My Cancer Journey: The Diagnosis (Part 1)

doll hair

Hi, welcome back to Life Captured. While scrolling through my phone’s photo gallery the other day, I stopped on a specific picture taken during my cancer treatments. If you’ve visited my “About Debra Ellen” page, you might already know that I am a cancer survivor. But today, I want to invite you a little deeper … Read more

Blogging Tip of the Week + My Sunday Snapshot LinkUp #6

Sunday Snapshot

Hi, there. Welcome to Life Captured. We’re doing a repeat performance! Last week’s mix went so well that I decided to bring it back for this week’s My Sunday Snapshot. I’m pairing my weekly photo with another helpful piece of advice for bloggers at every stage of the journey. I hope you enjoy this week’s … Read more

“Old Glory”: A Fourth of July Reflection

fourth of july

Welcome back to Life Captured! As we fire up the grills, gather for fireworks, and celebrate America’s Independence Day, it’s the perfect time to look past the picnics and remember what the Fourth of July is truly about. If you’ve never heard comedian Red Skelton’s famous 1969 monologue on the Pledge of Allegiance, you are missing out on … Read more

Home Page LinkUp #5

homepage party 5

Hi, welcome to Life Captured’s HomePage LinkUp #5! Which will now be referred to as, HomePage LinkUp. Let’s get this party started! I’m capping the guest list at 50 homepage links to make sure I can personally visit and comment on every single one. If we don’t hit 50, the party wraps up on the third week of … Read more

To the Bot Who Loved Me: A Lesson in Blog Spam

no bots allowed

Image Credit: AI Generated Apparently, I’m Very “Inspirational” to Robots Hi, welcome back to Life Captured! I have a confession to make: I thought I was becoming an overnight sensation. 😉 When I saw my notification count climbing this week, I thought, “This is it! My social strategy is working! People love my photography!” I sat down at … Read more

My Sunday Snapshot + Crucial Advice for New Bloggers

Oats and tip combo

Hi friends, welcome back to Life Captured! In today’s post, I’m doing something a little different. I am blending this week’s My Sunday Snapshot with a quick but crucial piece of advice for new bloggers and seasoned bloggers alike. I hope you enjoy today’s snapshot and tip combo.  This week’s My Sunday Snapshot Have you … Read more

The Vanishing Art of Lawrence, Kansas: A Midwestern Mystery

art then

Mystery Library Art Lawrence, KS Hi, welcome back to Life Captured. Have you ever visited Lawrence, Kansas? If you haven’t, it truly deserves a spot on your travel wishlist. In fact, it is famously known as a major college town and stands as the proud home of the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk, Jayhawks!). A College Town … Read more

My Sunday Snapshot LinkUp #5

Sunday Snapshot

Silver Linings and Next Chapters Hi, welcome to Life Captured. My Sunday Snapshot #5! The My Sunday Snapshot Party will be available every other Sunday, Bi-Monthly. The party will open Sunday morning 12:00 am. Closes the following Sunday 12:00 pm. Central time. Our Main Focus: Dependable Party Guests These standout bloggers never blur into the background! We’re … Read more

A Little Kiss for the Horse

toddler little kiss for horse

Welcome back to Life Captured! Today’s My Sunday Snapshot is a sweet moment, a little kiss for a horse, that takes me right down memory lane. This portrait is from a family session back when my calendar was packed with professional shoots. Looking at it today, it reminds me exactly why I fell in love with photography … Read more

From Perfectly Scheduled to Perfectly Pitch Black

scheduled

The Magic of the Auto-Scheduling Plugin Hi, there. Welcome to Life Captured! I’m still pretty new to the blogging scene, and I’ll be sharing the useful things I figure out as I navigate this space. My past attempts at blogging weren’t exactly a success, but my goal this time around is to make it happen. … Read more

10 Things I Love About Summer on the 10th

Hi, and welcome back to Life Captured. Marsha in the Middle has provided me with a wonderful blog post prompt! It’s 10 things I love about summer on the 10th. I am actually a bit excited. It’s like being a kid in a candy shop. My mind is whirling around and around. I’ll slow down … Read more

Better Late Than Never: A Memorial Day Recap

my Memorial Day Weekend

(And a Blogging Lesson learned!) Hi, and welcome back to Life Captured! Do you recall me mentioning I’m still pretty new to the blogging world? Well, here is a prime example of my inexperience in action! Thanks to a little auto-scheduling mishap, this post didn’t go live when it was supposed to. But hey, it’s never … Read more

My Sunday Snapshot #4

Sunday Snapshot

This week’s My Sunday Snapshot was delicious! Hi, welcome to Life Captured’s My Sunday Snapshot LinkUp #4! The My Sunday Snapshot Party will be available every other Sunday, Bi-Monthly. The party will open Sunday morning 12:00 am. Closes the following Sunday 12:00 pm. Central time. Our Main Focus: Dependable Party Guests These standout bloggers never blur into … Read more

The Noise and the Notes: Navigating the World of Blog Comments

noise spam

Hi, welcome to Life Captured. When I launched Life Captured, I couldn’t wait to see the little notification bubble telling me someone had left a comment. I imagined thoughtful conversations about photography, family, or the funny things kids say on my school bus. Instead, I found out very quickly how the “robots” of the internet work. … Read more

HomePage LinkUp #4

homepage linkup

HomePage LinkUp #4 Hi, welcome to Life Captured fourth Linkup Party! Which will now be referred to as, Home Page LinkUp. Let’s get this party started! I’m capping the guest list at 50 homepage links to make sure I can personally visit and comment on every single one. If we don’t hit 50, the party wraps up … Read more

The “Real Hoot” Blogger Survey: Let’s Talk Food, Travel, & Photos!

fellow blogger survey

*Featured image generated with Gemini. Hi, welcome to Life Captured! I thought it would be a real hoot (fun) to interview some fellow bloggers. Let’s be honest, behind every beautiful travel guide, perfectly lit photo, or mouth-watering recipe is a lot of trial, error, and secret chaos. To kick things off, I’ve put together a … Read more

Estate Sale Escapist: Because “hoarder” is such a heavy word.

hoarder yard sale

Hi everyone, and welcome back to Life Captured. For this My Sunday Snapshot, I’m breaking my ‘fewer words’ rule to talk about something heavy. Hoarding is a deeply personal and difficult mental health challenge. It’s important to acknowledge that the burden isn’t just felt by the person living through it. It’s a weight that neighbors … Read more

Mommy’s Little Treasure “to” The Driver’s Daily Terror

little angel little devil

*Featured image generated with Gemini. Hi and welcome back to Life Captured! Today, we’re talking about the great daily metamorphosis. You know the one: where your sweet, halo-wearing “little angel” steps onto a yellow bus and, presto change-o—becomes the bus driver’s “little devil.” I get it. At home, they’re precious. But once those folding doors hiss … Read more