This week in review...

I've been a little absent this past week...just dealing with life and the things it brings with it.  

Last week was pretty much a horrible week, 

but it's over

behind us

and hopefully gone forever...

All those years rocking babies and teaching the alphabet I had no thought whatsoever about the fact that one day those little pudgy-faced kids would grow up to be teenagers.  And for some reason {unbeknownst to me} I actually believed I was living through the most difficult years of parenting back then.  Thank goodness I was not able to see into the future!  I wouldn't change this stage of life with my kids for ANYthing...BUT...they are not always easy days.  

And some days I feel my singleness more than others...

Like last week....all seven of them.

"He tends his flock like a shepherd:

 He gathers the lambs in His arms

 and carries them close to His heart;

 He gently leads those that have young."

Isaiah 40:11

That's how I got through last week.  There were days I had no creativity to deal with the issue at hand...but somehow ideas and answers came to me...and we got through.  I knew we would...just prefer to be on the other side this week.

Ok.

Enough said.

It's a new week, it's all good...and this is what we've been up to in the last few days...

Sunday afternoon Emma and I traipsed along with McKenzie, one of the students from church as she had her Senior picture photo shoot with Photographer Amber Jacoby. 
 It was absolutely beautiful weather...perfect for an outdoor shoot.  

Amber doing what she does best...and my attempt to capture it on my phone..

My snapshots do not do Amber's photography ANY justice at all, you'll have to check out her website to see the good stuff

Amber is one of those special people in our lives.  I grew to love her years ago as she was growing up in our youth group...and now she's loving on Emma as a leader...it's a cool thing to see the cycle.

These pics of Emma are from her camera, not my phone...not that I needed to point that out! 

Emma was her "prop-girl" and got in a couple of shots herself.  We spent hours alongside a bridge on a back road and in the middle of an overgrown field. We had a great day following the girls around. And, even though I'm pretty biased, I think Amber takes some of the best Senior pictures in the County.  You can find her on Facebook too, and if you're in the market for some photos for your Senior, your baby, your family or your wedding give her a shout out.  Tell her you heard about her from me, I think she'll give you a huge discount. 

 {*Not really...sorry, a girl's got to make a living...but it sounded good, didn't it?}

 Tonight was the annual Halloween parade in Strasburg.  When we lived right in town the whole family would come, I'd make a pot of coffee and we'd sit outside for about 12 1/2 minutes to enjoy the parade.  But, because it was no longer outside my door, this is the first parade in about 20 years that I have missed.  The kids decided to drive over and meet some friends there...

It was chicken corn soup night.
Emma's friends joined us, and thought the soup was picture worthy....

 Oh, wait...maybe there was an ulterior motive to my getting the camera out...

I forget sometimes how much teenage girls like to have their pictures taken!

On the other hand, Nick couldn't care a less if I ever take a picture of him...but still, I tried to take just ONE good one to add to all of Emma's on here. 

 Which is why I ended up with THIS...

{Click Image}

Funny kid.

Speaking of funny...those girls up there...I just walked upstairs and found a dish with a lemon in it.  Apparently they wanted to see if they could make their hair blonder by rubbing lemon all over it!  Cheaper than hair-dye, but missing the key ingredient of SUN!

Also..it's Halloween weekend and you might think that we are past the trick or treat stage...sadly, it's about that time, but in my house we stretch it out as long as possible.  Tomorrow night, my kids will be the ones wearing "a skateboard"

 {Nick has decided it's not cool to dress up at 17,

 but riding a skateboard would be kind of like having a costume} 

 Emma will be dressed as a "Hockey player"

lucky for her there happens to be a lot of hockey gear around our house...

{...because I nixed the idea of going as Lady GAG GAG}

I'll end with two messages, just in case my family is reading

#1

ALEX, 

IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR YOUR VOICE...

CALL YOUR MOTHER!!!!!! 

#2

Family, I've decided that I'm going to pretend there's not another birthday around the corner.  

BUT, I still want a gooey piece of cake.

And, I can't think of a thing that I need...

so I'll just put this out there for you to think about....

BUT, I'll be happy with dinner with the whole family and a new tube of chapstick!