Sometimes I impress myself: Photo Drop #2

More pictures of our summer and how I impress myself ....

Jake entered a contest at the library that is part of their summer reading program.  They gave 50 teens a disposable camera and they had to take pictures that captured Spartanburg County.  Jake had to finish his early because we will be out of town the day it is due, so we headed out last Friday and Jake took pictures.  There will be three winners and everyone who enters will have their best shot on display in the library during the month of September!

 Doing things like this remind me that I am a control freak.

 I kept asking him if that was the best angle to take the picture at...It also reminds me that Jake doesn't always take direction very well.  He didn't want to listen when I was trying to give him some tips...Of course it could have been he didn't want my help because I started it with my control freak hat, rather then my teacher hat.

 We both have things to work on. :)  It was fun taking pictures of him taking pictures.

 I took this last week.  Our Jeep is awesome...Almost 20 years old and 250k+ miles and still going.  Yesterday it didn't want to start and I have to admit I wondered if it had driven its last miles.  Luckily it was just the battery.  Here's to 50k more miles!

 Father's Day was on Sunday and we got Aaron a couple of work shirts (he needed them and they were 40% off at Target!), a Captain America t-shirt, and book by one of his favorite authors, Brat Thor. 

 He was happy about it.

 We all went to Nana and Papa's house for dinner were we gave our two dad's books. 

 I should have taken pictures of everyone there but I didn't.  But I did get this picture of our three Captain America's-Aaron, Della, and Jeremy.  We were safe with our three super hero's!

 And this is the picture after I enhanced it and changed the coloring on Instagram....I love Instagram!

 Jake left on Monday morning for his first time at Scout Camp.  I took this picture early in the morning when I was getting ready to drive Jake to meet up with his troop....

 ...and then I made it look cooler on Instagram.

 Jake getting in the Jeep....

...and Jake getting in the Jeep after I played around with it on Instagram.

 The laundry I needed to do but was too scared to go out to the carport, where our laundry room is, because of the 4 foot black snake I saw in the backyard as it slowly crawled into the storage space under the house....Naturally I was stuck in the house for hours until my father-in-law hunted for it, only to find it had already moved on...

 And our laundry after I made it prettier on Instagram (that I ended up getting done because once I found out the snake was gone and I felt better).  I even came to the conclusion that even though I hate all snakes, I do hate venomous snakes more, so if this big black snake (that I have named Clive in order to make a connection that will make me not completely hate it...) is a sign there aren't any copperheads (black snakes eat them and mice) we will let it live...as long as I don't have to see it a lot.  I think Sadie must be friends with Clive because I was letting Sadie in when I saw the snake in the yard.  She was sitting on the top stair to the porch looking (in my opinion) right at it.  I was very brave because usually I would scream and cry and freak out in general.  But Clive was hanging out and then moving slowly (slow enough that I decided to take its picture so I could send it to Aaron.  I promptly erased it so I would never have to look at it again after I texted it to him) enough that I had time to throw Sadie's shampoo, flea & tick spray and all the base balls (we have a lot for a people that don't play baseball) we own, at it as it slowly slithered to the storage area.  I did all this from the safety of our porch (that is really a sunroom) through the window that was open (which I closed along with all the other ones that were open because there was a chance the snake would try to crawl up the side of the house and come in the window to get me since I did hit it with the shampoo and a baseball...which didn't do anything except make it stop momentarily.  I thought it would make Clive turn around and leave...not so much...), which I thought was extremely brave.

 I need to take pictures of the stuff I threw at Clive because it is a good memory of a huge step in my snake phobia.  It is the moment I faced my fear and then later decided that the snake didn't have to die.  That is HUGE for a person who wishes all the snakes in the world were dead.  Baby steps to getting over my fear.

So not only did I figure out, on my own, how to upload my pictures from my phone to my computer, I also faced my fears....and emptied a lot of boxes and accomplished a whole bunch...more on that momentarily...

Sometimes I impress myself...Photo Drop #1

...and today is one of those days!  I just figured out (all by my none technologically advanced self!) how to put my pictures from my phone onto the computer.  Which means I can now put them on my blog!  Wooo-whooo!  I have been taking a bunch of pictures documenting life in general.  I am kind of loving my phone...even though the learning curve is steep and I have just started the climb!


These are some of the first pictures I took with my phone.  I was just playing around with it. 

 The main reason I wanted a smart phone was to take pictures.  I carry my camera everywhere I go but now I don't have too.  Jake is such a goof ball.  I gave him his summer do which I am sure he is glad about because he is at Scout Camp and it is HOT and HUMID today!

 Love this dog.

 Our dinning room is shaping up quite nicely.  I made some makeshift bookshelves out of wooden boxes...wait I feel like I have typed this before...I will have to go back and check.

 I am working on a picture project.  We are framing a picture of every house we have owned.  I am still searching for a picture of our 2nd house...If I don't find it, it is okay because Aaron's cousin owns it and it is right here in town so getting a picture won't be too tough.  I was just hoping for an authentic, when we lived in it picture.

 Sadie is adorable.

 We babysat a friend of mine's daughter while she was at class and she cracked me up when she said, "Of course it's magic, it's a video game!".  Video games are pretty magical.

 We went swimming at another friends pool. 

 Jake had to go to the doctor...I know I already blogged about that.  Here is a picture of Jake waiting.  We waited forever...

 I voted!...but did not do nearly as much studying up on the candidates as I should have...Next time I will be better.

Here is the mess I made at 10:00 at night while Aaron was out of town.

And here is the photo wall I am working on.  I haven't made any more progress on it, besides putting pictures on a USB that I need to take and develop.

Here are the curtains that I put up after I made the meatballs.  I am in love with my house.

 

I took a picture of our medicine cabinet minus Aaron's shaving cream, tooth brush, and deodorant.  When he was out of town it didn't smell like him when I opened it.  It felt like a Kodak moment for some reason...

We had Lego Club (for homeschoolers but only because during the school year we meet when public schoolers are at school) at the library, which I am in charge of.  It was a hit and our numbers are picking up.  We are in the rebuilding stage.

I have mentioned before that I love my stove.  Who wouldn't it is adorable!

 And now my spices are sitting adorably in Mason Jars on the back of it.  I saw it on that cooking show on the Food Network with the older lady in the farm house in New York state...I can't remember the name (maybe Farm House Rules...It comes on Saturday after the Pioneer Woman) but she was my inspiration.

 I had to take a picture just because our pears and nectarines are pretty....

 We were at Sam's Club and came outside to this amazing sky.  A little bit of beauty from Heavenly Father to see who was paying attention...I was. :)

 Another few holes in the wall (one of my favorite things about owning a home).  We say the pledge of allegiance every day when we are doing school and I thought the flag would be nice paired with a couple of Norman Rockwell's from my cheap book I got at the book sale a while back.  The first one is Freedom of Speech and the second one is Freedom of Worship.  Aaron fell asleep on the couch watching TV one night while I was hanging them.  When he sleepily passed by I asked him what he thought.  He said, "It looks great!...But I don't know who those people are in those pictures."  I laughed hysterically and told them they were Norman Rockwell's and he wouldn't know the people.  He laughed too but I think he must have been half asleep still.

 Sadie is the furriest dog we have ever had.  Look at this pile of fur I brushed out of her and there were still little Sadie poofs all over the house the next day to vacuum up.  It is a good thing she is so awesome.

 Jake and his Lego's.  I don't think he will ever out grow them. That reminds me: The Lego Movie comes out on DVD today!  I have to go and buy it so when we visit him at Scout Camp tomorrow night I can let him know we got it.  It is so funny to me that even though he his hair is so short you can still see where he slept on it.  This was first thing in the morning.

I have a bunch more pictures which I will post later but right now I have to get ready for book club!  We are bringing and discussing our favorite children's books (not chapter books, picture books).  I am bringing my large stack of Berenstien Bear books.  I love them soooo much.

Keeping it cool Southern style.

We are lucky enough to live not too far (at all) from a state park and decided last Friday was a good day to take advantage of that fact.  Enough words...Pictures will suffice.

(I love how Jakes' pockets are inside out...opps...words...)

Besides these words...Can you see how Jake's right top eyelid is swollen?  It was for a week and a half (went away one time) so I set up a doctor's appointment (called Wed. morning and we were going in that afternoon).  In just a few hours before going to the doctor's is went away almost completely and hasn't been back-of course.  We went any way and they thought it was just allergies.  I should have called the doctor on day one and it would have disappeared that day!

And these words...Sadie slept for 3 days after her swim and romp through the woods. :)

                                                                     The End.

First cookies for Bookworm....

...in the new house. :)

Not even cookies will stop my bookworm from reading. He read 5 books the first week we declared 7th grade done.  Part of that is because we put a temporary ban on TV, the other part is because he is a bookworm.  I called him Bookworm and he said he liked it so I will officially add that to the list of nicknames (Bug, Booger, the Jakester, Stinky Face...etc..).

Jake finally meets my birthday buddy

 I hear you saying "aweeeeee" as you look at this sweet little man.  Parker Joseph Harmon is the newest Harmon boy and he is adorable.  I went to the hospital and met him the day after he was born.  Jake didn't get to meet him until the Wednesday after and he was soooo ready!

 He was not to sure about being woken up at first but...

 ...he settled right down

 And Jaxson was "cheesing!" with Jake for the picture. :)

 Love these Harmon boys!

And then Jaxson was ready to play with his buddy Jake.
I need to have a photo session with Jaxson and Parker.  Don't you love how I make it sound like I am a professional or something? Far from it but I like to give my camera a good work out.

Brain Declutter: When Aaron goes out of town and other rambles...

*Whenever Aaron goes out of town, which is not very often, I stay up late being very productive.  I just turned 5 1/2 pounds of ground beef into meatballs that are now cooking in the oven (and will be for a while because there are so many to cook) and will be cooled, food saver-ed (yes I did just make up that word), and put into the freezer for many delicious meals to come.

*Aaron is out of town for a training meeting for work.  I think it is a once a year thing or something.  Although we miss him I have to admit I do enjoy the 2 or 3 nights a year that I get to sleep in the middle of the bed. :)

*Smartphones touch screens are just a reminder of how greasy we human beings really are.

*I love the South...but...it drives me crazy how people down here do not pluralize change.  For example, instead of saying, "Ten cents is your change", they (not all by any stretch of the imagination!..but a lot of Southerners) would say, "Ten cent is your change."  Really ten cent?  It sounds so ignorant to me.  Or maybe lazy is a better word.  Are they really too lazy to just say the "s"? 

*I am searching the house for the box my phone came in.  I have the Verizon bag with my old phone and receipt I need to send in asap for our rebate...but not the box.  I am 99% sure it is in our bedroom which at the moment is a slight disaster.  I need the box because the cord to hook it to the computer is in it.  I am picking up the bedroom tomorrow (I was sorting laundry and going through my clothes, and there are still 2 boxes that I just seem to unpack into "organized piles just to put it back into the box because I don't know why we have all that stuff and yet I can't part with it...) and I am sure I will find it....if not I am seriously going to pay Jake $5 to go through the one trash bag (that has been outside in the big trash can in the 90+ degree weather stinking it up...) that is possibly (but not likely...I am sure it is in the house) could be in.

*Homemade meatballs are delicious.  And cleaning the kitchen as you cook makes me feel so domestic and productive.

*I can't find my AA battery charger either for my camera.  I was going to take a picture of my new smartphone in my pretty case with my camera but it is dead.  I could be one of those people that takes a picture in the mirror to show it but that really isn't me.  It can wait until I find the charger.  It's probably in our room too.

*I am working on a photo wall in our living room and I LOVE it.  Is it wrong that the only people on it are Jake, Aaron, and me? It really isn't a question because it is my house and I like it the way it is... I  just feel like I need to put extended family up there too but I am just finding so many picture I love of us. :)  I will have another wall for everyone else.

*All (to my knowledge) of our books are out of their boxes and one shelves (some make shift) and I love it.  I have pictures of it but no way to post them right now because they are on my phone...which I ca....Wait!  I think my charger is that cord!!!!  I love it when my brain kicks in late at night when it should be sleeping!  I have already been using the cord I was looking for in the box.  It is the charger cord/cord that hooks into your computer when you pop the square plug off.  DUH!!!  But I don't know how to put the pictures from my phone onto my computer...I tried and got scared that I would mess something up so I will just wait until Aaron gets home to figure it out.  Husbands are so useful.

*While the last of the meatballs cook and cool down I am thinking of ironing the curtains that were up in the living room when we moved in.  I love them but I also love just the sheer curtains too.  I will take pictures of that too and post it.  I like to have the blinds open during the day but I don't like feeling like I live in a fish bowl because you can see right in.  I have tried turning the blinds all different directions to let light in and yet be kind of closed-ish, but you can still see right in.  Curse you big beautiful window in my living room! :)

*I leave a lot of lights on when Aaron isn't here.

Who are you and what did you do with my child?

He is growing up. I was taking pictures of our clothes on the clothes line (because that is what I do) and Jake was waiting for me to finish. I think we were getting ready to go to the library, where he checked out a book on the art of blacksmithing and chess for dummies.  Who couldn't love this face?  Who couldn't love an almost 13 year old {tear} that checks out those books?  

Holy cow time flies.