This Could Be Fun

Fire: Day 22/366

2012-01-22T15:03:00.005-06:00

I was burning some old bills today and thought it would be cool to capture some pictures of the fire.

Focus: Day 21/366

2012-01-21T19:09:00.001-06:00

A friend and I took a basic photography class today. I wish it would have been more hands on. I did get a lot from it and I hope to keep practicing and get better at taking pictures.

Frosty: 20/366

2012-01-20T22:15:00.000-06:00

This was my windshield this morning.

Making it Count: Day 19/366

2012-01-19T21:30:00.000-06:00

Since we are moving in a few months, I thought we should count all the coins in our change jar. We had just over $300!!

Sky View: Day 18/366

2012-01-18T23:26:00.001-06:00

The sky as I was headed to town this afternoon.

Swamp: Day 17/366

2012-01-17T15:34:00.001-06:00

I took this picture in November when I went down to Louisiana to visit family. I want to spend an entire day just taking pics of all the things I love about Louisiana. It seems all my trips are usually rushed and I don't get time to do the touristy things as I'm trying to spend as much time with family as I can.

Tile: Day 16/366

2012-01-16T22:05:00.003-06:00

House repairs and cleaning continue around here. Tonight I scrubbed the grout under the kitchen table. The grout is chipped in a few places and needs some attention. I figured I should clean it before trying to match the color for the repairs.

Too Pink: Day 15/366

2012-01-15T20:39:00.002-06:00

We painted the kids bathroom and hallway today. The color we choose as a neutral was just a little too much on the pink side. Luckily I had paint left over from when we remodeled our bathroom last spring. This picture shows the difference in the two colors.

Angry Bird: Day 14/366

2012-01-14T14:33:00.000-06:00

Still working on the house. This is one of our Angry Bird pumpkins Matthew painted for Halloween.

Tree: Day 13/366

2012-01-13T17:23:00.000-06:00

We are busy getting the house ready to sell. Here is a picture I took at my Mother-in-law's house over Christmas. I love her tree!!

Hash Browns: Day 12/366

2012-01-12T09:56:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago we ate breakfast at Waffle House. The boys all got the hash browns and loved them. I made my own version this morning and they were a hit!!

Storage: Day 11/366

2012-01-11T11:19:00.002-06:00

Along with painting, we are also putting excess stuff into a storage unit to stage the house. I made two trips this morning... I think I'll have a couple more boxes ready to go tonight as well. I can't wait to done with this phase. I really hope the house sells quickly so that we don't have to stress over possibly renting it.

Wrong Color: Day 10/366

2012-01-10T18:16:00.001-06:00

I've been working really hard to get the house ready to be put on the market. I was painting the wall in my room earlier where some drywall had been repaired. Only after I was finished did I notice I used the wrong shade! Doh!!

Crashing: Day 9/366

2012-01-09T23:13:00.000-06:00

This picture was taken two years ago. Matthew built a snowman and decided to plow himself through it! We haven't had any snow yet this yet, though they are forecasting a little for later this week.

Scruffy: 8/366

2012-01-08T15:35:00.001-06:00

Mike headed back to Ft. Campbell today. Only about 4.5 months until we get to live together full time!!I can't wait!

Foggy: Day 7/366

2012-01-07T21:20:00.001-06:00

I took this picture last January. The neighbor's street light cast an eerie glow through the fog.

We spent most of the day boxing us stuff for storage in anticipation of our move this summer, so I didn't take any pictures.

Cross Pistols: 6/366

2012-01-06T15:22:00.001-06:00

Mike and I were on post running errands today. He wanted to stop at the Military Police Memorial Park to see the new statue that was installed in September. The picture above it the cross pistols above the entrance to the park.

Twisted: 5/366

2012-01-05T22:47:00.000-06:00

Lauren wanted me to braid her hair last night so that she would have wavy hair today.

Turkey: Day 4/366

2012-01-04T20:43:00.003-06:00

We received a turkey fryer from my Dad a few years ago. It has become our favorite way to prepare a turkey. It's fast and the meat is so juicy and tender.

Stacked: Day 3/366

2012-01-03T17:42:00.003-06:00

Jacob started stacking the left over red cups after our New Years Eve party. The next day I was out running errands and he asked me to pick up more cups for him. He keeps stacking and restacking the cups into different shapes. He has even taken to timing himself to see how fast he can stack them. Who knew it could be so cheap to entertain this kid!!

Bookworm: Day 2/366

2012-01-02T22:53:00.003-06:00

I love reading. Trying to finish a couple of books before my next semester starts.

Revival: Day 1/366

2012-01-01T19:02:00.004-06:00

I'm going to try to revive this blog. I intend to post a photo a day for this entire year. It's a leap year, so there will be a bonus day! The picture below was taken shortly after midnight last night. We had friends over to celebrate the New Year. The picture was taken with my iPhone 4.

I plan to use this photo-a-day exercise as a way to improve my photography skills. I know the above picture won't win any awards, but it's the only picture I've taken today.

How Nerdy

2010-11-05T20:01:00.004-05:00

My boys went to a school dance tonight. I am getting ready to go pick them up!! Here is a picture of them before the dance!!

Flowing forward

2010-10-17T09:19:00.005-05:00

Things are still unsettled here. Forward motion is the name of the game. Mike should be home for R&R in less than 30 days. This makes me happy beyong measure.
The kids and I are going to visit my mother-in-law next weekend. It's been a while and I am looking forward to being in her presence.
My friendships with others continue to change. I lost a friend earlier this month to me being completely honest with her about something that I don't easily share with others. It hurts me that she would abandon me when I was only trying to be forthcoming. At the same time, I am glad that she was able to express her feelings and do what she felt was right for herself. The part that hurts the most was that I have listened to her and not judged her for her choices or the things she has shared with me and she couldn't give me that same unconditional friendship back. Something else that bothers me is that I don't think it's what I shared that drove her away. I think I hit too close to something that is hurting inside her and she can't bear to face it right now. I will write her back and tell her how I am feeling. And that the friendship is always there if she chooses to come back.
Aside from all of the above, I am doing well in school, working 2 days a week and subbing alot on my days 'off'. The kids keep me busy and I find things to fill any free time so as not to dwell on the bad. It's working for now, though I do know that I need to do some work with the bad to make is good.
(The pics above were taken at Stone Mill Spring. Click on them to see them larger.)

Can't Sleep

2010-09-22T01:06:00.004-05:00

I don't have nights like this very often. I went to bed an hour ago, hoping for sleep. Instead, I cried and tossed and sobbed and turned. My heart feels so heavy today. I know part of it is hormones. A bigger part of it is missing my Mom. The other part is not having my husband near to hold me.

I think we all take for granted the power of physical touch. When children are born, we are encouraged to snuggle them. I've always been fascinated how kangaroo care for premature babies is so beneficial. We are encouraged to massage our babies and hug our children. We can see how close someone is when they touch another's arm during a converstaion, began and end a visit with a hug.

Living the military life for the past 17 years, I've not had much opportunity to be close in proximity to my family. I've gone to visit as often as I can and they come to visit us as well. I often wonder how my life, our lives, would be different if we lived closer to family.

Mike has been in Afghanistan for four months now. I visited my family in Louisiana for a weekend in June when my brother got married. We also visited Mike's Mom in June. Since then, it's just been me and the kids.

The biggest thing I'm struggling with right now is feeling safe with my emotions. My Mom was always a source of comfort for me. Ever since I left for the Army, at 18 years old, I spoke to my Mom as often as I could. Almost always daily, sometimes multiple times a day. The thing I miss most is being able to pick up the phone and reach her when I need her. There have been so many times when I've grabbed my phone to call and remembered that she isn't there.

I think the best way to describe how I felt after she passed away was untethered. I feel like my Mom and my husband are my anchors. Without her, I feel like I'm floating. Mike being deployed only 5 months later didn't help. There have been so many times when I've just wanted, needed, to be held and I don't have that luxury. My fear is the next time I see him, and I am in his arms, I will just fall apart.

I feel like everyone expects me to be so strong and so many things they tell me that I am. It's hard to live up to those expectations. So how do I go to those people and tell them that I'm breaking? It hurts that there is no one here to help catch me when I fall.

Ruins

2010-09-12T22:04:00.004-05:00

There has been lots of heavy stuff posted here since I've been posting again. Really, it's why I am posting; because I am carrying alot of heaviness right now and this is a safe place for me to write about it.

I got a call yesterday from my Step-dad. He checks in pretty regularly. He asked how we were and when would Mike be coming home on R&R. I told him sometime around Nov. He replied "Mine is never coming back" and just started to cry. I feel so much hurt for him. I can't imagine the pain he is feeling. I just replied that we all miss her and it's so different without her. He said a few more things that just confirm what he is struggling with. I pray for peace for him.

On a lighter note, I took the kids to a nearby state park today. I had heard of the place a few times before and decided we would go check it out. The pics above were all taken today at Ha Ha Tonka State Park. It is a beautiful place and I can't wait to go back and explore more trails there. I think this will be a beautiful place to go this fall with the kids.

Sadness and Heavyness

2010-08-26T09:38:00.003-05:00

(click on image to see it larger)

I have so many emotions going through my head and heart this morning.
My Mother-in Law called me last night. Her health is at a pretty low point. She moved to Tennessee in June last year and switched all her health care providers at that time. She has had nothing but complication after complication since then.

She has been down and pretty sick since Dec. When she called last night, it was to let me know that she is going into the hospital today. She will have exploritory surgery to see what is going on in her abdomin. She has been a peritoneal dialysis patient for 17 years. They are also going to do a blood transfusion. This will be the second since she lives in Tennessee. Also, only the second, EVER! She is pretty upset about it.

I am scared. I am scared of losing her. I love my mother-in law more that most people do. She is a very special woman and I cherish and honor her. I am also scared for my husband. He grew up as an only child with a single mother. Besides the kids and me, she is his world. To think he is feeling all the emotions I felt when my own Mom was so sick last year.. and to know he is doing that alone in Afghanistan, breaks my heart.

The other piece of what's rolling around my brain.. and heart... is that I am losing two close friends to military moves. One is my friend Wendy. She has been back and forth with jobs for a bit now, but it's getting to the point of her leaving for good. I know we can still have a long distance friendship, but it's not the same.
This morning, my neighbor, whom I've known for about a year, let me know that she and the kids are moving back home as she got a job offer there. Her husband will still be here for at least another year, so we should get to see them about once a month. I really enjoy her company and the kids play really well together. It just hurts to have to say good-bye again. It seems like I am experiencing alot of 'ends' lately.

Back to the Grind

2010-08-19T19:56:00.003-05:00

The kids went back to school today! It's so hard to believe that I have a 4th, a 6th and an eight grader! This also means that I am back to work. I am curently working two days a week as the Elementary Guidance Counselor. I am also going to school full time to earn my Masters degree in both elementary counseling and agency counseling. I really love being in the school system and working with the kids. I am doing the agency part because it makes me more marketable, and with only 3 extra classes, it would be silly to not just do it. This means that I am driving an hour and half each way, three nights a week, to go to college.

Today, after school, both of my boys asked to do sports after school. I feel horrible that I can't provide transportation for them because of my own schedule. With Mike currently deployed, there isn't much wiggle room. I know it will all work it. I just feel bad, like I'm hindering them for my own selfish reasons.

I guess I need to just deal with the fact that this is the way it will be. I am going to try to find another parent that may be able to help with transportation.

Disbelief

2010-08-13T23:15:00.002-05:00

Mike and I got married in March of 1998. In July of the same year, we moved from Ft Polk, LA to Ft Bragg, NC. In August of 1998, I went online to look for a playgroup and other forms of contact in the area. I stumbled upon a message board for pregnant women. At the time, I was due in November. I joined the group and although that message board went down, the women went in various directions. Some disappeared completely, some moved on to another message board and others created an email list. I joined both the list and the message board. This month makes 12 years that we have been in contact. Twelve years of varied mothering experiences. We have seen each other through the births of more children, potty training, divorces, marriages, graduations, and losses.

To someone who has never experienced this type of friendship, it can be hard to comprehend the closeness you can feel for someone you have never met in person. When you have known someone for that long, shared so many of lives ups and downs, it's easy to overlook the fact that you've never seen each other in person. Indeed, I have met quite a few of these women face to face.I've made some wonderfully close friends as result of this group of women, one of whom was by my side in Dec when we laid my Mom to rest.

On Monday morning, one of the moms from the email list posted that she had been offline for a couple of months, but was excited that they had their internet back. Being the mother of four sons, she was due to have a baby, a daughter! She let us know that she was going in the next day for a c-section and would post details as soon as she could. Upon opening my email on Wednesday morning, I learned, we all learned, that after giving birth to her beautiful, healthy daughter, our friend passed away. To say we are devastated is an understatement.

The list had been somewhat quite in recent months. We are all busy with our lives and comfortable in the bonds we have formed, enough to know that our silence did not hinder our acceptance and love for one another. Upon hearing of the loss of our friend, we have rallied. We are in the process of taking collections to provide her sons with their school supplies and uniforms. While a recent baby shower ensured that the baby had the things she needs now, we are standing in wait to help with any needs they may have once things resume a more normal cadence in the life of this family.

It's been quite sombering to look at life, to see how fragile it is. It has made us all stop to wonder how would our own families cope if something were to happen to any one of us. How would our children go on, how would our spouses fair. It's not something any of us want to think about, but the truth is, it is always a possiblity.

I don't have any wise words to say. I'm still in shock at the way things have turned out. On the heels of my last post about loss, this was the last thing I expected to happen. I guess my thought right now is that I'm thankful for the richness that these Moms of Nov98ers have all brought into my life. I've learned so much more about life, families, children and love from the shared experience of their stories. I could only wish that if my family found themselves without me, that they would also feel the love of these amazing friends that I have, inside this shiny box.

On Loss

2010-08-10T23:44:00.002-05:00

Every loss seems so much more profound. Every change makes me cringe. I know I am changing as a person, both as a result of my life experiences and as a result of my mom’s death. It is still hard to believe, 8 months later, that she is gone.

I think of this deployment and what it means in relation to Mom’s death. I’ve express this to a few people, but feel putting here, in words, is important as well.
We moved to Missouri in April 2002. Mike went on the trail as a drill sergeant. The hours were brutal, 4am-9pm. Sometimes he had to be in earlier; sometimes he didn’t come home until later. 6-7 days a week was the norm. He did this for three years. I got by with this by realizing that if I didn’t expect him to be home, I wouldn’t get upset when he wasn’t. If I didn’t count on him being there, I didn’t get angry when he wasn’t. The bonus to this was that when he was able to home, it was unexpected and thrilling.

After three years on the trail, Mike went to work in a more traditional job setting. It was nice having him home before dark. It was amazing to be able to have family time on the weekends. Then, he got orders for Korea. That is when I started the blog. He was only supposed to be in Korea for a year, then come back home to us in Missouri. Somewhere along the way, 4 months into his tour in Korea, he came down on orders again. This time, his unit was moving to Hawaii. He called me, asking if we wanted to move to Hawaii. The catch was he would be deployed at some point, though he didn’t know how soon. A turn of events led to the kids and I staying put in Missouri while he went from Korea directly to Iraq. The 12 month tour there turned into 15 months. He then had to go to Hawaii for a month before coming back home to us. That meant he was gone for 20 months total.

During that time, while he was in Iraq, I don’t know when, but somewhere, somehow, I convinced myself that he wasn’t coming home. Every time we video called, or spoke on the phone, I just knew it would be the last time we would communicate. When he was finally back in my arms, first as I greeted him in Hawaii, then again when he was safely home, with me and the kids, I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t believe he had actually come back. It took me six months to re-acclimate to life with my husband.
I lost my Mom in December 2009. It’s been 8 months. Although I was there with her when she passed, it is still hard to believe that I can’t just pick up the phone and call her. My phone rang today, and the caller id read her name. It’s hard to see that and not think it’s her.

We found out shortly after her death that Mike would be PCSing to Ft Campbell. From there, we discovered that they were slated to deploy in May. Again, the kids and I chose to stay where we are. I am in graduate school and we wouldn’t be together even if the kids and I relocated. We have more ties here, so decided to stay put.
April was an extremely rough month for me. I realized that the manner in which I’ve dealt with Mike’s absences in the past is no longer effective. I can’t think that he won’t come back. Losing Mom makes it all ache. I feel un-tethered. She and Mike are the two people in my life who have always grounded me. I have always spoken to my Mom on a daily basis. Not more than a week had ever passed without a conversation with her.

To go back to my original way of dealing with Mike’s deployment is no longer an option. I can’t imagine my life without him in it. I had to go back and figure out how to live without his daily presence and still believe that he will return to me. I am still working it all out in my head, because the reality is he could be taken whether here or there, our lives are all fragile.

I sit here replaying the last week with a friend in my head. We had a disagreement last week. She called tonight, and we spoke for the first time since that night a week ago. I realized that I had been holding my breath. She just got out of the military and is moving on to a new stage in her life. It feels like I’m losing another part of me. It is hard to not look at the situation and feel the loss of it all. I feel I have lost a lot of friends and closeness in my life in the last few years. I can’t stand to lose another.

I’m not sure where this is going. I guess I just needed to get it all out of my head and into some other form of thought. It keeps working its way up to the top, trying to make its presence known. I guess I just felt it is time to acknowledge it and put it out there.

Joseph

2009-08-04T21:36:00.002-05:00

I posted back in Jan of 2008 about my sister having a baby after not knowing she was pregnant. My nephew is now 17 months old and what a little ham!! I took these two pictures of him when I was in Louisiana last month.

Adjustments

2009-08-03T09:09:00.003-05:00

I have been walking again for the past week with friends. We are doing about 3 miles a day and I have to say it feels so good to be working out! Our street makes a circle that measures about .6 miles. The kids are having a blast riding their bikes while the adults walk. Lauren even decided she was ready to learn to ride a two wheel bike!! The picture above is Mike helping Matthew make adjustments to his bike as he has neglected it a bit lately. Below is Lauren practicing riding in the yard. I just love the look of determination on her face. The last one is Jacob doing "Superman" on his bike!

Jacob

2009-08-02T00:31:00.001-05:00

The kids were fixing their bikes and riding them around the yard today. Every time I would aim the camera at Jacob, he would give me a cheesy grin. :) I told him to just keep talking! LOL

My Scouts

2009-08-01T22:27:00.000-05:00

This picture was taken on July 19, right before Mike and Matthew headed off to camp for a week!! :)

My Baby

2009-07-30T23:23:00.003-05:00

This picture was taken at my Dad's house a week ago. She often complains that she doesn't want to be the baby of the family. I am having a hard time grasping the concept that my baby is 8 years old and about to go the the third grade!! No matter how old she is, she will always be my baby girl!

New Tattoo

2009-07-29T10:28:00.002-05:00

I know I've been absent for a while. After my trip to Louisiana in April, I got quiet. I had alot on my plate and my mind. Then, in May, I got an iPhone and wasn't using my laptop as much. I am going to try to get back to posting a pic a day. I would like to go back and date some pics as post from that time, so if you see anything new pop up in the end of April to today time frame, I am backdating some post.

Above is a picture of my tattoo I got while in Louisiana last week. It is still healing and quite itchy! I can't wait for the healing to be done! :)

Tennessee

2009-06-30T10:41:00.001-05:00

My Mother-in-law recently moved to Tennessee. She bought a beautiful piece of property in the rolling hills. There are cows and such across the street from her. Her neighbor took us on a ride across the street to see what her property looked like from that vantage point. This photo is the view of the hills and fields across the street from her house. It was beautiful and breathtaking!

Pee Wee Basketball

2009-04-24T22:03:00.003-05:00

Both Jacob and Lauren are playing pee wee basketball this year. Jacob runs around the court with the biggest grin on his face. He is great at blocking and really enjoys getting in front of the other players.

Reeling It In

2009-04-24T07:15:00.002-05:00

Lauren was reeling in her first catch of the day. My Dad is looking on, waiting to help her. Madison couldn't wait for her turn!!

Release

2009-04-22T20:56:00.002-05:00

This is a shot of Lauren taking her catch back to the water to be released.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

2009-04-21T21:10:00.001-05:00

The girls had a blast posing with this statue in New Orleans!!

Beautiful

2009-04-20T21:09:00.000-05:00

This is my sister, Lusiana,her daughter and Anjel and her fiancee, Donnie. This was taken Saturday, April 11, during our trip to New Orleans.

One Missing

2009-04-17T20:33:00.001-05:00

This picture was taken Easter Sunday. We were missing my sister, Lusiana, as she was not at the house at the time the picture was taken. Pictured here is Troy, Me, Holli, Elliott and Mom.

Kissy Fish

2009-04-16T19:56:00.007-05:00

Wendy snapped this picture of Madison and Lynzi ~~kissing~~ licking a fish Lynzi caught!

Jax

2009-04-15T23:47:00.000-05:00

This picture was taken in front of Jackson Brewery in New Orleans on Saturday. The girls had a the best time prancing around Jackson Square in their feathers!

Been Gone

2009-04-14T19:54:00.003-05:00

I have been lax in posting. We left DC on the 1st of April. We ran into a few issues when the valet at the hotel discovered that our rental car had been stolen!
Once home, I had a few trainings to go to for work that put me out of town again. Last Thursday, Wendy, the Kids, and I headed down to Louisiana to spend Easter with my family. Friday we had a fish fry at my Mom's. We then headed to my Dad's to fish in his pond and eat some delicious crawfish etouffee. Saturday we spent the day walking around Jackson Square and Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Sunday we hung out at Mom's. Yesterday was a 12 hour drive home and today was back to reality.
Today's picture was taken on Friday. I am sitting next to my Dad's wife, Farrah. I love to tell her that she is my step-mom as she is a couple of years younger than me. I learned while talking to her that she does read this blog, so Farrah, I just wanted to say HI!!!!

DC, part 2

2009-03-31T20:16:00.003-05:00

Here is a picture of me in front of the Capital Building, taken by Wendy. Also, once of the cherry blossoms. They weren't all in bloom, but it was cool to see them. The other picture is the National Gallery of Art, West Wing. It was very cool to walk through and see all the paintings. It was especially cool to see a Da Vinci painting in person!!!

Our Capital

2009-03-30T15:36:00.004-05:00

I am in DC right now with a friend. We spent Friday walking around the National Mall. I really wanted to take some pictures and I was bummed that I didn't bring both my lenses with me that day! I did have my 55-200 with me and I got some decent shots. We went back yesterday and I took my 18-55 to get the other shots that I couldn't get on Friday. I have yet to upload those. Here are some of my favorites from Friday:

Nice Hair

2009-03-24T20:34:00.004-05:00

We went to the Discovery Center for Scout Night last week. Mike took this picture of me with my hair looking so fabulous!! Be sure to click the picture to see the full size!

Teeth

2009-03-23T22:35:00.002-05:00

This was taken the same day as the March 11th picture. In this one, I like how the icicles look like teeth!

One Third of a Lifetime

2009-03-17T21:40:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow, March 18, marks 11 years that I have been married to my soul mate. For 1/3 of my life, I have been able to share with a man who continues to make sacrifices and shows me that he loves me unconditionally. It hasn't been entirely easy and I think that makes me love him even more. Because we have both looked at what we stand to lose. I hope the next 11 years and more will be filled with as much love as the last 11 have been. I love you, Mike!

Younglings

2009-03-16T22:45:00.003-05:00

Today's picture features the guests from Lauren's birthday party. You can see the awesome jedi robes I made as party favors! Everyone brought their own lightsabers and was given a robe upon arrival! It was a great party.

It's Friday on Sunday

2009-03-15T20:21:00.003-05:00

I didn't post of Friday because I was a conference a the lake. SO, here are Friday's photos, taken today! I present to you... Lauren, age EIGHT!!!!!

New Kitties

2009-03-12T08:39:00.003-05:00

Here are the three cats we adopted. When we talked about getting a new cat after Mary passes away, the kids were all so excited. I got crazy and decided they could each have a new cat! Here is Lauren with Chrystle, Jacob with Sophie and Matthew with Melanie.

Reflections

2009-03-11T22:31:00.003-05:00

I took this picture at Dog Bluff on March 3. We had about 6 inches of snow the weekend before, and this what was left that day. I love the way the icicles reflect in the water. The bridge passes to the right of the picture. I just had to stop and try to capture the beauty.

Eating the Alien

2009-03-10T20:34:00.002-05:00

Here is Lauren eating the Jabba the Hut cake topped my neighbor made for her cake. He is made of rice krispies covered with fondant. She did an amazing job on him!!

Party Animals

2009-03-09T21:32:00.002-05:00

We celebrated Lauren's birthday with a party on Sunday. One of the favors she had chosen was these silly glasses with the nose. We all had fun trying them on. Of course, someone else grabbed my camera and took my picture! We had a great time. I'll be putting up pics of the 8 year old soon!! :)

Four, Five, Six and Seven

2009-03-05T12:08:00.007-06:00

This morning, as Lauren was getting ready for school, she said to me "Mom, don't take my eight year old picture yet. I think I still look like I did when I was seven."

Here she is at 4, 5, 6 and 7 years old.

October 25, 2005

November 4, 2006

July 4, 2007

March 23, 2008

One and Two and Three

2009-03-04T21:21:00.004-06:00

This is Lauren in Sept of 2002. Lauren was 1.5 years old here. She was trying Daddy's boots on for size!

This one was taken on Nov 19, 2003. Lauren was 2.5 years old here.

This one was taken in October of 2004. She was 3.5 here.

13 Months...

2009-03-03T20:39:00.001-06:00

Here is Lauren at 13 months old. This picture was taken shortly after we moved to Missouri.

The Week of Happy

2009-03-02T21:11:00.002-06:00

Lauren came to snuggle with me this morning before school. She asked me what color happy was. I told her that to me, happy is yellow. She said that she thought happy was pink.
Lauren will be EIGHT years old on Thursday. As a tribute, I am going to post pictures of her this week. Today's picture was taken seconds after she came into this world!
.... and Yes, Ros.. IT's A GIRL!!!!!...

February 2001

2009-02-25T21:29:00.002-06:00

This picture of Jacob and Matthew was taken in February of 2001. We lived at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. I remember we had gone a playgroup and didn't realize it had been canceled for that day. We took advantage of the nice weather and played at the park for a while with the other Moms and kids who showed up.

R.I.P. Mary

2009-02-24T23:28:00.002-06:00

On Sunday, Matthew was going out to walk to his friends next door. The cat was on the porch railing and the dogs were in the front yard. When Demon (the dog) looked toward Matthew, he spotted the cat. He grabbed her tail and yanked her off the railing. He then let go and grabbed her rear right leg and lifted her up and began to shake her. She turned around and scrapped his snout. As this was happening, Matthew was yelling for the dog to stop. We had told the kids to NOT approach the dogs if they were fighting so they would not get hurt. When I heard Matthew yelling, I could tell by his voice something was wrong. I got up and ran outside. I yelled at Demon NO, and he finally let the cat go. She tried to climb into the tree but she couldn't get a grip with her rear legs and fell about 2 feet to the ground. Mike put the dog back into the kennel. We then picked up the cat and brought her inside. We could tell that her rear right leg was injured, but didn't know how badly.
We called a few vets before finding one that answered. I brought her about 45 mins away, to the open vet. After x-rays, he said that she had no broken bones, but the rear right leg is dislocated at what would be our knee joint. When the dog shook her, it tore all the ligaments and tendons that hold that joint together. It's a pretty significant injury. He gave her pain meds observed her overnight to make sure her lungs weren't damaged or bruised from her being shaken.
Yesterday morning, the vet performed surgery on her leg. I called around lunch time to check on her. The vet said that she went throught the surgery fine and that she was in recovery. We decided that I would pick her up today, after lunch.
This morning, just as the kids were getting ready to catch the bus, the phone rang. It was the vet letting me know that Mary did not make it. He thinks that her brain was damaged from the shaking. He said she was very slow to come out of the anesthesia.
Matthew is pretty upset about it all as Mary was his cat and he witnessed the attack. She was given to him by a friend who moved away a few years ago. All the kids took the bus to school this morning, even though they were upset about Mary. Matthew stopped by my office today, between classes, to 'check to see if I was ok'. He is so darn sweet.

Going Back

2009-02-23T20:53:00.003-06:00

I have been going though some old pictures recently. It all started with Lauren wanting to see pictures of when she was born. I am on the first disk, because I can't seem to make it any further!! The about picture was taken on Easter 2000. Mike had just gotten back about from a one year tour in Korea. Unknown to us, about 2 months later, I would be pregnant with Lauren!

Flowers

2009-02-20T22:24:00.001-06:00

This is a picture of a flower from one of our Dogwood trees taken last May. I can't wait for spring and the flowers that will come with it!

There was an old woman...

2009-02-19T21:51:00.002-06:00

In October, Jacob's class went on a field trip to a small cabin not far from here. It is owned by our school's are teacher. The kids had a great time seeing how people lived 100 years ago. The woman in this picture completely fascinated me. I wish I had the entire day to sit with her and hear her stories.

Stuck

2009-02-18T21:04:00.003-06:00

Last October, we found a cat in one of the trees in our yard. For three days and nights, that cat stayed in the tree, on the same branch! We think she was afraid of our dog, Princess. One morning, she was just gone from the tree and we haven't seen her since.

Cookie Time

2009-02-17T23:51:00.000-06:00

Our Brownie Troop picked up their Girl Scout Cookies on Monday. Now it's time to get them out to the customers.. and more importantly, EAT THEM!!! Where are my Thin Mints?!

Father Daughter Valentines' Dance

2009-02-13T20:33:00.005-06:00

Mike and Lauren went to their first Father Daughter Dance tonight. She had a blast!! She is already looking forward to next years dance!

Blue Skies

2009-02-12T22:40:00.002-06:00

Today's temperature was in the upper 50s. The best part was all the sunshine! I tried to capture the blue sky reflected in the water here, but I just couldn't get the right angle. I still like what I captured though. You can see streaks of the sunset starting to creap in.

Just Me

2009-02-11T20:39:00.003-06:00

This is a self-portrait taken Feb 4.

Who Put the Sprinkles in My Dough?

2009-02-10T20:17:00.003-06:00

That was Matthew's question on Sunday while the kids, along with two of Lauren's friends, were making cookies. Given the condition of the table, I would say it's a question he will never have an answer to!

Macro Monday

2009-02-09T21:37:00.004-06:00

I read that as a title for a posting criteria at a website, but can't remember where. My friend Ros asked about some pictures I had taken with a macro filter on my camera. I went back and pulled three of those pictures. These were taken when I first got those filters. I really need to pull them out and play with them more.

Make-up Post

2009-02-07T19:51:00.002-06:00

I forgot to post a picture last night, so I am doing it today instead!
This is a weed or some type of plant I saw on a walk when we had the snow last week. I thought it was pretty cool the way the snow just sat on the plant.

Cold Crossing

2009-02-05T22:07:00.003-06:00

The snow and ice from last week is really sticking around. Today was alot warmer, in the 50s. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the upper 60s. In places where the sun doesn't shine for very long, or where the temp is still pretty low when the sun is shining, you can still find a good bit of ice. I took this picture yesterday. It's a stream that runs over a low water crossing. The opposite side of the crossing is solid ice.

On the Edge

2009-02-04T22:08:00.003-06:00

As I was walking from my office to the main office at school today, I looked up and saw sheets of ice perched on the edge of the roof of the junior high building. The snow we had last week is slow to melt. I notified the office that this was a hazard as it could easily slide off and injure a student. After school, I went back and took a few pictures of the ice. This is the best of those pictures. Now, I want to go back and scrub and repaint the gutters... eww!!

iPhone

2009-02-03T21:46:00.003-06:00

We had a phone upgrade available for Jan. Mike called our provider in Dec to see if they would let him upgrade early so he could get me a new phone for Christmas. I was eyeing the Blackberry Curve, in Red! He did some research, called around and waiting for a call back on whether we could upgrade early. Our provider called us two days after Christmas to tell us that we could upgrade early. At that point, it was too late for it to be a Christmas gift. Mike's phone started to act weird, so I told him that we could upgrade his phone and I would wait until the May upgrade to get my new phone. He uses his phone daily and relies on it. I can't use mine at home because we don't get signal here. I use mine when I go to post or when I go on trips. He did more research and checked out all his buddies phones as well. He decided that he wanted and iPhone. Most evenings, you can find Mike on the sofa, watching tv, and playing with his phone!

Taking the Plunge

2009-02-02T21:02:00.001-06:00

I didn't take today's picture!!
My friend Wendy went to Duluth, Minnasota for work last week. She was asked to participate in the Polar Bear Plunge there to help raise money for the Special Olympics. This is one of the pictures that was posted on the newspaper's website. Wendy is the one on the far right!!!

Snow Fort

2009-01-30T18:29:00.001-06:00

This is the snow fort Jacob made in the front yard yesterday. This morning, a small corner on the left side wall had some yellow snow. I guess the dogs claim it as their own now!

Quilt Top

2009-01-29T20:48:00.002-06:00

We were home for another snow day today. I cleaned out the craft room the other day in hopes of making a quilt. Last night, I pulled out the fabrics I wanted to use and drew up a pattern. This morning, I cut all the fabric. Lauren and Madison helped me to lay it all out. Madison sewed a little, as did Jacob. I finished the top tonight. I am hoping to get it to the quilter soon. I can't wait to put the binding on it!!

Snow Day X2

2009-01-28T21:31:00.005-06:00

We got to stay home again today. Yesterday was pretty dreary out as we had a wintery mix fall all day. It was just overcast and grey. Last night, we got about 4 inches of snow. The kids and I spent about an hour outside playing today. The first picture was taken about 5:45pm yesterday. The second picture was taken at 4:35pm today.

Begging

2009-01-27T19:51:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I give the dogs a treat once I let them in the house. Today, I was holding a few treats in my hand and they were all begging for them. They were excited once I snapped the picture and gave them to them!

So Cool

2009-01-26T20:55:00.002-06:00

I just set up my camera on my new gorilla pod Mike got me for Christmas. I was trying to capture the glittery looking snow as it falls. Instead, I got this really cool shot of the railing on my front porch! This is with no flash! :)

Cold Dogs

2009-01-26T20:37:00.003-06:00

Friday night we got a little snow. We got up Saturday morning to about an inch of snow on everything. It was mostly gone by Sunday with just a little left on the ground today. We got out of school early today as the forecast calls for ice, sleet and snow all night tonight through tomorrow. School has already been called off for tomorrow! The above picture was taken Saturday morning. I'll be sure to post one tomorrow of how much snow/ice we get!!

Loss of Power

2009-01-23T22:26:00.004-06:00

My goal was to post a photo every weekday this year. I missed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Last Saturday, my power cord for my laptop stopped working. Without juice, my laptop was powerless. I actually cried when I realized that I would have to go without my laptop while waiting for a new power cord to arrive. On Monday, I upload a picture here using Mike's laptop. I didn't get on the computer much the other days as it just wasn't the same without MY laptop! I felt so loss. I guess it can be viewed a shame that I rely so much on this machine. Our budget is stored on my laptop as well as alot of my photos. I backed up my photos to my external hard drive at the beginning of the month. The only ones I don't have backed up at this time are the ones I've taken in this month. I really need to save a copy of the budget on the external hard drive as well!!

Today's picture was taken on Wednesday. I do home visits for work, and I got permission last week to take pictures of this cabin on a clients property. The owner is a principle who lives in the cabin on the weekends. It is located on my clients property, across the pond from the 'main house' where my client lives. I was given a tour of the cabin last year and must say how charmed I was. I can't wait to take another picture in this spot in the spring/summer once the leaves are green again. Just looking at the pond and cabin, I feel a sense of peace and tranquility.

Pack Away your Pride and Dignity

2009-01-19T20:23:00.003-06:00

The kids put in a talent show after dinner tonight. Lauren did a dance followed by a wrestling match with Jacob. As they were preparing to fight, Lauren said to Jacob to pack away anything he didn't want to get broken. Jacob's response was "Then you should pack away your Pride and Dignity". It was quite comical. Jacob did nail her twice!

Dessert

2009-01-16T18:46:00.002-06:00

I am going to a pool party tonight. Indoors of course, as we have snow on the ground!! This is the summer dessert pizza I made to take with me. YUM!

Computer Geeks

2009-01-15T22:05:00.004-06:00

Three years ago, right before Mike was deployed, our desktop computer died. Mike had just purchased a laptop to take with him. We bought another laptop, for me to use for schoolwork. Last week, we got the desktop fixed and gave it to the kids. Tonight after dinner the kids were all hanging out at their computer. Matthew was coaching Lauren on how to use the drawing pad. Jacob was sitting his doorway watching. I thought a it was a perfect photo op!

Turkey

2009-01-14T19:13:00.005-06:00

I cooked a pretty big turkey for Thanksgiving which resulted in a good bit of leftovers. We ate on them for a few days and I was even able to freeze some of the turkey for later use. Tonight, I used the last of the left-over turkey to make soup. I just learned how to make soup about 2 months ago, when I was trying to figure out what to do with the left-over turkey a day after Thanksgiving. The kids have mixed reviews about it. Matthew loves it! Jacob only likes some of the ingredients and will pick out what he doesn't like. Lauren won't eat it or complains the entire meal if we do make her eat it.
The picture above is my bowl of soup tonight. I used turkey, celery, parsley, onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini, cabbage and egg noodles. Below, is my bowl when I was done! The weather is supposed to dip into the negative digits tonight with the wind chill. I thought it was perfect weather for soup!

Really Cold

2009-01-13T20:05:00.004-06:00

Two years ago, we had the worst ice storm I have ever witnessed. That doesn't say much, as I'm from Louisiana and we don't get snow or ice. January 2007 was beautiful and COLD! The temperature for the next few days is going to stay below the freezing mark. Tommorrow night, with the wind chill, it is expected that the temp will be -10*! BRRRRR! Thankfully, it will be dry. Today's picture was taken two years ago. I was standing on my front porch, looking at the left hand side of my yard. I hope we do get some ice and snow this year, and not just the sprinkles we have had here and there. I hope we have a really good, deep snow!!

Lauren

2009-01-12T19:33:00.004-06:00

I don't know what is her deal lately, but Lauren has been quite a challenge. She argues over dinner every night. She makes a choice to do the opposite of what I suggest, even if what I suggest is what she really wanted. My friend suggested that maybe it's a growth spurt causing the moodiness. I'm not sure, but I hope it passes quickly. Here is a picture of her from Sep 2006. Moody.

Demon

2009-01-09T20:11:00.002-06:00

We adopted a new dog from my Uncle. This is Demon. He is a pure bred Siberian Husky. We are still training him to recognize the boundries of our property and to not beg for food. He seems to be doing much better since he has gotten here. He has been with us for 2 weeks now. I think he is going to be a great addition to our pack! The other two dogs seems to like him and he fits in well.

I've been Tagged

2009-01-08T10:50:00.004-06:00

Ros tagged me! The rules are you go to your fourth picture folder and choose the fourth picture in that folder and post in with an explanation as to what it's about. Then you can tag someone else. Have fun! (IF you are reading this, consider yourself tagged!! Please post in the comments if you do post so I can visit your site!)

I had a little trouble with this as my pictures are in folders grouped by the year, then month then day uploaded or taken. So, I went to my 2009 folder and then to Jan, because it's the only folder in there. I picked the fourth pic in the folder and here is what you get:

This picture is Logan, Dyson and Matthew in the front of an Army bull dozer. When my sister was visiting last week, we took the boys to see all the big army equipment set up on post. They had a great time running around and checking out all the big green machines.

Hangin' Around

2009-01-07T20:08:00.004-06:00

This is a picture of Mike from Warrior Tower last June. Warrior Tower is an obstacle course used to develop confidence in trainees. Mike was demonstrating one method of rapelling for the troops.

Back to School

2009-01-06T21:51:00.003-06:00

Today's picture was taken on the first day of school, August 14. The kids are all lined up youngest to oldest; Madison, Lauren, Jacob and Matthew.

Old Ice

2009-01-05T22:25:00.003-06:00

As I was going through some pictures from last February, I came across these two of one of the trees in our front yard coated in ice. Since I was asking for snow yesterday, I thought it appropriate to share these.

Where's the Snow

2009-01-04T20:34:00.003-06:00

Here is our house and front yard on December 10. We got a little snow. The kids can't wait to get some real snow on the ground so they can built a snow man and attempt to slide on the ice! After two weeks off school and work, I'm looking forward to a snow day or two!

My Jake

2009-01-03T23:17:00.000-06:00

I drove for almost 12 hours today. Holli and the kids are back home, safe and sound. Jacob was my travel buddy. We met Devin 1/2 way, which brought us just south of Memphis. Jacob and I had a nice, quiet ride home. He spent the day with Mike yesterday and when asked if he enjoyed having each of us to himself for the day, he replied "we should do this more often".
I really enjoy when I get to spend one on one time with the kids. It helps us to reconnect and get to know each other a little better. I am proud of the people my children are becoming. I get sad when I think about them growing up and away from me. I want them to be independant and well adjusted adults. But at the same time, I struggle with the thought of them being adults!
When I though of having kids, I never really thought past the kid stages. I don't think anyone starts out wanting kids just so they can raise teenagers! I absolutely love watching children grow from a helpless infant, into a thinking, caring, loving being. But I have to admit that I am struggling with the thought of my kids being so independant. As long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a Mom. To think of their being a time, in the not so distant future, when my kids will not need me, breaks my heart a little. I can't imagine my life without the responsiblity of my children. For so long now, they have been a huge part of how I defind myself. I know in the long run, it will all work out. I guess I'm just afraid of what the future holds. There are so many evils in this world.
I'm sure my Mom had this same thoughts about us as we were growing up. I joined the Army and left home a week after my 18th birthday. I was the first and only of 5 to leave home. Thinking back, I can't imagine what she must have felt. I can't imagine just letting my kids go out into the world. For her to have just watched me pack a small duffle and walk away must have been so hard for her. But, I am so glad she was able to put her feelings aside and allow me to become who I am. I only hope I can find that strength in myself when it's time to let my kids grow.

Today's picture is Jacob. This picture was taken on Friday when we took the kids to see the tanks and other Army equipment on post. My nephews really enjoyed running around and checking it all out. Jacob doesn't let me take his picture often, so it's a realy treat to capture a genuine smile from him!

Going Home

2009-01-02T10:55:00.000-06:00

My sister and her three kids have been here since last Saturday. The kids have done great. They have really enjoyed spending time with each other. They don't get to spend much time together, as we live so far apart. I've really enjoyed seeing my nephew Dyson, as he has the best expressions. He talks really well for an almost 2 year old!!

Today's picture is me and my sister, Holli.

If you click on any pictures on this blog, it opens them bigger.

New Year

2009-01-01T20:40:00.000-06:00

I don't like to make resolutions. I never seem to keep them. I think this year, I am going to try something. Starting today, I want to try to post a picture here at least every week day. I think it will help me to take better pictures because I will only want to post good pictures. It will also help me to see how far I've come with my pictures. I LOVE taking pictures and would like to improve. I'm hoping this will help!

So, here is my first picture post this year:

This is my nephew, Dyson. He has the cutest expressions!

Dyson is in the foreground here playing his brother's Nintendo DS. In the background, you can see Lynzi and Lauren playing thier game boys as well.