The Ref

Having moved to Texas last August, I soon realized that football truly is a religion in this part of the country to many people. However, I don't happen to be one of those people. I grew up in Michigan...we have The Red Wings....we are hockey loving people...at least I am. Here's where the problem lies... being married to Barry, not loving football isn't really an option. He is a football loving man!

Those of you who don't know me in real life probably don't know that Barry is a football official. It is something he LOVES with a passion. He works high school games down to little league games. Many of his friends joke with him about how I moved here last August and didn't see him again until football season was over. That isn't quite true, but officiating does keep him busy. I honestly don't mind though because it makes him so happy to participate in that activity.

Here's a picture taken last fall of my ref...

Barry was asked to be part of the chain crew for last Saturday's 71st Annual Oil Bowl held in Wichita Falls. Not being from Texas or Oklahoma, I had no idea what this was all about. After doing some research, I learned that the Oil Bowl is a high school all-star game played between all-star teams from Texas and Oklahoma. When the Oil Bowl began in 1938 high school football all-stars from East and West Texas played one another. It wasn't until 1945 that the Oil Bowl as we know it now began. For those of you interested in the outcome of Saturday's game....The win went to Oklahoma with a final score of 17-16.

Football season is beginning here in Texas...at least all of the pre-season meetings and summer activities that have begun. I will have to give up my husband a few days a week this fall, but I don't mind. I love him and am blessed to have him. He supports me and loves me in a way that makes me happy every single day. Everyday we are together is the greatest day of my life. I love you Barry!

Bring on football!!!

Jennifer

Sunflower

This is growing in Barry's garden!

Memories

I love to look at old pictures! My mom has MANY photo albums and I enjoy looking at them whenever I get the chance. Most of them have great memories associated with them....a few not so great. Seeing a picture brings back that memory so vividly for me.

A few years ago, my mom gave me oodles of old pictures....some dating back to my great grandparents. My family seems to have always been a picture taking family. As soon as I received them, I started putting them into a scrapbook. I was a scrapbooking maniac at first. As I got to my childhood, I started to lose interest. I guess I got tired of it for a while. So my scrapbook sits, unfinished. I have a box full of pictures just waiting to be carefully put onto pages designed just for that memory.

This week I have made it my mission to get some projects done around the house. One big one was to organize the office. The office just happens to be the room where that box of pictures waits until my scrapbooking enthusiasm returns. This morning, I took the lid off that box and revisited those memories. I decided it was time to scan some of them so I could have them on my laptop. I didn't want to miss out on the good ones I had already put in the album, so I took them out and scanned those as well. (No fears....I put them right back)
Tonight, I thought I'd share some of my favorites with my bloggy readers....not that there are many of you. :)
Enjoy!

Here's my dad. Love this picture. He looks so cool. :)

Here's where it all began. My parents wedding...January 1970

Here I am with my mom and dad. I was a baldy for sure! I was about a year old in this picture.


Here I am with my sister, Julie. I can't get over how much Cooper looks like her. She was a baldy too...not for nearly as long as I was though.

Here we are with my mom at Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Michigan. I can't find the original right now to tell you the date.

I saved my favorite of us with my dad for last. I love this pic!

Have a great weekend!

Jennifer

Random Pictures

Here is a random sample of the pics I've taken in the last two days. I most likely have taken about 500 pictures....I'm a freak...I know! I have some FANTASTIC ones of the kids in the pool, but for privacy reasons, I won't post any with their face. Here are some of my other favorites.


Wow! I think this is one of my favorite pictures of my handsome husband. I absolutely love this picture. I love the man even more!

Here's Sam trying to cool off. This Texas heat is all new to him. He will just step into the pool on the first step and that's it. I try to get him in further because he will be able to cool off...NO luck! Now lakes...he'll jump right in and swim all over. He just does not like the steps on the pool. He fell into my sister's pool when he was a puppy and couldn't get to the steps because a floatie was in the way. Since that experience he has not been a pool lovin' puppy.

The kids love to help Uncle Barry in the garden. Here's Tressie checking out the green peppers. I love this in Black and White. Such an easy subject to photograph too!

The kids love it when Barry launches them into the pool. Bobby got some lift on this one. (Pay no attention to the shrubs....they need to be trimmed....on my to do list!

Barry was splashing the kids and himself. The water droplets and splash on this picture is soooo clear! I love it!

Barry's cucumbers....his garden is amazing! Everything is organic. I am soooo impressed with his hard work on that garden. We have been eating some of the yummiest tomatoes!

Hope you enjoyed these. I know I sure have enjoyed taking them!

Jennifer

My Birthday Came Early This Year!

Over a month early to be precise. Here's a little background info...
I'm the picture taking freak in my family. I always have a camera and love taking pictures. I took the pictures for Cooper's birth announcement and they actually turned out pretty good. ha!
I love taking pictures, but my camera just doesn't do everything I want it to do....so..... a new camera is in order. I have spent a lot of time doing my research and settled on the *Nikon*D40*. I knew it would be something I used birthday and christmas money to purchase as well as saving up some money of my own. My family even knew I was planning on this and that in the place of gifts it would be great to have money to put towards the camera. I was planning on maybe getting it by Christmas....I'm on a teacher's budget ya know!
Anyway....on to my early birthday... We have our niece and nephews for a couple of days and Barry's parents came to visit yesterday as well. Amy was here dropping off the kids and Joe and Linda arrived. Much to my surprise they came with my birthday gifts. Imagine my surprise because my birthday isn't until the middle of July. I am going to be in Michigan...but still! After finishing up a couple things we sat down and I started opening my gifts. Can you even imagine my shock when I opened this?????

It's the *Nikon*D60*!! It's a step up from what I was even thinking about getting! I was in shock! It is such a generous gift....Barry's family all went in on it! I am so thankful for this! I just can't even begin to thank them enough for this! It is truly an amazing birthday gift. I took quite a few pictures yesterday. I won't upload the ones of the kids, but I will upload some others later. I have a LOT to learn about this camera, but I cannot begin to tell you how beautiful the pictures are that I took already! This camera ROCKS!!

A special thanks to Joe and Linda for getting this together. Also to Barry for emailing his family that gift cards to put towards a camera would be a great idea. Towards was the key word....not purchase. But, I'm not complaining!!

Thanks so much for such a wonderful gift!

Mmmmm! Mmmmm!!

Is there anyone out there who hasn't heard of The Pioneer Woman? If you haven't checked out her website, you are missing out!! She's a city girl living in the country. She blogged about her life on a working cattle ranch with lots of pictures. I absolutely LOVE her photographs! Her Pioneer Woman Cooks part of her website is the best!! She has some of the yummiest recipes....today was Crash Hot Potatoes. Mmmm! They look and sound yummy! I have some new potatoes in the pantry just waiting for me to cook. If you haven't been to her site, you must go! She could be having another giveaway!

By the way.....I'm on vacation!!!

Jennifer