by amazing grace

spring!!!

2010-04-24T19:57:00.001-04:00

yea, yea, yea... so Nana's tired of my snow pic...

2010-04-12T01:09:00.005-04:00

Can you guess what she's doing in this picture?

(here's a clickable-to-full-size image to click on because... you might be able to see what she's doing by the reflection in her eyes!)

EDIT: hmmm, that's not full size. I'll do a crop of her eye.

EDIT: okay, so that's probably still really hard to figure out. Here's a hint. BUT that's it! You're on your own! I'm going to bed.

fire and ice (well, snow...)

2010-02-22T21:14:00.000-05:00

nesting

2010-02-20T18:57:00.002-05:00

(and no, I'm not pregnant!)

2010-02-19T18:13:00.000-05:00

An Evening of Romance with Jim Brickman

2010-02-02T02:06:00.003-05:00

I had a date with ~~Jim Brickman~~ Honey Sunday night. I couldn't wait to hear my favorite love songs with my favorite sweetheart, happily knowing the kids were on someone else's watch for the night. (thank you, thank you Nana and Papaw!) Of course, not to be completely left out, Isaac texted me 2 minutes before the concert started to tell me what fun HE was having in the woods. :)

Honey and I cuddled close (as close as you can with a wooden armrest between you!) listening to my favorite love songs in gorgeous Music Hall.

Sometimes Jim played and sang by himself.

Sometimes the Cincinnati Pops played with him and vocalists Anne Cochran and Mark Masri added their beautiful voices.

Sometimes he told funny stories. When he was 15 he went to Anne's locker in high school (she was 2 years older) and said, "I'm going to be America's #1 Romantic Pianist and I think you should come along for the ride and sing for me." She agreed! They're 48 and 50 now... that's a long ride! She's been married for 25 years (and bragged about it on stage) but I can't find out a thing about him.

His finishes were always dramatic but he really milked the last one before he got up!

Tracy Silverman was also there and played the electric violin which was amazing. You can see (and hear!) him in the videos below.

After a standing ovation he played an encore, but it killed me when it was over and he walked off the stage for good. How do 2 hours go by in 20 minutes?

Here are three video clips. I was trying to cover up the flashing orange light (so an usher didn't tap me on the shoulder and say no-no!) so they're a little jumpy/crackly in the beginning as I tried to wrap the strap around my camera.

You might need to let them buffer first.

This first one is the finale... a medley of his hit love songs.

Here's "The Love I Found in You."

Here's "The Gift."

a few necessary things

2010-01-30T16:14:00.002-05:00

Papaw stopped by today to work on the bathroom in the basement. He's finishing the walls and tile around the tub he put in 5 years ago.

He walked in with a bag from Ace and said he picked up a few necessary things, like some drywall screws.

A quick peek in the bag...

quickly reveals Papaw's priorities.

thankful for God's gifts

2010-01-09T15:55:00.000-05:00

so not fair on a boy.

2010-01-08T16:46:00.003-05:00

Craig's Christmas

2010-01-01T22:41:00.004-05:00

My little side job allowed me to give Honey a big surprise for Christmas, thanks to cousin Eileen! She sold me her awesome treadmill to replace our decrepit one. The kids chipped in too, and planned a fun treasure hunt of clues that finally led to the treasure. Also special thanks to Papaw who moved it for us!

(click play then pause it to let it buffer before watching)

Here are some still shots from the video, just because I could.

a bountiful Christmas at Nana and Papaw's

2009-12-30T22:57:00.004-05:00

Papaw took on an extra special project for Sophia and made it extra fun. He sent her on a treasure hunt of clues, sending her back and forth, up and down his house, until finally the last clue sent her to...

Christmas morning moments

2009-12-29T20:35:00.004-05:00

Isaac is sitting on my Christmas present!

This big one was torture for both of them this past month under the tree. It was the table and chairs and tea set below.

The new one (Natalie) is the monkey in the middle.

Daddy is sitting on the other part of my Christmas present as they assembled the basketball goal.

Sophia's Panera gift card for Daddy...

And one last gift for Isaac... Daddy did his chore for him.

Sneak Peek

2009-12-28T01:18:00.002-05:00

San Francisco street scenes

2009-12-08T21:44:00.004-05:00

the hills and thrills of a San Francisco cable car ride

2009-12-04T00:06:00.003-05:00

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

2009-11-25T01:15:00.002-05:00

Even crows enjoy good food.

Speaking of good food, I'll be cooking (and eating!) up a storm the next two days so I'll catch you on the other side of Thanksgiving.

oceanside

2009-11-23T01:34:00.002-05:00

I could wake up to this every morning.

(Or is it too close for comfort???)

Dripping flowers.

2009-11-20T00:57:00.001-05:00

Seaweed.

2009-11-19T00:43:00.000-05:00

Home Sweet Home-less.

2009-11-18T01:06:00.005-05:00

Think the homeless use the saying "You can't tell the rich from the poor"?

(snapped this as we were driving by in the car! I saw it coming and by the time
I wriggled the camera out of the bag from the back seat this was all I could get.)

beach.

2009-11-17T02:08:00.000-05:00

Birds.

2009-11-15T20:54:00.001-05:00

big blue nation is back!

2009-11-10T02:16:00.004-05:00

Did I say we were excited about last year's coach?

cough cough

Well, let's just say we're more-excited-than-you-can-imagine that he's gone and

we

have

John Calipari!!

We were able to get $10 (TEN DOLLARS!!) tickets for the best seats in the house for the Blue White Scrimmage game last week.

We had a great time watching the best recruits in the country on OUR court!

Sophia and her doll even made it to the big screen for 10 seconds when the camera zoomed in on her!!

royalty

2009-10-24T22:28:00.002-04:00

The troops have been home for 2 days and we've been busy sharing cuddles and kisses and snuggles and stories. They had a great time and Daddy spoiled them rotten with multiple visits to Chownings, The Cheese Shop, the candy store, and the pool.

And despite Sophia's declaration before they left that she was going to be the Mommy there and help Daddy in the kitchen, Daddy did all the cooking, cleaning, dishes, and laundry (he didn't want to bring home any dirty clothes for me to do!).

He also was nurse and doctor. Sophia hurt her leg and had poison ivy. Isaac was battling asthma and woke Dad up in the middle of the night for help.

All while I was home alone eating my way through a box of dark-chocolate covered cookies.

Really? Really. I've got the best husband ever and don't know what I ever did right to be blessed with him.

And while my Honey makes me feel like royalty, they had a brush with royalty when the royal Governor drove up to dissolve parliament. Sophia captured a picture of it for me (she was staff photographer for the week).

And on their last day Daddy spoiled them more with a ride in the royal carriage! The Governor's carriage! (I would say that's so not fair since I wasn't there, but I can't exactly complain, you know.)

Neat story on the photos:
The driver tried to take a pic of them in the carriage but Sophia's camera often wasn't working when she needed it most, and this was one of those times (the other was at the Fifes and Drums!).

But a sweet lady standing nearby offered to take pictures with her camera and email them to us, so the pics above (minus the horse's rear when Sophia's camera WAS working) are courtesy of a stranger named Donna who works for Hersheys! (I told you she was sweet.)

2009-10-21T17:10:00.000-04:00

progress report

2009-10-19T01:59:00.003-04:00

I'm at the half way point. I've got 4 more nights, 4 more mornings, 4 more days, however you want to look at it. I prefer to look at every angle because they each have their merit.

When you're used to getting other people ready for bed and getting other people up and fed breakfast and getting other people through their day with meals and school, and now it's just YOU (or me actually)... makes things a little different around here.

So what have I done? Let me see if I can name a few things.

-washed kids' shower curtain
-washed 2 loads of towels
-defrosted ice maker
-watched 2 two hour Photoshop courses
-figured out and ordered school books
-photoshopped and reprinted 2 living room photos
-watched a third photoshop course
-did Pilates
-knocked down cobwebs from basement ceiling
-cleaned off high ceiling fan in MBR
-washed all bathroom rugs
-cleaned kids' bathroom (and I don't mean just the sink, toilet, and tub. I mean I wiped out the sink cabinet, washed out their utility basket, soaked and cleaned garbage can (gross), cleaned out closet and pitched 9 used toothbrushes, 6 half used travel size tubes of toothpaste, 5 retainer cases, 3 bottles of old skin lotion, and a myriad of other old stuff, and wiped down cobwebs that were stuck in the steam buildup over the shower)
-organized basement
-organized garage
-cleaned grease off the garage/kitchen door that sophia's neighbor friend smeared all over this summer (or was it last summer??)
-cut cardboard for shipping prints
-cleaned off my desk (mostly, almost done)
-pitched malfunctioning cds and dvds
-transferred 2 music tapes to digital on the computer and burned CD
-watched 4 Jessica Sprague classes I never finished this summer
-washed our sheets and Isaac's
-washed Sophia's coat
-installed 3 fonts I downloaded this summer
-burned Hannah a CD of her photos I used for the wedding video
-cleaned up computer desktop of wedding video files
-backed up My Documents to external hard drive
-scheduled program to automatically back up Documents at shut down
-put away pile of vacation things from APRIL
-organized ribbon into 2 three drawer containers
-watched Bro. Billy Paul's testimony
-organized recipes (still have to tidy up a few things)
-cleaned off kitchen ceiling fan
-went through filing cabinet folders and pitched some things, pulled other things to read
-put new battery in Timed Timer
-cleaned dust and organized cords behind my computer (only because I couldn't JUST plug in my external hard drive)
-worked on some vacation photos
-took a bath with the sea salts Eileen gave me a year ago from Israel
-read

And just because no post is complete without a picture...

I'll leave you (or me rather) with this one.

I Miss

2009-10-18T14:23:00.000-04:00

fix photos. check!

2009-10-16T22:28:00.004-04:00

On our first trip to California 3 years ago, I got some fantastic photos. Or so I thought. As they hung on my living room wall for all this time, I've grown to hate them. Be embarrassed by them. Wanted to rip them down.

Slowly improving my photography knowledge and photoshop skills over the past 2 years meant a slow death for those photos, but also a rising eagerness to fix them.

Honey and I sit on the loveseat most every day and inevitably my eyes and mind would wander to the photos on the wall behind him while he's whispering sweet nothings. My eyes have traced and cloned and brushed those photos over and over. It's a wonder my eyes didn't bore holes in them.

Today, while I watched my Sweets blow me kisses from Williamsburg on one of the town's webcams, I hunted down our 2006 vacation photo disc and went to work.

And tonight I will sleep much better and dream of actually listening the sweet nothings on our next loveseat date.

silence is golden

2009-10-15T21:05:00.003-04:00

I bid farewell again to my loves today! Has it been a year already? I didn't take pictures this time because I knew I had this one from last October that I love so well from when they went to Gatlinburg for 5 days.

This time they headed to Williamsburg, VA since we still have our annual passes from our trip in April. So I've got 8 days to do 80 million projects. Okay, not really, but exaggerations are always more fun than the truth, aren't they? For the real record (is that redundant, like the end result?), I do have 8 days, just not 80 million projects! :)

My mind is still swirling around the thought... did Honey really just take the kids to Williamsburg for 8 days by himself so I could have time by myself? Isn't that just the most amazing thing? He is so, so, so good to me. How am I going to get through this week without him?

I guess my stash of special dark chocolate coated cookies will have to do.

I spy with my little eye

2009-10-14T01:25:00.001-04:00

A game surely played by Al Capone and The Birdman of Alcatraz while doing time, don't you think?

Godbeams

2009-10-11T18:21:00.008-04:00

A costly estate sat perched on the edge of the cliff, hanging over the ocean. Except you couldn't see the ocean. At least not as we drove by.

Fog had slipped in the back door an hour earlier.

And my glass-is-half-full husband made some ~~snide~~ sweet comment that if it weren't for the fog, we wouldn't have seen this. And this was indeed lovely.

And then he gave me a kiss and squeezed my hand.

I marvel at God's wisdom. I'm a glass-is-half-empty kind of girl, and God brought Honey and me together to make one delicious duo.

purple proof

2009-10-08T00:59:00.004-04:00

We didn't make a point to come to this beautiful beach for its rocks...

or waves crashing in the cave.

Those were surprising bonuses.

We came to this beach for the sand.

The purple sand!

Pfeiffer Beach, with its unmarked, 2 mile road to get there, seems to be a little-known secret. Unless you do your homework ahead of time. And believe me, I did my homework.

And I've got the purple pictures to prove it.

I'm all aglow

2009-10-05T23:24:00.020-04:00

fire in the sky

fire on the beach

fire in my heart

Lying on our blanket
on the sand
being warmed by the fire
and our love
listening to the ocean waves
gazing at millions of lights
that were winking at us.

Pinch me.

So this is love, mmmm
so this is love
this is what makes life divine.

I'm all aglow, and now I know, hmmm

My heart has wings
And I can fly
I'll touch ev'ry star in the sky.

(name that Disney song)

(and though I've been known to photoshop things into place, this photo is presented to you as-is. As-was, actually.)

more of the city, the sea (and crazy ol' me)

2009-10-04T00:35:00.006-04:00

The City

The Sea

(and crazy ol' me)

(When life gives you lemons, make lemonade in photoshop.)

I'm torn

2009-10-02T21:23:00.004-04:00

between posting pictures of

The City

The Sea

a royal welcome

2009-09-30T16:28:00.002-04:00

I bet the President himself has never had such an impressive banner made with this much love.

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.

2009-09-28T01:38:00.006-04:00

I tried to click my heels three times and say, "I don't want to go home, I don't want to go home" but it didn't work.

I'm here. I'm home.

I'm not there. Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

(Maybe I needed ruby slippers and not black sandals.)

shopping for her

2009-09-09T23:55:00.002-04:00

Just a few shots of Sophia shopping for Rebecca before Honey whisks me off to California Friday morning for our 7-day-date to celebrate our 16th anniversary!

Sophia worked so hard at saving her money all summer and could NOT wait to pick up her new Rebecca and love her.

Pajama Party in Chicago!

Meet Miss Rebecca.

Wish I had more time to put more pictures up or describe the fun, but the Pacific Ocean is calling and I've got a little more packing to do. See you in a week! I'll post some pics if I get a chance while we're there.

Bye Isaac and Sophia! Mom and Dad love you!

Thanks, Nana and Papaw, for the B&B and TLC for my sweets!

Chicago at night

2009-09-06T17:39:00.003-04:00

on clouds and gates and being tired

2009-09-05T01:20:00.004-04:00

I'm so tired and I have so much to do over the next week but I'm so tired. Tired. I want to get some pictures of Chicago up before they... before they what? See, I'm so tired I can't even think. I want to get pictures of Chicago up before they "expire" and I'm on to pictures of the next big adventure (woo-hoo!!! under the one week mark!) Did I mention I'm tired? Yeah, even those extra exclamation marks with the woo-hoo didn't help. Almost though.

I guess I should mention what this thing is. It's nicknamed "The Bean" for its... for well, its shape, but the real name is The Cloudgate. I think. I'm too tired to look it up to see if it's Cloud Gate or Cloudgate. Let me know, will ya?

Anyway, it was cool, but what I didn't expect was how hard it was to photograph. I was really like three feet from it but I looked like I was thirty feet back.

Not in this picture though. I really was far back. Obviously, right?

But don't I look ridiculous here? I look like I have this HUGE area, so why in the world am I bending over to get a lower perspective? Because I really was right in front of Sophia and her Daddy and had to bend over to get it all in!

Daddy looks a little funny too. Holding up the bean with his rear and holding a doll in his hand.
But that's okay. I love him in that shirt.

I'm so tired. That's all I've got to say about this one.

Goodnight.

Afternoon Tea at American Girl

2009-08-31T22:55:00.004-04:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words are 26 pictures worth? I'll let you figure out
most of the words here, as the pictures pretty much tell themselves.

After a seven block walk from our hotel, we're almost there...

Morgan sang Happy Birthday to an embarrassed Sophia!

The desserts were the cutest things EVER.

No detail was left undone, even in the bathroom.

a sneak peek at a day and a half in the big city

2009-08-30T00:54:00.001-04:00

party hard, party big

2009-08-23T23:00:00.003-04:00

I'm normally a gentle person, but on Thursday I killed 4 birds with one (big) stone! Isaac's birthday is Tuesday, and Sophia's isn't until the end of September, but we're going to be so busy over the next month that I threw their birthdays together, AND with both sides of the family (2 birthdays x 2 familes = 4 birds)!

Okay, so the joint birthday party was also a favor for Sophia... Honey and I are taking her to Chicago on Wednesday to have a tea party at the American Girl Place for her birthday so she needed her birthday money NOW, not in September! This girl has some big plans for spending her money, and rumor has it she'll be adopting her FOURTH daughter. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, some birthay bash pics...

Guess What?

2009-08-17T21:59:00.001-04:00

I love peaches!!

Mom gave 2 bagfuls to Craig for his birthday, and after 16 years of thinking I didn't like them, guess what?

They were AMAZING. Really... so, so good. Who knew?

Okay, Honey knew and tried to convince me 16 years ago but I just wasn't falling for it (though I fell for him and
he's called me Peach ever since... interesting turn of events, don't you think?)

happy anniversary

2009-08-14T18:53:00.003-04:00

(a little background)

backyard treasure hunt

2009-08-11T01:07:00.002-04:00

sweet smiles

sweet basil (forgot to sharpen)

magic lilies (oversharpened, egads!)

lone hydrangea (note to self: do NOT cut the woody stems)

dancing zucchini (what else is there to do with it?)

curtseying zucchini (real word, I looked it up)

self control (I didn't spend an hour cloning out the hair in her face, though I COULD have, you know)

new friends and lost shoes

2009-08-07T23:33:00.002-04:00

Sophia got to play with her newest friend, Abigail, on Sunday. They were so cute and fun and sweet together.

We took Abigail to the park with us between services and they had the best time!

Abigail indulged me in a few photos! She was absolutely stunning and when the light would catch her just right, my heart skipped a beat. She must've thought I was a little cuckoo, but every time I pulled the camera up to my eye, she'd freeze and give me the sweetest smile ever!

There was just one little glitch that put a damper on an otherwise perfect afternoon. Abigail kicked her shoes off, she thought in the car, but when we got back to church we turned the car inside out, but no shoes. She must've kicked them off at the park. Her mom drove her back to look for them but no luck. Poor sweetie had to sit through church without shoes. I felt so bad!

And since Sophia had a friend to play with, she was all smiles! Abigail, can I borrow you again? I promise to bring you AND your shoes back.
Sophia, I love you!

really...

2009-08-04T22:09:00.000-04:00

a perfect day

2009-08-03T18:50:00.002-04:00

The weather was perfect. The bride was beautiful. The food was delicious. The reception hall was spectacular. My surprise video was a big hit.

And I didn't take any pictures. Really. Okay, so I took about 5 at the very, very end of the party, and once the camera was in my hands it felt good and I regretted not pulling it out earlier.

So here's the one picture you get from Saturday!

a sweet surprise for Nana

2009-07-31T10:39:00.003-04:00

I've got a million and one things to do today to get ready for the wedding tomorrow, but I wanted to put this lovely up really quick. Nana sent it to me several weeks ago. We had been out to their house for something and Sophia snuck out to the field and gathered a wildflower bouquet for Nana and then penned this sweet note.

Nana took a photo (good girl!) and emailed her a thank you:

Hi Sophia!

When I walked into the kitchen this morning I saw on my desk your lovely surprise from last night:)

I love my beautiful bouquet and your dear sweet love note.
Both are PRICELESS!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

oxoxoxoxox, Nana

Hannah's Summer

2009-07-28T19:17:00.003-04:00

What's the most unusual wedding gift you've given? My niece is getting married on Saturday and I've given her my summer. Oh, we bought them a very nice gift, but I've been working on a (supposedly secret) project for the wedding for the past 8 weeks, and it really came down to crunch time the past week or so (hence, no posts... not even yesterday on Honey's birthday! Sorry, Sweetie! I love you!), but I pulled it off and am wrapping it up (figuratively) today.

It feels good to be done, but I'd do it again in a heartbeat for my sweet Hannah. Now I've got to get all of us packed to go the wedding! And this will always be known as Hannah's Summer. :)

I think these are the last two photos from our day at Coney. I've had them ready to go with the others, but since I can finally breathe a little easier today, I'm able to throw them up here.

there were flowers there too! and more rides...

2009-07-21T20:09:00.002-04:00

smiles, spins, and swings

2009-07-19T15:05:00.003-04:00

Now that I've taken the dive into textures and frames and word art, all the other pictures look so plain!

I took the above shot while Sophia was on this...

He had already ridden it twice, and I guess that was enough! I'm going to have to save this one for last when we go back... just in case my stomach isn't as young as it used to be.

But this one? A piece of cake.

LOVE her expression in this one! I can just feel her anticipation!

scramble me next, please

2009-07-18T01:20:00.003-04:00

Where have the days gone?! They're being whisked away at the speed of light. No, not quite that fast. At the speed of... something. Something pretty fast. Summer is slipping through my fingers, let's just put it that way.

For 3 weeks I've been sitting on 680 photos from Coney Island begging to be photoshopped. No, actually... 660 photos begging to be dragged to the trash can, and the other 20 vying (I don't think I've ever had to spell that before!) for attention. Hoping to be scooped from the rubble.

I felt like crap that day (figuratively and literally for those of you who must know) but Honey thought it'd do me good to get out of the house, and I really wanted to test my new lens, so I went...

And watched the kids have the best time ever.

Without me.

I had to sit on the sidelines and pretend my stomach was lurching from the rides and not from whatever really had it that day.

But I'm going back. I want my stomach to be flung and dropped and spun and subject to turbulant forces.

I'll spread the pictures out over a few posts, and I'll start with my favorite ride EVER.

This one cracks me up!

I can't wait to be squished to the side, hip to hip and giggle to giggle with the kids!

vintage class assignment

2009-07-09T13:34:00.002-04:00

is it just me, or does she look a little evil in this picture? I can't love it, and I think it's her eyes. The light was behind her, so her eyes are shadowed.

playing in photoshop

2009-07-07T12:13:00.003-04:00

Just playing around with an online course about framing and special effects. There aren't many choices for the word art, so...

No, it's not her birthday (though it's coming up!), but I couldn't bring myself to put "sassy" on my sweet girl's sweet picture!

I couldn't put Sassy on this either...

The teacher needs to put one up that says "in love!"

boom with a view

2009-07-07T00:34:00.001-04:00

summer daze

2009-06-27T11:41:00.001-04:00

like daughter, like mother

2009-06-25T14:09:00.002-04:00

Sophia is going to be such a good Mommy when she grows up. When Felicity was having eye problems last week at Panera, Sophia decided to join her so she wouldn't feel like the odd one out.

sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g

2009-06-22T19:20:00.003-04:00

Wow! Two posts in one day! What's this blog coming to??

Isaac invaded our couch time again this afternoon and snapped off several shots. He's getting awfully comfortable with my point and shoot camera. And I'm getting a little more comfortable seeing pictures of me. Or not. Do I really have that many freckles on the side of my face?!

I love you, Honey!!
xoxo
Peach

Daddy Long Legs, and other famous creatures

2009-06-22T01:04:00.003-04:00

I guess I'm really stepping out of my shell here to post these, but it was too funny not to relive.

Dad plopped down beside me to show me the Happy Father's Day text I sent him Sunday morning (as if I hadn't already seen it). You see, he barely knows a mouse from a keyboard (yes, it's an exaggeration to make a point) but now he's TEXTING!! My dad!

Not sure what I was thinking here ("you better not"?) when Isaac turned the camera on us, but I had to show this one to show Dad rooting through his text messages.

Figuring that first picture Isaac snapped wasn't going to be too cool, I smiled for this one...

and then decided to join him. In his pose, that is.

Yes, yes, I realize that is soooo NOT a flattering pose, but it was just too funny!

Not sure what he was showing me here. Is he laughing at the picture of me I sent him?!

If ya can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Texting. Who knew he'd embrace it? One small step for man, one giant leap for Dad.

And speaking of that famous quote... guess who Craig and I saw Thursday night?

Neil Armstrong!!

We weren't sitting in the $75 Pavilion seats, so I obviously didn't take that picture. We were sitting on the $25 lawn seats, so here's my picture of the space man taken from the big screen.

Famous-walked-on-the-moon-astronauts should be glowing blue, right?

He did the reading of Lincoln Portrait during a concert of the Cincinnati Pops and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He was great, and so was the concert! (and so was the company! I love you Honey!)

Here they are finishing up "Come Thou Fount."

my colonial girls

2009-06-20T20:30:00.000-04:00

The British are coming! The British are coming!

2009-06-16T18:23:00.003-04:00

When Isaac was 8 or so, he wrote and drew the cutest book on the Revolutionary War. Here's his page about the lobsterbacks.

And if this isn't the coolest, all these years later he got to live it in person!

As the British soldiers approached, Isaac called out, "Lobsterbacks! Lobsterbacks!"

Benedict Arnold looked down at him and said, "Silence, you imp!"

(I think I might try that the next time Isaac tries to get smart.)

And here's his page about General George Washington.

And all these years later, in living color...

Uncanny, isn't it?

butterfly, butterfly, happy all day

2009-06-14T23:52:00.004-04:00

Isaac may be good at catching fish, but Sophia is good at catching butterflies.

Come here little (big) fella.

Look out! She was glad to hold the big, blue one, but sure wasn't crazy about its friend flying in her face.

Is it gone?

gone fishin'

2009-06-13T18:56:00.002-04:00

Isaac asked if he could pack my old kodak camera in his tackle box today and I said sure! Sophia snapped this for him. Pretty cool fish! Of course, it's nothing compared to someone's fish catches from the ocean, but for subdivision fishing, it's not too bad!

And no, Robin, the watch picture has nothing to do with Father's Day! Was just practicing with my new lens and it had been so long since I blogged, I titled it "it's about time!"

it's about time

2009-06-11T19:35:00.001-04:00

swingin' at sunset

2009-06-02T12:01:00.002-04:00

You want her profile, Nana? Here's her cute little button nose.

The weather was cloudy with a chance of spectacular.

another one

2009-06-01T23:59:00.000-04:00

All of Sophia, Nana? How's this one?

The other one is more interesting I think. Better composition. (like I would know, but I do know that I would know a bit more than you would know :) You know?)

into the sunset

2009-05-31T23:33:00.000-04:00

me and my girls

2009-05-29T01:12:00.004-04:00

Some people don't like having their picture taken. I actually don't mind having my picture taken... it's just that I don't like what I see once I see the pictures! I'm always trying to photoshop me into someone I'm not.

I loved this article about getting in the picture with your kids because they know what you look like and love you anyway! You should read through some of the comments too.

After reading the article I told Honey I want more pictures of me with the kids, so we got a whopping ONE on our 2 week vacation.

And I kind of like it. Flaws and all.

my sweet Sugar Cookie

2009-05-24T21:51:00.002-04:00

my mother's day roses

2009-05-20T21:52:00.002-04:00

"A life filled with love must have some thorns, but a life empty of love will have no roses." unknown (but I agree!)

announcing...

2009-05-18T21:31:00.004-04:00

I had a baby girl niece born last week! Isn't she sweeeet?

heh, heh... don't you love photoshop?? I took a couple of decades off me here... Look how young I look!
If I didn't know any better, I'd think I was 19 here!
And, Oh! that sweet Hannah! I could eat her up!

There's only one problem... it seems she grew up over the weekend.

She's not my baby niece any more.

Well, she'll always be my baby niece,

but

she's not a baby anymore.

She's a lovely lady in love and will soon be a Mrs. Lovely Lady

with a Mr. Lucky Guy by her side. It doesn't get much better than that.

a year ago right now...

2009-05-15T23:37:00.002-04:00

we

were

here.

I believe I can fly

2009-05-12T19:22:00.009-04:00

We got to see some of Nana and Papaw's birds fly the coop on Sunday afternoon. One by one, they just teetered out of the nest, some with more help than others, as you will see!

What's that phrase... A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?

How about...

A bird in the hand,

is worth poop in the hand, too! Ewww!

"That's what you get for interfering! Now get out of the way so I can fly too!"

This one flew right to my leg! Was kind of neat having a little birdie hanging on me for dear life, deciding where to make his next little fly/hop to. And thank goodness he didn't leave ME a present on my favorite skirt. Only Nana was special enough on Mother's Day to get some of the creamy stuff!

But, I guess I was special enough to get this kiss planted on me from my littlest birdie after I read the sweet Mother's Day card Nana helped her make. I'll have to post about that soon. So cute!

it must be puppy love

2009-05-10T22:04:00.003-04:00

Isaac has a sweet job dogsitting for a week. It's a big commitment, but he's doing great. 5 must be the magic number, because he has to go over to their house 5 times a day to take care of 5 dogs and 5 puppies! Here are some sweet shots from this afternoon.

to my mom

2009-05-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

I love you!

one healthy habit I can handle

2009-05-09T10:06:00.000-04:00

Too bad the kids never seem to enjoy our vacations, because according to this RealAge article pasted below, vacations are essential. A healthy habit. A must.

But the kids are always so bored and listless. I mean, where's the energy? The fun? The excitement?

In 2005, Americans threw away an estimated 415 million vacation days. That's 1.6 million years of unused vacation! Have we lost our minds? Chronic stress and overcommitment to work have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and mortality. Yep, not taking a vacation will make your RealAge older. Much older.

Whatever your excuse for not taking a break—your job can't live without you, you can't afford the expense, there simply aren't enough days in the year—toss them out the window.

The truth is you're not doing anyone any favors by not taking time off. Not your family. Not your employer. And definitely not yourself. Research suggests that reducing stress and taking regular vacations—once or twice a year—may be as vital to your emotional and physical well-being as exercise or a healthful diet. And the benefits don't stop there. Vacations seem to have a positive impact on families and organizations as well.

People who take frequent vacations:
• Are less likely to be depressed, tense or tired
• Have a reduced risk of heart disease and all-cause mortality
• Tend to spend more time with their spouse and children and are more satisfied with their marriages
• Report being more interested and more productive in their work when they return from time off

So change your mindset. Stop thinking of vacation as a luxury you can live without and start thinking of it as a healthy habit. Let's face it: making time off a regular recuperative part of your life is probably the easiest lifestyle change you'll ever make.

Ticket to health
Do you know the number one rule for a rejuvenating vacation? Leave the work and worries behind. And that'll be much easier to accomplish if you turn off or leave at home your cell phone, BlackBerry, and laptops.

In the 1960s, it was predicted that by the year 2000 that Americans would be using mobile phones, working 20-hour weeks, and enjoying more than three months of vacation each year. Unfortunately, only one of these predictions has come true.

Technological developments, once expected to precipitate the end of the five-day workweek, have in fact had the opposite effect. These advancements have blurred the boundary between work life and personal life, making it trickier rather than easier to find the right work-home balance.

Best bets for a recuperative getaway
There's no need to break the bank at a pricey spa retreat to get the health benefits of vacation, but some variables do improve your odds of returning home relaxed and recharged. Use the tips below to help you plan a health-enhancing holiday you won't soon forget.

Lucky number 7
It usually takes people 2–3 days to really relax and get into the groove of vacation time. Longer vacations are associated with greater psychological benefits than shorter ones, so try to plan a break that's at least 7 days.

Pack your flip-flops (and your sunscreen)
Warm, sunny destinations are the way to go if you're looking for a vacation that'll soothe your soul and lift your spirits, according to a recent study. Just make sure the heat won't be too extreme, and don't forget to wear your sunscreen.

Other factors that promote a sense of well-being on vacation include free time to do as you please (don't try to fit too much into your time off), exercise, lots of rest, and getting to know new people.

Family vs. fancy-free
Spending time with family can be a great source of support and can foster a sense of belonging. But family vacations? They can be downright stressful. Nevertheless, if your family lives far away, vacation time may be the only time you get to see them. So if you're planning to spend your break with relatives, make sure you set aside some time for yourself. And consider alternating your vacations between family and frivolity.

Indulgences
It's your vacation. Indulge. But try to avoid overindulging in food and alcohol. Excessive drinking and overeating may disrupt your sleep, upset your stomach, and leave you feeling worse for the wear.

So go ahead and enjoy the local cuisine, let your hair down and have a good time—but do so in moderation. And try to stay physically active while you're on vacation. You don't have to go to a gym or do a full workout. Take a walk to explore the area, go for a swim, or try your hand at something new and adventurous: windsurfing, rowing, golf, snorkeling, skiing, horseback riding—the possibilities are endless.

You're the boss
Most important: Take a vacation that suits your soul. When you're planning your next getaway, you may want to think back to some of the most memorable moments of previous vacations and choose a break with similar elements. Or consider a vacation that brings balance to your life. If you lead a hectic life, maybe a relaxing break would do you good. If you lead a calm life, an active or stimulating vacation might make for a refreshing change of pace.

Whether your ideal vacation involves lounging on a beach, hiking through the hills, or exploring the museums, early-morning markets, and historic sights of a foreign city, just make it happen. Doctor's orders. RA

Reviewed by RealAge staff: April 2007

scenes from Mount Vernon estate

2009-05-08T00:02:00.001-04:00

What an eerie privilege to be able to walk through the same rooms, climb the same steps, sit on the same porch, and view the same view as George Washington. We saw THE chair he sat in as President. We saw THE gorgeous fireplace that warmed his dining room. We saw THE paintings he commissioned that decorated his home. We saw THE room he died in. We saw THE room in which his body was lain for 4 days and the tomb he and his wife are in.

Fascinating.

this little light of mine

2009-05-07T00:53:00.006-04:00

Was out of town at my brother's for a couple of hours on Sunday and he has the most delicious light from a north facing window. Would love to have time to play around with it more! Or better yet, have it at my house! Oh the beauties I could snap!

home sweet home

2009-05-01T14:12:00.002-04:00

Nobody wanted to come home yesterday, but once our heads hit our pillows at 2:00am last night, we remembered there's nothing like your own pillow, your own bed, your own space.

Today we're settling back in, putting things away, cutting the jungle outside, and gradually stepping off our clouds, back down to reality.

Last night when we rolled in long after midnight, we were so road weary from, well, being on the road all day, but we were welcomed with sweet treats and sweet notes from sweet loved ones.

Thanks Nana and Papaw! We all appreciated the sweet treats and warm water!! The only thing missing was hugs.

making an entrance

2009-04-26T23:33:00.002-04:00

Let's just say that in Colonial Williamsburg they know how to make a grand entrance.

Govornor Lord Dunmore (just before the declaration of independence by the brave, bold men) had the best ride of all.

Mrs. Washington rode in style as well, and was most gracious.

General Washington rode in to encourage the troops before the battle of Yorktown.

Again, Lord Dunmore makes a grand arrival at the capital, but a mumbling crowd of patriots could be heard all around.

These brave boys arrived with their fifes and drums along with Benedict Arnold (AFTER he joined the British).

And Thomas Jefferson, though he made his entrance on foot, walked as tall and proud as any honorable man of character.

Rubbing elbows with the rich and famous... well, dead and famous

2009-04-25T23:59:00.004-04:00

I don't mean to name drop, but we've met George Washington, Patrick Henry, and today, Thomas Jefferson back here.

Not to mention, we saw a tulip or two.

Miss Colonial

2009-04-25T08:55:00.003-04:00

The sweetest shopkeeper in Colonial Williamsburg in Mrs. Dickenson's hat shop insisted Sophia try on some clothes, AND go outside to take pictures. She ushered Sophia right out her door into the sunlight for all the townsfolk to see. (nice to have someone do my job for me! I don't think I could have gotten her out there!) Right next door was Elizabeth's house. And to think this outfit could have been ours for only $175!

the perfect picnic place

2009-04-23T09:20:00.000-04:00

We found this little garden off the beaten path in Colonial Williamsburg and knew it was the perfect spot for our packed picnic lunch on Tuesday.

the faces of williamsburg

2009-04-21T23:16:00.002-04:00

(disclaimer: I'm on the laptop so I can't tell if these photos are goofy color, shading, etc. This screen isn't a very good representation, but I edited the pictures based on what I would probably have done at home. I just can't tell if it looks good on every picture!)

Mrs. Washington...

General George Washington

Benedict Arnold

Next post, some flora!

Oh, I can't wait! Here's a sneak peek at where we had a picnic lunch today!

Caution: Children At Play

2009-04-19T23:45:00.003-04:00

One little monkey swinging from the tree...

Two dolls swinging 'round and 'round...

And no, we didn't suddenly get an awesome backyard. This is Yorktown!

2 signs of warmer weather

2009-04-14T20:33:00.000-04:00

for the love of sunsets and the butchering of shakespeare

2009-04-11T22:07:00.007-04:00

O California Coast Sunset, wherefore art thou?

Miles and miles away?

Nay, thy memories are but a click and a view and a...

ahhhh.

I'm there again.

(interesting note here. I just discovered, thanks to google, that "wherefore art thou" doesn't mean "where are you?" It means "WHY are you?" Can you tell I've never studied Shakespeare? And that I'm still choosing to use it incorrectly, despite being enlightened? Work with me here.)

date downtown

2009-04-09T23:05:00.005-04:00

Last week Sophia, Elizabeth, and I headed downtown to the Children's Theatre
to see a production of Charlotte's Web. Isaac decided last year that he's a
big boy and doesn't think he should be seeing plays anymore. Whatever.
I'm a big girl and I love 'em.

The girls are waiting for the theatre to fill up and the show to start!

now altogether on the count of three, 1-2-3... "awwwww"

2009-04-08T10:41:00.001-04:00

The kids thought they'd "give me a taste of my own medicine" when Honey and I met on the couch after dinner for our daily date. Isaac grabbed my camera and Sophia grabbed my cell phone and they started snapping away, laughing their heads off, thinking they were so clever at "getting Mom back" for always taking pictures.

Way to go, guys. You really got me.

welcome home... who??

2009-04-06T00:43:00.005-04:00

It was just 9 years ago that Isaac welcomed home his baby sister from the hospital.

And here we are, 9 fast years later, and my baby girl is welcoming home her baby girl from the hospital.

The Doll Hospital.

Mama Sophia decided baby Elizabeth needed a new hair-do, as her old one was frizzed out. To get new, good hair, you have to get a new, good head.

So Sophia saved up 50 bucks and sent Elizabeth off to the hospital, and was ever so happy to welcome her back home 2 weeks later...

with perfect hair, a hospital gown, a hospital bracelet, and a get well balloon.

And the whole family gathered around for a welcome home tea party for Miss Elizabeth. The expensive doll with perfect hair.

Isaac's Shining Moments

2009-03-30T00:12:00.005-04:00

Ah, the bittersweet end of another basketball season. After 2 months of practices, games, raw nerves and butterflies (stictly on my part; Isaac was cool as a cucumber), Isaac ended with 74 points in eight games, and lots of awesome steals. He was thrilling to watch.

Unfortunately my video-taping skills aren't as good as his basketball skills. Often I didn't tilt the camera UP to actually video the ball dropping through the net (I was watching with my real eyes, not through the camera!), but you can hear my screams as confirmation of each made basket!

Here are some highlights of his awesomeness, set to the music from the NCAA Basketball Tournament highlight video tradition, "One Shining Moment."

a Brio kind of birthday

2009-03-27T22:40:00.003-04:00

Honey and I took advantage of the beautiful weather Tuesday and went to Brio for my birthday dinner and then to our favorite park.

I had been seriously craving THE pizza that makes me swoon, and it takes a special occasion for us to pay $11 for a single-serving pizza.

Well, I guess we also pay for this fancy decor. I love this place!

I was tempted to take pictures in the bathroom, but even I thought that might be crossing the line. If the kids ever try to say, "You take pictures of everything!" I can now confidently say that's not true!

birthday treasures

2009-03-25T22:33:00.003-04:00

To me, today is just any other day, aside from the fact that I just happened to be born 37 years ago, but to Sophia, today was a day to party! She went all out decorating for the big (?) day.

Woo-Hoo! My OWN mp3 player! Thanks, Honey, Isaac, and Sophia!

And this is the most special card ever! So special, they had to make an extra trip back to the store to get it, because Sophia knew I'd love it and Daddy just wasn't listening the first time around!

Apparently someone has been listening as I find myself spontaneously singing Little Mermaid songs from my baby-sitting days 20 years ago. Now I have an accompaniment with this singing card!

Thanks for making today extra special!

I love my birthday treasures, but the real treasures are Sophia, Isaac, and Daddy!

sleepover in style

2009-03-04T00:27:00.005-05:00

Sophia invited herself to Nana's (again) and she brought her entourage with her. They got to camp out in my old room, newly painted and newly carpeted.

Of course it was newly painted and newly carpeted when I slept there 29 years ago when I was her age! (that's so weird to even THINK!) I even had my doll, Chrissy, sleeping in her homemade doll bed next to me on the floor on the right and a Barbie townhouse, complete with elevator and grand piano, on the left.

But back to the future...

Notice these darling sleeping bags the girls are cuddled up in? Nana made them for Christmas and I've been so negligent taking pictures. I'm so glad she captured this sweet moment!

The next morning all the girls woke up and enjoyed a little quiet time reading.
(notice the matching pillows?!)

This looks so lovey I wish I was there so I could've crawled under the blanket with Sophia and enjoyed the beautiful morning back in my room with my girl.

Today in the news...

2009-02-25T16:13:00.002-05:00

This morning at the Black Thistle Buffet, diners were in the middle of their breakfast...

when things suddenly turned ugly. Hungry patrons tried to bully their way in.

Some tried a less hostile approach and just tried to sneak in the back door.

"I've never seen anything like it!" one diner told a reporter from WICU news. "I mean, here we were eating, and the restaurant suddenly got crowded and other patrons started demanding my seat!"

The diners reportedly had to watch their backs as they tried to finish their meals.

The hungry crowd was relentless, hovering and fighting as if they hadn't seen food in weeks.

One thing's for sure, the Black Thistle Buffet did a brisk business this morning and it was flying room only for most of the breakfast rush. The owners are considering opening a second restaurant, but with the cost of food so high, they're not sure if the payoff would be worth it.

game 5 recap

2009-02-22T17:28:00.006-05:00

Going for the steal...

But got the foul instead.

That's alright... he got in there and fought! (and the kid missed his foul shots!)

Catching a pass...

Driving with determination...

LOOK! It's a bird! It's a plane! NO! It's Isaac's 3 point shot!!
The boy showed them what he's made of. I have a feeling we're going to be seeing more of this in the remaining 3 games! I think we can credit his dad with the assist. There wasn't much time left in the game, and as Isaac was bringing the ball up the court, his dad yelled, "Go for the 3!" He did, and we all went berserk! Unfortunately, the basket was too little, too late. They lost by 1, but he ended up with 11 points!

One of these things is not like the other.

The kid's mom was horrified at the shirt he wore for picture night (it says, "I see dumb people." Was he looking in a mirror?!?) Anyway, I photoshopped out the words, but then wondered if I could actually put a jersey on him. Bingo! You dummy. (kidding!)

Hi. My name's Sharie and I'm a Photoshopaholic.

It just ain't right...

2009-02-17T22:54:00.012-05:00

It just ain't right to get double-teamed when you're supposed to only play man-to-man in Upward.

It just ain't right to get triple-teamed when you're not supposed to even get double-teamed.

It just ain't right to score more than half your team's points (again) (for the third time), only to lose.

It just ain't right that Papaw eats at Wendy's every day, then spends Valentine's Day here after the game.

It just ain't right that I spent hours working on those stupid Valentine's photos,
only to have the kids scribble a Valentine's card as we're rushing out the door to the game.

It just ain't right that if I posted Nana's up-close-and-can-see-every-pore-because-she-was-sitting-right-next-to-me photo that she'd disown me, or worse... never watch the kids again.

It just ain't right (or maybe it IS) that I won't let Isaac say "ain't" but I've just used it 7 times. Oh, the privileges that come with adulthood!

more love

2009-02-14T19:05:00.001-05:00

I spy with my little eye...

the love of my life.