Dancers

These kiddos LOVE to dance. They often ask me to video tape them dancing. I am hanging on to those videos because I have a feeling they will be useful in the future. They are very funny and quite possibly could be played at their graduation parties and/or weddings. They will love me forever....
 
 
 
  And Colby simply CAN NOT dance unless she has a skirt and tank top on or sometimes her swimming suit. 

A New Tree

 
No I haven't put up my Christmas tree. But, I did buy a new one today. OK - I am a Grinch and will not allow a real tree to be brought into my house. I have this re-occuring dream that I will come home and find my house burned down. And I think in the dream it was caused by a dry Christmas tree. :) Anyway, this tree is beautiful. It is 9 ft. tall and very full and pretty. It was an expensive tree and a few years ago I just HAD to have it. Well, today I just HAD to have another one :)

So, this tree may be looking for a new home for the holidays! And I say MAY because I have to put up my new one to make sure I like it better than this one before I can let it go!

(I know the tacky mechanical Santa and Mrs. Claus gotta go, but my kids like them...what's a girl to do??? Yes, I would love to have a beautifully decorated tree with a theme and matching ornaments, etc. but my kids just love all the crappy looking ornaments we have collected over the years :) 

Changes in Nature??????

OK - there is a local photo contest and the theme is "Changes in Nature". Do these pictures, in any way, shape or form, fit into that category???? I didn't think so....I took them in August and they are still my favorite pictures. I guess I'll just have to wait for next year....I KNOW the theme will be sunflowers and butterflies next year.... :)
 
 
 
  

"Baking" Cookies

 
This is as close as it gets to baking cookies around here. Preheating the oven, cutting open the package, break apart cookie dough and bake. Delicious every time.... 

Easy Day

 
 
 
 
Today has been a nice day so far. We haven't left the house, ribs are in the crockpot for supper, housework and laundry are done, Colby is still in her pj's, new furnace is keeping the house toasty warm. It has been such a "do-nothing" day that I almost feel guilty. I almost, and I stress almost, got out the Christmas stuff in order to save my Thanksgiving weekend for other things. Besides I want a new Christmas tree. Haven't broke that news to Greg yet :) 

Character Counts - Citizenship

This is Colby's school program from yesterday. One of the six pillars of Character is Citizenship so they did a little skit and some songs related to citizenship. Here are a few clips from the program....

(I was a long ways away and the lighting was bad, so it is pretty poor quality. Then they shut the lights off during the song so it is dark. I tried...)

Make photo slide shows at onetruemedia.com

No shopping today

Veteran's Day is usually the day I start my Christmas shopping. There is still school and daycare so I take my day off and try to do something useful with it. Today, that was not the case. I wasn't in the mood to Christmas shop. Colby had a program at 2:30pm at school and I had an appointment to get my eye-brows ripped out at 3:30pm. So in the meantime I had a few hours to myself, but not really enough time to go gung-ho on anything.

I did manage to watch last night's episode of Grey's, and clean out my two closets. In one of these closets was boxes of clothes that I had brought out when we moved. They had never been unpacked. I also sorted my closet that included all the clothes I wore pre-baby all the way up to clothes I wear now (and everything in-between). That pretty much covers the full range of clothing sizes.

This is what the list of Goodwill stuff included: 19 long sleeve shirts, 21 pair of pants, 9 skirts, 10 sweaters, 6 sweatshirts, 11 pair of shoes, 7 purses, 1 coat with two pair of mittens and a partridge in a pear tree.....it felt so good to pack it up--there was some UGLY stuff in there!

To Die For Me.....

Found this excerpt today and I was reminded of all those who have died and are willing to die for me, my soul, my rights, my freedom. I am so thankful.....


In case we find ourselves starting to believe all the anti-American sentiment and negativity, we should remember England's Prime Minister Tony Blair's words during a recent interview. When asked by one of his Parliament members why he believes so much in America, he said:
"A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in ... And how many want out."

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you:
1. Jesus Christ
2. The American G. I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

I know, I know.....

 
 
  Everyone is surely sick of my nature shots. But I love it...photographing subjects that actually sit still, don't have wandering eyes or snotty noses, don't talk back and NEVER ask me if I am done yet! It is so very easy! And, I am on a quest to beat Dan in the photo contest. He has won too many years in a row and needs a little stiffer competition :) Right, Dan? Who am I kidding--he's got million dollar photos--I'm nowhere near there yet. But, it is fun to try. If only the theme of the contest was sunflowers and butterflies...then I might give him a run for his money :) 

Mississippi Sunset

  Stopped along highway 22 tonight on the way home to capture this. My photo did not do this sunset justice at all. It was very pretty. 

Preparing for Winter

 
 
 
  Obviously, I need to find something more constructive to do on my lunch hour.... 

More nature stuff

 
 
 
  

Natural Beauty

 
 
 
  

Pond Life

 
 
 
  Saw several turtles today and the geese were of course very stoic as always. 

Reflections

 
 
 
I went to Weed Park to walk on my lunch hour today and I ended up doing more photography than walking. The pond was very reflective today making for a couple of decent shots. 

Playground Monkeys