WW - Meet Rusty!

What in the heck is wrong with me!
I almost missed a Wordful Wednesday over a
Seven Clown Circus!

Geeze, you would think I was busy wrapping up summer or something!

While the girls and I were on vacation in South Dakota, my husband bought himself a horse!

Meet Rusty the Wonder Horse!

He is a 6 year old buckskin Draft/Mustang mix, which means he is a big boy.

The family is over the moon excited about our newest family member.

Want to know what I am most excited about?

The totally cute Tack room we are renting!
We can dress it up anyway we see fit.

Tell me, is that not the cutest little ole tack room you ever did see??

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I participated in a Photo Hunt last month.
Scroll down if you want to check it out!

{WW} - Surfing!

When learning to surf.........

it is most helpful.............

to have a Daddy that is willing to be your surf board Valet.

Happy Wordful Wednesday!Head over to Angie's to read more WW's.

Sunday Citar

"Paradise is where I am" - Voltaire

This is one of my favorite quotes.

Want to read more?

Visit Fresh Mommy!

Wordful Wednesday - Ballerina

This is my Ballerina.

This is my Ballerina's bun.

I used to fear the Ballerina bun.  But not anymore.

I have learned the secret to getting really thick 

hair into a pretty bun.

My secret?  

Wet hair, two braids twisted in opposite directions, 

enough hair spray to cause global warming and no less than 15 bobby pins.

Photostory Friday - Unfinished Photo Hunt

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I hate not having the time to participate in Photostory Friday's with Cecily and MamaGeek, so while I have a few free moments I thought I would get my post up early and share with you a few photo's from the Photo Hunt that I didn't have enough time to complete!  

Hmmm, anyone noticing a theme here?  Anyhoo.....there were 26 items to catch with your camera and I'm not sure how many I actually did capture, I just know I didn't get them all.

Here are some of my favorites (click on the images to enlarge them)!  This first photo was my Reflection shot.  I took this picture just after the sun came up and even though the water wasn't perfectly still it was pretty glass like.

Next on the list was to photograph something historical (pre 1900;s).  Not an easy task, but I high tailed it out to the Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala.  

The Mission was established in 1769 and is California's first church.  The California Missions are a big part of California's history.

It is an interesting historical site and is the place where the western world was first introduced to Catholicism.  Which means lots of neat Catholic artifacts and statues.

I was raised Catholic and even though their statues and rituals kind of scared me as a child, I find them completely fascinating!

Next up we have a shot from an unusual perspective. This picture was taken at the Mission.  I love how visitors have placed rosaries on the hands of this statue.

Here is my Church entry.  This is the church at the Mission and is still used for services.  I love how this Church reflects its Spanish roots.  I've said this before, but Catholics know how to create spectacular churches (even if they are a little scary).

Next up we have a Cemetery.  Unlike older parts of our country, San Diego does not really have any old ornate cemeteries.  We are however a military town and this is a shot from Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.  These service men and women (and their spouses) have some prime real estate to rest in peace.  On one side lies the Pacific Ocean, on the other is the San Diego Bay (which is what this view shows).

I showed this next picture on my 365 blog.  It is my motion shot and it is also the last one that I am going to share for now!

Well, that is it.  I hope you enjoyed a few of my favorite shots from the photo hunt that I didn't complete.

We all came home in one piece!

Another successful Girl Scout camping trip under my belt and I can breath a sigh of relief that I returned all 9 of the girls in my care home in one piece.

Taking the girls camping 2 hours from home is fun, lots of fun, but sometimes it worries me having all of these kids in my care.  I have to walk that delicate balance of making sure they stay safe and letting them just be kids.  To me kids seem to always be pushing that line of safety.

They can't just enjoy and nice swing on the swing set.  They have to send themselves flying as high as possible and then propel themselves right out of their seat.  

But that isn't good enough either.  You must add another level of danger by inviting a friend to see just how close she can get to you while you swing as high as possible.

Or how about getting on top of the monkey bars for a better view.  Not so bad, until you finding them all standing on top of  bars for an even better view!

Then while they are crammed into one tent playing Truth or Dare you wonder if you should stop them when you over hear them daring each other to lick the feet of another.

Apparently licking the sweaty dirt covered foot of your friend won't make you sick because one of these sweet little girls did such a thing Saturday evening.

Wordful Wednesday -My Heart

If you were too look at my heart, this is what it would look like.

They are my sunshine!

They crack me up on a daily basis.

Reid makes me laugh by making up new lyrics to her favorite songs.  One of her current creations is to the Kan Ye West song "Heartless".  The new twist is all about two parents that wouldn't get their 13 year old texting.  "How could we be so heartless."

Kate has an incredible quick wit.  The other day I walked by her room and saw her laying on her bed, phone in hand, making a call.

I asked, "Who are you calling?"  

Kate's response, "Child Protective Services."

For more Wordless Wednesday post click on the icon!

Photo Hunt!

I am participating in a Photo Hunt (see Thursdays post).  On Friday while shooting my photo for the day I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a great opportunity to take some reflection shots (#8 on the list).  

I was outside in my moms backyard and the sun was quickly saying goodbye to the day.  I just wanted to get my picture for the day done and was taking a picture of that red flower when I looked up and saw that naked tree being reflected in my moms picture window.  Score!

Then I walked out into the backyard to see if there was enough light to show a refection of the trees in my moms pond.  Score!

So now I have a question to ask.  I can only post one of these reflection pictures for the photo hunt and I can't decided which one I like better.  Which one would you pick??

Photo Story Friday {Yard Art}

My kind of yard art!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Wordful Wednesday - Making Memories

I am in charge of producing the 32 page yearbook for my daughters 5th grade class.  I knew when I signed up for this job that I would probably be the only one actually putting the book together, and as it turns out, I was right.  

I'm also pretty much the only one taking all of the necessary pictures......and I'm loving it!

Unlike the celebrity-paparazzi relationship, my little subjects squeal with delight when they see me coming!  "Are you going to take my picture Mrs. A?" 

I never get tired of hearing that.

Find more Wordful Wednesdays over at 7 Clown Circus!

PSF - Best friends

Best friends!

Enough said!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Wordful Wednesday - Cookbook

As a young adult I found inspiration in the pages of Sunset Magazine. It was my guide to how to become a successful adult.

Sunset Magazine was going to teach me how to effortlessly serve up wonderful meals. To hold casual dinner parties on our beautiful multi tiered deck, surrounded by our gorgeous garden, while we sipped the best wine that California had to offer.

Yes, my dream was to live the good Western life depicted on the pages of Sunset magazine.

The first cookbook I ever purchased was this 1990 Annual edition of Sunset recipes. It's old, stained and well loved. Our favorite recipe from this book is without a doubt, the Cream of Broccoli Soup. It is also the only part of the Sunset life that I have accomplished.

I never achieved the ability to serve up casual dinner parties (entertaining intimidates me), we still don't have that beautiful multi tiered deck (but we do talk about putting one in), my yard only looks good because we paid to have someone else create it (it lives despite me) and I never drink wine (it makes me sick).

Each time I pull out my 1990 edition of Sunset recipes it reminds me of a time when I wished for such things and it makes me feel young again.

Well, I'm 41, so technically I'm still young-ish........but I think you know what a mean? Who knows, maybe someday we will live the life depicted in the pages of a magazine.

I'm now imagining Jim and I old and wrinkled, sitting on that deck with our gray haired friends, drinking well aged prune juice...........

Join Angie over at Seven clown circus for more Wordful Wednesday posts!

PSF - My cat is insane!

I love my pets, I really do....but sometimes they drive me CRAZY.   I'm pretty sure that my cat Summer is trying to send me to the looney bin with her antics.

Summer scratches things (aka: furniture, rugs, curtains, screen doors) to get attention.  

Scratching gets attention.

Not only does she get my attention, but she also gets the dogs attention.

Unfortunately for Summer, the dogs are on my side of the issue and they are more than willing to chase the cat when she is being naughty.

Don't fret cat lovers.....the dogs never hurt her.  However sometimes I can't help but wish one of them would eat her.  

Is that wrong to want your dog to eat your cat? After all, aren't RAW diets the new craze for spoiled pets?

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

PSF- Balance

Finding your balance and having a plan while visiting the tide pools is very important.

You must map out your every move.

You must test every rock for it's stability and slipperiness.

And you must make sure not to step on anything that you can hurt or can hurt you!

What does all of this mean for a picture taking mom?

It means loads of pictures of you in unnatural poses!  

But that's okay, because it is pictures like this that tell a story.  

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Macro Monday -- Sea Life

I don't have a macro lens anymore, so I can't get those super close shots, but I do enjoy getting up close and personal with my telephoto lens.

So I am going to play along with Lisa's Chaos Macro Monday! This first picture is what a sea anemone looks like when the tide rolls out and leaves it exposed to the world. 

I love how it tries to hide and protect itself with a bunch of ocean litter.

What kills me is that many visitors to the tide pools don't recognize that these clumps of broken shells are living creatures and they stomp all over them in their tennis shoes. Ouch!

I'll bet if they realized they were walking all over this lovely creature they would be much more careful!

PSF- Something Old

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Back in the late 1970's, while visiting a client, my Dad noticed a unique piece of art work hanging on his clients office wall.

The piece of art that caught his attention was a collection of old cancelled stamps.  They were carefully cut out and mounted on tiny black squares in a beautiful frame.  

My Dad was so intrigued by the collection that he decided that day that he would start his own collection.

After more than 20 years of collecting cancelled stamps (and not doing anything with them) he handed the huge dusty box over to me.

The girls and I spent several hours cutting the stamps and their cancellation date away from their dusty envelopes.

The new, and much smaller box, is sitting on my breakfast bar begging me to play with them. 

I {heart} Faces - Week 7 B&W

Kid entry:
I am jumping on the I {heart} faces bandwagon today!

Kate was bent over an old telephone pole playing in the dirt when I captured this picture of her. I don't remember what I said to make her laugh (aka, I told her a fart joke), but I love how natural her smile is.

PSF- Southern California Snow!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I have no idea what kind of tree this is, but I call them snow trees.  

There transformation from a regular green leafed tree into a winter wonderland of white blooms is a sight to behold.

The fallen blooms remind me of what it looks like when winter is ending and spring is starting. Just like the last remnants of melting snow.

This is our Southern California version of snow!