Raising Eagles

365 - #262 (Silver Ball)

2010-12-29T13:00:00.000-06:00

In case anyone is wondering if I'll actually make it to #365 in 365 days....

I doubt it.

But, that does NOT mean I didn't TAKE 365 pics in 365 days.

I probably took that many pics at each event of the year :)

The problem I had was that most of the pics I took were of my family,

and they didn't want their pics posted on my blog.

So, to honor their request, I lagged behind on this project.

However, because of this project, I believe I became a better photographer.

I don't think I would have taken some of the shots that I did.

I've enjoyed this project very much....and I'm still considering doing it again.

365 - #261 (Christmas)

2010-12-29T06:00:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas, everyone!

OK, I realize I'm a few days late.

But, Christmas lives on, right?

I pray that each of you had wonderful times with family & friends,

and that the Prince of Peace truly was the center of it all!

365 - #260 (Tea time)

2010-12-28T21:48:00.000-06:00

For Christmas, I gave each of my girls a tea cup...

and a card which explained that the tea cup was for "tea time" with Mom.

I have read and heard this idea from several women in the last year or so, and I decided that this was the year I implement it into our family.

Tea time is individual time for each daughter to talk about what's on their minds,

or to listen to what's on Mom's mind :)

I pray that it'll be a treasured time that the girls will remember the rest of their lives.

I also pray that the Lord will use the time to knit our hearts together in a special way.

365 - #252 - 259 (what we've been up to)

2010-12-18T10:34:00.000-06:00

It's been a whirlwind of a month (well, the last 2 months)....
At Thanksgiving, we left for vacation. We came back in time for my birthday, and my mom gave me this delicious cake:

Chantilly Cake....mmmm!

Then, I got sick for several days...ugh!

Then, I had my purse stolen...ugh! ugh! (but see what I learned in the last post)

And, in the meantime, we've used our gingerbread cookie cutter...

for cookies & biscuits!

Our co-ops ended for the semester - woohoo!!

and this little dino was a prize at our auction... where the kids could get prizes in exchange for tickets that they earned throughout the semester.

And we discovered a brand new park that is tons of fun for big kids!

365 - 251 (15 years)

2010-12-17T06:00:00.001-06:00

(taken by one of our girls)

Dave

- my one and only....love of my life...best friend...wonderful father to our girls...strength....Godly leader...lover and follower of Jesus (this really comes first)...reminds me of truth on a daily basis...protector...provider....and all of this, of course (and he would say) is by the grace of God, but I'm thankful that the Lord saw fit to bless me with such a wonderful husband & friend. On my own, I certainly could not have picked a better man to spend my life with.

When God Wants a Man (or Woman)

2010-12-16T16:06:00.000-06:00

I ran across this poem today....Wow! So much of it rings true for me right now. And it brought great encouragement knowing that the Lord has a purpose in every trial....even when they keep coming one after another!
Take the time to read this poem. Which line hits you the hardest? (mine is underlined)

When *God Wants A Man

(originally, the word Nature was used instead of God)

by Angela Morgan

When God wants to drill a man

And thrill a man,

And skill a man,

When God wants to mould a man

To play the noblest part;

When He yearns with all His heart

To create so great and bold a man

That all the world shall praise--

Watch His method, watch His ways!

How He ruthlessly perfects

Whom He royally elects;

How He hammers him and hurts him

And with mighty blows converts him

Into trial shapes of clay which only God understands--

While his tortured heart is crying and he lifts beseeching hands!--

How God bends, but never breaks,

When his good He undertakes....

How He uses whom He chooses

And with every purpose fuses him,

By every art induces him

To try his splendor out--

God knows what He's about.

When God wants to take a man

And shake a man

And wake a man;

When God wants to make a man

To do the Father's will;

When He tries with all His skill

And He yearns with all His soul

To create him large and whole....

With what cunning He prepares him!

How He goads and never spares him,

How He whets him and He frets him

And in poverty begets him....

How He often disappoints

Whom He sacredly anoints,

With what wisdom He will hide him,

Never minding what betide him

Though his genius sob with slighting and his pride may not forget!

Bids him struggle harder yet.

Makes him lonely

So that only

God's high messages shall reach him

So that He may surely teach him

What the Hierarchy planned.

Though he may not understand

Gives him passions to command--

How remorselessly God spurs him,

With terrific ardor stirs him

When He poignantly prefers him!

When God wants to name a man

And fame a man

And tame a man;

When God wants to shame a man

To do his heavenly best....

When He tries the highest test

That His reckoning may bring--

When He wants a prince or king!--

How He reins him and restrains him

So his body scarce contains him

While He fires him

And inspires him!

Keeps him yearning, ever burning for a tantalising goal--

Lures and lacerates his soul.

Sets a challenge for his spirit,

Draws it higher when he's near it--

Makes a jungle, that he clear it;

Makes a desert, that he fear it

And subdue it if he can--

So doth God make a man.

Then, to test his spirit's wrath

Hurls a mountain in his path--

Puts a bitter choice before him

And relentless stands o'er him.

"Climb, or perish!" so He says....

Watch His purpose, watch His ways!

God's plan is wondrous kind

Could we understand His mind ...

Fools are they who call Him blind.

When his feet are torn and bleeding

Yet his spirit mounts unheeding,

All his higher powers speeding

Blazing newer paths and fine;

When the force that is divine

Leaps to challenge every failure and his ardor still is sweet

And love and hope are burning in the presence of defeat....

Lo, the crisis! Lo, the shout

That must call the leader out.

When the people need salvation

doth he come to lead the nation....

Then doth God show His plan

When the world has found--a man!

365 - #246- 250 Family

2010-12-16T10:50:00.000-06:00

2010 Family Pics

365 - #245 (Soarin')

2010-12-11T06:00:00.001-06:00

by far, our favorite ride at Epcot...

365 - #244 (exotic flower)

2010-12-10T06:00:00.000-06:00

we saw these everywhere! isn't it gorgeous?

365 - #241-243 (Knights & Castles)

2010-12-09T06:00:00.000-06:00

Since we're studying the medieval period this year, it was cool to get these pics...

these were in a cool shop in the "UK" at Epcot.

365 - #238-240 (light)

2010-12-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

lights at the resort...

are you beginning to wonder if I actually went to Disney?

I told ya....I could've stayed on the resort :)

365 - #236-237 (Tribulation)

2010-12-07T06:00:00.001-06:00

These were props around the lazy river and slides on the resort property....

The ship was called "Tribulation" and this scripture kept coming to me...

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

It was a great reminder!

365 - #232-235 (resort)

2010-12-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

For starters, we went to Disney with friends...very generous friends!

They own a timeshare with a resort on the Disney property.

I'd never stayed in something so nice! Luxury...pure luxury!

I could have just stayed there the whole time and been a happy camper...but there was more to experience.

Here's the resort:

There was a lazy river on the property, and a mini-golf course. The girls loved it!

365 - #230 - 231 (Vacation)

2010-12-02T23:27:00.000-06:00

Guess where we went?

It was my first time!!

And, it was a first for the girls, too.

This was not a trip we had saved up for, but the Lord miraculously provided for the entire thing!!

(more on that later)

We had a great time!

....more to come :)

365 - #229 (faith)

2010-11-18T06:00:00.000-06:00

as a mustard seed....is all you need to move a Mountain!!

365 - #227-228 (Ballet Feet)

2010-11-17T11:39:00.000-06:00

Guess who started ballet lessons last week?

if you guessed me, you're wrong :) Although, that would be nice.

Eaglets #2 & 3 are two happy ballerinas! And so is their Mama!

It brings me great joy to watch them learn such a beautiful art.

365 - #224-226 (candles)

2010-11-13T06:00:00.000-06:00

365 - #222-223 (the cross)

2010-11-12T15:57:00.000-06:00

365- #220 & 221

2010-10-21T18:16:00.000-05:00

I love my sister...

and her son...

Happy Birthday, Kristin!

365 - #219 (night light)

2010-09-30T06:00:00.001-05:00

The State Capitol's night light...

same light during the day

365 - #217-218 (butterflies)

2010-09-29T18:03:00.000-05:00

365 - #216 (stability)

2010-09-22T08:36:00.000-05:00

One thing I love about this playground is that it's surrounded by oak trees, which shade the play area. This week I noticed all the roots....they're huge. And it occurred to me that without all those roots, the playground area wouldn't be as strong and secure. There are so many trees, that if they were all removed, the land would literally cave in.

And I thought of our lives. If our lives are rooted in the Word (which is strong, secure, reliable, pure), then we will be strong, secure, reliable & pure, too. And others will benefit from being in our lives.
But if our roots are rotten and filled with disease (of the heart), they will easily cause our lives to cave in.

Isaiah 61:3

They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.

365 - #214-215 (Pumpkin Cookies)

2010-09-21T08:27:00.002-05:00

PUMPKINS have arrived!!! And you know what that means, right? Yes, it's time to bake all things pumpkin again!

I love to bake! And Fall is the season for baking....I know, I know, it's not quite Fall yet. But, since the pumpkins have arrived....let the baking begin!!

This was the first time I made these cookies. And they were DELICIOUS!! Everyone liked them!

They're soft and moist and have a cream cheese glaze. They taste like little pumpkin pies with a treat on top.

The recipe came from my favorite cookbook: Passion for Baking

I haven't made a recipe I didn't like from this book.

Mmmmm.....for those who want the recipe, comment on this post, I'll send it to you ;)

365 - #213 (rope)

2010-09-20T08:27:00.000-05:00

365 - #212 (funky ladder)

2010-09-19T08:24:00.002-05:00

that's not as easy to climb as it looks...

365 - #211 (playtime)

2010-09-18T08:23:00.001-05:00

It's been a while since I've taken my girls to the park. I used to take them all the time when they were younger. One thing I loved was that I always met new people there. There was always a mom who was willing to chat while we watched our kids play.

Being home so much, it's hard to find opportunities to meet people outside my circle of church, and co-op. So, I was pleasantly refreshed when I was able to meet a new mom at the park this week. She was a new homeschool mom with lots of questions, so we had lots to talk about. I left realizing that I missed that part of going to the park. So, even though my kids are older and are having a hard time thinking of things to do at the park, I think I'll make it to the park more often.

I'm sure we can think of "older kid" things to do there, and I'll get my fill of new people :)

Where do you meet new people, outside of your circle of friends?

365 - #210 (basket of roses)

2010-09-11T06:00:00.001-05:00

365 - #209 (beauty)

2010-09-10T09:28:00.000-05:00

1 Peter 3:3-4

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

365 - #207-208 (cake & bubbles)

2010-09-09T09:48:00.000-05:00

I enjoyed taking pics of this wedding, but I'm not sure I want to make it a career!

It was a whole lotta work. And I think I need a whole lot more lessons :)

365- #205-206 (adornments)

2010-09-08T08:04:00.001-05:00

My Dad was the photographer of this wedding. I was his sidekick. I got to take all the "getting ready" pics.

I learned a lot working with him.

One thing I learned was that when your shutter takes 2 seconds or longer to open & close, the problem is with the ISO....especially if all your lighting settings are correct.

All the pics I took on the altar were blurry. I kept looking at my dad with a question on my face.

He was shooting from the opposite side of the altar.

I knew I was getting great shots....but they were all going to be blurry!! I was so sad about that.

For some reason, ISO never entered my mind.

I was so grateful that my Dad was there, taking all the same shots!!

365 - #204 (self-portrait)

2010-09-07T13:43:00.000-05:00

Yes, I shot my first wedding!

Thankfully, they weren't dependent on my camera only.

(more to come about that later....)

note to self....when taking pics of bride, get out of the mirror!

365 - #202-203 (roses)

2010-09-06T11:15:00.001-05:00

can you guess what I took pics of this weekend?

365 - #201 (piano)

2010-09-03T08:59:00.001-05:00

All things that are worth doing take time and patience.

365 - #200 (key)

2010-09-03T08:59:00.000-05:00

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Matt. 16:19

365- #199 (pretty blue in my garden)

2010-09-03T08:58:00.000-05:00

365 - # 197-198 (school days)

2010-09-02T14:21:00.000-05:00

Our school year has begun! For the last month, we've been busy about making some changes to our homeschool. I accepted a position as director of a Classical Conversations campus! This means that our curriculum has changed almost entirely. I didn't see it coming, but I am thrilled at what lies ahead with our decision. I'm looking forward to the peace & assurance I'll have knowing that my girls are getting a complete education (meaning, I won't feel like I'm missing something)....and to the accountability of getting it done!

If you haven't heard of Classical Conversations and are interested in the classical education model, go to their website: http://www.classicalconversations.com/ and perhaps there's a campus near you!

Well, until a month ago, I had no idea that we would take this route. And, so, I had to be trained in a short month's time! I've had very little else on my mind this month!
We started this week, along with our co-op that we've been part of for several years. We're off to a good start.

my youngest working on IEW.

This is her first year, and she's doing great!

My oldest has taken IEW for 2 years, and this year she's taking her first online course in IEW!

I think she enjoyed her first class, but she hasn't demonstrated that excitement yet :)

my two youngest are taking typing at co-op....and I think it's safe to say that it's their favorite class!

other classes that they're enjoying:

French, embroidery, art, piano, science, and public speaking

At home we're still using Mystery of History, but will soon switch over to Story of the World for convenience purposes.

And, we're still using Teaching Textbooks for math.

In CC, we cover Latin vocabulary, English grammar, IEW (writing), geography, Science experiments, art/music, & history timeline.

phew! I think that covers it!

365- #196 (I'd wear these, too...)

2010-09-02T14:08:00.000-05:00

when I was a girl, my brothers and I had rainboots to wear in the rain (of course) and in the mud (at school, at home, our grandparents house, or at our camp). Back then, rainboots were only black. There was no other choice. And I didn't really care. But, if I had seen boots like these, I would have totally wanted to wear them! My youngest girls have been eyeing them for a while now....and finally, they each got a pair.

And they are happy to wear them every chance they get!

365 - #195 (red shoes)

2010-08-31T14:39:00.001-05:00

For our 11 yo's birthday, she wanted to have a scavenger hunt in the mall. It was tons of fun! And I think the kids enjoyed it too :)

The guests were split up into 2 groups and had a list of items to take pics of, or pics of the team with the item. Here's one of the items....

365 - #194 (more cuteness)

2010-08-31T14:39:00.000-05:00

speaking of cuteness, here's our 3yo friend sporting a fancy hat:

365 - #193 (scooter)

2010-08-31T14:28:00.004-05:00

When this particular nephew comes over, the first thing he wants to do is "ride the dooter." And he has more than one way to ride it:

the cuteness is almost unbearable :)

365- #191-192 (cake)

2010-08-31T14:26:00.000-05:00

Eaglet #2 turned 11 this month! Hard to believe...

here's the cake she requested and helped to decorate:

365- #190 (birdhouse)

2010-07-25T17:08:00.000-05:00

this birdhouse is in the form of a "shotgun" house, which is a style that New Orleans is known for. And, in N.O. form, it's decked out in all its gawdiness. Any N.O. bird would be happy to live here:

365 - #184-189 (Mint Tea)

2010-07-23T12:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we watched a video on making mint tea with the mint grown in your garden. Two of our eaglets got really excited because we have some mint growing in our garden! So off they flew to the garden to begin the process. Here's how they made it:

First, they picked the mint.

Any mint will do...the video mentioned apple mint. But we had peppermint and spearmint.

(We forgot to wash it, but we will next time :/ )

Then, they broke it (or cut it) in pieces in a large bowl.

Next, they poured 2 cups of cold water into the bowl and kneaded the mint.

Literally, squeezed the mint, until the water began to change color.

Next, they poured the water through a coffee filter over the pitcher.

(The video said we could use any type of filter,

but they recommended a piece of sheer curtain material so it could be used over and over.)

I think we'll have to get some kind of material, since we'll be doing this again and again.

the coffee filter worked, but since we couldn't use it more than once, we had to use a lot of filters.

They poured 2 more cups of water into the bowl of mint and repeated the process.

Then, we made a simple syrup by boiling one cup of sugar (any kind) + one cup of water.

(* you could also heat a cup of honey, and use that instead.)

And after letting it cool down a bit, they added it to the pitcher.

Stirred well.

And served it.

Mmmmm....so refreshing and minty!!

The beauty of it was that it came straight from our garden!

And, it has NO caffeine, so the girls could drink it happily!

What have you made from your garden this summer?

365- #182-183 (Spa)

2010-07-22T15:57:00.000-05:00

What is more fun than a spa day for 3 giddy girls? Not much! Here are the ingredients of our day...

for finger and toenail painting...

for facials...

and the pic I didn't get was of the basins of water to soak their tired feet in :)

Along with fruit, fruit dip & brownie bites, came lots of giggles, funny stories & a good time for all.

Definitely worth all the effort!

365- #180 - 181 (Bowling)

2010-07-21T13:47:00.000-05:00

Bowling over the weekend was a ton of fun...that is, until it became a nightclub at 8pm! Between the fog machine, flashing lights, strobe lights, black lights, and really loud music + video screens, not only could we not see each other or the balls, but we couldn't breathe. And it really freaked our kids out. But, fun was had while it lasted!

365-179 (Rain, and more rain)

2010-07-17T11:31:00.000-05:00

this was the first week in a long time we didn't have rain....but more is on the way!

I'm grateful for the rain for two reasons.

1. Because last year we had a drought, and that was worse than too much rain!

2. this is the first year we have a garden, and it loves the rain!

Thank God for rain!

365- # 174-178 (Sights of Summer Fun)

2010-07-15T13:06:00.000-05:00

365- 173 (15 years of love!)

2010-07-08T08:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Anniversary, my love!

365-172 (dragonfly)

2010-07-07T08:12:00.000-05:00

how many pics of a dragonfly can you take in one summer?

I don't know....obviously, lots. They're so good at posing :)

365- #168-171 (cool flowers)

2010-07-06T13:12:00.002-05:00

these are some I've never seen before that intrigued me....

365- #167 (Lilypad)

2010-07-05T17:32:00.000-05:00

365 - #165-166 (sculptures)

2010-07-03T09:38:00.000-05:00

I'd like to know what captions you'd put on these pics.

These are some of the incredible sculptures from the New Orleans Sculpture Garden. loved it!!

365 - #164 (ladder to nowhere)

2010-06-30T21:18:00.000-05:00

It's always best that the road you're on is actually taking you somewhere...

365 - #163 (Rainbow)

2010-06-29T17:24:00.000-05:00

sometimes we have to look closely to find God's promises...He's faithful.

365 - #162 (lizard?)

2010-06-28T19:28:00.000-05:00

For all my lizard-loving friends & nephews....

(I'm not sure what kind it is, but it lives in tropical rainforests)

365- #159 - 161 (Signs)

2010-06-23T13:01:00.000-05:00

this one is significant....it points to where I could (and still) find my mom most of my life, and where I can find my husband most days of the week.

this one reminds me of my life in this city....and where I met the love of my life.

this one holds an anniversary memory....and reminds me of my aunt, who drank Schlittz beer as long as I can remember. I miss her.

365 - #157-158 (Police & their horses)

2010-06-21T20:13:00.000-05:00

365 - #153-156 (Water)

2010-06-20T17:49:00.000-05:00

Up close and personal with the Mississippi River:

quiet stream

There were children running through this fountain, but when they saw me taking pics, they stopped. I wanted to get them in it. I may have to go back and let my own kids run through it :)

365- #149-152 (Crosses & lessons in lighting)

2010-06-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

the lighting on this one was a trick...

for this one I learned how to focus on the object in the foreground....woohoo!

I love how this one looks like fire is shooting from it...

365- #147-148 (Shadows)

2010-06-18T10:26:00.000-05:00

365- #143-146 Old State Capitol

2010-06-16T08:24:00.001-05:00

365- #141-142 (Straw)

2010-06-15T07:41:00.001-05:00

Yes, I took this:

I'm not boasting....I'm SHOCKED!

this was taken with a smaller lens (help me out, Tracy, I don't remember what it's called).

It was harder to deal with....but I guess with time, I could get used to it. Especially if it lets me take pics like these :)

365- #139-140 (dragonfly)

2010-06-14T20:28:00.000-05:00

This weekend I went on a "Meet & Shoot" with some Mommytographers who are also doing the 365 project. I was so glad to meet some of the women IRL I've only known through blogs. And, I got to play with some new lenses....and I'll just say that I'm ruined for the ordinary now :)

Here's a shot of a dragonfly with my lens:

And here's the one I took with the Mac-Daddy lens...you know the one that I want now :)

(thanks, Jenn, for trusting me with it :)

And, thanks Tracy, for organizing it!! I had a blast! Can't wait to do it again!

365-138 (evidence of hardwork)

2010-06-07T18:16:00.002-05:00

365- #136-137 (Mmmm...Crawfish!)

2010-06-04T11:02:00.001-05:00

First crawfish boil that I've been to this year! I know...it's the END of the season. But better late than never, I guess :)
Sure was worth waiting for! They were huge!!

unsuspecting ~~victim~~ mudbug...

cooked to perfection....

Let me just say that if you haven't used Cane's sauce for dipping, yet, you don't know what you're missing!

Incredible discovery!!

365 - #125-135 (Hummingbirds)

2010-06-02T09:17:00.002-05:00

In an effort to catch up with the 365 project, and since I couldn't pick my favorite, I bring you a slide show with lots of pics of the hummingbirds that played at my Dad's house this weekend.
If you click on "view all images" you can see each pic individually.
(I used a Nikon D60, set on 400 ISO. I realized after I'd put my camera away, that I should've used a higher ISO. oh well, next time.) Enjoy!

365- #122-124 (more flowers)

2010-05-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

365- #119 - 121 (scooter)

2010-05-23T22:17:00.000-05:00

Riding a scooter is obviously more fun in dress up shoes...

...especially when they belong to your favorite cousin :)

365-118 (Tired)

2010-05-23T22:14:00.000-05:00

Looking for a great getaway?

2010-05-06T13:38:00.001-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to an amazing retreat center!
It's called Rest Inn Rivendell and it looks like an incredible place to getaway for some needed rest and prayer.

Alicia Chole and her husband are the dreamers behind this place, and I just know that the Lord will use it to minister to many people!

You can learn more about Alicia, her vision, and Rest Inn Rivendell at this site:

and about her Leadership retreats, where you could have personal one-on-one mentoring from Alicia, here:

If you take a trip to this beautiful place, please come back and let me know all about it. I hope to one day have a chance to go myself.

365-117 (Happy Anniversary!)

2010-05-04T09:43:00.000-05:00

8 years ago, one of the coolest couples on the planet got married!! (my youngest brother and his wife)

God has incredible plans for this couple. They're already embarking on some of those adventures....I hope you'll visit their corner of the world here on the internet:

looking for a good book that will bring lots of joy (and laughs) on Mother's Day? then check out Jodie's book:

http://www.funnytitlehere.com/

and then go buy it for yourself or a friend who could use a good laugh!!

want to send out cards at a HUGE discount? Then check out Danny's card business:

www.sendoutcards.com/surgefest

then, open your own card account and start sending some cards!!

And if you live in Louisiana and want to support a local magazine for youth and musicians, check this out:

http://www.surgefest.com/

I can't wait to see who will be at the next concert!!

Happy Anniversary, Danny & Jodie!!

may all your endeavors in life be right smack in line with God's plans for your family, and be FILLED with His Presence and Power!!!

365- #116 (my little Princess)

2010-05-02T20:04:00.002-05:00

Isn't she beautiful....

365- #114-115 (Shower)

2010-04-30T18:02:00.002-05:00

365- #107-113 (Once upon a Garden)

2010-04-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

After many years of dreaming of a garden, we finally have one.....

We decided to build a cinder-block garden (raised bed) for a few reasons....
1. b/c of all the roots from surrounding trees, it's very difficult to dig in our yard,
2. we can sit on the side of the bed to weed or harvest, and not kill our backs and knees in the process, and
3. we found a book that told us EXACTLY how to do every detail :)

Here's what we did...

first, we bought the cinder blocks and supplies, and found a location in our yard.

then we bought the dirt, sand and peatmoss,

next we laid the weed-barrier and began stacking the cinder blocks.

we built it 2 blocks high, which is perfect for sitting on comfortably.

The gardeners then got to work, filling it up...

We couldn't wait to start planting.

And here it is....our first garden!

It's filled with cucumber, tomatoe, cantaloupe, strawberries,

green beans, parsley, lemon thyme, and marigolds!!

On the end, in the pots, are mints and rosemary :)

365- #103-106 (butterflies, chicks & roosters)

2010-04-26T14:59:00.000-05:00

a few sites from the AgMagic field trip...

and the highlight of the day....

two of those hands are my children's. They couldn't wait to hold those cute little chickies!

365-#100-103 (just because....)

2010-04-25T15:53:00.000-05:00

Because he loves me....

I'm the luckiest girl on the planet!!

365- 99 (Lily)

2010-04-23T09:47:00.000-05:00

Look what just bloomed in my yard:

it was a SURPRISE! Several years ago, my Dad gave me several lilies to plant. None of them had blooms and we didn't know what would spring up. In the last few years, this one had never bloomed.

What a wonderful surprise!!

364 - 98 (shovel)

2010-04-22T11:07:00.000-05:00

Here's our primary tool of the week....

Garden pics coming soon....

365-97 (Robin)

2010-04-21T14:07:00.000-05:00

365 - #91-96 (Flowers)

2010-04-19T13:46:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend, I found the most beautiful flowers! Here's a sampling of the shots I took:

in an English garden downtown...

on the Capitol grounds...

in my yard...Knock-out Roses

in the Rose Gardens near the Capitol....

I had so much fun taking pics of flowers. They cooperate so nicely when posing for pics :)

365- #85-90 (State Capitol)

2010-04-19T13:39:00.000-05:00

After the Farmers' Market, I took the girls and one of their friends to slide down the hills around the State Capitol.

What a blast!! The girls each had a cardboard box to sit on and slide down with. They giggled...a LOT!

We had to go in the capitol to find a water fountain, so I took advantage of the photo shoot opportunity :)

this is one of the light fixtures in the Rotunda (or lobby):

here are the flags hanging in the same room:

Each state and the date it was established is carved on the capitol steps:

It was a great day!

365 - #82-85 (Farmers' Market)

2010-04-19T13:31:00.000-05:00

This weekend I went with my Mom and 2 of my girls to the Farmers' Market downtown.

I love going there. I always find great deals on fresh produce! And there's always a treat or two that we come away with.
This weekend, Eaglet 3 had her face painted:

And we bought strawberries:

we also got some herbs to put in our garden (pics are coming soon...)

It was a beautiful day, and a treasure to spend the morning with my Mom.

365 - #81 (gardens)

2010-04-19T13:26:00.000-05:00

Last week the girls went to a birthday party and came back with these beautiful pinwheels (is that what they're called?):

We put them in our flower gardens to brighten up our yard. I love 'em!

Then we got busy on our vegetable garden, which is what we've been working on all week. Later this week I'll have a pic story of our progress.

365- #79-80 (barn & field)

2010-04-05T10:16:00.000-05:00

Beauty all around us...

365- #72- 78 (Easter Traditions Pt. 2)

2010-04-05T10:15:00.000-05:00

Eggs are also part of our tradition at Easter. I know it has nothing to do with Jesus, but it has been a part of my family's traditions all my life so we kept it.
Each year we visit my family (siblings and parents) for Easter, and we have an Egg Decorating Contest. Our family spends a whole afternoon, getting our creative juices flowing, and decorating eggs on Good Friday.
Here are the supplies:

Eggs, of course...

dye....

and art supplies....

This year's winners:

from left to right....Ugliest egg, Silliest egg, & Best Character (Cousin It) for the kids' contest

I don't know if these actually won....but they could have:

the three on the left are the ones that I made....

and the three on the right were the winners of:

Most Beautiful, Best Color & Most Creative in the adult contest

It's a ton of fun! everyone gets to vote on their favorites for each category...and sometimes there are prizes :)

Following the contest, the adults hide the eggs around the yard and the kids get to hunt for them.
Whichever eggs they find, they can use to "paque" with.

For those of you who have never heard of "paquing" (pronounced "pock") eggs, here's a description:
2 people take a boiled, decorated egg and gently knock them together (it makes the sound of "pock" although I don't know if that's why it's called that). The one whose egg is cracked first is the loser. The winner gets to find another egg to paque....hoping that he'll have the strongest egg of all.
Every family has a different tradition for the winner, but we just keep on paquing until there's one egg left....just for fun. No prize winners. And, then we throw all the eggs away....by that time, they've been through a lot and were very useful....but too germy to eat!

I love spending time with my family! It was hard to say good-bye at the end of the day! I always feel like we're just started when it's time to go.

365- #70-71 (Easter Traditions Pt.1)

2010-04-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

Our Easter traditions are still evolving...we add and tweak them every year. But there are some things that remain unchanged.
On Good Friday, we have communion as a family and talk about the meaning of Easter....Jesus' death and resurrection. This year we included the Feasts...and talked about how Jesus has already fulfilled some of them.
When our oldest was a wee little girl, we made this "tomb"...and every year after communion, we place "Jesus" in it and close up the tomb, positioning the guards on the outside. (The cross has hooks, because we used to hang scripture memory cards on the hooks each time we memorized one....great idea that we no longer do)

On Easter morning, the girls wake up to find that Jesus is no longer in the tomb....and then the hunt begins to find Him!

The clues are all related to Jesus. One year the clues were the names of Jesus, another year they were related to the parables of the kingdom of God....this year they were related to the events around the Resurrection and the feasts.

At the end of the hunt, there is always a treasure and Jesus is holding it. (sorry no pic of that....I'll have to remember next year) The treasure is always one gift for each girl....no candy! (somehow they get their fill of candy other places....hard to get away from!)

365- # 68-69 (Alyssum)

2010-04-05T09:08:00.000-05:00

This is Alyssum flowers....they now grow in our front flower bed!

365-67 (bathroom update)

2010-03-26T16:41:00.000-05:00

For those who want to see the update on my bathroom. Here it is:

I still have to apply one more coat of paint on the walls, paint the cabinet (to the left) and buy baseboards.

So, slowly but surely it'll get done!

One thing that I was really excited about is that the tile looks 100% better against the brown wall. Before it looked dull and gray, but now it actually looks blue :) Hooray!

365- #64-66 (artwork)

2010-03-26T16:38:00.000-05:00

As requested, here are 3 samples of our art work from Art Day

LSU Lakes by Dad

beautiful home on the LSU Lakes by Eaglet #3

turtles on a log by Eaglet #2

Eaglet #1 wouldn't let me post her artwork...and that's unfortunate because one day she could be a famous artist and you could say you saw her work in the primary stages. oh well.

and mine isn't finished....I was too busy taking pics and rescuing hats that the wind was stealing :)

365-63 (Azalea)

2010-03-25T10:40:00.000-05:00

This is an Azalea...and it lives in my yard:

My last flower pic is evidently a CAMELIA....or at least that's what I'm convinced of right now ;)

364 - #59- 62 (Art Day)

2010-03-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

Our family took a trip to the lakes for an art day. The goal was to draw what we saw....it could be anything. For Christmas, we got each of us an art set....the girls got colored pencils, and DE and I got acrylic paints. The day we went out, it was VERY windy. This didn't bother those with pencils, but those with paints had a much bigger challenge :) We also had a tough time keeping our hats on.
It was a fun day, good quality family time....and I can't wait to do it again!!

365- # 55-58 (LSU Photo fun)

2010-03-21T15:17:00.000-05:00

Photo shoot at LSU....fun time!

and since I don't have a gardenia bush, I had to get some shots of these beauties...

365 *- #54 (SPRING)

2010-03-21T15:11:00.000-05:00

This pear tree has been in my neighbor's yard since we moved here, and yet this is the first year I've seen these beautiful blooms! It was the first sign of spring on our corner.

Unfortunately, the squirrels will get to the pears before we do....but at least I got to see the blooms this year!

365- # 52-53 (legos)

2010-03-11T13:21:00.000-06:00

Grabbed a few shots of this cutie pie while she was visiting last week. The lighting in my living room was perfect...and the subject was adorable!

** Note for Tracy....just so you'll know, all of the bubble pics and these were taken in manual!

Hooray!! I think I'm getting the hang of this!

365-51 (self-portrait)

2010-03-11T13:15:00.000-06:00

I was going to wait and show this one as a "before and after" photo but I changed my mind. This is the first time I've ever taken a self-portrait. And it was purely accidental!
I'm painting my bathroom....this is one of the before shots. And, as soon as I finish painting (hopefully this weekend), I'll have the "before and after" photos for ya :)

Let's just consider this one a Self-Portrait...

365-#'s 47 - 50 (Giant Bubbles)

2010-03-11T13:10:00.000-06:00

Since the weather is finally warming up, this has been our latest outdoor enjoyment....Giant Bubbles!

A bubble within a bubble! So cool!

This one looks like they're bouncing it....really, their greatest joy was popping them!

I love this one b/c you can see the splatter of when it popped!

365- #45-46 (ice)

2010-02-18T22:09:00.000-06:00

I've always wanted to take a pic of a frozen drop of water. Here's my attempt:

#45 Drip

#46 Drop

It was not easy...and I intend to learn a better way. For some reason I couldn't tell what I was focusing on. This one will need some work. I'm up for the challenge!

365- #40 - 44 (Snow Day)

2010-02-18T21:59:00.000-06:00

OK, so it didn't snow much...but it counts....b/c my goodness, we're in the deep South here and this is the first time in my LIFE that it has snowed 3 times in one winter! I think I can actually say that we've HAD a winter this year! Amazing!

Here are a few from our snow day:

this is a mailbox in our neighborhood....we love the manatee! (#40)

watching from inside where it's warm... (#41)

then we got to play... (#42)

and catch a few flakes.... (#43)

and make a very tiny snowman.... (#44)

365- #37, 38* & 39 (valentine's day)

2010-02-18T21:49:00.000-06:00

# 37 (this one's for Jenn)

# 38 (Scrabble Love) *

#39 - my favorite flower
(and I just learned that taking pics of flowers head-on is a sure sign of an amateur....so this'll be the last one you see like this from me ;) I still love it!)

365-36* (heart)

2010-02-08T14:56:00.000-06:00

I know I'm late on this one, but I'm gonna post it anyway.