Framed!

Pirate Samantha hugging Grandma at the Halloween Parade!

Which kid is cuter?

Whose children were embarrased?

Who Cares?

Whooooooooooooo!

Warming Up Pop

The fall snowstorm on October 29th did a lot of Damage all over the State of New Jersey. Pop has no electricity, no heat, no lights, no tv, no stove,unable to live there.! So he is staying at our house. Here he is enjoying a glass of orange juice, coffee, Entenmann's coffee cake and today's Courier News (you're right, He's reading the comics not the news) at my kitchen table. We are trying to keep his daily routine as normal as possible. So later he will complete the crossword puzzle section.

Pop's property also sustained quite a bit of tree damage (the condition of his gutter and his roof are yet to be determined.) Pop was lucky that the tree did not break his kitchen or dining room windows at the rear of his house.

A white dogwood tree that was actually lifted out of the ground. This is by his front door on the side of his house.

At least four different trees were affected. This tree has a large broken branch and is at the front of Pop's house.

The last time it snowed

in October , around Halloween it was 1896! This is the first measurable snow since then. Of course it is a Nor'easter with wind and snow. It is causing havoc with trees and wires as they fall down due to the weight of the snow.

Anyone have a song for this.......snow on the pumpkin, la, la, la!.....

 A moment in history! A special, maybe once in a lifetime event.

Photo Heaven

I spent today with Janelle Bulle in New York City, at the Jacob Javitts Convention Center. There was a photography Convention there, so we took the train in. We also stopped at B&H photo store.....oh, we were in so much trouble! We walked the floor of the convention, stopping at booths to look at all of the newest in digital photography. We sat down occasionally to listen to photo experts define their personal photography styles, showcase their photographs, and speak to the greatness of their favorite camera brand.
Just a few pictures from today's field trip:

I will never achieve the technical or artistic skill demonstrated at this show but boy will I have a lot of fun and laughs and tears trying. May the best photograph win!

It was a Ball!

A Cinderella Ball! It literally did rain on the parade. Kamryn's three year old class had their Halloween Parade for Parents and Guests today. GP and I were very happy to be invited (a surprise for Kamryn) and of course I took my camera.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present the lovely and talented.........Cinderella!
Now everyone grab all of the candy you can from the floor and stuff it into your pumpkin.

Grandma, you're here!

Kellen came to see me too!

After the "very brief" Halloween Event, Cinderella and her entourage were driven to a Pizza Hut in a far away land where her special GP procured a delicious lunch for all to enjoy!

Cinderella (Kamryn) was then whisked away home by a handsome prince.

THE END !

Those Bones

Halloween bones!
 Ingredients: 7 ounce white meltable chocolate
                                                  36 pretzel sticks in various sizes
                                                  1 cup mini marshmallows
Melt white chocolate in a wide bowl. For each bone, press marshmallows onto both ends of pretzel stick. Dip each pretzel into the melted white chocolate to coat it and the marshmallows. Lift it out and let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Place the bone onto a sheet of waxed paper and let it set at room temperature. (do not try this with three or four year olds, the 60 year old took a long time to perfect it!)

The Reader's Digest version

What is the Reader's Digest version? I asked Caroline and she had NO IDEA. I guess many people didn't know that the Reader's Digest searches the world for interesting people, stories and articles and then gives you a abridged version of such in their magazine (so you don't have to read all of the boring details, just the interesting facts).
I consider my blog to be a Reader's Digest like version of my everyday life. It leaves out all the bad and boring parts and only includes the funny, beautiful and absurd parts. So, does it really represent real life then? Probably not!
But really, should it include the arguments, the daily disagreements, the trivial bickering? The discussion about the thermostat, the brand of peanut butter, generic vs name brand, how short to cut the bushes?
I take my photographs to remind me to appreciate the small things in life. I want to appreciate the absolute beauty of a sunset, the magnificence of a cloud, the innocence behind the quirky smile of a seven month old, the developmental stages of children's art, my father continuing to live his life on his terms. I record changes. I record things to remember them. I record things that say that I was  a participant on this earth. I hope I have made a difference!

Friday Night Catch Up

 Look at these big ones, Grandma!

 Look at those cute toes, don't you just want to nibble them?

Grandma? Did you seriously sit me in this pile of leaves? Why?

This has been our tree of choice every year to take our fall leaves picture. It is located near Foreign Express on Rt.28 and the park road.

Did I mention that Emilie suggested that since the girls were dressing up , then Kellen should not be left out. (Kellen, run! This is just the beginning:)

So, need I say more about what I have been doing with my time? Loving it!

Kellen's playdate with Clara Louise Cooper

So, six month olds can have playdates! What if they have never seen another baby up close?

Look, they are both almost sitting up!

Look at Clara. She is about a month behind Kellen.

Won't they make a handsome couple?

My Girls!

Oh what fun we have!

Photo Shoot

and poor Kellen........he was the main subject. But he was very cooperative. (I just had him today, so it was a perfect time to get out the camera and play.

I set up quite the display (almost as good as Sears Portraits :)

That's a plastic ear of corn sitting on the rug.

Kellen Adam Rex is six months old and almost crawling!

My little pumpkin!