Home for the Holiday

Giving Thanks
November 2007

Hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Light Show

Lights at Turner Field, Georgia
September 2007

Hey all!

I am going to be doing things different on my blog. I have pics to share but I am at a loss for words these days. I am running 24/7. I look forward to at SOME point getting my voice back in my writing....until then I will be posting pics!

This was taken at Turner Field. There I go...looking up again!

Hope that you are well wherever you are and you have a great week!

I Love Lucy

Taking a ride in Sam's pumpkin!
October 2007

My iTunes: Dancing Nancies by Dave Matthews Band

When we found Riley....(see last post)...we were in search of a puppy for our Sam. However, he had specific criteria for us to follow...

1. girl dog
2. small dog

Riley fit neither of these. He will grow to be about 40 pounds. Lucky for us and Riley...we saw him first and my husband went nuts! So we were still on the hunt for a little girl. Sam wants a little girl for a specific reason. He is our youngest and has always wanted a little sister! That was NOT happening! So a girl dog was the next best thing. He had her name picked out before he even laid eyes on her and her name fits her perfectly. He is very serious about this new relationship and takes her everywhere.

Lucy is two whole pounds of love. She is a sweetie and will grow to be 9 pounds. She is a Schnoodle not a Snickerdoodle as my husband keeps lovingly calling her! This breed is part miniature schnauzer, part miniature poodle....also hypo-allergenic and they don't shed. She and Riley have met and seem to be getting along just like brothers and sisters do! :) So at the end of week one....things are going well. With an A-OK at their first vet visit, they are being crate trained and they have been doing their "business" outside since they came home to us! YAY!

Anyhow....here is a few more pics. Have a great week!

Boy Meets Girl

Lucy Girl

Puppy Love

The Life of Riley
October 2007

My iTunes: Oh! Gravity. by Switchfoot

Our Checklist:
Get a house. Check
Get 2 cars. Check
Get puppy. Check

The transition is complete. We are back in the US folks.

Meet Riley. He is our new puppy. He loves licking faces and toes, football and hopping through monkey grass. He is such a sweetie. He is one of those so-called "designer dogs"...a Labradoodle. I didn't type it wrong....he is a lab/poodle mix. All of the great characteristics of a lab with the bonus of being smaller and he doesnt shed! Did I mention that he is very smart? He has fit right into our family, bonding with each of our children in his own sweet way.

I am positive that you will be seeing more of our newest additon on the blog. Here are a few starter pics of his first day in our family! Have a great week everyone!

Blond and Blonder

Sadie and Riley

Sam and Riley

Be Passionate.

The Game Face
October 2007

My iTunes: Real World by Matchbox 20

Yeah, I know....I am a loser.

I have been trying to strike a balance with my blog and I definitely haven't found it yet. Any advice? I am open! I have photos coming out everyhwere and haven't begun to share as many as I would like with you. My Mac is overflowing!

Anyhow....onto the pic. This is my nephew. He is a sweetheart. You can ask this kid anything about any animal in the world and he can tell you all about it. I love that....I love how God makes us all so different. The easy answer to where I have been lately is that I have been soaking up being so close to family and friends. My sister-in-law asked me to tag along to one of his games and take some shots for them of him playing with his team. I got some great ones...

Here is the first installment for you all.

Ready for the first pitch
October 2007

Obsessed.

GO BRAVES!

Ready for Fans

Pick a Row...Any Row
October 2007

My iTunes: All Star by Smash Mouth

Well, several of you were right on! I was at Talledega Motor Speedway in Birmingham, Alabama. I am SO hooked on Nascar now after the feeling of the cars going by me at 180 miles per hour. And my two favorite drivers came in first and second...Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson. I will be sharing more shots from my time there but first I am going to share a few more that I love from some another place I have been recently. I started sensing that I was having an issue with lines....more specifically seats...empty seats.

LOVE them! I hope you all like these!

Take care where you are!

My Weekend

Seats to Fill
October 2007

My iTunes: How Far We've Come by Matchbox 20

Hi everyone! Please accept my apologies for lack of posting. Seems like this American "way of life" is a lot busier than I remember....or maybe it is just because I am a mother of a freshman in high school now. Actually, I am sure this is the reason! My schedule these days is Crazy (with a capital C).

Anyhow, thanks for all the help on the flower. I will be letting you all know about my project as soon as it is official! OK, the image up top is one of my favorites....you all know why...the lines! I love it. Can anyone guess where I was? For those of you who do know....don't answer! :) I will be sharing lots of pics from my weekend as I can get them up.

Hint?

"Shake and Bake!"

By the way, check out the song I am listening to on iTunes! It has a great sound. Later!

Green Thumb Needed

Any "educated" guesses?

I am trying to identify this flower. Those who know me know I am absolutely NO green thumb! I can't stress that enough. I am working on a project and need to know what kind of flower this is. I snapped this in London at the start of summer and it is one of my favorite images....and yes John...I took the photo off center! :)

Thanks for all your help!

UPDATE
Thanks Julie for figuring it out! It is the Star of India or Clematis flower.

A Girl and Her Dress

The Dress
September 2007

Tie It Tight

My iTunes: Daughters by John Mayer

The day came and went. Her first formal dance. I need to reread that as I write. I am still wondering where my baby went.

What a wonderful way to start off this year of change! She has made some friends and together they all went to the Homecoming dance at their high school. I seriously wish I would have done that when I was younger. How great it is to just enjoy your friends and not have the awkwardness of a date as a freshman.

This generation may have it all figured out. We will see.

I snapped this image just before she put her dress on that night. It is very whimsical and dreamy and reflects the mood she had as she primped and prepared for the night.

I am not sure how much more of this I can take!

My Girl

Dem Bones

Sam the Quick Healer
September 2007

My iTunes: Wonderwall by Oasis

Sam's Clavical

These are pictures of what I have been up to the last few days. Now, I know some of you know all the fabulous things that my NIKON D50 can do but this is NOT one of them! :)

There's never a dull moment in our household and this past weekend was no exception. We were visiting a church in our area and the boys had gone to Sunday School. The teachers gave them a break to go outdoors and play for a bit and next thing I know I am sitting in the ER with Sam and his broken clavical.

What had happened was that our oldest son Jack tagged his brother, Sam then tripped which caused Jack to trip and then Jack's elbow went right into Sam's clavical at full speed. Nice, huh? I am really feeling that brotherly love right now. The first image is of Sam with his sling and his t-shirt (It says "I DO ALL MY OWN STUNTS") that I had gotten the night before this all happened.

Looks like I saw this one coming, huh?

Have a good one!

SIDENOTE....We got these images at the hospital. His clavical looks like a snapped pencil. It is totally sweet that I can see my sons bones in this XRAY. WAY COOL and I am so glad that I can share it!

Close Up
September 2007

Faded Pink

Jenn's Flowers
July 2007

My iTunes: Hand In My Pocket (Acoustic) by Alanis Morissette

This image just makes me smile! It is one of my favorites from recent months. I snapped this in London when I was visiting a friends home and had been meaning to post it (well before now!). It is exudes freshness and makes me think of all the things we are starting here while at the same time reminding me of fond memories. {BIG SIGH}

Hope you all are well where you are in the world!

Sign of the Times...

September 2007

My iTunes: Mr. Brightside by The Killers

What can I say? There are no words for this one.

This is for a friend of mine, Kathy. We have a standing inside joke and well...when I saw this sign while I was driving a few weeks ago...I couldn't resist pulling over a grabbing my camera. Sorry this was so long in getting posted Kathy.

Looks like I am back in America.

Have a great weekend all!

Head On

Truckin'
September 2007

My iTunes: Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Here is a shot of the front of the semi that brought our 20 foot container to us last weekend. I have always loved trucks....for photography! :) Along with planes and trains.....there is something about forms of transportation! I was glad to get an oppotunity to walk around and take some shots that day. We had two loads come to us...the first was a 25 ft truck filled with belongings that we stored here in the States while we were away and then a week later the remainder of our stuff arrived. I was pretty grateful to have it come in two separate loads. It made it much easier for me and those who helped me unload.

Have a good Friday everyone!

Life in the Rear View

Rear View
September 2007

My iTunes: Landed by Ben Folds

It sure is good to be back!

I have lots to tell and many pictures to share with you all. Our container made it across the Atlantic and we are finally unloaded and starting to settle in together as a family under one roof. What an incredible ride this is! The last couple of weeks have been crammed full with painting, unpacking, moving and sorting. We are exhausted but ready to get back to whatever "normal" looks like for our family of five. Actually it is five plus 2....we added 2 small turtles to our brood. We will see how long that lasts. :)

I snapped this shot during the 2 hours we had to unload our container from London. That's right....we only had two hours. We got it done in one and I managed to take some time to get some images of the ocassion. I am anxious to see what my blogger friends have been doing and thanks so much for all the encouraging words...

I have missed you all too!

Looking Ahead

Empty Tracks
August 2007

My iTunes: Ants Marching by Dave Matthews Band

Hey ya'll.....

Sorry that it has been so long.....

I have missed this so much. Unfortunately I will be gone a bit longer. As I am waiting for our container to arrive from London with our belongings, I am preparing our new home for the day when when move in (which is right around the corner). I am very excited but also very tired. Living out of boxes has become WAY too common for our family and I am looing forward to unpacking for awhile. I am a such a nester. Funny how those behaviors just click in without warning! I will be scarce around here for a little bit more time....whether it is visiting or posting. The whole cross continental move has got me a bit overwhelmed and at a loss for time when it gets to my blog.

I will be posting in about a week so make sure to check back!

Take care and have a GREAT weekend!

A Front Porch for Mike...

A Porch in Venice...
July 2007

My iTunes: Unforgetful You by Jars of Clay

This shot is for Mike. He has to forgive me for not posting it earlier. I was in Venice a couple of months ago. It was a wonderful trip. Even though I was far away and "powered down", my blogging friends weren't far from my mind. As my husband and I were going through a canal on a gondola, I saw this plastic chair next to the canal. My first thought was of Mike. He is a fellow photographer and blogger. He takes all sorts of stunning images. Some of my favorites have been of front porches that he comes across. So this one is for him. He is taking a break from his blog for awhile so I wanted to make sure to post this....

A front porch...Venetian style!

Take care Mike and come visit soon often!

HE'S HERE!

Welcome Home Daddy!
August 2007

My iTunes: Only You by Joshua Radin

I can't believe that the day came already! It went by so fast! After weeks (5 weeks to be specific) of being apart, John flew in to visit us for about 10 days! We are so happy to be reunited. He will go back to London for about a week and then he will be back here sometime mid-September. While we won't want him to leave us again.....we are SO GRATEFUL for our time with him and know it is such a gift for us all! The kids are each jockeying for quality time with him as I type this (honestly, I am LOVING the break for me!).

I have to give a shout out to my sister-in-law Peggy. She snapped this shot above for me at the airport when he arrived. This is a keeper because we are all in it...and have genuinely joyful smiles! I am so glad we are together again!

Balance has been restored....at least for now! :)

I hope you all are well wherever you are!

Funny Signage
August 2007

A Couple More

Swaying in the Breeze
July 2007

My iTunes: Still Fighting It by Ben Folds

I thought I would share these as well...I just can't get enough! For those of you who commented about it, I was at this beach a few weeks ago. I am now getting settled while the kids are adjusting to school and all the new surroundings. We are living somewhere we have never lived before so there is lots to get used to around here. I must admit though, I am finding comfort in my Chik-Fil-A sweet tea topped off with lemonade and being able to drive on the more familiar side of the road! :) I am enjoying sifting through my beach images...they are making me smile in delight!

Have a wonderful week!

What a Day!

Beach Scenes

Time to Relax
July 2007

My iTunes: Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's

I promised some color shots....so here they are. Bottom line...that day was a beautiful. You can tell by just a few of the pics. Click to enlarge them if you wish. As I am going through these I am missing it so much!

Enjoy!

A New Friend

A Date in Margaritaville

A Clear Day

Catch a Wave

Waiting....
July 2007

My iTunes: Undignified by David Crowder Band

I highly recommend any North Carolina Beach although we went to Wrightsville Beach and it was great! The water was as blue as I had ever seen. I promise to post some color images in the next few days. They are so clear. In the hustle and bustle of getting the umbrellas, the towels, the food, the margaritas (yes, my dad's recipe...it is AWESOME), etc.....I looked up and saw my boys (on the outside) with their cousins (on the inside) waiting for the next wave to ride in. I snapped this shot more than a few times. When I was going through them later, I was stopped in my tracks by their body language and intensity. I felt as though I was waiting as well. This part of our life that we are embarking on, I want to be waiting eagerly like the boys. My nephews in the middle are ready to dive in at any given second and take on what is to be coming soon. I am eagerly anticipating the Lord and yearning to see what He has in store for our family....what an adventure so far!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Gone to Carolina

NC Flag
July 2007

My iTunes: Imagine by John Lennon

Still settling here....and I have a feeling I will be for awhile!

When I returned to the States I flew to visit my family in North Carolina. There really is nothing like the Carolinas. The beaches are quiet and so serene. It was a bit surreal for me to sit on the beach and know that my husband was in London so far away. It definitely felt each mile that we were apart. We all did. One day maybe I will live in North Carolina...it is never too early to dream!

Hope that you all are having a good week!

Beautiful Day
July 2007

No. 19

Our Hill Door
July 2007

My iTunes: Stay With You by the Goo Goo Dolls

Thanks to Anna in her comment today on my post, I remembered that I had yet to show my front door in London. If you go back through my archives, I have this "thing" for doorways...the door, the landscaping, the knocker. In London there are so many different ones to see, take in and admire. I took a ton of door images (some of which I TOTALLY trespassed to take). I never did show my door. I guess it was for privacy issues but my husband pointed out that reason was ridiculous considering I was writing about my whole life (and his) on my blog! :) If you put all my posts side by side...you would have ended up at this door saying hello to me.

Good point honey. That is why I love you.

Anyway, here it is now that I am gone. Nothing fancy really but I love the blue. So pretty. I couldn't leave London without posting it. We moved twice in London although after we moved through this door, I felt like a lot of our life there started taking shape. Thanks to good neighbors, friends and a cafe down the street called The Doll's House it was looking more like home day by day.

Thanks Anna for the reminder! Have a great week everyone!

Coming Home

The Stars and Stripes
July 2007

My iTunes: Home (Live) by Chris Daughtry

Some of you may be wondering a bit still about my hectic life the last four weeks. I am finally settled and ready to explain what has been going on in my corner of the world. Short answer....I have moved to a different corner! :)

While my husband is finishing up some work in London, I have moved home to the States with our children ahead of him. We knew our family would be returning at the end of the year so after much discussion and prayer, we decided it was best for me to bring the kids back to get them started in school and get them settled. Thankfully, my husband will be joining us soon and we cannot wait to be reunited with him. Awareness said it best in her comment on my post yesterday...she said she feels disjointed when her brood isn't under one roof...I TOTALLY agree!

London was incredible. There are not enough words to describe our time there....all the things we were taught and expereinced are knit closely into our hearts and minds. We had lots of highs and lows, we were stretched in in so many ways and our whole family dynamic was changed forever. We found joy. The friendships which John, the kids and I are moving away from have been such a blessing for us over the past two years. I am amazed at God's provision with these friendships. Somehow they made 5000 miles away from home seem like A LOT less. My heart doesn't easily say goodbyes so I opted to say "see you soon"...I could physically and emotionally feel the ripping that was going on as we left. Personally, living there was an extreme time of growth for me on a spiritual and emotional level. Being so far from all the things and people in my life that I counted on daily really challenged me to lean on Jesus for all I need...some days were better than others. I am grateful for that even though at times saying it was painful would be an understatement (my friends there know this well)...thanks for loving me and being patient despite me! You all are missed so much!

Our family is looking forward to another chapter of our lives starting here and the reality that we may be planted somewhere for awhile has us all excited and nervous! The kids and I have already been going through some pretty overwhelming adjustments but having the love and support of both our familes, our friends and our Savior has carried us through. We are eager to see what God has in store for us in the future and how he is connecting all these paths together that He has so purposefully laid out for us.

Thanks for continuing in this journey with me!

Leaving the Light On For You

Warmth of Home
July 2007

My iTunes: Still Fighting It by Ben Folds

I wanted to post about missing my better half. This image was taken at a friends home and I love the warmth of it. It is so calming to me. I have been doing some traveling with our kids while he has been busy working hard for the past couple of weeks. We are having fun but we are also feeling the distance away from him. Not a night goes by without us praying for him and us wondering what he is up to during the day. I just wanted to let him know that we are thinking of him and missing him. I look forward to us all being together again.

See you soon!

We love you,
Anna, Sadie, Jack and Sam

Taking Flight

In Awe
July 2007

My iTunes: Landed by Ben Folds

Do you remember what you thought of flying as a child? I sure do. I loved it and I still do today. For the last several weeks our family has been traveling around from place to place. The shot below is of my Sam's hand against the window of the plane really captivated me. Sam the adventurer. He was in complete awe the whole flight. He has flown several times before and each time it is the same reaction. He just cant get enough and asks tons and tons of questions...each one leading to another. Never quite satisfied to let it rest. I love the feeling of wonder that comes with new and fascinating experiences. What a wonderful gift it is to watch my children as they see the world! It is like seeing it all over again for the first time.

I hope that you are well there in your part of the world! Have a great week!

Smiling Eyes

Sadie Girl
August 2007

My iTunes: The Luckiest by Ben Folds

Hard to believe it has been another year. I spent the day celebrating my daughter Sadie. When did I become old enough to have a 14 year old? I am still trying to figure that part out. The fact of the matter is that I had her young so I have been growing up with her ever since. She has been such a blessing to her dad and me and continues to blossom right in front of our eyes. Everyday she is learning more and more everyday about the being the girl God intended her to be and what it means to have a heart like Jesus. What a joy it is to be on this journey with her. When she was a baby my grandfather nicknamed her "Smiling Eyes" so I titled my post accordingly.

Happy Birthday Sadie! I love you.

From Far Away

On the Step
July 2007

My iTunes: Numb by Linkin Park

WOW...this has been awhile. My apologies. Hopefully it's like riding a bike! :)

I have really missed posting and I am hoping there are still a few of you out there checking to see if I am here. Craziness can't begin to explain the events of the last few weeks but things are good and I am getting settled back into life. I am looking forward to sharing more in depth soon. Thanks so much for the encouraging words, prayers and well wishes...I have yearned to be back here and sharing.

I snapped this shot in Italy. I saw this woman several times during our short stay. She was probably out first thing in the morning and then going home last. Anyhow...I took this from quite far away so I would not disturb her or make her feel uncomfortable. I am always drawn to these shots because there is no posing. It is just life...as it unfolds in front of you.

I feel to privileged to be able to witness life through my lens.

A Birds View...

The Perfect Spot
July 2007

My iTunes: Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

Hey friends...

WOW...things have been crazy since I have been traveling quite a bit. Sometimes my internet connections are good, sometimes not. I am glad to be able to post tonight. I am having some serious blogging withdraw and have really appreciated all your comments despite all the days of quiet over here on my site. :)

As for my pic above...I like the simplicity of it. That is why I am posting all by itself. I took this in Italy while we rode in a water taxi from the little island of Murano back to Venice. This bird perched high up looked very intent on watching all the goings-on in all the lanes of water traffic. And as I clicked through my photos of this trip this one stood out as one of my favorites. I hope that you all are fond of it too!

Have a good Wednesday!

Views While Wandering

Sunflowers
July 2007

My iTunes: Beauty of Simplicity by Telecast

Internet connection...CHECK!

YAY! I am back up and running but will be traveling a bit. These three shots are a few of my favorites from our exploring in Venice. As we strolled, I always had my eye on the beautiful fruits and flowers on the stands throughout the narrows alleyways. I am drawn to all the vibrant colors and smells. I hope that these bring some cheer to your day like they did to mine.

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!

Green Grapes in a Basket
July 2007

Smelling the Flowers
July 2007