team up thursday - "UNDER"

UNDER! Under what? That's what I thought about all week: under the table, under the covers, under the microscope, under the weather (forget about that one!), under a tree? What could I choose - definitely not under the weather! I was thinking 'water' but how could I get under the water without an underwater camera? Well, long story-short, I was going to have trouble with the water-thing because our town (believe it not) does not have a swimming pool! Ours got so old they filled it in with dirt!!! So, the next best thing - the water park! So, how about "UNDER the water bucket"? . . . That's fair, right? Morgie did just that and got hit full force standing UNDER the red water bucket and she didn't mind it at all - ahhhhhhhhhhhh, so cool! (note: opps, sorry for the signature on the photo - didn't notice it until I posted it!!!!)



Corey and I were both thinking water this week - 'so' seasonal!!! Look! Sugar Bear is going under for the first time (according to Corey) at her swimming lesson. BTW, I love the cool, calming colors and geometric design in the pool. Sugar is just as cute UNDER the water as she is above it - she isn't even holding her nose! Bravo, little-miss Sugar and great job, partner!

Be sure and SWIM on over to Megan's and HipMama's for more Team Up Thursday!

PLEASEEEEEEEE, check YESTERDAY'S post and help vote for my photos I entered in the "Reasons to Love Idaho" photo contest!!!! Thanks so much! Hugs to everyone!

I NEED YOUR HELP . . . . H.E.L.P.

There's a BIG photo competition going on in Idaho and I've entered it! The winner gets an iPod touch but more importantly gets their winning photo in tons of advertising for Idaho and correspondence literature!

i need your help!

Please go to this link and VOTE for the photos I've entered - you can vote for more than one (if you like them - haha !) and help me get closer to my goal of winning. You can only vote once but for as many of the photos as you wish. I'm starting pretty late - some of these photos have 200 votes SO, I really have to get some help here!!!

Love ya tons! I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

what i see - mosaic monday

Thought I'd better post a few photos SO you knew I was still alive!

FLOWERS - Just couldn't resist the colors that are all over the yard, so went out the other night, right before sunset, and aimed my camera in their direction!

ROLLING FIELDS OF . . .

Well, you're actually looking at grain field followed by potato plants (we're FAMOUS for those - potatoes) followed by 'the sand dunes' way off in the distance - miles and miles of sand dunes!

MARSHMALLOW SKIES

Such great cloud formations in the late afternoon/early evening as the temps start to rise, they always show up!

Drop by Mary's blog-pad for 'more of' MOSAIC MONDAY!

team up thursday - summertime adventures with kitty & haba

This week, I chose our theme, "Summertime Adventures with Kitty and Haba"!

Corey has been DELIGHTING her readers with the craziest "Adventures of Kitty" for several years. I immediately got sucked into the adventures the first time I saw them! Corey has a great imagination and a little fury critter fits right into that world with her. You have to drop by and see all the places Kitty has been - very funny and her creativity continues to amaze me. Kitty's adventure this week is one I would love to share - peacefully sitting on a piece of driftwood by the ocean! Oh, how I would love to be there right now and just look at those blue skies! I'm hoping Corey will write a Blurb book one day and sell it - cutest idea ever!

Corey inspired me to adopt a little friend, Haba! Haba happens to be my little grandson's toy - and I now live with a guilty conscience as I promptly stole it from him!!!!! I thought he would make the perfect little companion for me so we could go on a few adventures - just like Corey and Kitty (one family member thinks I'm nuts). He currently resides in my camera case and goes wherever I go. I haven't been as diligent as Corey but Haba has had a few adventures and I will continue to find more for him this summer!

This week, Haba is trying to REMIND all of us to slow down with our crazy schedules and take time to "SMELL THE FLOWERS" - s.l.o.w. d.o.w.n. and enjoy the beauty around us.

If you'd like to team up with a friend and play along go by Megan's and HipMama's for some fun - and it's FREE - that's always a bonus. Helps you 'think outside the box'!

how old ? photo shoot

B and I traveled north to meet Heather and did a little photo shoot with a cute family - 2 girls/2 boys. Maddie is pictured above. She was super-photogenic and I kept finding myself snapping away at her. Don't get any ideas though - she's ONLY 12 years old! Crazy, ha - I couldn't believe it either. Heather has been 'pushing' me to 'get going' - she's been booking appointments - the girl has got 'hair' as she marches up to mothers with kids and says, " Would you like some photos taken of your kids?" My response is, "Shouldn't we practice a little more?!" - pretty typical of 'me' -never sure of myself! If you would have told me 2 months ago I would be doing photo shoots with 'humans' involved, I would have told you, "You're crazy!"

mosaic monday - there is beauty all around

Drop by Mary's to see more mosaics!

Journal Notes:

Coming soon!

my life is happy because i had an amazing FATHER

I scrap-booked this photo after my daddy left this earth. I tried to depict him leaving and I cry every time I look at it! I miss this man, the man who was my world - a true, true friend! He seemed to affect everyone that way with his gentle demeanor, happy-go-lucky attitude and loving spirit. I was so blessed to have him in my life - to be part of him. He wasn't a rich man in earthly possessions but his mother instilled in him, at an early age, to be happy, love life and keep a positive attitude. That he did until the day he left us. He never complained. I remember only hours before his departure from this earth life he would catch a glimpse of my mom walking by and he would wink at her and whisper in my ear, "I sure love your mom!" No greater gift could be given a girl than a dad who loved her mom more than himself!

"Oh daddy, I miss you so much!

Mom is doing so good - she is strong and working hard. She dreams of you often.

Is the time getting closer for you to come for her? I know you miss her - don't come too soon!

Oh, and your GRANDKIDS and GREAT-GRAND KIDS . . . well, you'd be so proud!

See you soon! Don't worry about us, we're doing GREAT!!!"

wind farm

We've been looking for an adventure for some time now - so we headed south to the WIND FARMS. About 30 minutes heading due-south you find the relatively new wind farms being constructed. We were not disappointed!

This is PHASE 1 a little further south along the mountain ridge:

From a distance it was hard to tell if the windmill was working or stationary. I kept saying, "This must be the 'new phase, there's a crane alone side the tower!" We were lucky, just as we pulled up the crane was hoisting the propeller!

Propeller finally in place - it's weird because the workers were nestled behind the hill, we couldn't see, so it was hard to envision how they were securing the propeller!

Now, this is the crazy part! Check out the size of the propeller (securely tied to the ground) compared to the pickup truck! Now, that puts things into perspective. These windmills are HUMUNGOUS!!! In these photos you see only a few - there were hundreds dotting the landscape - we felt very, very small!

We were told that from TIP to TIP the length of the propeller was 150 feet! The other 'factoid' that blew us away is none of the energy generated by these windmills will be staying in Idaho! ! ! Unbelievable! For the 'locals': when driving to Salt Lake have you noticed the HUGE power lines that have been installed mile after mile along the right and left hand side of the interstate? Well, those are the lines that will transport the energy generated by these turbines to California ! ! ! ! ! Yes, that's a fact - nonsense in my opinion!

When we were done we went to Cafe Rio (Ole) and buried our little faces into some good Mexican food - now, THAT'S an adventure!

affection - team up thursday

I have an AFFECTION for the word AFFECTION!!! I'm just an affectionate person - touchy-feely-type. When some of my kids grew up and weren't the huggy-type-person like I was, I was surprised - because they 'got it' when they were growing up - hugs, kisses - the works!

Corey chose the theme this week and totally cracked me up with her photo (bottom)! Now, I AM an animal person (certified pet-sitter, that's me!) but I thought I'd die when I saw her shot - I even wiped my face (haha) a little with my hand - not to mention reaching for my Clorox-wipes! It wasn't until I paid attention (as an adult) to where those little tongues go that I began to have an aversion to being licked by my fury-family-members! Go to her blog and read her explanation of the photo, it's pretty cute and I might add, a pretty timely capture! My 3 little fur-balls sneak "affection" all the time and they usually win! BTW, Corey is the BEST partner - so fun!

My entry (top photo) kind of speaks for itself! Bob was helping Cooper ride his bike on the gravel road. I loved (didn't notice it when I took the photo) how the road curved a bit - taking your eye for a little 'ride' (a little play on words!) Bob isn't exactly relaxed as he released the bike - his stance suggests he might dart at any second to catch the "Toop" in case he started to fall - what are grandpas for anyway?

Stop by Megan's and Hip-Mama's for more themes and fun.

confession

Guess what? I haven't felt like blogging lately! I can't believe I said that - that's like swearing or something! I've gotten totally off track on what my intention for this blog was - to write! I know everyone, from time to time, goes through this - I think it's just a phase that will pass with a little time.

As you can see, I've been eating pretty good - this salad was to-die-for today - the colors were so pretty, couldn't resist taking a photo. I'm sorry to say that the exercise isn't looking as pretty - the weather has been the pits - other than I DO love rain and it's been doing a lot of that AND windy - it makes it hard to get out to even walk without getting saturated. I do try and look at the positive-side of the whole thing . . . WATER!

Okay these x-rays don't really don't mix that well with my delicious salad above but thought I would show you what Cortney's shoulder looked like - before and after surgery! I took these photos while holding the x-ray up to a window - they came out pretty clear - clear enough for you to see how broken up his bones were - they were protruding right under the skin - I'd make a terrible doctor as it gave me the 'willies'!!! The black x-ray shows the bones all splintered and the brown x-ray shows what the docs did by putting a plate and 10 screws to hold it together! He's doing so much better now but stills feels wiped out from the pain meds. Like I said before, we're happy he's alive.

photo shoot

Did a photo shoot yesterday - slip by for a sneak peak of over 300 photos!!!

baseball, cold, baseball, cold, baseball, cold, cold, cold

Baseball tournament today and baby, it was COLD! The high today 54 degrees / windchill factored in - 48 degrees. It took me until about five second ago to warm up! Carson's team took second - lost by {1} point - don't you think there should be {2} first place trophies for that? I guess OUR prize was going to Chiz's for dinner - mega-jumbo-shrimp! Pictures to follow!

Seriously, I am SO FAR BEHIND it's not even funny - just trying to figure out when I'm going to load the hundreds of photos I have!

Update: Cortney is doing much better - called him tonight and he's still pretty wiped out on the drugs - but his shoulder is at least healing. It's all the other places on his body that got zinged that are trying to heal as well. Basically, EVERYTHING hurts! I'm so thrilled he's alive and on the mend. I want to THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of my HEART for your prayers, concern and love that you showed when Cort got hurt - in two words:

You're Amazing!

I'll be back tomorrow to load some photos and journal more.

bokeh - team up thursday

This week's theme is "BOKEH"! Have you ever heard of that before? It's a photographic term. Corey just happens to explain it very well on her blog - definition and all! Drop by if you're not sure what it means! It just means, in everyday terms, all the blurry-stuff in the background!

Left photo: I took this photo out in our front yard when all the trees were blooming. The sparkly/blurry-stuff on the left hand side is BOKEH yet you can see the blossom I was focusing on. The sparkly/blurry-stuff on the left is the sunlight shining through the leaves. The lens I used to get this effect was an 50mm f/1.8 and the ISO was 200 & I spot metered the branch on the right! Here's another example of BOKEH taken on my kitchen sink with Christmas lights in the background.

When I first started taking photos, that was one of the first things I wanted to learn - fun!

Right photo: Corey's photo is b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l. in every way - color, BOKEH, shape and texture!!! So soft and so pretty! She certainly researched the subject and explains it so well on her blog. I love the greens in her photo and just a touch of purple in the background - love, love, love! Always fun to see what she comes up with.

update on cortney

I'm only writing a few lines here as it's late and our patient is only a few feet away trying to 'sleep off' the gnarly drugs they've been pumping into him! Wow, the power of the prescription drug business -ha ha OR should I say, "thank goodness" for the prescription drug business!

The operation went well today - success would be the key word - it's amazing what they can do with a splintered bone. I have so much to tell you and will do so when we return home tomorrow - it's been a crazy few days and I know this little family will be more than happy to get back to normal once again! We're so blessed that we can 'drop' and run when we're needed - getting older is good for something!

Talk to you soon!

update on OUR accident victim (cortney)

Just checked and found Ashley updated her blog about Cortney's (our son) accident yesterday. It's long but very detailed. We're headed to help in the morning. I'll update when we get there. THANKS to all who remembered him in your prayers- and please continue! I have lived a long time and have seen miracles happen because of the power of prayer! Love you all - and thank you so much!

Photos taken from Ashley's blog. Only a mother knows how painful it is to see your child hurting so badly!

O.U.C.H. - cortney hit by car

Cortney, our son, was hit by a car last night. We'll be heading out to help them tonight. I'll post more once we get down there and update you on his condition.

me by imac

Have a great weekend - so much to do!

Journaling:
Living it right now - be back 2nite!

down low - team up thursday

Corey choose this weeks theme, "DOWN LOW" - this was indeed a challenge for a senior citizen (me) - haha! Being the sport that I am, I ventured out into the wild Idaho weather (rain, sleet, wind, cold) and actually captured a photo (not pictured) on my stomach, sprawled on the ground. A neighbor walking by did give me CRAP about my "DOWN LOW" form OR lack thereof - it wasn't a pretty sight! AT THE LAST MINUTE (this is becoming a habit) I changed my mind and decided to use a shot I took of my most cluttered dresser and ended up liking it better! I did get "DOWN LOW" on this necklace shot - I had to bend my knees and bend over at the waist - oh man, somedays that's as far as I can go!!! Hey! Don't laugh, just wait until to get to be a senior citizen!!!!!

"DOWN LOW"! Honey, Corey got mighty low on this shot - good thing she's young - I'd still be down for the count - haha, oh yeah! How cute - little toes with feet attached. I think they're adorable and I really miss them around our house. I love seeing them, tickling them, bathing them - well you get my drift! Nicely done, Corey and Sugar Bear.

tuesday - to be titled soon!

UPDATED PHOTOS BELOW (yesterday's post!!!)

Can you guess? I'm BEHIND! Updating Wednesday - always seem to be a day behind!!!!