Lake McSwain & Family Visit

Last weekend we had a fabulous overnight camp trip to Lake McSwain.  What made it fabulous was that Gilbert, Ashlee, Maycin and Margo came to visit for the day.  Maycin caught his first tarantula and both the kids had fun throwing rocks (and other debris) in the lake.  =o/  The BBQ hamburgers that Cliff forgot to season were the best we've had ever!!  The cold didn't get us down and we made make-shift mittens out of my socks for Margo along with the grandkids wearing my hats to cover their heads.  It was just pain FUN!  Then after everyone left, Cliff and I settled into Odessa with a hot bowl of homemade potato soup and a movie.  The wind began to gust and the rain pelted against the tin siding.  It was a pretty exciting night that night.  We woke to cloudy skies but later it turned into the most beautiful day!  The video link is below to view our adventures:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDG7Ipniirg

Tootsie Roll Man

Almost 16 years ago we bought and moved into the house we presently live in.  Corry was a Junior in high school, Ashlee was in 8th grade and Lacee was in 2nd grade.  Ashlee and Lacee spent a lot of time outside playing.  I was outside with them in the front yard when an elderly man approached them and gave them each a tootsie roll.  My kids were polite and thanked him.  However, the over protective mother in me didn't want them to eat the candy.  I didn't know this man.  I mentioned this man to a mother/neighbor across the street and she said, "Oh that's the Toosie Roll Man!  He fills his pockets with Toosie Rolls to hand out to the children in our neighborhood when he goes on his walks.  He lives just down the street.  He has been handing out Toosie Rolls for a couple of years now."  I just stood there and said "Oh, that's good to know!"  I thought that was a very sweet thing to do, and he got such joy out of it.  So, I let my girls eat their Tootsie Rolls.  From then on, they looked forward to the Tootsie Roll Man's daily walks!   

I met up with the Tootsie Roll Man the other day on a walk and we talked..."Yeah, I still hand out Tootsie Rolls," he said.  "Did you know that I'm on my second generation now?!"  He burst with joy!!

Well, today on my walk, I saw the Tootsie Roll Man...much like years past.

 He greeted his litte next door neighbor girl (with her mom), "Oh look at your pretty dress!"  Then he asked the little girl and mother to wait and he went to his pickup and came back with a bag.  As he approached the little girl, Gordon and "G" dog walked up to watch Tootsie Roll Man's magic!

Just look at the joy on Tootsie Roll Man's face as he walks back to his pickup!  Or perhaps someone cracked a funny joke...who knows!

And, there is no denying, that that little bug-a-boo was delivered the goods!  Tootsie Rolls!  It was a good day!

A Maternity Shoot...Jayma!

Other things keeping me busy...I offered a maternity shoot with video to Jayma as a baby shower gift.  I had not shot a maternity shoot for about 3 years and was a little out of practice.  I have decided along with still photos, I'm giving a video as well.  This was my first video for someone other than family and I was a little nervous.  But, she along with her friends found it moving and loved it.  Whew!  I honestly wasn't sure how it would be received.  The video link is below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwmR15gFMOA&sns=fb

Flag Football...Our Cowboy!!

Maycin is 8 years old and this is his second year playing flag football.  He has really come along...getting into the game...understanding how to play and has a lot more interest this year than last.  Below is a photo of Maycin last year!  (Click on any photo to enlarge it)

Maycin's flag football coach is his dad, Gilbert.  Gilbert also coached Maycin's team last year.  I'm pretty proud of my favorite son-in-law and grandson!!

"Little Apple" and the Apple of our Eye!!

I asked Ashlee if I could have a photo shoot with Margo for practice as I was doing a maternity shoot with video just days before and felt a little out of practice.  We did the shoot out at Yosemite Lake near Merced (about 10 miles from us) on October 18th, 2011.  Margo had fun on the shoot and had very little direction in the video.  It all came together with a cute background song, "Little Apple".  The video is below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1btYeS2lSM

Eastman Lake Campout September 24, 2011

One thing about the Eastman Lake area is that there is plenty of wildlife and the animal/bird you might see the most are vultures.  Although a bit hideous, they are graceful in the air and fun to watch.  To see more wildlife and what we were up to this camping trip, click on the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VipoVOfaRFA

Camping McSwain and goin' BATS!

Cliff and I went camping at Lake McSwain September 17th, 2011.  We so enjoyed watching the Western Bluebirds in camp.  There were many of them and they liked landing in the trees next to us.  They are really pretty.

This is a baby rattlesnake.  Yes, we have rattlesnakes in our foothills and mountains here.  They say if you see one baby rattlesnake there are others near by.  Luckily this one wasn't right in camp, but on a gravel road about a block or two away.  We spotted another one on the same road, but squished by a vehicle.  I was not thrilled to see this little creature of God, so tiptoed all the way back to camp!

This was our view from camp before the sun rose...looking out onto Lake McSwain.  So peaceful.  HOWEVER, not so peaceful was the evening before.  Cliff and I had an encounter with the Lake McSwain bats.  Check out the video link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e8QHE_yyQw

Vernonia Visit with High School Chums!

Friends...really more than friends...family!  These are people I grew up.  Miles & years have separated us, yet we remain friends...family!!  Cliff and I were blessed to have time with old friends while in Vernonia.  I cherish the memories we made that day/evening!  Video link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzVBB-pfMM8

Oregon...Yearly Trek...August 2011

The years we have traveled I-5 north to family in Vernonia, we travel through this high mountain meadow that always causes me to day dream..."what would life be like in this beautiful place?"

Our first stop is an overnight visit with our good friends Cathy and Dave...oh how we have missed their company since they left the Central Valley.  But, oh how happy they are to be in their new home in Oregon.  We picked up where we left off a year ago, but our visit was WAY too short!

Video link below of the first Trek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaONmzePoqk

 

 

 

My highlight returning home is always to be with Mom!  As I miss Dad terribly, I look forward to still having one parent to enjoy a little time with.  Mom's eyes were lit up when I took this shot.  It warmed my heart. 

Our hosts (and my brother-in-law and sister), Cracker and Daf continue to open their home for family gathers, for folks like us...family coming to visit.  We are blessed to have them in our lives!

...AND, there is the "good lookin'" brother, Ronald, and his family...Sandy, Heidi and Nicholas!  We also were blessed to have a meal with them a couple days later.  We sure do eat good when we visit our Vernonia family!!

Then there is the "little" brother of the 4, but still my big brother, Darwin, and his wife Linda.  I have come from a family of story tellers, and I think Darwin is the best (or is he the biggest?)!

My nephew, niece and great nephew...Tim, Allison and Cannon!

Last, but not least, my niece and nephew, Teresa and Pat.

Five generations...Eric (my great nephew), Ron by brother, Mom, Angie (my niece) and Stetson (my great, great nephew)!!! 

Video link below of the family gathering:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze5y-27RM_I

2011 July Summer Fun

Maycin is 8 and Margo 3.  Life in the Central Valley, in the dead of Summer, is just plain HOT!  What would the kids do without swimming pools and other bodies of water to play in?  Maycin is truly a great big brother to Margo shown here.

Puppies (dogs) and kids (grand kids)...nothing better...and the joy they bring to each other.  It's pure and it's moving and it's love!

AND, the wonders of books...even if you don't know how to read yet!  Summers...reminiscent and new all over again!

Birthday Girl! Margo's Three!

Our little Margo has turned 3 (June 21, 2011)...and the balloons were a hit from start to finish!

Yosemite with Old Friends!

We had the most wonderful reunion with one of my high school buds, Mike, and his wife Cindy, in Yosemite National Park a couple of weekends ago.  It seemed we started back right where we left off...as if we had not been apart the last 30 years.  It was fun and we got to admire and marvel at God's beautiful creation together.  Mike and Cindy, it was grand and I hope we get another opportunity to spend time together again soon. 

Odessa & Lake McSwain

In the last month we have taken 3 camp trips to Lake McSwain.  The first was our maiden voyage in Odessa and it was cut short because of tendinitis in my left arm.  OUCH!!  The next two visits were wonderful!  The camp sites were great and camp neighbors friendly.  The weather couldn't have been any better and the R&R was very much welcomed!

We are very grateful for weekends away, and our little Odessa.  Cliff had a dream, and it came true after many hours of hard work (on Cliff's part) for the last 3 3/4 years.  We are looking forward to many more adventures with Odessa.

Easter 2011

The bug-a-boo and princess hunt for eggs...

We are fam-i-ly!

...and this little princess had to go to work!

Princess Peanut and Bug-a-boo!!

What a blessing to have children...and then grandchildren!  They have been perfectly placed in my world!

Corry's Homecoming

We are just a couple of miles before reaching the Sacramento Airport, in which is about a 15 minute drive north of Sacramento.

We arrived at the airport and saw these niffy police Segways.  Kinda cracked me up!!

We entered the airport and found American Airlines terminal and a fun roulette baggage claim area near by (advertising one of the casinos in California).

There was going to be about an hour delay for Corry's plane, so we sat, waited and people watched.

This was my favorite people watch shot...waiting for Daddy to return from a military deployment, we imagined.  I'm just sorry we didn't see the reunion!!

It was getting closer to the time of Corry's arrival.  A boat load of people just arrived on a jet before Corry's, waiting for their luggage at the roulette baggage claim in the background.  AND a bunch of us were waiting for the next flight to arrive.  After watching many reunions with family and friends...the hugs, the tears, the laughter...I'm now convinced that airports are one of the happiest places on earth!!

After waiting and waiting and realizing that perhaps something might be wrong, since there were just a handful of us left, and everyone else had reunited and already left the terminal, Cliff decided to ask one of the ticket ladies behind the counter...and low and behold normally this would have been the gate area for Corry's flight, but because of construction they moved it to gate 22!!  We were late by about 10 minutes we figured.  We rushed to gate 22, swimming up stream against all of Corry's flight passenger buds hoping we hadn't missed him.  We arrived at the gate and there were just a few left waiting for their loved ones.  Just as we arrived I saw Corry's feet...then his legs...then his chest appear from the escalator, and exclaimed, "There he is!!"  Cliff and I rushed to meet him with hugs and laughter.  It was totally God's timing and we could not have orchestrated it so perfectly if we tried.  I didn't get any of the reunion on film...just wanted to be in the moment.

It felt so good to see our son...we're so glad to have him home in the states...we're so thankful that God gave Corry to us.  We are so proud to be the parents of an Air Force Reservist!!  Thank you, son, for your faithful service to God and country!