A Day In the Life of Amy and Riley

2009-09-29T22:06:00.002-04:00

Looking for their next adventure, cousins Riley and Hogan.

Hogan caught one in the net.

Aunt Pat throwing the shrimp net.

Riley...hoping for another.

Pappaw.

Sarah. I love the colors in this one....looks like she has no legs. lol

The Catch Of The Day

2009-09-26T23:05:00.003-04:00

Riley's big catch of the day.
The hook, cousin Ben with the scoop....and Riley with the prize!
He's not a bit proud...can't you tell?

Click on the storyboard above to see a larger version.

SWEETNESS

2009-09-19T22:27:00.003-04:00

I love these little bent-down ears when he wears his hat.

Ahhh...sweetness. Love these smiling eyes.

A pull-back shot of Leland waiting for the parade to make it to our roadside spot.

QUICK snapshots of Tori.

2009-09-08T22:07:00.005-04:00

This is one busy little girl. Not sure why the color looks so whacked on here. Not great shots to begin with, but the color does look better in photoshop for some reason.

July 2009-Trip to Dairy Queen

2009-09-07T20:19:00.003-04:00

This first photo never fails to make me smile. I told him to "smile", and this is what I got.

Ho-Ho-Hopeless!

2008-12-13T20:03:00.002-05:00

LOL. That's what I am: Hopeless! A hopeless procrastinator! I just did the annual Christmas card photo shoot this morning! I created the card and did a test print at the 1-hour photo, and I LOVE how it turned out! We went with a whimsical theme this year, and I'm so happy with how they turned out! Riley was super cooperative (what's up with that?!) and we were done in no time! Here is a photo from the quick, throw-it-together-and-get-it-over-with Christmas card photo shoot this morning. This is NOT the photo that's going on my card.

Soulful eyes...and dirty face!

2008-11-28T21:26:00.003-05:00

Leland again. Mom and I kept him on Wednesday, and he wanted to play with my camera. After I snapped this picture, I turned the camera around to show it to him on the LCD screen and he laughed out loud. Kind of hard to believe after seeing this expression isn't it?! He'd just eaten a fig newton, and the evidence is all over his face. Look at those eyes, though! Messy face. Distracting background. BUT tack-sharp eyes....ahh, I love it!

ICY you.

2008-11-22T21:52:00.002-05:00

Wintertime is comin'! Riley found this big piece of ice outside the other afternoon, and he thought it was the coolest thing. He brought it inside because he wanted to keep it. huh?! I don't think so! I swear if it would have fit in his pocket he'd have tried to keep it! He thinks I have to see every single piece he finds. My poor southern boy! He wouldn't know what to do with himself if we ever got snow! (actually he has seen snow twice, and he enjoyed every minute of it!)

SINK BATH

2008-11-02T19:59:00.003-05:00

Leland took a sink bath at our house after his daddy let him stomp through some puddles in the driveway. He didn't want to get out! Love that last one with his foot sticking out of the sink.

He's a BIG boy now!

2008-10-26T14:51:00.002-04:00

Well, I knew the day was coming sooner or later, and it arrived this past Thursday. There was no more putting it off. Leland was in dire need of his first haircut. He looks like such a big boy now. It's kind of sad really. He does look better, but I miss those baby locks! This child truly has my heart. He is such a little sweetheart!

The Youngest of Our Clan...

2008-10-08T22:44:00.003-04:00

is baby Tori, and what a cutie she is. I believe she's gonna be a hard one to contain once she's mobile. Her little legs go all the time! Mom and I have been keeping her some this week, and I snapped a couple of pics of her while she was over with Bill today.

Monster Truck Nationals

2008-10-03T15:34:00.003-04:00

Ogulthorpe Speedway, Saturday, 27, 2008.

Shanon and I took the boys to the Monster Truck Nationals last Saturday night. I shared these on Facebook, but thought I would share them here as well.

Nature boy

2008-09-13T19:07:00.002-04:00

This is Hayden's latest "friend". Now, Riley likes to find and catch frogs and lizards as much as the next 6 y/o boy, but Hayden has taken the "sport" to a whole new level. He's even a little obsessed with it! I took a picture for him this morning. Here it is:

HEEBIE JEEBIES

2008-09-09T17:29:00.003-04:00

This kind of stuff just makes my skin crawl. This spider has made herself at home right outside of one of our living room windows. She isn't very cooperative either. I would like for her to crawl over onto the other side of her web so that I could get better pictures. As it is, I can't get her colors to really show up unless I shoot through the living room window...which doesn't make for a sharp photo....not to mention the more distracting/brighter background. Icky old spider!

From the other side (shooting through the living room window).

My sweet nephew

2008-08-24T18:43:00.007-04:00

turned ONE on Saturday! Just a few photos of him enjoying his first birthday cake. What a sweetheart! Happy Birthday, sweet Leland! Aunt Aim loves you!

Mmmmmmm!

FIRST GRADE...HERE HE COMES!

2008-08-18T18:20:00.003-04:00

Riley is officially a first grader! Today was his first day back at school, and he was ready for it. He'd never have admitted it, but the fact that he was ready to go as soon as his uniform was on was testament enough! He reportedly had a good day. He met up with Riley and Noah on the playground and played some basketball. We're praying for a good year. It's going to be alot different than kindergarten, but with a little luck and a lot of prayer I'm sure we'll come through it without any lasting scars.

The house was blessedly silent without any Sponge Bob Squarepants for background noise today....at least until 2:30! Ahhhh......

Victory!

2008-08-05T18:08:00.002-04:00

It is very hard for me to teach my child anything. Why? Because he has about as much patience as........I DO! It is inevitable that we will butt heads along the way. Consequently, he has been in velcro shoes because I've been unable to teach him to tie his own shoes! Well, he picked out a pair of tie shoes at the beginning of summer, and I thought it would be a great time to try again. It was a NO GO, and we hadn't tried again since! Today, FINALLY, victory was achieved (in about 10 minutes)!!!

FREE!

2008-07-29T10:13:00.002-04:00

If you come while mom isn't home, I have a pair of love birds that are free to a good home. Heck, any home will do....but it's best if you're hard of hearing!

Hee Haw

2008-07-24T19:12:00.003-04:00

These photos of Riley in the corn field remind me of the show "Hee Haw". We only had a few minutes to snap a few pics before the rain came. It was thundering and lightening while we were out there, and we were next to a good sized tree....so we didn't tarry!

Lots Of Photos Today

2008-07-19T15:10:00.009-04:00

From the 2008 Beaufort Water Festival Parade. It's almost embarrassing to say that this was Riley's very first parade, and he, of course, thoroughly enjoyed it. Mom actually got a shot of him smiling. When I asked why he wouldn't smile for me, he said "because you always want to take TWO!". I'm thinking he means that I just never get enough. Ah well, I can't say he's wrong.

Waiting for the parade to start.

My favorite: The Marine Corps Band

A local celebrity. LOL.
Leland liked the mini-Monster truck the best.
Riley's favorite: Go-carts.

The fire engines bringing up the rear.

It's Been A While...

2008-07-17T14:49:00.003-04:00

I haven't updated this blog in forever, it seems. I've not taken that many pictures this summer, but I have taken a few. Here are a couple of Riley having fun in a self-made puddle. He played in that puddle for hours. So much for the hole dad had filled in with sand. The blue band is Riley's "Ear Band It" that he wears whenever he is playing in the water/swimming. It's to help keep his silicone ear plugs in. Oh, the joys of tympanostomy tubes in the summertime, but thankfully he hasn't had any ear infections since getting them!

My Graduate

2008-05-29T00:12:00.003-04:00

Riley graduated Kindergarten last night. Their ceremony was wonderful, and all of the kids did a great job! They really racked up on the awards, and Riley walked away with lots of prizes on awards day today. It was definitely his lucky day. He is looking forward to first grade, but not before he has thoroughly enjoyed his summer vacation!

Pretty flowers

2008-05-17T10:08:00.005-04:00

Just one of mom's spring flowers.

One More...

2008-05-10T22:19:00.003-04:00

....and a favorite. Gosh, the color looks off on here. What's up with that?!

My Sugar Baby!

2008-05-09T09:54:00.005-04:00

at the park yesterday. Leland @ 8.5 months.

Wishing You Well....

2008-05-05T22:39:00.002-04:00

A picture made in our backyard. Mom has been after me for DAYS to take a picture of that dang iris.....so, I finally did (just to get her off my back, you know!).

Coconut

2008-04-29T20:28:00.003-04:00

A beautiful little Persian kitty. Isn't she sweet? I wish I would have gotten her ears in the second one...but it was a spur of the moment snap, and I just loved her eye in that one. I don't know why the first one looks so dark on here. It's much brighter in Photoshop!

My "NEW" Niece

2008-04-22T19:34:00.003-04:00

Okay, so she's been my niece for nearly six years, but she looks like a whole new person. Bailey had her first short haircut today. I think she loves it. She even checked the mirror before leaving the house earlier today just to make sure her hair was still short! LOL. It'll be great for the summer!

Green House

2008-04-09T22:23:00.002-04:00

I loved this old green house with the bright red geraniums in barrels.

More From The Patch.....

2008-04-07T20:23:00.007-04:00

Filling my camera bag full of ripe berries.

"ENOUGH!"

2008-04-06T13:08:00.010-04:00

Saturday found us at the Breland Hill Strawberry patch. The kids had a grand time picking the strawberries and playing on the playground equipment. We took a whole berry picking crew: Riley, Bailey, Emily and Hogan! I'm sharing a few of the photos I took of the kids, and I'm sure I'll have a few more for tomorrow's post. We picked a total of 14 buckets of berries, and it didn't take more than 30 minutes. The berries are huge and delicious! I wish I had taken a photo of Mom and Pat. It was raining a bit, and their hair grew to at least three times the normal size! LOL. I also missed Emily's behind-busting fall. She slipped in the mud and landed right on her fanny! Nothing was hurt but her pride. LOL.

Rosie!

2008-04-02T10:39:00.006-04:00

Today's post is especially for my Aunt Kathy. She just LOVES mice, and I know that, for that reason alone, she will immensely enjoy these photos! LOL.

Meet Rosie, Riley's guinea pig. He named her on his own, and I think he picked a sweet name for her. She is a mess and makes the funniest sounds....especially when you take her food bowl or water bottle out of her cage to refill it.

And......CONGRATULATIONS to new parents, Dale and Amy. Their "little" bundle of joy arrived this morning. Joshua Cole weighed in at 9 pounds, 1 ounce and was a whopping 22 inches long! Sounds like a strapping young fellow to me!

I love these eyes!

2008-03-29T21:49:00.003-04:00

Now if I could just get the smile to be a little less elusive.....I'd have perfection! Taken yesterday afternoon in the window light of my SIL's hospital room.

I'm an aunt...again!

2008-03-28T23:44:00.008-04:00

Victoria Grace was born 3-28-08 at 12:59 p.m. She weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces and was 18 inches long.

Happy Resurrection Day!

2008-03-23T07:30:00.003-04:00

My Boy....

2008-03-16T18:32:00.004-04:00

in blue (and refusing to let the smile show). Look at those sweet cheeks.

Monkey Toes

2008-03-11T23:28:00.004-04:00

This is Leland, or "peanut" as he is affectionately called. He is such a mess these days, and the best baby I've ever been around. He is truly just a content little guy. He's always happy. How refreshing! LOL. He's so hilarious since he has found his feet. Take his pants off to change the diaper and the legs immediately go straight into the air and are grasped by his chubby little baby hands. Take the socks off, and he'll even suck on his big toe. Talk about limber. It's like he doesn't have any bones at all. Today he was over and trying to drink his bottle with his feet...or at least that's the way it appeared at one point. I love this kid. He gives the sweetest sugar to his Aunt Mamie.

A morning visitor.

2008-03-05T23:24:00.001-05:00

Shot this one through my bedroom window. Not alot of great color in this one....but it IS a photo! I'm making progress.

Look Ma!

2008-03-02T22:53:00.004-05:00

No training wheels! This poor kid has been wanting to learn to ride his bike without training wheels for what seems like forever, but his bike isn't the greatest and the tires won't stay pumped up. I guess he got tired of waiting for it to be fixed! On Friday, I had to babysit the kids my grandmother usually keeps because she had to go out of town. Riley came down after school and grabbed the first available bike without training wheels and took off. He bugged me until I called Mammaw to see if he could borrow the bike today so that he could ride. I made the call, and he and Bailey rode all afternoon. Mammaw told him to keep the bike until after his birthday (hoping that he will get a new one of his own for his birthday). My plan is to go tomorrow while he is in school and buy one for him. The hard part will be to keep it a secret until Saturday!

Not great pictures because it was still full sun outside when I took these, and I suck in full sun. There are big time blow outs. However, these are pictures that you just HAVE to take. These are the milestone pictures. The day a boy learns to ride his bike without training wheels...well I would think that would be something he'd remember for quite a while. My dad remembers his first bike. A used 26" girls bike that he got for Christmas. My Pappaw bought it from someone on his mail route. Mammaw laughed when I told her that Dad told Riley about his first bike. She just laughed and said "He hated that bike!" LOL. I hope Riley doesn't feel the same way about his new bike!

Woohoo! Two Days In A Row!!!

2008-02-27T23:34:00.003-05:00

I'm on a roll. Heh...we'll see how long it lasts! LOL.

Anyway, since I distressed Cassandra with my last post about the serial killer, I thought I would post a photo of our new feathered friends. Meet Ricky and Lucy. We have no idea which one is Ricky and which is Lucy....but heck, they don't answer to either one of them so what does it matter, right?! In fact...we may even have two Lucys or two Rickys. Who knows?! At any rate, they're love birds. Mom found them on ISLC classifieds.

An interesting tidbit about their history: Erin used to own one of them! LOL. Mom didn't know it at the time she answered the ad, but they belonged to Sheila, Erin's sister-in-law, and she actually got one of them from Erin. So, one of them started out being named "John Deere Green". Sheila and her kids renamed the pair to "Stella" and "Luna". They both said that they gave them away because they "just didn't have enough time to spend with them", but after a week or so of living with them I feel pretty comfortable in saying that I think it was because they NEVER SHUT UP! LOL. Riley is ready to serve some lovebird kabobs. Ah well, they're pretty and kind of funny to watch.

THERE'S A SERIAL KILLER ON THE LOOSE...

2008-02-26T22:59:00.002-05:00

...and he's killing off all of our livestock. Thus far we've lost a rooster and two hens. The latest victim was Othello, mom's dove. I was out taking a few photos of Riley one afternoon, and as we came up on the back porch for a bit I realized Othello wasn't going crazy and cooing in his cage. I'm sure it had something to do with the fact that something had grabbed him, pulled his head through the bars of his cage and then ate it. That's the killer's MO. He takes heads. He didn't actually kill the two hens. They put up one heckuva fight and kept their heads, but just barely. My brother, Adam, had to put them out of their misery, the poor girls. It was all very traumatic, and I think we all shed a few tears over the horror of it all. I've been told the killer is most likely a hawk. I hope Ducky is okay...I haven't seen her in a while.

This picture is in memory of dear old Othello. He was a pain in the &%$ while he was here (with his incessant cooing), but I miss him now that he's gone.

Visiting the Dentist

2008-01-22T08:48:00.000-05:00

Riley went back to the dentist yesterday and had a small filling put in. He did a great job! Didn't make a peep. The dentist is very good with the kids, as was her assistant. They were cracking jokes the entire time, and Riley never felt a thing. Sounds like a successful trip to the dentist to me. My pics, on the other hand, weren't so successful!

I Got It...

2007-12-08T17:03:00.000-05:00

...a smile! But you'll have to wait for my Christmas card to see it! LOL. Here are a few that didn't make the card.

I love this first one!

Fall Color

2007-11-27T08:40:00.000-05:00

Wow! It has been so long since I posted on this blog that I'm almost surprised that I still know how to do it! LOL. After a couple of weeks of not even taking my camera out of it's bag, I finally got outside to experiment with a new shooting mode (at least new to me). I played for less than 10 minutes, and I didn't have any great inspiring subjects at hand....but I did find this little spot of color in the yard. I like them.

My Reluctant Hillbilly

2007-11-02T21:39:00.000-04:00

He wasn't reluctant to BE a hillbilly. He was reluctant to be a PHOTOGRAPHED hillbilly. I took the camera out of its bag, and the whining/tears started. You'd think I was asking him to gnaw his arm off and let me video tape it or something. I don't even require smiles all the time....just a PLEASANT expression would be nice. Ah well....he was adorable today in his bib overalls and straw hat, and I had to snap a picture....pleasant expression or not. It was the only day of spirit week that I took photos....you wouldn't think it would be too much to ask, would you?!

Yep...even more....

2007-11-01T22:28:00.001-04:00

More pics from the festival. I haven't had time to finish editing all of these, much less get the camera out and take more! This is always such a busy time of year!

Riley's school has had spirit week all this week, and the kids have had to dress up every day. It's been fun, but rather exhausting too! On a happy note, Riley and his friend Logan have dominated the kindergarten with their costumes, with one of them being chosen every morning to represent the kindergarten in the daily school costume contests. Their costumes? Logan was chosen for his Knight of the Lord's table costume. Riley for his Superman PJ's on pajama day, and his pirate costume on character day. They were both chosen on twins/pairs day today for their Robin Hood (Riley) and Friar Tuck (Logan) costumes, which were very cute. I think they've enjoyed it...but I'm pretty sure Riley would just as soon wear his school uniform tomorrow! There is no rest for the weary, however.....tomorrow is Hillbilly day! Should be interesting! (I didn't even take my camera to school this week for photos! Hopefully I can get some from the yearbook staff for his scrapbook!)

This is our pastor, "Pecos Pete" and his grandson, cowboy Jaden.

Gavin and Brooke were adorable all decked out in their cowboy/girl gear!

"Jimmy Bill" has to be the second cutest boy in the whole wide world. Second, of course, to my Riley. *wink*

More Wild West Fall Fest photos

2007-10-29T22:31:00.000-04:00

One hard-working lawman. Sheriff Russell was kept busy all night serving warrants and making arrests. The jail was the most popular feature of this year's Fall Fest. The "bail" money collected to spring prisoners from jail will be used towards one of the church's missions. Ironically, I think the bail money will be used to purchase items for prisoner's packets! How fitting.

The kids also loved the apple bobbing which made a comeback this year at Fall Fest. Riley said that it was his favorite part of the night. As you can see, Hayden is having fun taking his turn!

Patsy and Nancy, just two of the hard-working women that made this year's Fall Fest a success.

Cowboys!

2007-10-29T00:52:00.000-04:00

The first two pictures from the church's Wild West Fall Fest from Saturday night. I think everyone involved had a blast (though it's hard to tell from Riley's expression!) He's just so darn worried he might enjoy having his picture taken! I actually did get a little smile out of him in another photo...but more to come tomorrow. It's 1 a.m., and I've gotta get up early and get back to the typing. So...I'm off to bed!

First School Field Trip

2007-10-26T23:06:00.000-04:00

We went to a pumpkin patch in Walterboro, and the kids had a lot of fun. It was a great day for it: overcast and cooler. I need to take my boy back to the pumpkin patch alone to try to get some better pictures....but then who am I trying to kid? It wouldn't happen. He is so impatient with photos these days.

You're supposed to be straddling that "horse" cowboy, not carrying it!

Giant spider seen while on the hayride.

One of only two girls in Riley's class, this is Miss Arianna. The little boy on the left is Jaelen.

Logan enjoying the hayride.

Just another pic from the hayride.

Old Barn, Part 2.

2007-10-24T22:57:00.000-04:00

I've photographed this barn once before for the blog. It's just down the road from my Nanny's. I love the cows, as well as the touch of autumn color in the first one. I love these old barns.

Old and New

2007-10-23T22:24:00.000-04:00

I love the contrast between this old barn and these bright beautiful black-eyed Susans. Another pretty picture I ran across while visiting in NC.

Autumn Color

2007-10-22T22:07:00.000-04:00

I took a little trip to North Carolina this weekend to take my Nanny back home after she spent a week visiting with us. I was anxious to see the glorious colors of autumn. The leaves were not at peak, and I had to search for the colors I wanted to see so badly. But, ooooh when I found the colors they were a splendid display and did not disappoint. I wish we had that particular beauty here. It's almost enough to make me want to pack up and head north. They have all these great old barns, etc. that I just love as well. My grandmother said they didn't have anything pretty around her house....but this was just a couple of miles up the road from her house. Gorgeous.

Happy Birthday, Hayden!

2007-10-14T23:31:00.000-04:00

Saturday was Hayden's 4th birthday, and he had a big party in the backyard to celebrate with all of his little friends and cousins! I despise taking photos at events like birthday parties, mostly because I truly suck at it, so my camera pretty much stayed in its bag. I did take a photo of his colorful balloons in honor of the occasion. I should have taken a shot of the cake before everyone dug into it too. He had a Spiderman party. He thinks he is truly grown now that he is 4! LOL. It's pretty funny to hear him talk about it.

And...He's Awake!

2007-10-11T22:00:00.000-04:00

Leland spent a good part of the day over here today since we have family in from North Carolina, and I had a ball with him. He has finally decided that sleeping all the time is not for him. He's awake, and he's alert. He's focusing on people and things now, and he's SMILING! This is a sweet baby, and I'm so glad he's ours! (That means yours too, Mary!)

Army Truck or Hunting Buggy?

2007-10-08T21:59:00.000-04:00

Dad is working on this jeep for the Florida hunters, and the kids are having a blast climbing on it and taking rides in the Granny Clampett seat. We went for a ride back in the woods late this afternoon, and Riley and Hayden were in little boy heaven up there in that top seat. Hayden's only request was that Granddad not get it stuck because his mommy wouldn't know where he was and we'd have to walk out! Riley's request? "Go faster!" I have to say that I was siding with Hayden!!

Another Butterfly

2007-10-02T22:57:00.000-04:00

I have so many of these photos to go through and just haven't had the time! Here is another quick one I grabbed and edited for the blog tonight.

Afternoon Snack

2007-09-27T22:08:00.000-04:00

This pretty little butterfly was stopping in for a little afternoon snack. I'm loving her polka dots.

The Colors of Citrus.

2007-09-26T21:44:00.000-04:00

I know it is officially fall, but the colors in this image scream summer to me. It's all the colors of citrus--yellow, orange and green! I was taking some photos of my mom's swarms of butterflies yesterday when I shot this one. I shot from underneath the flower and into the sun so that I capture how the sun was illuminating the flower petals. I love this one even though it's kind of a funky composition.

The Dollar Store Ninjas!

2007-09-25T23:54:00.000-04:00

Hayden came over to play today, and he didn't come empty-handed. He was dressed as a black Ninja, and he brought Riley a matching outfit. Shanon found them at the Dollar Store, and Hayden wanted to get Riley one too. These boys are really sweet and are always thinking of each other (which does NOT mean that they get along 100% of the time, believe me!). If Riley gets a lollipop at Wal-Mart, he wants three so that he can give Bailey and Hayden one when he gets home, and Hayden does the same. Sweetness, I tell ya! I love me some little boys!

Imagination

2007-09-24T22:09:00.000-04:00

This is a "fort" that Riley and Hayden built the other day. They had the best time doing this and playing inside. I remember doing this with my brothers as a child: Building a fort with whatever we could find in the house. We would sometimes build a "fort" on Saturday mornings and watch cartoons from inside. Good times!

Another of My Boy

2007-09-22T23:53:00.000-04:00

The caption pretty much says it all here. LOL.

And the color version so you can fully appreciate the John Deere equipment in the background. lol.

Buddies

2007-09-20T10:19:00.000-04:00

The weather has been so incredibly gorgeous the last couple of days, and Riley has absolutely taken advantage of it! When he got home from school at 12:30 on Tuesday, he went outside to play and literally stayed out all day (besides coming in to change TWICE because he got soaking wet in the water hose) until he came in to eat dinner when it got dark. He and Ducky had a full day of fun. They took rides in the John Deer Gator and then splashed and played in the water.

Ducky must have gotten really excited about all the fun...because right after the water play she went and laid two eggs!

Fall is in the Air!

2007-09-18T22:01:00.000-04:00

Fall has definitely been in the air these past two days, and it has been wonderful! The question is....how long will it last?! You know it's gonna get hot again! We'll just have to enjoy it while it lasts! Of course, one of our bloggers will be flying straight into winter tomorrow! Going from short sleeves to snow boots in a matter of hours! We'll pray for a safe trip! You should send Shane back with Mr. Wayne and make the car trip home with Jamie! It would be an adventure!

Happy Birthday!

2007-09-17T22:11:00.001-04:00

Today is my brother Bill's 33rd birthday. Man, are we sure getting old(er)!! We had dinner for him tonight, and it was yummy. Grilled pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, turnips and greens, pinto beans, cornbread and deviled eggs! And don't forget birthday cake! I'm miserable, and I even skipped part of it! Ugh.

Happy Birthday, Bill!!

PS creation

2007-09-16T00:19:00.000-04:00

Just something else you can do in Photoshop. I made this fall themed card in photoshop to share with fellow photoshoppers on a board I visit frequently. Your photo can be inserted into the yellow box. I'm pretty happy with this one.

Sorry there are no pictures today. I'm holding off on posting a couple that I have of Leland because I have been asked to contribute some baby photos for a photography article someone is writing for a scrapbooking board I frequent. Some of the members of that site (www.scrapjazz.com) visit my blog from time to time so I don't want to pot them yet in case they will work for the article.

Whew...it's late, and I need to be up early so I can get some of my typing done before church in the morning! Goodnight!!! Have a happy Sunday!

New Challenge Posted

2007-09-15T14:35:00.001-04:00

Wendy submitted an idea for a weekly photo challenge. This week we have a multi-part challenge. Post one of your favorite recipes on Friday, Sept. 21st, along with a photo of the completed dish. This is really cool because not only is it a photo challenge, but we'll all get a few new recipes as a bonus! Have fun!

Think PINK!

2007-09-13T22:36:00.000-04:00

One of my doctors (that I work for) is expecting his first child any day now, and it's a GIRL! In our family, we don't get much opportunity to buy little girly things. We are mostly blessed with little boys. So, I made sure that everything I bought as a gift was PINK! So sweet. I LOVED this little blanket. It's one of those that is super soft and plush on one side and satin on the other side. The embroidery turned out so cute in green, and I was pleasantly surprised when Dr. P told me that the nursery was done in pink and green.

More From The Tractor Show

2007-09-12T22:03:00.000-04:00

I finally finished going through my pictures from the tractor show from last Saturday (not that there were that many to go through, but I've been busy!). Here's a little 10x10 collage that I threw together tonight. I might have it printed and then mat on cardstock for the scrapbook. It'll save me from having to do it all over again with scissors, etc.

Sweetness.

2007-09-10T23:33:00.000-04:00

I was lucky to have caught this little guy's eyes open during the day! I hear he's getting up frequently at night. Been there, done that, glad it's behind me. LOL. Can't you just smell the baby lotion, powder, etc. Mmmmmm. One of the wonders of the world....the smell of a newborn baby. It's right up there with puppy breath. lol

Ancestors

2007-09-09T17:37:00.001-04:00

This is my great-great grandma spinning yard on her spinning wheel. She lived back in the days of the "War against Northern Aggression". She was a fine lady, and a true asset to the troops of the CSA. Can you see the family resemblance?

Nah, I'm just kidding. This is one of the ladies at the tractor show yesterday that participates in the Civil war re-enactments. LOL. I just played around with the photo in Photoshop and "aged" it. Here is the original:

Fun-filled Saturday

2007-09-09T00:28:00.000-04:00

These kids had a good time today! I wish I could say the same! LOL. We went to Moncks Corner for a tractor show.....talk about a hot day?!! Whew. I think I'm dehydrated from all the sweating I did! A bunch of us went, and Riley met up with Caleb and Ashtin. He thoroughly enjoyed his Saturday. This is just a quick post for tonight, and I'll try to get up a few more pictures of our day when I find a chance tomorrow, though I do have eight tapes sitting on my desk right now!

We won't see our church friends tomorrow, as baby Leland will be dedicated at his church during morning worship, and and we will be attending in the morning and we're attending that service. Happy Sunday, y'all!

P.S. You wouldn't know by looking at the picture that Riley is the youngest in the photo, would you? Riley turned 5 in March, and Caleb and Ashtin both turned 6 in May. I'm growing me a big ol' boy!

FLIP.

2007-09-05T23:33:00.000-04:00

This was the summer that Riley threw away the floaties altogether and learned to swim on his own. He actually started it at the end of last summer, and I figured that it would take him a while to find that confidence again this year. Not so! He has been a fish all summer, and once he gets in he never wants to get out! He worked up the courage to try something new this year too. He's doing flips off of the deck. Now, my little butterball doesn't catch much air, but it IS a flip! He's so proud of himself (and so am I!). I love this kid.

This is a little digital "scrapbook" page that I worked up today. It shows Riley flipping in four stages. I played with the "burst" feature on my camera to get these. Very cool. It's all done in Photoshop.

And here's one that didn't make the scrapbook page.

Summer Treat

2007-09-04T23:14:00.000-04:00

Whew! What a weekend! You would think that with an extra day off that I would be all caught up on my work, wouldn't you?! NOT! Saturday was so gloomy that I just kept falling asleep at the computer. I finally had to just get out of the house for awhile, and we took a trip into town in the rain. Sunday wasn't much better, and Monday....well, that was a holiday! LOL. I did work on Monday, but we took time out to barbecue down at the grandparents' house. The kids went swimming and had some yummy watermelon. I would have had these pics up last night except that I left my camera at my Mammaw's house. So, here is Riley enjoying his summer treat. That boy sure does love to eat. He is definitely his mama's boy!

I have no idea what blogger is doing to my borders tonight. Both photos are supposed to have the same border...but, as you can see....

Welcome, Erin!

2007-08-31T23:31:00.000-04:00

Erin Kearse has joined our ranks! The link to her blog is in the link list to the right. Please check out her site when you get a chance and add her to your link list! I tried to comment on her blog earlier today, but it isn't set up for comments from just anyone. So, Erin, if you're reading this.....WE CAN'T LEAVE COMMENTS ON YOUR BLOG! Go back to your dashboard and then into settings to change it so we can leave comments on your cute boys!

Someone Special

2007-08-31T23:00:00.000-04:00

My someone special is my brother Bill, but it could just as easily be my brother Adam. As most, if not all, of you know, Riley doesn't have a dad. Don't go feeling sorry for him though. I think God and the Justice system for that fact. So many kids have horrible excuses for parents in their lives today because the people in the system think that a bad parent is better than an absent parent. I don't happen to believe that. I know that my son is much better off with our current situation than he would have been if my ex was still in the picture. Thank goodness Riley's attorney also saw things that way. But, that's another story for another day. Today's story is about how much I love my brothers for being that positive male influence in Riley's life. Riley loves both of his uncles, and I'm so thankful that we all live so close to one another and that Bill and Adam can be a constant presence in Riley's life. The Lord knows they're not perfect, but they are hardworking, honest men who love their family and who will stand up for what they believe to be true and right, no matter the odds or popular opinion. Unfortunately, in this day and age, those traits are becoming more and more rare.

This week Bill brought Bailey, some BB's and a homemade target over to the house and took all three of the kids outside on the back porch for some target practice. Riley had a blast, and I got a few pictures (from the back...I'm sure you'll understand why I didn't get any from the front when you see the pictures!).

BLUE

2007-08-29T19:55:00.000-04:00

Riley's eyes looked especially blue today. The in-camera crop was unflattering so I played until I liked it. I love these eyes (or eye, in this case!) The blue background is his school uniform shirt.

Sweet Baby

2007-08-28T22:14:00.000-04:00

A couple of shots of our newest family member from yesterday. I hope to take some better pictures of him on Saturday, but time will tell....everyone is just so busy these days...including me! I'm on the run. Just wanted to get some pics up for today!

See the tongue? He's already mocking me and my camera!

An Elvis lip curl? We have a goofy one of Hayden like this when he was a few months old.

A Token of Our Appreciation

2007-08-27T22:29:00.000-04:00

Sunday was our appreciation dinner for all of last year's Sunday school workers. This year we also honored someone very special in our church: our church secretary, Ms. Jan. She does so much for all of us at church, and she always goes above and beyond the call of duty. She truly deserved a special token of our appreciation. I hope that she enjoyed her day. I'm much better at taking photographs of the "details" than I am at event photography, so I will spare you the shots I got of any people at the dinner. LOL. Here are some of the detail shots that I got before all of the hungry guests arrived! Andrew Carr took the last shot for me. I'm the big'un in the back.

New Photo Challenge Posted

2007-08-26T15:51:00.000-04:00

Did everyone notice that a new photo challenge has been posted? This week's assignment is "Someone Special". That can be anyone in your life that is special to you for any reason at all. This challenge comes from Cindy D. and Anita! Thanks for the challenge submission, ladies! Can't wait to see the photos.

2007-08-25T23:48:00.000-04:00

Wendy, you asked me to play with your beach photos if I could, and I finally got around to playing with this one of Drew. I can't email it to you because I lost your email address when the computer crashed a few weeks ago. So, I'm uploading it here so you can right click and save it from the blog if you so choose. The first is the original, and the second one is the one I played with. I did anew crop to take out some of the distractions in the background, brightened it up a bit and then moved his shovel closer to him because it was kind of a distraction in the location it was in once I cropped it.

Movies!

2007-08-25T22:10:00.000-04:00

I don't rent movies very often, and the only movies I see at the theater anymore are kids movies. This makes it very easy to rent movies because I haven't seen any of them! This is very convenient because I don't have to limit myself to the new releases (which are always checked out by others anyway). My problem is that I usually rent movies and then never actually get around to watching them! Riley and I rented four movies for this weekend, and I did take some time this afternoon to actually watch one. They aren't due back for a week so I might get to watch the other one I rented for me before it has to go back to the store.

Faith

2007-08-25T00:16:00.000-04:00

It looks like Ms. Judy and I had the same idea for this week's photo challenge. I turned to Hebrews 11:1 for my subject. I didn't witness Christ being crucified for my sins, but I believe that He was. It is by that faith that I am saved and will one day live in a mansion in Heaven with my Savior. So y'all be sure and stop in for a visit!

P.S. The objects in the photo with the Bible verse are a "crown of thorns" and a nail. I raided my resurrection eggs (from Easter) for them. I should have made a realistic version of the crown, but I had forgotten all about the challenge this afternoon and was racing the daylight to get my shot!

A New Nephew!

2007-08-23T20:56:00.001-04:00

My sister-in-law was induced today, and I now have a new nephew. Riley and Hayden were so cute at the hospital. Hayden covered his ears when baby Leland cried (he was blessed with a loud set of pipes just like his older brother!), and Riley looked worried and asked what was hurting him so badly that he would scream like that? LOL. The boys were assured that baby Leland was just good and mad at being evicted from his nice warm home of nine months! Despite the crying and carrying on, both Riley and Hayden are super excited to have a new cousin and baby brother, respectively!

First Day of Kindergarten

2007-08-20T22:11:00.000-04:00

was a resounding success. He couldn't wait to get there this morning, and we ended up just going 30 minutes early because he was bugging us to just go! No tears. No tugging on my arm or leg...he just went with a quick kiss goodbye. I hope this attitude continues, though I know there will be days that he just doesn't feel like going (I just hope it isn't too soon!). As excited as he was to go to school today, he was NOT excited about having his picture made. I got a couple, but none that I'm really pleased with. Maybe I'll have to try again another day!

STRIKE!

2007-08-18T23:37:00.000-04:00

Heh. That's one word that was NOT associated with MY bowling today. The only way I would have been able to get a strike is if I were standing over home plate on a diamond-shaped playing field with a bat in my hands! I was the official handicap of my team! LOL. But I don't care. I had a lot of fun, and if you can't laugh at yourself...well, you just aren't somebody I'd care to be around! (In my defense, however...it was only the second time I've ever bowled in my life...and I'm no spring chicken! I did, however, improve once I found out I was using the wrong fingers to hold the ball! LOL)

This one is blurry, but I like it anyway.

Cindy, our most competitive bowler.

This is usually what my lane looked like even after I bowled. There were usually the same number of pins standing after I bowled as there were before I bowled.

New Challenge.

2007-08-17T23:32:00.001-04:00

Sorry I never got around to posting a photo challenge for this week! I've been super busy this week, and there is no end in sight to the tapes on my desk! Cindy called me earlier in the week and suggested a couple of challenge ideas (THANK YOU, CINDY!!!), the first of which is "FAITH". So, the challenge is to take a photo of what embodies faith to you. Have fun, and remember to post your challenge photo on Friday, 8-24-07!

Trapped!

2007-08-17T23:26:00.000-04:00

This little hummingbird flew into our house yesterday afternoon, and we couldn't get him out. Dad was even going to climb out onto the roof and open the dormer windows to let the little guy out, but the windows were locked and he couldn't get them open. I even tried to "shoo" him into the upstairs room so that those windows could be opened for him, but he would never fly low enough to find the way into the room from the cathedral ceilings. Do you know how hard it is to "shoo" a hummingbird in a specific direction?!

These Hands...

2007-08-13T23:46:00.001-04:00

have been busy! My mammaw is currently working on knitting everyone in the family an afghan of their color choice. Riley has opted for this John Deere yellow and green stripe. I think it is turning out really cool, and it is nearly complete. I think Mammaw has made about 7-8 of them so far, and she has a long way to go if everyone in the family is going to get one! That is a lot of knitting and perling! She's a pretty speedy little knitter though. She tried to teach me how to knit when I was a much younger girl, but alas, that is NOT where my talents lie!

I guess we're getting another Friday off from the challenge, as I have yet to post the next assignment. I'll try to come up with one and post it soon. In the meantime, keep snapping pics and posting! Don't follow my bad example!!! =)

Relaxation is....

2007-08-10T17:02:00.000-04:00

a comfy (and cool!) spot to rest, a good book and some good chocolate! Add a cold glass of sweet tea, and it's heaven on earth!

Well...I didn't earn any money for it....

2007-08-09T23:55:00.001-04:00

but one of my photos will be in the newspaper for public TV and public radio. When we got home from Beaufort today, I had a message from a writer at Current newspaper in Washington D.C. requesting permission to print one of my photos of Mr. Crawford, the hiker that stayed with us back in June. I gave him a call, and gave him permission to print the photo, and he's going to send me some copies of the paper. It's not The Washington Post, but at least I'll be given photo credits and get a few copies of the paper to keep. Too bad it isn't one of my "better" photos. LOL. Mom is just thrilled that her photo will be in the paper, especially considering that she had just gotten up at 6 a.m. after getting no sleep the night before because she was worried that an axe murderer was in the very next room waiting to pounce if she closed her eyes! LOL.

Here is the photo that he wanted to use. As you can see...not the best photo I've ever taken...but it's for a newspaper so I guess it's more about being informative than being creative.

Some Get Flowers.....

2007-08-08T23:27:00.000-04:00

I get fungi!! Shanon, Adam and Hayden came over for a visit this evening, and they didn't come empty handed. Shanon picked a huge mushroom in the yard and brought it over for me to photograph for the blog. LOL. We were overrun by fire ants last year, and this year it's mushrooms! If I had to pick between which of the two I'd rather have in the yard, I'd have to choose the mushrooms! So, here is today's photo....compliments of Shanon!

***A certain blogger mentioned to me on the phone the other day that she had noticed that I was "slacking" lately with my blog, and made reference to my photo subjects (in particular the phone shot). I won't mention any names (Judy T.), but when that certain someone has been blogging for as many months as I have and has as many blog posts as I have...THEN she can "criticize" my lack of interesting photo subjects! LOL. I'm sure she's just gonna LOVE this one! Oh well, it was either this or nothing! I'm running out of original ideas, and my life is just not THAT interesting! ***

First Sleepover?!

2007-08-07T23:07:00.000-04:00

Will tonight be Hayden's very first sleepover....or will it end as just a late night visit?! We shall soon see! It's 11 p.m. and they're still watching TV on the sofa bed (with mom encouraging them to go to sleep).

Blast From The Past

2007-08-06T22:44:00.000-04:00

When is the last time you used one of these old rotary phones? I've been reduced to using one these past couple of weeks since the lightening "accident" that occured. My cordless must have been fried right along with my fax modem. I will have to buy a new cordless because this old phone is really a pain. There is certainly no "press 1 for English" on this phone....heh, maybe that's a good thing!

Bluffton

2007-08-05T00:12:00.000-04:00

I hate it. I despise going there. Give me Charleston any day of the week, but you can keep Bluffton. I hate the traffic and crazy drivers. I hate the U-turns because you can't get to where you're going without them. I hate the fact that all of the buildings are disguised and hidden behind trees so thick that you pass them and have to do what? Yes, ANOTHER U-TURN!! Maybe hate is a strong work for how I feel about Bluffton, but I definitely do not love it! Unfortunately, we've made quite a few trips to the dreaded place lately with trying to get Riley ready for school. We made one of those trips today. I had two things to accomplish. 1. Return some school uniform pants to the uniform shop. 2. Buy Riley a new pair of shoes for school. The first task was performed rather quickly and painlessly. The second task proved to be very painful and impossible. I'm still looking for the child a pair of shoes. It's not that I'm being particularly picky. I just couldn't find any in his size. But enough about that.

There is one good thing about Bluffton. The turtles that live in the water beside the uniform shop. Riley loves to watch them, and today I took along my camera to snap a picture of them for the blog. It was about the only pleasant thing about today...that and the fact that I scored some bargains at Gymboree on a couple of jackets and some rain boots for Riley (mud boots is more accurate when they're on my child's feet). Other than that, the trip was a total waste of time, and I hope I don't have to go back there for a quite a while!

The second one is a little hard to see with the reflections of light on the water, but he's in there!

NEXT PHOTO CHALLENGE TOPIC

2007-08-04T09:39:00.000-04:00

The next photo challenge topic is "RELAXATION". Photos are due to be posted next Friday, August 10th. I'll change my little sign over there on the right when I get some time!

Details...

2007-08-03T20:22:00.000-04:00

of one of my hobbies. I'm a scrapbooker, and these are all of the supplies that I have collected over the past few months. Not a single item in this photo has been used! I just don't have the time to indulge in my hobby, but I do love it when I get the chance. In fact, Anita and I have been meaning to get a "crop" on the church calendar so that we can all scrapbook together. So...if you're not a scrapbooker, maybe it's time to think about becoming one! Your family will thank you one day! I scrapbook Riley's photos and I'm sooooo far behind on them. I'm still working on photos of when he was 1 y/o, and he is now 5! I need to get to work! He already loves looking at his scrapbooks, and it is my hope that he will pass them on to his children when he has them. I think they will appreciate seeing their father's childhood photos and getting all of the memories that I have of him. It's truly a remarkable hobby, and one that I really think is worthwhile! Please let Anita and me know if this is something that you would be interested in. I would LOVE to get a regular crop going, as that is the only time I get to work on my scrapbooks!. It's a great way to fellowship with one another and so much fun! We have some extra supplies for some of the new scrappers to borrow at the crop, and we can give pointers, ideas and even tutorials on different techniques if anyone is interested. Anita, let's make this happen!

A Bird's Eye View

2007-08-01T22:11:00.001-04:00

We went to see a couple of people that are in the hospital this evening. I had my camera and took this picture from the 4th floor waiting room. What a view!

An example...

2007-07-31T20:43:00.000-04:00

Remember that our photo challenge assignment is due this Friday, 8-3-07. Some people have asked me to elaborate on what "Details" really means. What I mean by "details" is just that....one small detail of a larger subject. It's almost like those photo "puzzles" in the Gazette. You know the one I'm talking about...."You've seen this...but where?" and there is a photo of a portion of an object around town and you have to think of where you've seen it. Pretty simple, eh?

So, here is an example from me today, even if it is a rather poor one! LOL. It's part of a curve detail on the headboard of my bed. I'll post my "real" detail picture along with everyone else on Friday!

Tiny Troopers!

2007-07-30T19:07:00.000-04:00

Riley and mom went into the Goodwill today and found these Marine "covers". So Riley and Hayden scored new hats today. Hayden brought Riley a military canteen a few weeks ago, so I guess they are collecting their uniforms one piece at a time! I'm so glad that Riley has cousins his age that he is able to be close to.

Hayden is half covering Riley in this picture, but they're new at soldiering and need more practice following orders! Especially orders of direction. If you tell them to look up, they look STRAIGHT UP! sheesh! They are so literal at this age.

An Old Favorite

2007-07-27T23:41:00.000-04:00

This photo isn't a new one, but it is one of my all-time favorites that I have ever taken of Riley....and that is saying A LOT (considering the sheer volume of photographs I have taken of this child in his short lifetime). I have a lot of photos that I love of him, but I always come back to this one. It was taken two years ago in May 2005. Riley was 3 y/o and had just broken his arm the month before. This photo just screams "childhood" and "little country boy" to me, and I just love it. I've been wanting to share it on my blog for a while, but I finally pulled out my old disks of photos to load it back onto the computer. I think I need to consider having this one printed big...or maybe even on a canvas.

This swing hangs in the big oak tree that is beside the old house.