my visions . . . my life

Wow, it's been literally FOREVER!

I've been working on a LOT of pictures lately, both personal and work. Thought I'd share a few of my favorite ones of our family from the past couple of weeks.  Sorry it's been so long!  Thanks for stopping by.  Please enjoy :)

Moments with Ella, November '07

Pumpkin Patch 2007

Bye, Daddy!

These were taken minutes before Neil left for Germany a few months ago. A sweet moment in time for all of us . . .

Making brownies

Back in D-town, with Chloe

These top 3 are a little blurry, but I LOVE them.

Maia admires the big girl bike :c)

Maia . . .

I'm not even sure when this photo was taken, but I love it. This is how my girl is all the time . . . :c)

And a couple more of my little missy that I adore . . .

Finally . . . some new pictures . . . summer '07

Here are a few pics of my bff, Nat, and her two adorable kiddies. Bella . . . she is exactly like Nat as a little girl. It's crazy and I love it! What's the neatest thing is that we've been friends for so long that I know what Nat was like as a small child. I'm so lucky to have the long friendships that I have received and grown into what they are today.

Then a few months ago, another bff of mine, Heather, and I took the boys and Maia to the zoo. Heather's boyfriend has a boy the same age as Noah, named Cole. Cole and Noah get along perfectly. Here are a couple from our morning . . . :c)

Heather actually works at the zoo. She is an amazing zoo keeper. Nobody knows as much about animals as she does!

Sea Island, GA

We just got back 1 week ago from Sea Island, GA.  Over the past week I've had a chance to play a little bit with some of my pictures.  Here's just a few and there will be plenty more to come!  :c)

Ashley took this one of Chel & I and the girls (She loved my cam!)

Ash also shot this one; way to go, Ash!

One day she will kill me with this one!

We were at Jamie's swimming and in between taking off her diaper and putting on the swim diaper, and this is the view we had.  Jamie said "You HAVE to get that shot!", and here it is . . . the most adorable tooshie ever! (In my biased opinion!)

Family Gathering

A few weekends ago I met Neil's uncle Dale and aunt June out at a nearby beautiful park to shoot their family pictures.  Our whole family went, including Neil's mom.  We had a really great time.  I'll be posting some of the actual shoot at my VWC blog. 

After the family  shoot, we went to Neil's cousin's, Ron's, house which was just a hop skip and jump away.  We grilled out (well, Ron did -- thanks, Ron!) and sat outside and enjoyed each other and the great weather. 

Here, below, is Neil's cousin's dog.  His name is Casey.  He likes to take himself for walks . . . as you can see! :c)  Casey is the sweetest.

This is Emily, another cousin.  Here she was playing with Maia.  Don't you love the expression?! Emily sure loves her little cousins.  And they REALLY love her.

I think this was the first time Maia had a Capri Sun.  She loved it.

And I'm sure it was because of Noah having one that she had to have one :c)

O'ma and Maia share some strawberries.

Emily and Maia again.  Emily is such a good helper and a good friend to her cousins :c)

My darling hubby.

Then, kinda out of nowhere, a storm popped up on us.  It was dark . . . very dark . . . and a bit scary.  But we faired just fine in the garage and still had a great time. Of course I had to capture the storm.  But isn't it a dandy? :c)

And then there we were in the garage, Maia having fun with her older cousin, Bree.  I wish we lived closer so Bree could babysit my kids.  She is soooo great with them!  One day perhaps we will be???  That's Christie and her beau, Clint, in the background :c)

Us

This was taken back in March on a beautiful day in the neighborhood :c)

Maia Lizzy

Noah William

May 2007 #2

Noah, Maia & Chloe (who may as well be their sister!)

When Neil was out east, Heather and I took the kids to a GREAT playground in M-cello.

Mother's Day 2007

For Mother's Day we did a picnic (Arby's - haha!) in one of our favorite parks. Then we played at the playground and walked through the huge pine trees.  It was a really great day :c)

So it's blurry (darling hubby), but I still adore this picture.

Getting ready to go home . .

Self-portrait :c)

Maia's first time using a drinking fountain.

Green yard & great friends

In this picture he was saying "King of the mount-ain!!" (That's the huge pile of dirt that was dug up when we had the tile replaced in the ground.)

More of my geraniums.  I love red geraniums. 

Friend, Chloe, chasing Maia up the sidewalk.

They A-dore each other.

We love Chloe and have seen her grow up the past 4 years from a little toddler to a very sweet young lady.

The neighborhood kiddies.  My neighbor, Lisa, bought this bench for Noah (for her yard) when he was littler.  Now he sits with his sister and good friend, Chloe.  I don't think Lisa has seen this picture.  She ans Mimi would love it! :c)

I LOVE this picture.  Who couldn't?!  Neil hasn't seen it.  I'm thinking about putting it in a frame for him for Father's Day.  I have some of Noah that I would like to use, as well.  I think he'd love it to pieces.

May Days

Maia's first time ever in a sprinkler.  She loved it . . . for a little while ;c)

She decided she suddenly didn't like the sprinkler anymore!

Some of the flowers in my perinnial garden that we planted last year.

I just really like this old wheel barrow that sits behind our garage.  It's very photogenic. Use to be Neil's dad's.

One of my geranium pots.

For Mother's Day we made tiny canvas hand paintings for all the grandmas (the kids have 3!), plus they made one for me, too :c)

The final projects!  Aren't they cute?!  We did this last year for daddy at a JWA workshop that Noah and I participated in for Father's Day, but of his feet.  I thought the grandmas would love it of their hands, and they did.  And of course the kids loved getting messy and mommy loved taking pictures of them doing it.  (Why, of course!)

Speaking of Heather . . .

I have had these for a while and have wanted to put them up.  She is the greatest . . . the perfect friend . . . I just owe her so much which is why she gets her very own special post :c)

Like a Kid in the Candy Store

So, here is my first post!  I'll be posting pictures but I can't guarantee they'll be in order of their date :)  At least I'm getting some up.  You would not believe how many hundreds I have!  Well ok, yes you can.  Anyway, please enjoy this first edition.

These pictures were taken just this past weekend (first weekend in June 2007).  Heather, myself and the kids drove up an hour and a half north to see our dear friend, Kristin, and her baby boy, Jackson.  We spent the day chit-chattin' at her house, then going to a local (very cool) park.  We let Noah and Maia play, while we had a picnic lunch.  After we got invaded by 100 grade school kids (eek!) we headed to the coolest little downtown ever.  I wish we could have wandered to more stores, but the one we did go to was the candy store and what else could beat that?!  It was grand!  Oh my oh my was it AWESOME.  Noah and Maia had a blast, but I truly think us older kids enjoyed it the most :c)  Everything from our childhood was there . . . which Heather and I really enjoyed as it brought back memories of playing softball and what the concession stand held in waiting for us after the games got over :c)  Let's see . . . candy lipsticks, sugar pops, juju coins, cowtails, rope licorice, fun dip and the list goes on and on and on, as you will see . . .  I already want to go back!

And us girls . . . with Jackson in the stroller . . . aren't we the loveliest trio that ever stood in a candy store? :c)