Katlin's Senior Pics

   Jeremy has been buddies with Katlin since they were about 11 years old. Before we moved we lived right around the corner from each other. Katlin is the true definition of a "giggle box." Just about anything can get her giggling, so she and Jeremy get along great since he likes making people laugh.
   I recently met Katlin to take some senior pictures of her in her cap and gown. It started raining on us halfway through, but we managed to find some cover. I really enjoy taking pictures of teenagers, though some boys are especially difficult to get them to smile. They think it will ruin their coolness, I guess. Luckily, Katlin has a beautiful smile and doesn't mind showing it off!

   The school is year is about to wrap up already and summer is almost here. Yay! I love the summer, though I wish it didn't get quite so hot. Jeremy has been playing spring soccer and that's about to finish up as well. We are trying to get our summer plans made so we can enjoy some much needed time off!
   Back in the fall, my sister asked me to take some pictures of my niece, Gabby. It had been a while since I had taken pictures of her, so I was excited to hang out together. She doesn't like smiling for pictures but I managed to get her giggle a few times.

Trip to the Lowcountry

    When we are trying to think of a new place to drive to for a long weekend, its hard to find one we have not been to already. Rather than go to the beach this summer we decided to take a fall trip. We were in the process of moving over the summer so a trip would have been too difficult during that time. So we settled on Beaufort, SC since that was a place we had not visited before.
    Beaufort has similarities to Savannah and Charleston. It has beautiful historic homes and a nice waterfront area with a park and shops. I love port towns, so I could just imagine sitting in one of those beautiful waterfront homes (if it was mine) and looking out at the fishing boats and sailboats every day.
    Since we were only an hour from Savannah we spent a day there as well. The riverfront is a really cool place to just walk around, shop and have a bite to eat.  I could not believe how busy it was from the last time we were there. I guess it is growing like so many other southern cities! I recommend anyone going to Savannah to visit the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. It is truly a breathtaking church. Jeremy was touring it for the first time, so seeing his wide-eyed reaction when he walked in was so awesome.
   We always have fun with Jeremy. I think he has grown to appreciate the lowcountry towns like we have. For Mike and I, that time away from home is great, but it's spending the time with him means more than anything.

Dream home! 

One of the beautiful stained glass window in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

One Tough Summer

    This summer was an eventful one in good ways and bad. We sold our house in the spring and the buyer changed their mind. Then we sold it again, got down to two weeks before the moving date and found out the date would have to be moved back two more weeks. The whole process was very stressful and exhausting but we finally got moved.
    We were already outside of Charlotte but we wanted to move a little further out and downsize. It has been a tough adjustment but we like it. We don't have to climb stairs all day long since we are on one level with only a bonus room upstairs. The toughest adjustment for me was loosing the yard and privacy. We had half an acre before and all woods behind us. Now we have a fenced in yard but a much smaller one and zero trees out back. We have plans for the yard so I'm excited to see what we can do to make it pretty.
    The hardest part of the summer was losing our precious cat, Biscuit. On the very day we were supposed to move (if it had not been delayed by two weeks), she disappeared. We did not keep a litter box in the house because we had no place for one. No laundry room or utility room, etc. So she came in and out throughout the day and slept in the garage at night. Every night at bedtime I checked on her and gave her food. It was nothing unusual to not see her - but when I didn't that night I knew in my gut something wasn't right.
    We put out posters, flyers, posted online, etc. but heard nothing. Up until we moved I found myself constantly looking for her and listening for her bell. Just when I accepted she was gone, a lady in a neighborhood beside ours contacted me and said she may have seen her. So I went through the heartache again of searching and calling and praying for her return with no luck.
    I have had several pets that passed away before and it is always so hard. But this one was so gut-wrenching for me, not only because I loved her, but because I didn't know what happened to her. Biscuit was a very guarded cat and she stayed close to home. I never saw her leave our side of the cul-de-sac we lived in. Not knowing if she was dead or alive - always wondering if she was out in the woods somewhere alone - it has been difficult to wipe those thoughts from my mind and move on.
    People keep asking if I will get another cat, but I don't plan to any time soon. I miss her so much still, but at least we have our dog, Jessie. She gives us that special love that only a pet can give. Jessie and Biscuit had a love/hate relationship, but I know Jessie misses her sister, too.

Spring Family Portraits

    I have really been a slacker so far in 2017. I can't believe I have gone this long without posting. We have been planning a move since January and I guess that has been consuming my time. We decided to downsize so we could be on one level, have less to care for and less to pay for.
    It has been a long and frustrating process, but we finally have our house sold and we are buying a home a little further out from Charlotte. It's not completely one level - there is a bonus room over the garage, which will become the "man cave." I have had very mixed emotions about moving because we have been in our home 15 years and I love the neighborhood and our neighbors. But we are ready for a lighter load to bear in a lot of ways, and I think a change will be good.
    Before the moving craziness began, I had the pleasure of taking spring pics of my one of my favorite families and longtime friends. I have photographed my good friend Crystal's family many times and I have enjoyed watching them grow up in my photos. I'm happy that she has trusted me so many times with capturing her family.

In November I went to a conference overnight at Fort Caswell on the coast of NC. Luckily we were given some free time and I used mine to take pictures, get quick nap and go take more pictures. I was in a computer class and I looked out the window to see a sailboat going by. It was so hard to concentrate on what was being said because (I was sleepy) and I just wanted to gaze out at that pretty sailboat. When class was over I made a mad dash to my room to get my camera and try to catch the boat as it went by. I probably looked like a loon running across the conference center grounds - but at least I got there in time!

Autumn at the Farm

   Jeremy has been working at a small farm/equestrian center since the spring. I was really shocked that he stuck with it in the beginning, because I knew it would require some dirty (smelly) work and being close to horses. Though I knew he liked horses, I thought it might scare him to work so closely with them. But I was pleasantly surprised! He has really enjoyed it and has gotten pretty comfortable around the animals.
   His friend from school, Emily, recently came with him to see where Jeremy worked and take pictures with me. She is a talented photographer. I was hoping to get some pictures of fall leaves but there was not a whole lot of color change yet. So we walked around together and took pictures of the horses and other critters.
   As we tried to walk out to the pasture the turkeys started following us. Jeremy gave us sticks to swing at the turkeys- not to hit them but just scare them off. Boy, those turkeys are relentless! They just don't give up no matter how many times you scare them away. I don't know if they wanted to hunt us down and get us or if they are just curious creatures by nature. Every time we turned around, there they were!

The tom turkey always seems like he is fussing at the others. He is so obnoxious.

Emily chasing away the turkeys.

One of Jeremy's farm duties is dragging the arena.

Little Mongo has a hard time keeping up with the horses. He is always trailing behind.

Violet is a beautiful girl.

Theo likes more attention then Violet.