More Celebrations...

Friends of our two oldest boys have a fireworks show the day after Independence Day and invite all their friends (and the families) to come watch. They live on top of one of the ridges, so they have no worries about space for the show. This year, thanks to my mom, I was able to go. Like the good little Shutterbug that I am, I took my camera and my tripod.

These are taken in order, though it is only a few of the many fireworks that went off that night. My favorite is the second to last photo.

Independence Day!

Normally, we all gather at my grandparents for a full day of activities. This year, however, I stayed home most of the day. It was a rare treat to have all four boys in the house at the same time (and not fighting!) and we just wanted to enjoy the moment. Mr. Chef did have to work in the evening but finished around 8pm, so we were able to go to Grandma's after that.

The porch was the popular place to be due to the soaking rains that happened on and off during the day. Rebel and Li'l Pirate were off and running playing with their cousins in the evening light as soon as they were out of the van. It was nice to see everybody.

Aunt Martha and I sat for a while, playing with our camera settings, hoping to find the right combination. In the end, I settled on the FIREWORKS setting, just to be on the safe side. The soaking rains that had let up and given us hope for a cloudy but rain-free show decided to make a comeback! Aunt Martha and I stood under a tree with umbrellas protecting us and our camera (although mine started to leak right on my head!). Mom found a perfect spot for us to stand after discovering our first location gave us a great shot of a telephone pole.

Following the County show, my older brother set off a few...

And following that, my two oldest, Mr. Gamer (19) and Mr. Chef (17) decided it was time for Balls of Fire! Oh, yes. Literally. I have it ALL on video. But that is for another time but only because I still have to edit.

I remember...

An inspiring post by Aunt Martha has me remembering. . .

I remember playing in the parsonage in Keyser during the summer, Grandma cooking in the kitchen and Granddad sneaking me and my brother's ice cream before dinner. I remember my dad, so strong to be able to help me pound the nail into the mantle to hang my stocking at Christmas. I remember moving into new neighborhoods with strange people and new schools. I remember a puppy the color of a honey-golden sunrise living next door becoming a member of our family. I remember a mouse that wasn't there, despite my mother's insistence that it was, until it ran over my dad's belly while wiring the train platform! I remember.

I remember my brother Greg dropping a hand weight on his head and getting stitches on his forehead. I remember hitting on those same stitches with a cap gun and getting grounded for a week. I remember my both my brothers taking time out of their busy 'boy' lives and playing with me, their only sister, and knowing that I will always treasure those moments. I remember my brother Eric leading the way for me to start band in school and how I never looked back once I got there. I remember.

I remember my mom making the most fantastic birthday cakes with my dad for the three of us children. The train, the ballet slippers, the bunny. . .

I remember the tornado that ripped through our neighborhood on Palm Sunday one year in Louisiana. The camp stoves being drug out, the smoker already going, the trek through the muck and downed-trees to make sure the elderly lady had food beyond the PBJ sandwiches she was planning on eating. I remember sleeping on the floor in the den in sleeping bags just so Mom and Dad knew we were safe . . .

I remember leaving Louisiana to return to West Virginia. I remember the last time I looked at my dad's parents as we pulled away from the house. . .Grandma standing, so still, no shaking; Granddad tall and straight, so strong. I love that memory. I remember seeing the Ohio River, hearing my mom tell me '25 minutes, Jenny. 25 minutes'. I remember MacBeth . . .

I remember my first Snow Day, 3 sets of clothes in rotation, a huge snowman, and Grandma's never-ending supply of hot chocolate. Then there was the alley behind Grandma's, cousins, and sleds. I remember freezing at 70 degrees while the rest of the class was in shorts, thanks to growing up in the south.

I remember my dad kneeling in the field next door painting a metal stand, brown and gold, paw prints to match. I remember the Pepsi booth and half-time shows and my mother sewing me into my uniform. I remember . . .

I remember 10 years ago today, standing in front of my family and friends. I remember his face, his touch, the hope I felt . . .I remember saying, "I do" and I would again. I remember . . .and am thankful.

Tiger Lily - Unedited

I seem to be getting better, at least in my own mind. Fewer and fewer of my photos are getting edited. Most just get my signature and a bevel border. This one, however, just has my signature. I promise, this is the true color of the lily on my front patio. It's a gorgeous orange that just begs to be looked at. It amazes me every day, the colors that God gives us.

Oh, and for those of you keeping tabs on the camera contest from Nikon, I didn't get into the finals with it. That's okay, though.

Some-things pretty...

The Sun and a flower

I took this photo this morning before I started work on finishing a raised bed for our garden (yay, cucumbers!). This is UNEDITED but for turning the photo and trying to disguise the power line with my copyright. Aunt Martha, still within the fair contest guidelines, correct?

I have been playing with Aperture and Shutter Speed the last few weeks. Most of my photos are done in my Program setting but I am trying to stretch outside my comfort zone. Plus, Aunt Martha has taken some AWESOME photographs and I am hoping to get some half as good!

Photo Contest

Greetings All!

I need your help! I have entered a contest to win one of 60 Nikon D60 DSLR Cameras. I would love for everyone to go have a look at my photos and, if I am chosen as one of the 120 finalists, to vote for me starting June 25th! Please, help me out!

Here is the link to my photo library on the site. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. There are so many things I could do with the D60! My 9 y/o would love for me to win since he would get to use my Canon S3 for his photos. Again, thank you!

Some randomness

A stack of dessert plates, believe it or not. I couldn't resist.

Napkins. Macro is so much fun!

Post happy...

Yes, I posted many things today. For some reason, I have been very awake! I like it! Especially since it happened without my medication. Not only have I posted the pieces below, I have also cut down a tree that was growing from under my house and had gotten out of control; planted tomatoes and marigolds in the raised bed my DH lovingly added top soil to several days ago (it finally dried enough); and I put away all of Little Pirate's and Mr. Rebel's clean clothes (took an hour but it involved removing winter clothes as well).

Tomorrow's goal? Finish drilling holes in the treated timbers for the new raised bed, sink the rebar, and fill with soil; finish putting all the clean laundry away; and tackle the kitchen! Let's see how everything goes. Hopefully, I haven't aggravated my right hamstring, which got pulled on Saturday from rebuilding the rock walls for the front garden beds so I could plant my petunias and alyssum. Oh, well. I'll find out in the morning.

Goodnight, All! Happy Gardening!

Beautiful...

These were taken a few days ago but I didn't get to them until this evening. My youngest, Little Pirate, was chasing this butterfly all the way home from the bus. It finally landed, once I got L'il P to quit scaring it, and the photo op proceeded.

I have no idea what kind of butterfly it is, just that it is beautiful. Mon@rch (Tom) please feel free to comment on what I am looking at!

I have been...

..playing with my editing program. I discovered a few things that I think I like!

Feeding my flag addiction...again...

A Memorial Day flag . . .

Someone was playing with my camera...

A few weeks ago the 17 y/o took his girlfriend to prom. Since they were all dolled up, I decided that we would go to the river front park near the dance hall. While getting them posed for pictures, my husband decided to play with my camera since it was already on the tripod, with the settings ready to go. I think I will enter this into the contest this summer when I take my down.

For someone who is scared of my camera, he sure does take great pictures!

The end of a chapter...beginning of the book

Last night Chef's (my 17 y/0) girlfriend graduated from high school. It was a wonderful ceremony and one of the shortest graduations I have ever attended. Her graduating class made history in their city, by being the last Senior class to attend the old high school AND the first Senior class to attend the new high school (a mid-year move!). As a little part of their celebration the entire class decided to go outside to the new track and toss their caps together. It was a wonderful sight and a fantastic picture. I wish I could show you the entire photo, so you could see their faces and the joy they feel but this will have to suffice.

School Art Show

Just thought I would share a photo that Mr. Rebel (my 9 y/o son) took for his school's art show. He tried for several days to get a good photo with his camera and did well. However, he wanted a macro shot, '...like Mommy...' So, he got to play with my camera. This is the bumper of a crash guard on a very big dump truck.

Messing with my sunglasses...

Happy Birthday to me...

Well, I turned 30 yesterday. I think I am okay with it. I had a great day. My SIL, my older brother's wife, came over to drop off information for a girl scout craft I am doing with my niece's troop (we're making jewelry!) and we talked for a bit. After dropping the 19 y/o off at work I stopped at the store to get a few more things for dinner and ran into my SIL again! We ended up talking for almost 2 1/2 hours! In the store!!! It was great.

After finally getting home, I turned on the oven to get started on my birthday cake. Several months ago I decided that since I was turning 30, I was going to make it fun. So, I did this...

What do you think? Me? I think it looks so ugly that it's cute! Hahaha! I had such a great time making it! When I started to put the icing on that cake, of course, started to pull apart. I called my DH tell him about it and could hardly talk for laughing so much! It really is an easy cake to create...you just have to use the right cake mix! I wanted a Carrot Cake and it calls for yellow, which of course is denser than the carrot. Overall, I had a blast! I remember my mom making me these really fancy cakes as I was growing up. It was kind of cool to be able to make one myself!

If any of you want to try it out, or see what it was supposed to look like, here it is. Hope you have a blast!

Tulips

Stained glass

I took this photo around this time last year. It is a super-macro photo of stained glass.

Some color...

Textures

Since I was thinking dandelion . . .

A favored flower...

It seems that the dandelion is a favored flower with the children in my family. My brother and SIL, along with their two sons, came for a visit the middle of April. My two younger boys and their cousins enjoyed the time they had together. My youngest nephew, Crumbgrabber as his mother calls him in blog posts, found delight in the MANY dandelions that grow in my yard.

Hair

Well, after almost 5 years, I did it. I had a major cut done to my hair.

About five years ago I had old color and damage taken off the length of my hair. By the end of the salon visit, I had a pageboy cut. During the ensuing years I have had trims that involved only a dusting of the ends to cuts that took off six inches (I cried and needed a supportive hand during those visits). Last Saturday I followed through with what I had been thinking of for almost 2 months.

When I walked inside the salon, I could easily sit on my hair. When I walked out...it hit me at my bra strap. Over 1 foot of hair came off my head. Turns out it wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be. Jim (my hair guy) was great! I have been going to see him for over 6 years. He made me promise when he cut my damage off at the beginning, and found out I was going to let it grow, that I would always come to him for trims and upkeep. He loves long hair and wished more women would let their's grow, so I was in no danger of him cutting off too much. He also made me promise that, when the time came, I would return to him for the big cut. March 1st was it. And like every other time I have gone in, I had to stand. The only difference? This time he didn't have to get on his knees to do the trimming.

Many associates near him stopped their work and watched. They all have kept an eye on my length over the years and were shocked that 'that was THE day'. I like it, though. I can still pull it up. It still moves. Best of all...I have my CURL back! I had so much hair that I was BARELY wavey.

I would just like to thank my SIL, Dana. When I made the decision to let my hair grow and to do it in a healthy manner, she was my biggest supporter. My Hair Buddy. Without her constant support for over a year, I would have just shaved my head and been done.

It may seem sappy to many of you to post about a hair cut but for almost 5 years, my hair was my identity. Now, it can be someone else's. I am mailing my pony tail to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, to use in making a real-hair wig for a woman who has suffered from cancer.

So, that's it for now. I know it's been a while but with kids being sick (real sick!) and my DH and I catching something, I just haven't had the energy or desire to do much with blogging.

True Colors

It's unedited and a bit sloppy looking but I love the colors. I don't have enough time right now to work with it (sick Little Pirate and oldest needs a ride to work) but I will later. The colors are true! The sky was amazing that day! Plus, I got to feed my Flag habit...lol!

Update on my 'List of 5...'

Well, if you read the following post you will notice that on my list of '5 Things on my to-do List', I have noted that I need to take my two youngest sons to the doctor. Oh, my...

Mr. Rebel (the 9 y/o) has a sinus infection. Normally, this isn't anything unusual but this time he has such severe pressure in his ears that he hurts all the time. I hurt because I can't just make it go away!He and his little brother are taking the same antibiotic, now. Luckily, he can go back to school tomorrow. He HATES missing science class!

Little Pirate (the 6 y/o) has a sinus infection AND severe bronchitis! It took the doctor less than 3 MINUTES to get him on a breathing treatment after hearing him COUGH! She ordered an X-Ray to rule out pneumonia. Thank goodness his lungs are clear. He has to do breathing treatments every 3 hours for the next 7-10 days and cannot return to school until next week.

We were at the hospital for over 4 hours and then we had to run all over getting the nebulizer for the breathing treatments, lunch, and the prescriptions for both the boys. Needless to say, I am tired, the boys are exhausted and I still have to fix dinner. The oldest needs someone to ride with him up to his girlfriend's house and I didn't even get to work on the house today.

Happy thought? My boys are still able to laugh and play together, no matter the amount of medication that they must take.

My life.

Five things I was doing 10 years ago:

1. Falling in love even more with the wonderful man I was dating (my husband).

2. Falling in love even more with his children.

3. Grieving over the death of my father and grandfather (just over two months apart).

4. Making plans to visit my mom to help pack up the house.

5. Trying to learn who I was.

Five things on my to do list today:

1. In agreement with Dana - Pack up the Christmas decor (I know, I KNOW!)

2. Take my two youngest sons to the doctor

3. Finish editing Senior Portraits for my 17-year-old's girlfriend.

4. Do the dishes! Ugh!

5. Maybe take a nap (up til 2am)

Five things I will do when I am a millionaire:

1. Build a house that will hold my family.

2. Make sure that my mom and grandparents are taken care of.

3. Let my husband stay home with the kids like he dreams of doing.

4. Make sure that my kids are able to afford college.

5. Take my kids on a trip across the country!

Five things I will never wear again:

1. My size 2 wedding dress

2. Maternity clothes

3. Pegged pants

4. Skirts above the knee

5. Bikini (now, a tankini we will discuss.)

Five of my favorite toys:

1. My Black & Decker power scissors (think Singer scissors with a bit more oomph!)

2. My food processor

3. My digital camera

4. My Kitchen Aid Mixer

5. My chest freezer (with four hungry boys, I LOVE IT!)

The five banes of my existence:

1. Living in a right-handed world can be difficult

2. People who think they are owed EVERYTHING without having to work for it

3. Clutter

4. Bills (no, NOT the football team!)

5. Learning how to let my kids make mistakes and NOT fixing them

Five bloggers I'm Tagging:

1. Aunt Martha

2.

3.

4.

5.

(so I didn't have five.)

And this is what happens when you leave a can of soda in a car overnight. A car that gets SNOWED ON! Luckily, it didn't explode!

This is FANTASTIC!!!

More parents need to do this!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_fe_st/odd_car_ad

Scattered...

Things have been a bit scattered as of late. Family getting sick after Christmas, medical issues with a few people in my house, and sending a Marine to California for 18 months of training. Life is scattered.

I have done a few photo shoots lately. One for a couple that didn't get any taken during their ceremony a few years ago and then Senior Year Photos for my 16 (almost 17) year-old's girlfriend. Oh, THAT was a cold few days!

She wanted snow. We waited for snow. It. Was. FREEZING!!! I seriously thought we were going to have frostbite by the time we were finished! I did get a few fantastic shots. Being such an amateur, I am not that comfortable photographing people. I prefer inanimate objects that can't be disappointed.

So, I just thought I would let ya'll know that I am still lurking.

Snow Cones

The things people eat...

For a while now I have been posting photos only. I have been unsure of what to post.

The first link below will lead you to a page about natural sugar substitutes. Why am I writing about this? Well, I am allergic to chemical sugar substitutes (most people are, they just don't realize it). This site lists multiple options for individuals that cannot have sucrose (regular table sugar) but think that chemical substitutes are their only option. Chemical substitutes are NOT the only option. They just have funding and PR people working for them.

http://life.familyeducation.com/nutrition-and-diet/weight/46764.html

Now, I realize that many people feel that sugar substitutes are wonderful but do they realize what they are doing to their bodies? Diet/Sugar-free products claim to not have any, or very little, calories. That is because our bodies cannot process the drug, at least it SHOULDN'T process it. Everyone is different and there are many people whose bodies DO process the drug. That means they have a caloric intake from it. Not to mention, sugar substitutes make you HUNGRY.

Look, after reading and researching just a little bit you may realize what a danger this stuff is. Sure, you may have to look for a while before you find something else that works for you but why stuff your body full of a drug that is toxic. I mean, some of the chemicals used to create sugar substitutes can actually make formaldehyde!

http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm

http://www.holisticmed.com/splenda/

Take a moment...and dream...

Creating again...

A wonderful woman that attended physical therapy with my mother ordered these four Cane Bracelets. She has the same style of cane that these were originally created for so my design would not have to be reworked to fit hers.

Autumn continues...

Autumn...

Landmark No More...

I had never been inside this building, with it's rundown exterior and sad, gaze-less windows. I did not know the original purpose of its structure, its calling in the world. All I did know about this building was that it always had the most beautiful mural on the outside walls. They have faded over time and, to some, lost their appeal. To me, I loved to disappear into another world, an Eden, where you could be anything, anyone. I loved to imagine that our world looked like the murals on these walls. . .

Unfortunately, the doorways to another imagining were torn down today. I did not get there fast enough to capture forever the whole view of the fantasy world I love to escape to. Just one lovely, forested waterfall still struggling to flow, trying to hold on to a time long lost. Hopefully, the few moments of time that I managed to capture will be enough. Hopefully, I will not forget the joy and release those worlds brought me for so many of my still-young years.