Casa Collage

P52 - Week 52

2011-12-25T14:46:00.000-06:00

For my final photo of the year, I am sharing a shot that I didn't actually take (though I did set the camera first):Big thanks go to my better half for snapping this image of my mom and I. It's rare enough for me to come out from behind the camera, but doubly so to find mom and I together in the same frame.I am so very thankful that she and Bubba and his family were able to make the trip up here

P52 - Week 51

2011-12-24T08:44:00.001-06:00

for Week 51, you get a view of my own 'Prep & Landing' team:Happy Holidays Everyone!

P52 - Week 50

2011-12-21T09:46:00.001-06:00

Just a quick look at my Wonder Boy helping me set up for a holiday shoot with friends.

P52 - Weeks 48 & 49

2011-12-12T10:10:00.001-06:00

Week 49: Week 48:

P52 - Week 47

2011-11-30T13:14:00.001-06:00

Still short on time, but wanted to get this out there.I am SO thankful (for so many things) after all!

Catching Up a Bit

2011-11-21T17:14:00.001-06:00

Life is nuts right now, so no words ... just pics and a lot of catching up:Week 43:Week 44:Week 45:Week 46:More updates when things slow down. But at least I'm still snapping away. :)

P52 - Week 42

2011-10-21T12:56:00.005-05:00

This week I want to share a photo with you that is all about the motion.I find it hard to get the right amount of motion in a picture (usually displayed by blur). Too much and it's just another out of focus shot. Too little and you lose the impact that motion adds to the shot.This is one of those shots where I think I at least came close to maintaining a proper balance. My main subject is the

P52 - Week 41

2011-10-18T10:34:00.003-05:00

I think, if I could, I would specialize in sports photography with a leaning toward martial arts photos. Perhaps as a life long student, I am a bit biased towards martial arts photos, but I love the action and the unanticipated angles you see in a martial arts class.This is one of those photos. The guy in grey is about to meet the mat. As someone who is on a first name basis with that mat, I

P52 - Week 40

2011-10-07T12:03:00.001-05:00

I thought about making this a wordless post, but that's just not my style, I guess.This photo was taken earlier this week, on the morning my boy turned 10 years old. TEN years old. When did THAT happen? I'm sure I don't have a clue!This photo reminds me to breathe in and out. It reminds me that the sun keeps on rising each day in the East, as surely as it sets each evening in the West. And

P52 - Week 39

2011-09-30T12:31:00.003-05:00

I have so many photos from the last week (can I get a 'YAHOO' from the choir?) that I hardly know where to start! In the end, I decided to revisit a favorite subject and this time celebrate the kick off of Fall Soccer!As you probably know all too well, soccer is the family sport. We all play. We all drink it in. We all just plain LOVE this sport!When I am on the pitch, I don't exactly have

P52 - Week 38

2011-09-23T10:32:00.003-05:00

Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck! Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!Howdy Ags! This week's photos are all about my alma mater, Texas A&M University and the Aggie game day experience! Whoop!Though my friend, her husband, my husband, and myself are all members of the Class of '93, this game day was the first chance we had to expose our collective kiddos to an Aggie football game and all the celebrations that

P52 - Week 37

2011-09-16T10:46:00.001-05:00

The thing about judo is ...There are a lot of fine lessons that come when you study the martial arts, but one theme that seems to repeat itself over and over is about give and take. If you want to learn something, you have to be open to correction. If you want to have a good friend, you have to be a good friend. If you want to get something, you have to be willing to give something. Life is

P52 - Week 36

2011-09-09T16:29:00.002-05:00

This week I invite you into one of my favorite spots in our house. The library/computer/study room. We have a couple of nice big book shelves filled with wondrous reads for any age. We have novels, fact books, classics, photo albums, instruction books, self help books, and even a small collection of comics. What's not to love?

P52 - Week 35

2011-09-02T10:27:00.004-05:00

I have been BUSTING A GUT waiting to share this next photo with you guys! A few months back I was asked to take some pictures at our dojo to be used for our local chapter of the Down Syndrome Society. Their plan was to use the photos to advertise the Buddy Walk, a super fun event that celebrates the many abilities and accomplishments of people with Down syndrome. If you have never been a

P52 - Week 34

2011-08-30T13:39:00.002-05:00

My 'baby' started 4th grade this week; his last year at our neighborhood elementary school. There is nothing 'baby' about him any longer. He's all boy, all the time. It's bittersweet for me. I don't want him to be my 'baby' again. And I am ever so proud of the young man he is becoming. But I am trying to drink up every moment of this last year of elementary school with him. He's a pretty

P52 - Week 33

2011-08-19T14:25:00.002-05:00

I'll admit it. I have NOT spent a lot of time with my camera this week. I have put in many hours with my 'day job' and ridden an emotional roller coaster up and down so often this week that I just didn't manage the motivation to duck behind my lens. At least ... not much. ;) My puppy princess decided to model for me one evening while the boys were off reading. It's not often she will

P52 - Week 32

2011-08-12T10:37:00.002-05:00

This week my guys treated me to an actual, full-family, wearing better than t-shirts and sandals photo shoot. I had been through a really rough week with another on the horizon and this little treat was meant to lift my spirits. It did. And then some! I <3 these guys! They make my world.

P52 - Week 31

2011-08-05T13:47:00.000-05:00

I find myself back to judo photos for week 31. It's actually been months since I took any judo photos and it just felt GOOD to take the camera out during class this week. It was a really small class too, which really helped matters.I love watching my boy at judo class. He always has a smile on his face. You can tell he truly enjoys being there. We never have to nag him to get ready for

P52 - Week 30

2011-08-04T14:21:00.003-05:00

I know this is not the most technically sound photo (dang that dappled light), but I love it none the less. This, dear readers, is the Flores family, whom you might recall from our week 12 Spring Break trip.The matriarch of this little clan was my college roommate and remains one of my closest and dearest friends. Micky is like the sister I never had. We're alike in enough ways that harmony is

P52 - Week 29

2011-07-22T10:30:00.002-05:00

Week 29 found us celebrating a birthday in our house! Birthdays might as well be national holidays for our little family. We try to make sure they are ALL well celebrated. The number of years matters not, just that we remember on THIS special day one we care about came into this world and made our awesome life possible.This time it was Dad's turn to be the focus of attention. And our boy

P52 - Week 28

2011-07-19T11:09:00.001-05:00

I'm a little late getting this up, but here is my P52 shot for week 28:This little shot is from the Texas Soccer Academy. I love that the ball is caught between their shin pads. They were both working so hard in this session and the play went back and forth quite a bit. If you have followed this blog for any length of time, you know that soccer is a family passion and I get truly excited

P52 - Week 27

2011-07-08T10:35:00.003-05:00

If I were going to title this group of photos, I think I'd have a hard time deciding between 'Just Add Water' and 'Family is Family.'See what I mean? Well ... the 'Just Add Water' comes through with little explanation. The other is a bit more of a stretch, I guess.These photos were taken at my family reunion (on my dad's side). Due to work and other conflicts, this is our first year to attend

P52 - Week 26

2011-07-01T14:58:00.002-05:00

My favorite shot for this week is this one:This summer, we are using some of our 'down days' when the boy doesn't go to camp to squeeze in a little science time. And there's no sweeter science than making your own CANDY! Yep! We made some rock candy. You start with super saturated sugar water and add some flavoring (grape, in our case). Then you tie (or tape) a string to a pencil and dip it

P52 - Week 25

2011-06-23T14:32:00.004-05:00

I am going to share several photos this week, but I wanted to start with this one:My boy has several 'loves' and one of those is building things. It doesn't matter if he's building with Legos, wood and nails, or even sugar cubes. He likes to build things. It's been a lifelong fascination for him. And it's something I truly adore about him.Yet another 'love' of his is video games. Typical kid

attitude adjustment

2011-06-21T11:52:00.003-05:00

OK. So I'm having one of those days. The kind where it would really serve you best to circle the far way around my cubicle. Time for an attitude adjustment, I guess.And as the theme at I *heart* Faces is 'let's hear it for the boys', I figured one of my all time favorite shots of my young man would be just the thing to pull me out of my funk (& make it a little easier for those who work near

P52 - Week 24

2011-06-20T10:17:00.004-05:00

I had a tough time deciding what to share for week 24 of this little project. In the end, I decided to gather a few shots from our walk through a local antique car show.We try to go to this each summer, despite the oppressive heat (& it was more than oppressive even though we opted to go at 9 o'clock in the morning before it gets REALLY bad around here). We're never disappointed. There are

P52 - Week 23

2011-06-10T10:43:00.003-05:00

I had a very fun opportunity to photograph a couple of young MMA competitors that work out at Windy Sport & Fitness with us. One such athlete is this young lady, a proud member of Team Bailout MMA:She's getting ready for her next bout in July. She trains hard and, personally, I would not want to have to stare her down from across the cage. I wish her the absolute best in this match and hope it

P52 - Week 22

2011-06-07T11:37:00.003-05:00

Last day of school! Last day of school! Last day of school!So long 3rd Grade! Welcome summer vacation!Honestly, the last week of school was just one long celebration. They didn't even need backpacks after Monday.I'm glad they had a week off. This being their first year of TAKS testing, the last few months of school were kinda tense. And I think teachers and kids alike deserved a little down

P52 - Week 21

2011-06-02T11:54:00.002-05:00

I'm late in posting this (it's been a crazy time at work and won't be slowing down any time soon), but I *did* take the pic on time (even if it takes me forever to post it here).This is my better half's new toy - a shiny new bass guitar. I love listening to him practicing in the next room while I work away at the computer. Those deep tones are quite relaxing. Sometimes he practices as Logan is

P52 - Week 20

2011-05-20T11:45:00.003-05:00

Despite all of the rush of the week, I actually got my camera out more than you might expect. And one of my favorite shots of the week is this one:These are the game pieces for a new word game our family has been enjoying called Konexi.I cannot recommend this game highly enough. It's billed as a "gravity-defying word game" and I think they hit that nail right on the head w/ that apt description

P52 - Week 19

2011-05-16T08:10:00.000-05:00

Twice a year - once in the fall and then again in the spring - Forest Ridge Elementary hosts a book fair. The book fair is a wonderfully fun event for the whole family. The week leading up to the Fair, posters go up around the school, reminders and fliers are sent home. The excitement is palpable around the school as the cases of books are wheeled in to the hallways.And then comes opening

Perspective

2011-05-09T13:18:00.003-05:00

We've just finished Mother's day; one of my favorite days of the year. It's not the amazing breakfast my boys always prepare. It's not even the showering of attention and affection. Truth be told - my boys are both very good at that kind of thing on a daily basis, so I don't have to wait for one day out of the year to feel appreciated. No, for me, Mother's Day is a day to stop and think. A

P52 - Week 18

2011-05-09T12:51:00.003-05:00

last week is one I would largely like to forget, but one good thing to come out of it was a lot of template editing. I am hosting a photo day with our friends at Windy Sport & Fitness later this month, so to get ready, I worked on these samples:Some of these you may have seen before, while others are making their debut for this photo shoot. All of them were picked to highlight the great kids

P52 - Week 17

2011-05-02T14:00:00.001-05:00

I'm a little late getting this posted, but not as bad as I have been. So I'm going to get it up here and hope no one minds. :+)Most years, Easter egg decorating day falls on Good Friday for us. This is due to the fact that most years it's a school holiday for my boy. This year however, it was not (make up day for our ice day back in February). So we had to switch plans a bit. I picked him

the Bully Princess

2011-04-26T08:10:00.003-05:00

meet the Bully Princess ... aka Tori ... aka D.O.G.This week's theme over at I *heart* Faces is Pets and that got me to thinking about my brindle bully girl.We've had a handful of pets through our married years. And, of course, I had plenty growing up as well. Most of them dogs (with the occasional cat, fish, or bird thrown in). And every one of them has been special to me/us.But I don't think

P52 - Week 16

2011-04-22T13:19:00.003-05:00

Look! I'm posting on-time this week!!! Don't faint!This week has found me SICK (w/ a capital S). And as such, I have not spent much time with my camera. However, I did take it out a few nights ago to capture my version of a purple heart:These lovely purple slices come from purple potatoes. If you haven't had them yet, go straight to your grocer and demand that they start carrying them!

P52 - Week 15

2011-04-21T10:06:00.002-05:00

Late again. Sick this time. But no time for apologies. Instead, we'll jump right to the photos:Let me introduce you to the Splash Brothers. :+) This is my boy and his best bud. And after a week of unseasonably warm (even by Texas standards) weather, they convinced me that their Friday afternoon should be spent jumping through the sprinkler, dodging water bombs, and slurping frozen treats.

P52 - Week 14

2011-04-11T12:52:00.003-05:00

I'm so happy to feature this wonderful family this week. These guys are near and dear to our hearts. To say they are open and warm and genuine is a gross understatement. There is not a person around who does not instantly feel at ease with them and I am so glad that they took time out of their incredibly busy schedule to let us stop by for a visit and snap a few photos.We've known this

P52 - Week 13

2011-04-05T12:07:00.003-05:00

I know, this one is late too. But I wanted to leave week 12 at the top of the page for a few days at least.This time, my photo is WAY out of my comfort zone. See?Looking at this photo, I can almost smell the sweet aroma wafting my way. No, this is not some evidence of a green thumb ... at least, not one on my own hand. This dainty little blossom was handed out to me after an oil change (of

P52 - Week 12

2011-03-31T15:51:00.002-05:00

I'm a week late in posting this, but the pictures did indeed come from week 12. *sigh* Things have been a bit hectic around here as of late.So without further ado .... here are my pictures from week 12:As you can see, we made a short trip to the Sherwood Forest Faire for spring break. The weather was BEAUTIFUL! Slightly over cast, but not cloudy. Mild temperatures (at least for most of the

P52 - Week 11

2011-03-17T10:15:00.002-05:00

This week is spring break 'round these parts. And while I've had to work most of the week, I decided to take off half a day on Monday to run some errands and spend some time w/ my little man. I even bribed him w/ a play date at our house w/ his best friend (read: 3 hours of uninterrupted video games and ice cream). In exchange, he agreed to give me a short photo shoot. I *really* wanted to get

P52 - Week 10

2011-03-11T14:23:00.002-06:00

You might notice a recurring theme in my subject this week. Actually, there are TWO recurring themes this week ... the first (duh) is my soccer star. I love this time of year. The light is great. The heat is not yet oppressive. The colors are bright. And I just can't seem to get enough soccer in my days.We're also far enough into the season where the team is starting to get comfortable with

P52 - Week 9

2011-03-04T09:33:00.003-06:00

Another week without much time behind my favorite lens, but I did manage to catch a few shots here and there.My favorite from this week is one that definitely falls outside of my comfort zone. These days, we make a weekly drive about an hour and a half south of here for the boy's soccer game. Each week, I soak up the countryside we pass and think how fun it would be to just stop and take a few

P52 - Week 8

2011-02-25T10:11:00.003-06:00

This week has found a little less time behind my favorite lens and more in front of my work computer. *sigh* Such is the way of things, I guess.But at the very least, I did get a few shots from the soccer game last weekend. And I'd like to share a few of those with you this week.I really love the park where Logan is playing this spring. It's his first time to play at this park and it's just a

P52 - Week 7

2011-02-21T09:40:00.002-06:00

I'm a little late in posting this, but the photo did come from the correct week.As I have mentioned, part of what I am hoping to get out of this challenge is to broaden my skill set with my camera. I want to get better both stylistically and technically. To do that, I have to step outside of my box a bit and try new things.So, what to shoot?This week, I (literally) decided to test the waters,

new look

2011-02-15T11:17:00.004-06:00

This week's theme at I *heart* Faces is Red, in honor of Valentine's Day and the Go Red for Women campaign through the American Heart Association (which raises awareness about heart disease in women).I really like the color red. It's such a vibrant and vivacious color. When I wear red, it makes me feel alive, passionate, and full of energy. I tend to save my red attire for special

P52 - Week 6

2011-02-11T13:29:00.004-06:00

I don't know if it's the exercise of this project - making sure I use, touch, or at least consider my camera - but this week I have so many wonderful shots from which to choose! It's exciting. And the BEST PART is that it has left me itching to taken even MORE photos; to try new things; to stretch myself a bit more.OK. OK. Enough of that ... it's time for that picture, right?This glorious

I heart ...

2011-02-08T11:09:00.004-06:00

The theme this week at I *heart* Faces is hearts! Fun!So as we were getting ready this morning ... I asked Logan ... "What do you love, Sunshine?"His list was not terribly surprising ..."I love ... Legos. And video games. Especially Little Big Planet 2. And chocolate. And ... ""What else sweetie?""Well .... (don't forget the protracted Southern drawl as you read that part) ... I guess I love

P52 - Week 5

2011-02-05T06:37:00.003-06:00

Another busy week in my wacky little world. But thankfully, I had several opportunities to dust of the camera and have some fun. More of that later.This week marked my 20th year as an employee of TAMU. Seriously, 20 years. That boggles my mind in so many ways. Nearly half of my life.I'm not going to rattle on about the things I've seen in the last 20 years. Nor am I going to number the many

P52 - Week 4

2011-01-28T12:56:00.003-06:00

Another week where I almost didn't make this challenge. *sigh* BUT, despite the last minute rush to snap a few shots, I'm ever so happy to share what I got!Put your hands together for ... my boy and his Sack Boy:For those that are unaware ... Sack Boy is the unsuspecting hero in the Little Big Planet video games. My boy is a HUGE LBP/LBP2 fan! In fact, he shelled out his OWN money to purchase

Wonder Boy

2011-01-24T10:46:00.004-06:00

Today's theme at i Heart faces is called 'Innocent Wonder.' The moment I read the theme, I knew I had to dig up this old photo.This is my little prince at the tender age of two. I see this photo and my heart just turns to a puddle of mush. This stage of his life was quite the roller coaster to observe. Words were hard to come by. And frustration often ruled the day. But at the same time,

P52 - Week 3

2011-01-21T09:30:00.004-06:00

I have spent the week in editing heaven ... at least 3 memory cards bursting with pictures just begging to see PhotoShop from the inside out. But I must confess, I have spent most of my week looking at one particular memory card ... the one I filled last Sunday with our good friend Bobby & his lovely lady, Whitney.Bobby & Whitney are celebrating their first year together. So we concocted a plan

Old School

2011-01-20T11:08:00.005-06:00

Einstein is quoted to have said 'Inspiration is more important than knowledge.'I think that you will find this statement to be true of most (if not all) of the great thinkers throughout history. You need someone who can ask questions; someone who can look at ordinary things in a slightly askew manner; someone who sees the world with the wide-eyed wonder of a child. It is from these open minds

P52 - Week 2

2011-01-14T12:43:00.004-06:00

I almost blew this P52 project in only the second week. It's been a tough one. My boy has had a cough that just won't quit. Work has been a 4-letter word. And the grey skies outside did nothing to improve my mood or make me feel like picking up my camera.But true to form, my young man did inspire me to dig it out at least this once. Truth be told, I actually took some of D.O.G. as well, but

Cheese!

2011-01-10T09:04:00.002-06:00

I *heart* Faces is celebrating their 2nd birthday this week. And to kick off their b-day bash, their theme this week is SMILE.I, of course, have a lot of smiling snaps from which to choose my entry this week, but when flipping through my photo folders, this one jumped out at me:That is, as you well know, my young man. The lovely young lady smiling along with him is a classmate/friend/

P52 - Week 1

2011-01-07T08:26:00.003-06:00

I actually have quite a few photos to choose from this week to kick start my P52, but in the end, I decided to focus on the fun research project my boy brought home from school this week.The assignment is to research a famous person from the Renaissance. The kids have to do a little reading, write up a monologue to memorize, and eventually, they will have to dress up and deliver their speech as

Resolutions

2011-01-06T12:50:00.004-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year!Whew! Now that we've got that out of the way ... HOWDY everyone!I know, it's been a while. And as I am full of excuses, I do have a fairly reasonable explanation. Honestly!Mid-November we decided the time had come to update our little home. So carpet was removed along with several stubborn areas of tile. We pushed all of our

Polar Bear Facts

2010-11-22T13:06:00.002-06:00

The theme this week at I Heart Faces is paper and as soon as I read that theme, I thought of this photo.This was taken in the spring of Logan's kindergarten year. They were studying polar bears and on the back of a drawing of a polar bear's paw, he wanted to list a bunch of facts so he would never forget them.Did you know that ... ? polar bears eat seals [you probably knew that] polar bears can

a fine fall afternoon

2010-11-15T15:28:00.001-06:00

Fall in Texas is a fleeting season. Personally, I start dreaming of fall around August each year. It is the thought of those first few cool fronts that help me make it through the sweltering days of August. This year in particular, fall has been not much more than a tease; a mirage just out of reach. And each time I thought for sure we had seen the last of the 90 degree days (with humidity to

senioritis

2010-11-09T11:26:00.000-06:00

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I'm going to blame it on this crazy time of year and move on.Recently, I got to spend a lovely (though warm) afternoon at Research Park with this delightful young man. Mr. M is a high school senior looking at all the fun things looming on the horizon just beyond graduation next spring. He's ready to hit the ground running, but I'm ever so glad

mi familia

2010-10-27T13:18:00.004-05:00

You've probably picked up on it by now, but there is nothing more important in this world to me than my family. Mi familia. Even just taking a moment to think about my boys is enough to bring a smile to my face. Glancing at a picture of the 2 of them together, laughing, playing, will settle my heart rate and lower my pressure. I'm an incredibly blessed person to have them in my life.Gushing.

We Are Family

2010-10-14T11:16:00.004-05:00

One of the great things about coming from a large family is that you are constantly making new friends, right within the confines of your own family tree! I come from one such family ... stretching its branches across this wide state of ours. And I have many friends which I also can lay claim to as family.One such friendly family member is my cousin, M. I didn't know her very well growing up.

Game On!

2010-09-30T12:31:00.003-05:00

Can you feel it? Something in the air? That little bit of tingle or excitement?THAT, my friends, whether you feel it or not, is the START OF SOCCER SEASON!!!!! WOO HOO!OK ... sorry for that. You know how I get. And when it comes to SOCCER SEASON, I get down right bubbly with anticipation!I can honestly say that SOCCER SEASON (yes, I'm going to shout it each and every time) has gotten off to

Anticipation

2010-09-10T10:54:00.003-05:00

Anticipation. Expectation. Hope. Eagerness. Peace. Joy.These are the words that come to mind when I look back to my pregnancy all those years ago. Somewhere around month 7, anticipation took a front seat among these. There was a point where it all just felt so ... REAL. Baby didn't just kick occasionally. He tumbled, punched, kicked, and stretched ALL THE TIME. It was reassuring. And

Hey Santa!

2010-09-08T12:29:00.006-05:00

OK. So it's 95 degrees outside with 80% humidity. Probably not exactly the picture of a 'winter wonderland' ... not even for Texas. In fact, I'm still (not so) patiently waiting for the first good cool front to usher in fall.But despite the oppressive heat, I've got Christmas on my mind. I think my mind starts to drift to the holidays as soon as school starts each year. There's something

tall tale

2010-08-30T08:25:00.002-05:00

This week's theme at I *heart* faces is 'photojournalism'. The idea is to find a picture that tells a tale. I have plenty of photos that speak to my heart, but this is a recent one that I really love:The thing about it is, I think the story it likely tells is so very, very different from the truth.This is my boy on his first day of 3rd grade (see previous post for details). Looking at this

live, learn, soar

2010-08-26T12:22:00.003-05:00

It's hard for this mom to grasp, but this week my young guy started third grade. THIRD GRADE PEOPLE! This is his next to the last year at Forest Ridge Elementary (go Falcons!). And he's no longer the timid young boy not sure where to find his class. To say he feels at home there is an understatement. Sure ... teachers change, classmates come and go, even the amount of homework is on a steady

better than caffeine

2010-08-19T12:08:00.007-05:00

What do YOU do when you need to stay awake?Personally, I like a steady supply of ice-cold caffeine disguised as a Dr. Pepper. I can't stomach coffee. Love the smell of the stuff, but hate the way it tastes. And I'm afraid the caffeine isn't as easily absorbed by the body through the olfactory system. Dr. Pepper certainly tickles my taste buds better than a cup of Joe, but it's got an awful

MY BOY

2010-08-10T13:40:00.001-05:00

makes me smilebrings new meaning to the word sillyis a superb balloon twister (now if only he could tie them on his own)is a budding scientistturns a beatuiful bronze in the summer sun that lasts well through winterhas chocolate eyes that melt me right to buttertries very hard to be like his daddy (be still my heart)has great technique despite being the smallest in both of his martial arts

soul mate

2010-07-29T10:22:00.003-05:00

I read once ... "Soul mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect, but they are always perfect for you."This never fails to remind me of my better half. We've been married over 18 years and been 'together' for nearly 21 years. Yet he still takes my breath away.Today I sent him a note detailing some of the frustrations of my day. I got a one sentence reply.But it was

alpha female

2010-07-28T11:12:00.002-05:00

Yes, I'm still plowing through the mountain of photos I took at Windy last month. This time, I'm featuring a young woman who is set to be the face of Windy Sport & Fitness of College Station. Ms. Tina agreed to be their model for the day and soon you will see her featured on their website in a variety of looks.Tina is a super sweet young woman and beautiful to boot, but don't let the pretty

Coach Brook

2010-07-22T10:14:00.002-05:00

This week has found me, once again, struggling with my day job. Lack of sleep and just plain carelessness on my part made my efforts more of a struggle than necessary. But in the end, I came out OK. One project (at least) crossed off of my to-do list and a content client to boot. Add to that the fact that I actually learned how to do a bunch of new things and I guess things aren't as bad as I

the truth

2010-07-08T19:56:00.002-05:00

You meet some of the neatest people as you walk this earth. I count myself lucky to have met many characters along the way, people that just can't help but shape your life and add a little bit of themselves to all around them.One fun character to have sauntered on stage in recent months is a nice young man (I'll bet he hates me calling him that, but ya gotta give an old lady her dues) named Mike

another

2010-06-21T11:11:00.004-05:00

I loved the photos Logan and I did in his daddy's new hat week before last. And if that wasn't enough, LOGAN loved the photos too. Generally speaking, he tends to be a bit ambivalent about his photos. He likes to see the collages, especially of any special milestones like belt tests or something covering a whole soccer season. But straight on photos, especially portrait-type photos are not

SHHHHHHHH!

2010-06-14T13:40:00.003-05:00

I *really* should not be sharing this just yet. It's a Father's Day surprise. But I happen to know DH is pretty darn busy, so I'm hoping he won't notice this until the time is right. So ... down to business... the business of Father's Day. This is a pretty big deal in our house. When you have a Daddy as awesome as Logan's daddy, this is a major holiday. Logan began asking me about our Dad's

rescue me

2010-06-07T09:36:00.004-05:00

This week's theme at I *heart* Faces is play. The very first photo I thought of when reading the theme was this one:This is my little dude, a few years back, when his favorite thing in the whole wide world was to be a Super Hero. The play was non stop, as was the flow of his imagination. It didn't matter if he was saving the world from some imagined terror or just rescuing me from the daily

design therapy

2010-06-02T13:34:00.003-05:00

It's been a tough couple of weeks at my 'day job.' Things have slowed down a bit, but I still find myself in need of some unwinding. My first reaction is to reach for the chocolate (I'm a long confessed comfort eater *sigh* and my waistline shows it). But at the moment there is none at hand. Retail therapy sometimes works, but I don't really have the opportunity to indulge in this little

turning the tides

2010-05-20T09:23:00.003-05:00

Some of you may already know, but this whole 'photo fun' stuff is NOT my primary business. In my 'real life' I'm a database administrator. Not very glamorous, I know, but it pays the bills and gives me the flexibility to be with my family and follow my hobbies. I'm grateful for my job, but right now, it's taxing me in many many ways. I'm tired. And a touch grumpy.After a particularly bad day

just for me

2010-05-17T10:09:00.002-05:00

this week's theme at I *heart* Faces is called "Faces & Flowers."Like many of the female persuasion ... I just love flowers. I love the way they look. I love the way they smell (most of the time). I love watching them bloom. I love it when they sway in the wind.I've mentioned it before, but Spring is a seriously short season here in Texas. Already the blue bonnets have gone to seed. The

a magic moment

2010-05-10T08:01:00.004-05:00

This week's theme at I *heart* Faces is "Celebrating Mom." As I am usually _behind_ the camera, I'll admit that I don't have many pictures of me and my little guy. But that's OK. I have plenty of other ways to record our memories together. Like the beautiful poem he wrote for me at school or the lovely zinnia we planted in the garden this weekend.SO ... for the 'Celebrating Mom' challenge

MMA

2010-05-03T12:57:00.006-05:00

Hey Gang ... most people think of MMA as 'mixed martial arts' and they're not wrong, but in my book it also stands for the 'Mazing Mr. Anugwom!Mr. A here is one of those true mixed martial artists. He studies (& teaches) a variety of martial arts including Krav Maga, Capoeira, kick boxing, and more. Each member of our family has had the opportunity to study under Mr. A. Right now, he's leading

makes me melt

2010-04-26T11:39:00.003-05:00

It's Monday. Which means I'm tired. And not likely to be very pleasant to be around. But it also means it's submission day for this week's I Heart Faces contest. And this week, they are featuring SMILES. Which is JUST what I need on a Monday morning!THIS is the smile that melts my heart. The smile that makes me forget that it's Monday (or any other day of the week). This is the smile that

2nd Grade Scholar

2010-04-22T13:12:00.004-05:00

My boy is quite the Renaissance man. Not only is he an enthusiastic athlete, but he's also a thinker too! He works hard at school (and has the grades to prove it). He gets a thrill out of experimenting and learning. In fact, it's quite the contagious behavior! A true joy to behold.I love watching him learn. I get a kick out of seeing him work through a problem and come out with a better

I HEART COLLAGES

2010-04-19T11:13:00.003-05:00

It's no secret that I like collages (this blog wouldn't be here otherwise). So you can imagine my GLEE to see that the Iheartfaces challenge this week is ALL ABOUT COLLAGES!!!For me, the hardest part was picking one to share. In the end, I opted for this one. It's one of my faves of my big guy. It's rare he lets me snap his picture outside of sports and school activities. So I treasure these

it's a Texas Thing

2010-04-14T13:09:00.003-05:00

It's spring in Texas, folks. One of the few times of the year when you can stand to be outside for more than a few minutes (as long as you have a good mosquito repellent). And one of the greatest parts about spring in Texas are the wild flowers. To be more specific ... it's all about the BLUEBONNETS! State flower. Road-side wonder. A sight to behold. (imho)And as a natural born Texan, it

family friends

2010-04-12T11:01:00.003-05:00

I've been so very blessed over the years to have made some pretty incredible friends. You know the kind I'm talking about ... those that feel more like family that 'just friends.'I got to thinking about that the other day after spending some good quality time with my college roommate, Micky, and her wonderful kids.Why does it seem second tier to be 'just friends?' I think maybe that's backward.

soccer special

2010-04-01T09:50:00.003-05:00

It's here again ... another fun season of SOCCER in College Station! Soccer is a family obsession. We all love to play. We all love to watch the game. Soccer jerseys can be found in each of our closets. And no one has to be told twice to get ready for practice.I love photographing soccer games and practices. And I love finding new ways to show off those photos. Along those lines, I was

the big dance

2010-03-29T08:02:00.003-05:00

OK ... it wasn't exactly March madness, but it WAS the National Collegiate Judo Association Championships. And this spring, it was hosted right here at Texas A&M University! (whoop!)The TAMU Judo club has had quite the successful presence in the NCJA over the past 20 years are so. I've had the pleasure of training with many of the team (we share a couple of instructors) and it was a true

Meet Mr. Muay Thai

2010-03-25T12:00:00.003-05:00

I know ... I know ... it's been a while again. But this time I have an even BETTER excuse than bodily injury! THIS TIME I've actually been busy ... you know ... TAKING PHOTOS!I hope to be sharing some of these over the next couple of weeks (yes, I took THAT MANY photos). But in the mean time, I wanted to leave you with this...That's my little man! He's recently started Muay Thai classes and

Sankyu

2010-01-14T12:55:00.003-06:00

As November drew to a close, DH and I were tested for and received our brown belts (sankyu) in Judo. The test was the first time for us to perform the first 3 series in the Nage No Kata judo forms. It was an interesting experience, to say the very least. The full Nage No Kata consists of 5 sets of 3 throws each. And you execute each 3 throws on both your right and left sides. For our Sankyu

all you need is love

2010-01-11T13:33:00.004-06:00

Been a while since my last post, but this time I have a good excuse (not that I was ever lacking of excuses ... I'm the QUEEN of that little skill). No, this time the excuse is real. :+) I had a forced break for some bodily healing after shoulder surgery. No lifting the camera (or even my tooth brush). SO ... that set me back a bit.But I'm back in the saddle now folks and starting to set my

Bubba and his boys

2009-11-23T11:38:00.003-06:00

While the circumstances that brought us together were less than ideal, my "baby" brother and I recently got to spend about an hour in the Sam Houston park in our hometown. To up the enjoyment factor, Bubba was there with his 2 boys. And a cuter set of nephews there just doesn't exist (imho).I enjoyed walking through the park on that crisp autumn day. Each breath was like soaking in a bit of my

'Tis The Season

2009-11-05T13:13:00.003-06:00

HO! HO! HO! Jingle Bells! and all that jazz. :)I mentioned a while back that my mind had turned to Christmas already. We don't like to wait for Christmas at our house. And really, why wait? Christmas is that special time of year when so many of the pesky, petty problems of life get pushed aside for a while for something greater - why not make that come a little sooner; last a little longer.

momma ME

2009-10-28T09:55:00.002-05:00

I don't usually share pictures of myself. Just not something I'm overly confident about, but I'm going to break out of my mold for this occasion.Yep ... that's me. All 39 years of me. :+PAnd while I did truly feel SIXTY NINE after the tournament, I'm so glad I decided to compete. The win-loss numbers don't mean much to me. It's just about getting out there. Trying my hardest. Overcoming my

a beautiful Sunday afternoon

2009-10-23T09:28:00.004-05:00

This last Sunday I got to spend some true quality time with the L family at Research Park on the TAMU campus. It's a lovely park with ponds and ducks and turtles. One of my favorite places to visit.And it was made even more special by spending time with this young family. I've known K for many many years, since she was not much older than my little prince is now. And while she may always

like father, like son

2009-10-21T10:51:00.003-05:00

I'd like to introduce you all to the West boys, B & G. This father and son combo is just getting their feet wet in the world of judo, but already they are getting the feel for things and enjoying the many benefits of walking the martial way.We are very lucky to have met these 2 guys and our whole family enjoys getting the chance to work out with them. With that in mind, we really wanted to do

newest student at Hogwarts

2009-10-20T13:39:00.004-05:00

My little wizard was too excited to wait for Halloween to try on his new "school robes." So here's a tribute to the cutest wizard ever to grace the halls of Hogwarts!Godric Gryffindor would be proud to have this brave dude in his house. :)

a walk, no, a run, in the park

2009-10-19T13:07:00.003-05:00

Something BEYOND strange happened here late last week ... a taste of fall blew in. WHAT A TREAT! Now, I'm not a cynic, but I'm also a bit of a realist ... so I am soaking up the cool breezes and crisp air while they last and not expecting anything further.When the weather turns nice like this (even for just a day or two), I like to get outside as much as possible. And with that in mind, I was

Face Lift

2009-10-15T09:17:00.002-05:00

I've been struggling with how to get bigger pictures on this blog. That is, until a friend pointed me to http://www.ourblogtemplates.com. They have a FANTASTIC array of blog templates. I fell in love with this one.I still have some tweaking to do, but I think it will make a much nicer display.Hope you like it too!

Conspiracy Theory

2009-10-14T10:25:00.002-05:00

I am sure this was a ploy to get me off my duff and back to updating this blog. Well ... it worked. My dear friend (& fellow Treat Mom) JD, awarded 7 bloggers the Kreativ Blogger award. I was at first quite surprised to be included in her list of 7, but I know for certain that her motives were not entirely altrustic. This is her way of nudging me ever so gently into getting back onto the