Black & White Wednesday -- Back to the Train

This photo was taken in our Haymarket area -- it's a fun part of town and love the vibrant colors of the rail cars.  I am especially fond of trains because my Dad is a retired railroad engineer!

So, here's the photo in color! 

And again in Black & White.

Check out Lisa's blog for more B&W Wednesday posts!

Black and White Wednesday - To Train Tracks!

Black & White Wednesday has been speeding right by me lately!  

But, Summer is like that, isn't it!

 This photo was take a month or two ago in our downtown Haymarket area - a lovely little urban oasis.   I talked Miss Maddy into going there one Saturday morning for the farmer's market. 

The free kettle corn was all gone by the time we got there.  :(

But, bonus for me, she was agreeable to a few photos! 

So here it is in color.

And here in black and white.

Actually, her picture was also taken there about 3 years ago -- fun to see how tall she's gotten lately!  Isn't she the cutest?!

Check out Lisa's blog for more B&W fun!

Black and White Wednesday!

Miss Maddy and Miss Muffy out for a walk on a very black and white day a couple weeks ago. We had not gotten to spring quite yet and nothing was green!

Happy to report, that spring has arrived, the grass has turned green and pinkish-purple and beautiful. It would be perfect if only my Mom were here to enjoy it too.

[Do you see the little bee in there?]

Head over to Lisa's Black & White Wednesday for some really cool links!

Black and White Wednesday - Maddy and Her Guys!

Maddy has such a deep love for everyone in our family -- especially for her Dad and her brothers! Aren't they all so cute!

Cboo moved into an apt a couple months ago and is really busy, so we haven't seen too much of him and she misses him so much. She misses Philip too, but is more used to him being gone since he lives about an hour away. Maddy is scheming to set up a blind date between Connor and Taylor Swift -- hoping that someday, Taylor would become her sister! Wouldn't that be sweet!! So, if anyone knows Taylor and would like to assist in setting those two up, please advise.

Here's the photo above in color!

Love Maddy's red dress and the red tie on Mr. Tennis!

How time flies! This photo of Mr. Tennis and Maddy was taken when we went out to lunch after her Nebraska adoption hearing in November, 2003! Those two are so adorable!

B&W Wednesday - A Hint of Fall!

Just last week, there was a little hint of fall to come.

Maddy and I went for a run . . . well, I ran, she biked.

It was a cooler day and leaves were falling (probably fainting due to the

really hot temps we've had the past month!)

But yesterday, yesterday was another day like that.

After some extremely hot and humid days, we have been blessed with

cooler temps, a lovely breeze and lower humidity!

While I really hate to see summer end (and it's not really over until

after Labor Day, right?), the hint of fall in the air is heavenly.

Do I smell pumpkin pie??

Since we're not exactly there yet, I'm revisiting some photos from last year

to remind me of how much I love fall

(it's winter that makes me crazy)!

Black & White Wednesday

It's time for Black & White Wednesday!

Check out Lisa's place for some very cool photos!

Somebody has not wanted her picture taken much lately,

but luckily,

Mickey is generally cooperative.

Of course, he was trying to get away fast in his old red convertible!

And here he is in color -- speeding away!

Black & White Wednesday

Yes, it's Wednesday again -- time for another edition of Black & White Wednesday.

Today, we're headed back to Hilton Head Island from last summer. Seriously, that was one of the best vacations we've ever taken! While the location was beautiful and it was so sweet to be at the beach, the very best part of it was spending it with my sister and her family and the members of her China travel group and their families. We wish they had a reunion scheduled there every single year! Maddy was just landing from one of her big jumps in the sand below.

Do you hear it? I think the ocean is calling my name! :)

For more lovely B&Ws, visit Lisa at The Long Road to China!

Black & White Wednesday

It's Black & White Wednesday!!

Time for B&W Wednesday again -- hooray --

this day really helps me get through the week!

This week, I have a couple of photos taken in my yard.

This tree is kind of gnarly, but still very cool.

And who doesn't love a cute little ampersand?
I bought this for a wall project that I haven't finished yet and so,
have moved it around a little bit here and there.

I love it and purchased it from Tracey at French Larkspur.
If you haven't found her yet, you must check her out
(though I believe she is currently in Paris) --lucky Tracey!
She has such a beautiful sense of style!

For more B&W photos -- visit Lisa!

Black & White Wednesday with Mickey

Yes, it's time once again for Black & White Wednesday!!

Mickey Mouse is one of Maddy's favorites. Last Sunday, she took Mickey outside so he could catch some rays . . . and evidently try to climb some tree branches. Since the yard is still mostly in black and white mode (it's just starting to green up a little bit), and I love the shadows of the branches, I thought B&W would be perfect for these photos.

She even had on her favorite Mickey t-shirt that day!

To see more black and whites, please visit Lisa!

Black & White Wednesday -- Spring Finally!!

Finally -- spring arrived in Nebraska! Can I hear a "wooohoo" please! :)

Actually, we had a little preview of spring-like weather last week and then snow on the first day of spring! That would have made me SO MAD, except it melted quickly, so it was ok.

But that's it now --repeat after me --- NO more snow!

On the one day last week that was warmish, Maddy and I joined my coworker, Jodee and her family, at the park for a picnic and some outdoor fun! At that time the grass had not even started to turn green, so I think it was perfect for black and white photos.

And go figure, Maddy was all in black anyway.

Now that it is officially spring, we will try to brighten our wardrobes!

Let the shopping commence!

Black & White Wednesday

It's Black & White Wednesday!

I'm still thinking warm thoughts and hoping the weather gets itself figured out (though snow is forecast for later this week!! :() Is it any wonder that I keep posting old photos of warmer days?!

These photos are from a vacation to the Rivera Maya in June 2005. That was a fun trip -- I think we definitely need to put that at the top of the list for a repeat visit! Yes, I usually do wear a hat when I'm out in the sun a lot as I must admit, I color my hair and the sun bleaches and dries it out too much. Plus, once I put a hat on, I leave the hat on!!

Maddy seemed so little back then -- a little sweetheart! Visit Lisa for more great black and white photos!

Black & White Wednesday!

Yes, it's time once again for Black & White Wednesday! This photo is from a year ago -- Maddy and two neighborhood friends.

We are so lucky to have lots of kids on our block and they are the best and nicest kids ever! These two sweet girls with Maddy are older than she is, but are always sweet to her! It's fun to see that just last March, Miss Maddy was missing those two front teeth! Loved that toothless look! :)

For more beautiful black and whites, check out the Mr. Linky party going on at Lisa's blog.

Black & White Wednesday

Finally -- a more recent photo for Black and White Wednesday!

Though the yard is full of melting snow, muddy and wintry debris of dead branches and roses, I was able to talk Maddy into a few photos outside. Lately, Miss M has liked trying out different kinds of hats! Lucky her -- wearing a hat does not give her the dreaded "hat head hair" look that must of us suffer from -- especially me. Once I put a hat on, it has to stay on as nobody, and I mean nobody, wants to see my hair after that! :)

For more black and whites, visit Lisa!
There are some way talented people out there!

Black & White Wednesday

Yay -- time for Black & White Wednesday again! This makes the week fly by, doesn't it! Of course, it would be better if I had some more current photos -- but our weather has just not cooperated lately at all.

So, here's an oldie from October, 2008! I love this location and the old wooden bridge. And so do a lot of other people! I'm almost surprised they don't have a "take a number" machine as there were that many people out there that fall day when we visited!

For more lovely Black and Whites, visit The Long Road to China!

Black & White Wednesday

Here it is Black & White Wednesday already! Check out Lisa's blog for more!

Thank you so much for your kind comments and congrats about the birth of Granddaughter Jane. I'll bet you thought I might have a photo of Baby Jane up today. Wish I did! Unfortunately, due to the terrible, awful, no good, very bad weather we've been having, we haven't been able to get there to meet little Miss Jane yet. To say that we are disappointed is a big understatement. I cried last Sunday when we were supposed to go meet her, but couldn't (that sounds kind of silly now, but I was really heart-broken)! The horrible windy and blowing snow and white-out conditions prevented us from getting on the road. And, although I was so disappointed, at least we weren't one of the hundreds of cars that ended up in the ditch (or worse) that day. Hoping to meet the sweet baby soon. I've heard all kinds of good reports about her and the photos that her parents have sent show her to be an incredibly cute girl with dark hair like her Daddy!

Anyhoo, back to Black & White Wednesday, here is Miss Maddy from December, 2008, reading one of her favorite books. That Junie B is funny, but sometimes a bit naughty!

Black & White Wednesday

It's Black & White Wednesday again!

This is a photo from the fall of Oct. 2007 -- yes, I'm still posting older photos -- the weather just has not been agreeable to get outside lately! I'm hoping for an early spring no matter what that dumb groundhog forecast! Who believes groundhogs anyway!?!!! Love the texture you can see in the wood and the little teddy bear.

For more black & white photos, visit Lisa! Thanks for organizing the B&W Wednesdays!

Black & White Wednesday

Time again for Lisa's Black & White Wednesday. Isn't this fun!!! Love this older photo of Maddy from a much warmer locale -- a trip to Orlando a couple of years ago! Maddy was rocking on this sweet rocking chair on the porch enjoying the nice warm sunny weather!

Black & White Wednesday

Joining in the fun with Lisa again at Black & White Wednesday! Here's a photo of my oldest son with his bride from nearly two years ago! This photo was taken in a part of town called "The Old Market" such a fun, beautiful place. After the photos, they had an exquisite meal at a nearby restaurant and then left for their honeymoon in Rome two days later! These two are about to become first-time parents next month! Are they cute or what?!

Black and White Wednesday!

Joining in Lisa's Black and White Wednesday!

Kind of have a bit of the winter doldrums around here, but this summer photo takes me back to the day it was taken -- one of the hottest days of the summer -- think we hit 100 degrees that day!

Love that sweet little face -- she's my star!