one of my Fun Girl friends invited me to take some night photos....

I've been very excited about it...

we did it tonight...

 the Dallas skyline....

 we got done there early...

so we got some before the sun set...

 She taught me a lot about shooting night shots....

I've been working on using my manual settings..

using my tripod and remote....

 it has been a busy weekend...

I helped my daughter with a Festival on Saturday...

it was set up in our downtown area...

Small Business Saturday...

it was really nice seeing so many come out to support...

local small business'....

she was selling for her Dance Team...

I worked on Friday...

got a lot done in the office...

I had no distractions...

it's amazing how much you can get done...

without the phone ringing...

or people around...

I've enjoyed the long weekend...

I think I need a day to recover though...

Thanksgiving Texas style

 my son cooked the turkey...

he deep fried it...

it was really good...

 the weather was perfect....

for running...playing...giggling...

 four year olds know how to have fun....

 so do not so four year olds....

my silly Dad....

 a tired couple of sweeties...

they worked hard...

making a wonderful Thanksgiving for us all...

 Great Grandpa enjoyed watching Stringbean...

and maybe did a little picking on him...

of course Stringbean is used to it...

being around Pawpaw...

Yep seems like fun was the name of the game...

my Silly Brother....

I'm truly blessed with a wonderful family...

It was also Hubbies Birthday....

a double celebration...

 this big guy is already 9 months old...

just seems like yesterday I was doing newborn photos of him....

 we are actually having fall colors this year....

I love seeing all the yellows, oranges and reds....

 makes me even more in the mood for Thanksgiving....

which also happens to be Hubbies birthday this year....

 our weather is bouncing up and down....

cold in the mornings and evenings...

and warm mid day...

We have had 5 small earthquakes in our area...

in the last 4 days...

today I think I felt it a little...

I just thought it was a big truck going down the street...

it was a 2.7....

the biggest  so far was 3.2....

 Rooster was not happy with the sound of the camera...

I had it on a tripod with a timer...

that is why he looks so intense...

 I don't enjoy working with a tripod...

or timer..

I like my hands on the camera...

Happy Turkey day to you all...

I am thankful for all my sweet blog pals...

some of you I have never met...

but feel like I know you well...

some of my blog pals...

have become FRIENDS in real life...

Please send up prayers for my two Uncles...

they are driving from Missouri to Texas...

to be with family for Thanksgiving...

it will be a tough drive for both of them...

It was a nice..busy weekend...

my daughter and her BF....with the grand dogs...

aren't they the cutest family...

I asked them why they didn't bring the 4 cats...

not that would have been fun....

 Saturday we went to my Dad's for our first Thanksgiving...

he lives in the country....

seeing a flag always makes me proud...

 he was a lot of deer...

he only shoots them with his Wildlife camera...

 I was so happy I had just put on my long lens.....

there were two cutting through...

 of course I had to go visit the neighbors horse...

he and I had a nice time together....

 Dad and Hubby never run out of things to talk about....

Hubby took a few photos of us...

with my cell phone...

My uncle who is 7 years younger than me...

has two beautiful girls...

they are very active...

and both hunters like their Dad...

He brought us some Moose and venison...

we had Moose burgers on the grill last night...

it was very good...I've never ate it before...

very lean and fresh tasting...

Stringbean and I have been working on Thanksgiving crafts...

he is really enjoying the holidays this year...

we have also started making Christmas ornaments...

he is making all the ornaments for my tree this year...

 Do you ever get over whelmed by the world around you?

especially the one right around you...

your home or business...

Do you ever feel it is out of control....

well we have been feeling that...

 The guys pulled every thing out of our shop...

a shop that had became so full...

there were only trails going through it...

 Hubbies junk Inventory had gotten out of hand....

so it was time to clear out...

re-focus...get rid of....

It's been looking a lot like Sanford and Son around here...

it is sure nice watching it disappear....

now maybe the shop...can actually be a shop...

feeling more relieved....

still more to go...

but a big chunk is done....

Stringbean had a blast...

he loves hanging with the guys...

riding the forklift with Pawpaw...

our leaves are starting to change.....

Happy Friday....

 it has been quite a week....

the cold winter blast.....

my head cold...

finally went to the Dr...

he put me on antibiotics...

 this poor sunflower is how I have felt....

drooping...trying to stay sunny....

the freeze finally got it....

this morning it is all crinkled up...

 I have to say my flowers have lasted longer than expected...

I'm always so sad to see them go....

I'm feeling better this morning...

still no voice...

not easy with a Hubby that can't hear....

I've had to do a lot more repeating...

I think he had done a lot more pretending...

pretending he understands what I'm saying...

Thank goodness Stringbean has good ears...

he can hear my whispering voice...

We have a busy weekend planned....

I'm hoping to be back up to par....

it sure is taking longer than I wanted to get through this...

We have an early Thanksgiving with my Dad's family...

a Fun Girls night...

then I'm getting together with my Daughters boyfriends family on Sunday....

Happy Hump Day.....

what a difference a few days make...

last Sunday it was so nice....

then it went down hill after that...

our Artic blast...

I know they say you don't catch a cold from the cold...

but I don't believe it...

I got a  head cold...and a terrible sore throat...

It hit on Thursday....

I was in bed by 7:00...

got up on Friday thought I was doing better...

by lunch time...my throat was hurting again...

really hurting...I was on the phone most of the day...

the cold snap caught everyone off guard...

when the wind chill is in the teens...

everyone wants heat...

I was in bed by 5:45 on Friday....

 I spent most of the day in bed watching TV this weekend...

just taking it easy....

now I sound like a bullfrog croaking when I talk...

but knock on wood the sore throat is gone...

I gargled with salt water....with apple cider vinegar...

I drank lots of warm lemon...honey...ginger...cinnamon tea...

Today is my nieces 4th birthday...

I had to miss her party....

I didn't want to chance it...

it was cold and drizzly today...

not good things when you aren't feeling well...

I did work on getting my photos in better order...

let's just say I made a little dent...

 I started getting too sentimental....
I had to stop....
Stringbean...aka Hotrod...aka little britches....
they day he learned to walk all by himself...

he was such a sweet happy baby....
he's a sweet boy now too....
well most of the time....
a typical 4 year old male....
he is a different kind of fun now....
It is suppose to warm up next week...
boy am I ready...

 Sunday was a beautiful Texas day....

The girls of our family had an outing...

we took my Mom to the Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens...

to celebrate a belated birthday....

we only made it through the Japanese Garden...

we had a picnic lunch...

then leisurely strolled through...

enjoying all the beautiful scenery...

 water...trees...bridges...

all so relaxing....

 I would love to have this view in my back yard...

 we soaked it all in....

wishing we had a hammock to nap in...

This was my soon to be 4 niece's  favorite part...

the Koi...

she had a blast feeding them....

 my daughter and SIL even got to pet a couple of them...

they love people...

we couldn't believe how big some of them were...

they could have fed a family of 6 with just one...

if you are ever in Ft. Worth Texas...

I would make time to take a visit...

now we have the polar blast here in Texas...

wind chill at 18...

temps below freezing in the mornings...

high in the low 40's...

Hey Mr. Winter...

it's not your turn ...

Come back Fall!!!