Finding the Beauty

I got a new application on my phone for taking pictures. I captured some lovely pictures around our farm. Some of these things when I pass them every day going to and fro irritate me. They are things that need to get cleaned up or add clutter to an otherwise serene environment, but this day I was able to find the beauty in them. Enjoy

Take time to find the beauty in those everyday irritations.

Gift Exchange Wish List


Dad

1. Lowes Gift Card
2. Kohl's Gift Card
3. Target Gift Card

Mom

1. Bunny's Sew Fine Frabics Gift Card (28 Price Road 366-1433)
2. Luxurious Terry Cloth Robe
3. Jo Ann Frabics Gift Card

Calista

1. $40 Gift Certificate to barbershop downtown (Self Image W. Church Street)
2. $25 Gift Certificate to anywhere else
3. ??

Lawrence

1. $25 Gift Card from fishing shop on Union Street (lost all of his things at dillon lake - tackle box, lures, hooks :-()
   

Andy

1. Skil 6 inch Red Bench Grinder 2.1 amp $49.97 on sale at Lowes for 39.97. Item number 20842
2. Kobalt 2 1/4 ton Blue floor jack $46.97 (Item Number 87805) - Lowes

Chris

1. Lowes Gift Card
2. Home Depot Gift Card
3. Best Buy Gift Card

Vonetta

1. Surprise me :-)
2. Silver lariat necklace (simple/delicate)
3. Inspi(red) long sleeve red T-shirt from the gap

Tatum

1. Mikasa white wine glasses in the blue box at Macy's on sale for $34.99 (The decorated wine glasses, not flutes, not martini, or highballs)
2. Target Gift Card (for random shopping) or a game (Mad Gab, Taboo, Apples to Apples etc…or whatever seems fun to you!)
3. Kohls gift card

Armond

1. Sweater and matching scarf
2. Gift card from store of choice
3. Protein

Datus

1. Guitar
2. I-Home
3. Television

Wesley

1. Clothes (Pants 36w 30L; Shirts XL)
2. Hoodies (no zipper)
3. Gift Cards
4. Basics (socks, underwear, etc)

Keirstin

1. Clothes (Pants 12 or 14; Shirts L)
2. Gift Cards (Aeropostle, American Eagle, etc)
3. Basics (socks underwear, etc

Camden

1. Star wars ship
2. Transformers (get gift receipt, he has a few already)
3. Star Wars stuff
4. Surprise him

Jamison

1. Surprise him
2. Clothes sizes 12 - 18 months

Long Time, No Blog!

I have been very neglectful...to my blog. I sincerely apologize. I reeled you in, got you hooked and then...I abandoned you. You...my loyal followers...my family. Well I'm back and I have some major updating to do. I started to get stressed out about my posts. Feeling like I couldn't add something unless it was off the charts funny or interesting. In my humble opinion, my previous posts were pretty amusing to my followers...all two of them. I have given myself permission to just stay on top of blogging regardless of the content. I'm sitting here on Thanksgiving weekend watching college football. Oklahoma just beat Oklahoma State 61 to 41. It was a good game. It's been a full weekend, but I'm getting ahead of my self. My next several posts are going to look back and highlight some of the things that have happened this fall, funny pictures and my random thoughts. At some point we'll get to the current day. At some point...but whats the rush? We've got plenty of time and lots to cover so let's get started. On second thought, its 11:54 and I am exhausted! I'm going to bed and will start posting again tomorrow. Nighty night!

Okay...I won't leave you without at least one picture. Here's lovely little Jamos in a basket taken just today. Boy if you could buy a Basket-O-Jamos in the stores, they would fly off the shelves. Oh...and as an added bonus please note the scandalous picture of my hip, thigh and calf...sexy! Talk to you tomorrow!

Small Towns

There is something very special about small towns. I happen to live in one and wouldn't trade it for the world. Big towns have their place with lots of night life and things to do. But there is something innocent about small towns. The local ice cream shop that's been around forever, high school games and dances, parades, downtowns, and the local mall...the familiarity of it all is very comforting. Obviously it changes overtime but it somehow stays the same. Here are some pictures from my little corner of the world and some of my favorite small town people. I'm happy to have them here with me. I am thankful for each of them in this moment. Truly, I am blessed.





Cammy and the Parade!

Our school mascot...a wildcat with people hands!?

You know you're in a small town when: The local sports star from the previous year comes back for the homecoming parade (see corny pose below)

Cats won state title '07!!! Thank you Mr. Avery!


My dear nephew Wesley was on the sophmore homecoming court. In a small town that's a big deal. My brother was prom king last year. In a small town, that's right up there with the first black president. Watch out Obama!

(not his date).......................................his date...(can you spot decepticon's brawls)

Proud parent's escorting him on the field

mom & dad posing for a perty picture!

I was asked to come over and do my neices make up before the homecoming dance. I felt priviledged. She looked like a mini-me!

"She's a brick....house. She's mighty mighty..."

The man of Steele and his clan of Steeles.

BEFORE and AFTER!!!!

Cammy and his BIG cousin Wes!

Here we are showing our family support at the game...we got beat....BAD!

Von and Armondillo and .................................................Daddio!

JAMOS!

RAW, Duck & Tito

Let's hear a BIG shout out for small towns!!!.... "Yeah!"

Pantyhose, Undies and Brawls...Oh My!

TRANSFORMERS...

More Than Meets The Eye!

Camden is into several things these days, but Transformers have been pretty much one of his favorites for quite a while now. He has Rescue Rachet, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Megatron, and several others. He was playing with one of his toys named Decepticon Brawl the other evening when he asked me a very interesting question…

Camden: "Mommy, Are these his brawls?"
Mommy: “What?”
Camden: (pointing at the two parts of his toy) “Are these his brawls?”
Mommy: “Do you know what brawl means?”
Camden: “Yes”
Mommy: “What does it mean?”
Camden: “Something girls wear”
Mommy: “Something girls wear where?”
Camden: (patting his chest, with a smile)
Mommy: …(laughing)

My little guy is growing up so fast. I guess I should stop wandering around the house…in my brawl.









~ His One True Love~








Okay, as you may have read in an earlier post. Camden has plans to marry his dear sweet mother one day. Unfortunately, I'm not the only woman who resides in his heart. Camden has eyes for another. Her name...Sarah.





Camden has long professed that he has plans to marry two women. One being me and the other being Sarah. I however, have already been proposed to by Camden...not that I'm keeping score or anything.



Now, according to Camden, in his wedding to Sarah he says she will wear a pink ball gown and he will wear a black tuxedo. They plan to live here...with Andy and I....(I don't think so!)



I'm doing all I can to edge out little Miss Sarah and be the one and only lady he has eyes for. Much to my dismay the other day, Friday, October 10, 2008 to be exact, Camden woke up for school and professed that he had a great dream...

Camden: "I had a great dream last night"

Mommy: "Really...What was it?"

Camden: "I was looking at Sarah and I was smiling at her."
Mommy: "What was Sarah doing?"
Camden: "She was smiling at me."
Mommy: "Did you say anything to each other?"
Camden: "No."
Mommy: "Why were you smiling at her?"
Camden: "Because I loved her…"
Mommy: "Why was she smiling at you?"
Camden: "Because she loved me "
Mommy: (heart breaking)

Score:

Mommy - 0 ~~~~~~~~~~Sarah - 1

Girl Cheese Sandwiches!...I mean...um...what?

Camden asked me to make him a sandwich today. When I asked him what kind he wanted and he said he wanted a "girl cheese sandwich". I found it so sweet and funny that I didn't have the heart to correct him. I cut his "girl cheese sandwich" into a heart shape for him. Let's see you do that Miss Sarah! He ate every last bite starting with the one pictured above!

Score:

(Mommy 1 ~ Sarah 1)

Y

Here's to lunch time snacks with grilled cheese, girl cheese or whatever kind of cheese you like!

All Things Presidential

My dear Cammy has obviously been as interested in this presidential campaign as the rest of the country. He told me the other day that he had a dream of the unfortunate demise of Barack Obama. I listened intently. He went on to say in his dream it was going to happen in 48 days. Now, being that we were just under two months from the election and with the prospect of having our first black president, I thought my little boy might have had a moment of clairvoyance. I listened intently and asked “How did he die in your dream?” Expecting some awful response, I listened... “Well”, Camden said, “he was walking and he fell into a puddle with a big hole in it….”

So here’s a word of advice to Mr. Obama:

Be wary of puddles for the next month or so. Camden would be so sad if something happened to you.

Look...up in the sky! It's a bird...it's a plane...it's....Barack Obama?!

I WANT YOU!

(to vote for Barack Obama)

(...or I'll hit you with this chicken)

Cammy Quotes...

(After watching an Obama campaign ad)
Camden: “Mom, I’m voting for Barack Obama."

Mommy: “Why”

Camden: “Because he has a message.”
(Two days later after watching a McCain ad)

Camden: “Mom, John McCain has a message too!”

Cammy Quotes - Take 2!

Camden: “Mom, I just saw Barack Obama on TV.”
Camden: “ I waved at him and said, Hi Barack Obama, I hope you win.”

Mommy: …Laughing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~I’m Camden’s mommy and I approve this message~

14 Things to Love About Fall

The fall season is here. I was talking to my sister who was dreading the fact that fall is here. Now, in years past I would be in total agreement with her, but this year I have a new attitude. In my effort to be the new me that I profess to be, I have decided to focus on all things lovely about fall. So for my baby sister in no particular order here's my list of 14 reasons to be happy about fall. Love to you Tito!!!

1. Ohio State Football - Go Bucks!

2. Looking out at the grey sky from the Caribou window (as I am now) and enjoying a zebra cooler and the coffee aroma - mmmmmm!

3. Wes's football games all huddled up as a family - Go Cats!


4. Shopping for cute coats, sweaters, scarves and the perfect jeans at Easton!


5. Taking advantage of the chance for a snuggle up with your favorite rubber Ducky...

6. Going to a pumpkin patch and picking out and carving pumpkins.

7. Jamos in a scarecrow costume..."You can't win..." (Shout out to Michael Jackson!!)


8. Cammy in a Obe-Wan-Kinobe costume...(ignoring hearing over 100 times..."who are you supposed to be?")


9. Thanksgiving dinner, desserts and games...and LOTS of laughter.

10. Tito's birthday

11. Mom's birthday

12. Ducky's Birthday

13. Lovely fall colors...leaves, sweaters, everything!

14. Enjoying another season with all of our family, alive, and well.



Now go out and create your own "favorites about fall" list, and when someone starts to complain about the changing of the season, start rattling off your reasons to love fall list...and wait for your punch in the face!!!

Cammy & Jamos Quotes...

Camden: "When I was a baby I used to sleep in this bed"

Jamison: ...Silence

Camden: "I was a big boy, but I used to wear diapers"

Jamison: ...Silence

Camden: "Jamison, do you know how I get exercise?"

Jamison: ...Silence

Camden: "I get exercise from playing, that's how I get exercise"

Jamison: ...Silence

Completely Random Thought~~~


This guy who looks like William Shatner just walked into the coffee shop. Not Shatner from Star Trek, but Shatner from Boston Legal. I wonder how many people have told him he looks like William Shatner. I'm resisting a strong temptation to be the first....Hopefully he leaves before I say something. "Um...excuse me sir, has anyone ever told you..."