Happy New Year!!! 2010!

Edward starts the year off right by getting a 2nd place medal in the Resolution Run (actually took place on Dec. 31)

John & I had a fairly quiet New Year's Eve because the kids were all with friends. We went downtown for awhile to check out the scene and John took my picture with his Blackberry in front of the GR version of the ball up high on a crane. I was very bundled up for the cold and had a silly hat on if you can't tell. There were zillions of people down there (someone thought 30,000 throughout the night, but I don't know about that). We went home to watch a movie and ring in the New Year by the fire.

Happy Birthday Jesus...

... and Edward. 20 years ago today.

Merry Christmas to All

Birthday Week Wrap-up

We celebrated again on Sunday when Edward came home and this time we had a cake. This past week was a whirlwind and Sharon did make me a wonderful red velvet cake at work which was photo worthy but not in time before it was gobbled up.

John was ready for a Sunday afternoon nap so this photo was very quickly taken. We should have fussed more but oh well.



It reminded me of this one taken 5 years ago because I was wearing the same shirt. Funny how the kids get older but I stay the same.



For some reason, it shocked me to see that John had put bright candles on the cake. I needed my shades. Oh yeah, and I had to take a quick one of Edward too because I liked his hair.

Birthday Week Kick-off

There's something special about the week starting with November 1. The ugly holiday is over, Thanksgiving is coming, All Saint's day. Yesterday, it was so great to see our friends at church, and then we met Edward at Wolfgang's in Eastown for a pre-birthday brunch. And later, our friends Cathy & Ben came over for a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit.

The waitress was kind enough to take our pre-birthday brunch photo


The kids enjoyed big sweet plates of Belgian waffles and French toast


I was trying to capture some of the left-over glitter from Edward's "Edward Cullen vampire costume" but you can't see it


I had Spinach Eggs Benedict


What fun kids! I love how they know how to do this part.

A Ghost Post

The sad thing about all those beautiful fall leaves is they need to be raked up. Well, just in time for Halloween, a very friendly hard working ghost came:



But so that we did not get too spooked, a fun one came too!

A River Runs Through It

After we moved Edward back to Calvin, we commenced a restful Labor Day weekend. Sunday afternoon, John & I went up north to the Rogue River where he could fly fish and I could take pictures for a couple of hours.

Chi-town!

Maybe you thought we disappeared in Chicago. Well, never fear, we returned safe and sound after staying a night in the big city where just walking around is an event. We had some great pizza at Bella Bucinos and went to see Second City. In the morning, we had breakfast on the sidewalk at the Corner Bakery where I had an awesome cup of coffee and a very chocolate muffin. This was the view from my seat:

Flash Back Friday 129

Jonh & the blogger, 1988, at a Cub's game in Chicago

Today, John & I are headed to Chicago for a night downtown like we used to do before we had kids.

Flash Back Friday 128

Jewels & Daughters, June 2005

A Slice of the Island Get-away

One evening whilst on the island, we decided to go out for pizza. Dad had already gone back home, so it was just us girls. What made it exciting was we could order a white pizza with spinach on it since we had no great desire for meat. I took advantage of the wait time outside to do some casual photographs so we could hold on to the memory.

Maria finally expressed her frustration at having a photographer for a mother! She felt like she was continually surrounded by the paparazzi.



So she decided to give me a taste of my own medicine.



I didn't think it was that bad!

MDW Island Retreat

This past weekend, I went on an MDW with Maria and Bridget. MDW is Bridget's name for our mother-daughter weekend. We went to Kelleys Island in Lake Erie and stayed at my mom & dad's condo there. Mom had told me that we would be on island time there and it was true! We felt like a whole week had been lived in the span of a weekend! We had a wonderful time!

We had fun with mom & dad... we saw some awesome sunflowers and had white pizza and watched Julia Child bake bread on the Create channel and heard about the Living Bread in the little island church and took pix in the rain and rode big yellow bikes and went swimming in the new pool and and ate lots of ice cream and did the O-H-I-O cheer and Hung on Sloopy...

Today, I'll post some sunflower photos:

Flash Back Friday 127: The Julia's Go Fishing Edition

Oma, 1950's


Me, 1987

Flash Back Friday 127

John & Julia, 1988

I'm flashing back here to one of my faves - it came to me in a stack of old pix that belonged to Oma. Anyway, I also had the honor again this past week of photographing another wedding. So, so amazing! I hope to post it soon.

Flash Back Friday 125

June 11, 1988

Weddings on my mind today - tomorrow I'm shooting one! Pray for me :)

Life in the Fast Lane

Jewels in a 1953 MG

Last week one evening, I was downtown taking senior pictures for the daughter of a friend and we happened upon this car. The owner let us use it for a prop and I had to take a turn too.

Love Thursday

John & I are celebrating our 21st anniversary today!!!

Last night I said, "Who knows what tomorrow is??" Bridget said in a monotone, "Your anniversary".

So I said it at a higher pitch to be heard over the baseball game and John said, "Is it the day we got Leo?"

He's still the funniest guy I know.