Lots Going On!

Good Morning

Good morning everyone. I have been so very busy, love it, but busy none the less. Let me catch you up a bit, and there will be no pictures today.

Last week, about 10 days ago actually, was my birthday. My step daughter came over to take me to lunch and to let me take some pictures of her. The pictures were for her husband, she has lost a lot of weight, worked really hard to change her body shape and she is very proud of her accomplishments. So we took pictures so long that we missed lunch! She had to get back home to pick Caleb up from school. I got to keep my little miss Allie which was a wonderful present in itself.

We kept Allie till Saturday when we drove to Bristow to give her back to her parents. They were on their way to a family reunion and we agreed that would be a good spot to meet them. I also have a friend who lives there and she was having a bake sale for her little cheerleaders so we needed to go support their endeavors. Plus they were at Wal-mart. I needed a few things for the Memorial Weekend so this was a perfect place to do everything.

Saturday afternoon/evening we had a fish fry with my cousin and her family. We had her kids and grandkids, her husband and brother-n-law. So it was a nice little gathering with 10 people and plenty of food. Fried potatoes, fish, cornbread, fruit dip and fruit, Kool-aid pie, corn on the cob, and I can't remember what else. Plenty of food !!!! Then most everyone went home and Scott and I, plus Jill, Toby, their son Boyd and Toby's brother all stayed to play Wii. We got the Wii-fit game out and never laughed so hard in my life. It was so much fun.

Next day I had another family coming with their three children. These people are my daughters best friends. They have no family in Oklahoma and I have become the adopted grandma for the children. They are such well behaved kids and are very fun to be around. I kept the kids Sunday and Monday till the parents came back to go home. The parents needed a weekend get away, being they just celebrated their anniversary and never have any alone time. They stayed in Tulsa and enjoyed the sights and shopping that Tulsa has to offer.

Tuesday came with me hitting the floor running. I had my nephews 5th grade graduation to attend and a photo shoot that evening. Graduation was cute. Trent has been home schooled all his life and this was his first and last year of public schools. Steph taught at the school where the kids went, but she just decided to stay at home again and home school her children. I think Trent wanted to go to the public school next year, but this is what his parents have decided for him. And Tori does NOT want to go to public school. She like the one on one attention from her mom without the strict rules and guidelines of public school. She is such a funny girl, very sweet and loving....very girly too. Never wore pants to school till about the last three weeks of school. It was a major deal the first day she wore her jeans. How funny!

After the graduation, I had not had time for lunch, so I ran to get a bite to eat at Arby's. Mom and dad came by so we visited for a while which was really nice. Had not seen my parents in SEVERAL days...or a couple weeks even. Then I ran next door to get flea/tick meds for the dogs and talked to the vet people for awhile about the different products available and why I liked or did not like this and that. Talked about shots, money and how to get all three my dogs to come in on the same day at the same time. She said to just relax about it, they will help me. Yeah right. I have THREE BIG BOXERS!!!! And one small car. Ok, that is done and we will be back Monday for the dr visit.

Got home and had to hurry to get ready for photoshoot. Head out, running a bit behind, but made it. I worked REALLY hard for those photos, it involved a grandma, daughter and two grandkids. oh they turned out sooooo nice. But it took about 2 1/2 hours to get about 140 pictures. Only about five had eyes closed.....they were soooo good that I called Jennifer (the mom) and said you have GOT to come by the house and see these. I made her a cd of raw pictures, no editing, and told her to take them home so her mom could see them. Her mom was leaving in a couple days and I would not be home to edit the pictures before she left. I was sooo pleased with the pictures. Jennifer and I talked till after 10:00 and she went home and stayed up showing her mom the pictures! I stayed up playing with the pictures!

Next morning (Wed) I got up and headed out to Lawton. The three hour drive was wonderful. I don't like driving through Oklahoma City but I made it ok. Got to Lawton and found out the DHS worker had just gotten out of court and was an hour away. Well I met up with the girl, her foster mom and her counselor came too. He was a very sweet man. A very large black man retired military (Ft.Sill there in Lawton) and now he counsels children. Well DHS lady (Crystal) had made a hair appointment for our girl. We were 15 minutes late, but called and they said to come on anyways. We got there and Amy took Kyla to wash and style her hair. Ken and I stood around talking when the owner of the shop came over and told Kyla her hair was cute. She asked why she was having her hair done and I stopped talking. I wanted to see what she was going to say. And she told the lady she was having her picture taken. Lady said, really? Special occasion or what? Kyla looked at her said....because I am hoping to get adopted. The lady turned and looked at me and said are you adopting her? I said No I am just the photographer. She turned to Ken and said are you adopting her? He said No, I am just a special friend. She thought it was really neat/sad about Kyla and said she would pray for her to find a new family. I went to pay for the haircut and the stylist said....I can't charge you for that. And she started crying, which in turn caused me to start crying, and then the owner started crying and the poor man just stood there and so did Kyla. It was funny. We weren't boo-hooing, but just all teared up, and hugged each other! We then took Kyla to the mall for lunch. That is where she wanted to go. And she wanted a Pretzel for lunch!!!! You have got to be kidding me. I was prepared to take her to eat steak or seafood. Nope. OK! And then she wanted a cookie. Ok! Simple enough. We went to Dillards and had a mini makeover done, and then went to another store where the very nice DHS lady bought her two new shirts and I bought her a pair of cool sunglasses. Off to the park we went and took pictures. Well, it is Oklahoma you know. So the wind was blowing like crazy, and the sun was out to the sky was just white. I am not sure how the pictures are going to turn out, I am still not home and can't view them. But the saving grace here is the pictures will be converted to black and white.

I left Lawton after four hours and drove back to Okla City to stay with my daughter. We went to Lowes and bought her some flowers to spruce up her yard. We went to the grocery store and bought some of her favorite things.....fruit dip, ham roll ups to make, and bologna spread to make. But after cooking and cleaning yesterday, I decided it is just too much to try to do a garage sale this weekend. She is no where near ready, they are soooo much work and effort. Her garage is filthy, so we need to clean it before we can even have the stuff out to sell. So I think I will have Scott come BACK down and get all the stuff that he JUST brought down here last week, pick her stuff up too and take it all back to my parents to have a huge garage sale there. My mom has been wanting to have one for months, so I told her, June 13th, that's it. No putting it off, it is either or. We either have it or I am taking EVERYTHING to Goodwill, or whatever to donate. But stuff is GOING.

So there you have it. What I have been doing for the last week and a half. It has been busy busy busy, I am ready for it to slow down, and yet I am ready to do a bunch more photo shoots. Nothing on the calendar at this moment, but I am hoping. I am hoping I still get to come to Florida to do a special family reunion shoot. ????Michelle????? If not, I will find someone else to shoot here!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY....talk to you all soon and sorry there is no Friday Funnies today. But my life is in itself a funny!