Pictures from Port A

We just got back yesterday evening from a brief stint at the beach with Don's youngest sister, Anne, and her family. Lindy was super thrilled to spend time with her Colorado girl cousins--Livi (5) and Sadie (3)--and we were thankful to have the chance to visit with Anne and Robbie.



It was great to get away from the to-do list and live without a set agenda for a few days. Well, I guess beach time, pool time, and putting away seafood technically are agenda items but you get my drift...

Didn't you get the memo, Don? NO to-do lists or agendas!

There! That's more like it. Some people PAY big money for a mud exfoliation treatment. It is much better FREE and at the hands of preschoolers.

I've been super frustrated with my photography skills (or lack, thereof) lately. I see more and more pictures I want to take and perfect backdrops but I'm not successful at seizing the moment or the driver seems less than thrilled to stop and let me out to explore. I also really, really, really wonder how one takes great beach shots without trashing one's equipment?! Perhaps I should have asked that BEFORE my trip and not after. Between the severe humidity, wind, sand, and splashes, I was a nervous wreck and probably took fewer shots at the beach than ever. I also couldn't see a thing through the viewfinder!

Anyway, for those of you who HAVE been successful at capturing beach shots, I'd love to know how you lovingly protect your equipment and get it to cooperate, as well as get so many wonderful shots despite the elements. (Mine fogs because of the humidity!) Is the key just to keep shooting and not spend so much time trying to search out the angle, settings, etc.??? I decided on day one, though, that I wasn't going to dwell on it and pout about it. Instead, I'm just choosing to be thankful for the memories I captured, not critique them too heavily, and keep trying to get better.

Uncle Robbie and the girls

A beautiful sunset!

A night at the WINDY ballfield! Life is sweet in the cheap seats.

Walk softly, but carry a big shovel!

It's a good look for her, don't you think?

Sadie might just be on a future cover of Sp*rt's Illustrated...

Anne, this TOTALLY counts as working out and lifting!

One word for all you future beach goers--REAPPLY!

No words...
...needed...
...about my loves...

Excited about a treasure--a dead crab.

I am kind of excited to have a TIMELY blog post, for once. Now back to my piles of laundry...Oy vay.

Hope you are having a fun and festive summer!

BTW, blogger, why are you italicizing this when I'm asking you not to?!

Holiday highlights

Happy new year!

It seems I'm a bit slow getting myself into gear for the new year. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that 2010 is off to a good start for you.

We had a very nice but exhausting Christmas and New Year's.

For Christmas, we traveled to southern California for a week. Some of the highlights included:

A quick jaunt to the famous Santa Monica Pier. For those of you in the throes of winter, here's some California sun for you...





A fun day at Knott's Berry Farm. Sure they don't have the mouse or princesses but they have the cute beagle we all love and a world famous fried chicken dinner.





The FIRST time for Lindy to sit on Santa's lap...


LOTS of bonding time with the family. We were so fortunate to see my grandparents, parents, brother's family, aunts and uncles, and cousins.





Christmas morning at Matt & Erin's, Christmas day and evening at Uncle Steve & Aunt Pauline's, and a late celebration at home. Christmas morning included "a white Christmas" thanks to "Uncle" Kyle's HUGE box of styrofoam peanuts.











An educational visit to the Reagan Library in Simi Valley and a tour of a retired Air Force One plane.

Time at my grandparents (which somehow went undocumented in photos)...

After we returned home and had our quiet Christmas, we turned around and headed to Houston for quick family trip.

The focus of the trip was to watch Navy play Missouri in the Texas Bowl and to have some quality time as a threesome. We did a lot of driving around, a little bit of shopping, some yummy eating, and some exploring in downtown Houston.

The game was GREAT and our seats were AWESOME! We were in the 4th row on the 40 yard line right behind Navy's bench. Navy trounced Missouri which was both surprising and exciting. We got to see the elder President Bush (as we figured we would) toss the coin. If you look REALLY closely, you can see him in the pictures. He's the one with the ball cap and blue blazer.








Just composing this post has made me kind of tired, so now I know why I felt so exhausted after our trips!

We closed out our year in a wonderful way and we started the new one with many hopes, dreams, and good intentions. We don't know what the new year holds but we pray it will be one of good health, happiness, and many blessings.