Quick - Some Summer Photos before I Forget!

Maddie had some beautiful photos taken for her 1/2 birthday! Yes, she celebrates her half-birthday because her full birthday is right before Christmas and often gets missed a bit (not by me) due to its proximity to the end of the school semester and Christmas! I love this jumping photo! She always tries to get in at least one Jumping photo and this one is perfection. She's got some air going!

She is a girl who loves a pretty dress! Even when she was a bitty little thing, she wore dresses pretty much all the time. Back when Gymboree was around, I'd get her dresses and leggings from there. In order to get out of the house to work on time, she'd put her dress and leggings on at night for the next day! She's not too much of a morning person, so this was perfect.

Speeding through the years --seriously - how can she be a sophomore in college?? She still loves a pretty dress. But she does not wear it to bed to save time. She really doesn't wear dresses daily anymore -- but she does love to dress up now and again.

One of the cheer Moms, Thuy (pronounced Twee) took these fabulous photos! Thuy is amazing. She also did Maddie's makeup and I just love how the makeup and photos turned out. So, I'm finally getting around to sharing with you!

Only one week til she's home for a few days for fall break. We have missed that sweet girl sooooooooooo much! Can't wait to give her a big giant hug and watch a bunch of Hallmark movies with her!

Of course, there are many more and I will put some more together to share as we do enjoy looking back on the blog now and then. Hey, somebody's gotta read it, right.

It's Election Day - Let's Focus on Something Else!

Oh my word - are you like me and so ready for the election to be done and over with??? Yes! I'm not sure it will be over with after tomorrow, but I hope the constant focus will shift. Let's relax, breathe in and take in the beauty around us - isn't this flower gorgeous!

Just in case you need something else to look at and read about -- I've been wanting to tell you about Maddie's photography. She took up photography a few years ago after she got a little weary of me taking her pictures! So, she's been taking some friend photos, some senior photos, engagement photos and family photos! The family ones are probably the trickiest as there are so many people to focus on, have looking at the camera and eyes open. I, myself, have irritated photographers over the years with closing my eyes when everyone else looks perfect. This was a favorite photo shoot of Maddie's during the summer with Kamree and horse Tommy! Oh my word -- aren't they so pretty together!

One of Maddie's very good friends, Mia, never takes a bad picture. That girl is so pretty and SO sweet! I wish the pandemic was over and would allow the girls to get together more. They both are going to Southeast Community College, but in different classes, so don't see each other much. The college experience with the pandemic is a bit sad if you ask me. No sock hops (I kind of doubt there were sock hops anyway), but no get-togethers like bonfires, hayrack rides, etc. It's a different time. But let's think positive and get through this together. As my son says, we can do hard things!

Taking photos is not as easy as it looks. And she works so hard at editing and making the photos and the people in them look so good. She's also enjoyed taking photos of blooming trees and flowers. At first, she pooh-poohed my suggestion at flowers, but then later decided she liked those too. And flowers are not required to smile or keep eyes open! Anywho, I wanted to show you a few she's taken this year. My good friend's daughter was in town from Denver and asked Maddie to do some engagement photos! It was a very hot day, but they turned out sooooooo good. Best wishes to the happy couple who rescheduled their wedding from June 2020 to June 2021. Isn't she so beautiful! He looks good too, of course, but she is stunning!

An Update

Hello Friends!

Modeling a dress she got for the choir concert in May.

Thought I would do a quick mid-week update to let

you know that prayers were answered and 

Mr. Tennis is feeling so much better!

Out of the hospital last Friday and

even though the docs, nurses and staffers

are fabulous, we're going to try to avoid that place!

In other news, it was 90 degrees here yesterday

in Nebraska!

Holy cow -- it's still winter!

That was hot.

Today, we're back to a balmy 34 in the AM with later-day

highs in the 50s.  Perfect!

And flowers are popping up and thinking about

getting ready to bloom!

Ours are not quite to this stage just yet!

I am so ready for the trees to get some buds and green up already,

aren't you!

And that's about all the news I have -

some times . . . 

no news is good news!

Blooming Tuesday!

Just because I think these flowers of my neighbors are so incredibly beautiful this year -- I thought I'd share them with you.

Yes, I'm nice like that!

Actually, my neighbor is even nicer since she has the beautiful flowers.

Unfortunately, weeds have taken over at my house!

Oh well, at least they're green!! :)

Tee hee hee!

Thankful For May Flowers!

Starting off a little Thankful Thursday post in honor of spring and all the loveliness of the season! I just love spring flowers, don't you? That first inkling of spring brings those vibrant blooming daffodils and then tulips follow shortly after. Just recently, the lilac bush in our backyard started blooming -- don't you just love that smell! If I'm on a walk and there are blooming lilacs, I'm the crazy lady sniffing the flowers!

The resident gardner, Mr. Tennis, planted some cute little pansies. They are loving the cool night temps and are so beautiful.

And our peonies are coming up fast! They are, without a doubt, my favorite flowers of all. They smell so wonderful and are simply gorgeous when they bloom. And I just read that peonies are considered good luck in China! :) I only wish they lasted longer. It seems like just when peonies are at their peak blooming, we get a bad thunderstorm that wipes them out. Ahhh, but I've learned my lesson -- the last few years, I've been cutting them early so that we can enjoy their beauty and fragance in the house for a while. The peonies are really growing lately, but usually don't bloom here until Memorial Day -- can hardly wait!

Of course, there are so many more things I'm thankful for, but this week, I'm focusing on the beauty of spring flowers!