Steph saluting the sub...

I have been searching for this photo for MONTHS! I put a photo album together while Rick was deployed with all of his Navy pics. I thought I had all my negatives & photos pretty organized but I couldn't find this negative OR the 4x6 photo I had printed. I had given up on ever finding it and was very sad about it. Well tonight I was looking for something in my junk drawer & it slipped out from between some papers!!!

It was originally in color but I want to hang it in the living room with my other B&W pics.

She was about 6 in the photo and it was when we lived in Hawaii. I LOVE this photo!

Norfolk Botanical Gardens

For those who don't know, I volunteer at Norfolk Botanical Gardens. Because of the days getting longer a few things are beginning to bloom in the greenhouse! Thought I would share a few.


This is the coolest bloom. Its a Giant Cucumber and I wish computers had smell-o-vision cause it was heavenly! A very light sweet soapy smell. Beautiful!!



Don't ask me what this is because I never remember anything! Its pretty though.




This is the greenhouse that I water every Friday-yes the whole thing! There is also a cold house next door. There are a lot of plants that have to come indoors for the winter!

For my friends in Hawaii-Plumeria, and let me tell you how awesome THIS one smells!! Takes me right back to Hawaii! And let me tell you how big this puppy is! It would fill my palm!

Now I'm not a big fan of Hibiscus, but I have never seen one colored this way.

I know there really aren't any blooms on this but I think it is the coolest Jade plant.

And finally-one of the benefits of volunteering is that I get to bring plants home when they have too many or have no use for them. This crab apple tree has been sitting there since fall and I kept saying I was going to pick it up but with Rick home now I never had the truck. So Justin & I ran down there today to pick it up!

That's all...hope everyone has a great weekend!

Snow?

Well well we finally got some snow. I would call it a dusting myself, but I'm a S Cali girl so what do I know?

The sad part is that I have a few daffodils beginning to bloom & now they look like this...

The doggies having some fun...Jake LOVES the snow & cold weather!

Poor flamingo

So what do ya think...was that enough for schools & business to shut down?

Back Home...

We made it home safely this afternoon after driving through some sleet and a lot of snow! Snow that is following us down here! Thankfully we wont be getting as much as N. Va!! Can I just say how ready I am for warm weather!

We had a nice visit with the cousins & got to see our good friend Christy and her son this morning for breakfast!

The cousins bought themselves a wii for Christmas and they are so addicted to bowling! This time I couldn't escape & was forced to play-and kicked butt with no effort at all..then Saturday afternoon we went REAL bowling. After about 3-4 games when everyone else was begining to get tired, I began bowling better then them!! Of course I just HAD to take a pic of the scoreboard...and here it is...

In the end I didn't win though...ah well...here are more photos of all the fun...

I'm a happy girl!

Wes...

Sue waiting to see what she knocked down with her green ball..

Rick trying to do the impossible...

Come on Wes!!

We took a few pics sbefore we left when it was snowing, but they are on Wes & Sue's camera because I *cough* forgot *cough* my cameras!

Dining Out

Getting a good picture of me can be quite comical sometimes. Being a photographer, I always have little tips to whoever it is that happens to be taking MY picture, especially if its one of my kids.

Here I am yelling at the dogs to 1-get out of the pic, and 2-if the get any fur on me they will not live another moment!


This is me showing Steph how close to crop it-I just love the look on Ricks face!



And finally a somewhat acceptable shot.




Anyway, we had a great time at the Dining Out after a few little glitches. Because the air is so dry right now there was so much static in my dress that every single stray dog fur ended up ALL over me! I think I used about 20 sheets off of our lint roller trying to get it all off but it kept 'jumping' back! So we had to stop by a Rite Ai* to get some of the static spray stuff. That worked!

Then we were on our way-without the blank check for 'fines' or the little 'toasts' Rick came up with. Once we got there though we weren't the only ones to have a mishap. The strap on one of the wives dress broke. So since we were so early (45 minutes before dinner) I ran back home to get our forgotten goods & my little sewing kit. Everything else went very well and we had a great time!

Early Birthday Present!

Most of you know I am not a jewelry girl. But I have hinted for a while now that I would LOVE to have a short strand of white pearls. A few years ago Rick went to Japan for work and brought me back a strand of black pearls, so his response to my wanting a white strand was that I already had pearls.

He came home from work today and gave me my birthday present early. A beautiful strand of white pearls! They are awesome! They are early for two reasons- he wont be here for my actual birthday and we are attending a Dining Out tonight and he thought I would like to wear them.

Stephs 18th Birthday

WOW! I think that says just about how I feel about this. I meant to post this yesterday but time got away from me.

I know its a cleche...but...I really truly cant believe she is 18. Our baby has become an adult and now we begin a new phase in our family. Of course she is the same teenager she was the day before, but I somehow feel different.

She had a great day. After school a guy friend (she insists that he is not her boyfriend) took her to get her belly pierces-yes her belly pierced. It was her gift to herself & since neither of us would sign for her to do it as a minor she didnt waste any time getting it done once she was legal!

Her Uncle Larry (her God Father) & Tiffany came over for surf & turf & it was yummy! She is having a party of sorts this saturday at the house to celebrate with her friends.

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY!

We MUST answer text messages BEFORE birthday cake!