I'm remembering....

September 11th...

You Capture~ Something I have never photographed!

Somethings I have never photographed before....

The moon by the campfire light ~ spooky!

My toes in the bubble bath ~ yes, that is a tattoo on my toe.  A little vine that makes a toe ring, a 40 - th birthday thing ~ on spring break with my daughters, who talked me into it, and then promptly  bought me a Tattooed White Trash bumper sticker--(it was funny- it is in my dresser drawer NOT on my car)!  I had always said if I got a tattoo, it would be a little toe ring!  I do love it!

A picture of a picture.  Who does that??  I love this shot of my daughter and her brand new husband taken right after the ceremony by a friend.  I think it is magazine worthy!  The bridesmaids all kicked off their shoes and the bride and groom are oblivious to anything or anyone in the room!

This was a challenge for me since I take pictures of EVERYTHING, ALL DAY LONG!  To see more of newly discovered, never before photographed things, visit here.  Thanks to Beth at I should be folding laundry for the fun themes!

Next time you can bring me flowers...

 A few weeks ago, Sarah signed up to take ballet at the Tracy Vedda School of Dance.  It is the very school her Mommy and Aunt Doodie took classes.  I was so excited that I got out the old VHS tapes of past recitals.  Sarah watched Mommy and Aunt Doodie dance ... she loves the little number with the high schools boys called "Dream Date".  The boys were about 16 and the girls about 9 yrs old. Missy Murtaugh and Bridget danced in that one and Sarah thought it was so cool.  Then Miss Tracy came one stage with her daughter, who at the time was about 2 years old.  Miss Tracy tried to get her to dance but it was a no go!! Her brother came out at the end, he was about 6, and he gave her flowers.  

Fast Forward to yesterday... 

 Here's what went down in the car on the way to ballet...

Sarah:" I can't wait to see which boy I get."

Sarah's Mommy: What??

After Class on the way home...

Sarah:" Maybe next time you can get me flowers,  ok Mom?"

Sarah's Mommy:  What??

I called Beckie last night to ask about ballet and she tells me these things.  We are thinking that it is so weird~~ THEN I remember the videos and we have a good laugh.!  The girl doesn't miss a trick.  We explained that you get flowers at the recitals~ really big shows~ and she will surely get plenty!!

Labor Day Weekend- Wedding & Big Chill!

This weekend was full of fun activities. We started off with Katie's wedding! She was a beautiful bride! I have no pictures... WHAT- because the girl in the pew behind me kept sticking her head into all my shots. :-( Hate when that happens! I did get a shot of my buddy Danny pulling his sister, Emily in the wagon. Danny might have thought it was a race... he just took off down the aisle with Ryan and his sister Alli trailing behind!! How freaking cute is this kid?

Emily was adorable too, in her dress that Yaya gussied up! Katie's colors were brown and teal, so Deb added some teal trim to this little white eyelet dress! It also was around the bottom of the dress. Isn't she sweet?

On Sunday morning, Kathy and Gary picked us up early to head back to PA for the annual BIG CHILL weekend. We do this every year at Rick and Roxi's camp. The Wangs, Lesjaks, Wegryns and Murtaughs. We hike...

We make crafts...

Just look how creative our guys can be... they jump right in and get to work crafting something beautiful. It is so fun to see them working so seriously on a craft!

This year we made picture frames! Other years we made log cabins from sticks, candle rock formations, small herb gardens, and more! Here are our creations for BIG CHILL 2009~

It is a fun filled weekend, packed with lots of laughter, friends, and NO MAKE UP! Here is one picture that might fill the frame,
Or, it might be this one...
We had a great time!!
Boy, oh boy, Miss Diana... looks like I need to hike A LOT MORE OFTEN!

A Sweet Homecoming!

Beckie left this afternoon for Virginia Beach to run a marathon.  Donny finished his New York job today and drove home ~ we did not tell the girls, we wanted to surprise them!  It was so special to witness this homecoming.  Of course, I had my camera ready on the sofa table behind me and the front door unlocked.  Donny knocked and walked right in and both girls looked up and just said "Hi Daddy"   Then they SCREAMED....: D~A~D~D~Y!   

Sarah got very emotional, while Molly just pinched Daddy's ear to be sure he was really real!  It was priceless!  

I wanted to share it with you!

                            Welcome Home Donny!

"Camping" with Roxi!

Sarah, Molly and I went to Pa to visit with Roxi this past Saturday.  We stayed till Monday and we just had the best time.  Roxi got to practice her grand mothering skills, though, No One is pregnant, YET!  She did call both her children and tell them she is ready and willing when they are ready!!  It won't be long, but in the meantime, Roxi enjoyed sharing my gems with me!  Sarah announced right away as we started our first hike, that she and Roxi were PARTNERS.   They had to do everything, and I do mean everything together and Molly was my partner.  We all stayed in the Bunk House... I told you before it's like a 5 star hotel!!  My girls and I stayed in the Black Bear room and Roxi stayed in the Moose room!

Here the girls call their beds!  Mine is a double in the same room just opposite of them!  It was fun to be all together in one room!

Sarah and her partner Roxi... off on a hike!  The split tree where everyone takes a picture to hang on Roxi's bulletin board is where we stopped to put our faces thru...Meme, Molly, and Sarah!  Molly, Sarah and Roxi looking at the waterfall.  Molly and Sarah sitting on the "froggy rock"!
Treasured were found.
New territory explored!

Friends were made... big and small,

From this little red one to Sugar the beagle...
and Kramer, the cat on a rope... who ran and hid under a shed from two overly affectionate little girls!

Sleepy nap time at the cottage girls...
Queen of the tree stump girls...
Dancing girls...
Hole digging girls... 
High flying girls...
and swinging girls!

There was a girl who loves all animals, big or small, who found a little frog and she squealed with delight... "Can I keep him, PLEASE?"

Meme said "His Mama will miss him if you keep him"

Sarah looked right into the little froggys eyes and said :

"I will be your family now.  I will take good, good care of you, don't worry little guy.  I will be here with you."

 So...Roxi got an old pitcher to put him in and Sarah got to keep him for a little while.  When it was time to let him go, we assured her he would look for her again when she visits camp so...

A little girl sadly let her frog go and cried.

But no worries... the girl still had "Fuzzy" to love!

So we had lots of fun and some tears.  Not just from Sarah.  

I fell down some stairs on one day and cried.

We walked down the road, the next day, Molly having a ride on my shoulders and she fell from my shoulders to the ground.  Molly really cried...

and Meme cried again too.  Sometimes things just happen in such a way that accidents can't be avoided.  We were lucky this was not worse, and though her little head took a beating, she was ok.  It was the longest 2 seconds of my life and I felt so helpless.  After calling Mommy and watching her for the night... we were all back to our happy selfs!

My daughter Beckie, their mommy, is always the first one to let them try new things, some things that make me a nervous nelly!  I was like her with my own kids but it is so different when it is your grand children.  I am always overly cautious and worried for their safety.  Maybe it's because they belong to some one else, maybe because they are so little or maybe its just because they are so very valuable to my heart.  On a side note... their Daddy, Don, says I can only see them under supervision!!! By the way... Roxi does not count as supervision!  Oh, he's a funny one!

You Capture ~ Old Signs!

This week's capture challenge is Old Signs.  I found a few in Pa over the weekend!  Check them out...

Love this one.  It is on the road to camp, a gravel, narrow road with camp cottages on either side.  The residents decided years ago that 20 was just way to fast so they re-painted their sign!  Isn't that the funniest thing you have ever seen??

This gate hods a sign made of metal above it that reads... PLEASE GO AWAY.  This is a man's home but by the looks of it you would assume it's a store.  The front is littered with items one might want to purchase.  It is sort of a trap.  He waits for you to get out of your car to check it out and he comes out yelling to get off his property.  It's the darnest thing, I tell you!

Here is his front door.  Very BEWITCHING!

This is a sign also in front of the geezers home.  Watch it... he might kill you himself!

Who doesn't like Hershey's Ice Cream?  No, we were not in Hershey Pa.... wish we were though!!

More sign of olden days can be found here!