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!

Dutch Hollow Tulip Farm

We attend church on Saturday nights (our church has 2 services...one Saturday night and one Sunday morning).  We have grown to love attending church at night.  So, Sundays are pretty open for us and last Sunday we drove to Modesto to eat breakfast at Mimi's and then do a little shopping.  After most of our shopping we drove to the new tulip farm, Dutch Hollow.  It's only been in production for two years.  We actually got on the tail end of the season as this weekend is their last for the tulips.  But, I was able to get some nice shots and I came home with two bunches of tulips...my favorite flower.  The day couldn't have been more perfect! 

As Tuesdays have it!

Oh boy...I had a list of things to get done today...and I ended up here!!  Had a blast at Kohl's and I don't even like shopping for clothes.  They are overpriced and never fit, but somehow I had a receipt in my hand that said, "You Saved $59.06".  Let's just say I'm set for the summer and I don't care if my peeps think I look frumpy in my new digs!  Comfort, that's what it's all about.

After I got home and did a few things I realized, "Hey you!  Yeah you in the dated glasses, the Crocs knock off clogs and the bleached hair!  It's a beautiful day!!!"  So, I went for a drive!

I've always considered myself a country girl.  Y'all can have the city...this right here is what I'm talkin' about!  Right here with the green rolling hills and the puffy cloud sky.  Now which way to go?!

A crop-duster was in the area...he was dusting a far piece from where I was, but I still didn't get out of the car.  I have a great respect for chemicals!!

The walnut trees haven't leafed out yet...

...like the almond orchards have. 

Oh Baby Bovine, you steal my heart!

I shall call thee, Mocha and Cream...



...and you, my velvety goodness, shall be called Petey!

Although my heart was left back at the bovine pasture, I was attentive to dangers ahead.  Well, maybe not dangers.  More like horsing around state of affairs, but none the less.  This black beauty let herself back into the pasture.  The gate was ajar.  It was 5 mounts against this damsel in distress or I would have tried to find the owner.  I didn't venture out from the safety of the inside of my vehicle.

And you, my white faced pinto, keep a better eye on your little sister!  Y'hear?!

It Could Have Been Just Awful!!!

My morning prayer walk started out cloudy, but beautiful none the less.  Although some of the landscape is changing, as we float through our Spring (actually, it's not even spring yet...according to the calendar), the color is still popping!  I love it!

On my walk I often pass one of our neighbor's, Gordon and "G" dog.  Gordon asked me, "did you see the set of keys on your street this morning?"  I told him that I had not seen the keys, but noticed some of the papers and I was going to pick them up on my way back home.  He told me the last time he returned keys to the police station they kept him for 1/2 hour...hmmmm...I thought to myself, "if I see the keys I'm calling the police!" 

So, when I got near my home, I did indeed see the keys and thought, "this could be a crime scene...this could be from a home invasion...this could be...Oh yes, I'm calling the police."  The dispatcher told me he would send a patrol car out right away.  They must have had nothing else on their plate as a set of keys on the street in the middle of a residential area is small potatoes.

While waiting for the police officer, I was talking to Lacee about seeing the keys and calling the police and no more than I got the words out, I heard our street cleaner coming down the street.  I screamed and ran outside saying to myself "no, no, NO!!"  I looked the opposite way and here came a patrol car.  I stood right in the center of the street so neither the police or the street cleaner would run over the keys.  Well, truth be told, the street cleaner hadn't even turned around to come back yet.  The police officer had a smile on his face when he approached the crime scene...asked me a few questions...and I'm sure I heard him laughing!  The street cleaner stopped, seeing the area was under investigation.  I asked if I was needed any longer, and the kind police officer (with that smile and I think I heard him laughing again) told me "no, but if I do, you live here, correct (pointing toward my house)?"  Of course I answer, "affirmative!"

Lacee told me I was going to get arrested for sneaking around and taking photos of the crime scene.  I wasn't a licensed forensic photographer (I hid behind our fence)...our tent trailer in the foreground, the police patrol car sandwiched with the street cleaner on the other side.  What you can't see is the police officer scooping up the "evidence!"

The police officer (the one with the shiny thing on his chest near the patrol car) and the street cleaner man (the one in the orange shirt near the police officer) both got back in their vehicles.  The police officer traveled one direction and then...

...the street cleaner traveled the other!

Well, it was completely out of my hands now.  If it was a home invasion, the police officer had his hands full for sure.  I was just hoping we weren't next (sigh)!

I got back to my housework...folding clothes and putting them away and of course a call to my friend, Cherie, to tell her of my excitement...when the door bell rang.  It was the police officer.  "Wow, he must need my help again", I thought.  There was that smile again and..."I just wanted to let you know, I found the owner of the set of keys."  Oh, now that is one big showoff if I've ever seen one.  It hadn't been more than 5 minutes.  He continued, "The keys and paperwork belong to your neighbor a few doors down.  I noticed that there was a VW key on the set and looked up and down your street to see if there was a VW car parked near by."  Now I'm thinking, "What?  No forensic work?  We were talkin' a whole crime scene with papers all over the place and a set of keys...yeah, a set of keys!!!"  The polite police officer continued.  "I guess what happened was, their son had placed the keys and paperwork on top of his mother's car and forgot he had.  She took off for work this morning and had no idea they were on the car.  So, it all fell onto the street.  Your neighbor was so thankful that you called me!"  I'm thinking to myself, "Okay Mr. PO-LICE-MAN, if you puff your chest out any farther, your badge is going to explode!!" 

Well, it wasn't long before things got back to normal!  And, as much as I enjoyed my private moment of forensic photography (I'm pretty sure if I had just a little more time and was invited in on the investigation, I could have solved the crime myself), I don't think criminal investigation is in my future. 

Ashlee's Purse Models

Katie and her daughter, Hope

Maya and her daughter, Carina

Amanda and her daughter, Delaney

It was just so much fun...and especially with the little ones!!