Autumn

A few days ago the kids & I went on a fall walk with the specific purpose of photographing the fall colors. Each carrying our own camera, we walked up & down our street. Although, we didn't get very far, too many fabulous things to photograph, we had a great time & came home with loads & loads of pictures!



Can I tell you how proud I was of my boy getting down low for a new & different perspective?



This just might be the coolest picture I've ever taken!

Love this one too! My boy was hiding behind a bush as this couple walked by with their dogs!

We have the most gorgeous Ginkgo tree two houses down from ours! I wish it lived in our yard! How could you mind raking up these beautiful leaves?

The Scariest Thing EVER!!!

True story...


The other night we were finishing up dinner. Both kids had finished their meals and were up wandering around the table. The Husband & I were trying to have some adult conversation, when the next thing I know my boy is whispering in my ear...the scariest words a mother never wants to hear...


I looked at my husband with fear on my face, my stomach had dropped and it took a few seconds for my brain to catch up with reality. He could tell that I had been struck by fear - and said "what did he say?" to which I replied "you will never believe what our 5 year old boy just told me!" And he said "I think he told me, this afternoon, when I picked him up from school!"

My sweet, precious, naive', five, nearly six year old little boy walked up to me and whispered in my ear...



..."my girlfriend is pregnant!"

Skyper

It was just time for a new picture, sorry it took me so long!

Jurassic Park

It's amazing what you'll find around my house these days...pe examplu...

The latest scenario is the "Lingenfelter Animal Shelter". The whole front of the house now contains every stuffed animal my children own (try explaining that to the electrician!) They've been grouped by species, and placed in cages built with pillows, because they must remain separated - i.e. the dinosaurs and nesting vulture.

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween!

Karate-Kid

Some of you may already know this, but my boy is taking Taekwondo and LOVES it!! You can only put up with Kung-Fu Panda moves for so long before you realize that maybe the kid should take lessons... He's been taking lessons for nearly two months and this week he was tested for his 1st belt - how exciting! We weren't sure if he was ready, I mean he's only been doing this for 2 months, but his instructor, Mr. Young told me "I wouldn't ask folks to test if they weren't ready...duh!" Alright, I added the "duh", but it clearly was implied! Anyway, we think he passed, at least he looked the part...cute!

On another note, thanks for my friend Nate, this computer is going a bit faster! Amazing what tripling the memory will do...especially considering there wasn't hardly any to begin with, duh!

Slow as Christmas

It seems that every piece of electronic equipment I depend on for my business & my sanity has decided to check out... So, now I'm stuck using this antiquated computer that is so freakin' slow that it might just be the end of me! Seriously, if you hear of my demise, ask "was it the computer?"

On another note...notice anything new?

Infatuation

I can't even begin to tell you how much my girl loves her cat! Here she is singing to him as he lays contently listening to his "mama"! To be honest, we're all a bit smitten with ole' Skyper...who knew?

Purple

Yesterday, in honor of October being Domestic Violence awareness month, we participated in a local Domestic Violence candle-light vigil - my boy was enthralled by the speakers & their stories! Not too mention the prospect of holding a lit candle...

Introducing...

Skyper!!

and one very happy, little girl!!

Prue & Roy

Is it possible to love someone the moment you meet them? Even if you don't know a single thing about them? Then the more you get to know them the more you realize your instincts are right on? Last weekend Alvin & I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with these two absolutely, wonderful people, Prue & Roy! I'm sure they won't mind me sharing their age with you - they proudly shared with us... 91 this year!! And, they've been married 64 years - that's right SIXTY-FOUR years! One person, 64 years...WOW! I love how they can sit across from each other telling a mundane story and manage to crack each other up! Roy still makes Prue giggle.


These two are an inspiration in so many ways... I know that Alvin & I both are in awe of their love, their stamina, dedication to their community and each other! Thank you Prue & Roy for a memorable weekend! Until next time!!

relief

Oh, I'm so glad they made it home safely!

fierce

Just waiting for this fierce guy to get home!!


**Yeah! They're home!! Thanks Meghan for chauffeuring my babies safely!!

Alvin

A couple of weeks ago, we were in the big city for a show & dinner - alright, we went to Sesame Street Live & then Zesto's, but it sounds so much better the other way around... Anywho, as we were leaving Zesto's we noticed a man coming towards us, actually scooching towards us. He was in a wheelchair, obviously disabled and was using his legs to propel himself backwards in the direction he wanted to go - quite a feat! So, we did what every other family visiting the big city does...we hurried the kids into the car, averted our eyes & tried to get away as fast as possible. But he was quick - and managed to engage my sweet husband in a conversation, I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I could tell that my main man was just trying to be polite & waiting for the inevitable ask...

Normally, we don't carry cash - you have to have some to carry it - but for some reason that night we were flush! So, I grabbed up 2 one dollar bills, handed them to my husband and instructed him to give them to the man, which he did and then promptly got in the car. Once in the car he turned to me & said "Did you see that man? He was missing 1/2 his skull!" To which I said..."WHAT? What do you mean 1/2 his skull?" And he replied, "his head looked like a deflated basketball!" Apparently, as told to my husband, his name was Alvin, he'd had a tumor removed from his brain and was lucky to be alive. Here's this poor man, scooching around Atlanta in a wheelchair, no money, no home and probably very, very poor health care - and all I could scrounge up was two measley dollars??? What kind of person am I? The Catholic guilt started making its way through me - I found more money, handed to my husband and made him pull back over, roll down the window & hand this guy the rest of the money.

My husband: "Hey, Alvin!"

Alvin: "Yes?"

My Husband: "My name is Alvin too, here ya go!" (gives him the cash)

Alvin: "Thank you sir! You know my birthday is December 25th - they say I'm blessed!"

My husband: "Whatta ya know? My birthday is December 24th!"

Whatta ya do with that?

!!Deuxième Parti!!!

Alright, I admit it...I went a little overboard... But, honestly - I had a great time doing this! For several months this idea tumbled over & over in my mind and in the end result, I have to say, was pretty close to the one in my head! Well, if you don't count the deluge that forced us to cancel the par-TAY on Satur-DAY!!


Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

!!Birthday Celebration!!

WOW! How did this happen? My baby girl turned four!! ACK!! It was such a super day that it deserves two posts...we'll start with the 1st party of the day...her Montessori celebration!


Walking around the "Sun" four times - signifies how many times the earth has gone around the sun since she was born.


Snack time! We had popcorn!

I also learned that popcorn bags double as great hats! Who knew?


Singing "Little Pig" - apparently the most requested birthday song!

She sees her Daddy!

"diaper girls"

These two girls are funny! They came running in screaming..."Diaper Girls, Diaper Girls..." Won't they love these images in 10+ years?

Rain, rain, go away!

This is why we are having to postpone today's birthday party...or should we have still played through? Nah, the cupcakes aren't even decorated...

my super-models!

More from Wednesday...

Check us out here....

oooh-wee!

Let me begin by explaining that these images were taken with my iPhone...

We had such an exciting day! We drove up to Chateau Elan today and the kids were models for a photography workshop. The workshop, LearnFest was led by four renown child photographers and was attended by 60 photographers from all over North America. And, can I just say that my kids were AWESOME!! I was so proud of them! As you can see from these photographs they were pounced on by many, overzealous ladies with cameras - and they loved every minute of it!


If you'll indulge a proud Mama for one moment I'd like to gush about my kids! Obviously, I was proud of how darn cute my kids looked, but more importantly I was so proud of how well they behaved! I can't tell you how many women came up to me & commented on how polite and well mannered my babies were! And even if they only behaved like that for an hour & 15 minutes they done me proud!

Gift

My girl's birthday is in a week or so. For her birthday we are considering a bunny...or a kitten... We've got to decide between the two - and no, I'm not getting both! Which would you choose?

Are you effin kidding me?

I just got off the phone with my sister - the one with four kids... she told me that her school system sent home a permission slip for parents to sign. Not a permission slip for a field trip to the local zoo, field day or sex education, but a permission slip for parents to sign if they do not want their kids to watch a pre-taped speech by the President of the United States of America...can you even begin to believe that? What in the hell is our country coming to when school kids have to have permission to listen to a speech by their country's current President? Do you really believe, even for one second that this bullshit would have ever occured with our former President - any of them? I mean give me a break! Had something like that happened we would have been ostracized and called "Un-freakin-patriotic" if we'd even thought of keeping little Johnny away from school that day! Seriously, I guess President Obama should be honored since so many ignoramus folk believe he has that much persuasion that he can corrupt their precious children's mind with one speech about staying in school.



He's the President for Godsake - not the blankety blank boogeyman!

Labor Day

I wish I had something witty or profound to say...but I don't...I guess I'm just feeling a little obligated to post something - obligated by whom I don't know... Maybe I'm just feeling obligated to type as many triple dots as I am prone too... I'm sure you've noticed that I ain't got the greatest command of grammar...so I've figured out that rather than worrying about commas, semicolons or any punctuation for that matter - I just proficiently use dashes and dots... works for me... if only I'd figured this out in Freshman English...or at least paid attention the three times I took it...

Anywho...have a wonderful & safe Labor Day weekend. I'm off to labor in Atlanta today - I have a fabulous wedding to photograph in Piedmont Park - I'm so excited!! Oh, I also realize that I use the exclamation mark too freely as well!!! c'est la vie? My blog......-......-.....!!!!!

So long old friend!!

On Friday we bid our old, faithful Isuzu Rodeo adieu! He (I guess it was a he??) was 10 years old & had given us ten good years! He had safely driven us around for 192,000+ miles. This car saw the Husband & I on our 1st date, drove numerous times the 75+ miles, one way, to my house in Atlanta while we dated - sometimes late at night... This is the car that brought our brand-spankin'-new babies home from the hospital. Nervously carried my child, who was reacting to his 1st peanut-allergy, to get his 1st doses of benadryl. The Rodeo drove silently as my daughter, still a fresh newborn, screamed from the top of her lungs for no apparent reason. It hauled dogs, recycling, stinky messes (sometimes those were the dogs!), lumber, groceries and lots of love! It visited, as close as we can figure, 19 of our US states, many family members, and survived 2 fender benders and 1 hydroplaning incident. As a matter of fact - this car helped us build the Jimmy Carter Work Project in 2003.

Our boy was especially sad to see it go. That's an authentic kiss blowing in the picture. His deep attachment was a surprise as he asked for us to keep it around just so he and his sister could use it as a "Play Car." Luckily, the old key he got to keep sufficed.

Good bye old friend.

Danielle's teaser...

Here's a glimpse of my kids in action a couple of weeks ago at Danielle's wedding! They performed their duties perfectly & looked adorable to boot! Although, now they think they are going to be in every wedding we get invited to...sorry Rachel...hope you have room for 2 more!

tentacles

Girl: Mom, boy's have tentacles, right?

Mom: What?

Girl: Mom, boy's have tentacles...right?

Mom: Tentacles...honey, what is she talking about? Oh, I see..."


Get it?

Creamed...

I had this long post typed out about our latest bike riding incident that involved 2 cars, my boy & lots of foul language...but the universe decided that it didn't need to be out there & *poof* took it away... but it didn't take away these precious pictures of my precious boy!

Come on...say it with me...."I could eat him up!"

1st day of school!

Today was our 1st day back at Montessori! It's also my boy's 1st day of kindergarten!! It's a little anti-climatic because he'll be returning to the same class with the same teachers, but none-the-less...it's still KINDERGARTEN!!! He's such a big boy & really wanted to ride his bike to school...so we let him...it's not that far, lots of sidewalks, he should be ok......

Seriously, his sweet dad rode with him & gave our girl a ride in her Chariott - now Mama has to go & pick them up...that should be interesting!

Ring Bearer

Some of you may already know this...but there's a wedding here in town tomorrow & my two beautiful babies will be the flower girl & ring bearer. What an honor - they just happen to love the bride... Tonight at the rehearsal my boy wasn't quite sure what to do with the pillow - so he improvised.

Ode to the Pioneer Woman

So, the time came for us to "harvest" our "crops". We eagerly started with our potatoes...

Everyone dug right in, digging up all the potatoes they could find...which weren't many...

I love the look on my girl...is she disgusted by the carrot or the Lingenfelter Family's ability to "farm"?


We seemed to be more successful at growing worms! Too bad we're vegetarians...

The whole time we were digging my boy kept shouting..."we're the Farmer Family, we're the Farmer Family..." All I can say is thank God for Publix...