I had a little photo shoot with ....

String Bean...My son...and my DIL...

we do photos every year for String Beans birthday...

this year we got to include My son...

you notice String Bean found a stick...

 

 the whole time I was taking this photo...

I was thinking please don't get your head stuck...

too many Dennis the Menace's I guess...

 

 String Bean is getting so tall...

I love to see the love between him...

and his Momma...

 

 he had a blast down on the canal...

a new adventure...

 

 just the guys hanging out...

they were looking for alligators....

we have a new book "Zack's alligator"

a really cute story...about a little boy...

who gets a alligator key chain in the mail...

from his Uncle in Florida...

his Uncle tells him to water it every day...

well the alligator grows...

gets into all kinds of mischief...

then at the end of the day...

goes back to key chain size...

String Bean loves the adventures...

he asked for a alligator key chain for his birthday...

we are still looking...

 

it was a fun family shoot...

I got to be bossy...and they listened without complaining...

Happy Monday....



 Saturday night was Fun Girls night...

look at this cool wall the hostess (with the mostess) made...

photos from our other Fun Girl times...

also the crafts we have done...

 

 Linda from Linda's Life Journal joined us...

I caught her snapping photos...

surely to be seen on her wonderful blog....

Linda also won the door prize...

a bucket of squash...cucumbers...jalapeno peppers...

from my garden...

 we painted glasses this time...

a very fun craft...

 my beautiful daughter was able to join us....

 

 This is one reason we are called "Fun Girls"

we like to have fun....

 

 I haven't seen this gal...since graduation....

way back in 1980...

she next in line after me in line...

my name was Rich...hers was Richardson...

 

 Our hostess had everything set up...

all we had to do was bring our glass...

start painting...

 

 besides painting...

there was lots of laughter...talking...and remembering...

I love this group of ladies...

everyone is just themselves...

 

Our bungalow for the evening....

such a fun time...it ended too soon...

 String bean is very helpful...

when it comes to hiding his face...

 

 when he grows up...

I'm sure he will wonder why Oma has so many photos...

with out his face showing...

I wonder if there will still be blogs then....

 

 a lot of my photos would be erased by most folks...

no...not me...I do not like erasing photos...

I usually just play with them...

to come up with something I like...

 

 this one would be erased by most...

but I like the way the water is flying from his fingers...

and I can use it on my blog...

cause no face is showing....

 

this one shows movement...splashing...

color...but again no face...

leaves a little to the imagination...

something that seems to be lost these days..

I guess I'm a little different than most...

I see beauty in things most don't see as even attractive...

I like unique...different...old...moldy...rusty...

well you get the picture...

We have String Bean this evening so his Momma and Daddy...

can have a date night...

finally getting to do String Beans 4 year old photos...

with his Momma and Daddy both this year...

Fun Girls night Saturday...

a pool party...and yes...

I'm taking my swim suit...and wearing it...

saggy baggy legs and all...

I read an article....

about Mom's and Dads missing out on the fun...

sitting on the side lines...

because they worry about what they look like in a suit...

I don't want to sit on the side lines...

I want to be part of the fun....

flabby arms and legs and all...

There is something about being over 50....

you see things in a whole new light...

too back I didn't learn it sooner...

So get out there...

put on that swim suit...

Thunder thighs....saggy butt and all...

don't miss out on the fun....

tell them Deb said so....



 my flowers and plants are loving the rain we have had...

but so are the weeds...skeeters...and flies...

 

 I don't remember my parents entertaining us all the time...

as kids....sure my Mom did lot's of things with us...

but we used our imaginations....

came up with things to do on our on....

we didn't have to be entertained....

 

 I didn't entertain my kids...

I gave them ideas...or supplies...

they came up with the fun...

I played with them...but they could play without me...

no computer games...cell phones...video games...

just imagination...

I worry about todays generation of kids...

it seems they need to be entertained all the time...

we are working really hard with String Bean....

he has a wonderful imagination....

 



 The bees are buzzing...the sun is shining...

we have had a very wet week here in Texas...

no complaints...

unfortunately some have had flooding...

on the bright side some of your lakes are up 4 or 5 feet....

 

 while String bean is enjoying the pool...

I decided to play with the settings on my camera...

I mainly use the automatic settings...

but today...I decided to try the manual settings...

do a little experimenting...

 

 I love Zinnias...bright...colorful...sturdy....

 

 String Bean enjoyed his Birthday lunch with Aunt DiDi...

he loves Olive Garden...

 

I'm not up on soccer...

but boy is there a buzz about it...

the guys enjoy the sport...

I'm thinking the ladies...

are enjoying the eye candy...

atleast that is what I have noticed on Facebook...

Go America....

 

 Goal.....

 

This is one is from my playing with the settings...

it came out really white...

so I just turned it black and white...

added color to his glasses with PicMonkey...

a little artsy fartsy....

 



 Our String Bean is officially 4 years old....

I'm starting to think he was turning 14...

he ate like a horse all day....

 

 We bought him a new bigger pool...

the swimming duck and swimming man...

he had a great day....

 

 he still has date day with his Aunt Didi tomorrow...

they started a tradition when he turned 2...

they go on a date...

last year was Olive Garden...

this year he wants to go there again...

 

 I love traditions...

last year I made a photo book...

from his 2nd birthday to his 3rd birthday...

this year I did it again...

it is fun to look at how much he has matured...

and grown in the past year...

 

 I am so looking forward to my Fun Girls night this weekend...

I have sure missed all the gals...

 

we are planning a family day at the lake on the fourth of July...

I can't believe we have not been to the lake since Easter...

seems like our little world has been non stop...

I'm so ready to get back to fishing...and relaxing at the lake...

 



 I did a little playing with the settings on my camera...

I'm trying to use more of them...

not just the automatic settings...

 

 one of these days I would love to take a class...

to find out how to use all the settings...

for now...I will just play...

 

 I have been freezing grapes...blue berries...and bananas...

they make the best snacks on a hot Texas day....

 

 my Mom made this beautiful table cloth for my DIL...

Hippy Chic....

 

 we started the day off with a rain storm...

high winds....lightning...

cooler temperature...

 

 Now the sun is shining....

a beautiful day...

 

 Mondays are always crazy days for me....

always feel like a world wind....

 

 I've got lots of weed pulling to do tonight...

the ground should be co-operative.....

I have tiny watermelons....

the purple hull peas have peas on them....

green beans are producing...

lot's of tomatoes...

only 3 have turned red so far...

the darn birds got all three....

 

I got a really sweet text from my DIL today...

telling me how much she appreciates me....

really made my day.....

it is amazing how just a few words....

can make or break a day....

hopefully we can all remember that...

before we open our mouths....

I am joining in on a Pay it Forward....

Linda from Linda's life journal posted it on facebook....

the first 5 to respond...will get something special from Linda...

some time in the year...then you are asked to post the

same thing...and your friends will respond...

wouldn't it be nice if everyone thought of others...

atleast every now and then...

we have too much of a ME generation going...

not a WE generation....



 String bean had a wonderful 4th birthday party....

lots of family and friends....

the little girl in the back ground is a friend from school...

he says he is going to marry her....

 the weather was perfect...

not to hot...a little over cast....

there was a ton of fun for all sizes...

my son and DIL did a wonderful job planning...

Pawpaw cooked brisket, ribs and chicken on the smoker...

one of the families said it was the best BBQ they have ever had...

sure made Pawpaw feel happy...

after the party was dance recital time....

String bean stole the show...

I didn't get any photos except with my phone...

I was just being Oma...not Oma the photographer...

 the show was excellent...

we were so proud of String Bean...

and our daughter...

she put in lot's of hours...

it really showed through....

it is raining here in Texas...

the slow steady kind...

my garden is singing....