2009 HOLIDAY "SELF PORTRAITS"

Christmas 2009

We have already been so busy it feels like! I kind of like rushing around and then stopping that last 2 weeks and having nothing to do, just sit back look at all the beautiful decorations, watch Christmas movies, bake cookies....

I am officially 10 weeks preggo today. I feel great (esp if I compair to my pregnancy with Evan) I am tired (could sleep right now!) but other than that feel good. Here are a few Christmas pics....

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you.. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff-- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see. Happy Fall!

It's been along time!

Wow, it feels like it has been a while since I updated. We have had several exciting things going on. We just got home from the beach this past weekend. We went for a week to Myrtle Beach and yes I have about 450 pictures!! Before we went we paid our last credit card bill!!!!!!! We are officially dept free! That has been a goal of ours since January 2007. Another thing we wanted to do was purchase another car, we have a blazer that is just getting up there in miles but is fine other than that, then ronnie has a classic camero he drives to car shows. We were able to get a really good deal on a used Toyota Camry, I have been so excited about how many miles I get to a tank of gas (esp compaired to our other 2 cars). Before we would drive the blazer to the beach fill up to leave, fill up when we got there, fill up to come home, fill up to go back to work on monday. The Camry, filled up to leave and still had 1/4 tank left to come home on so we filled up and I am still driving on that!! love it!! Ronnie and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on Aug 1st. (that is the day we left for the beach) ! Go us!

Evan has been playing tiny tots t-ball he has really enjoyed it. We signed him up Sunday for fall ball he is excited, he has baseball pants, cleats, ball bag and everything he thinks he is something :)

Since I have tons of beach pics I will try to post just some of my favs....



We had a great time, great weather and a cute place. We went to the beach with the Fie family. So we had 2 fully loaded 4 yr old boys and a sweet 2 yr old girl. Where we stayed you took a golf cart everywhere so the kids loved that. They had really nice pools (crowded but nice). We went to the Tanger outlets, Barefoot landing, ate at the Giant Crab then on Ronnie and I's date night we went to T-Bonz.

Evan "surfing"

Me and Evan
Evan and Daddy

Jenna

"Fie's"

James, Jessie, Jenna and Jonah

Jonah

Evan, I cant decide if I like this pic or not

Our family of 3

Jessie and James

sunset

I love the colors in this pic

Jonah, resting after surfing

They were "hitting" the waves....everything is baseball related

I love this pic of Jonah
I like this pic of Evan, he is getting so big
Love this pic of Jenna!!

Big Daddy

they played lots of games, baseball, football and we had 2 other ball hitting/catching games. there was jellyfish warnings up about the whole week so the games kept them out of the water which made us feel better :)

puttin' around

Jessie and Jenna

Evan is fascinated by tattoo's (praying it is a phase). He loved getting this airbrushed tattoo.

riding the waves

Evan had never had crab legs and he kept running his mouth that he was going to out eat Jessie in crad legs,,,, he did not. But I was proud of him for eating them! This was at the Giant Crab. Ronnie ate the crab legs for me, I do not like them.

Evan bungy jumping, he wanted to do it then got up there and was like ummmhhh

outside of the Giant Crab

Fies's outside the Giant Crab

my love

like this one too



splash zone, I think the adults loved this pool just as much as the kids, we sat in it right along with them!

sleepy heads

another one of my favs! I did not get one of Evan by himself in the lifeguard stand, kick myself....roadtrip!!

I realized I got alittle black and white crazy, I think I was picking it up and snapping on some and not really wanting them in black and white. Jessie took all her's in color so I am anxious to check those out. I wish I was still there!!

Finally a post...

Feels like a long time since I have posted. We have had alot going on but seems like not alot worth posting. So, some things that have been going on so far this summer, in no order!

The birth of my newest great nephew Tanner Andrew Brown, he was born at 33 weeks, weighing a little over 4 lbs


I had never held a baby that small. He was so active too!

Evan, Tanner and Lorelai (Tanner's big sister, she was very territorial)

We went swimming at a Jessie's Dad's house. The kids had a blast! It was nice sitting in the kiddie pool just watching them run and swim around.

A few shots I have taken in our pool:
He wants to be in the pool all the time. He is swimming all the time without swimmies, he jumps in over and over. Loves going under water he is a little fish, something he honestly got from me :)

Swimming with friends,

Jenna

Jonah doing flips into the pool, thought it made some cool shots

Justin (my little brother's) 21st birthday!!!! At Kanpai

Mawmaw, Stepdad and my Mom

U.Tom and Aunt DonnaAnnette and Justin

Justin and Evan, waiting for our table....man I still cannot believe he is 21!!!!!!!

Justin's Girlfriend Annette graduated in June this was at her party

Evan went on a field trip to Build A Bear, (a first for both of us) We left with a chocolate brown bear named "bubbles". I have been very suprised at how close him and bubbles have been. I thought he might just wind up in the pile with the rest of the animals but I was wrong.

It is a sin at what they charge in there! We left with a bathing suit and surf board for bubbles. I would like to get him some pj's or something....but I will go in by myself and pick them out..heehee

Thursday Evan went and spent the night at Pawpaw and Cece's for the first time. They were the first ones who ever babysat him but he had never stayed all night. He had a blast, sounds like they all had a good time.

Getting the feed for the deers

Rusty fetches the paper every morning all by himself,,, guess Evan was trying to help

Evan and Pawpaw love their celery and peanut butter

Friday night Cece and Pawpaw took us out to The Depot (Cody Creek) it was soooo good!!!!!

Fourth of July... Sturday we had Family Fun Day at church, then we went to the Pilot Mtn car show, then to King Fireworks. We had a great day, but we crashed when we got in the bed...after 11:30.

The new DASH came to family fun dayMy car....heehee
Papa and the Nova

We ran into Gracie at the car show, she loves Evan and he is a typical boy....he must lead her on :)

Later at the fireworks:

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY...
Women are like phones:
They like to be held, talked to, and touched often.
But push the wrong button and your butt is disconnected.

A funny I received from a friend

True Friendship.

On this card-
Just the stone cold truth
Of our great friendship.

1. When you are sad,
I will jump on the person
Who made you sad
Like a spider monkey
Jacked up on Mountain Dew!!!

2. When you are blue,
I will try to dislodge
Whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile,
I will know you are
Plotting something
That I must be involved in.

4. When you're scared,
We will high tail it out of here.

5. When you are worried,
I will tell you horrible stories about how much w orse
It could be until you
Quit whining, ya big baby!!!!

6. When you are confused,
I will use little words.

7. When you are sick,
Stay away from me
Until you are well again.
I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall,
I'll pick you up
And dust you off--
After I laugh my rear off!!

9. This is my oath...
I pledge it to the end.
'Why?' you may ask;
-- because you are my FRIEND!
***********************Friendship is like peeing your pants,
Everyone can see it,
B UT only YOU
Can feel the
True warmth.
**********************

Friday the 22nd I took of work to take Evan on a field trip to build a bear then we went by Baptist and ate lunch with my Dad and Stepmom (they were working). Daddy wanted Evan to see the helicopter, we had to wait while they went to a scene, but below are the pics. Evan thought it was cool. The pilot was nice enough to let him sit in it.

Thursday and friday Evan had a upset stomach, I was praying it was not the stomach bug. Saturday we were having a yard sale (with my mom) and she called me at 7 am telling me she wanted to vomit and had diarh. sooo we went on and had the yard sale. Then Sunday morning my stepmom calls and my Dad is down with the bug, then later that day I was too. I was out of commission until wednesday! This one is a doozy. I lost 11 lbs from Sunday thru Thursday. I finally just yesterday feel back to normal. I have been so tired that has been more of a problem than anything.

We had our first pool/cookout this weekend. The weather was so nice. I had to do a lot of work on the pool this year with the pollen being so bad. Because of the warm weather the water is already 80 degrees. Evan wants in it all the time and I cant get him out. As soon as I walked in the door last night.....can we get in the pool?

Garden update, I need to get the weeds out, having some weed control issues this year.

This past Saturday Justin and I took my Mom and Stepdad to the airport for Vegas for 2 weeks!! They will return on the 13th, then on the 14th Justin turns 21!! were has time gone! (wish I was 21) They are in Vegas for a bowling tournament. It feels weird mom not being here. I am already ready for the weekend. No big plans just ready to be at home :) Saturday we have our company picnic to attend, then we have a cookout sunday after church with the Hill Family.

Hopefully the exciting news of the week will be a fellow blogger Tori will be having a baby this week!!! Go Tori!....push,push,push :)

First "brief" Fishing Trip

Saturday Justin (my bro.) called and wanted to take Evan fishing. Justin was going to be in a fishing tournament late that night and needed some bait. I let him go, then Ronnie and I went to the grocery store came back got everything up and rode out there so I could get some pics....plus Justin called needing some more worms! Ronnie and I have had a cold/allergies something all weekend with the sore throat runny nose yucky stuff. So it was good for Evan to get out :)
I played with the pictures in my photo shop thought I would share some before and afters, this is something I rarely get to do due to time, but I love doing it. The only issue I have is when I develop them the "effects" are not centered like i may have a 3 sided border...something I need to work on :)

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One of my favorite things to play with is the "time machine" on my program

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with time machine....like 1839 but I love the effect

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