Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2014...



My WORD!  What a quick year its been!   2014?  Did you EVER think you'd see 2014?  Sounds downright space age doesn't it...Hahaaa.....geeeeez!
Oh well, here's my prayer for all of us for this new year....Dear Lord, let us all be safe...well...happy...loved...understanding...and loving.  Please hear our prayers and never leave us...Protect our loved ones...
Allow us to see and understand what is happening around us....let us...just Believe.
In Your Name, I pray......
Amen......

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Merry Christmas!



It's that time of the year again when we adore the Christ Child, send our prayers around the world for peace, and just generally reminding ourselves that although we aren't perfect....we can keep trying.  Each new day brings that promise of a new beginning.  May we all strive to be better today than we were yesterday....Thank you for being my friend...each and every one of you!
Merry Christmas.....

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Six More Days...


WHAT???  Only six more days?  I've been running around, chasing my tail for days!  Can't seem to get all I need to get done...Done!  Hope you are doing better than I am.  
The weather has heated back up to the 70's and we are expecting rain through Saturday.  Texas winters can be crazy sometimes...30's in the mornings and 70 by the late afternoon!  So, the next few days will be like that for us....with rain thrown in for good measure.  Oh well, still trying to get my shopping finished up...I think it's hopeless!
SO, here's hoping you're getting everything finished up as well and will find the time for a good old hot cup of coffee or chocolate!
Enjoy the evening guys!  I'm off to figure out what else I've forgotten to do...  

Friday, December 13, 2013

A Personal Photo Challenge - Let There be Light



Well, it's time for another Personal Photo Challenge hosted by Donna of Cottage Days.
I hope you will stop in and check it out, perhaps adding YOUR name while you're there?  These are always "challenging"!

Both shots were taken at the World War II Museum in New Orleans.  The first was an actual bunk bed used by some brave recruit.  I added a texture and a little additional lens flare.

The second one, I left alone...The display was in a room all by itself...The impact of what America and her Allies were up against was horrifying!  We were out numbered, plain and simple...but we had a tremendous weapon.  We had God.....
Heading over to check out all the others!!  Happy weekend to you!

Happy Friday the 13th and Chicken Fashion!


Good Friday the 13th Morning Everyone!  Yes, I'm still around and kicking...Thought I'd give you something different today to work on.  Oh yes, this is becoming popular so I thought I'd give all my blogger buddies first crack at designing some for Your chickens....Hahaaaa....I don't have any chickens BUTT.....if I DID, they would certainly be looking chic' in these lovely ensembles!
You can find the instructions HERE.
Well, guess I'd best get in there and get ready for work.  Have a Super day!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!


Just wanted to stop and say Happy Thanksgiving to all my USA buddies!   I'll be doing the stuffing, mashed potatoes and the rest of the odd side dishes...black olives and such....and PIE!  Oh yeah!  Larry will be doing the turkey and a pork loin.  THEN....around 3 or 4pm, the TREE is going up with the help of Sami and William...it's time people!  Will yours be going up?
Hope you all have a wonderful and safe day with lots of PIE!!Hahaaa!  
Stay warm....

Friday, November 22, 2013

Crystal's a Star!Hahaa


Our Crystal is once again, a Star!  She was asked to do a commercial for Jeff Kyle (Chris Kyle's brother...Chris was the Marine who was murdered months ago by a friend.  I posted about it HERE)
Anyway...Jeff was also a Marine and has a CHL licensing business here in town.  We've all been through his course and loved the training.  Anyway, the ad aired last night at 10pm for the first time.  Go check out our little star HERE!  Now if you have a problem with firearms, this post may not be your cup of tea...but this is just the way we roll....We are firm believers in the 2ND Admendment. 
Have a great weekend!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

You looking for Me??Hahaa

Our Grandson, Ty, (far left) home from Dover Air Base for a week's rest.  Will be with us in spirit on Thanksgiving though!  He had to get back to base.
Saw this out my front porch glass door...it sits in our neighbor's yard.  Fall is officially here and by Friday, it'll be in the low 30sF.....I can not say it Enough....I do NOT like Winter!  Only Christmas....of which will be here in another month!   Incredible!  Where has time gone....
Well, I just wanted to check in with y'all.  Yes, I'm getting to be a bad blogger!  I always thought I would do better than I have with the blog but life injects itself...constantly!  But I'm NOT quitting!  This is a record of a tiny bit of my life for my kids and grandbabies to read back through...a record of sorts.  I will Always wish my Mom or my Grandparents had done the same for me and mine....
Enjoy your day friends!  I'll be around soon to check up on you!

Friday, November 8, 2013

A Personal Photo Challenge (Textures)

The texture I chose is called Impressionista by MCP I believe....I've had it for a long while now so don't get me 'ta lying!  I throw all of my textures into one fat file.



This is a close-up of my granddaughter, Samantha sooc (straight out of camera).  Faces and macros, I believe, are two of my most fun types of shots to work with these days. Texturing can be fun too but I find I don't remember to use it very often.  Donna's challenge reminded me that I knew how to texture so...why not?!  I'm not proficient at it but I try.  Out came the refresher notes....dusted off and opened.  Slowly, memory started to take over.  Alright...so here is how I managed to accomplish adding my texture.
I used Photoshop Elements 9. 
First of all I cropped the photo to cut out the excess visual distractions then I did a little light tweaking.  Now I am ready to apply the texture...
Click File, click Place and your texture will be placed on top of your photo layer.  I centered it and clicked accept.  I then left the opacity at 100 and changed the layer from Normal to Soft light. 
I also don't like the texturing on a subject's skin so I had to clean it off!  To do that, I selected the texture layer, click it BACK to Normal...I now needed a medium skin tone to paint with, I chose a matching color...set the texture BACK to soft light and started painting the texture off of her skin. 
WhaLaaaaa.....
Thanks Donna for the texture challenge!  It was fun!  A texture adds a huge heaping amount of drama to any photo.  If you haven't tried this medium, you really need to! 
Now go visit some other wonderful photos at Donna's, A Personal Photo Challenge.


Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The most honest three minutes in television history...



WARNING...SOME STRONG LANGUAGE!


 I think most Americans feel this way right now...we are tired. We have been lied to by our Government, our representatives, the media...and to what end? What a week...and it's only Wednesday. Next up? Sebelious and her "deer in the headlights" lies about the healthcare website. I try to not do politics on this blog...but thought you might appreciate the video...He said what we are All saying...Europe is trying to get OUT of nationalization of healthcare and here we are flying head first INTO it...insane.
Guess that's my cue for more coffee...

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Happy Sconey Sunday!




Larry made scones AGAIN....That ground up yellow curly stuff in the top photo is butter....oh yeah.  When he's cooking, I'm constantly having to look in the kitchen to make sure it's not Paula Deen.  This is a Real Butter household, has been for years.  Margarine contains the same stuff plastic bottles are made of...and even though at times I feel like my smile has been "plastered" on (as in fake, plastic)  we do our best to go along with Mother Nature.  I'm sick and tired of the constant changes in opinion of all the Super Thinkers in Washington who think they know what's best for my family..."They" can never make up "their" minds on the safe qualities of an egg much less, butter!  I say, let them eat cake made with the plastic stuff...euwwww!  Hubby also has mastered the old trick...of which I taught him... :o],  to grate the butter instead of waiting an hour or so for it to soften.  Works grate (pun intended)!
We have done Nothing except work....boring, I know.  Hope you all have been having Much More Fun!  I'm going in for another coffee then I'll be hopping over to your worlds!
Happy Sunday!

Friday, October 11, 2013

A Personal Photo Challenge - Food



Hello!  It's time for Donna's, A Personal Photo Challenge again.  I haven't really had many opportunities to participate but when I saw the challenge, Food Photography, I knew I was just going to have to make time to do it!Hahaa....I'm not wonderful at these challenges but I love a pretty picture especially when it's food.

We had gone on a mini-trip to New Orleans and I got the shot of my pie slice.  It was Key Lime and it was delicious!  The second one was a creation I made from a recipe from Pinterest several months ago...mostly egg and fluff.  It too, was wonderful.  
The pie slice was taken in natural light...we were sitting on a patio in a beautiful garden.  The bottom photo was taken indoors under florescent lighting.  
Well, that's it for me...Go on over to the Challenge link I posted above and enjoy all the other entries.  Check back often because people keep joining the challenge right through the weekend!!
Speaking of weekends...Enjoy Your's! 

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Jack...


This is Jack...He belongs to an old friend we stopped to see on our way to New Orleans a few weeks ago.  He loves to stand at the open door and watch the hummingbirds at the feeders.  Being that her house is in New Iberia, Louisiana, and the weather is conducive to  "hey, look here, my soil can grow ANYTHING..."  Hahaaaa......and the hummers flock to her thirteen feeders...yes, I said thirteen.  That's a Lot of feeders and birds!  Keeps Deb Very Busy!
As usual, there hasn't been much happening here except maybe the Shut-Down...No, you don't want to know how I feel about that right now except certain people need to stop playing with our country.  We are ALL getting tired of it both Left AND right!
SO, as I sit hearing Supreme Leader's voice, I'll get up and go get another coffee. 

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Forty One Years...and Counting.


Forty One Years under our belts...children, grandchildren...furry family members...ups...downs and all over the place.  Larry has always laughed at me everytime we head back to a parking lot to get back into our truck.  There are always tons of white trucks and I rarely can find the one that belongs to us...so, when he saw this card and presented it to me we had a huge laugh!
Here's to forty more...I love you.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Happy Fall Y'all!!


Morning everyone!  Well...it's finally here...Fall.  I love the cooler temps but when the thermometer starts to slide into the Colder temps, you lose me!  NOT a fan of icy cold weather!  
We've just been resting since we got back from our trip...little laundry, letting Hubby cook... :o)...and playing catch up on the blogs.  Hope you all are having a super Sunday!  Guess I'll go locate my "Fall" clothing...shoes...etc.  Oh, and did you realize CHRISTMAS is only 94 days away?Hahahaa...
Halloween, Thanksgiving then Christmas...wow, I'm already tired!  Hopefully this year (I say this EVERY year) I'll be ahead of the game!  Who's with me??  Yeah, yeah...I hear all that moaning and groaning out there...Oh well...Get Busy!  It's all coming our way!
Happy Sunday!

Thursday, September 19, 2013

A Little Get-a-way...Complete with Rant...

Coffee and Beignets

Cafe du Monde
Nasty table at Cafe du Monde and trust me, there were tons of dirty tables just like this one.  Most of the birds looked sick or sticky, we couldn't decide on which.....  Plenty of "staff" just no one wanted to work!
Key Lime Pie at the Rip Van Winkle Garden restaurant
Avery Island

WW2 Museum
New Orleans, Louisiana ....Yes, we sneaked out of town...for a whole six days, so far!  We won't go back to work until tomorrow.  It's been pretty nice! 

 It all started because I kept thinking about the Cafe du Monde in Jackson Square and how I wished I had one of their coffees and a beignet (french donut).  SO, I made reservations at the Embassy Hotel, by the river, and off we went.  On our Southern route we had a chance to stop in New Iberia, LA. and visit with an old friend (Debra Aucoin, in photo with my hubby, Larry) we hadn't seen in 25 or 30 years.  Fun visit...then off we went to continue our journey to New Orleans and all our fond memories of the first time we visited....We got to go to Avery Island where they make the world famous Tabasco Sauce...We got to see the Rip Van Winkle Gardens(New Iberia)...We toured the WorldWar2 Museum which we enjoyed...and yes, we finally got to the Cafe du Monde (New Orleans) to try and repeat our first visit....waiters with the white  towel over their forearms, a hint of a french accent to their voices...a Cajun world of sounds and aromas.  Disappointment...to the extreme.  Chinese waiters or Vietnamese...kids actually.  See the photo with the green chalkboard?  See the floor?  See the white stuff on the floor?  Powdered sugar...everything is covered in it!  The kid took our order for coffees and beignets...when it arrived at our table, he slammed it down and left to go sit down, reach in his pocket and pull out a huge wad of money, and started counting it.  There were about six or seven "waiters" sitting down...laughing, one girl laying her head in another waiter's lap making a few inappropriate movements in his lap...I'm not a prude but REALLY???  Larry and I were just stunned at the place...Powdered sugar was so thick on the floor that we began looking around for water hoses on the walls...we found none!  Pigeons were Everywhere on the uncleaned tables.  Jackson Square wasn't any better.  Just Nasty, nasty, nasty.   We were just, sick!  I had reservations to stay in town for two days....When we got back to the hotel, we cancelled the second night, got up the next morning and made it home in about eight hours.  Larry said, and I believe him now, some memories are best left in the past...you can rarely go back. 

 Our beautiful "old South" is dissolving into something we just don't recognize.   Since Katrina, nothing is the same...Some may argue with me but I'm old enough to remember the days when people gave a "hoot".   Nowadays, the spoiled kids seem to care less...just show them the money....ok, I'm done.
Well, guess I'll quit boring you...Hope you all managed to survive without me.  I'll be popping over to visit soon so don't think I've dropped off the face of the Earth...See you in a bit!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

9/11/01



 Not the greatest of quality but wonderful if you just need a good cry....They only ran this one time to show honor, not to make money...I still can remember every moment of this day. God Bless America and help us all find peace...

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Rain and Prayers for Our Blogger Buddy...

 This  was another photo from the shoot I did a few weeks back of my girlfriend's (Cindy-far right) family (4 generation).  Sweet people.

And THIS is the blessed rain shower we got last night!  Boy!  Did it roar...and it rained like this for at least ten minutes.  Wonderful!  We really needed it.
So, I Know you're wondering if anything fantastic has been going on with me...besides my NOT blogging...Hahaa....and the answer is a resounding, no!  We do have a little trip planned, just to get away for a bit, but we'll see if it pans out...
Also, please be praying for Donna's husband, Jim (Cottage Days).  He's undergoing surgery today for cancer, so be sending out those prayers!  It'll be a 4 to 6 hour surgery!  Bless their hearts...
Have a safe a sweet day everyone!

Friday, August 30, 2013

Happy Friday...


Well, it's Friday and the start to a three day weekend for us here in the States.  Labor Day weekend.  I have no clue what we'll be doing to pass the time but hopefully, it'll be happy and peaceful. 
It's just work and home for Hubby and I lately...no big adventures.  I think I might like a big adventure...I need to get inspired.....
Have a safe day....!!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Barbeque Ribs Weekend...


Well, it's been another productive weekend...boy, they sure do shoot by fast!  Hubby made ribs on the grill and I made my FAMOUS.....Hahaaa....well, around here it is...SAUCE! ( Go HERE if you want the recipe).  It's been pretty restful as well.  Reading, eating...blogging...Nice.  Hope you all have had a good weekend as well!  I STILL have the hated laundry to conquer.  There is another huge mound of it to climb.  Oh well, grousing about it won't get it done.  Happy Sunday guys!

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Marty comes for a visit...


Sometimes, you just need to get outta town!  Mr Marty belongs to Miz Donna at  Cottage Days.  He's her mascot...chief welcomer.   Donna is a fantastic photographer and so is her husband, Mr Jim.  They've all been going through a few rough patches lately so if you want to go soak up some Gorgeous photography and just generally some sweet "doings", go check out her blog.  While you're at it...leave behind, some prayers.  We all need some extra hugs at one time or another...Marty will finish eating his pear and be hopping on home by this evening...rested and renewed.

Not much else going on here...We did get a new patio and cover added and also a new rought (sp?) iron gate added...tore down an old out building and planters...but I'm sure that's about as interesting to you as getting a hypodermic at your local doctor's office.  SO, Hope you all have a super week and please try to stay out of trouble!  :O)

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Wordless Wednesday....sorta...



Happy Wednesday!  Rachel and Zoey...Old timey look......Oh, by the way, remember the other lady that forgot our free photo shoot?  I posted about it a few days back...she called me....wanted me to take her son's photos "on either Tuesday night or Saturday...."
Hahahahaaa.....Oh Yes She Did!
Be proud of me...I said no.....
Happy Wordless Wednesday! (and yes I talk even on Wordless Wednesdays!)

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

OverBlown....

 Before
After

Well, Happy Wednesday everyone....I've been pretty busy as of late hence, no blogging.  In between work and FaceBook, I try to play around with photos.  Since I'm chained to a desk all day might as well!  This photo was horribly blown out!  Wrong time of day and an inexperienced photographer tends to create these types of shots.  Anyway...I found some overlays called Texas Skies at Oh So Posh Photography...Yes, they cost but I can tell I'm going to have fun with them.  
Now I ALREADY know you've found the mistake....maybe not a mistake but it looks like crap!  Josh's face!  He was SO much in the shadows that I tried to lighten him up...Can you say YUCK?!!
After two hours and almost cross-eyed later, I quit.  I SHOULD have kept trying to get more light to the face BEFORE I added the sky butttt....oh well.  This is my first attempt and I plan on lots more practice!  I guess you have to drink lots of coffee before you decide on the one you like...
Anyway, hope you all are finding lots of peace and quiet in your worlds...no drama...no nothing but "nice things"!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Happy 14th Birthday William and What a Week...



Fourteen years old!!  Good Grief!  He was seven when I started this blog....I just "blinked" a few times!  What Happened to the time??  He's our little Sweetheart though and we Love him dearly.  Here's prayers for his future....and Much love....

I started to write about the crap week we've just had but NO...Not on Will's Birthday....maybe later.  Today I'll chat about happy things.  Like the photo shoot I had yesterday!   Rachel, Josh and Miss Zoey!  I swear, they either gave me raspberries or inquisitive stares!Hahaaaa.....Out of 300 shots I managed to find over twenty good shots. 

 I was SUPPOSE to do Two photo shoots yesterday but the first lady....well lets just say, when I am working for Nothing...yes, I said Nothing...I expect You, as the client, to at Least remember that you begged for the photo shoot and when I bust my butt finding you, my phone crashing,  flagging down the postman,  a muddy and perilous driveway, a ravenous and frothy mouthed guard dog...(well, maybe not frothy mouthed), knocking on the nasty front door only to have it answered by the young teenage boy whose  mom asked me to take those football photos of, who is eying me with distrust at ten forty five in the morning, while Still in his jammies, wanting to know what I WANT? .Hahaaaaa....ohlordy...."I'm the one whose Suppose to take your pictures today?  Hello?  Where's your mother?"  Out comes mom...still in Her jammies claiming she just forgot and can she re-schedule?  Re-schedule......now there's a word for you...but it ain't happening folks.  I do this for the fun of it and when it ceases to be fun, I'm done.
SO...on to the second appointment which was Tons of fun and had lots of laughs.  The Grandmother is an old friend of mine.  Little Zoey was a preemie and is growing by leaps and bounds!  
It ended up being a Good day after all...
Guess I'll get back to episode 59 of Midsomer Murders...Hahaaaa....and get busy on more edits.
Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Hoarders video revisited...



I know it's too late for Wordless Wednesday but this can be for Thrilling Thursday...(I just made that up).  If you're a Scrapper OR just one that loves to shop, you need to watch this!Hahaaa....Miz Linda has it going On!!Hahaaa
Have a fun day!

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Mandevilla...Where have you Been all my Life?



Our San Antonio friends visited last weekend and in doing so, my education of blooming plants of the South, expanded!  This is a Mandevilla...who knew it thrived in Texas as well in the Southeastern states?!   Be still my heart....Of course since it gets so hot here you have to baby it a bit more but look at those blooms!  You can keep it potted, add a small trellis and Bob's Your Uncle.  Just a side note...ALL parts of the plant are poisonous! So if you have small children or pets that like to eat your flowers...don't buy one!  Not only did I find one at our local nursery but it comes it different colors.  Red, yellow and pink.  You know me though...its 'gotta be  PINK!  Check at your nurseries... You might just fall in love this weekend!
(No pets or small children were hurt while taking this photo) ;o)

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

I Know, I Know.....


Ok already!Hahaaaa.....I Know I've been SO bad about posting lately!  June absolutely kicked our butts.  Graduation, cruises for the kids, new wood flooring, office staff vacations, the office cash register broke, Hubby's big printer broke....it's going to take hubby and I a month to recuperate!  I truly think there may be too many hours in a day!  The next thing we are having done is installing a new patio and cover.  Still waiting on the bid for the work.  Seems like we'll never get our nest made!
I don't think I like June....Hahaaaa
Hope you all had a great Fourth of July...Canada Day....We just scooted over to the kids house for hotdogs.  We had company coming in so we didn't stay long...had to get back to cleaning!  Now that I think about it, maybe there's not enough hours in a day...geez. If I were a stay-at-home granny, it'd be so much easier to keep up with things around the house.  It's like chewing on a dry piece of meat...it just keeps growing!Hahaaa
Well that's it for now.  Just wanted to check in.  Keep your noses clean and try to enjoy the day!

Friday, June 28, 2013

Happy 40th to Crystal Anne...


40 years old today....All those years have passed us by in a flash!  All Growed Up, she is...with a family of her own.  We will love her forever and ever....

Sunday, June 23, 2013

The Super Moon...or Something?

"Super Moon" over Waco skies this Friday night! This weekend's Perigee Full Moon (as it is technically referred to) will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter. It won't be this close to the Earth again until August 2014! Said Rusty Garrett, our Weatherman. 
 I remembered it last night after reading someone elses FB post about it, so out I run, into the moon driven light, to get my snaps.  The first shot came out with some weird white formations included....the second snap, of which I took only seconds after the first, came out normal.  No, I didn't jerk the camera, there was little to no wind, I didn't have my tin foil hat on...Hahaa....  I have no clue what happened but thought it was indeed, a magical night....You could just "feel" it.
Have a peaceful and Happy Sunday!!

Monday, June 17, 2013

They Had a Blast!

 Mexican Police in Cozumel ...but I seriously think the girls could take him...Hahaaa

 Can you hear the ocean?

 A little siesta.....

 The Girls...

 Beginning of the journey...

 What a Father's Day for Tim!

Great view...

Well, the ship docked today back in Galveston Harbor at 8am.  Crystal texted to say they were off the ship and on their way home.  They had a blast but were ready for their own beds...I know the pups missed them as well.
Hope you all are enjoying your Monday...I think I'll go look up the word "Cruise".  I could use one!