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5 months ago
11.18.2009
11.17.2009
In The Leaves.
Let me tell y'all something!
It is really hard trying to photograph an active baby! It has been hard for me to find photographic opportunities while watching Mariah because she is always so busy. But the other day I saw that the corner of our back yard had a lovely blanket of leaves down, so I thought it would be the perfect place for Mariah - the leaves would keep her busy long enough to sit down for some pictures.
And it worked!
Seriously, y'all, is this child not quite beautiful?!
Shortly after taking about fiftybajillion pictures of Mariah, Benjamin woke up from his nap and I tried to get some of the two of them together, but they wanted to go their separate ways after a couple seconds.
But I did get some of Ben separately.
"Pleh!"
I love those kiddos.
It is really hard trying to photograph an active baby! It has been hard for me to find photographic opportunities while watching Mariah because she is always so busy. But the other day I saw that the corner of our back yard had a lovely blanket of leaves down, so I thought it would be the perfect place for Mariah - the leaves would keep her busy long enough to sit down for some pictures.
And it worked!
Seriously, y'all, is this child not quite beautiful?!
Shortly after taking about fiftybajillion pictures of Mariah, Benjamin woke up from his nap and I tried to get some of the two of them together, but they wanted to go their separate ways after a couple seconds.
But I did get some of Ben separately.
"Pleh!"
I love those kiddos.
11.15.2009
Busted.
Benjamin unsuspectingly was playing upon his Christmas present, which I knowingly only paid $2 for - regularly a $20 toy, and yes, out of the unsuspecting Target store. Little did they know when I purchased a $4 prescription and gained a $10 giftcard, and then used a $5 off coupon for something that was marked down temporarily to $17, that I would get smart and actually redeem myself for the sock incident.
Can you tell I'm a little proud of myself? Although Hubby is the one who did the actual purchasing as Benjamin and I were sick that day.
Anyway. Would you believe that I just got waaaay off track?
I think Benjamin will like his toy.
Or, at least he is going to have fun with the box. I mean, look at them - they aren't even paying attention to that box of AVON books and whatever else is in it!
Oh ... um ...
Ok.
Sigh.
As if he had nothing to do with it ...
Yeah, I know you helped, Benjamin.
And I know you did it while wearing Daddy's shoe...
Busted.
11.14.2009
Dearly Beloved,
We are gathered here to mourn the loss of a very dear, very close friend ... one we have all grown to love and cherish ...
That's right, folks. My dear, darling, precious Nikon has taken its last photograph. It's bitten the dust. I am really, really sad.
When I turn it on, all it does is show a bunch of lines on the screen... that's it.
So here's how it happened. Tuesday we had made plans to go retrieve Benjamin's Halloween portraits from Sears, and I had a pretty great coupon for a Holiday package so I went ahead and scheduled another family session. To be honest, I really don't like going to studios like that ... I prefer professional photographers. But like I said, I had a really great coupon. And you know what a sucker I am for coupons, well, besides that one time with the socks ...
Anyway. As I was saying. We had gone to get our photographs taken. I had packed a snack and some juice for Benjamin and had a bit of a brainless moment when I placed my camera at the bottom of the bag as well. You see, my camera goes with me everywhere, even when we are going to get our pictures taken by someone else, such as Benjamin's Halloween session.
You can probably tell where I am going with this.
Most of Benjamin's juice ended up at the bottom of my bag, where my precious Nikon had been tucked "safely" away.
Hubby did open it up and let it dry over night, and that seemed to work for a few shots, but after that - kaput!
But, no worries. I'm not as torn up about it as you may think. We have a back-up camera that has stepped up to the plate. A Panasonic Lumix. It's actually a tad bit better than the Nikon, but it is a bit bulkier as well.
I'm learning that once you have a baby, your stuff isn't safe for as long as it would be without. This camera lasted me a year. I got it for my birthday last year.
So, farewell, friend... farewell.
-------
Completely unrelated, but I totally forgot to tell you earlier when I posted this! Some of you (all of you?) might be as completely floored as I was when I heard this.
My mom called me tonight and told me she had spent the day with one of the elderly women she attends church with. We have known this woman my whole life and she was telling my mom stories of her family. You will never guess which famous 1930's actor her father was best friends with. Here's a hint that probably won't mean much to you: think my favorite movie.
You will never guess it!
Clark. Gable. Clark Gable!
Yes! It's true! So wild! Apparently they lived very close and like I said, they were best friends. This is before he got into 'showbiz'. When Clark moved to Ohio, her family moved there as well. And she said that Clark Gable was a ladies man, and sadly, his influence rubbed off on her father and he was also a ladies' man - this is the reason she did not like him at all when she was younger. Anyway, when Clark moved to Hollywood to become an actor, her mother said 'No', so they did not move with him.
How wild is that?!
Next time I see Mrs. Ollie, I am going to hopefully hear it from her mouth!!
That's right, folks. My dear, darling, precious Nikon has taken its last photograph. It's bitten the dust. I am really, really sad.
When I turn it on, all it does is show a bunch of lines on the screen... that's it.
So here's how it happened. Tuesday we had made plans to go retrieve Benjamin's Halloween portraits from Sears, and I had a pretty great coupon for a Holiday package so I went ahead and scheduled another family session. To be honest, I really don't like going to studios like that ... I prefer professional photographers. But like I said, I had a really great coupon. And you know what a sucker I am for coupons, well, besides that one time with the socks ...
Anyway. As I was saying. We had gone to get our photographs taken. I had packed a snack and some juice for Benjamin and had a bit of a brainless moment when I placed my camera at the bottom of the bag as well. You see, my camera goes with me everywhere, even when we are going to get our pictures taken by someone else, such as Benjamin's Halloween session.
You can probably tell where I am going with this.
Most of Benjamin's juice ended up at the bottom of my bag, where my precious Nikon had been tucked "safely" away.
Hubby did open it up and let it dry over night, and that seemed to work for a few shots, but after that - kaput!
But, no worries. I'm not as torn up about it as you may think. We have a back-up camera that has stepped up to the plate. A Panasonic Lumix. It's actually a tad bit better than the Nikon, but it is a bit bulkier as well.
I'm learning that once you have a baby, your stuff isn't safe for as long as it would be without. This camera lasted me a year. I got it for my birthday last year.
So, farewell, friend... farewell.
-------
Completely unrelated, but I totally forgot to tell you earlier when I posted this! Some of you (all of you?) might be as completely floored as I was when I heard this.
My mom called me tonight and told me she had spent the day with one of the elderly women she attends church with. We have known this woman my whole life and she was telling my mom stories of her family. You will never guess which famous 1930's actor her father was best friends with. Here's a hint that probably won't mean much to you: think my favorite movie.
You will never guess it!
Clark. Gable. Clark Gable!
Yes! It's true! So wild! Apparently they lived very close and like I said, they were best friends. This is before he got into 'showbiz'. When Clark moved to Ohio, her family moved there as well. And she said that Clark Gable was a ladies man, and sadly, his influence rubbed off on her father and he was also a ladies' man - this is the reason she did not like him at all when she was younger. Anyway, when Clark moved to Hollywood to become an actor, her mother said 'No', so they did not move with him.
How wild is that?!
Next time I see Mrs. Ollie, I am going to hopefully hear it from her mouth!!
11.12.2009
"I just want what is best ... "
You may not agree with me or my views in this post. This is just something that has been on my mind lately. Facebook friends, you may have already read this!
-------
I do not know any parents who do not strive daily to make sure they do what is best for their children. As soon as Carl and I learned that I was pregnant, we began immediately doing what was best for Benjamin (even as we did not know he was Benjamin yet!). I took prenatal pills, got my rest, ate healthier, got more exercise, and refrained from harmful medications and the like. When Benjamin was born, we made it a high priority to make sure we made the best choices for Benjamin since he could not make choices himself. We choose healthy foods for him to eat, safe toys for him to play with. We put baby gates up to keep him from playing with dangerous electronics and from climbing the stairs, and we put covers on our unused electrical outlets. We chose to use cloth diapers and hypoallergenic baby wash because of his sensitive, rash prone skin.
While all of this is good, while all of this remains a priority for us in the way we raise Benjamin, none of this even comes cloes to the importance of the decisions we have made concerning Benjamin's spiritual upbringing.
It baffles me how some parents say they are so concerned with doing what is best for their child or children, and yet they forget completely the most important thing they could ever do for their child. That is - teaching them about God and His Son and His Church and His creation! How to be a faithful Christian and how to love our neighbors and our spouses and our family and friends and enemies. Most importantly, how to resist the devil so that he will flee from them (James 4:7), and how to gain eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Parents who know better, who know what's right, and yet they concentrate on the earthly vessel that will one day be nothing but dust in the ground.
You can feed your children organic foods, healthy foods. You can make sure they never eat a bite of fast food, never eat a piece of junk food, never take in too much fat or sugar or salt - but are you feeding your children the bread of life (John 6:35)?
You can provide every safe toy to fill your child's heart with joy. But are you teaching your children about the abounding joys and blessings found in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3)?
You can teach your children that touching the hot stove is dangerous. You can teach your children that they could get hurt or killed if they played in the street. You can keep your babies from danger using baby gates and socket covers. But are you armoring your children with the armor of God against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:4)?
If you're not, can you honestly say that you are doing the best for your children in the long run?
If you're not taking your children to Bible Class and Worship on Sundays and Wednesdays and whenever else the Saints meet, but instead taking your children out to the park or over to Grandma and Grandpa's house, or to the store or just staying at home to play and relax - can you honestly say you are doing what is best for your child, spiritually?
Parents are commanded in the Bible to teach their children. Are you willing to risk your soul, along with your child's?
Is that really what is best?
Just something to think about...
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." - III John 4
Benjamin all ready to go to Bible Study at 9 days old.
-------
I do not know any parents who do not strive daily to make sure they do what is best for their children. As soon as Carl and I learned that I was pregnant, we began immediately doing what was best for Benjamin (even as we did not know he was Benjamin yet!). I took prenatal pills, got my rest, ate healthier, got more exercise, and refrained from harmful medications and the like. When Benjamin was born, we made it a high priority to make sure we made the best choices for Benjamin since he could not make choices himself. We choose healthy foods for him to eat, safe toys for him to play with. We put baby gates up to keep him from playing with dangerous electronics and from climbing the stairs, and we put covers on our unused electrical outlets. We chose to use cloth diapers and hypoallergenic baby wash because of his sensitive, rash prone skin.
While all of this is good, while all of this remains a priority for us in the way we raise Benjamin, none of this even comes cloes to the importance of the decisions we have made concerning Benjamin's spiritual upbringing.
It baffles me how some parents say they are so concerned with doing what is best for their child or children, and yet they forget completely the most important thing they could ever do for their child. That is - teaching them about God and His Son and His Church and His creation! How to be a faithful Christian and how to love our neighbors and our spouses and our family and friends and enemies. Most importantly, how to resist the devil so that he will flee from them (James 4:7), and how to gain eternal life with our Father in Heaven. Parents who know better, who know what's right, and yet they concentrate on the earthly vessel that will one day be nothing but dust in the ground.
You can feed your children organic foods, healthy foods. You can make sure they never eat a bite of fast food, never eat a piece of junk food, never take in too much fat or sugar or salt - but are you feeding your children the bread of life (John 6:35)?
You can provide every safe toy to fill your child's heart with joy. But are you teaching your children about the abounding joys and blessings found in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3)?
You can teach your children that touching the hot stove is dangerous. You can teach your children that they could get hurt or killed if they played in the street. You can keep your babies from danger using baby gates and socket covers. But are you armoring your children with the armor of God against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:4)?
If you're not, can you honestly say that you are doing the best for your children in the long run?
If you're not taking your children to Bible Class and Worship on Sundays and Wednesdays and whenever else the Saints meet, but instead taking your children out to the park or over to Grandma and Grandpa's house, or to the store or just staying at home to play and relax - can you honestly say you are doing what is best for your child, spiritually?
Parents are commanded in the Bible to teach their children. Are you willing to risk your soul, along with your child's?
Is that really what is best?
Just something to think about...
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." - III John 4
Benjamin all ready to go to Bible Study at 9 days old.
11.10.2009
Fall Festivities.
As of Halloween, we have been here in Fort Valley for One Whole Year.
Last Saturday we had a get-together at our house to celebrate with the congregation (and friends and family).
We asked our friends and family to bring their Favorite Fall Finger Foods, and we got SO MUCH that we had to put out another table to fit everything!
My mom also brought this delicious Pumpkin Cake for my birthday.
(By the way, THANK YOU! to all who wished me a happy one! I meant to say thank you earlier!)
We are so blessed with all the people in our lives...
And non-people, too.
My parents were able to come ...
And Bailey, of course ...
And my dad ... he acted strange while we waited for guests...
Grandma got to come, too. And I hope dad doesn't mind me posting these...
We had a really great turn out!
I am so blessed!
Happy Fall, while it still is!
11.09.2009
Prayers for Stellan!!
I am sure most of you know already because pretty much everyone follows MckMama's Blog, but please pray for little 1 year old Stellan today. He is in surgery today and we need to pray hard that everything goes as planned! Pray for the doctors who are administering to him, and pray for MckMama and the rest of the Mck-Clan during this stressful and trying time!!
You can follow her Twitter to get updates.
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