Week 49 of 52: Just a Hunk, a Hunk of Burning Love

That's right folks, meet our elf: Elvis.  He's a handsome little chap, and like the real Elvis, occasionally gets the munchies.  Poor elf, since he ended up at a dietitian's home, he has to improvise from his preferred peanut butter, bacon, and sandwich.

So last night Elvis settled for Cheerios and dried cranberries.  George was thrilled to find him in the cereal bowl, but did ask, "How did he do that? Did you do that?"  I decided next time I won't lie to him, but just remind him the story says if we touch him he loses his magic.

 

My favorite lines from George's letter to Santa (as dictated to me):

Samuel has been grouchy, and George has been good.

Please bring me a backhoe and a new elf.  Please bring Samuel um, um, a piece of paper. (First thing he saw.)

Then I asked, don't you want Santa to bring Samuel something?

Please bring Samuel AND ME a four wheeler.

Please get mama and daddy two bikes and a couch. Wait a minute, if the couch falls off the bike, it will make a hard sound and a big hole."   

Trust me, if I made this up, it would make more sense.

Week 48 of 52: Tallying It UP

I had a rough idea of what I’d spent this year on my photography hobby.  Oh, rough idea indeed.  I recently tallied up every little thing I had purchased.

When I finished, even I was surprised.  No wonder people go in to the photography business to support their habit!  I told Walt I should write a blog post about my purchases, but wasn’t sure how to make it interesting.

He said, “Just tell the raw numbers, THAT will get attention.”

I said, “No, context is important.  I didn't just buy, I sold a ton of stuff this year – all my old photography gear, baby items, and things we no longer used.”  (Including several things of his which he never noticed.  Solid proof he wasn't using them!)

He said, “Write about how you won a camera bag, then didn’t like it, sold it, then bought and sold how many camera bags this year?  Seven?” 

I rolled my eyes and told him, “I can't write an entire post just about camera bags.”

  He said, “Of course you can, write about this week’s dilemma – how you managed to get TWO camera bags in the "sell out in minutes" sale and can’t decide which you like best.  And how I will listen to you say do I sell this one, or that one, do I send one back , or do I keep them both? for the next week.”

I scowled and said, “How's that relevant?”

He said, “I don’t know, but do you really have to write a blog post in the middle of the SEC Championship game?”

So 2012 will begin with a camera bag (or two) I like (for now), and a promise to better plan my “fun” money throughout the year. 

And maybe just maybe, I will promise to share pre-purchase discussions with Walt while he is still listening, instead of 20 minutes into conversation when he has begun nodding to whatever I say. But for now, the 2012 SEC Championship game seems like the perfect time to talk about the future of these two camera bags.

This Week In Photos:
We went to the Pink Pig to celebrate George's birthday and the holiday season.  For my photography friends, the interior lights were overwhelmingly pink (surprise, surprise) so I didn't fight the color casts.  Part of the atmosphere!

 

We enjoyed the scenery and the boys seemed to as well.

A good friend met us there, so we even have some shots of us all together...

I was intrigued by the photos of the original Pink Pig, and wondered how many of my Georgia friends rode the original?

Week 47 of 52: Chattering Delights

Traveling this week, so a quick image with no musings.  George fascinated by the talking turkey.  One of many chattering figures his grandmother has bought to entertain grandchildren. 

Week 46 of 52 - Where has 2011 gone?

Only 6 weeks left of 2011 and with the holidays, it will seem like 6 days.

As I reflect on the last 46 weeks, I recall our goal of accomplishing Baby Step 2 of Dave Ramsey’s plan.  By God’s grace, we finished this in July.  We paused for celebration and vacation, and then began cranking into Baby Step 3:  3-6 months of expenses in the bank.

I must confess, I’ve needed a jump start, so Walt suggested a new sign – SAVING FOR EVERYTHING and we color in a letter every time we save a certain amount.  I’m such a kid; I’m surprised he didn’t buy smiley face stickers.   Of course, another sign on the wall delays painting the bedroom walls…possibly his ulterior motive?

As we chip away at this goal, distractions are inevitable. One of the TVs has broken, the couch cushions have ink pen marks, and our little table is elbow-to-elbow crowded.   We are trying our best to ignore these things.  Heck, with 2 boys, I might as well hone my “ruined furniture” ignoring skills for the next decade.

My aging laptop is the one distraction I cannot ignore.   The hard drive and memory are pushing their limits, and when I edit, it spins in circles and sends me a love note:  “not responding, not responding, not responding”.  I hold my breath, hoping today isn’t the final crash.  So we will pause a month, replace, and move on.  

Anyone who knows me isn’t surprised I’ve invested countless hours deciding… Mac or PC… laptop or desktop… buy used to save a little now, or buy new to avoid re-visiting for a few years.  And anyone who knows Walt knows he would have made the decision in 5 minutes by running to Wal-Mart and grabbing the weekly special.  So if anyone loves or hates their computer, do tell, because Walt is beyond tired of talking about it.

As for this week’s photos, our life group visited a lake retreat near Monticello, GA.  It was rumored to be a getaway for Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood!  I couldn’t resist checking out an aging cabin on the property.

Note how the fireplace is leaning as compared to the chimney outside.

When Walt saw the photos, he commented:  You went in that cabin? 

Me:  Yes

Walt:  Where was Samuel?

Me:  On my back.

Walt:  So you took him in that cabin with the holes in the floor to take photos?  

Me:  Yes.

Walt:  You do realize they are getting ready to tear it down because it’s not stable?

Me:  Um, no, can't say as I did.

 But alas, a glimpse into something we won’t see again.

Week 45 of 52 - The Stories They Would Tell

I wonder about each one…

Who bought it, and how many times did it change hands?

How did it find its way here and how much time has passed?

Who did it carry to earn a week’s wages?

 

Did an owner ever place a wager on my Chevy against your old Ford down that straightaway?

Did cheers erupt and wedding bells ever chime as it pulled away from a church?

Did it ever carry whiskey out of a holler?

Was a sick child ever tenderly held as a mother prayed they would make it in time?

Owners long gone, likely passed on from this earth.  The things we leave behind, and the stories these old trucks could tell.

Week 44 of 52 - Super Heroes to the Rescue!

We bought the costumes weeks ago. At the time, I thought, wow, he will wear it one time, I could have bought an outfit for that price.  Then I recalled last year, when he wouldn't wear his mask, and wondered, did I make a mistake splurging for the "deluxe" version with cape and mask? Little did I know, he would wear it almost daily - costume, mask, and cape.

He wore it while watching a 1968 Batman episode on Youtube, literally dozens of times.

He wore it while eating a popsicle - he even let me put a towel over him to catch the drips.

And he wore it while playing with his little brother.  "Mom, dress Samuel up, make him be Wobin."  They ran and chased each other, finding something they could play together.

The costume is picked and grass-stained for tomorrow, but I will never forget this season of Batman.  It was worth every penny.

This last photo is one of my favorites of the year.  George was posing on the ramp, and without any warning, Samuel slides down the ramp, right into George's legs as the shutter clicks.

It symbolizes much of their relationship - George careful and deliberate in his actions, even at play, and Samuel crashing right through his days.  I believe their differences will help shape them each into better people.  It's our job to make sure they don't wipe each other out in the process.

Week 43 of 52 - Children's Photography Workshop

Tiring week with a teething toddler and a ghost TV turning itself on and off in the middle of the night.  We're keeping the toddler of course, but the malfunctioning TV ended up on the curb. 

My image for this week is from a children's photography workshop I attended last week.  Can you believe this beautiful model is only 12?  I enjoyed having subjects who didn't run from the camera for a change.