Sports Photography

If you know me in the real world, you're probably used to seeing me with a camera around my neck.  I just love capturing our lives in a permanent way.  I see everything as a possible picture. It's just a hobby for me - I guess that way I don't disappoint anyone if the pictures don't turn out the way I envisioned them.

Well, our kids are very active in their respective sports.  B plays baseball (a lot).  He's currently on two teams - a travel team and a rec team.  G is also a very busy girl preparing for her gymnastics competition season that begins in October.

While spending time at all of these sporting events, somehow I have become the "official" photographer for our travel baseball team the Carolina Scorpions.  Everyone always looks forward to the picture posts on FB that come soon after we play a tournament.  I must admit that sports photography is a lot different than posed photography.  I find myself thinking ahead in the game (kind of like the boys do when playing).  You have to know where the action's going to be & what's coming next in order to prepare for it when it happens.
I'm having a lot of fun with it - who knew?

Here are some of my favorites so far:

She's one of our #1 fans - isn't she adorable?

That's just a few - I could bore you with these all day.  I've got so many that I just love.  It  probably helps that I know the boys behind the shots and that's why they're so special. We see how hard they work and sweat and play. 

I've still got lots of learning and practicing to do.  Good thing we've got lots of games coming up, huh?  One thing I have learned is that it's really hard to get good pictures through those little fence holes.

Hope you're having a good week - I'll be stopping by soon.

A Very Special Birthday

This weekend we headed back up to North Carolina for a very special celebration.  It was hubby's grandfather's (a.k.a Big Daddy) 90th birthday.

He is such a wonderful man - so laid back and quiet.  Always tinkering around with something & always tries to plant a garden in the spring and share with neighbors all summer.

I'm glad we got to make the trip to help him celebrate.

Here are some pictures from the festivities.  The party was held at their daughter (Aunt Dale's ) house - I just love her pond in the backyard.  Come along for the party.

Two beautiful & sweet girls - Katie & Gracie.

Katie is Rob's sister's daughter.

Here are Big Daddy & Big Mama with all of their grand-kids & great grand-kids.

What a blessing - wish my grand-parents were still here.

Four generations of Edwards men.

And now for the Edwards ladies.

Everybody had such a great time visiting and seeing each other.  We aren't all able to get together but maybe once a year so it was extra special to celebrate with Big Daddy.

Thanks for coming along and if your grand-parents are still with you - go give them a big hug.

School's Back Bash

I wanted to call this little virtual cook-out an End of Summer Bash, but it's really not the end of summer at all.

My thermostat makes sure I'm aware of that fact, so I decided to call it a School's Back Bash.  Not as catchy I know, but it's early and I've only had one cup of coffee.

Every now and then I like to peruse the pages of my favorite magazine, Southern Living, and their website to come up with virtual party ideas.

So, if we were all meeting up this weekend for a get-together, let's see what would be on the menu, shall we....

The main theme of this party is a Low Country Boil - makes my mouth water just looking at it.

We would also have some yummy grilled tomatoes with basil.

Some watermelon salad.

 We'd have a little grilled pound cake for dessert.

Some cool refreshing lemonade iced tea.

Where would all of this take place, you ask?

What about dining by this beautiful waterfall?

And, afterwards (or during) all of the kids could go down & play in the lake.

Sounds like the perfect weekend cook-out to me.

Wouldn't it be fun if we could actually do it?

Thanks for playing along & enjoy your weekend.

(All photos courtesy of Southern Living.com)

It's a new year

Monday was an important day at our house.

It was the first day of school (cheers, whoops, & hollers).  They weren't really cheering, whooping & hollering.  It must have just been my imagination.

We homeschool our kids and I decided that since we had a break at gymnastics this week, that it would be a good week to start our new school year.

I still do the "first day of school" pictures.  This is my son's favorite part - not really.

Take a look at my 7th and 4th grader - they're growing up so fast.

Yes, my kids go to school barefoot - it's one of my favorite things about home education.

B is doing an online academy this year & somehow I got more books than he did.

It's break time.

It's homework time (yes, his teachers actually give out homework - he's thrilled). Not really.

Thanks for tagging along & checking out our first day of school.

Hope your kids have a great first day & productive year as well.

Summer Memories

It's funny to me to title a post "Summer Memories" when there is still so much summertime left on the calendar, however, it is the last week of summer vacation for the kiddos so let the summer memories of 2010 begin.

That's just a few of some wonderful summertime memories. 

Next week, we begin a new level of learning.

G will be starting 4th grade and B is starting 7th.

Unbelieveable to me that time is passing so quickly.

Hope you are enjoying the last days/weeks of summertime.

I'm off to finish up school preparations.