Shiny Bubbles

I was outside this evening trying to come up with some reflection photos for our photo challenge this week. Michael was playing with his little cap pistol and Fred came outside too. Yea, some quality family time together. Fred decided to help me with taking photos of bubbles...

Okay as you can see my husband is a die-hard Cowboys fan but he has no clue how to work the bubble gun, lol...(shh don't tell him I posted this photo!)

Shiney Bubbles...

A totally disgusted MAN!! The storms were here again and the rain passed just on the other side of our main road...NO rain, Grrr....Fred was not happy!!

Bubble Head!

Not sure why he is posing like this but it had me laughing!! He is just too DARN funny!!

Gotta love that face, he is just having way too much fun!!

I used the flash on this one!

We really enjoyed ourselves...the rain passed us by at that time but stay tuned as we eventually had a storm come over and I got some incredible lightning exposures!!

Monopod...(Finally!)

I was finally able to use the monopod I bought and I was thoroughly enjoy myself! In fact I will probably bore you with all the photos I posted but I was having fun and then I couldn't decide which photos to post, lol...I was also playing with the light meter. It is taking me awhile to get the hang of using the meter but I am getting there, practice makes perfect!

I loved the way the light rays were beaming through the clouds, this is looking down our driveway to the West. We had thunderstorms all around us this afternoon, mind you I said all around us...Not one of them came near us and still no rain!

Prickly pair poppy...I wanted to see how the Monopod worked with Macro. Since I dusted all the flowers up at the house for grasshoppers, I had to venture out to the pasture...I used the 28-105mm lens tonight.

Oh Boy!! Jake what have you gone and done now!! Yikes!!

I turned around and here is Jake, just too darn funny!! Jakey are you stuck?

What a goofy dog...but you know what? I went up there to un-stick him and got out on his own...thank goodness Collies have slender heads! I also see I need to paint and fix the yard gate, it looks kind of yucky!! I'll add it to my "to do" list, lol...

I was just in AWE of the beautiful clouds and sunset tonight, can you tell? LOL...and was having way too much fun with the Monopod...so much easier than lugging the tripod around!

I caught two of the hummers on camera...Sweet! We've been having hummingbird wars here, you would think 3 feeders were plenty!

I know Jeez another hummingbird but I liked the silhouette with the clouds behind it.

Just before darkness set in and I thought the best of the bunch!!

Park & Pool

Yesterday was a VERY long day! We left the house at 9am and got back to the house at 8:45pm...UGH! I was exhausted! But it was well worth it as Michael had so much fun!

Kaden and Michael were playing Hopscotch. I caught Michael in mid-air in this photo and loved it!! Almost looks like he was doing Ballet, lol...I need to work on taking photos in the shade as I was going by what the meter said and the photos just came out way to dark.

Snack time! Ms. Penny and Ms. Shirley were helping Michael, Toby and Kaden.

Once again we managed to get the boys gathered up for a photos!! I took several photos and they all came out fairly well but it was funny as there was always one of the boys with a silly face! I hope in later years they look at this photo and remember all the fun they had this summer!

After lunch Michael and I went over to Tia Diana's for a swim in the pool with Paten.

Paten, Tia Diana, & Michael.

Michael had to show me his kicking skills and of course I had to catch the water droplets in action with the camera, lol...

Yes I actually let someone else have the camera! Now take a good look, as this is the ONE and ONLY photo you will see of me in a swimsuit, LMAO....Ugh I'm getting OLD!! and it shows too!! My farmers tan shows too, Ekkk...

A funny story to share with y'all...The other night Michael laid his hand on my tummy and said "Mommy have you got a baby in there", OH MY! At that moment I decided it's time to start working on the Ab Lounger and walking again...You just gotta love kids and how they speak what they think!!

We had so much fun and Michael is doing really well in the pool! Not swimming yet but hopefully by the end of the summer. He is a bit more relaxed but still hates getting his face wet! All in due time....

~ My Favorite Place ~

I'm going to tell you a little secret...

My favorite place to be in the whole wide world is up on the roof top or tree top high!

I LOVE IT!!
Ask my Mother, when I was little if you couldn't find me, LOOK UP!

I can remember a big maple tree we had in the back yard and I loved climbing to the tippy top and swaying in the breeze with the tree, it was truly wonderful!!

This evening on the news they were talking about how beautiful the moon rise was going to be...so you can guess where I decided to go!! For the best vantage point up to the roof!!

I was so excited and poor dear Helen was back on Earth waiting for me to video chat, lol...Sorry Helen I know I took a bit longer than I said but I couldn't help myself!! I got a bit carried away with the camera and took over 150 photos, Ekkk...But boy did I have fun! I have to say today was a day for the record books!! Or at least my record books because I had so MUCH fun!!

Jake!! Up HERE Jake!! Hello Jake!!

He wasn't too happy and started whining as he wanted to be on the roof top too!!

This is what you call waiting...and playing with the shutter speed on the camera....Watch the roof vent spin, YeeHaw!!

Now it is still, lol....Oh this is fun!! Come on Moon, where are you?

Ahh one of the Crepe Myrtle bushes from a different point of view...as you can see still playing and waiting for the Moon!!

Oh sweet Jule's...Look where Momma is...Up on the roof top!!

Then it happened....The sun was setting...Oh so pretty!! Soon I will see the Moon!

Okay a different view from the camera and a different setting...are we having fun yet? I am...soon the Moon will be up!

Ahh and another spectacular South Texas Sunset...Okay Moon I am ready and Helen is waiting!

Then to the East...a Spectacular Thunderhead...Wow!! It is HUGE and growing bigger!!

I zoom in just as the color of the sunset hits it just right, Awesome! Look at those colors!!

Where is the Moon? Behind the clouds, ugh!! Sorry folks, lol...It just wasn't meant to be, Maybe tomorrow night...I just love being on the roof!!

So Helen were the photos worth the wait?

Swimming ~ Swimming ~ Swimming

This morning we had a swim date over at my Brother & Sister in laws pool with their nephew, Paten. The boys had a blast. I'm really glad Paten is here visiting as he taught Michael to relax in the pool and have FUN!!

Paten attempting to pull Michael around the pool

Playing with their boats

I love this photo with Michael in the foreground and Paten in the background with his swim goggles, just too darn cute!!

Here is another one of Paten...Mr. Bug eyes himself, lol...

Actually I could of used goggles too as the chlorine was pretty bad and my eyes are still burning...we had fun and we go back again tomorrow afternoon, YEA!!

The temp this afternoon at 4 pm was 100 F.

OH MY GOODNESS!!

Last night Helen sent me an email, (her daytime my night-time) and asked me to download a program called Skype. She was so EXCITED! There was one problem my emails were not coming in and by the time I found out she was emailing me, numerous times, it was too late and our bedtime. She was practically jumping up and down in her emails saying we could talk (like on a phone) and if I had a webcam we could see each other for FREE!! I went and checked out the program and the company and checked to make sure my computer was up to it...This morning I decided to splurge a bit and go get a webcam...Helen is my dear friend and I so wanted to be able to talk to her like we were in the room together, the land of down under is quiet a ways away for that to happen in real life...I was a bit leery at first as I have never done anything like this and if you haven't noticed I am always on the back-side of the camera!! I am not very photogentic, not ONE bit!!

Well I arrived home this afternoon and got everything hooked up. Houston we have a go...is what I emailed Helen...lol....As soon as she woke up she read her emails and managed to get Den to help her and we were actually able to see and talk to each other for a few moments before she had to get the munchkins up for the day and off to school...and I had to go make dinner....

It was one of the most exciting moments I've had in a long time....I can not even begin to describe being able to see and hear a dear friend I have been emailing for over a year...It was the BEST!!

The technology today just floors me...can you imagine a 100 yrs ago Helen and I would have never known each other being on different sides of the world...I feel so blessed!

Thank you Den for showing Helen and I how to do this and for all the wonderful things you do for Helen...

(I am telling y'all out there if you are living far from family and friends this is truly a program you might want to check into...it is really nice and not at all difficult to set up...I know someone in our family who lives far away but is in our hearts always that is getting a webcam very soon!! Michael loves the webcam and we have been having a blast playing with it....)

Still at it...

After doing a bit of research on the internet today I have come to the realization that I do NOT have the camera, lens, or equipment to take the kind of hummingbird photos I would like...it's sad when you know you've been defeated...

Check out this website, click here.

But I am very stubborn and I will continue to try...you just never know one of these days I may get lucky!!

The photo below I took tonight on my hummer chasing quest!