Little Things

Edward & Maria having a Life party Saturday morning

The Conjugation Ship

Leo needs attention as Maria conjugates Spanish verbs in preparation for her last final exam which was yesterday.

Flash Back Friday 120

Maria, 1992

Love Thursday

At first I thought Maria was having a love affair with American Literature as she studied for the final...


... until I realized she had also made herself a pair of matching shoes.

Happy Love Thursday!

I Love These Little Things

Yesterday, I was in my neighbor Faith's backyard which overflows with photographic opportunity. As we sat on the deck, these little Seuss-like plants caught my eye. It turns out, they are chives. I had no idea. She told me how easy they are to grow and I wondered how long they took, like if you planted them now.  "Do you mean could you have some for supper?" she asked.  Oy! Sometimes I wish I had more patience with gardening. . .  maybe someday.   For now, I can take pix.

Late Welcome

Somewhere last week in the midst of the tulips and other spring flowers, Edward came home from Calvin.  He arrived at 3am Thursday morning without fanfare, brought his stuff in which was there to greet us in the morning.  He has incorporated himself back into the family and has been a joy to have around!  I do need to get more milk now but I was mentally prepared.  He works full time at Calvin(which is only 25 minutes away) in Information Technology and still runs a lot.

It seems like just yesterday that he arrived at Calvin, sent me the promised Facebook friend request, and I chuckled at his status. . . "College, lol."

Remembering

It's a Good Day

Any day...

is a good day...

... for some sunshine!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Flash Back Friday 119

Teddy & Eddie, May 1995

Go Red Wings!

Love Thursday

Yesterday, when I went on the fun Magnolia Tree photo shoot in my neighbor's yard, I marvelled at yet another one of those precious tulips glowing in the sun.  I hope you love it as much as I do!

Seeing

Nobody sees a flower really

It is so small it takes time

We haven't time

And to see takes time

Like to have a friend takes time.

                                                                                 - Georgia O'Keefe

Those Amazing Trees

Taken May 2, 2009

It's amazing how they are now exploding with new green leaves!

Happy Birthday Queen Mother!!!

Mom with her dearly beloved Beatrix

One More Tulip Post

Since I live in the land of tulip time, I thought I should do one more.

Flash Back Friday 118

A Nellie Tea party with Grandma (aka the Queen Mother) a few years ago

Love Thursday

I haven't done a Love Thursday post in awhile. Well...yesterday, I went over see friends of ours from church - Jodie, Justin & their new almost 3 week old baby Joseph -- and of course to take pictures. I couldn't wait! They were having fun being a new family, you could just tell.

Saturday Night "Shooting"

One of the highlights for sure of last weekend was our invitation to Paul and Deirdre's house in East Grand Rapids. Paul made one of his specialties, Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb with Rosemary and Honey and wild rice, and it was amazing!  We had a salad with homemade dressing that I remember had lemon in it. The night was so, so fun with good conversation, laughter, great wine, and my fave, mint chip ice cream.  To quote D,"Every night should that much fun."

What could make it more fun?  Well a photoshoot in the living room, of course. Here's Deirdre's Nikon version of the shoot which looks so awesome, almost as if she used white backdrops. These are some of the pix I took:

"1000 Welcomes"

The Big Prom Night

Last Friday night, Maria went to the prom with her friend Injae. Of course, I was excited about the photo op!

The photo below might be my fave of 180 pix.  They look like royalty sitting by the duck pond (said the mom).

Maria & her friends had so much fun together as you can see below and the photographer did too :)

Like Father, Like Son

We've been in the process of recovering from a very bad computer virus and I had over 250 photos backed up on my camera and maybe just a few stories to tell leftover in my brain. This past Saturday morning, John ran in his 5th consecutive 25K River Bank Run which goes roughly along the Grand River in ole Grand Rapids. The big excitement this year was that Edward ran in it for the first time and he finished in 1 hour, 42 minutes for the 3rd place medal in his division.   Rain poured down for the first half of the race.

Edward crossing the finish line.

John had an offical time of 2:21.  It's funny to compare to the first post I did on the run 4 years ago when I was still a baby blogger.

John is a BLUR as he crosses the finish line.

Happy Mother's Day!

May 2009 in front of our house

This morning after church, I held the baby I photographed about 10 days ago and wished I again had my camera since she has changed so much.  Next time. We enjoyed a cookout today on the deck with our 3 teenagers who thought it was so funny that they gave me kitchen scissors since  too often, the kitchen scissors I had before had been carried off for other purposes.  I loved them!

Flash Back Friday 117

Edward 1990

The Cat Whose Eyes Matched the Grass

Leo, you are such a funny cat.

Cool Bird

It's a surprise every time I go to look out at the bird feeder.  I took a few shots of this one which John identified as a grosbeek (a rose-breasted one). In just 2 weeks, our little feathered friends have consumed nearly 20 pounds of bird seed!!! I don't think the squirrels have been eating it.

For a closer look at the cool bird seed, look below :)

Bus Stop Portrait

 

Last Friday, as we entered into the last month EVER of waiting for the bus, I took a portrait of Bridget at the bus stop. She was looking so cute there anticipating Grandparent's Day. Most mornings I actually take her to school and this was one of the few where she rode the bus.