Mamarazzi

2010-08-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we start @ Legacy Coop!

2010-04-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

Day 3 of my stretch- Finally I am able to get out & about- so we wash my car, work out at the Y, go to the Hoover library to get books for the new week, Dick's to look at something football related & we pick up sweet Livi- & then to off to Walmart & finally home.

2010-04-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

PROMPTED BY MY FRIEND CANDICE'S QUESTION "What can I do for 8 days?" -that's the length of our long time off each month (a stretch) -I decided to document my days (I'm a diehard SCRAPBOOKER- what can I say LOL!

Day 2 of my stretch was my Clean & get organized day"" . I was then awake & alert enough to accomplish some things. The morning was spent in the house- cleaning out the frig, freezer & starting laundry. In the afternoon I tried my hand at "Iheartpublix.com" & ran off coupons, etc. and did school with Nick. Late afternoon it was off to the Y, soccer practice & shopping at Publix (where I saved $19 & spent $19:). Started listening to "American Wife" by Curtis Sittenfield- which is suprisingly good!

2010-04-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

Day 1 continues with a 4 hour nap & then up and at it!
School work with Nick- he finally finished "My Brother Sam is Dead" so we do an on-line test & look over his finished work so far this week & it's off to Soccer Trainining, Work-out at the YMCA for me & Weds. Night Bible study for Nick, A quick hello to my husband James & a couple of Motrin PM's & I'm in bed by 10:00 PM

2010-04-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

My 1st STRETCH (8 days off in a row) since coming back to work- and I wanted to document it Scrapbook Style!!

2010-04-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Today is day 4 in my monthly stretch at work- 8 glorious days off as a part of my schedule! How do I spend them? This being my 2nd week back at work & my 1st STRETCH I decided to document it -Scrapbook Style:)!

Day 1- started later than I wanted since we had a HUDDLE at work as soon as I got off. It lasted until 8:45 but then I headed home-

Waiting for me at home is my 12yo Nick- he has been waiting for this day & has a TO DO list for me that mainly consists of cooking & transporting! So niether one of us is annoyed this morning I stop for food!

2010-03-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Everyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am a "photojunkie"! While at home on limited income I am having to find "free" ways to get my fix on LOL. Found some sites with free goodies. Here's one I tried.

2010-02-01T12:45:00.000-08:00

My dear friend K. Baily had lunches delivered to my house on Weds and Thurs from Ed's Cafe in Alabaster. J. Nichols did the delivering & the food was awesome. My Sunday School class had pizza delivered FOOD Thanks to everyone and also for the plants/flowers.

2010-02-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

WEEK 1 STUFF
Food for my Daniel Fast, My MIL & my Sister Brenda, my Leg contraption for night, my little "Recovery" corner & my meds!

2010-02-01T07:46:00.000-08:00

This is the 2nd year I have been the team manager for my son Nick's competitive soccer team. It hasn't been a good year- the team is not all that competitive & that pisses my son off. And this year I thought about quitting for the Spring season since I can't drive for a while but I ended up not quitting. By the time the season starts I will be mobile again. Plus I didn't want to give Nick an easy way out- he has decided he wants to play Lacrosse instead but he already made a 1 Year commitment to this soccer team so he has to fulfill his commitment. It's a Life Lesson. So here goes- Go BUSA 98 SRB's.

2010-01-22T13:20:00.001-08:00

I hate these Lovenox shots I have to take for 25 days. They really hurt. There is first the heart race of anticipation, the fat squeezing my husband finds nessecary (I told him I have 5 inches of sub-q there really is no danger in hitting anythingelse), then the sting of the needle & you think that's it- but oh no then there is this twisting,pinching terrible pain that lasts for a few minutes. Today I yelled & thought I can't do this for 18 more days. Then it hits me- I HAVE TOO- even though I hate it. They are blood thinners & hopefully prevent the throwing of a blood clot!!

2010-01-19T10:32:00.000-08:00

Preparing to be somewhat immobile for a while meant I had to get all the food i might want to eat prepared & in freezer as well as stuff for my husband James & for Nick my 11yo son. Alot of folks are bringing us food this week so that's a blessing but I put up some of my new favorites- brown rice & whole wheat pasta!

2010-01-19T10:11:00.000-08:00

I am way behind on my 365 project but since I am home & sitting up I thought I would catch up a little. 1/13/2010- My cane has be come my constant companion & my calendar-thanks to Candice ( I stole it & she let me:)) writing a to do list for before and after my Hip replacement! And plotting my life.

2010-01-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of years I have been avoiding the unavoidable. A Total Hip Replacement! but now pain & immobility have forced my hand. And I have taken the plunge. It's scheduled. I have taken off work, my dear sister is coming to hold my hand & I've been looking at crutches. I have to admit -it's scary but I met with my doctor again today & I like him. He is at a small hospital, Shelby Baptist but he talks to me & shows me my x-rays & today he showed me my new parts. He seems to be patient & doesn't make me feel like I am a pit stop in his day. He lingers & assures - just what the dr. ordered!

2010-01-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

Coffee, Notebook, Blackberry, MP3 Player, Laptop & the top of my Tamron lense. Already off to a great year!

2010-01-01T09:16:00.000-08:00

It's January 1, 2010! I have the tendency to think of life in terms of what I need to do. So of course I start every year with a long list of things I want, need & plan to do. So here goes:

1) Enjoy "real time" more! As a mamarazzi I tend to try to capture every little moment so I can savor it for ever. But yesterday morning i was heart broken when I dropped off my son Devin at the airport. It was 6:00 am & I had spent less than an hour with him during his 11 day stay. My work schedule was terrible. So I wanted to get a few shots of him as he was leaving to go to NYC. But when I went to photograph him- he yelled" Mom stop taking pictures, jeez I can't even say goodbye". So he gave me a quick peck & a hurried goodbye. I just sat in my car. Tears filled my eyes & my heart felt like it was being squeezed. I had lost the moment. In "real time" it never happened & then he was gone. I will not see him again until summer. (BTW I did get a picture but it stunk!).

2) Pursue my personal passions! I am a RN by trade but my true passions are writing & photography. I love books & I want to learn to write! & to write things I would love to read. And I love photos- of real people & moments & secretly I want to do that as a job some day. So in 2010 I will learn to write (more) & I will learn to shoot the type of pictures I love to look at. Plus learning to edit both.

3) Cultivate my relationships! Spend better times with my husband James. & my kids & my friends & family. I plan to be more thoughtful & intentional.

4) Walk closer with God! enough said- DAILY will I seek his face.

5) Be a better Steward! of my finances, body, soul & spirit! they are all a gift.

2009-11-01T22:08:00.000-08:00

2009-10-29T12:00:00.001-07:00

2009-10-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

2009-09-15T22:52:00.001-07:00

Team Camp 09

When is it acceptence & not giving up? That is my question right now. Tonight we had our 4th soccer game & we lost. Not a terrible game 4-2 & Nick was responsible for 1 of the 2 goals YEAH! But he is not great- he's good- actually really good- just not great. So do I push him until he's great? Is that even possible? Or do I just accept & celebrate where he's at? Being a mom is so hard esp when I have such a "bulldozer" of a personality. I want to encourage but not let him settle... so that's what i'll pray for:).

2009-09-13T22:52:00.000-07:00

Ok Nick talked me into trying "one more" sport. His argument is "I only have a few more years to try a bunch of sports out mom ..." True- we have done soccer, baseball, basketball, football (Nick's favorite!), indoor track, outdoor track & wrestling-- We've said no to Tennis, swimming & Fencing! It was really pretty neat but way to costly! Equipment runs around $250- kind of an OTM sport!

2009-09-13T06:06:00.000-07:00

Discipline- it is the thing I have been frustrated with my 11 yo about- he is a soccer player & in order to be a great player he has to work on his footskills. So I have found resources to help him with this - 1000 touches on the ball- 4 x week. It's like pulling teeth to get him to do theses touches. But last night we did them -I am the timer & recorder:) & he has improved so much. He even noticed!
And now this morning I come to find out that discipline is what I must do in getting myself, my life back manageble. I knew everything is out of order but how do you get it back? God speaks to me in books alot of times (I have probably 1500- seriously!) So in my office closet, on my personal bookshelf I found the book God wants me to read- Life Management for Busy Women by E. George. In talking about discipline she says " that's the way it is with discipline- any discipline. You do it because it is what you need to do and are supposed to do and because it's the right thing to do. You do it because it contributes and propels you toward what you want to be and do...". So here I am re-establishing the discipline essential for LIFE- reading, consuming God's word. I signed up for Biblica.com daily reading plan & they offer the readings via audiobooks (my new secret passion). So while Nick has to do a 1000 touches- I am tackling 365 reads!!

2009-03-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

Spring Break was spent in town & on Monday & Tuesday Nick & I went to the NCFCA tournament in Trussville. This is a Speech & Debate contest for homeschoolers. Families came from all over the U.S. & the kids were awesome. I was a Judge & Nick was a Timer. We had a great time & Nick meet some new people & when he's old enough he says he'd like to do something like that.

2009-03-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

Nick had Britt over early Friday afternoon & they went down to the rope swings- that was a photo op I didn't want to miss!

2009-01-13T15:23:00.000-08:00

365 days worth of Pictures is the challenge I have given myself for 2009. I take tons of pictures but not always of the ins & outs of my life. It's kind of harder than I thought it would be. :)
Getting checked for virus. "Nick Adams, #4 on the Green Line". Vestavia Peds

Gloria Self- Portrait 1/11/09

Moon Shot 1/12/09

2009-01-13T15:03:00.000-08:00

1/5/09 Bull?

1/6/09 Sports 1st

1/10/09 Water falls...

2009-01-07T11:38:00.000-08:00

1/1/09 Back yard

1/2/09
My son Nick

1/4/09

Fog & Traffic

I have started the new year with great intentions- Some things I'm doing I don't want to do anymore (my MSN) but how to get out of it? Some things I want to get into- Writing- but how do you get into it? And I also want to take a picture everyday in 2009- I have done 6 out of 7 days so far! I want to get my hands & mind around my scrapbooking- I feel a little spastic- I never know where to put my finished pages. I want to plaster them all over my house because I love them & what they say & the pictures of my life- isn't that kind of funny? Maybe I will. Plaster my pages everywhere & take a picture q day & write...Time will tell.

2009-01-02T23:19:00.000-08:00

I started the new year with a new project- a scrapbook for my son Oliver. He will be 30 on March 9th 2009 & I want to give him one on his birthday. I have this desire to tell my kids all about the who, what, when & where of their lives. I don't want them to have to have to piece together the story of their origin like I did. So in an effort to tell Oliver about his birth, his early years, etc. I had to find some pictures to help set the scene of those early years. I took very few pictures in those 1st years. But I remember it well! So today I searched the Internet for pictures of Okinawa Japan- Oliver's birth place. Many where of Okinawa as it is now but a few where just like Okinawa in 1978-81. This is a picture of Sunabe Housing Area. It was about a block from the China sea.

2008-11-20T07:55:00.001-08:00

It's November 20, 2008 & life has been a whirl-wind! I am currently working on my MSN & concentrating on a FNP program (Family Nurse Practioner). I am also working full-time @ UAB in Labor & Delivery. OK that's on top of being the wife of James & the mother to 10yo Nick (whom I homeschool). Yeah life's a little chaotic at present. But alas it is also great!

2008-08-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

BUSA 98SRB vs U11 Freedom

2008-08-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

This little cutie is my son's girlfriend's nephew -R.J. I couldn't resist taking pictures (57 ha,ha, ha).

2008-08-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

Life has been a whirlwind in the last couple of weeks. Hence no postings.
- Nick & I started the 5th grade and so far it's been good. I don't think I'm giving him enough work though & that might need to be remedied. I will sit down with lesson plans later today for next week.
- BUSA 98SRB had 3 practices, a scrimmage and our 1st game. The scrimmage was a masacre but we tied our game. The parents have also had a minor scrimmage but I think the worst is behind us.
- I started my Fall 08 classes @ UAB. Working on my MSN. Planned to be a Family Nurse Practioner.
-Finally joined the church Nick and I attend (3 years now:) but missed membership day because I worked the night before. Also went back to Woman to Woman Sunday School Class.

So that is kind of what's been up in my world But I took plenty of pictures along the way!

2008-08-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

Saying goodbye is hard to do! My across the street neighbor Beverly & kids have moved back to her hometown in Louisiana. I will really miss them :(.

2008-08-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

Devin came home last week from a month of intense military trainining. He shot all kinds of guns, rode in tanks, climbed mountains, secured buildings, rode down rivers in rafts, slid across rivers on pulleys & walked acrossed them on beams. So what has he done since he came home 5 days ago? Sleep, Sleep, Sleep.

2008-08-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

BUSA Team Camp

2008-08-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

What a week! We had Team Camp Monday- Friday & they were 2 a days. 8:30- 12:00 in the morning, then 6-9 pm in the evening. Thank goodness for the parents in Alabaster-who arranged car pooling for the 5 kids on our team plus 1 kid on another team. It cut the driving time way down. Our camp coach was a young man named Mark. He was a "gentle" soul (not exactly what we thought we'd get!) but the kids had a great time & got a lot of soccer playing in. And I got a chance to work on my action shots!

2008-07-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

Traditions are not huge in my family of origin. I’m not that sure why. But the older I get the more I crave this one thing. I want legacy in my life; I want there to be something to past on to my children. One thing has emerged over the years and that is the legacy of military service. My father & his older brother were both in the Army. My dad was a “Lifer”, serving 34 yrs. My father-in-law was in the Air Force for 34 yrs & now teaching ROTC in a high school. My oldest brother was in the Army. I have a brother-in-law & a sister-in-law that were in the Air Force. My husband James & I were both in the Air Force and that’s were we met. Now in 2008 my son Devin is entering his 2nd year at West Point.
And here is my youngest sister 1st Lt. Joy Crowder, at a base in Afghanistan.

2008-07-22T19:53:00.001-07:00

Assembling my son's notebooks and making lesson plans is a yearly summer ritual. And has been since my first year of homeschooling in 1991. As I am putting them together I have been praying for vision. Who is this boy, Nick & what do you want me to do with him Lord? I feel the need to push him this year. He's not the lover of knowledge my son Devin was. Yet he loved history last year & though he grumbled every time I told him he had to read or write, he was transformed in the midst of doing them. So I will push hard, even though I'm not as young as I used to be or so idyllic:). I have to just sow anyway- because that's what God called me to do.

2008-07-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

My new read, well listen, is awesome. Skeletons at the Feast.

2008-07-20T19:30:00.001-07:00

Some of the layouts I did for Nick's 4th grade book!

2008-07-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

TODAY I AM ALONE (for a little while).
James has gone on a morning ride & Nick is at Alabama Adventures with friends. So i plan to finish some of the scrapbooking I started yesterday. I have been trying to do Yearbooks for Nick since we homeschool & I am working on the 4th grade one.

2008-07-19T00:38:00.001-07:00

Oh yea! & stop spending $$. :)

2008-07-18T15:04:00.000-07:00

RECOMMITTING!

.

It's funny how when one area of your life is out of whack the others follow suit. A couple of weeks ago I realized my finances were, how do you say, screwed up! I had over committed & over extended myself. I probably could have stayed that way if it hadn't been for my snooping husband:). Well what ended up happening was a confrontation of sorts & the accusation that "you are out of control!" Upon further introspection - i had to admit I was a little out-of-control. I had a time of reexamination, which lead to re-commitment(s). So what have I decide to do?
1) Finish the Bible study by Beth Moore I started 6 months ago- BELIEVING GOD.
it has a lot of recommitting factors in it.
2) Go back to my Ladies Sunday School Class
3) Join a 12 week weight loss challenge at work- using WW.

2008-07-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

THE GREAT DEFENDER

At practice yesterday Nick showed himself to be quite the "defender". It's not a position he's ever played or really wanted to play. He loves being a forward. Where he can shoot the ball and make goals. Coach Dale understands that. BUT he also says he wants to make Nick a part of his "Ironclad Denfense". Nick can absolutely do it. I just want him to want to.

2008-07-17T22:16:00.000-07:00

APPARATUS GONE!

Nick is a thumb-sucker or was a thumb-sucker, until he got an apparatus & some nasty tasting polish named- STOP. All this in preparation for getting braces. The years of thumb-sucking pushed his teeth around and my little Abercrombie Kid can no longer deal with the bucking teeth. But yesterday it came out & the orthodontist let him keep it out. Nick was thrilled- he can now eat gooey candy & chew gum again.

2008-07-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

TODAY I MADE SUSHI

I absolutely love Sushi. So when I saw this Sushi Kit @ Walmart I had to try it out. And it gets a thumb up. It was easy & I made my own version of a California Roll. It didn't look too good but it tasted great. I had the wasabi & soy sauce too.

2008-07-14T15:10:00.000-07:00

ME:

Accent: Neutral- I'm a military brat- can't tell where I'm from.

Breakfast or no breakfast: Does eating around the clock mean breakfast?

Chore I don’t care for: Laundry- hate it- esp socks where do they go?

Dog or Cat: Dog

Essential Electronics: Computer

Favorite Cologne: Calendre

Gold or Silver: Silver

Handbag I carry most often: My bag from Franklin Covey

Insomnia: Yes, Yes, Yes

Job Title: RN

Kids: 4- Oliver-29, Avria-27, Devin-19 & Nick -10

Living Arrangements: in a house with Husband & Nick

Most Admirable Trait: Organization

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: Smoking in the 5th grade

Overnight hospital stays: 4 babies, 1 back surgery

Phobias: Heights & Flights

Quote:

Reason to smile:

Siblings: Brenda, James, Cedric, Jimmy & Joy

Time I wake up: Depends when I go to sleep

Unusual Talent or Skill:

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Peas

Worst Habit: Eating in bed:)

X-rays: What?

Yummy Stuff: Ice Cream & Strawberry Cake

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Elephants

2008-07-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

(RE-ORGY) RE-ORGANIZE

Nick v Boxer-man Got to eat!
Picking up a book for Devin T.
And of course There's Wally World

2008-07-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

Nick washing Charlie!

oh yeah- Add -dog gets a bath to my list

2008-07-12T10:50:00.001-07:00

Every semester at West Point is started by a week called REORGY- (short for re-organization). That is what it feels like after I work a couple of weeks and finally get some time off. I have to have a REORGY week, really a REORGY day. So after 10 hours of glorious sleep I woke up ready to organized my space. 1^st thing on the agenda- PURGE- I feel the need to minimize. So I:

-cleaned out drawers

-closets

-refrigerator

-car

-freezer

-made a grocery list

- gathered library books

2008-07-09T15:46:00.000-07:00

A rare treat for me is having more than 1 of my 4 kids in the same place at one time. They are so far apart in age (29,27, 19 &10) that they are scattered already. Here is my daughter Avria (27), Nick (10) & my middle son Devin (19). Devin just finished his Freshman year at West Point & was in China for 2 weeks. He was home long enough that he took a week long trip to Texas with me & my baby son Nick. Here we are at my daughter Avria's house for a visit.

2008-07-08T21:58:00.000-07:00

I have been struggling with my D80 trying for the perfect picture. I meant to get a picture of my son Nick's friend Frank. It came out really shawdowy but neat.

2008-07-07T23:09:00.000-07:00

On yesterday I found myself talking to James my husband in Olde English. He was like "What?' I couldn't help but laugh- I am on CD #28 ( out of 36) of World Without End by Ken Follett . It's awesome. Full of Knights & serfs & merchants & Kings & bishops, etc. love that stuff. And lately I listen to books on tapes- thanks to my sister. That way I can continue to multi-task:). I am currently making page kits as I listen to the saga...

2008-07-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

It's over for the week. WORK!
I'm one of those shift workers. 3 nights a week I disappear into the world of UAB Labor & Delivery. Working 12 hours a night from 8 pm to 8 am.
It's a place I love but on those days I can't do the things I enjoy the most- scrapbooking, photography, hanging out with my husband and son, reading... but got to pay the bills right? For now I am doing all of the above. I took this picture of my husband's flowers when I got home this morning.

2008-07-06T01:05:00.001-07:00

Nick & Frank after playing in the water all afternoon!

2008-07-06T00:57:00.000-07:00

Last week I drove to Dallas, Texas to see my mom & sister. Devin my 19 yo, Nick my 10 yo & Nick's friend Frank went with me. On our 1st afternoon home me & the younger boys ventured out to the park behind my mom's house. It was a hot Texas day so we were thrilled to find this awesome sprinkler thing in the middle of the park!!

2008-07-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

It's 2311 & I'm sitting at work. I have decided I need another lens for my D80. I currently have 4- yes 4 lenses & I really only like 1 of them. It's what my camera instructor calls a "Nifty 50". It's a 50mm f1/8 & it takes wonderful pictures with great clarity. Crispness is what I crave I think. My other lenses are Nikkor 55-200 mm f/3.5-5.6, Tamron A061 28-300 mm F/3.5-6.3 & the Lens that came with my camera it's 18-135mm. I have started to use the 18-135mm again because I don't think I can afford the lense I want. The lens I'm eyeing is the Nikkor 85mm f1.8 it takes awesome photos! Anyone out there with some hints let me know!

2008-06-02T19:11:00.001-07:00

Today I am at work again. This is the 2nd of 4 PM shifts I have to work this week. Leaves little time for other things but I'm managing to stoke the creative fires with "bigscrapbooking.com"s 28 days. It has been fun especially the picturetaking. My new Nikon is frustrating but I plan to master it.

2008-05-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Me on my 50th Birthday!

2008-05-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

This year my life as a "Soccer Mom" has taken on a whole new meaning. I was the team manager for the U10 team my son Nick is on. In other words I did everything but the actual coaching. And it was great! my husband was an asst coach and a friend whose son was on the team was the head coach. We were kinda like the "bad news bears" :) . Our team was terrible at first but we worked hard and finished honorably- check out a few action pics.

2008-05-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

Scotty & Sylvia Alma, Oliver (my son) & Toccara
Nikea & Jonathan
Josh & His girlfriend(sorry can't remember her name).
Joy Henderson

I went to the graduation party of our family friends daughter- Alma Austin. It was at the Wine Loft and it was beautiful and a blessing to see all of the now grown-up kids. I took some pictures :) while I was there.

2007-09-14T14:37:00.000-07:00

Not having made an entry in a year or so- it feels odd to see a very naked blog.