Summer Fun, Ingenious Ways to Stay Cool, and Forget Me Not

More Pictures

"Cheese!!!"

Is it me, or does my kid have a weird tongue? Is it supposed to do that split thingy?

The peony he brought me from the neighbor's house. It smells soooo good!

Honeysuckles rule the hedgerow at the house next door.

That sweet face.

Andrew tries his hand at photography. Me, I just want mah coffee!

I'm thinking about starting a Project 365...

Mother's Day 2010

I am amazed by the men in my life. Today they took what would have been a miserable day and turned it into a magical one. My husband, Mr. Thrifty himself, bought me a D-SLR! I have wanted a great camera for-EVER, so this was a wonderful gift and a complete and total surprise (how he got Andrew to keep quiet I'll never know!). Here are some pictures from today - my family. I love you so very much!

Photographs

As the days tick down to Leila's birthday, it seems like all the grieving "progress" is going down the tubes.

I'm weepy. Always on the verge of tearing up. Oversensitive.

Is this normal?

The first line of "I Will Carry You" just echoes in my head.

"There were photographs I wanted to take..."

That photo of Leila at about 6 months old,

forehead to forehead with Yasar,

a little pink bow in her hair,

a look of adoration in his eyes.

I wanted to take that photograph so badly.

Usually it's hard to separate the sadness of infertility from the sadness of having a daughter in heaven.

That's not been the case lately.

I can SEE her in my mind. And I miss her so intensely.

God, please give my little girl a hug for me. Tell her how much I love her.

Charleston Falls 4-2-10

Surrounded By Love

(my supply shelf with pictures of my grempop as a baby, and a wedding photo
of Yasar and I, his parents, my parents, and my gremom)

Somehow the office has kind of become my space. (maybe because Yasar has his "man cave" in the garage).

(my favorite Christmas gift from this past year, my sister-in-law
Chris put together a family montage clock, and included my Leila!)

So I let my taste in art take over.

(pictures my friend Joy took of my mom, Andrew, and I in Chincoteague the summer of 2007)

And my choice of wall decoration has always been family pictures.

(gremom and grempop with their 45th anniversary cake)

To me, it's what makes a house a home.

(my working corkboard, with a Mother's Day card that Andrew and his dad made for me, Andrew holding the bass he caught, a photostrip of Andrew and my mom, and one of Yasar kissing my dearly missed quaker parakeet, Furby)

I am always reminded of the love that surrounds me.

Happy Box = Happy Boy!

The Locavore Box:
Beautiful heads of lettuce, complete with a bug! I think this is Romaine. Andrew thinks it's delicious.
These giant onion tops will make Yasar a happy man.
Spinach heads and kale.
My kid chomping into some fresh kale. He said, and I quote, "it tastes like candy!" Gives me a warm & fuzzy feelin'. :)

Got Some Milk For Me?

My Motivation

Today, this is my motivation. My little guy brought me this "food pack" - a banana, a yogurt, a prewashed whole carrot, and a paper towel. He said this would help me not be fat anymore.

How lucky am I?

Christmas 2009

Before the chaos begins.

Thank you, Nanny! I love it!
And Aunt Beth, I couldn't wait to put this on!
My bling-bling from Andrew. I'm gonna need a security guard to walk around with this on!
(hmmm, I wonder if he's a Bengals fan...)
Fun to decorate, not-so-fun to eat.
Tiger's glad the presents are gone so he can get back to normal.
Making kibbe with daddy.
Happy Birthday, Jesus!
My candles burned all day, remembering my little angel, and the angels of all my friends. Merry Christmas, my Leila. I know you're celebrating at an awesome birthday party in heaven!

Today in Pictures

We voted...

And Andrew did my makeup this morning. Clearly, his future as a makeup artist is secure.

Beggar's Night 2009

Beggar's Night 2009...let the candy-collecting commence! Andrew (robot), posing with his friends Amanda (baby), Becca (vampire-girl), Elyssa (punkin), and Juli (a witch far too smiley to do any harm).
Hard to see in this picture, but people really enjoyed Andrew's costume...mostly the plug he's holding, which came out of the back. It got a lot of giggles. From me, too - total cost? $3.49 for spray paint!
Posing with the booty. Andrew would like to personally thank the considerate house who gave him a ColdEze cough drop - their concern for his health and well-being is touching (and thanks, Miss Christine, for being eagle-eyed and catching that before it went down the old gullet!)
And trading time. Andrew pawning off his chocolate for "the good stuff". Yes, my child doesn't like chocolate. One of these days, I'll get around to getting that maternity test....

Columbus Zoo 10/19/09

Loving the flamingos
@ Manatee Cove. I love this picture!

Enthralled....
The leopard watching my child. If you look closely, you may see the drool coming out of his mouth....

Oh, SO hawt!!!