As the last few weeks of summer break come to an end for us, we're spending time outdoors (when we can and it's not a million degrees)...the girls usually requesting to be sprayed with the hose. It's become their favorite thing to do in the late afternoons, before we wind down for the day.
As a kid in summertime, I remember taking baths and outdoor showers when it was so hot and it was still light out at bedtime. I told the girls about this. They now want to take a bath outside one evening. Of course, I'll let them.
Childhood is about getting messy, running around screaming and getting wet with the water hose!
Wow. I knew it had been a while.Nothing since May??
All I can say is "summer break". Both girls are home every day and we've traveled and done camps and outings and swim lessons and had surgeries and near broken wrists and air conditioner units going out and all kinds of stuff. Blogging...on the back burner big time.
So, until things die down a bit, not much coming from me on here. The girls now tell me verbally that they don't like me blogging about them...so who knows how much longer they'll allow me to even mention them in this forum!
Ruby starts school soon, so another big change for us. My business is doing well. Lots going on, as always.
Sadly, today we had to put down our 15 year old dog Clyde. He had gone blind and deaf and appeared to have, ironically, developed diabetes. He had lived with my in laws the past few years...his golden years...to allow him so peace and quiet. He never did really adjust to us having kids that well. Once my father in law died last year, he had really aged quickly. His canine pal who he'd lived with all this time had to be put down a few months back as well. It was just time...sadly.
We love you Clyde. You were the best dog I ever had and I hope you can see now up in doggie heaven and are with Papa.
Ruby recently had her last field trip with her preschool class. She will graduate in two weeks from The Learning Garden, where she's attended since she was just over two years old. It's a bittersweet time for both her and us. Both she and Sarah attended preschool here. We have several years of a great relationship with the director and several staff members. They all hold a special place in my heart and of my girls.
Soon Ruby will join her sister at "big school" and our days of preschool will be behind us. So, this last field trip was super special to all of us. Dave and I went with her and I took tons of photos of her and all her friends, who are so dear to us too. I remember many of them in diapers with Ruby. They've all grown up to be such sweet kids. I will miss seeing them all every day.
For years I wasn't the praying type. But lots of things have happened over the past few years to slowly change that. This past weekend, I was brought to my knees, however, as my home was ravaged by Mother Nature (not that I hold you to blame dear...you do what you do and I'm fully ok with that). However, 17 plus inches of rain in two days is a bit on a Biblical scale, for sure.
Nashville has been just...well...ruined by flooding. We sat for two days, ourselves barraged with tremendous downpours and fear of flooding coming at any second, watching as just down the road our neighbors were being swept away, literally. The loss of life and property is just staggering and will be felt for years to come in this region.
I personally am working on coordinating a relief effort with my children's school, our Girl Scout troop and the local United Way. I have put out the word as many places as I can think of to try and get help for Nashville and the surrounding areas. Now I am posting here. Not many people (hardly any at all) read this blog, but for those that do...in far away places...please consider making a donation to aid flood victims. To watch them being rescued out of their homes, many elderly, yesterday, with just the clothes on their backs and no shoes on their feet reallly hit home just how fast things can be lost for anyone. And many have lost everything with no hope of help from insurance because most of us in this part of the world don't have flood insurance.
Thank you in advance from the great state of Tennessee.
This was the scene on the interstate my husband travels every day to go into work in Nashville last Saturday afternoon, right before he was to walk out the door for work! This happened SO quickly, he very well could have been in one of the 150 cars trapped by the rising flood waters, that killed one man at this very spot!
It has been nearly four years since we had a family photo done.
Considering that I'm always the one behind the camera and never in hardly any photos, I insisted we get another family shot soon. So, we hired the photographer who did our last session. I couldn't be any more pleased.
Here is my new, absolultely favorite shot of US. Thank you Rick!
He also got this one that I really like too...us doing what we do alot, act silly!
He took some wonderful ones of the girls too! These are my favorites...
My best friend Greg died one year ago on March 12. During his funeral last year, I went on a long hike in a nearby state park to honor his memory and passing. I knew that I wanted to go back every year on the anniversary of his death and planned on it for weeks as the first year anniversary came closer. But on Friday it was horrible outside, raining all day. I had accepted that I wouldn't get to go, when at around 3 p.m. the clouds cleared, the sun came out and it became gorgeous outside. I quickly threw on some clothes and made the 20 minute drive, astounded by how the day had changed from bleak and dreary to absolutely marvelous. (thanks Greg)
The park was muddy and damp from the rain, but otherwise just beautiful. I threw on my headphones, grabbed my camera and made the hike. And just like last year, I felt my friend with me in every step I took.
I decided to do this memorial to him with the photos I took, accompanied by a song that means alot to me.
RIP my dear friend. You are DEEPLY missed each and every day by your friends and family. I hope you are having many adventures where you are now and I will see you...wait on me.
Ruby spent the day home with us today. She loves to play alone in her room, unlike her older sister who really has never spent time alone playing. We bought this castle for Sarah a few years ago for her birthday. It was all she wanted at the time...that and a pirate ship (she was heavy into Tinkerbelle and wanted a Peter Pan playset to go with it so she could fight Captain Hook). We obliged. She played with it for a week and that was it. It's been relegated to her closet since then, gathering dust (along with MANY other toys she never touches). Ruby has coveted that castle since it came into the house. Finally, with warning that her closet needs a major overhaul, Sarah agreed to let Ruby take it to her room.
She played with it all morning and was beyond happy when David joined her for a while to portray the evil knight trying to kidnap the princess. The moment I heard him in her room, I grabbed my camera to document the two of them...just like I did yesterday when he was working with Sarah on her piano practice.
I treasure these times of watching him with the girls, having not ever experienced such moments growing up myself with my father. I hope one day they realize how important this relationship was...is. He would definitely slay any dragon for both of them.
I'm tired of all the common Photoshop techniques...So I branched out today and played with a self portrait I did. I decided if I ever had an album cover, this is the kind of photo of myself I would want on it. I like myself sketched.