Stephanie...

It is so nice being friends with other photographers, because I get invited to come along and try new things.  Recently, Jerry Holm wanted to try some hard light effects, and I just wanted to take photos.  We invited Stephanie DeFranco to be our cowgirl model and she was amazing.  Take a look.

There's a lot of celebrating going on out there...

I thought I lost my SD card with all my pictures from this past week on it.  I remember Pioneer Woman lost her SD card with the Miss Mustang beauty contestants on it, and she never did find it.  Thankfully, I found mine...and yes, there was a lot of celebrating going on out there.  It started with Father's Day which we celebrated with Ian's family, which is so much better than doing it alone.  Especially for Warren since he is not my Father, and I did not do much except make a nice meal.  He had to grill his own meat though, but that's okay, because I had to make my own birthday cake.  So we are even. We started off the week honoring and celebrating these fathers... two of the best in the west.

The Fathers: Warren and Ian

The picture above is a composite of two pictures.  In one picture, Ian is sharp and Warren is blurry.  In the second picture, Warren is sharp and Ian is blurry.  So I just picked the sharp people and put them together.  

 Whew, Ian is going to have no excuse for not having a bar-b-que.  He has all the equipment, thanks to his kids.

Erynn Made this banner.  It is too cute!

Pawpaw got a pretty wild shirt!  I love all the colors.  It's cute too.

Warren got the seasonings for a bar-b-que. Maybe Ian and Warren should plan a bar-b-que together.

Ian and Erynn go over the homemade cards.

I love this picture...Daddy and daughter connecting.  So precious and rare these days.  Then on Wednesday, June 20th, I had my 59th birthday.  Warren did a fantastic job decorating for the party.

 Around the birthday banner, he had mini white lights and I was impressed that he thought about buying birthday plates.  Even after all these years of marriage, Warren never ceases to amaze me.

Up close.

 This is a Coconut cake with cream cheese frosting from the Barefoot Cantessa cookbook.  Look at the colorful candles Warren bought.  I am so glad he did not put on 59 candles.  It would have taken a long time to light them all.  This cake is going to be added to the McKelvy favorite cakes.

Notice Warren is wearing his Father's day shirt.  Pretty handsome Dude!

 Presentation and singing Happy Birthday.  Erynn played the song on the piano, and did a great job.

Getting rid of all my hot air.  

 We are never too old to celebrate our birthdays and family makes them fun.

 Here are two reasons that help make birthdays so special: Erynn and Reid.  They are cute, too.  I think I am over working the word "cute."  I really don't care.

 Cute shirt...Thank you Laurie, Ian, Erynn and Reid

And Bath and Body stuff too.

The next day, we had a mini birthday party for Reid at our house since his birthday happened to fall on the day they come over for the afternoon.  It was just Warren, me, Erynn, and Reid.  His official party was the next day when his other grandmother's would be in town.  I told you we celebrated all week.

 I converted the table to for Reid's birthday.

His cake

Opening a few presents.  He wanted to open presents before we ate the cake.  

Blowing out the candles. Notice how he gets closer...

and closer...

and closer to the cake.  

Yum.

Good cake.

 Not to be left out of the celebrating was Maggie.  She had a great time playing with the balloons.  And I might add, she loved licking the cake batter bowl after the batter was poured in the pans.

She's going to get that balloon.  Super cat.

Look at those claws.  It finally popped, but it took a long time.  It did not scare her much either which surprised me.

Well, that is enough pictures for now.  There is more.  Good times...good times.  I know you cannot wait.

Experimenting with some photo effects...

" A camera is a 'save' button for the mind's eye."--Roger Kinston


As an early birthday present, Stephanie, who is the granddaughter of Dr. Bond, and a wonderful photographer, (http://www.facebook.com/sd.photo.designs), gave me a pitcher full of interesting objects to use to create interesting photo effects.  I spent the rest of the afternoon lost in my own little world trying out all the feathers, crystals, beads, and nylon she had given me. What wondrous images were created!

Bird Yard Art

A Rose

Hollyhock

Bachelor Button flowers

I decided I would try out my new camera using the macro mode.  I loved my pictures.

Gerber Daisy?

Praying Mantis

I don't know the name of this flower.  I wanted to get the stamens that were on top.

Maggie

Just for fun...a prediction...

"Good pitching will beat good hitting anytime, and vice versa." --Bob Veale, 1966


When Mark and Luke played baseball at NMMI, Luke was the pitcher, and Mark, the catcher.  One time I asked Luke, "What does Mark say to you when he comes out on the mound to talk to you when you get a little wild?"  Luke said, "He tells me I suck."  Hmmm.  Not the answer I expected, but it always seemed to work.

As I was editing some pictures,  I thought just for the fun of it, I would make a baseball prediction from a photo.
Here's the photo:

Based solely on this picture, I predict that Tate (on the left), will be a catcher.  He has that catcher's body, look, and legs.  Sawyer, on the right, will be the pitcher.  Notice how he has his hands in that "get ready" to throw position, and his leg is in the kick position ready to start his motion.  Maybe Tate will have equally "encouraging" advice for Sawyer as Mark did for Luke.  I cannot wait until I hear the old familiar "Play Ball" and see these boys in action.

Father's Day Hero...

"Be kind to thy father, for when thou wert young, who loved thee so fondly as he?  He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue, and joined in thy innocent glee."    -Margaret Courtney

The boys...Luke, Ian, Mark.  (missing is Zach)

My own father is no longer of this earth, but Warren, the father of my children is still here.  He is my hero, and I hope the hero of his children.  In all years of our marriage, I have seen and experienced the the fact that his decisions have always been for the betterment and welfare of this family.  He worked so they could start their adult lives debt fee.  He exchanged vacations, for superkids, swim meets, baseball games, work-study programs, and internships.  I believe it is he who has given them a strong  foundation to make them the wonderful husbands, fathers, and employees they are today.  Hats off to Warren.

What a man...

Thank you...

for looking out for your family.

Maggie...

"There are two means of refuge from the misery of life--music and cats." -Albert Schweitzer

Our kitty, Maggie, had her 12 week check-up, complete with shots, examine, and manicure. She was a very good girl much to my relief.  She has her moments when she is who we call "mad Maggie" when she is like a ricochet rabbit running all over the place, and "mellow Maggie" when she crawls up in your lap wanting to be loved.  Today, she was insecure Maggie at the Vet's.  She gained 3/4 of a pound, so she weighs in at a whopping 2 3/4 pounds.

Maggie and Dr. Beth Holm (her Vet)

This kitten has wormed her way into Warren's heart...I heard him say, "She is a great cat."  They can be found napping together, watching TV, working on the computer (yes, she is fascinated with the computer, and her favorite spot for studying the computer is on your shoulder or head), or reading.  You can tell where she has been, because she leaves a trail of her favorite toys: her mouse, rat, bottle caps, sheriff badge, and rolly-pollies.  She loves getting in grocery sacks, and under things.

In Warren's lap

about to fall asleep.

Fun under the cowboy hat.  She loved this hiding place.

Lately, we have introduced her to the outdoors, which she loves for about 20 minutes, then she makes a mad dash for the back door.

Stalking the wild asparagus fern.

What was that?

Something caught her eye.  

That's the update on our little Maggie.