is it any wonder?......

this is daddy.....
this is mommy.....










is there any question about how beautiful she would end up being???......


i think not

it is hell getting old........

a few years ago i had to start wearing glasses because i could no longer see anything up close. i didn't mind too much and i think my glasses are cool and look good on me. the other day i was putting on my makeup. as i was applying my eyeliner don asked me what i was doing. "duh, i'm putting on my eyeliner". "well, is it supposed to go on clear"?, he asked me. "umm, no it's supposed to be dark brown", i answered. i thought he was really being a smart ass. "well, it's going on clear", he told me. turns out that i had no tip left on the pencil and was not going on at all. sheesh! i think i had been doing that for about a week. eyelinerless, because i can't see up close enough to put my makeup on. i figured that i had been doing it so long i really didn't need to get too close to see. i could do it from memory. turns out, i was wrong. it is hell getting old{er}

such a handsome boy.....

we love him so much..{most of the time} :). he is so exuberant and happy. he enjoys life, he plays hard, he loves deeply and is kind and sweet. he is so funny and at nine years old will still sit on my lap in church and hold my hand and kiss his dad in public. we love you, boog. 

a photoshoot with three little princesses...

kelly found a house while out driving one day that was beautifully landscaped. she stopped and asked the owners if she could have some pictures done in their yard and ms. pam was gracious enough to say yes. we went there yesterday and it was beautiful. kelly wanted some pictures of the girls done and shannon and scarlett came along too. it was very hot, veeeerrrryy hot even though it was toward the end of the day...
the girls were really cooperative, {well, as cooperative as two 2-year-old's and a 5 year old can be}. we were there for about an hour and a half and had a blast.
so beautiful..isn't she. poor tara was so overheated by the time we finished that the last few pictures of her that i took showed her sweating {glistening, girls don't really sweat, they glisten} and her bangs plastered to her forehead.

madeline stayed as cool as a cucumber, but scarlett and tara just melted. i ended up with a rash on my arms from laying in the grass to get some of the shots.



i worked out again today and this time it was my legs and shoulders. man, pain, big time. my arms feel better though. i'm on furlough until tuesday night, then it's back to tina's house of pain. and i'm not kidding about the pain.

i've been spanked.....

by my own daughter...she called me yesterday and gently reminded me that i have not posted about her on my blog. how pathetisad is that?? how could i not...aren't they gorgeous?? such a horrible mother, i am.
these pictures were taken on july 4th at our house.









jason was such a good sport and took direction very well from his mother-in-law of all people
is it any wonder scarlett is as beautiful as she is?

so shannon, i am sorry i neglected you...it won't happen again...
love, mom
{the stupidork}

meet aidan......

his mom leanne does my hair. she wanted me to take 4 year pictures of aidan, {who is now closer to 5 than 4}. he did not want me to take pictures and told his mom so before they got to my house.
we went to my favorite spot for pictures, the abandoned house, and aidan brought his dinosaur toys with him. that sort of broke the ice with him because i wanted him to hold the dinosaurs in some of the pictures. i think he liked that. however,... it was not easy soliciting a smile from him...until i started making the farting noises and letting him say "booty". that just cracked him up.

i'm now looking forward to doing big brother brenden and the rest of the family. isn't he cute??

princess eden turned one...

my next door neighbor's daughter eden turned one and had a big party last saturday. the weather was perfect and we had a blast. i took lots of pictures of the event. so much fun and good food too. there was a huge bounce house, a water slide, baby pool and slip-n-slide...lots of kids and lots of fun.

here is princess with her scepter...so cute.



she loved her little pool and didn't mind the freezing water.

in exchange for pictures, eden's mom is going to be my personal trainer. i started last night and again this morning. holy crap, am i sore today. i go back friday night for more torture to tina's house of pain.... and i'm not kidding about the pain...

happy 4th of july......

from our family to yours... 
THE AMERICAN FLAG

When freedom from her mountain height
Unfurled her standard to the air,
She tore the azure robe of night,
And set the stars of glory there.
She mingled with its gorgeous dyes
The milky baldric of the skies,
And striped its pure celestial white,
With streakings of the morning light;
Then from his mansion in the sun
She called her eagle bearer down,
And gave into his mighty hand,
The symbol of her chosen land.

Joseph Rodman Drake
(1795-1820)


 
"Four score and seven years ago, our
fathers brought forth upon this continent
a new nation, conceived in liberty and
dedicated to the proposition that all
men are created equal..."

"...that this nation shall, under God,
have a new birth of freedom, and that
government of the people, by the people,
for the people, shall not perish from
the earth." Abraham Lincoln


 
Let martial note in triumph float
And liberty extend its mighty hand;
A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers,
The banner of the Western land.
The emblem of the brave and true.
Its folds protect no tyrant crew;
The red and white and starry blue
Is freedom's shield and home.
Other nations may deem their flags the best
And cheer them with fervid elation
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation.
Hurrah for the flag of the free!
May it wave as our standard forever,
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

***John Phillip Sousa, 1896***

  

America, beloved land,
we love your legacy
of freedom and justice
for all humanity.

America, beloved land
forever may we strive
to keep your wondrous, shining dream
of liberty alive.

Freedom . . . . is one of the most precious gifts that heaven has bestowed upon men; no treasures that the earth holds buried or the sea conceals can compare with it; for freedom, as for honor, life may and should be ventured.

—Miguel de Cernates

ali is in da house.....again...

allison is spending a week with us. we love having her, mostly because we use her as a babysitter and make her do all of the housework!!! kidding. we love her, and she loves being here. 
dave and tina came out with chris and ali yesterday as well as dad and kelly and ron and the girls. we had a barbeque and the weather was great. all week long they have been predicting rain but so far so good. the guys played poker after eating and the girls talked and watched movies. you know, a typical mandernach party :) he he.
 
 
  she took this picture of austen and has just been having a blast with my camera. the girl needs to get into photography.... 

and the girl is a natural with the camera....

allison has a knack for photography. she is an amazing artist {from a very young age} and it shows in her photography skills. she took these pictures as don and i were lazing on our NEW PATIO CHAIRS that we bought to go on our NEW PATIO.  
 
 
 
she took these pictures down by the pond and got some amazing shots. man, there are some interesting things in that pond. she got pictures of snakes, turtles, birds {not sure what kind that one is but it has been hanging around for a couple of days now} and of course, the dragonflies. i haven't had the camera too much, she always has it in her hands. love this girl...