photography Archives - Lumber in My Minivan

2021, NC Mountains, photography, travel, traveling

Postcard Pretty Mountain Towns You Should Visit in North Carolina

September 29, 2021October 1, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVan2 Comments

Tryon, NC

OMG, we loved this place so much. We decided on a whim to visit Landrum, SC; Tryon, NC and Saluda, NC for our anniversary one year. We found beautiful country, a charming downtown (we even met the mayor!) and some really delicious places to eat. Harper’s Pub is amazing- plus, it’s in a really neat old building.

2. Saluda, NC

We visited this tiny little town and didn’t want to leave. If you go to Saluda, I recommend hiking to Pearson’s Falls, a 100-foot waterfall. It’s absolutely beautiful. Like nearby Tryon, there are some delicious places to eat. I also enjoyed rummaging through antique stores and visiting a general store.

3. West Jefferson, NC

West Jefferson is one of our absolute favorite places on the planet. Close enough to Boone to visit, but away from the hustle and bustle of Boone. It’s a beautiful little town with a charming downtown and gorgeous views. Also, while you’re there, you’d better check out Hole Lotta Donuts!

Picture courtesy of High Country Visitor’s Guide

4. Blowing Rock, NC

Blowing Rock is, quite possibly, my favorite NC mountain town. I’d move here tomorrow if I could. We love the scenery and the downtown itself- so much character and charm. I wish I could tell you a specific store to check out downtown, but there are so many neat ones, I’m just going to recommend you visit them all 🙂 There’s also a really nice park and playground for your kids. If you visit here, you need to go to Kilwin’s for some homemade candies and ice cream. Everything there is delicious.

Courtesy of Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

5. Sylva, NC

As a proud grad of Western Carolina U, I have to include Sylva on this list. This beautiful little town is home to the most photographed courthouse in the South- with the mountain views, the landscaping and the streetlights, it’s easy to see why. I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent there- so many delightful places to visit and so much delicious food! Go to Speedy’s Pizza- the restaurant has been open since the 70’s and it’s fantastic!

I hope you enjoyed my favorite mountain towns! We love exploring our state and finding new places to visit.

2021, back to school, Blogging, DIY, family, kids, Personal, photography

Back to school: an easier approach to first-day photo shoots

August 17, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

My sweet girls went to school last week. My oldest started fifth grade and my youngest started kindergarten. Last year, I took no first day of school pictures since we were virtual. This year, I more than made up for it.

I may have gone a bit overboard- I ended up taking over 70 pictures, but I got some awesome shots. Today, I’d like to share some tips for getting some great back to school pictures.

1. Don’t wait til the actual first day of school

We put on our school clothes and back packs and we pretend it’s the first day of school. This year, we sneaked over to the school the day before the first day.

If you’re anything like us, you will be in a hurry on the first day and you won’t have time to get any good pictures. And if you are in a hurry and forget to take them, it won’t matter.

2. Wait until sunset

If you don’t wait til sunset, chances are really good you’re going to get lots of pictures with squinty smiles. The sun will be too bright.

3. You need a prop

Find a sign, find a wall, find a bus, make a sign.

Find a staircase and do this:

Whatever you can do to make it interesting.

4. Take a lot of pictures!

Because the more pics you take, the more likely you are to get some good stuff!

But most of all, don’t wait until the day of. Take a lot of pictures but have fun with it. You aren’t just taking photos, you’re making memories. And if your kids want to strike a silly pose, let them.

I hope you have an amazing school year.

2021, life as a lumber, pets, photography, simplify saturdays

Life as a Lumber: What We’ve Been Up To!

January 9, 2021January 5, 2021by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

This week, my husband asked for a sweet treat. I’ve been trying to cook and eat at home more. I tried making a pineapple cobbler for the first time. It doesn’t look very pretty but it tasted good.

We also made some tasty “from scratch” waffles on Sunday morning and they were really good. We will share the recipe soon! It’s super easy, cheap and super good…my three recipe requirements.

On my first school day of the new year, I managed to have a little bird fly into my classroom and entertain us for most of my first class. My principal managed to shoo him out.

School and dance started back and these little kiddos are keeping me busy.

This boy has been getting into all sorts of

Happy New Year! Catch us next week for these fun posts:

1. Green and clean in the pandemic (and a giveaway)

2. A new playground for the little lumbers

3. A fun Friday roundup

2020, christmas, decor, family, holidays, life as a lumber, photography

Saturday Smiles: Life as a Lumber

December 5, 2020by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

We hope this post finds you well and happy. We had a blessed Thanksgiving, even if it was very different from our usual Thanksgiving celebrations.

We didn’t travel to see anyone but Zoomed with distant family members instead.

The girls wore some matching dresses and looked adorable.

We cooked a Thanksgiving meal for the four of us on Black Friday. It tasted great!

We also built a new swing set to accommodate two growing girls who are too big for our old one.

We rounded out our week with a trip to Denton Farm Park. We couldn’t ride the train, go in any historic buildings or visit Santa, but we could drive through some beautiful Christmas lights and see a live Nativity.

We hope you have a wonderful week!

2019, 24 Days of Christmas, christmas, holidays, photography, seasonal

24 Days of Christmas: the kick-off

November 30, 2020November 29, 2020by LumberInMyMiniVanLeave a Comment

It’s that time again! 24 days of Christmas is upon us. We have taken a break from this series for the past two years but now we are back and I couldn’t be more excited!

Tomorrow is the official first day, but I wanted to pop in today to tell you what we have in store for you. Here’s a little list of what we will be sharing these first 24 days of Christmas:

1. Christmas printables

2. Make an advent wreath

3. Our Christmas Home Tour

4. Socially Distant Christmas Activities

5. Dollar Store Christmas decor

6. Setting a Christmas table

7. Our Christmas mantle

8. Christmas cards and clothing choices

9. Make a Christmas wreath

10. Christmas letterboard ideas

11. Christmas lanterns

12. Placemat pillows