Back from FPP Convention

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYLEY!!! My precious little ‘baby’ girl turned 2 on August 25th. Her daddy put this swing up for her while I was gone. When I got back, rather than having me push her, she wanted to show me how she can push her baby! Each day with her is a treat. She always does something sweet or new that amazes me… I’m trying to be more like her

 

I returned from the Florida Professional Photographers State Convention in Orlando late Tuesday night (Wed. morning). It was 2:45am and I had to be up at 6:30 for work (teaching). Originally, I wasn’t planning on staying for the Awards Banquet, but I was having too much fun to leave. I tore myself away at 11:30pm, but they still weren’t finished! My guild (North Florida Professional Photographers Society) did awesome! The speakers this year were phenominal and I’m pumped to use all the things I learned! Can’t wait to tell you about it… especially meeting HANSON FONG!

 

 

More soon!

~Heidi

T.S. Fay~Nerve Wracking Nuisance!

First I have to share this cool story a lady from Southern California sent me today! My Hartz post on June 30th helped to save her new dog’s life!! That’s Awesome!

Now for our friend Fay… we had a flash flood watch and THREE tornado warnings today. We live near NAS Jax, so we could hear their tornado sirens each time. I was glued to the TV all day. I have to thank our AWESOME cast at CBS47 for tirelessly tracking the storm and giving a minute by minute update. Meteorologist Mike Buresh spoke at the school where I teach this past year and he was GREAT with the kids. He kept about 550 students engaged the entire time he spoke.  Since he’s great at what he does & thoroughly LOVES his job, it was comforting to see him on air all day!

Yes, I actually photographed the television!  It helped break the tension.

The only ‘damage’ we had was that we lost a new palm fran.  We were very blessed!!

 

 

 After 3 days of being at home, Ryley was getting a little stir crazy. So after some playing outside in the rain, I set her up with some paints, and turned my back for about 30 seconds. You know how that goes.  It washed off easy, so I let her have at it! Then of course, Daddy had to get into the picture! He’s a big kid himself

 

 

 

Ryley liked the her Daddy made her look like a clown with a red nose and cheeks, and blue eyebrows.  So she decided to add a little extra herself…

 

 

 

Today we have bright blue skies with beautiful fluffy white clouds (my favorite kind of sky).  I’m heading down to Orlando for the Florida Professional Photographers Convention.  I’m excited!

Thanks for all the prayers during the storm!

Love & Blessings,

Another Day Off!

Yep! That’s 3 days in a row. Duval County kids must be loving it – a 2 day school week their first week back. MANY counties are in the same boat… tee hee, get my corny humor? Fay’s just taking her sweet time & hangin’ out for a while. I saw on the news tonight poor Melbourne Florida has severe flooding. Let’s keep those folks in our prayers!!  Our friends Dave & Eileen have a home on the water down there. Jerry flew us down to visit a few years ago and we went out on their boat. I’ll have to call and see how they’re doing!

It’s been raining heavily and pretty steadily all night. I’m anxious to see what it looks like out there in the morning!

 

Here’s our ducks bracing against the storm (taken through the back door window)…

You can see in the background the pond has gotten pretty full!  Jerry dumped Ryley’s little blue pool out this evening -it was half full already.

 

 

 

Ryley got a birthday card today… it’s a bit soggy.  When Jerry brought it in, it was soaked and DRIPPING. The mailbox had blown open from the storm wind gusts.  I’m sure it’ll be dry by her birthday! I’ll have to put a little note on it about T.S. Fay

That’s all for now!

Love & Blessings, 

Florida Fay

Students in Jax public schools were back for only 2 days, when they announced schools would be closed today & tomorrow due to Tropical Storm Fay. So, I took advantage of the day off today and slept until 2 in the afternoon! Felt like a teenager again!! It’s been raining all day, off and on. I took all of these images through our windows.

 

Here’s an image of our back yard during a brief lull.

 

 

It’s a good day to be a duck…

 

 

Ryley’s little pool shows that we’ve already gotten a few inches of rain. 

  I’ll keep you posted as long as we have power! Please say a prayer for Florida & it’s residents

Checkin’ in!

Just a quick note to say hello.  I have LOTS of blogging to catch up on! I was in NY for 3 weeks and only managed to write twice while there.

Teachers here in Jax started back to work this past Monday, August 11th. My plan was to fly back early that morning and be at work before lunch, so I could enjoy the last day of my H.S. reunion on the 10th without having to rush off to the airport afterwards. My flight was cancelled (US Air) and it took me until Tuesday afternoon to get back -  I plan to share the whole ordeal soon. I hightly doubt I’ll fly US Air again.

 

In the meantime, here’s some pix from my trip… (photos are taken with a Canon Power Shot pocket camera).

 

Here’s some of my fam…. Dad, Ryley, me, ‘little’ brother Brandon, brother-in-law Wiley, Ryley’s cousin Ethan, and my sister Jacki.  Ethan will have a baby brother or sister in the spring! Is it my imagination, or does Ryley actually resemble me a tiny bit in this photo?

Sorry girls, Brandon’s married. Ashley just finished basic training for the National Guard and is now at school in Georgia. 

 

 

It’s my tradition to visit my home town’s Tastey Treat ice cream stand. Ryley enjoyed a chocolate custard with chocolate sprinkles on a sugar cone with me.  It’s a MUST HAVE every time I go home

 

Me & Ryley sitting at a Tastey Treat picnic table.  She still looks like her daddy spit her out himself! She’s got my eyebrows, that’s about it.

 

I really have to get to bed. The first day for students is tomorrow!!! Can’t wait to see how it goes! I love the first day of school. Everything’s new, exciting, and the kids are on their best behavior

Love & blessings,

2nd birthdays

Ryley & her cousin Ethan are 8 weeks apart in age, so this summer we thought it would be fun to make them a cake! 

 

I’m definitely NOT Martha Stewart, but had fun anyway…

 

Grandpa (my dad) holding his grandkids

 

blowing out her candle…

 

 

Ryley won’t look at the camera & of course Ethan thinks it’s hilarious

 

Uncle Wiley got the kids their first Cabbage Patch kids! They lick their ice cream cones (magnets in cone & tongue), get sprinkles on their faces when the cone is dipped in ice cold water, then the sprinkles disappear when wiped off with a warm cloth… really neat!

 It’s the 25th anniversary of Cabbage Patch kids….THAT makes me feel old!

 

 

 

 

My favorite image of my adorable nephew Ethan when I caught him playing in the sheer curtains.

 ISN’T HE PRECIOUS!!??

 Love & Blessings,