Capture your best fireworks pics ever tonight on your smartphone…
Use BURST MODE – On recent iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones, hold down your finger on the shutter and dozens of photos will shoot in quick succession.Your phone will display what it deems is the best shot. To see all the images, click “select” under the one displayed image. You can then click on other images you would also like to save.
Note: Your camera will need a little breathing room between taking bursts to let the memory catch up.
Using a recent iPhone?
Shoot with Apple’s LIVE PHOTOS enabled. The camera will record a few seconds of video footage on top of your photo. The photos will look cool on the phone, but hard to share as regular .JPG photos on social media. Only friends with Facebook for iPhone or iPad will be able to see the photo as a Live photo.
To post on Instagram, you may post a LIVE PHOTO taken within the last 24 hours by converting it:
Select it.
Press firmly on the middle of the screen. You should see a white revolving circle appear, followed by the words “Boomerang”.
The Live Photo has now been converted to a Boomerang loop.
Options for posting to Instagram:
Post to Your Story: Tap “Your Story”.
Send it to a friend: Tap “Send To” and select your friends, then tap “Send” at the bottom.
Make an Instagram Post: Tap “Save”, then back out to the main Instagram menu and tap “＋” to make a new post. Tap “Library” and look for the 6-second video you just saved.
ANOTHER COOL TRICK (but not the best for posting on social media):
Swipe up on your LIVE PHOTO image for these options: Loop, Bounce, or Long Exposure.
Loop runs the video over and over again.
Bounce runs it forward, then backward.
Long Exposure brings a slow shutter look, which can look really cool for fireworks photos.
You made it through May! Congrats! Now…how do you make the most of summer?
I collaborated with some friends to bring you 9 Tips for summer at home with kids:
1. Keep a routine (#1 answer) – Have you ever noticed how frustrating that first week out of school can be? (I brace myself for it every year!) I think it has a lot to do with family members not having clear expectations. Communicating with family members and making decisions on when certain things will happen help everyone to feel more settled. It also gives some focus so that days are not whittled away without purpose.
Your schedule might include routines for any or all of the following:
“Tidy Time” – make bed, tidy room
Independent Time – grow creativity with reading, drawing, building with legos
Screen Time – I know this one can be hard, but, momma, set some boundaries. What is really reasonable?
Exercise – everyone needs this and is happier when they have it
Bible Time – memorize a scripture together or just read a verse or chapter and discuss applications. Just a few minutes each day of discussion can add up to big impact.
Activity time – work a puzzle together, play a game, do a craft, make a card or gift for an upcoming birthday
Meal Times – what meals can kids be in charge of?
Bed Time – sticking with a somewhat normal schedule here pays off in lots of ways, especially when school starts again
2. Choose 1-2 life skills to teach your children – This might include learning to pack their own lunch, tie their shoes, make their own breakfast…even pump themselves on a swing! 🙂 Older children might have the opportunity to create a digital album of the family vacation, open a bank account, or learn how to put gas in the car.
3. Go to the library – It’s a fun outing, your kids keep reading skills sharp, and it’s FREE. [Tip: Keep a designated basket for library books so they are easy to keep track of and easily returned. Set a reminder on your phone to return books before their due date.]
4. Everyone in the family declutter a drawer.
Empty contents of drawer
Put back in only what goes in that drawer
Put giveaway items in a bag
Put leftover items back where they belong
Do this little exercise a few times a week and by the time school starts, everyone is ready to start their new schedule more organized.
5. Post an “I’m Bored” list – Any time kids complain or are getting into mischief because of boredom, have them pick something off the list to do.
Ideas to get you started:
Watering plants
Sweeping the porch
Gathering trash
Matching “extra” socks from the laundry
Cleaning the dog bowls
When I have a long list of things that need to be done, I give my kids fair warning that the slightest little hint of “boredom” will earn them a job. 🙂
6. Movie nights – If you have or can borrow a projector, create a fun family night by hanging a sheet and using a computer/projector to watch a movie. If you have a pool, set it up so you can watch it while floating on rafts. Invite neighbor friends!
7. Set the timer for a half hour and work on home responsibilities – If kids balk at the idea, remind them that there are about 16 hours in the day. If they are not working outside the home, 30 minutes out of 16 hours is not much to ask. (Remind them you are feeding them, clothing them, and giving them a bed to sleep in!)
Depending on the age, here are some ideas:
Empty the dishwasher
Gather trash
Sweep
Mop
Assist in cleaning the kitchen
Wash windows
Food prep
Vacuum
It is especially helpful to do this before taking the kids to do that desireable activity — “As soon as we all finish our 30 minutes, we can go swimming…” Rewards for good attitudes are fun to throw in every now and then. And it is rewarding for your kids to feel part of a team, learn responsibilities, and feel gratified with a job well done.
8. Backpack and lunch box shopping – This might be online or a trip to the store, but to me it has always seemed more fun to buy school supplies when we didn’t wait til the last minute when the pressure was on.
Use it as a fun activity early in the summer. If your school has posted the school supply list for the fall, you can even go ahead and make the purchases and fill the backpacks and put them in the top of a closet. It feels so good to just pull down the readied backpack in August.
9. Fill out school registrations online – If you have multiple children, you know how stressful and time consuming it can be in August to get all the paperwork filled out while everything is starting up. There is something about getting things like this done ahead of time that just makes me soooo happy – it’s empowering!
I hope you’ve found at least one or two new ideas to make your summer better. I’m here for you — please email me any topics you would like to see discussed.
EEKS! Father’s day is almost here? (And you are gift-less at this point?) No worries, sister. You’ve got this. And it’s going to be great!
Take a moment to consider what most matters to him, then, with your kids, make a gift that will best communicate your love!
According to Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages, everyone experiences love differently, and most people feel it primarily in one of five ways.
2. Zero in on ideas from the list below for his #1 love language, and get into action!
“Word of Affirmation” DIY Gift
In a journal write specific character qualities you admire about him, and specifictimes that you were proud of him in different situations. (If children are able to participate in this, that’s even better!)
Frame a family picture. Write on the matte words that describe Dad’s most amazing qualities (Written in the children’s handwriting if they are able.)
Do around-the-table affirmations (again, the key is to share specific qualities and instances of awesomeness!)
“Acts of Service” DIY Gifts
What are tasks that Dad usually does that you could take care of for him? Ideas to get you going:
Detail and put gas in his car (I just did this for my husband’s birthday, and he loved it!)
Shine his shoes and put a little tag on them like “Shined with love, by Jacob”
Make his favorite meal and favorite dessert. Present him at his placemat some coupons for his typical jobs that family members will cover for him such as “I will mow the lawn” or “I will take out the trash this week”
“Receiving Gifts” DIY Gifts
Some easy and useful gifts with step-by-step instructions:
The key here is to identify something Dad loves, and do it with him. (Really, you needn’t spend a lot of money! It’s all about time together for this guy.) Even you just sitting with him and watching while he does something he needs to do can be meaningful (I know you non-quality time girls are doubting me right now, but it’s true!)
Need some ideas?
Grill out – Family time, enjoying food
Go fishing together
Play a favorite game
“Physical Touch” DIY Gifts
Cuddle while watching his favorite movie
Make coupons for things like “Good for one 30 minute foot massage” or “Good for one 10 minute back scratch”and let him redeem them immediately.
Gift him with a professional therapeutic massage
Better yet, go for a combo of some of the above ideas. I mean, who doesn’t feel loved by these? The main thing to remember is to be sure and hit the #1 love language.
As a mom, I’ve always called May the “second December”, as
it seems to fly by each year packed with a hundred extra activities – end-of-year
concerts, teacher appreciation, banquets, recitals, team and class parties, and
the last tournaments of the season.
By the time Memorial Day hits, I’ve often found myself just wanting to take a deep breath and be thankful for a free day! But it warrants our celebration.
4 simple things to do to make Memorial Day more meaningful
Let your kids help put a flag out. Teach them proper care and etiquette of the U.S. Flag, such as…-Never let the flag touch the ground or anything beneath it. – Display the flag only between sunrise and sunset on buildings and stationary staffs, or for 24-hours if illuminated. – Do not display the flag in inclement weather. – Whether displaying the flag vertically or horizontally, make sure the canton of stars is visible on the upper left-hand side. – The flag should be raised briskly and lowered ceremonially. – An unusable flag that is damaged and worn and can no longer be displayed should be destroyed in a dignified way by burning.
Participate in a Memorial Day Parade. Check local listings for parades in your area, or help the neighbor kids create their own parade with bikes, scooters and strollers decorated in small flags and streamers. (Pictured is a 1999 throw-back photo of the oldest Stull boys!)
Host a “Home of the Brave” Cookout. Invite some friends over – potluck style if you want to make it super easy. Gather everyone together after sharing in the meal, and share stories of military heroes. Let everyone have a chance to share of relatives or friends who served. Have hero stories printed from here and ask 3-5 people to read them aloud to the group.
Write handwritten notes to active military servicemen and women.Thank them for their service and take a moment to pray for them and their families before mailing. You may choose to write a letter to a soldier or send a soldier a package.
I pray you and your family have a blessed Memorial Day, with gratitude in our hearts for the ones who have given their lives for us to have the freedoms we enjoy every day.
In case you saw the Stull family 2016 video and are looking for a little explanation…
“Details, give me details!” Here you go, starting with our oldest:
Dillon’s graduation from Baylor University
Home by the fire pit
Sitting on a panel at B.U.
Dillon’s reward for paying his way through college (on scholarships)
Rocky Mountain high
Dillon – Graduated from Baylor University in May.
Was happy to hold Chris to his promise of a new car for any child who pays their own way through college (he did it on scholarships), so Chris is taking on his first car payment in 10 years.
Started the Christian Pre-Health Fellowship his junior year, and Spring of his senior year it was chosen as the best new student organization of the year at BU.
He and 10 of his BU friends stopped by our house on their way home from a Spring Break trip to California. The garage turned into a cozy bedroom with 8 inflated mattresses and it was such fun.
He was elated to finish his thesis and have it published, then went back to do medical missions on the Kenya Nyakach Plateau with Straw to Bread Ministries from Baylor in May.
Then enjoyed working at Wind River Ranch for the rest of the summer before moving to Duke University to get a one-year master’s degree in medical ethics and theology.
He spent all fall traveling around the country interviewing with some amazing medical schools, has already received some acceptances, and we are prayerful that God makes His will clear… and provides scholarships!
Sir Lancelot in Camelot
Disneyworld & Epcot
In a medley of operas
Derek – a junior Music Ed major at Dallas Baptist University.
Highlights from this past year included performing in DBU’s Camelot and An Opera Buffet, being the featured soloist for the Mark Hayes Requiem performed by DBU’s Grand Chorus,
visiting Disney World over fall and Christmas break, where his girlfriend Taylor is in their Disney U. program and working as a performing character.
He wrapped up two years of wonderful service as the worship leader of the contemporary service at Shiloh Terrace BC in Dallas, and began in November as the worship leader at Preston Ridge BC in Frisco.
He and his girlfriend also won second place in a company-wide contest of Plexus Worldwide by creating a music video about their newest clean energy product. It’s super cute! [https://youtu.be/8qJxW-aSXdw]
His band came out and did the music for the second year at Wellspring Church’s youth camp in June.
He’s our BTB (aka BowTie Boy). Almost any day of the week you can find him wearing one of his dozens of bow ties.
Senior Portrait
Still loving baseball…
Catcher all grown up
High school graduation
Caleb – Graduated from Millennium High School in May.
He was the All-District catcher and was selected for the Div. I All-Star game at Goodyear Ballpark, where he got 3 hits and had a wonderful night.
He was awarded the MHS Spirit award, as he showed up in support at almost every game of every team, leading cheers and organizing theme nights.
He was Prom and Winter Formal King, President of the Fellowship of Christian Students, and such a bright light on his campus.
One highlight was a senior trip with 3 Texas friends up the coast of California and to Yosemite.
He has always been independent, and that really came out in his ability to drive himself to Oklahoma in August and begin at Oklahoma Baptist University in the fall as a freshman International Business major and baseball player.
He is serving on the leadership team of his local church. On the weekends he often makes the 2-hour drive to Nana and Pap’s house outside of Tulsa, where he gets spoiled with banana nut bread, steak dinners and quail hunting.
Loving his new camera at Laguna Beach
On the soccer field
KJ & Micah ran together their first half marathon
One of his favorite things is when Ben comes for a visit or when he goes to TX to visit Ben!
Lettered in soccer as a freshman and even received the Tiger Award
Micah – A sophomore at MHS and amazing photographer. He purchased a really nice camera this year and has been wow-ing us with his photos.
He is the President of Fellowship of Christian Students, a second-year member of the MHS Scholastic Bowl team, lettered in soccer and tennis his freshman year. He even was honored with the “Tiger Award” by his coach. His tennis team of mostly freshmen had fun going to State and anticipates great years ahead.
His time is pretty tied up with studies for AP classes this year, but he finds time to have fun with photography and his microscope with any free time…and doing pushups! He started at 50 pushups and added one a day for 150 days, getting to where he could do 200 consecutive pushups. We’re talking buff.
With 3 brothers now out of the house, Micah got his own room, which is decorated with canvases of his own photography and serves him well for his studies.
Micah truly lives out his namesake verse: Micah 6:8 – What does the Lord require of you? To love mercy, do justice and walk humbly with your
Senior Caleb came out to support lil bro Micah in his Scholastic Bowl meet.
God.
Kare-bear Karis
She’s fast!
Mother’s Day
8th Grade Graduation and such an honor to receive this award from the faculty
Loves to draw
Hanging out with Karly
Karis – A freshman at MHS. She and Micah ran their first half marathon in February.
At 8th grade graduation Karis received the Dolphin Award, the faculty-picked top award of Western Sky MS.
She was selected as MVP of the WSMS basketball team, was the co-President of Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Her club soccer team won a number of tournaments. And her 4×400 track team absolutely smoked 26 other teams.
At MHS she is enjoying being on the Scholastic Bowl Team, playing soccer, and leading in the Fellowship of Christian Students.
Most groups she is in end up calling her Kare-bear. Her caring ways come through in all that she does.
Laguna Beach, CA
He’s a runner! Great at soccer, too!
Finally…we ALL have the last name Stull!
Fishing with Dad at Wind River Ranch, Estes Park, CO
Made Mom cry this day — brought home straight A’s in 7th grade honors classes!
John – A 7th grader at WSMS. Has progressed amazingly with his studies, and is now making straight A’s in honors classes.
He has also grown 12 inches in the past 2 years!
He has become a force on both his middle school and club soccer teams, and he made the basketball team this year.
John earned the “full of life” award at Sky Ranch camp last summer, due to his abounding energy.
He saved up and bought his own Xbox.
Both he and Mariama were baptized this last year.
He loves being around people, is caring and helpful, and Mom loves all the hugs he gives. He also whips up a great breakfast. Buttermilk pancakes, fancy omelets, and bacon? No problem!
Our accessory girl
She can make anything into a stage
A music note pillowcase surprise Mari made for Derek
One of Mari’s 5K’s with Girls on the Run. KJ was her running buddy for this one.
She can’t stand the thought of doing anything without fashion…even fishing!
Mari’s pink pup
A Red Carpet birthday party to remember
Mariama – a 4th grader at Litchfield Elementary School.
With this girl’s over-the-top passion and creativity, we never know what a day will bring and she definitely keeps us on our toes!
Her highlights were her red carpet birthday party, getting her own room, and going on a trip with Mom to Plexus convention this summer.
We remodeled our former dining room into a bedroom for her, complete with the requested chandelier and canopy with lights.
Drama is her life. If its not there, she finds a way to create it. We look forward to when she can put this drama to good use on the stage. Watch for her either on Broadway or rising as a Youtube celebrity when we allow her to start posting the hundreds of videos she has created.
She is gifted with working with small children – she adores them and they adore her. Truly a Pied Piper. Put her in a room with 3 preschoolers and she immediately becomes an adult!
She took some sewing classes this year, crafting a few pillow cases and a bag.
She also played soccer and ran in two 5k’s through the Girls on the Run Program at her school.
Personality plus.
Laguna with kids over fall break
Laguna Beach 26th Anniversary Trip
At 11,427′ – Hiking in Estes Park, CO.
CA Anniversary Trip – night at Pageant of the Masters
Brenna has never flown more in a year. This past year the Stulls had lots of celebrations, with 3 graduations (college, high school and middle school) within 6 days…in two states!
Summer was blessed to have time with family and friends in Colorado at Wind River Ranch again. Our kids enjoyed quality time with each set of grandparents, and the youngest 4 were blessed with a week at Sky Ranch Camp while Chris and Brenna visited friends in Laguna Beach, CA, to celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary.
Fall trips visiting Dillon at Duke University, seeing Derek in his fall musical at DBU, getting to speak at an OBU alumni event and see Caleb and many Oklahoma friends, earning a 3-day trip with Plexus to Leader’s Retreat and being able to take her Mom as a guest, flying into Dallas with Chris to do a wedding and enjoying time as a couple and special life moments with extended family.
Excited to win first place in the 2016 Shamrock Farms Thanksgiving Triathlon in Goodyear, AZ.
She is finding great joy in her work — continuing to speak for women’s retreats, conferences, and moms groups occasionally. She is spending the bulk of her time as a health coach sharing products that have been life-changing for her health, and it is her joy to see other people’s lives also change as people gain new freedoms to live out their God-given passions and purposes.
Sharing a message
Doing a wedding at the Nash Museum in Dallas, TX
Pastor for the week at Wind River Ranch in Estes Park, CO
He’s a great catch! 😉
Chris – the long-suffering father dealing with a plethora of car troubles that started in May with all 6 of our cars. In spite of doing everything that could be done with having all cars tuned up, between May and October the cars were in mechanic shops in Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Sedona, Tucson, Phoenix, Amarillo, and Dallas…at least one or more times. Chris has proven to be a patient and steadfast leader to just do the next thing that needs to be done to fix the latest problem.
Highlights: Easter at Wellspring Church, heading up a Good Friday Breakfast at the Wigwam Resort that included 61 pastors. It sold out at 750 seats 8 days before the event. Adding staff at Wellspring Church and rallying area pastors to unite for the Kingdom.
Serving as chaplain for the Royals and writing papers and studying for seminary classes keep him busy.
Found time to take kids out to fish, hunt dove, went deer hunting in TX.
This fall, he and Brenna had the opportunity to lead a marriage conference for a wonderful church in Texas.
And over Fall break he took the family to the beautiful California coast! Micah captured our time with his new camera and put together a video: https://youtu.be/vRjX-SZVX0I
Our lives are full and we thank God for His many blessings. Our greatest gift of all is our deep, abiding and eternal relationship with God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray you and yours know that same joy.
Now here’s to 2017! “Teach us to number our days aright, O Lord, that we might gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
We thank God for the blessings of 2016. Most of all, we thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving us the life of purpose and promise that we live because of His grace.
