, K?

Now it was at about this time that the Bear started to look like he was going to bypass three word sentences and bust out with an Are we there yet?

A few minutes later, it became very clear as to why the Bear was ready to get out. (Yes, he is signing “more,” by the way.) I took him out of his car seat for the last few moments and he pooped. All the way down his trousers, and onto mine. Good reason for anybody to be ready to be there!

Now don’t be jealous, but a lovely family hosted us in Gordon’s Bay, and this was the view from the balcony of their lovely guest suite.

The beach just kept on going…

And I must add that I would most certainly enjoy eating breakfast right here every morning. Sigh.

We decided to give the beach a closer look, just for your benefit dear readers. Abel looked at a lot of the beach for you.

There was also a little munchkin who was quite happy to have sand between his toes.

And, saving the best for last as usual, this was the reaction when the aforementioned little munchkin discovered that today was not going to be a swimming day at the beach.

Another day, dear Bear, hopefully a summer’s day in Jeffrey’s Bay!

Well friends, I can’t wait to grab a moment to go through lots more photos and share more with you from our travels at present! In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying your adventure today!

xCC

What was that? You’re keen to link up to Travelling Tuesday with a post of your own? Well it’s your lucky day, friend! Simply create a Travelling Tuesday post on your blog or site, paste the link to that specific post right here in my Happy Link-up Robot, and take that extra moment to be a dear and link your post back here so others can join in the fun! Whether they’re yesterday’s shots from your backyard, or pics from a fifth-grade field trip, we’d love to see em. Probably. So join up here!

Travelling Tuesday: Mfuleni Township

Happy Tuesday! How’s it going this week? A couple weeks ago we visited an area called Mfuleni, not too far away from Cape Town, where we shared a a few gifts with some kids who live there: a message of hope, a foot washing, a moment of prayer and a new pair of shoes. And though we keep giving, we keep receiving, from an un-outgiveable God.

Would you like to enjoy a photographic review of the day, mayhaps?

We were on top of Table Mountain last Tuesday. Here’s a different view of Cape Town’s most famous peak, from Mfuleni, near where the shoe distribution was hosted:

As always, the joy and exuberance and spunk of the kids tugged at my heartstrings. This little one is sooo sweet.

Getting ready for their big moment…

So much beauty in a water basin waiting to clean some feet.

Hero Hubs has candy!

Today, as I unwrap the joy of giving alongside an un-out-giveable God,

I’m starting to think the gift isn’t just all that we have,
it’s all that we have to give away.

xCC

Keen to join in the Travelling Tuesday fun? Woo-hoo! Just link up a fresh slice of good blogging including some Travelling photos of your own! Whether they’re from a trip last year or a backyard shin-dig last week, we’d love to see them. Make sure you link up to your post (not your blog’s home page) and that you add a link back here so everyone can join in the fun!

This post might be linked up to Chatting at the Sky’s Tuesdays Unwrapped, if I find a way to link up this Tuesday!

tuesdays unwrapped at cats