Nice Day

Had a wonderful day today. The weather was actually pleasant. I was able to work outside for a little while. Did happen to get the lawn finished. Many sticks had to stop for and pick up. Why? Some from the high winds that we have been having and some from Sadie, our lab--she loves to go and get sticks. Does not matter the size, but if she can carry it she will. Sadie can be so funny.
As we were trimming the tree that we cut down into small pieces -- here comes Sadie-she will try to take it right out of your hand she is so excited and can't wait. Now that the trees are down we can see the beautiful birch tree. So glad we trimmed up the other ones.

Last night had a blast going to Kalamazoo Speedway to the event Night of Destruction. They take so many buses and hook trailers to them with some boats and try to crash and run over the boats that have fallen off the trailers. They also have Monster trucks, various car crashing races and even attempts to try to flip cars over with a ramp. They drive up onto it and they usually just flip on their side and then one did manage to flip all the way over.

I did happen to post pictures and video on my facebook.

This week is going to be a busy week. Lots of Football and soccer. Mason has practice Tue and Thurs and a game Saturday of football. Shawn has football practice Monday, Tue a game, Thurs practice Saturday game. Mitch has soccer games Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Then the other days he practices.

I am enjoying helping out with our church on Wednesday nights. I help with the K/1st grade girls. There are only three at the moment. They are cute! But, trying to keep them busy for an hour is a task when the lesson isn't that long. So, we are going to be creative.

Thursday I am heading up towards Houghton Lake to see my friend Sandy. Looking forward to that.

Everyone enjoy your week.

The days are going by fast

The days are starting to fly by. Just before school starts (in Michigan that is the day after Labor Day), the boys start to get busy with sports if they choose to play. Shawn and Mason are doing football. They practice Monday through Thursday from 5-7pm. Mitch plays soccer for school now for the first time. That is from 3:15 to 5pm. So, I have been busy taking them, watching them and picking them up. Sometimes Tom helps with a lot of the running when he can.



That also makes for a late supper time. Which is fine since school is not in yet and boys tend to wake up later and start their day with breakfast being lunch. LOL



Big holiday weekend coming up and that means "end of summer". Speaking of summer-I have had a pretty awesome summer. I have been able to travel to WV, PA and trips to Cadillac to see friends and a memorial for my Mom. It has been great being able to visit with family this summer on several occasions. The first trip to WV was to help get my Dad ready for his move to a different house. We were able to fix it up and paint it before we helped him move into it. I am very thankful for all of the opportunities that I have had to be able to go on these trips. Looking forward to many more in the future. Thank God for the awesome vehicle that I have to get me to where I am going.



One thing that has happened this year that I am enjoying is getting to know a wonderful friend from High School. It is so nice to reconnect. If anyone has been putting off trying to talk to someone or reconnect with someone that have not connected with in a while, I suggest that you take the opportunity and just do it. You might never regret it.



So, long story short. This has been an awesome year so far.



Getting excited to watch the boys play in the sports that they have chosen. It is so neat watching all of the kids grow in so many ways. The changes that they make from year to year is so amazing.

Enjoy your day!

Great Message today

Had a great day today. There was an awesome message at church. The "Church" is not just a building where people gather. The "church" is the people. No matter what church we attend, we are all God's children. We all need to look out for one another, pray for one another and accept one another for who we are.

Later in the afternoon. Had a wonderful nap and the evening was quiet and uneventful. Had a nice conversation with my Dad and a relaxing evening at home.

Have a wonderful night!

Great time, Great Friends

Headed up to Cadillac to visit with my friends Sandy and Sue. Sue is the short one! LOL

We all played high school softball together. We were (and still are) awesome players. So many great memories with these two wonderful ladies. We went to Maggie's Tavern for lunch and had a great visit.

This is Sue and I. AKA Thumper and Petey!
After lunch Sue had to go home and Sandy and I got to hang out for a while. We went to Wally World to get a few items for canning that her Mom and her were going to do later. After shopping we went to one of Sandy's Sister Annie's kids play football at Cadillac High. Cadillac has the best location of a football field. Lake Cadillac is part of the scenery. So pretty! Holy cow, was that fun and brought back some great memories. We did see a few people that we went to High School with. Ever notice how when you look in the mirror and think that you don't change much, but when look at others from a while ago--you go, wow-things have changed. Like some teachers that have gotten older. I know I still look and feel young! LOL Here is Sandy and Ma Spoon. They asked me to stay over and we had fun canning the tomatoes and having a few drinks with great laughs and socializing. Ma Spoon is overseeing the process and walking us girls through it. She has many years of experience with this canning business and she was teaching us the correct way to can. In the picture above, Sandy is grinding down the tomatoes and making juice out of it.
Is that like the coolest thing ever?!!!!!!

We all got to take turns at having a hand on the smasher. It was pretty cool! Well, TIMES UP!!! Time to take them out of the water bath. Great job Sandy!

You did not get burnt.
The picture below is the finished product of the tomato juice that we made.

In the morning we canned more tomatoes and later Sandy will make her Salsa.

I had the best day with my friends.
Looking forward to many more good times!

Things to do

Well, I am just getting started in trying to find items to purchase for my photo business that I want to get up and running eventually. I am just starting to research some items. Such as, maybe a few different lenses, filters, lighting, backdrops, etc.

Also searching websites for different photo printing and will have to create a name for my business and then make a web page and get all of that stuff in order. Time--that is what it will take. The more I do this stuff, the more I tend to get excited about it.

Now I know that this will take a while till I get things set up the way that I want.

I have had the opportunity to practice taking some photos of people and have to set up a few more photo shoots. Kinda crazy that someone would trust me to take their pictures. LOL

Tomorrow, I am thinking that I am going to go for a ride and look for some areas to do some great shots in the local areas.

Sunset on Lake Michigan - July 25, 2010

Sure was a beautiful day today! We had awesome weather and were able to shut the A/C off and enjoy a nice breeze coming through the windows. Enjoyed the pool for a while and I also went out to Lake Michigan to take photos of a family. While out there I had the opportunity to see a beautiful sunset. I have not sat at the Lake in a while to take in a sunset. It was very calm, nice breeze, and listening to the waves crash against the shore was a great experience.

Something funny happened while I was out there taking pictures and standing along the shore. I believe that there was a guy "hitting" on me. How funny is that?!!!!! As I was taking pictures, this guys starts to strike up a conversation. He was nice and I did talk to him, but that is all. For Pete's sake, I just wanted to take pictures. LOL It is nice to talk to other people. Maybe he just needed someone to chat with. His sister was in the water and he was just enjoying the shore and all of its peacefulness.

So here are a few shots I would like to share with you about my adventure at the beach.

A GREAT TIME WITH A GREAT FRIEND

Holland, Michigan-Big Red Lighthouse.

Was a great couple days spending time with an long time friend from High School. The adventures began with the arrival at my house and then we ventured around the sites.

We went shopping for a little while. As we were shopping, the rain started to dump like buckets of water out of the sky.

We got soaked running in and out of the stores. Sandy did offer me her raincoat and I said 'no' and she said 'bet ya wished you had your umbrella'!!! Not really sure how much the umbrella would have helped. LOL

Went to Johnny Carinos for lunch and that was delicious.

This is my friend Sandy. We have some really great memories together. Plus, we were so good at softball, we were on the varsity team together our freshman year. Cannot believe a lot of years have went by and we finally got to reconnect this year after finding one another again.

We went to Holland and checked out the lakeshore and some of the cute little town. There are a lot of cool old buildings there. Tried to check out another friend from High Schools art studio. She wasn't there but it was fun trying to find her place.

Decided to end our adventures on Thursday and ended up going to the nice little mexican restaurant in my town.

Friday we had a great breakfast and then headed out on some more adventures. Went to Grand Haven, Michigan this time.

I really like it out there. They have such a nice boardwalk and pier to walk on. The waves were pretty high and there were people trying to surf the whitecaps. We also got to see some people catch really good sized bass. If we only had a container to take them home in and were not going to run around a lot. We might have had us some bass for dinner. LOL

This picture is of the Grand Haven Lighthouse. It was nice standing out there and watching everyone. We did get a little wet from the water coming up on the pier.

As you see, the water sprays were awesome. This one came up and crashed the wall and as we got out of the way, the water was running wildly on the pier and we ended up getting only our feet wet. So much fun!

We went through town and toured some of the shops and had cocktails at Kirby Grill. What a great couple of days and time well spent with an awesome friend.

This is Sandy and I.

Love ya Buddy!

Happy Birthday to Shawner Bawner

Happy 12th Birthday Shawn!!!

Hard to believe that 12 years has gone by! I always go back in remembering how you came into my life. You are a very handsome and wonderful boy. You always make me laugh!
I am extremely proud in the young man that you have become!
Love ya lots!
MOM

Annual Easter Egg Hunt-2010

We had a great turnout for the Egg Hunt.
Love watching the little ones find the eggs.

My friend Rebecca Gruno whom I have met this year at where I worked. She is such a riot!

Here with her Daughter and grandkids.

My niece Daelynn.

So adorable!

My friend Renee with her little one Cameron.

This is almost everyone. There is probably another twenty or so walking around and taking pictures.

Shawn hunting for a prize!

Where's the chocolate bunny?

More little hunters

Faith, my husband Tom and Ted

Lea and Cooper

I started this tradition back in 2003 after my first husband Randy passed away. I wanted to start some more traditions and thought that an Easter egg hunt would be great. So, it has been 8 years now! I have enjoyed every year! We started with about ten kids in 2003 and have made it over 80 people this year. There was under 100 but more than 80.

It was a little breezy and that breeze was a little chilly, but we all had a great time. I love watching everyone run around and have a blast!

Christmas Family Pictures-2009

We sure do have a lot of fun in our house! LOL

This was a fun picture.

Good idea Mom (Shelly).

Another fun picture.

My wonderful kids!

Top row: Shawn, Mason, Mitch

Bottom row: Amanda and boyfriend Nate

We are happy to have Nate as part of the family.

Of course Sadie wanted to be included in all of the fun. She is so cute!

Kalamazoo Air Zoo

This is a very old motorcycle. Pretty cool.

I decided to take Shawn to the Air Zoo so he could see what his Dad-Randy-use to get so excited about. If I would have had more money on me, I would have given him a ride in a biplane.






Shawn really enjoyed walking around and looking at everything. There were a couple similaters that were really cool too. I let him drive the one that was like flying and he flipped me all over the place. I have to say, that is was soooo much fun. I screamed and laughed and held on! He thought it was cool, whipping me around and laughed a couple times because of the way I was acting. LOL


Just something to climb in and mess with some of the buttons.






















Very interesting helicopter.












Inside of a big plane. No, I do not know what kind it was. Looks like one they sit in and jump out of.



















This is Shawn sitting inside.













Isn't he handsome?!!!













Check out that big engine.





























Shawner Bauner













Shawn and I riding the balloon ride. Boy did it go fast and I had to keep my eyes looking at Amanda who was across from us. Otherwise I was getting dizzy and a little nauseous.

Waiting to get on the space shuttle ride.

So happy that I took him.

Have not been on in a while

We went camping up to Silver Lake at Jellystone Campground. That is one of our favorite spots.
This the first time that we took Sadie (our dog) on the camping trip with us. We were surprised at how well she did.
Coast Guard Festival 2009. Shawn and Amanda in back row and Mitch, Tom, Mason in the row ahead of them.
Out on a walk on the Grand Haven Pier. One of the things that we enjoy doing.

I will send more updates on a new post.