A Walk in the Woods

I grabbed my camera and went for a walk in the woods today all by myself. These are the woods behind the cottage. It's not huge but there is a great walking path down the middle of it. And the best photo ops. I was feeling creative so here is what I came up with....... Beautiful path.I took this looking up at the tree tops.
I found this hollow tree. I was hoping to find something living in it, like an owl or something but I think that's mainly in the cartoons.
These woods are right next to a cornfield so all over I found evidence of little creatures having had dinner.

I loved the roots of this tree. Reminded me of an enchanted forest.

These mushroom were popping up in the middle of the path. After I took the picture I stomped on them; not sure why I did that.
Here's my attempt at a self portrait. I put the camera on a tree limb and jumped in front of the camera. Even though I was all alone I still felt like a fool doing this.

Today was the day....

Today was the day. I ate my first caramel apple of the season. Sounds like a simple silly thing, huh? But it's a day I always look forward to each year. Not just for the apple itself. It just seems to represent so many things....Fall, cooler weather, Halloween, Caleb & Jordan's birthday, marching season, football games..... The caramel apple today was just a small part of why I love this time of year.

Caleb & Jordan

A lot of my online friends have been posting these videos so I had to join in on the fun. Enjoy....

Band Competition

I'm going to apologize now as this is only the beginning of marching season and I'm sure you will be tired of seeing band pictures before the season is over......but this blog is about our family and band is what we are absorbed in this time of year. Today we traveled to Grand Rapids for the first competition of the season. The show is really starting to come together. The band placed 4th today out of 8 and also received 1st in percussion. Way to go Vanguard!!! Jordan and Dad
Jordan and Mom

Jordan

Do It Vanguard!!!

It's good to be home...

Oh, it's good to be home. No, I didn't go anywhere but to work but it was one of those days. If it could go wrong today, it went wrong. I left the house at 7:00 this morning and got home at 7:00 tonight.

But there was a good side to today. When I got home my wonderful family was there for me. Craig saw me pull in the driveway and before I was even out of my car he let the dogs out to greet me. I love that!! They hop and dance around as if they haven't seen me in days and it just warms my heart. Then Craig was sitting on the back porch waiting for me. We had about a 10 minute conversation while he was grilling the pork chops. Yes, dinner was almost ready and I didn't have to lift a finger for it. The kids had the table set and within a few minutes we were all sitting at the table enjoying each other. I was starting to feel myself relax from the stresses of the day.

Oh, it's good to be home........

It's Almost The Weekend

Tomorrow is Friday and I already have my weekend planned. I basically have the whole weekend to myself with no obligations. Craig and the kids are booked up Saturday and Sunday so I've made a list of things that I want to do by myself.

It's going to be wonderful weather weekend as well. Only in the 60's and sunny......Yahoo!!

Friday night Craig and I have a dinner date. I get to pick the restaurant but I haven't decided yet where I want to go. Let's see, do I want DiMaggios pizza, PaPa Vinos Italian, Gallagher's Irish Pub??? I'll see what I feel like tomorrow.

Saturday is my big plans. First thing early in the morning I'm going to hop in the car with my camera and tripod and head out to the nature centers, the beaches, and wherever else I end up for a day of photography. I'm packing a lunch and taking a bag chair. I'd like to take Zoe with me but I'm afraid that she would be too much of a distraction for me to concentrate on my photography...I'll take her a different time.

Sunday after church I'm not exactly sure what I'll do but I have plenty to do around the house and I need to do some shopping too.

And then before I know it the weekend will be over and I'll have to go back to work on Monday.

She's So Beautiful

I snapped these pictures of Jordan tonight while she watched Shane's soccer game. I know that I am her mother but I just think that she's so beautiful and I loved these pictures of her.

Church Picnic

One of my favorite things of the year was today.....our annual church picnic. I'm only posting a few pictures so you won't get the whole picture but we had over 125 people there this year. That's double what we usually have!! We devoured 100 pounds of ribs, 70 pounds of chicken, 7 dozen corn on the cob in addition to all the potluck food and deserts that people brought. The weather was beautiful and we all had a wonderful time!! We have a wonderful church family and I am so grateful for all of them. Guys on the grills.Dad overseeing the corn.Craig sharing with me. Caleb, Lindsey & Aly

Jordan, Lindsey & Aly.

My Dad & me.

Craig and Pastor Ron.

Some of our church family.

I Couldn't Help Him

I was up at the church this afternoon getting a few things ready for the church picnic tomorrow. When I finished and walked out to my car I saw a little dog running around the parking lot. Poor thing had no collar and was all alone. He looked full grown and healthy, but he was a tiny thing, not much more than 10 pounds. I tried my hardest to make friends with him. I wanted him to come to me so I could save him. I wanted to help him find his home. As long as I didn't step towards him he stood still and listened to me sweetly talking to him. I think he wanted to trust me but he just couldn't for some reason. Several times I tried to approach him but he wouldn't let me near him. After about 5 minutes he ran on his way. I hope that he was close to his home and found his way back there, if he even had a home. I hope he isn't hungry. He's on my mind tonight.......

First Day of Kindergarten

This was Caleb exactly 12 years ago on his first day of kindergarten. My mind has been going back to this day a lot this week with Caleb just starting his senior year of high school. I remember this day very vividly!! I didn't think I was going to be one of those emotional mother's who cried when they dropped their kid off for the first day of kindergarten; I was wrong. But mine was a different kind of cry. Caleb was not the clingy type of kid that didn't like me out of his sight. In fact, he was the opposite. He was very comfortable going to school. My tears were tears of pride. I was so proud of that little boy and my pride was spilling over. Much the same way that I am today when I cry at Caleb's musicals or any of the kids activities. That's just the way I am and always will be.

Senior year is really different from kindergarten. What will Caleb do after graduation? Where will he continue is education? What will he study? Where will he work? Who will Caleb fall in love with? Where will he live? I only hope and pray that the decisions Caleb makes after graduation will make him happy.....equally as much happiness that he has brought to Craig and I.

Much to do about nothing...

What this photo has anything to do with what I am blogging about tonight, I have no idea. In fact, I have no idea what I'm even blogging about.

A few minutes ago I was outside with Craig and Caleb (and my camera of course) just walking around while they were cutting up the tree that fell on the shed 2 weeks ago and I spotted this bug. I'm usually snapping pictures of the dogs but my attention was drawn to this creature climbing on one of the logs. Man is he ugly. I don't even know what type of a bug he is. Does anyone know what he is? I'm assuming it's a "he" because no female bugs could possibly be this ugly!! I finally got tired of him and let him be.

I wanted to stay outside with the guys tonight just to keep them company as I'm not much good with a chainsaw and plus the temperature has started to cool somewhat tonight after a few 90 degree days but I just couldn't. The mosquitoes were eating me alive!! This is the worst they have been all summer. The paper tonight said that the 12 inches of rain we got in August has made the mosquito population explode and boy have they ever.

I'm glad it's almost the weekend. Since we were gone the whole holiday weekend I got nothing done around the house before the start of the work week. I hate going back to work after weekends like that. I just feel like I am behind the whole week long. I did manage to go grocery shopping tonight so that's one less thing to do on my to do list for the weekend.

Until next time.....

Shane's Soccer Game

As many sports and activities that our kids have been involved in soccer was never one of them. But thanks to Shane we get to experience it. For those of you that don't know who Shane is he's Jordan's boyfriend. These photos are from tonight's game.
This photo was snapped right after their team scored. Check out the smile on his face.

I love Shane's gold shoes.

This isn't a good shot of Shane but I thought it was cool the way they were in the air.

This was my favorite photo...the head butt shot.

Drum Major Debut

Introducing the new 2007 Drum Major for the Hartford Indian Emerald Vanguard!!!Entering the fieldAttention!Leading the fight song Drum Major Jordan Mullauer...Is your band ready?
Salute

Phoenix show

Well done Jordan!!

Rain

I will admit that I am a weather watcher. What is the fascination with the weather? Sometime between 10:30 and 11:00 I head upstairs to bed. The local news comes on at 11:00 and it is my gaol to stay awake long enough for the weather segment at 11:15. I usually only manage to stay awake about half the time. And during the day if I don't catch the weather on TV then I can easily log onto the computer and get an update. Will it be a sweltering 90 degrees today with high humidity? Will we FINALLY get that snow we've been praying for all winter so we can go snowmobiling? Won't it please rain; we just fertilized the lawn. Tomorrow is church on the lawn; is it going to rain?

We've been in a terrible draught for most of the summer but not anymore, at least not at our house. I bought a rain gage at the beginning of the summer. There's hardly been a drop in it for all of June and July. And my water bill of $165 for the month of July will attest to that. In the last week we have gotten 8 inches of rain!! Luckily we have no flooding issues but some areas in the community are having problems with that too.

I am loving walking outside in the yard to a lush green lawn, and not having to be a slave to watering my gardens. It's just so refreshing. It poured rain and stormed through the night last night. And now the sky is blue and the sun is out.........

Through The Viewfinder

I set up something today that I am excited about. A new blog!!! What, you say? Am I crazy? I already spend too much time on my "Five Pines" blog and "Seadra and Zoe's" blog!! Why do I need another one?

Well, it isn't really a blog, but it is a blog. You know how much I love photography, especially of my family, Seadra and Zoe, nature, animals......OK anything. One of my favorite things to do is post my photos on my blogs. Sometimes I don't always feel like telling the story or writing when I want to post one of my photos.... so begins the life of my new blog.

I have entitled it "Through The Viewfinder". What I am going to do is post a different photo each day. I will title the photo but no other words will be necessary, as a photo is worth a thousands words. My new blog will speak volumes without words.

Unless otherwise noted all the photos will be taken by me. Jordan is fast becoming a wonderful photographer and I may want to share one of hers once in a while.

I'm excited. This will be quick, easy, creative and fun. I have added the link on my "Five Pines" site. Stop by anytime.....I love sharing. http://viewfinderpassions.blogspot.com/

My first photo will be posted tomorrow (8-20-07)

Mural/Kalamazoo Soldier

The family went to Craig's company picnic today. This year they had it at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, an aviation museum at the airport. Although I am not really into planes I will say it was interesting. And I have to tell you about the mural. I have always loved murals on the outsides of buildings but this one was indoors at the museum. In fact, it holds the world record for being the largest indoor mural. It covers almost 26,000 sq. feet. It's called "Century of Flight" and traces aviation history from hot air balloons to modern space flight. It is beautiful!! The few pictures I am posting do not do it justice. The flash of my camera takes away from the paintings. These pictures barley show a tiny bit of it but you can get an idea. There were so many cool airplanes flying high on the walls but my camera wouldn't capture the picture up that high.

We saw a film while we were there too. It was a 4-D movie of WWII planes in combat. Sure makes you think...... and appreciate what those men and women went through for us.
While we were eating our lunch at the museum we were witness to an incredible site. A soldier from Kalamazoo was killed in Afghanistan on the 13th. We saw his funeral procession drive by the museum. I'm not sure how many fire trucks and police cars were leading but I have never seen anything like that in my life. I cannot think about it without getting emotional. I am praying for that family tonight.

Blogging Position

I wanted you to see what Zoe, Seadra and I look like when we are blogging. This is our typical position. I usually have one dog squeezed on each side of me. And notice that Seadra's nookie is close by, in case the urge to suckle arises. It is her security blanket. When we bought our furniture one criteria was that the lazy chair was big enough for all of us. It works and we love it!!