monster mash

We attended the Monster Mash in Camden last night (otherwise known as the rodeo) and it proved to be an interesting outing. We actually hadn't planned on going, but as I was checking on people on FB, I saw that a couple of them were headed out to the rodeo for a night of fun. So, I checked it out, found out where it was, and off we went. It was mostly bull riding, which can go from boring to very, very exciting very quickly. One of the riders got hurt, and even had a seizure after being tossed off like a rag doll. One of the riders flipped over the head of his bull, and then hung onto the horns for a couple of seconds. The clown was pretty funny.....he dressed up as the Village People at one point in the evening and that was hilarious. I should have taken video of that! All in all, we had a good time getting our "cowboy" on and tromping through the dirt with the best of them.

This guy, along with his partner on the other side were suppose to rope the bulls that were frisky and didn't want to go into the pen after throwing their rider. I say suppose to because they weren't very good at it!

The oh, so, funny clown. He was hilarious!

Our cowgirl!

Soooooo not a cowboy!!

it has arrived!

My camera, that is (mine is red). I'm so excited even though I haven't really had a chance to use it yet. I had to tell Steve from the get-go that I would actually like to use it. That man loves gadgets....a little too much, if you ask me. I knew that if I didn't stake my claim, I'd never get to hold it, much less take a picture with it. I don't know what it is about electronics, but he seems to think that if it uses batteries (like the remote), has cords and plug-ins (like the computer) then it is his and his alone.

I know, I know...those of you who know both of us don't believe me! However, it's true....I swear! Most of the time, I really don't mind letting him do all of that kind of stuff, but this time.....THIS TIME....I actually wanted to put my hands on the darn thing since I was the one who wanted it, who researched it, and who ordered it. I waited patiently for it......the box arrived......and then, you gals know what happened! I had to go running, yes, running (causing a minor earthquake, I might add) into the living room to grab the box from him. He looked so innocent, I almost felt sorry for him. I say almost because I knew that was his evil plan!

Hopefully, the weather will clear up tomorrow and I will take it out for a stroll (no more running for me...I've had my quota for the week). Then, I'll actually get to sit down and edit and post some pics! He won't be here tomorrow night, so I am pretty darn sure no one else will fight me for that privilege (since Luke doesn't care and Stevie will be with her dad).

t-ball

We went to Suwanee this past weekend to see Sam and Jack in their last regular season t-ball game. Sounds odd, huh? They are 4 and 5, and their league has play-offs. Has the world gone insane? I think so, but that is another post for another time because, let me just say right now, that my two nephews are the cutest, funniest 4 and 5 year olds around.

If there were penalties in t-ball, Jack definitely would have gotten the dreaded "excessive celebration" call when after being tagged out at home, he still insisted he touch the plate and then did a whole fist pumping, both hands raised celebration dance all the way to the dug-out. He's too much!

By far the funniest moment was when Sam scored and as we cheered him on, he flipped us off!! Only, he was REALLY just saying, "We're number 1", but with his middle finger! Poor Tracy was mortified, I was laughing my tail off (not literally, of course, because if THAT worked, I'd do it all day!), Shea was hiding in shame, and Sam was oblivious.

Speaking of Sam, I forgot to mention that the child is brilliant! I honestly would hate to have him in my first grade class because what would you do with him???? He can read, write legibly, count, add, and he has countless other skills----keep in mind that this is Oct. and he is in Kindergarten! By the time he gets to first grade, he'll be able to teach it. It's SCARY.

So, great time with those boys............cannot wait to see them again!!!

band

This is a picture of the band, but I don't even see Luke in it! Taken with Steve's phone...my new camera has not yet arrived!
Luke is in the middle school band. He plays the saxophone, and we love listening to him. We love the band, and can't wait for those Saturdays next Fall and Friday nights when he is in high school in the marching band. Although, it will be much different from our previous experience with Stevie where the band was large, as NCHS has about 15 members! They do go to competitions and they actually placed second a couple of weeks ago. So, while we wait for that, we had the opportunity to hear the pep band for the middle school play at the JV football game last Thursday. They were actually good, and we enjoyed it. I really wish their band teacher instilled a little more confidence in them or maybe she needs more confidence in herself, because I'd love to hear them more often. Ahhh....Fall, there's just so much to love about it, and this is just one more thing!

too cute

I totally stole these pictures from my sil's blog which you can see here. They are too darn cute just like those boys that are in it.

camera

Once again, I left my camera (actually Stevie's camera) at home when I needed it! So, that has me on the hunt for a small one that I can just keep in my purse. Now, don't get me wrong.....I am not one of those people who runs around with the camera taking these wonderful impromptu photos that look like pictures out of a magazine (Tracy!), I just want to catch those memories (generally posed!) when we do something fun. Mostly, I think about all of the blog topics I would have if only I had my camera to show you.

Anyway, I digress, on the hunt am I. I know that I want at least 10mp and 3x zoom. I know what you're thinking.............Boy, look at her camera knowledge............... oh, that's not what you're thinking? okay, anyway, I know that I want these things because when I was in that professional camera store, you know the one.....with the big yellow sign and black letters (yes, yes, Best Buy) whom I said I would never buy from again because their customer service is sooooooooooo bad, 10mp was the highest that the majority of those camera had. I'm sure it's good enough for me.

The camera I have right now, I bought 5 years ago. It's 3mp, and you can tell the difference. Actually, I couldn't tell the difference until we bought Stevie's camera last year and it took much better pictures than the one I paid a lot of money for...........I knew I had a problem. But, I thought, I'll just use her new one and not worry about it. WRONG!

There are so many choices, does it really matter what brand I get? I do have standards, though. I don't want it to cost too much! and by too much, I mean I don't want to purchase it and then find a lower price on the internet. ugh! I know this may happen because last year at Christmas, Stevie picked out her specific camera and we priced it at all of the usual suspects (Target, Wal-Mart, BB, etc.) I thought I'd check online first, and got the absolute lowest price at Amazon. I never saw it lower than what I paid all season! I was thrilled, to say the least as I am CHEAP! So, I'll take suggestions or advice or possibly Tracy to the store when we see her this weekend, and find a camera so that all of you lucky people will get to see the fun stuff we do (or the random stuff we take pics of in grocery stores......like chicken feet!) I'd upload that picture here, but for some reason Mozilla and Blogger do not like to upload my pics. I guess I'll go back to blogging in Explorer when I finally find a camera and have pics to share!!

redefining beautiful by jenna lucado

Beautiful: what God sees when God sees you

This wonderful book by the daughter of acclaimed author, Max Lucado, is a true winner. Jenna Lucado brings to life what a girl's perspective of herself through God's eyes should be. Although written with the teenage-girl in mind, it is certainly appropriate for any aged woman who struggles to see the beauty God wrote into her life. The book deals with issues from social networking to how to choose a prince through God's relationship with us.

Redefining Beautiful is written as a conversation piece, and I did feel as though Jenna and I were friends just talking around my kitchen table. She portrays relational qualities that any girl will find endearing, and uses language that is familiar to today's young woman. The book provides space for each young woman to write her thoughts in a journal-type atmosphere to be used as a tool in day-to-day learning. This is a book that I will share with both my 18 and 25 year old daughters in the hopes that they will see how much more God treasures them; even more than their earthly dad who adores them!