Bittersweet...

Yep, that's my thoughts. Yesterday was the last day of school for these two -

So no more waking Chase up (twice), popping waffles in the toaster, drinking my coffee while they scurry then saying "I Love You, have a GREAT day!" as they head out the door to catch the bus.

Now it's summer! Woohoo! and there's no set bed time, there will be splashing from the pool late at night, dinners will be later than normal and no "do you have homework?" questioning.

In some ways I am very happy - we all love summer! But I'm also sad to see this chapter come to a close. Cierra moves to 11th grade and Chase will be joining her over at the high school in the Fall. Really?! Where has the time gone?

Oh well.....time is rolling on so I'm going to enjoy every second/minute/hour/day! Enjoy your summer guys - you deserve time to chill and be kids =)

Happy Birthday Ronnie!

Happy 40th Birthday - I hope it is your best yet and year after year, they just keep gettin' better =)

You are the best and we love you very much!

Memorial Day to me....

time to remember...

time to get the pool ready...

time to clean up the outside...

time for yard work...

time for 'some' to simply oversee=)

and time for a weekend filled with baseball!

I hope each of you have a wonderful, memorable weekend!

Retro...

Each morning as I get ready for work, I listen to Rona and on Friday she always talks about something from her childhood.  Sadly enough, most of the time I know exactly what she's talking about, ha!

Today was one of those days.  She talked about how much she loved eating popcorn and watching movies as a kid.  Her favorite part was this popcorn machine that her parents had.  She said it looked like a space ship.  It had a big 'dome' with a avocado green base and a place on top to put the butter.  Every time, it made the most perfect popcorn!

Can it be?!  Ok, so the color isn't quite the same. Our's is Harvest Gold instead of Avocado but this is exactly what she was talking about.  This happens to be Ronnie's and he shares the same love =)

Not long ago we decided to pick up some traditional popcorn -

filled the bottom -

then Chase watched it pop, LOL!

(one day I will have to dig out one just like this of Ronnie when he was just a little guy, doing the same thing!)

And that night, we even watched Hugo!  It was a pretty cool movie.  Very long but very worth it.

Anyone out there have the same popper?!

Friday's Feature -

For a few months now we have wanted to check this place out -

and finally had that opportunity last Saturday evening.

It was a beautiful night out on the patio.  Joe Ham was playing -

The food was very good.

Now keep in mind that the menu items are limited.  It appears they have two entre's each evening and they vary.  Typically one vegie and one chicken (or some other kind of meat).

One thing we did really like was the fact that it's a BYOB kinda place =)

It was a very enjoyable night and a nice way to wrap up the week.  So if you get a chance and are in Harpers Ferry, check it out!

PROUD!

That's what we are.  This group of guys won the MAC (Mountaineer Athletic Conference) championship for the 4th straight year.  WAY to go!

and this particular guy certainly contributed to the results.

He ran the 100m, 200m, 4 x 100m relay, holding the anchor position.  The 4 x 200m anchor position even though he was new to hurdles, he ran the 200m low hurdles and the shuttle hurdles and broke the school record for both.  Actually the first time he ran the 200m low hurdles, he broke the record and during the MAC, he broke his own record.  Overall, the three school records were broken. Wow!

I have to say, he gave every event his ALL.

These medals were received with honor -

And this was just the icing on the cake -

Of course we are a huge fan of this coach, too =)

Congratulations to ALL the athletes at Wildwood Middle School and the coaching staff. It was a great year!

My piece of the puzzle -

This is the message I received after I uploaded my picture -

Thank you and congratulations!  Your photo is now a part of history and will be preserved for generations to come.


On May 30th we will launch a completely new web-site featuring all photos submitted.

Pretty cool, huh?!  So what photo did I chose to be a part of history?

I chose the category, Connections.  Why connections?  Well, this was the description:  Photos related to everything that connects us to each other. Like community, technology, family, energy, faith, cultures, politics and lifestyle.

These words accompanied my submission:

I have never been a fan of rose bushes.  Love to get roses but this was just never a flower that filled our yard with color.  Never our 'go to' flower when we were shopping for something new/different.

My Dad on the other hand, has always LOVED roses.  He has them EVERYWHERE.  Rose bushes line his house.  Rose bushes line his fence line.  And most recently, rose bushes line their beach house.

Dad was diagnosed at the end of March with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  I was shocked.  I was scared.  I wasn't quite sure what to think.  I was traveling when I received the call.  The worst.  But being alone allowed me time to think. To realize what this meant.  To understand first hand that life is short.  To really know what it means when people say "live every day like your last".  To feel helpless.  And most importantly what it means to have faith AND rely on faith.


When Mother's Day came around, I searched to find just the right present for my Mom (and sister).  I found these beautiful orange rose bushes. Now each of us can have one of them in honor of Dad.  To look at each day and think of him.  And, I finally have a LOVE for rose bushes after ALL these years, ha!  I'm thinking this is just the first of many that will soon fill our yard.

Thus the perfect picture to become a part of history!

C A L L I N G......

all my photography friends -

Not sure how I stumbled upon this but it sounds so cool.  Click HERE to read more about this then get your camera out after midnight and click away!  I already have some ideas.

Be sure to update your profile and check out where all the participants are from.  Not many from the United States as of now so get busy =)

Prisoners....

just for the day - LUCKILY!

Chase is on a baseball travel team and this past weekend we played at the 'old' Lorton Prison field.

and YES, the 'dug outs' were DUG OUT! and the bleachers? Well, they were dug into the hill, too -

The foul balls never came back...

because there was no way in.... The place was deserted...

BUT....we did have some parents that 'broke the rules' =)

but the boys won both games - yay!

even on a field that 'prisoners' played, ha! EWWWWW.....

and on the way out, I had to check out some of the landmarks....

This is the grave of William Lindsay -this kinda says it all.  Wow.

Have you (or your children) ever played here?!

A popular spot.....

As Election Day draws near, our corner becomes pretty popular.

Of course, we don't mind!

So, consider this your REMINDER...hit the polls today and support your candidates.

I might not be able to watch boats sailin' in and out of Cinnamon Bay....

I might not be able to see my life through a bus windshield.....

but thanks to my hubby, I can sit in my 'old blue chair', lookin' at my life (where it's goin' where it's gone), dreamin' about the islands........that's ok by me cuz nothing compares to the way that I see it sittin' in my old  blue chair =)

Can't ya hear Kenny singin' this now?!
There's a blue rocking chair
Sitting in the sand
Weathered by the storms and well oiled hands
It sways back and forth
With the help of the winds
It seems to always be there, like an old trusted friend

I've read a lot of books, wrote a few songs
Looked at my life - where it's goin, where it's gone
I've seen the world through a bus windshield
But nothing compares to the way that I see it
To the way that I see it, to the way that I see it
When I sit in that old blue chair

From that chair I've cought a few fish and some rays
And I've watched boats sail in and out of cinnamon bay
I let go of a lover that took a piece of my heart
Prayed many times for forgiveness and a brand new start

I've read a lot of books, wrote a few songs
Looked at my life - where it's goin, where it's gone
I've seen the world through a bus windshield
But nothing compares to the way that I see it
To the way that I see it, to the way that I see it
When I sit in that old blue chair

That chair was my bed one New Year's night
When I passed out from too much Cruzan and diet
And I woke up to a hundred mosquito bites
I swear, got em all sitting right there
In that old blue chair

There's a blue rocking chair
Sitting in the sand
Weathered by the storms and well oiled hands