Thanksgiving snapshots

How was your Thanksgiving? We spent the day at my parents house. We ate slightly later than usual so we could wait for my new brother-in-law to get off work. My parents led a communion and then we feasted! After the meal we talked, played games & just enjoyed each others company. I also took some family photos while we were all together. (Look for some of those on my photography blog soon.)  It was a very good day.  We have so much to be thankful for...Praise the Lord!

Thanksgiving thought...

A verse for thought today...

"When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them,and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God."

Deuteronomy 8: 10-14

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

My photography blog is lonely...

Hey.   Be sure to follow my photography blog so you won't miss out on seeing treasures like this little cutie who I recently photographed in a recent family shoot...

I can hear crickets chirping over there! 
jk...sorta.

Family: The Spearmans

Just want to send you all over to my photography blog again...

Check out a few of my shots of Spearman family.

I Heart Faces: "Paper"

My grandmother is an amazing woman and one of the coolest things about her is the way she is willing to play with children and not only play but to find creative ways to interact with them & to give those little hands new ways to be productive.  My entry for "I Heart Faces" this week is a photo of my daughter's excitement & anticipation as she waits for Grandma to finish cutting out paper dolls from an old newspaper.   A lesson from my grandma's book of tricks...it is usually the simple things that bring the most joy.

I Heart Faces: "Silhouettes"

Five Question Friday: 11/12/10

I decided to participate in 5QF this week with my favorite Minnesota mama, MamaM! 

1. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?

I've been pretty blessed to have a relatively pain free childhood.  Giving birth to my children ranks up there at the top...but in college I suffered with IBS and I gotta say that it could be nearly as painful as contractions...the pain just didn't last as long.

2. How much sleep do you get at night?

Well, I suppose I average about eight hours...from about midnight to eight.  I know, I know...but my kids sleep in, too, and I home school so...nanny nanny, poo, poo!

3. How long did you believe in Santa Claus? How did you find out that he does not exist?

I was pretty old...I can't say exactly how old (maybe eight-ish)...but I remember just thinking about it one Saturday morning while watching cartoons and just went up to my mom in the kitchen and asked and she told me.   My brother, on the other hand, was traumatized by the discovery...he had to be told on Christmas Eve one year because "Santa" wasn't going to be bringing him what he asked for and my parents decided he should know the truth.  I remember his discovery pretty vividly as well. 

4. What was the last movie you saw in a theater?

Dear heavens!  I'm not sure...it's been so long!  I think the last movie we saw was "Avatar" which I hated!  It's possible I've been to one since then but...I don't think so.  It's just too hard with kids, no baby sitters & no money!  But we have considered taking Eden & Jasmine to "Tangled" Thanksgiving weekend when our parents could watch Acacia.  We'll see.  I won't be shocked if it doesn't happen.

5. What do you wear to bed?

T-shirts & loose pants.  

 

"I’ve been entertaining thoughts...

"I’ve been entertaining thoughts

Of what I’m gonna do...

I wish that I could say that I’ll have no regrets

But I may have one of two"

If I were to write a bucket list...naming one by one the experiences that I would wish to have during my life, one would be seeing Over the Rhine in concert. 

"Gonna put on my favorite dress.
Put my hair up too...

...Say farewell to the confines of my own back yard." 

Over the Rhine is my favorite.  I am enchanted by their sound, their versatility & the poetry of their lyrics. It makes me feel artsy, clever, profound.  It is edgy & sensual.  It makes me want to dance, sing & pray.  It makes me FEEL, period.  And I love it.

"Sweet intoxication
When your words
Wash over me

Whether or not
Your lips move
You speak to me"

I have in many ways defined myself by my love of their music and to see them in concert would help me reconnect with the part of myself that isn't just "mom" & "wife" but the part of me that is simply "woman".

"give me strength to find the road that’s lost in me
give me time to heal and build myself a dream
give me eyes to see the world surrounding me
give me strength to be only me"

During my first year of marriage, Russ & I actually bought tickets to see OTR in concert in Colorado Springs but a day before the concert (One stinking day!) the show was canceled so that Karin & Linford (the couple who IS Over the Rhine) could take some time off to work on their marriage.  Thus leading to this long seven years of trying to find another opportunity to enjoy their music LIVE.  For the longest time they never came anywhere near here for a show...then the last couple of years they have done shows in Denver at the Soiled Dove but the timing has just not worked in my favor.  Last year I was pregnant and in the middle of a kitchen remodel...and this year we already had plans the weekend of their show.  I am hoping & praying that they will be back again next year and that my cute little butt will be warming one of those seats!

"Put your elbows on the table

I'll listen long as I am able

There's nowhere I'd rather be"

I know it seems like a silly little thing.  There are so many grander things I could put on my bucket list.  This is one of the most reasonable things...I know that it is totally within my grasp but yet it is also one of the things I would most regret missing if it never happens for that very same reason.  Seven years this silly little wish has eluded me...I dare to hope that will not be the case forever.

"but tomorrow i can’t imagine

how am i supposed to know

what’s yet to go down"

"if nothing else I can dream
  I can dream"

I Heart Faces: "Orange"

Photo Freak: "Best"

I don't know if this is the "best" picture I've ever taken but it is certainly makes the top of my favorites...
I took this in October 2008 and I just fell in love with it!  Looks like they are telling secrets and the expression on Jasmine's face is priceless!  Hope you all like it, too.  :)

Letters of Intent: "I want my husband back!"

Dear Husband's Employer--

As much as I appreciate the fact that my husband has a steady reliable job with you, and as much as I salivate at all the extra overtime pay...I just have to say that I just can't take this much longer.  You have got to give me my husband back!  It is just not cool that I am stuck at home alone with three very young energetic children all week long...several weeks in a row.  My mental health is declining at an overwhelming pace at this point.  It is bad enough that he's working five days a week, 2 1/2 hours away...spending his evenings in a lonely motel while I wrestle grumpy little daddy-starved monsters into their jammies every night, but then when he does make it back to town for the weekend...you drag him off to work Saturday morning as well.  Geez!  I realize that my man has mad skillz and he is a valuable member of your company.  But sometimes I wonder if you really understand & appreciate that.  Because if you don't...I just can't see any reason to keep living this way.

Don't get me wrong, I know better than anyone that my husband has his weaknesses...but do you even recognize all of his strengths?  Do you acknowledge what kind of hours he puts in for you?  Do you realize how important it is to him that he does a job efficiently & effectively?  Do you see how frustrated he gets at himself when he does make a mistake?  Do you appreciate his honesty & reliability?  Do you see the work he put in during his off time to make his job & yours go more smoothly in the future & do you respect that extra effort at all?  Or is he just another employee to you?  Because, I gotta say, I used to think that we were privileged to be a part of your company...but I'm starting to wonder if we really matter to you at all.

It sure seems like he gets run down for measly little mistakes and yet his effort, innovations, hard work, neatness, thouroughness & dedication barely get a nod.  It's hard to maintain a good work ethic when it appears to make little difference.  It is hard to imagine that if my husband was sloppy, lazy & unmotivated, him being treated any differently then he is now.  Certainly appears that his work has no effect whatsoever on his pay...except in the number of hours he puts in.

Oh, Company, perhaps you really do appreciate the work my husband does and you just can't afford to acknowledge that financially.  I can respect that. But you could at least give him an "Atta boy!" every now and then.  A sincere accolade really goes a long way in keeping up morale.  If not for him...then at least for me.  I need to know that there is a reason for these long lonely nights.  I need to know that if I can't show my husband here at home how much he is loved & appreciated that he is at least being appreciated for the work he is doing while away from me & his girls.

When is this crazy schedule going to end?  He is a good man and he has a loving wife and three daughters who adore him at home so you better wise up and send him home with a treat or else this grumpy, tired, overworked, underhugged wife is going to flip-out,   'Cause my man is special and I'll treat him right whether you do or not.  And he deserves it!

Sincerely,
The lonely over-worked wife of Mr. Mad Skillz Campbell

Mr. Mad Skillz, himself

Before & After: Cool in Blue

Before (SOOC):

After (Edit):

Photo taken with my Canon Rebel XT & edited with Paint Shop Pro 9.

My Little Pumpkin