A CHILD OF GOD

Hi out there in blogville!!!! I know, it's been months since I posted and I really don't expect anyone to comment, but I wanted to bring you up to date!!!

Hubby and I celebrated our 25th Anniversary in May!!! I won't lie and say it's been a perfect marriage, we've had our ups and downs, but by the grace of God, we love each other more today than back then!!! Our daughters are 24 and 22 and our grand daughter is 20 months old and she is "Grandpa's Girl"!!! She's going to have a baby brother in December ~ 8 days (maybe) after her birthday!!! Needless to say, her Dad and Grandpa are both thrilled, maybe even more than Mom and Grandma!!!

I'm still very involved in photography and if you'd like you can view some of my work on Flickr. For me, it's been more addictive than blogging!! :-) I want to share one of my fave photos of our little girl. Isn't she adorable?? I think so. Those eyes really are that blue!!! I take care of her several days a week when Mom is working and Dad is sleeping (he works third shift).

One of my favorite things to photograph is flowers. If you lived next door to us, you may see me in your yard!!! Most of our neighbors are used to seeing me snapping shots of their flowers. Another favorite subject is sunsets and sunrises. It seems this summer we've had some phenomenal skies here in our Valley! Each a different painting by the MASTER!!!!

Hope all of you are well and, as time permits, I may just get active in this community once again!

Recently Hubby and I decided to spend a day taking pictures. We went all over the county and into Staunton as well. Yes, that's how it is spelled and it is pronounced Stanton.

Two years ago a "new" hotel opened. The Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center. Actually the hotel first opened in 1924 but had eventually closed and become quite run down. It had a multi-million dollar face lift and has become quite the place to be seen in the area. Although you won't see us there unless we go in to take pictures. So, here it is in all it's grandeur!!



On the inside you are greeted by such much elegance and grace!









Not sure if this is local art or not:


And finally, all decked out for New Year's Eve...


Hope you enjoyed this part of the tour. Stay tuned, there will be more to come.

Wishing each one of you an especially blessed New Year full of hope. May you be strengthened and enriched for the coming year. May God empower you with His glorious strength which is found only in Christ Jesus.

Well, I thought I didn't have any pictures of a MESS, but then I remembered this one!
It's K's first birthday!

But who knows for how long! Hi everyone~I've missed you all! Yea, I know, if I've missed you, why haven't I been around? Well, I've become a Flickr-holic! Yes, I'm addicted to Flickr and I admit it. Back when my good friend and neighbor, Lazy Daisy got me started in blogging, which led to a digital camera, which led to Flickr, WHO KNEW!!!! I even have my own group.

In case you didn't know, Flickr is a whole community. Yes, people commenting on other people's photos, Flickr-mailing, and even meeting...just like bloggers. Of course, many of you already know that. In fact, a fellow Flickr-ite and his family are coming by our home tomorrow and it will be their second visit!

Lazy Daisy asked me to do a couple of things to her template (I'm surprised I remembered how) and I decided that since I still have my blog, I may as well see what's going on in Blogville. So here I am.

Life has been busy over the holidays. Our beautiful granddaughter turned one on Dec. 22 and we had a party-of course. Her mom made cupcakes instead of a cake and she had it everywhere. Then on Christmas Eve they came to our house for dinner. Our daughters made peanut butter balls while Dad watched baby and Grammy and Grandpa watched a movie (hee hee)! Then Christmas Day we went to their house for breakfast and on to Great Granny's with all of my hubby's family! WHEW what a day. Hubby has six brothers and sisters, all have children and all but one was there. It was good to see everyone even though most live nearby.

I hope each of you had a very special Christmas and are looking forward to a blessed New Year.

And now you say, there are no dumb questions, only dumb answers. Maybe it's not exactly a dumb question, but it is a question nonetheless!

Do you ever get the "silly giggles"? That's what I call it. Maybe you call it something else or maybe you don't have the slightest idea of what I'm talking about. To me the silly giggles is when you get tickled about something and start laughing and laughing and laughing and laughing, well you get the idea ~ you can't stop! It happened to me last night but I won't go into details here. I got tickled about something that happened to our beautiful Boo (that's what I call our granddaughter) and I could not stop laughing. I had to go to our bedroom because I was getting embarrassed! Our daughter was in class but our son-in-law was here.

I must have laughed for 20 minutes, I could not stop! I laughed so hard tears were rolling down my checks, my ribs hurt, my stomach hurt and my lungs hurt. It was painful! After I went to bed I thought of it again and started to giggle again~even now as I type this, I'm smiling. The sad part is that the incident wasn't THAT funny; yes, it was funny but not to that extent.

So, again I ask, am I the only person this happens to?

And I'm in charge of the cake!!!! It has not been an easy task either! I mean, after all, am I supposed to have one for the "dragon slayer" "ax murderer" or the lady who LOVES hats???? If you've met Melli, you know what I'm talking about but if you haven't, I'm really sorry because Melli is such a joy to be around. And believe me, you NEVER know what to expect!!!!!!





Well I decided on the traditional cake. So everyone, please help yourself to a piece, make yourself at home and let me tell you about the time Melli wanted her picture taken on top of her car (truck) coming out of a car wash!!!!!



Please be sure to visit Melli at Insanity Prevails (and believe me...IT DOES!) and wish her Happy 50th and check out the remaining hostesses!