Randomness of My Mind

Family Day

2011-10-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

Well, I have taken a loooong absence from my blog and now I am back...at least this time. LOL

Yesterday we had our fiest of (hopefully) many family days at Euvah and Steve's house. It was, with the exception of Moma's funeral, the first time in like 20 years ALL of us siblings have been in the same place at the same time. It was a BLAST!

Shari is here on her way to move to Mobile with all three of her young ones (Not so young anymore! They are getting BIG!) And Jeanie and I came as well as Danny and my/Euvah's daughter, Jacque.

Euvah and Steve have taken in Jacque's dog, Baby and renamed her Chelsea, she is doing GREAT with all the room she has to roam and the cats and all the other animals to play with. She is such a sweet dog!

We ate Steve's über yummy barbecue and chatted and visited all day. It was a WONDERFUL day. Cannot wait to do it again!

My Graduation Picture

2011-01-14T20:57:00.000-06:00

This is the official photo of me graduating. I am so grateful for the opportunity the Veteran's Administration gave me in allowing me to go to University of Tulsa. They did not have to, but they believed in me enough to allow me to attend one of the top schools in the nation.

Smoky Topaz

2010-12-25T23:59:00.000-06:00

So, many, many years ago, when I lived in Alabama on Hardin Drive with my Grands and Aunt and Uncle, my aunt had a gorgeous smoky topaz ring that I wanted. My birthstone is a topaz, and this one was exceptionally beautiful. We argued over that ring for so long. LMAO The reality is it was hers and she said she owuld leave it to me when she croaked.

Imagine my surprise when I received a package from her (She now lives back in Hawaii) for my graduation and when I opened it, there was my smoky topaz!!! I adore this ring and will wear it with pride wherever I go. Thank you so much, Aunt Jacque and Uncle Van!

Graduation Time!

2010-12-25T01:07:00.000-06:00

So, on December 18th, 2010, four years of work culminated in my graduation. Not only was I stoked to graduate, but I was floored by my family before that. On Sunday, the 12th, Euvah and Steve drove up from South Louisiana to be here for my graduation. THAT I expected. What I did not expect, was that my LITTLE sister, Shari, would fly in on Monday and surprise me!!! It is the first time we have all been together since Moma died.

Euvah told me Steve had a business appointment in Tulsa at 4 on Monday, when in fact he was picking up Shari. He came into the house when he got back with Shari and handed me a card he "found in the truck." I looked at it and thought it wasn't Euvah's writing but could not place whose it was. I asked Euvah if it was for Christmas and she said yes so I went to put it aside to open on Christmas and she told me I could go ahead and open it. I opened it and read the card and it was signed, "Love and miss you lots, Shari. Now OPEN the door!"

I screamed and ran to the door and opened it and there she was! It was so awesome!

We spent the week running from pillar to post and finishing papers and such. On Saturday, we got up early and headed to Tulsa for the graduation. While I was with the class and walking, Steve had to leave, again Euvah told me a story about a truck that rolled at his work and he had to be there to help clean it up. I thought nothing of it. Uncle Danny and Aunt Carol came in for my graduation and Audra, Chuck, Barbara, Sean and Jim and C'Cie were all there as well as Michael and Mickey. It was so nice to have so many people care enough to come. It really meant a lot to me for my whole family and ALL of my friends to be there. You all will NEVER understand just how much it meant.

Uncle Danny and Aunt Carol wanted to take me to lunch for graduation so we headed over to Cheddar's where we waited forever for a table for ten. While we were waiting, Euvah and Steve came in and joined us. I was looking at pictures or something with Uncle Danny when I heard, "Whatcha looking at?" I looked up and there was my Megan!!!! I was so thrilled to see her.

Megan had been traveling for TWO DAYS from California because Delta Airlines screwed her around horribly and then lost her luggage on top of it all. What a wonderful time!!! I am so excited that all of my family minus three of my kids made it to my graduation, and Megan only missed because of Delta.

Aunt COnnie and Uncle Ed

2010-06-27T20:25:00.000-05:00

These are just pics of our family in Alabama with Danny and I. This one is Uncle Danny with his namesake, Danny.

Aunt Carol, Uncle Danny and Danny.

Aunt Carol, Uncle Danny and Me

Uncle Ed and Aunt Connie.

Uncle Ed, Aunt Connie and Danny

Me, Uncle Ed and Aunt Connie.

Aunt Con and Uncle Ed

2010-06-26T13:42:00.000-05:00

When we took Christian (My brother's son) home to Alabama last August, we decided to make a loop. We dropped Christian off, saw Danny's girls and then left to go to Selma where Aunt Connie and Uncle Ed live. This is a picture of Aunt Connie. And it is a typical picture of her because she is talking in it! LOL Aunt Connie is a card. You have to get to know her to understand that she has a very dry sense of humor. She is the perfect foil for Uncle Ed who ALSO has a rather dry sense of humor, but much more subtle.

This is Uncle Ed. That cigar is his constant companion and the highball glass next to him is as well. Ok, he only has two a night, and that is all. He has a fully stocked bar in the room right behind him and is a huge Georgia Dawgs fan as you will see in the house photo's. Their house is a testament to my aunt's stained glass prowess and antique hunting skills. I love their house. Here are some pics, ok, a LOT of pics of their house and you know something? This is not even the half of it! I did not get the bathroom in the pictures and it has some interesting art work in it!

It is a middle class house, in a middle class neighborhood. This is, obviously, the outside.

This is the stained glass transom over her kitchen window. The kitchen is the door you enter when coming in from outside unless we don't know you!

This is a picture in the hallway to the bar and "Toxic Waste Dump" aka Aunt Connie's glass studio which is currently piled too high to work in!

This is one wall in the den, the most used room in the house.

The same wall looking into the kitchen, the doorway is to the right of the hutch.

The wall that adjoins the kitchen. She loves cats, can you tell?

Uncle Ed's bar. See the Dawg stuff? This is also the computer room!

The entry to Aunt Connie's Glass studio.

The den with Danny and Uncle Ed in it. Danny was reading our GGGrandfather's discharge from the militia.

The player piano in the den, with the stained glass windows in it. That is the bar you see to the right and the hall to the bedrooms to the left.

Her cat collection in the den.

I love the cat climbing across the cat pic!

In the kitchen above the microwave.

The formal Living Room.

Another view of the Formal Living Room with the dollhouse.

My Cameo collection and the table in which they belong. I am supposed to inherit this one day.

A wall in the LR with more cameo's for me! You know I am using this as inventory of my cameo's, right?? LOL

Same room but the Dining Room end. I do not think this table has seen food in Aunt Connie's house!

Still more of the Dining Room end.

Some of Aunt Connie's Tchochkies.

Another stained glass window! I want this one BAD!

Aunt Connie at her best!

Grandma's room! You see that hanging desk? Grandma fell out of bed and hit her head on it one night. If not for Aunt Connie's dog at the time, Grandma would have died. He found Grandma and went and got Aunt Connie and Uncle Ed up. There was blood EVERYWHERE. Thank God for Christopher! He was a mini Poodle that purred like a cat! (read GROWLED! LOL)

Ok, Sis you can have the Iris window, I will take this one!!! I love the hummingbird!

I love these old pics, I doubt they are relatives, but aren't they neat?

Just some neat pics.

The blue room. Danny slept here.

See all the tiny Stained Glass windows?? Aunt Connie made them, of course!

Still more cameo's! Yeah!

And that, friends is my Aunt and Uncle's house. Is it not beautiful? I love it. Behind the chair in the kitchen there used to be a sign I loved. It said,

May those who love us love us,

and those who do not love us,

may God turn their hearts,

and if He cannot turn their hearts

may He turn their ankles

that we may know them by their walk.

Is that not awesome? It was my favorite of all her little signs and now it has disappeared! Wahhhh. Oh well, thanks for looking!

2010-06-25T00:24:00.000-05:00

This post is for my kids. I took pics of their school, Edgewood and the two homes we lived in when I was in Selma last August. I had totally forgotten about getting these. Sorry kiddoes! And I forgot to get a picture of Bird School, how lame is that?

Here is Edgewood:

Here is the house we lived in when the kids came to live with us. We ended up moving because it was LITERALLY falling apart around us. An indoor shutter fell on John and Meg, the gas lamp almost took Meg out when it fell and a myriad of other little problems:

That house had a dirt track in the backyard that the kids loved. We had some friends that had a little car, what do they call them? I cannot for the life of me remember! Anyway, oh, yeah! A Go Kart! Anyway, it was fun.

The next pics are of the house at 810 Young St where they spent several years with us. This house was a bit better though we found out that the siding was covering severe termite damage. But it was a good house nonetheless. Lots of memories here.

If you look closely, on the left you can see a divet in the yard. That is where we had a pond.

And this last pic if for my siblings, mostly my oldest sis. This is the house our Grandparents moved to when they moved from Oklahoma to Selma.

I will be updating my blog with pics from the last year in the next few days so check back often!

The Flower Bed now...

2010-06-14T23:04:00.000-05:00

...it has really thrived and that is through no help from me, lol! It is growing like crazy and I still love it. It is everything I imagined!

I have no idea why the pics look like they glow. Guess my settings were off. I will have to take more pics tomorrow maybe. Oh well. Close enough for government work! lol

Mother's Day

2010-05-08T00:15:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day is just another day for me for the most part. But my sister always tries to make it up to me. These are the gorgeous flowers she bought me this year:

I will try and get better pics tomorrow. I love my flowers! Thank you sis!

Ceramics Spring 2010

2010-05-08T00:02:00.000-05:00

So, this Spring, I took Beginner's Ceramics figuring Ceramics, easy breezy. You pour slip into molds, bake, clean, pain, and glaze...NOT!!! We hand built with clay the first half and used the wheel the second half. It is HARD and TIRING. Anyway, with that said, here are my projects, finished.

The first project we did was to simply take a piece of clay and squeeze it. Once it dried and had been bisque fired we Raku fired it. That is where you bring it up to about 2000 degrees for thirty minutes with a special glaze on it and then toss it immediately in a can of paper shreds that catch on fire. Once they have been in the can for 20 minutes, you removed them and place them in water to cool. It is actually a cool, if asthma inducing process. Anyway, here is my first piece, on the right:

The other items, other than one, are my maquettes, or small models. One is an onion, a pine cone, a flower, an apple and the final item is the leaf to my apple.

We had to make two eggs, one large and one small. The large one, I used copper oxide on and then glazed it in hunter green. I really like how it turned out.

Our small egg we Pit Fired, I hate it. It is just burned.

We also had to make three teapots. We actually made parts for teapots and then traded parts and built the teapots. Here are the three I wound up with:

Our maquettes, we had to pick one of them and make a large natural object. I made an apple:

Then we learned to make cylinders on the wheel. Here are mine:

Then we made a thrown and altered object and this is what I came up with:

This was also Raku'd. I love the way it came out. Everything on it is thrown including the handle. Cool huh?

Thanks for indulging me! Oh yeah. Last but not least, my test tiles. Where we tested techniques.

My Layout from Last Weekend

2010-04-27T08:52:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I got to scrap, or maybe it was the weekend before that. The 17th anyway. And here is the one layout I did.

Army Reunion...

2010-04-11T21:36:00.000-05:00

We started three or four years ago having reunions for my Army Reserve Unit. They have been a success for the most part although this year we had fewer show up than normal. I think that is because we had the reunion an hour and a half east of Okmulgee. Next year, we plan on having it at Okmulgee Lake and we will see how that goes. This year was still a success though and here is a pic of those of us who did show up.

Front Row, Left to Right: SFC Celestine, 1SG JD Lenard, 1SG George Guillory, 1SG Armstead, 1SG Dobson.
Back Row, Left to Right: SFC Price, SFC Gartrell, 1SG Eubanks, 1SG Stevens, SFC Crotts, CPL Levine (That would be me), Lt. Col Page (AKA Maj. Catastrophe), Lt. Col. Wall (AKA Maj. Disaster), CSM Blackford.

Final Flower Bed

2010-03-31T09:51:00.000-05:00

Well, I finished up the flower bed last night. I added a border and mulch and this is the end result. Took the pic from my perspective and from the side.

Flowers

2010-03-29T19:12:00.000-05:00

Once we got the sidewalk in and it was ready, I could not WAIT to get some flowers in. We(I) planted an azalea, petunias, Dusty Miller, and Daffies. Whatcha think?

New Porch and Sidewalk!

2010-03-15T20:00:00.000-05:00

So, last year, because I was clueless and did not water the foundation, the porch cracked, broke and fell off. The porch post was dangling so we HAD to fix it. They have been working on it since last Wednesday and I forgot to take pics as they went. But it looks awesome! Ok, so it will look more awesome when the caution tape is gone and the old porch is gone and dirt is redistributed, but hey! it still looks great!

Here are the pictures:

So, what say you?

Life Gets in the Way

2010-03-07T19:53:00.000-06:00

Well, it has been a while since I posted and a LOT has happened. I won't go into details, but Jessa is no longer with me in Okmulgee, she is now with her sister in AR. I am sure she is being taken good care of.

On Wednesday night/Thursday morning I got a phone call at 12:30 a.m. Joe, my brother Danny's roommate, called to tell me Danny was having another heart attack and that the ambulance was on the way. Let me preface the rest of this story by saying I would not take my worst enemy to Okmulgee Memorial Hospital if they were on their deathbed. It is a joke of a hospital and that is really sad to say as it is the ONLY hospital in Okmulgee. So...if you call an ambulance in Okmulgee, you naturally go to Okmulgee Memorial. When I heard the ambulance was on its way to pick up Danny, I said a prayer that OMH would suddenly be competent. Not so much.

I got to the hospital as they were taking Danny out of the ambulance at about 1:05. At 2:30 a.m., my brother, while having a major heart attack, got up and walked out to my car for me to take him to the NEXT closest, and much better, hospital in Henryetta which is 13 miles away. He was in my back seat crying and screaming the whole way. To say that I was scared is putting it mildly. Okmulgee had only given him anti-anxiety meds and did not even hook him up to an EKG!

I flew to Henryetta with Danny in the back seat and we walked in and I said "heart attack" and they IMMEDIATELY got him to the back, hooked up to an ekg, blood drawn and chopper on its way in FIVE minutes. Total time Danny was at Henryetta?? Approximately 40 minutes. In that time, they did his EKG, drew his blood, attempted to get his blood work results from Okmulgee (Okmulgee STILL had not sent them when we left Henryetta) and had him packaged up to be Life Flighted to Hillcrest (Oklahoma Heart Institute) in Tulsa. What the HELL was up with Okmulgee??? They almost killed Danny because of their incompetence.

By the time I drove back home to tell Dad what was up and to get a couple things to take with me to the hospital in Tulsa and finally got to Tulsa, Danny was in the Cath Lab and Dr. Leimbach was placing another stint. At about 7:00 a.m., he came out and said that Danny had two 100% occlusions, one of which was growing feeders around it to naturally bypass it. He placed a stint in the other one. No clue at that time if Danny would have permanent heart damage or not.

It is now 4 days later, or is it 3? and we were told today that so long as Danny remains sedentary for the next two months (I thought they said weeks, but Danny said they told HIM two MONTHS), he should have NO PERMANENT DAMAGE. Praise God! Your prayers worked! Thank you so very much!

Today I had the pleasure of taking Danny home from the hospital and making sure he got in bed. He is exhausted, but glad that God spared him. I am exhausted. This week has been a long month and this month has been a long year.

Thank you all for your prayers. You will never know just how much they have meant to me and my siblings. Bless each and every one of you!

We have a QUILT!!!!

2010-02-14T19:51:00.000-06:00

And man, are we excited! I bought Jessa a sewing machine for her birthday and some fabric and such. Well, ,we started this quilt almost immediately and have fought with it since then. First, Jessa got out of control on sewing the edges and we had to cut several inches off. Then, we had to figure out how to do the corners and FINALLY Lana came over, took one look and said, "darts" "what you need to do is dart the corners." SO....Today, I put in the darts (We won't discuss the fact that I had to remove as many times as I put in) and FINALLY Jessa finished the binding. Well, for the most part Jessa finished the binding. I had to do the last side because it kept making a birdsnest. Anyway, this is Gavin's tummy time quilt! It is Thomas the Train fabric and I hope he enjoys it!

This is when we first started cutting and putting it together with the batting.

Jessa pinning the quilt together.

Jessa snitched my camera and got one of me and Grandpa!

Finished!

The pattern...

Jessa's handiwork.

One of my corners!

More Baby Pics

2010-02-13T22:23:00.000-06:00

One of these was from the US on the 2nd of February and the rest are from the 9th. Gavin is camera shy. He keeps his hands in front of his face no matter what! the US Tech tries and tries to get him to move his hands and he is having none of it! Jessa tells me that he is going to pop out at birth with his hands in front of his face screaming, "NO PICS, GRANDMA!!!" ROFLMAO

I have news for him, he is going to have his picture taken! And withOUT his hands in front of his face. I am betting he is going to be a thunbsucker though I am just guessing! Anyway, enjoy!

The storm is finally over, and this is what it looks like at noon...

2010-01-30T13:06:00.000-06:00

Just took and edited these pics:

Ok, More snow pics...

2010-01-29T18:53:00.000-06:00

It only took me HOURS to post the last blog post, here are the pics I JUST took.

Ice/Snow Storm 2010

2010-01-29T17:50:00.000-06:00

Well, it has not been as bad as predicted, but now it is snowing like crazy and getting slick. They initially predicted a category five ice storm for Okmulgee, but we only got to a three, thank the good Lord! Now we are just getting tons of snow on top of the ice. It is crazy. Here are some pics!

The above pics were taken before it started snowing much, actually I think it was sleeting at that time. The pictures below are about an hour and a half after the snow started.

Now, about four hours later the below pictures are what it looked like.

Ok, it has taken some time but here are the Ultrasound pics!!!

2010-01-29T13:07:00.000-06:00

Just in case you were not keeping track, Jessa is 23 weeks and doing well so far. There are some concerns about the baby now after her level 2 ultrasound. It seems the intestines are showing up white in the ultrasound and this is called "Echogenicities" and are soft markers for chromosomal abnormalities. So please pray. The first two of these US pics were taken on 12/08/09 and the last five were taken on 1/25/10. It is definitely a boy and his name will likely be Gavin Blake Thomas.

Without further ado, meet Gavin:

He seems to like having his hands in front of his face and is an active little boy!

Jessa at 5 months

2010-01-20T09:01:00.000-06:00

She is 20 weeks now, and getting bigger by the day.

New and probably last, layout for a while

2010-01-10T15:56:00.000-06:00

I start back to school tomorrow so this will probably be my last layout for a while. I really like this one. pR stands for Princess Raelee. I really did not think this one needed to say much, it is pretty self explanatory. Steph sent me these photo's and I saved one out to frame and hang on the wall. Isn't she gorgeous?

And seeing as how I ALREADY have homework for one of my classes and have not even STARTED school this semester, I know I am going to be a busy little beaver. Have a great, blessed day, y'all!

All's Well that Ends Well

2010-01-08T23:05:00.000-06:00

...that is my take on sunsets. How can anyone possibly end a day on a bad note when they go out in a blaze of glory? I am amazed at Gods palette continuously and wish I could catch all of the sunsets from all of the places in the world. I have always wanted to see a sunset in Greece, don't ask my why, I just have. Someday, I will. In the meantime, these are three sunsets I have caught here in Oklahoma.

Another new Layout...

2010-01-07T11:35:00.000-06:00

...in October, on the 11th to be exact, I received a phone call at 6 a.m. from my best friend Shela's husband. I asked what was wrong and he told me that Shela had passed away in the night. I immediately ran to be with him and the kids after calling our Pastor's C'Cie and Jim. Evidently, he sent her to bed about 11:30 and when he went to crawl in bed at 5:30, she was dead. She had JUST celebrated her 33rd birthday on the 8th. Shela was a great person and so laid back that nothing flapped her except the use of the word "Crap." She was always fussing about someone using this word and not realizing it was also a curse word to her. She loved to cook and she loved to spoil her family and friends. I surely do miss her smile and hearing her call me at just the right time, for no apparent reason other than that she was thinking of me.

Ok, Now I think it is finished...

2010-01-06T21:34:00.000-06:00

...LOL I got a paint bucket file from someone on SCALHints yahoo group and while I had h-e-double-toothpics cutting it for some reason, it is done! What do you think?

Jessa at 18 Weeks, 5 Days

2010-01-05T20:25:00.000-06:00

We had to postpone Jessa's ultrasound to the 25th. It was going to be tomorrow but I could not take her and it was too late to book a ride with Sooner Ride which is a service provided by Sooner Care of Oklahoma to get people to their Dr's appointments. So, postpone it we must. Anyway, these were taken yesterday and while you may not be able to see much change, I can see plenty. I guess most people do these once a month, but I am trying to be proactive. I would really like to take some good maternity pics when I can. Not saying that I can, but hey, I can try anyway!

Second Layout of 2010

2010-01-05T20:18:00.000-06:00

In June of last year we finally settled on the color and paint we wanted for the outside of the house. It probably took us six months to make a decision and still, when we went in to order the paint, we changed our mind yets AGAIN! ROFL But we love the color and it only took a week or so with the help of Ronnie, a friend of Danny's, to get it all painted. The house and shed are now a lovely two tone green and we love it! Anyway, I need ideas on how to finish this layout. I know it needs help, just not quite what would make it great! Thanks for any ideas you have!

My First Layout of 2010

2010-01-02T16:43:00.000-06:00

With school, Dad and Church, I have had zero time to scrap. This year, I am determined to do better. So, here is my first layout of 2010. ZoomZoom. It is about my car which I bought in May of 2009. It is the first time I have had a car UNDER 6 years old. I did not get to write that on my layout because I ran out of space. I am thinking I may finish up the story on the back. We will see. Anyway, without further ado:

Destruction

2009-12-26T16:53:00.000-06:00

These are pictures Danny took of a couple of vehicles off the road in this mess.

Jessa at 17 Weeks 2 Days

2009-12-25T22:43:00.000-06:00

My Favorite's from My Photography Class

2009-12-16T21:52:00.000-06:00

Ok, so you may not have known I was taking a photography class since I focused on PhotoShop. LOL But I did indeed take a Photography class and am now sharing my favorites.

This scene just appealed to me and I really do not know why, but I do like this picture.

This one just popped when I scanned it. It does not show here, but when printed, it almost looks like a comic strip it is so color saturated.

I just like this picture of Dad. It was taken at the big Rockhouse at the lake.

This is my favorite of the two pics of Dad. I love this composition and it is even better that there is just the hint of peach in the sky.

I caught this one as I was driving past the lookout point. Technically, it sucks, but I like it!

A sunset over Danny's house. I looked out the window while eating supper and this was what I saw. Not often that I am fast enough to catch this stuff.

I like this picture, I really do, I have been trying forEVER to get a successful picture of the spillway and while I like this one, it still does not feel "successful."

THIS one however, feels MUCH more successful to me. I *love* this one. It was taken right after a storm and I love the composition.

I also like the colors in this one. This is a tree on Okmulgee Avenue and I just happened to catch it just right. I was stalking for Autumn pics and out of all of them, this one is the only one that came out. The blues and oranges are just awesome!

All of the pics were taken with my Pentax K1000 and Kodak Electra 400. Processed normally with NO correction at all at Walgreens.

Jessa is 14 weeks, 6 days today

2009-12-08T21:03:00.001-06:00

Her due date is estimated at June 2. Here are new pics. I still think she is farther along than that! Oh, and she had an u/s today and is having a BOY!

More PhotoShop Stuff from this semester

2009-12-08T20:35:00.000-06:00

Here a few more files I created in my PS class. They are not going to let me take Illustrator next year, so I am somewhat bummed.

Well, it has been a loooong time since I posted...

2009-11-27T20:15:00.000-06:00

...anything other than baby bump pictures.

Not that I have much to say now, either. But I figured I should say SOMETHING. SO...something! Ok, ok, I know that is not funny. We had a great Thanksgiving, Danny, Yvonne, Jessica, Charles, Dad and I ate about 2 and visited for a while before Danny and Yvonne left to go out to the lake. Then Jessica, Dad, myself and Charles played Wahoo!

Once we were through with that, we all made cards. Thank you cards for Jessica to give the people who have helped them since they have been here. Dad was quality control and Charles did the menial tasks of cutting and scoring. I showed Jessa how to use the Cricut and we both glued the cutouts down.

Today I drove to Tulsa to the school in order to flatten my pictures. When I got there the doors were locked, I called Security because I am supposed to be allowed in even when it is closed as I am on "the list." No such luck, they informed me I had to have a "pass." So....45 minutes of driving up and 45 minutes driving home for NOTHING. I was a bit annoyed to say the least.

Other than that, not much going on. Y and D are breaking up. More on that another time. Suffice to say, it has been a long day and I am tired. But at least Thanksgiving was amazing.

More Baby Bump Pics from Today

2009-11-24T14:55:00.000-06:00

She is having her first US on the 8th.

Newest Baby Bump Pics!

2009-11-12T20:00:00.000-06:00

Self Explanatory, we find out tomorrow how far along she is, we hope!

Trunk or Treat

2009-11-01T20:10:00.002-06:00

Every year previous to this one, Shela would help arrange and coordinate Trunk or Treat. This year, of course, that couldn't happen. But I think she would be proud of us. We had more people than ever before show up both to help out and to play. Connie, Sue and everyone pitched in and Connie coordinated the games, Sue the food and EVERYONE in the church participated. It was a grand time and I really think the community outreach was majorly successful. We even had horse and pony rides. It was an awesome time. We missed you, Shela!

This is C.J. and Yolanda. A new young couple in our church. They are very helpful and a wonderful addition to our church.

Jessica and Maria, also newer, fabulous additions to our church! I have NO idea why it is underlined and in blue. Can you help?

This is Dorie, attempting to mount behind Jim. LOL With a little help from Wanda, she made it!

Sue and A.J. Love 'em!

This is a Frost Sculpture that CJ made for Yolanda. Essentially, it is refrigeration tubing in the shape of a dolphin. Beautiful!

Connie P! The coordinator and game minder!

Jim, one of our Pastors.

Jessica, my daughter. Who is pregnant and should NOT have been up there!

And this is our special Emma! She is a great kid. The kids take up the Missionary offering every Sunday and she would, when a bit younger, take all the dollar bills out of the can because they were not money!

Miss Priss, Lindzy. She is such a princess!

Cassi the clown, Ken and Glinda.

Dad, manning the bowling alley. I like this pic of him!

Kamryn and Kane

Kylie and a precious little one.

Emma getting her clown face on!

Kelly and one of our attendees with Buddy the Shetland Pony!

Jessa again.

Angel, one of ours.

Chloe, the fairy with attitude! LOL

Malinda, Angel and Chloe's mom.

Wilma, Nana Mae and Kamryn

Mandra, another one of ours. She has all the makings to be a mean girl, thin, gorgeous, lots of friends. And she is the sweetest, most down to earth little one you would ever meet!

The Family

2009-10-30T21:00:00.001-05:00

Just a picture I took of Dad, me and the dogs. Thought I would share since it is a decent one.

Jessa Today

2009-10-29T22:02:00.000-05:00

She is going to her first doctors appointment on Thursday, so we should have a clue how far along she is then. I am saying 4 months.

Newest PhotoShop Thing

2009-10-27T20:27:00.000-05:00

Our instructor calls it a retro Rocket Ship Dashboard. What do you think?

I think it is just cool myself. LOL And that, as they say, is the end of this particular blog post!

The Geek Church Blog is having a giveaway!

2009-10-27T09:27:00.000-05:00

Look here: Geek Church Giveaway

Tonights Sunset

2009-10-24T19:53:00.000-05:00

...we were playing a rousing game of Wahoo! when I looked out the window and this is what I saw. I love sunsets so much.

Last one for tonight...

2009-10-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

...I finished up my PS stuff for the night and thought I would share.

The blob I showed you in the post? Well, this:

Is what it turns into BEFORE it became a button. Neat, huh?

And here are a couple more buttons I did tonight. Whipped 'em out pretty quickly too!

Going to bed now, Nytol! Bless you all!

Ok, one more for PhotoShop

2009-10-21T22:24:00.000-05:00

...This first one is a simple button. And I do mean simple. LOL

The next one is the same button with an added feature - Text.

The following gray blob is necessary for the last button. I turned this:

into this:

Cool huh? Anyway, I need to add the shadow, but other than that it is finished. We will learn how to add engraved lines and such to the "metal" next.

More from PhotoShop

2009-10-21T12:59:00.002-05:00

hese are just balls on a table I had to make my own pattern for.

Balls Bouncing on a Table

2009-10-20T23:29:00.005-05:00

Here is my latest design in PhotoShop.

Moving on...

2009-10-18T23:22:00.001-05:00

...I took these pictures on January 28th of this year and am just now editing them and posting. I love the way they came out. There was ice on the trees and the way the sun was hitting them it created a rosy glow.

Anyway, just a quick post with pics I just found and love. Have a blessed day!

How do you say goodbye...

2009-10-15T22:01:00.000-05:00

...to a bright life that went too soon? If you figure it out, let me know. Today was Shela's funeral. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Not the hardest thing by a long shot. But it was so difficult. I thought that if I ran the sound booth for her funeral, it would help me stay focused and not cry. Instead, I had to look through the tears to see the controls.

They asked people to stand up and tell memories. I stood up and broke down sobbing trying to say that I would miss her calling me at just the moment I needed to hear a friends voice and I would miss her dropping by with a meal or small gift. She had a knack for knowing what I needed sometimes before even I did.

She had a gorgeous smile and you rarely ever saw her not smiling. She was so laid back that you rarely ever saw her get her feathers in a ruffle. I think I know of ONE time it happened and it lasted like 5 minutes. It was over the kids and it was over in no time at all and she was back to her normal self. So fleeting.

She had the voice of an angel, and not just me thought that. The song that really set her voice off and showed the control she had over it was, "Come Thou Fount." I could listen to her sing that song forever, and now I will only hear it in my dreams.

I know it is over. I know she is heaven and having a grand old time. I know I will never see her again...but how do I say goodbye? It is not fair. She had so much. She gave so much. She touched so many lives. I will never forget when we met. It was the week after Sissy was born. Shela was pregnant with Sissy the first time she attended our church. The next Sunday, she was in the hospital having or having just had, Sissy. And the following Sunday, she was sitting behind me holding Sissy and I asked how old Sissy was and she told me. Then she asked if I wanted to hold her and of course, I did! The rest, as they say is history.

I am the one who got her on the worship team. I heard her singing next to me and I told Tina and them that they needed her on the team. By the time she died, she was the only one left on the team.

She had such a precious soul and was so full of God's grace. She was so full of life, and now, she is gone.

Goodbye, Shela. I love you and I will miss you forever.

This one is for Sis...

2009-10-13T00:02:00.000-05:00

...we have had tons of rain in a very short time. We actually had 6 inches in under 7 hours. Anyway, the spillway is flowing and I took these pics just for you, Sis. Love you!

Can I just be selfish for a minute?

2009-10-11T22:16:00.000-05:00

I know I should "buck it up" and "put it together" and "get on with life." But right this minute, in this place, I am not strong enough to "let go." :-( The sadness is overwhelming. Let me introduce you to Shela, yep, it is spelled right. Shela Buice (rhymes with dice) Cook. At 33 she is a loving mother and wife, an outstanding cook who actually loves to cook. And an angel on earth, she would give you the shirt off her back and cook you a fine meal to boot. She played a mean game of cards and took excellent care of everyone she came in contact with. Last night, sometime in the night, God called her home. He had other plans for her, I guess. But I can tell you that I am NOT ready to let her go.

This is not a good picture of her, but it was taken by me at our Worship Conference in Bartlesville last year. She was our worship team. She had the voice of an angel and the demeanor of a saint. I don't think I ever saw Shela mad. Not once. Her son could drive her batty, but she never lost her cool. She would get frustrated, aggravated and irritated but would not ever get mad or angry. At anyone.

Her smile could open doors and hearts like no one else. She baked and cooked like Paula Deen, was a regular Beaver's mom and always knew what you needed and when you needed it before you did. I cannot count the number of times that she showed up or called out the blue just when I needed her with whatever I needed before anyone, including me, knew I needed it. She was ALWAYS on time with birthday presents, unlike me. She did not get flustered, no matter what the situation. She loved kids. Any kids, all kids. She really had a heart for them.

Cooking, I know I have said it before, but if Shela was cooking, EVERYONE showed up. She was an awesome cook. And when you were crying, laughing, in pain, down and out or just depressed, she would whip up your favorite dish and bring it over with homemade bread.

Now, no one is here to bring me homemade bread and Half-bake. She won't be calling me from some random store to tell me she found something I might like. I have her bread pan. Her damn bread pan. And I cannot decide if I should keep it for posterity, or return it. I know it is just a bread pan, but it a symbol of my confusion. Jessa finally hid the darn thing from me because every time I saw it I burst into tears.

She made me a wall hanging out of Quilling. It has a friends quote on it and it is hung prominently in our living room. She MADE it. Do you have any idea how long it takes to quill?? It takes forever, And she made it for me.

But mostly, what do her husband and kids and parents and sister do now??? She hung the stars and moon for them. I keep flashing to Kirby, my dear Lord. He will never hold the love of his life again without remembering that he touched her and she was gone. He found her. How can he ever get over this? I mean, I know he will. He will start by reminding himself to breathe and putting one foot in front of the other...but how DO you go about doing this? Really?

And Nathan...he is 9 and a Moma's boy. Nathan is on the left. Mickey is on the right. Mickey is not her child, but he spent so much time with her, you would have thought otherwise. Nathan is Mickey's BFF. Nathan was so close to Shelaand he already has behavioral issues with ADHD and anger issues. What is this going to do to him? Losing his Mommy at this age? And Sissy, Victoria. She is her mother made over. Laid back, loving, kind...looks like her, walks like her and talks like her. At 5, how will she understand that Mommy is never coming home again? How do you look in these eyes and say, "Mommy is not coming home ever again." And will I ever again see this innocent smile?

I just want a do over. I want to go back to last night and start all over. I want to call Shela and just say, "I love you." I want to return her damn bread pan so she can make me more! I know, I am supposed to rejoice that she is with the Lord. And truly, I know Shela is in a better place than you or I. I really do. I have no doubt in my mind. She loved the Lord so very much. And she lived the life and walked the walk.

The siblings together, Nathan and Sissy.

I am sorry if this is selfish. I am sorry if this is disjointed or off the wall. I just had to get this out there. I am so lost and devastated. How do I keep it together for Kirby, the kids and the family? I do not expect answers, but prayers for this family would be awesome. Thank you for bearing with my depression. My world has been rocked off its axis. And the world of so many others has too!

Well, I prefer the smooth ball, but here is the textured one...

2009-10-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

It did not take long, but I still prefer the smooth one.

Newest Phot Shop Offering...

2009-10-08T10:34:00.002-05:00

...Sphere on a Table... Next I will have to do one with a texture.

Jessa's First Baby "Bump" Pics

2009-10-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

...Ok, So Jessa is too early to actually have a Baby Bump, but I want to document her pregnancy and we took her first pics the day we found out she was pregnant. October 4, 2009. Based on her memory (Which is foggy at best) she is assumed to be about 5 weeks. I am guessing more like 2 months or more, but could be very wrong.

Jess is soon to be 24 and is about 5 foot or so. Here are her first pics of the blessed event.

I am going to be a Grandma...

2009-10-06T22:19:00.000-05:00

...and I am excited, and worried all at once. My oldest daughter, Jessica, is pregnant. We are not sure how far a long yet, will find out soon. But she had a still born baby boy in June at 21 weeks and so this will be a high risk pregnancy. She is working to pay their rent, but Charles, her fiancé has not yet found a job. :-( So keep us in your prayers. God says to praise Him in ALL circumstances, and I am, but I must admit I am worried.

In other news, I am doing well in school although I am late with a Photo II project, he has given me the grace to allow me to turn it in on the 20th, so I have my work cut out for me. In PhotoShop, we had another day of work on the Worms Coming Out of the Hole so here is my next incarnation of that.

Oh! I do have the very first Baby Bump Photo. Let me edit it and I will post it too! Have a blessed night!

Newest PhotoShop Drawing

2009-10-01T13:11:00.002-05:00

For this one we used both Illustrator and PS.

My Picture from Megan

2009-09-28T22:50:00.000-05:00

Megan, my daughter, painted an absolutely stunning watercolor and gave it to me. I finally had time to go get it framed and matted and here is the final product. The mat is not quite as red as it appears here, bad lighting. It is a coral color and really makes the painting stand out! I think she did an awesome job! What say you?

Took the Kids to the Lake...

2009-09-27T22:15:00.000-05:00

...this evening and took some pictures. It was a nice after supper activity. I got some decent pics of Jessa and of Jessa and Charles. The one of Jessa has some camera shake. Unfortunately, I forgot my tripod like a dummy. Will have to go back and do a retake with close to the same light. I hope I can recreate it.

Honey Creek Road Looking West

Charles and Jessa at the Scenic Overlook

This is the one of Jessa that shows the camera shake, but I still love it.

Looking West from the Big Rock House

Another one of Jessa and Charles

Another one looking West from the Rock House but taken at an angle

I love this one taken at the entrance to Dripping Springs

Nice, Quiet Day...

2009-09-26T22:48:00.000-05:00

...on the home front. I have read a small amount of a book by Djuna Barnes entitled Nightwood and I can already tell it will be another book I hate. It is so far, a very difficult read and I hate that. I do not understand half of what it is saying. I have to have the first four chapters read by Monday, so I will doing that as well as writing my paper that is due Tuesday. I really do not think I will have problems with the paper as I already have my topic and a good idea of what I want to write, so that should be a big help.

I went to Worship Practice this am, and then came home and did laundry and relaxed. Trixie and Buddy have been fighting horribly when Jessa and Charles are here. No clue why, but it is non-stop and getting old. Anyway, not much else to say as it has been a relatively quiet day and I am going to go shower and hit the bed.

Have blessed and restful night!

New Incarnation of My Tree

2009-09-25T21:26:00.000-05:00

Well, I have added a little and I have added the back ground. Here it is. I am too tired to type much lol.

I have been working more on...

2009-09-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

...my PS Assignment, I think I am pleased with the result. What say you? Does it look better?

Jessa and Charles

2009-09-24T19:32:00.000-05:00

Here are some really quick photos of Jessa and Charles. She is awfully pale tonight, not sure why but probably just still tired from the trip.

News from the Homefront!

2009-09-24T00:03:00.001-05:00

My eldest daughter, Jessica, made it safely from New York. She has moved here to get a new start with her fiance. She will be living a block from me in Michael's rent house and working for Michael to pay her rent. With a lot of prayer and help, we will get them going. God is so good and I know this will be a turning point for her. She has made a lot of bad decisions, and been hurt a lot as well. Now is her time to shine. I am saying a lot of prayers and hope you will, as well! Thank you!

I am nervous, excited and anxious about Jessa being here, but my hope is she will thrive with lots of love and a small community of people that are willing to help.

In other news, we made a realistic looking tree in Photo Shop today. The first one is my base tree, it was really not terribly hard to do. I am really loving my PS Class a LOT. My instructor is a great, he is amusing, intelligent and an older gentleman with a keen eye for graphics.
My second tree is me expanding as instructed with the smaller branches. Obviously, I am still working on it. I also still have to add the shadows, etc. Thanks for looking!

Well, I have been sitting here working on my background...

2009-09-22T10:48:00.000-05:00

...for my Photoshop project. Here is the newest version. What do you think? I am thinking I need to add some shadows to the background. To make it more realistic, but I don't know. There would not be shadows on the sky, only on the "ground."

Anyway, there ya go. I may play more tonight. I am really enjoying photoshop and my instructor is awesome! THis afternoon I have to work on developing photo's. Should be a blast. LOL

Have a blessed day!

Photo Shop Today...

2009-09-21T22:57:00.000-05:00

...or rather, what I would have learned last Wednesday had I not had to go to the VA. *sigh* It never fails.

Anyway, here is what *I* did today instead of last Wednesday. He showed me and two others what he had done last week so I didn't feel quite so bad. The object is to make a "Tree from Venus." LOL How did I do? This uses the "Liquefy" command after making a cylinder and scaling it.

Today's actual lesson was to make the background which I did a lousy job of so I will work on that some tomorrow evening.

In other news, Dad went to the Ortho today and he needs total knee replacement on his right knee. :-( He and I both more or less thought that would be the outcome, because the knee is bone on bone but one can always hope.

Anyway, the Dr. said, "You have two options...you can get a cortisone shot in the knee and have knee replacement surgery, or you can NOT get a shot and get knee replacement surgery." ROFLMAO. Gotta love a man with a sense of humor! Anyway, Dad has to be medically cleared to be put on the schedule, so I will start that process tomorrow. Please keep him in prayer as he is really in a lot of pain. I am thinking November or December will be the time they do it. Most likely December since I will be out of school for several weeks. Merry Christmas, huh? The good news is that EVERYONE, and I do mean, EVERYONE to whom I have spoken about this, that has had the surgery says the only regret they have is not having done so sooner!

God bless, more tomorrow!

I did it...

2009-09-21T09:44:00.000-05:00

...I finally finished the last 2:43 minutes of Sanctuary. All I have to say is WTH??? This is the most bizarre book I have ever had the misfortune to "read." If you have not read it, don't. It is horrifying and depressing and I am certain it must have literary merit but I certainly cannot see it on my own and will have to be told what that merit is by my instructor.

I am waiting for class to start and just have so many questions. Ugh. What a waste. Can't wait to start Harriet Jacobs Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl parts of which I have already read.

Have a great, blessed day!

At Last!!!

2009-09-17T20:02:00.003-05:00

Here is my starburst and truth be known, I caught TWO in one picture! If you look closely, there is one on the truck below the tree. I am so excited! This will not be the final print, when my instructor okay's it, I will post my final print. I have to bring the sky tones up and the tree tones down but I was too excited to not post it now!
Yay, me! Hopefully I will be able to replicate this often!

So yesterday...

2009-09-17T09:40:00.002-05:00

...sucked rocks and I did not even feel like blogging because of it. It started out with me having to take off to take the dogs to the vet because no one could help out. No big deal. I actually barely made it for my class. Then I was fighting with the VA all day.

That in itself was bad enough, but I had to sit for two hours waiting to get blood drawn and STILL had to skip class and drive to Muskogee because the computer systems were down all across the nation yesterday. It really sucked but thankfully my instructor was understanding.

I am currently listening to Frederic Douglass' Slave Narrative. It is so heart-breaking to listen to what he went through. He is very matter-of-fact, but it is still heart breaking.

I much prefer it to William Faulkner's Sanctuary which is a dark, horrible story. I do not think I will ever again read Faulkner for any reason other than class. And hopefully that is not necessary again.

I just found out that my Photography Instructor is leaving after the Spring semester. How disappointing. He is a great instructor and you have quite a bit of freedom in his class to select your photos. He will be missed.

Honestly, I probably will not be able to take anymore photo classes as I think Photo II is as far as it goes. :-( I really enjoy the photography class, and will miss taking it. I think Glenn Godsey, my PhotoShop I Instructor will hopefully teach a PS II class in Spring and if so, I will take it as my Art Class. I think I only need one more for my minor and that should do nicely.

Well, I guess I should go for now, I need to listen to this before class and it is hard to do while reading or typing. Have a blessed day!

I Got a Starburst!!!!

2009-09-15T22:15:00.002-05:00

I am in a Photography II class and it is traditional, which means film. LOL My color pics came out Ok, not great, some really bad, some good or just ok, but I *just* developed my first two rolls of black and white and am super pumped because even though I have not printed yet, except a very bad proof sheet, I caught a starburst that I was trying to get!!!

If you don't know what a starburst is, it is when you take a pic of a light or the sun and get the "twinkle" around it. It is VERY clear on the negative and I cannot wait to get my proofing finished and start playing with that photo to print it.

Euvah gets them so well, and I have always wanted to get one but never could. Now I have and I can tell you it is addicting! I want to get MORE! LOL I cannot wait till I can post the picture here.

In other news, I never did finish The Pioneers, but I have moved onto Frederick Douglass' Slave Narrative and The Sanctuary by William Faulkner. I hate to say, but Faulkner is such a dark writer. His books are filled with incest, rape and murder and I am not at all impressed. But, I *am* listening to it!

Ok, I am off to finish some more listening, actually. Y'all have a great night and a blessed day tomorrow!

Today's Phot Shop Lesson

2009-09-14T22:25:00.003-05:00

...was more on cylinders. This time, we learned how to use patterns or textures and make them into cylinders. The thing is, you cannot use either the airbrush or the gradient tool for shading on texture or patterns as the "paint" will cover the texture or pattern. So...you use the "burn" or "dodge" tool for these things.

Burn makes things darker as I am sure you would imagine and the dodge tool lightens. Anyway, without further ado, here are my assignments. Do you see a difference in them? Aside from their stature, I mean?
This first one I used the gradient tool to fill the "hole" as instructed by the Professor. In the following ones, I played with using a pattern and burning and dodging so that the hole looked like it was in the "marble" as opposed to what I believe looks like a metal cylinder with a faux marble finish. So, did I succeed?

Do you ever...

2009-09-11T22:42:00.003-05:00

...feel like you have something profound to say and you can't spit it out? Or maybe it is that you feel you SHOULD say something profound, and it simply isn't there? That is how I have felt all day.

I have felt oppressed, burdened and like I should say something profound but it simply is not there. I do not know if this is because of the anniversary of September 11 and the pain Danny is in, or something else entirely, but still it is there.

Eight years ago, our brother was stationed at the Pentagon as the NCOIC (Non-Commisioned Officer In Charge) of the DiLorenzo TriCare Health Clinic. A seasoned combat medic, he was a Corporal in charge of ALL of the medical for the Pentagon. He was about to leave to take his daughter to a medical appointment at Walter Reed when the plane hit.

As soon as he knew that something, though not what, had happened, he and his team raced into certain death to do whatever they could to save whomever they could. The first person he saved was Lt. Col. Brian Birdwell* and they went on to save seventeen more people before they started gathering the rest...the ones that did not survive. Some bodies, more often not. My sister had to listen to him each night when he got home from the carnage. And she will never be the same either.

I could go into how his team and he crawled over and under and around smoking debris cover in jet fuel. And I could even tell you some of the horror he faced that day. But what I cannot tell you is what he lives through even now. I cannot explain to you the pain it causes him when people try to expound on conspiracy theories or tell stories that are no where close to the truth of that day. I cannot tell you what his night terrors are like, or were, as God has healed him for the most part of those.

But that is not what really gets me, though it hurts. What really gets me is that after all they did, after all *he* did and saw and went through...Arlington got the accolades. Not my brothers team. In fact, as far as the world is concerned, Arlington was the first response team. NOT my brothers team. Arlington gets the "attaboys." No one knows what Danny's team did except a very select few. Danny says, "I was just doing my job. It is no big deal." But it *is* a big deal to those who love him. It is a huge deal that he was not awarded the Soldier's Medal, which he should have received. It is a huge deal that no one knows.

Today I am saying, "My brother is a hero." And you know what? He will probably get mad at me. He will probably wish I had said nothing. He does not now, nor has he ever, seen himself as a hero. He is not the most humble guy you would ever meet, but in this one regard, he is far too humble in my opinion.

I do not know what I am supposed to say today. If I mention it to him, I risk bringing back the terrors. And if I don't, I feel that I am not honoring him. I know this is not profound. And I know that it may even seem self-serving or boring. But I had to say what I feel so there it is.

My brother may not be a hero. But just for one day, for one moment in time, he was *someone's* hero.

eta-I feel like I should be able to make him better and I can't. No one can. But I can and will say he deserves to be recognized.

*Brian Birdwell wrote a book entitled "Refined By Fire" in which he discusses his experience. I highly recommend it.

New PhotoShop learning....

2009-09-11T19:55:00.005-05:00

...Well, we learned something new this Wednesday in PhotoShop. It was how to make cylinders both the "hard" way, and the "easy" way.

The "hard" way is not really hard, it just takes more time than the "easy" way. In the "hard" way, you use the air brush, with a flow of approximately 12 and a 'brush' width of about 230. You make a rectangle with the marquee tool and add in an oval, and then brush the shadow on it. I will not go into major detail, but sis, if you want to do this, let me know and I will send YOU the details. LOL

So the following three were finished using the "hard" way.The "easy" way is to use the gradient tool with the reflective light one and then add low lights and highlights. It was still fun to learn. This one is finshed using the "easy" way. I prefer the "hard" way I think.

Gifts from the heart...

2009-09-10T20:07:00.004-05:00

...Yvonne called me a while back and said she wanted to buy me something, but wanted to make certain I liked it. Turns out she wanted to buy me a turkey platter. I picked a couple out, of course the one I REALLY liked BEFORE I saw the price, was $339.00!!! I told her I would NEVER use that one and she was in no way to even consider it!

I guess I should say that this came about because every time we have a family dinner, I never have a large platter to serve the food on. LOL So she decided to buy me the platter so I would have one!

Anyway, today she came over and brought me a box that had my turkey platter in it. It is in the original box and cost $10.99 when first purchased who knows how long ago. It is beautiful and NOT the exorbitant one...LOL. I love it and will use it a lot I am sure! It also came with a crystal Cranberry sauce dish and server. Thank you, Yvonne!

Ok, Photo's are scanned and...

2009-09-08T21:57:00.007-05:00

...here is a big long picture post! I took these with a Pentax K-1000 and most of these were taken at F22.
I am very frustrated that the beautiful pinkish orange did not come out in this pic. I have no idea WHY it did not show up, because it was there. But there you have it. It is obviously something I am doing wrong and I will find out what when I talk to my professor. Still a fairly nice pic though.

Another one in which the pink did not show up!
This is a picture of a wagon in the yard of the house next to a church where we have Toastmasters out on the highway. I believe they also have an antique shop. I love this old wagon! Obviously, this was taken in excellent light, therefore I did not do too bad. I am slowly learning to remember to take notes and know what settings I used on my camera. Unfortunately, that was not the case in this instance. I believe that this was taken on F22 with a very fast shutter speed. Probably 125 or something.
Creek Nation Council House. You would think they would know when it was built. ROFLMAO They have a sign in front that says it was erected in 1878 and a marble monument that says it was erected in 1876, so who knows?? I just noticed the difference in them today! LOL

This is the Depot. They have announced that they want to demolish it and there is a huge public outcry. I really hope it gets historical status.
This little car is in the diner we eat in all the time. I just love it. It is a pedal car and is pretty neat!
Ok, this is Dad in our newly painted Dining Room. I wish I could say the colors are correct, but on MY monitor they do not look to be. *sigh* It really is very pretty. Everyone seems to like it when they come in.
These two are of main street in Okmulgee looking East from the corner of 6th and Okmulgee. The top one was taken on bulb at 5 seconds and the second on bulb at 10 seconds.
I like this picture of Dad. I had him pose, but this reminds me of when I catch him gazing off into the distance thinking. Those are some of his rare quiet moments. He gets so lonely that when I am home, he talks. He is talking now, actually.
Just a peaceful picture taken at the lake. I like this one, but it also had more color in it than is showing.Dad looks really stiff in this one and I do not like that. Otherwise, I think it is a decent photo.The hint of pink in this one was actually a lot of pink. I do not know what I did wrong, but I will find out because I love sunset photos.This one is my favorite of the bunch. I was driving past the first scenic outlook at the lake and looked up and saw this. I love this pic. I have one right after that did not turn out so I am glad this one did! I will scan and post more tomorrow after school. have a peaceful, blessed night.

So...

2009-09-08T20:13:00.002-05:00

...I must admit I have not finished The Pioneers and I just do not see it happening any time in the near future. I now know how it ends, and that is really all that matters, right?

In other news, I am now the proud owner of Adobe Web Premium CS4 which includes PhotoShop CS4 and Bridge among other cool things. I only have ONE minor problem. It is the student edition which is all well and great, but I had to send in my TU Photo ID with current date. Guess what? TU ID does not have an issue date on it so now they say I have to send in a current copy of my transcript. :-( This is taking forever. I just want to use it NOW! I can sort of use it but it has warnings pop up that it only has this many days left to use. Oh well. It will happen.

I think I am going to hook up my scanner and scan some of my pics. Have a blessed night!

As I Sit Here...

2009-09-08T09:25:00.002-05:00

...waiting for class to start, it occurs to me that I should be listening to The Pioneers. Instead, I am talking on the phone with a friend and writing my blog. I really am trying with this stupid book and I did listen to it on the way up when I wasn't on the phone with my sister, but it really is very difficult. I cannot wait until we move past this book. I hope that Dr. Taylor can make this seemingly trite book open up for me. I do not hold a lot of hope though.

I am on chapter 9 and it has thus far been a very difficult listen and I can honestly say, Thank you, Jesus, that I am listening instead of reading or I would certainly have had several very long naps during the reading process. Someone in my class actually told me that if I should be taken out in a wreck by falling asleep at the wheel, they would know that Jame Fenimore Cooper was the culprit! LOL

I got a lot accomplished this weekend, including cleaning the living room, dining room, scrap room and kitchen. I still have a lot of work to do in the scrap room, but at least most of the stuff BELONGS in there now and it is just a case of putting it all away where it belongs. And it all has places to go thanks to my sister!

I got a screaming deal on a wide format printer this weekend. A brand new printer with all the bells and whistles for $150. I was blown away. It has been used a dozen times and I may have to replace the ink as it has been sitting awhile but I cannot wait to use it! Now I have three printers, what on earth was I thinking? Still, I could not pass it up. Well, I could have, but I didn't. It should be here the end of the week and I cannot wait. I have been wanting one for a looong time.

Randell and Trish came to bbq with us yesterday. Well, I am sure they came to eat, but I put Randell to work, (Thank you, Randell!!!) and had him BBQ and I just finished up inside and set the table and visited with Trish for a bit. I took a few pics with my film camera, hope they turn out nicely. I am slowly getting used to using the film camera and remembering to set the aperture and etc. But it is slow going. I am taking so many pics that it is unreal. I have to take up 30 rolls of film minimum and ideally more than that. Yikes. If it ain't moving, it gets its picture taken!

Well, I guess I will go take a nap, errr, Ummmm, I mean listen to The Pioneers some more. Have a great, blessed day!

Wow! What a day!

2009-09-06T22:47:00.002-05:00

I did not get to sleep last night until 1:30 in the morning and was up and at 'em and 7:30. Have I mentioned I am NOT a morning person??? I really could do without the morning fog, but it seems as though the older I get, and the more I school, the earlier I get up! (don't say it, Sis!!! ROFLMAO)

Anyway, I hit the ground running and got ready for church and on my way so I could be there for Worship practice for 9. I made it to the church at 8:50 and there were already people there waiting to get in! Craziness. Annnnyway...After church, we went and ate and came home to clean. Well, *I* came home to clean and do laundry.

I did take a nap first, damn Fibromyalgia and Polymyalgia Rheumatica make that a necessity for me anymore. But I did get a LOT accomplished today. I got the dining room, living room and most of my scrap room cleaned, 2 loads of laundry done including folding, hanging and putting away, supper cooked and cleaned up from and a ton of filing done.

It seems like since I started school all I have time to do is to run in and dump everything and run back out. So I am trying to find the bottom of the hell hole again. Add to the run and dump the paint and move stuff and I had one helluva mess! But all is looking up now.

Tomorrow, Trish and Randell are coming for bbq and I need to run into work and pay some bills. I still have a busload of The Pioneers to get through but I can do that while busy with everything else so that should not be a problem. I should have been doing it while I was cleaning today. I think we will do ribs and burgers and call it good.

I have to go into work for a couple of hours to pay the bills and do the taxes, but that shouldn't be too terribly bad.

Oh! And we had 5, yep *5*, baptism;s at church tonight! It was so awesome! Isn't God so good?

Night y'all! Have a blessed night and day tomorrow!

The Weekend is Here!

2009-09-04T21:45:00.003-05:00

...and all is well. I spent most of the day in Tulsa. The first half for school, and the second half taking Dad to the eye doctor and the mall. Yuck. I hate the mall. A lumbering mass of humanity hell-bent on getting what they want and be damned with the rest of the world.

On the up side, there was a new store there that had just what Dad wanted. The half height, zipper dress boots. They are pretty and they fit and feel good on his feet so all is well that ends well, right?
They are really nice. Soft, supple leather and well-constructed. I think he will get to wear these for a long time. And they fit him well. A bit snug to get on at first, but a good fit.

I also stopped by Bath and Body Works since I was already at the mall and had been avoiding it for ages. I needed to pick up several bottles of the hand wash. Unfortunately, they no longer have the amber scent which is what I really wanted but I picked up their fall scents and they will do fine. I hope they bring back the Amber though! It was wonderful! Thank you, Sis, for turning me on to their soaps! I love them and so does Dad!

Well, I guess that is it for now. I have worship practice in the am and then not much else planned except laundry and cleaning. Have a great, blessed night!

Photoshop...

2009-09-02T23:00:00.004-05:00

...So today's project was about the same, but using the addition to selection and subtraction from selection options. So here is what I can up with!
The first one is just the two layers which are actually 5 layers: Top object, Shadow, Next object, Shadow and background. Ok, so there are six layers because I always do a new layer and don't use the actual background. LOL
This one was accomplished simply adding another object layer and shadow layer.

To do this:

Open a New Document and make it 12 inches by 12 inches at 72 pixels per inch and with RGB color. Select your colors in the lower left corner,Using the layers tab on the right of your workspace, select "New Layer." "Edit>Fill" this layer with the pattern/colors of your choice. If you choose pattern, you can use "Filter>Render>Difference Clouds" as many times as you like to get the color mixture you like. Now that you have your back ground, you want to create a new layer from your layer palette. While on this layer, make a selection using either the polygonal, square/rectangular, or ellipse tool or a combination of them all by holding down the "Shift" or "Alt" key.

In order to put holes in your selection, hold down the "Alt" key while using one of the marquee tools previously mentioned and draw holes in the project. You can and should change your selction shape during this time. Also, you can add to your selection by holding down the "Shift" key and using the selection tools specified.

Once you have your selection, choose "Select>Save Selection." You may either name your selction or the program will auto default to Alpha followed by a number where your first saved selection is "alpha 1", second is "alpha 2" and so on.

Once you have saved your selection (and you should always do this FIRST!), Choose "Edit>Fill" and use color or pattern. I generally use color by choosing a new foreground color and then filling with "Foreground" color. You may then use the "fx" key (Below the layer palette on the right side of your workspace) to "Bevel and Emboss." Once the "Bevel and Emboss" window opens, Choose your bevel type (You should generally choose "Inner Bevel"), size, and depth and then adjust the BOTTOM slider that is the shadow on the bottom edge of the object to lighten it. Select "Ok" and the window will close.

Choose "Select>Deselect," (Are you absolutely certain you saved your selection???). Now, Choose "New Layer," and do it all over again. Do it as many times you want layers. THEN...

Drop to the lowest layer which should be your background, add a "New Layer." (Make sure nothing is selected first). Hold down your "Shift" key and go "Select>Load Selection>Alpha 1." Still holding down your shift key, go back to "Select>Load Selection>Alpha 2" and so on all while holding down your shift key until you have selected all of your shapes.

Once you have the final selection area, go to "Edit>Fill>Black." "Select>All" and then choose "Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur" and set your number to something like 8.5. Using the "Opacity" slider on the TOP of the layer palette, slide it down to like 40-48%. "Select>Deselect." Using the "Move tool" Pull this shadow layer down and to the right a good way.

Click on "Layer 2" or the layer the next object is on and add a new layer. On this layer, you want to add all selections BESIDES "Alpha 1." Do NOT add "Alpha one." Go ahead and use the steps above to select all other objects. Once you have the final selection area, follow the instructions above to get the appropriate shadow. This one should be blurred to about 8. And the opacity should be marginally darker than the first one. So if you went to 48% on the first one, go about 50-52% on this one. Once you have this shadow complete, pull it down and to the right but not as far as the first one!

NOW, "Select>Deselect" and then "Select?Load Selection>Alpha 1." Then choose "Select>Inverse." Tap the "Delete" key. This deletes extraneous shadow from the layer. "Select>Deselct."

Move on to the next object layer and follow the above instructions except this time you will leave off the bottom TWO object selections, i.e. "Alpha 1" and "alpha 2."

This time when you "Select>Load selection in order to use the inverse and delete extraneous shadow, you will hold down the shift key and select both "Alpha 1" and "Alpha 2." Then do the "Select>Inverse" and tap the delete key. Follow these instructions till you have down the last objects shadow on the second layer to the top and Voila! there you have it!

If you have any questions feel free to comment me! Have a blessed day!

My Photoshop Skills

2009-09-02T09:00:00.004-05:00

Well, so far I have learned how to make a "Planar Surface floating against a wall" and a "Cylinder floating in front of a planar surface floating against a wall." It may not seem like much, but since I have always used the "Drop Shadow" box, this has been fascinating since we have not yet used the drop shadow box. All of these are created by using different layers and different techniques.
This was my first attempt. He asked that we not be creative and simply do the assignment as requested. Hence the first file. He then asked that we be creative so I created the following three files.

The following files are our second assignment. Again, one strictly interpreted and one creative.

I need to play some more with the second file and use textures and etc. So I will take the time to do that before class this afternoon. So what do you think? Have a blessed day!

T.S. Eliot

2009-08-31T09:08:00.002-05:00

I wish I could say that T.S. Eliot was a favorite of mine. His Wasteland is precisely that...a wasteland of words. I cannot even describe it. LOL Well, now we are reading other poems of his and I am in hopes that they are better. The instructor asked us if we WANTED to do The Wasteland, and there was a resounding no from half the class. I think I would have screamed if we had had to.

I have my photoshop class later, at 3:30 actually, so I have a LOT of time to kill between then and now. I think I will really enjoy my PS class. We had to do a small project last Thursday and it was a quick one. I got it done and headed out but the instructor asked me to bring my laptop next time as we are short a couple of computers. So, I guess I will be using my laptop which is just fine with me as I can save it and work on it at home as well.

I arranged Mickey's birthday party for Michael yesterday and was one beat chickadee when I got home at 4:00. I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off from 7:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. It was crazy but I think everyone enjoyed the party so I guess it was a success. I deliberately filled the goody bags with toys and trinkets instead of candy although I did put a few pieces of candy in each one.

I tried to nap when I got home but that did not pan out so when I went to bed at almost 1:00 a.m. was the first sleep I got all day. TO say I am worn out today is putting it mildly. My eyes are rolling and I predict more rolling in my future with T.S. Eliot.

Well, gotta read and get ready for class. Have a blessed day!

Steph's Present for Grandpa

2009-08-29T21:16:00.003-05:00

Well, it has taken me a while to get this done. Stephenie took an awesome pic of eagle's and sent one to Grandpa for either Father's Day or his birthday, I cannot remember which. We have had it displayed as is, without a frame, since then because I kept forgotting (Yep, I said forgotting), to get a frame. Well I remembered tonight and it is now framed and on the wall where it belongs. Dad is so darned proud of this picture, Steph! And of you for being such an excellent photographer. Here it is so you can it on the wall, finally! Thank you!

The Weekend!!!

2009-08-29T12:36:00.003-05:00

Yes! It is finally the weekend and I am going to relax and... oh, wait...Dad wants his room painted. So much for relaxing! ROFLMAO Oh, well, it shouldn't take long.

I am avoiding The Pioneers, no joke. I really am. I HAVE to finish it but it so hard. Yuck. It is in the same series as The Last of the Mohicans which sounds like a good book, but after reading this one, I don't think I will be reading it!

Got my photography stuff, I am excited though I have to take 30 rolls of film. Yep, you heard that right THIRTY! We will only be developing the B&W, the color we will have developed at any normal place with no fixing. I will not make the mistake of taking it to WM again though as they roll the negatives like dumbasses and then I cannot get it in the stupid negative sheets.

Since I will be taking mostly film for the foreseeable future, it will be a while before I can post any new photos to my blog. So this may get boring.

I know, I know, I am boring anyway! LOL I can take it. I am just trying to update regularly as I need to get in the habit. So, when I do, I will post pics when I get them developed. How's that?

I am supposed to be deciding what I want for lunch, but I am not really hungry so I guess I will wait till supper to eat.

Well, back to the grindstone for now. Have a blessed day!

So, Day 4 and all is going well...

2009-08-27T09:47:00.002-05:00

...I had my first try at creating a planar item floating in front of a wall and did well. I have one of my English classes today and had to read Rip Van Winkle for it, which I read last semester, so I am good.

Still having trouble with The Pioneers, but I reckon I will get through it one way or the other. I am loading up on my photography stuff today and have that class later on. At 2 to be precise. Can't wait. This one is totally film, so it should be interesting. We will be developing it ourselves, and I think that includes the color prints. I am a bit nervous, but not too bad.

I am sitting in the English Department office waiting for my class to start. THink I will walk a bit. Have a great, blessed day!

Have I ever mentioned...

2009-08-26T09:23:00.002-05:00

...that Jame Fenimore Cooper is booooooring???? Jeez, Louise. I am listening to The Pioneers on my iPod, and I don't know if it is the guy reading it that makes it so bad, or if the book is actually that boring. But it is driving me to sleep! EVERY time I turn it on, I start getting so sleepy, I swear, they could use this audio book for hypnotism...

I am also reading Robert Frost and that is not too bad. I have read him before, so I am up on most of his work. We will be discussing him in class today.

Yesterday was my first Photography II class, it went fairly well, Glenn, the instructor, is supposed to email me a copy of the syllabus and hasn't yet so I can forward it to my Voc Rehab counselor to get my supplies. Grrrr, why does it take an act of congress to get stuff done?

Ok, I guess I should get back to reading. I have read most if not all of what we are discussing today, but I may need to brush up. Have a great one and God bless you!

Second day of school...

2009-08-25T09:59:00.002-05:00

...and all is going swimmingly. My first class on Monday's and Wednesday's is an English class, go figure, and it is taught by Dr. Watson. Dr. Watson is a great fellow and he had a stroke in January of last year, just at the beginning of a Faulkner, Fitzgerald, Hemingway class I had with him. He is doing well now, but I am still a bit on the leery side. Strokes are so random, but it seems like once it has happened once to someone, it often can and does happen again. I do love his teaching style though and cannot wait to learn more from him.

My second class on MW is a Photoshop I class with a Glenn Godsey. I thought going in to it that we would learn photo manipulation but learned yesterday that that is not the case. He will be teaching design and rendering and we do not even use photo's until the end of the semester. I am still not sure I should keep the class though I think it will be interesting.

On Tuesday's and Thursday's, my first class is yet another English class with Dr. Taylor. Dr. Taylor is rather dry, but still interesting. He filled in around the edges with Dr. Watsons class in the spring, and I think it will be interesting to learn from him. His class is 19th century AmLit.

And finally, the class I have been waiting for, Photography II with Glenn Davis. Mr. Davis taught Photography I in the fall of 2008 and he is an excellent instructor. I had trouble with his tests, as I am not wordy enough. I guess I will try harder this time to be more wordy. I cannot wait to see what we work on this semester. Should be interesting.

And to top the new semester beginnings off, I am sick. I feel like crap and last night was running a 101 fever and generally nauseous. Hopefully this will pass quickly so I can be in top form soon.

Have a great day!

School starts tomorrow...

2009-08-23T18:38:00.005-05:00

...and I am so not ready for it! ROFL Here are the books I have to read this semester for two of my classes and then I have Adobe Photoshop and Photography II!
I am excited and nervous. The English classes do not really make me nervous, though I will have to write several papers, but the PS and Photo classes make me nervous! Go figure. I am really excited about taking them though! I guess I am nervousing because I took Photo I from the same instructor and so did not do well on the tests. I made a B in his class the first semester I was at TU. At least I will know what to expect by way of tests though.

Anyway, I am getting PhotoShop CS4 or the newest edition whichever is best. I cannot wait!

Oh yeah, and see that really THICK book on the right?? That is, of course, the first one I have to read. Needless to say it is now on my iPod Touch!

Finished!!!

2009-08-21T16:52:00.005-05:00

Ok, we are finished with the kitchen and living room minus a couple more things to put up and straightening up. Here are the final pictures, well, final until I get it cleaned up more and take better pics. I am so excited I could not wait another minute to share though! So here it is, the walls are more green than blue, but you get the idea. Opinions?

Living Room walls

2009-08-19T21:30:00.002-05:00

Here are wo pics of he LR walls jus before we finished. Esther came and helped!

New Medicine Chest

2009-08-17T21:13:00.002-05:00

We are putting another medicine chest in my bathroom, this is the one we picked out.

Dad's Room

2009-08-15T21:45:00.004-05:00

This is the color Dad chose for his room. Another what do you think?

Well, after much deliberation...

2009-08-15T14:29:00.003-05:00

...we decided to go with a light sage green for the LR and shared walls in the kitchen. Here are pics of the coral with the light green. What do you think?

A Bad pic of me with my new glasses...

2009-08-13T20:18:00.003-05:00

So it is an even worse picture I think, but there ya go!

...Forgive the horrible pic. Dad took it with my D50 and I am grateful it is as good as it is. So what do you think of my new glasses? I got the half frames and it almost looks like no glasses. As soon as the brother is around, I will have him take a decent pic.

Our Trip

2009-08-07T22:35:00.005-05:00

Danny and I are on a road trip to Alabama and Louisiana. We left on Wednesday and traveled through Arkansas to Tennessee on our way to AL. On the way, we stopped in Clarksville, AR and ate lunch at Arby's. It will be a long time before I eat at Arby's. We got sooo sick. On top of that, we spent at LEAST 3 hours in standstill traffic while in AR. Not a great start, but I am happy to say, all is better now.

We got to Altoona, AL at 1:30 a.m. (Remember the traffic and the sick stops) and dropped Christian off and hit the hotel in Oneonta and on to bed.

The next morning we went back to Altoona and visited with Marie and the girls for a little while before heading to Selma to see Aunt Connie and Uncle Ed and Aunt Carol and Uncle Danny. Naturally there was a bit more to it than that, like having to drive back to Altoona from Oneonta to pick something up, but it was all good!

In Selma, I took lots of pics and will share them a few at a time. Today I am sharing pics of Danny, me and the Aunts and Uncles.

Me, Uncle Ed and Aunt Connie

Uncle Ed, Aunt Connie and Danny
Uncle Ed in his den

Aunt Carol, Uncle Danny and me
Uncle Danny and Danny

Kitchen Wall

2009-08-03T17:55:00.002-05:00

Here is a picture of the wall in our Kitchen/Dining area that we just painted. What do you think?

I am out for three glorious weeks and...

2009-08-01T11:22:00.002-05:00

...when I go back I will only be taking twelve hours instead of the 16-18 I have been taking.

I talked to my Voc. Rehab. Counselor and he told me I am entitled through December 2010 and I decided that I would slow down and relax a little. I am waiting to take my Senior Seminar, which is a 30 page paper until Fall 2010. I am taking Adobe Photo Shop, Photography II, and two English classes this fall. I will take mostly free electives and hopefully Photo Shop II in the Spring and then may take the summer next year off. I am not sure though on that.

I think I will relax and take it easy though for awhile. I am stoked that I have the time to do so!

Can you see the resemblance???

2009-07-26T19:49:00.002-05:00

This is Christian, Danny's son, my nephew. I think he might just look a little like his dad!!!

I Scrapped!!!

2009-07-25T22:34:00.003-05:00

And I did so for two days! Yay! Anyway, I have been working on all of these two page layouts for months and finally got them finished today! The one page of Dad, I started and finished today. Anyway, I am so glad I got something finished! Thanks for looking!

Some pics of the nieces and my Brother and his wife...

2009-07-12T22:05:00.007-05:00

This is my brother Danny, his wife Yvonne and two of Danny's girls, Kelly (17) and Hannah, (9).

Hannah, isn't she adorable?

Kelly

Kelly with Hannah

Sorry I am so tired, I would type more but I am beat. Just wanted everyone to admire them!