Memorial Day Visitors

I hope everyone had a blessed Memorial Day with family and friends, and mainly with remembering those who have served so that our country can remain free.  

Yesterday was a beautiful day for our family!  We had some friends come to visit who live about 3.5 hrs from us.  A pastor (and friend of David's from divinity school), his wife and two teen daughters.  

His wife presented J with a prayer shawl.

 

She worked on the prayer shawl during the time J was recovering from surgery, and has a prayer shawl ministry at their church.   To learn more about prayer shawl ministries, CLICK HERE.

It is so beautiful!  If you look closely  about mid-lower section of the below full shot of J, you can see a heart crocheted in the shawl.  There is one other other side like it and a huge heart in the center back of the shawl. 

The photo does not have J's face in focus, but I loved the way the shawl looked on her it in.  :)   

I had to edit this to mention...David's friend...the Pastor...he brought our family TWO pork butts that he had smoked.  He prepared them with a some special seasoning rubb that he ordered from Texas! They were SOOOO delicious!  Thank's D!

The Next Tony Hawk

Bubb has been into skateboarding lately.  He's had the board for a couple of years now, but only recently has taken a huge interest in riding it.  

He's been on youtube watching skateboarding tricks (along with magic card tricks), and reading up on Tony Hawk's bio.  

We've got to get him some knee and elbow pads...and a skateboarding helmet.  He wiped out yesterday and skinned his knee pretty good!  That hasn't stopped him though!

Crude Commercials

The Family Guy "Dance Dance" song/commercial is really getting on my nerves!!! (and yes, we turn it)  

That is the most horrible commercial though!  The crazy part...it's a CARTOON!

Hmmm, lets teach all of our little ones through a commercial song to yank their britches down!! Makes me sick! Not to mention the crude things going on DURING the commercial itself! I can't imagine what the actual show would be like. Don't want to know!

We've voiced to our local Fox...obviously they don't care.

"The Grinch" was right when he told Cindy Lou Who that television was so desensitizing our youth. Anything goes these days...

Assisting a Newborn Photoshoot

Yesterday I assisted my friend Drea with her newborn photoshoot. I have to say, that was the sweetest baby girl!! She was a doll and so easy to work with...very happy baby! Here are a few favorites that I took...

Jordan was very excited to hold a newborn. Love seeing these dimples on my girl!

You can view more of my work by clicking HERE

Oh Baby!

Here are a few photos from a recent photo shoot I did for a friend of mine. She has the most adorable children and has allowed me to photograph them for use in my portfolio. (By the way, her husband is also a great photographer...you can find his work Click HERE!) These are a few of my favorites.

Tues Appt; Out of Denial

Today J has a follow up appointment.  We have lots of questions.  Mainly...she is having frequent headaches that are getting more frequent.  It isn't her eyes, or her blood pressure.  We took her to the pediatrician yesterday because she felt bad...chills and body aches...also sore throat.  Everything checked out OK, and she did not have strep.  I've been giving her extra strength tylenol for her headaches. 

Also, she is having these popping sensations in her back.  Almost like "let down" feeling or like her spine is settling.  It happens when she is sitting absolutely still.  Very strange.  We are checking into that as well.  

I'm taking my camera...hope to get photos of her X-rays.  I've been wanting to get those to post!

Well, I've come out of the land of denial about my eyesight going bad.  Several yrs ago I had lasik surgery.  It was so wonderful for me...who was "legally blind"...seriously, blind as a bat!  The eye Dr. told me that once I turned 40 yrs I'd probably need reader glasses.  Well, I'm 41...and for about a yr now I've noticed having issues with seeing close up.  Especially with reading text, my eyes have been buggin' out!  

So while I was home this past weekend, my sister in law gave me a pair of her $1 Target reader glasses.  (she has a pair for every outfit...lol...just kidding, but she did have like 3 pair!)  It was nice of her to share. ;)  I broke down and admitted that I really do need them.  They are a low prescription...like 1.25 or something like that, but really make a huge difference.  Anyway, my eyes are much happier for it!  

So Yeah, I'm getting old and I see a gray hair shining on this photo as I type this!!!  

Reader glasses $1 at Target, being blind when you are a photographer...priceless!!!

Monday Blues

I'm singing the...I want to see a blue sky Monday blues!  I realize we can always use the rain, but I'm so ready for beach weather and for blue skies to stay for awhile! Gray skies just make this artistic gal feel so blah!

We live near the coast, and this summer we plan to spend a lot of weekends at the beach. Since we can drive over to the beach for the day, it is a real blessing that we need to enjoy as much as possible! Especially since we do not know how much longer we have in this location.

As I've said before, David finishes up his Chaplain residency in August.  He has his resume' out all over the US...like literally hundreds of places!!! Who knows where God will lead us to.  We really love being in this city, and love our church.  It is so difficult for me to truly plug into a place and then have to uproot.  I'm sure military folks are so accustomed to this way of life. However, I am not very used to it at all.  God is teaching me to be flexible through these changes.   

We'd really like to be able to stay local, if possible.  David has an interview this week for a company that is "nearby".  If this works out, we would be able to stay in this city. He would have to drive between two different cities (living here would keep us right in the middle).  So we shall see how it goes.  Whatever God wants for our family is what we desire.

  

Tuesday Fun; Bokeh Bling-a-dy-Bling!

The children and I are at the last week of taking a few weeks off.  They are on a year round schedule, and even though we are taking these weeks off, they are still doing Math, Vocab and free reading. (also many creative ventures)  It is just a time for our family to pull in even more right now.  We are facing several challenging here, and we need each other.  I'm trying to get myself psyched up to the fact that we may be packing to move again!

David finishes his residency in August.  It is a little nerve wracking that we do not know where we are going from here.  We know God is in control, no matter how much we try to spin our wheels and figure it out.  If we can just relax, press into Jesus, and trust that He has it all worked out.  With my type A personality, it is not an easy thing.   There is a lot of pressure on David too, and he is feeling the stress immensely!  I get so concerned for him, and there again... all I can really do is trust God and pray.  

Today is such a relaxed and rainy day!  So I grabbed my camera and took some fun pics.   J was not into the photos today. lol!  Since you can't see her face...you can see the remnants of her left over fun fingernail polish!  

When we were home visiting friends and family last weekend, she and her best friend E gave each other manicures.  J is always into doing something different. :)

Also while we were home...the Bubb borrowed a movie from his cousin; Batman The Dark Knight...or Night.  Not sure which it is. lol.  Anyway, he did something so creative.  He created his own mask all on his own.  All except...he had his nana help him put the rope on it to keep it on his face. :)  

Here is his creation...

Here are a few fun shots I took with my 10d.  :)

Bottle Bokeh Bling-a-licious! For those who do not know what Bokeh is...it is the blurred little dots/out of focus areas that are produced by the camera lens.  

Bokeh Bling Bling on the lower part of the wallet! What can I say...I'm into Bokeh Bling! ;) If you look closely...with a magnifying glass...you can see baby bokeh on the sunglasses lens right above me and above my sister's painting above me. heehee