Field Shot

A year ago someone mentioned there may be a bear in the area (a small one). We giggled and said "sure". My husband caught this on his field camera. Unfortunatly, the camera dosen't have a very fast shutter speed (sorry for the blur). Click on the "read more" button below to see the "Rated-R" one! I just couldn't believe it!

We couldn't have caught this if we were trying. My hub and I laughed till we cried!

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Buggs Island Beauty

Summer started off a bit crazy but we had a great vacation at Buggs Island!

What a summer! As my children finished school in June, my father went into the hospital. This seamed to bring time and life to a stand still. He had open heart surgery and for 2-3 weeks his life was dangling between with us – or onward. Thank goodness he came through and continues to heal as we go through the summer. Thanks to all my friends for their prayers!




After Dad became stable, we took our annual summer trip. Our summer vacation took place at Bugs Island this year (or officially called John Kerr Reservoir) , which is a huge lake on the Virginia/North Carolina border. It is a wonderful place (minus the bug bites). My in-laws made all the arrangements from the campsite to the wonderful food that they feed us all week. It was a wonderful vacation that two of my children will always remember!

If you love fishing and the beautiful outdoors, this place is a must! It had great camp sites, beautiful views, excellent fishing, and the beach area was lots of fun for the kids! And don’t forget an important camping need – the bath house was always clean.

If you want to visit the lake, check out their official web site at
http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/jhkerr/index.htm

Thanks for dropping in!
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What Do You See?

Can you see the past . . . present . . .future??      
Oh, the things that I see. . .

As I look at this old barn I can see the past . . . I remember a time when there was a fence around it to keep the cows out, and how we plowed the field. I remember planting the tobacco plants in the ground when they were only a few inches tall and hoeing around them all summer long.  I remember all the family gathering on harvest day.  The stalks stood above our heads and we worked all day to cut it and hang it in the barn to dry.

I can also see today.  My kids are running in the tall grass and playing in the cow-less and tobacco-less field.  The kids are so excited to see how tall the grass has gotten in only a few weeks and how they look at it as if it is a new play ground.  I see my husband sitting on the tractor mowing the grass and how the swallows swoop around him to catch the insects.  We planted a Weeping Willow tree on the edge of the creek and the dog is taking a moment to lay his belly in the cool creek water.

I can see the future too.  A time when we might put in a pond and enjoy fishing off the edges.  I can see us planting new trees and flowers.  There will be more traffic on the little dirt road then.  I can see my kids riding 4 wheelers and going over the humps and bumps of the field. There will be new ideas and new memories I can't even imagin.

And I can clearly see myself taking a moment on occasion, to remember, how I use to see . . .this old barn.

Always Embrace Change! 

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Yes I should know better. . . BUT

He's wanted one for so long!

He offered to pay for it himself.

He promises he'll be careful.

I just couldn't say no any longer.



Monster #2 often gets treated differently do to my experiences with his older brother. Monster #1 use to fall and get hurt often. Once he broke his arm in 3 places WHILE AT CHURCH (being on the rescue squad back then was very helpful). BUT that's a different kid right???

Making matters worse, Monster 2 is not very careful. He's means well but he has that "I didn't mean to" thing going. In fact, he often reminds me of the children’s books "David Gets in Trouble".

But I decided I'm just going to take a chance!! I let him get the skateboard and he just loves it. We are requiring him to wear pads and a helmet and I pray often!!!! So far so good!

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Moody Gardens Hotel, Galveston TX

I had a business meeting in Galveston TX last week. This is a great place for a family vacation. It's on an island approx. 1 hr south of Houston TX. I stayed at Moody Gardens which is a WONDERFUL Hotel!! On the hotel property there is an Aquarium, Imax Theater, Rainforest, Water Park and more. Their web site is http://www.moodygardens.com/ . I took these pictures in the rainforest. They also say the fishing is realy great around here.


I watched a 3D movie IMAX Theater called "Sea Monsters" which was really cool! Great "jump out and get you" effects. I wish I had more time. I would have gone to the 3D Grand Canyon show. They have 5 different shows every day. I also had time to go through the Aquarium and Rainforest. They only took about 20-30 minutes each but they were VERY well managed and I really enjoyed the walk though. Whoever is managing these facilities is doing an excellent job keeping it up. The animals looked healthy and happy. I didn't get to enjoy the other attractions due to time (which means WORK)! But if I would have had my kids with me we would have "done it all" (especially the water park).

The hotel staff were great! Loved the service. Even the bathroom soap was "spa" quality.

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Monster #3 Art

I took a photo of monster #3 and "Adobed It Up" today. I'm just learning this program and this simple change took me FOREVER! What do you think??
This is a picture I took of one of my little monsters with her new umbrella last week. She thinks it's so special! I wanted to add a little something extra to it for WW so I played around with it in Adobe. - - Which can be a great program but sometimes realy hard to figure out how to make some minor adjustments.

Don't have much time to write today as I'm at a business meeting in Galveston TX. I'll write more about that (with a photo) next week. .

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Photos for the WEEK!

Happy Birthday Daddy!! (Turning 77)



At the party down by the creek . . .





Monster #3 Sat by the creek and sang.





Monster #2 couldn't sit by it, he had to get in!


My Dad is such a wonderful man! When I think about what I want my boys to grow up be like, the first thing that comes to mind is my dad. Strong, hard working, a good husband, a loving dad, a provider, a hunter, strick when he had to be, and fun every chance he got. I love him and wouldn't change him for nothing!

The family got together on Saturday down by the creek (We were only missing one of the grandkids. I hope him and his feoncey had a great car show!!). I think it's amaizing that we can still get together for birthday's almost once a month. All 18 of us! We enjoyed a great picknic lunch and I took a few pictures of the kids. Monster #2 couldn't wait to get right down into the creek. He looked for creepy crawly's and then tried to see what he could find that would float. As expected Monster #3 sat nicely on the bridge with her pretty little dress and shoes and sang a pretty little song. It was a great day other than the fact that I got a little too much sun. (Note to myself, "Put sun block in the car!")

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Trip To New Orleans

(To read about my trip click the "read more" button.)

It was time again for another business trip. My meeting was in New Orleans. I wasn't looking forward to the trip as I continiously hear of the crime rate being high, and how many businesses had not returned. But on the contrary, the French Quarter (main business area) was in excellent shape. I felt safe walking around. The music was still there. I even seen signs that said, "Soul is Waterproof!" It was still a great place to go on a trip. Things were a little more expensive. But that is happing everywhere now-a-days.

I took a tour of the worse flooded areas. Was it bad? Yep!! Most of the houses had been torn down and what is left is a grassy swampy meadow. I listened to the tour guide as he angrly spoke of how the government would not rebuild in this one area. But as we were driving up and down these streets I saw water standing in these old house sites. Not from the flood but just from the overnight rains. I thought to myself, "would I build here?" My answer is quickly NO!!! This area was clearly a natural swamp area until folks decided to try to make it residential. It's located right beside a natural water way and it's below the water line. I do truly hate that these poeple lost their homes and everything in them. I meen no disrespect. But maybe God feels this should remain a natural swamp area and human kind should try to find a better place to relocate to. It's a sad situation. I think it would be a good idea to take some of the empty building where the businesses haven't returned (on the high ground in town) and turn them into low income housing. I look forward to the time when New Orleans can get past the, "WHO IS TO BLAIM FOR THIS" and on to "WHAT IS A SMART SOLUTION TO THIS SITUATION". I hope someone who can look at all the facts can help the low income folks find a better and safer home site in a healthy enviorment. And so that is my prayer for New Orleans!

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Look what I can do!

Before Clipping!








After Clipping!








This time of year is great! When the world is coming back to life. It's not to cold, nor to hot. Not too buggy, and yet things are starting to bloom. And you can see animal tracks everywhere. I love it!!!!

I've enjoyed going to the "farm" each week. We still call it the farm. But there aren’t any cows nor crops there anymore. So what am I to call it?? The land??? That sounds silly. The only things we grow there is wild deer, raccoons, groundhogs, grass, trees, and lots and LOTS of sticker bushes!

Many of the farm jobs that need to be done require MAN and tractor power. But the stickers - I can do on my own (although I welcome as many helpers as I can get). And that’s my primary job. To clip and kill every sticker bush I can get my hands on! I’m sure one day I’ll move on to planting flower. But for now sticker work is top priority. And my tool of choice is LOPPERS! After I go into the woods and clip an area with my loppers it looks like a new place.

I’ve been going by myself one day a week to clip (weather permitting). Well, the little monster is always with me, of course. Many say, “What do you do with the 4yr Monster over there in the woods???” But we do great. We pack a toy bag and bring a blanket. I set her blanket and toy bag up in a shady spot right where I’m clipping. She usually starts to help me clip but before long she heads right for the blanket and her bag of toys. She brings toys like Barbie’s, cars, plastic dinosaurs, and pretends the day away. I stop often to have a snack or drink with her, and sit in the woods. Sometimes she does find a bug or something that leaves her squalling.

Recently a little snail crawled up on her toy and when she saw it she “fell to peaces”. I just picket the snail up and put it on my work glove. I sat with her and talked about how it moved. She watched it carefully while clutching my arm. We agreed that the little snail would be happier under a rock in the dirt and then we placed it there. It was like a 4 year old science field trip. Ahhh - The farm adventures yet to come - - I can’t wait.

On the weekend the entire crew of extended family comes along for a work day. We are working together to put in a small road/walking path in an area that’s currently too steep and thick with stickers to walk. This new path will lead to a neat area where there is a babbling brook deep in the woods. It going to be so cool! What a great way to spend a weekend!

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She's 4!

As of Sunday my smallest curly headed moster will be 4 years old. I just can't believe it. She is a wonderful child. We have truly been blessed! We went to a oriental restarant tonight and my hub. mentioned to the waitres that her birthday would be tomorrow. As we ate our food they brought her a little cake and sang "happy birthday". We were pleasantly supprised! How nice! She was a bit shy but very tickled. They gave her a birthday hat and a "blow-thing". She played with it all threw dinner. On the way home Daddy stopped at Walmart. He took her in and let her pick out a cake mix and the iceing. He told her they would make the cake together tomorrow for her special day. It will be a special Daddy Daughter birthday time for sure! (I took this photo at home. Much better that those yucky hospital photos!)

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Right place, right time or Wrong place at the wrong time?

Go to Wordless Wednesday at http://www.wordlesswednesday.com/ for more photo fun!


Taken while hiking at Lake Tahoe, November 2007. What a suprise!

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Unforgetable Saturdays

There isn't anything better than working on the farm, spending time with my parents and teaching my children about stickers! The kind that leave scratches instead of ones you put on paper. (Picture taken 4/2007 yet we were doing this exact same thing last weekend)

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