Clouds

I really enjoyed the cooler temps and beautiful scenerey while we were at the lake. However, as I was driving into Star City late Saturday afternoon, I saw this beautiful cloud. It reminds me how beautiful my 'neck of the woods' is, too. Now, the temperature could be a little cooler if it were up to me. . . and definitely less humidity would be great!

I love the days when the sky is so blue and the clouds are so big, white and fluffly looking! This cloud looks like it would be the perfect place to curl up and take a nap! It looks so soft!

Eight days at Greers Ferry Lake

I have a good excuse for not updating my blog or answering phone calls since July 20! We spent the 20th - 28th camping at Greers Ferry Lake! It was the first LONG trip we've taken! We do lots of little weekend trips when Gerald has a long weekend - but we seldom get to all three go somewhere for a week together. It was so nice to get away. I took my laptop with me, thinking I'd get some work done. The only time I took it out was to watch a DVD one night when it was raining! I really wanted to work on some things - but I needed the break. . . and I really enjoyed it! We had a great time!

We stayed on the water most of the time! We would go out in the mornings - come back to camp for lunch - and head back out. It was so nice not to have a schedule - or to even look at a clock! We didn't want to come home - but the 'real world' beckoned!! And it was nice to get back to my bed!! A camper bed is just NOT the same!

Gerald's parents and aunt & cousins came for a visit on Saturday. We grilled out and ate good that day at lunch! Then his sister, Peggy and her husband, Dusty and their daughter, Samantha came up on Saturday afternoon and spent the night with us! We spent all day Sunday on the water!

Jackson had a great time on the tube! Gerald would pull him fast and make sharp S-curves to try and throw him off. The faster and sharper - the better for Jackson - the more nervous Mama was!!
He also spent a lot of time on the knee-board. He was the only one that could get up on it! Gerald and Dusty both tried - but it just didn't happen for them!
THIS is why every time we'd get back to Jackson after a fall I'd say "Are you okay??" and finally he said "PLEASE stop asking me that EVERY time!!" I told him I couldn't help it!! I swore each time I saw him crash that 'THAT ONE REALLY HURT HIM!' But it never did! I guess it's easy to forget how much less things hurt when you are a kid!!
I much preferred MY baby riding in the tube at a slow rate! We were just cruising around the lake one afternoon - so he just rode behind us in the tube! This looks much safer to me!!
Samantha enjoyed tubing, too!!

Jumping off cliffs

One of the popular things to do at Greers Ferry Lake is jumping/diving off the cliffs. I jumped once this year - and not even from the highest one. . . it's seems I've gotten a little bit scared in my old age! :)

Gerald and Jackson had a great time jumping and diving over and over! I had a great time watching them!! I think the shadows on the rocks look cool.
Jackson was a little bit irritated with us because we made him wear his life jacket when jumping. He's a great swimmer - but sometimes the lake gets a little rough and it's easy to get tired from all the jumping and climbing back up the rocks before jumping again. One afternoon, Zeus and I dropped Gerald and Jackson off and went out in the boat so I could get the pictures shown above. The afternoon we did this - the lake was really rough. I would motor to one side of the cliffs and then we'd float along until I had to motor back. I tried to get a few pics of Zeus while Gerald and Jackson would be climbing back up the rocks. . . When I was looking through my pics - this one cracked me up! It looks like Zeus is making a face and half-way smiling! Almost like he was laughing at the boys! Here's a zoomed in view. . . not a great quality pic - but you can see his smile better!

Water

I love water! I won't bore you with all the pics I took of the water - but here are a couple that I liked!

Little Red River

The Little Red River is on the other side of the dam. The water in the river is SO COLD! Jackson didn't believe us - until he got in! He couldn't stay in it very long. The water in this pic looks green - but it is crystal clear. The green you see is the covering of the plants on the bottom of the river. It feels great when a breeze blows - the air is cool - even on a hot day! It was so nice there!!
The Trout Hatchery is right next to the river. We stopped by there and saw SO MANY trout!! We saw the little fingerling trout that were inside the hatchery - and then we went outside and walked through the many tanks of trout. There are lots of tanks of medium size fish - and there are two tanks full of HUGE trout!! We got a kick of waving our hands over the tanks and the fish all started flopping around and gulping at the surface . . . they thought they were getting fed! When we walked by, we could fool them ONE time. . . the first time we waved our hands they all jumped. . . if we did it again - they didn't even move!

Megan

Megan is a senior this year!! HOW did that happen so fast?!? :) She is a beautiful girl with an amazing smile!! We had a great time doing her pics . . . and I think they turned out so good!

Have a great senior year, Megan!!

Madelyn

I'm sitting here trying to think of something clever to say. . . and all I can do is smile every time I look at these pics! This first picture just melts my heart every time I look at it!! Madelyn is such a sweet baby and SO beautiful! Her smile - WOW!

Tanner and Madison

I had a fun session with Tanner and Madison. As soon as I saw Tanner, I recongnized him from a daycare shoot I had done two years ago. He's has really grown up. The last time I saw him he was so shy - this time he warmed up quickly! He did such a good job - and was so good about helping us try to get Madison into things. We got some cute pics!

Taking a Break

I've been working at my computer most of the day. I'm so behind on my work. . . and I'm doing my best to get caught up. By this evening, I was ready for a break. Frequent breaks to fold laundry and reload the washing machine don't count!! So late this afternoon, I grabbed my camera and walked around my yard looking for things to 'shoot.' The majority of the time, these photos end up being deleted. . . but I feel better just walking around for a little bit. I should probably take up basket-weaving or something instead of making MORE work for myself when I take a break! :) LOL I'm kidding - I love taking pics. . . and I've never woven a basket in my life!

This is one of the Caladiums in my yard. I think these plants are so pretty. Their colors are amazing!

Just a lonely little piece of ivy. I planted this ivy beside the big oak tree in my backyard THREE years ago! This has got to be the slowest growing ivy ever!! Most ivy I've seen just takes over whatever it is growing on. I guess this is growing so slow because I WANT it to grow up the tree!! If it were POISION IVY - it would be up the tree by now! That's what's on the big tree in my front yard!!
An old disk. . . just thought it made a cool pic!
It's my blog. . . I can post a picture of rust if I want to.
I took a pic of this little weed flower.

I thought it looked kind of cool . . .

but I got kinda freaked out when I looked at it closely. . .

Do you see the big green SPIDER sitting on the flower?!?! I didn't notice that until I was looking through the pics. If I would have seen it when I was taking the pictures I would have probably had a fit and ran into the house! But it's kind of a pretty spider - it is green! Just hope it stays out there in its lovely flower home!!!

AWWW.... Isn't he cute??

Are you tired of pics of my dog and my kid, yet?!? If so, see the rust comment above. :) LOL
I was in my office editing pics and I looked over and Zeus had come in there and laid in his bed that I put in there for him. I never heard him come in! I LOVE how he just wants to be near me!

Dogs are awesome with their unconditional love and devotion!!

I woke him up when I took his picture!

Okay . . . enough posting for tonight. . . gotta get to bed so I can work all day tomorrow, too!!

7-on-7 at Bulldog Stadium

Friday night I went to the 7-on-7 tournament at Bulldog Stadium. This was my first time to go to a 7-on-7 event. It was cool to watch! I was impressed with the Bulldogs. I'm not sure how they ended the evening - I had to leave before it was over. I'm anxious to hear how they did!

Trent Hawkins made an interception! I wish I'd have had his hands/the ball in the frame on the first pic!!

Jordan Frizzell runs after catching a pass.
Lamar Rochelle gets ready to pass.
Rob Groves did a great job leaping to defend this pass/catch!
Zach Bennett gains yards after a catch.
TJ Brown makes a great catch!
A couple of COOL DUDES!!