Tuesday, July 29, 2008

East Coast Tour

We're home! ...but not for long. As it turns out, we're here just long enough to empty the mailbox, mow the lawn and pay a few bills. In no time flat, we'll be back on the road with one last stop before ending our summertime east coast tour. We'll be headed to the PA/NJ/NY area to visit my parents, Aunt Lydia's crew, and whoever else will have us. 

Once I got back, Justin helped pitch the tent 
in the backyard in order for it to dry. Apparently he thought 
it was hilarious that I got caught in the rain while camping.

Initially I was planning to recap my outdoor adventures on the blog; giving a day-by-day account of my bear encounters, photo adventures, and front country camping experiences... But then one day as I was driving from one hiking trail to another, the thought occurred to me: who cares! (sorry mom, your vote doesn't count on this one). Besides, now that we're home I've been reminded that my time will be better spent doing any of 10 million other things; like preparing for my inevitable return to work, prepping for my wedding shoot in 10 days, wrapping up summer projects, etc. But for those of you at least remotely interested, I've posted a small handful of shots from the trip here. Once I find time to go through them all I'll add more; but those are the ones that stood out at a glance.

On the trail to Mouse Creek Falls


 With the latest estimate being 2 bears per square mile 
(1500 total for the park), I guess I was bound to see at least 
a couple of black bears during a 5 day visit.

As for what V and Justin did while I was camping and what we did together when I returned, V is putting together a photo summary of those "adventures."  I will update the blog with those photos once she has a moment to sort through them.

And last but not least, Justin has been busy yet again filling out his portfolio. Just before our excursion began, he had a shoot with a budding photographer friend of ours, Terri Hughes (her husband shot our wedding, in case the name sounds familiar). One glance at her portfolio and it is obvious that Terri is immensely talented. We wish her the best with her business endeavors and thank her again for the opportunity to capture Justin on film. If you have a moment, fill free to click here to check out Terri and Sam's website. As for Justin's photos, while I'm sure her galleries will rotate, for now you can find him in the Portrait section, images  #6 and #7. Enjoy.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Lazy Afternoons

There hasn't been a whole lot of interesting stuff going on around these parts lately, hence the lack of blog updates. With my summer program finally in the books (and my overdue reports and projects finally turned in and out of the way), the past week has been mostly about family time and relaxation. Sometimes you've just gotta have a week where every day is a lazy Sunday afternoon... and this past week was ours.

And it was fun. We slept in late, moved at our own pace, played in the yard, established a nice routine of evening "family power walks", and had a string of home-cooked meals that was probably unprecedented for us... But alas, you know good and well that our clan doesn't stay still for long. So off we go for another road trip! Baby showers, hiking trails, family and friends are all on the agenda. South Carolina, Georgia, and the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee & North Carolina. We'll see you when we get back!


Tuesday, July 8, 2008

The Party's Over

With Justin's 1st birthday behind us, his days of being treated like a baby are also in the rearview mirror. V and I talked and we decided that it was time for him to start earning his keep around here. Gone are the days of freeloading and not contributing to the household. When I grew up, if you could walk then you could get a job. I remember delivering pizzas when I was three years old, and stocking the bottom shelves at the corner store for 12 cents an hour. The problem is, kids these days just don't have a work ethic. But not in our household. We start 'em young.















As for the birthday party, you can visit the photo archive to catch the summary of what was a fun time for all of us. I also added comments to the Shenandoah trip photos to round out the June gallery. Enjoy.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Gratitude

I thought this was supposed to be summer vacation... ?! Between hosting family and friends, my summer teaching program (just 3 more days!), Justin's birthday party, and tending to photography clients this past weekend, I can honestly say that the past few days have been a blur. At times like this, I'm reminded that being able to sit in this chair and spend time playing with words and pictures is truly a luxury.  However, I do sense that a reprieve is just around the corner, so all hope is not lost. Rest is on the way!

In the meantime, here are a few pictures from Justin's birthday party this past Saturday. In all it went fantastically well and I have to give V all the credit in the world for pulling off a worthwhile party for a one-year-old (something that I learned was much easier said than done). And we also want to thank every person who made out it, brought a present, sent a card, sent an email, or simply thought about us during what was such a joyous occasion for us. Your sentiments are deeply appreciated and it meant a lot to us to be able to share such a momentous milestone with our family and friends. As always, be reminded that we love you guys and appreciate your support.

As for us, we're hitting the road as a family again to square away some business with our rental properties in South Carolina. I'm expecting a quick turnaround, so I hope to be back blogging by Sunday. In the meantime, enjoy your July 4th weekend and please drive responsibly! All the best.