A whole lot of shaking going on...

This morning while in the shower of all places a 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit. Normally I am okay with earthquakes..but this one has rattled me. I think it had to do with where I was in the house at the time of said quake. The earthquake's epicenter was about 5 miles from ou house, so the jolt was pretty strong. Everything is okay here..no real damage..just a broken picture frame and the bikes fell over in the garage. I was so shaken that Ryan came home so I could finish my shower. I am married to the most amazing man!!!

Checked in with mom's caregivers and she is fine. There was no damage there and she wasnt even phased by it. So that is an answer to prayer! Also talked to my step dad, he was in the back yard planting parsley when the quake hit. He reported no damage..although it was a strange feeling being in the backyard when it hit.

All in all we are okay..nerves are still a little rattled, but no worse for wear!

Serve Day 2008

Ryan ..playing with the Rice
The conveyer belt
The stacks of food
what goes into a box
The life group ..minus me..the photographer
JOE!!!
JAMES
MATT
SHELLY
KELLI

Saturday, July 26, 2008 was Serve Day. After a week at camp we got up early and went to tserve our local community with our life group. we headed down to Garden Grove to an organization called Community Action Partnership ( Orange County Food Bank) We were putting together boxes of government provided food for low income senior citizens. It breaks my heart to thin kof what was put in those boxes. These are our seniors..we are called to honor and respect them...and this is what the government gives them? We live in a messed up world...but at any rate we filled the boxes...800 or so, I think was the final count! It was a great way to serve and really makes you think of ways to better serve our seniors!

Home Again.....

I made it home safely from Royal Family Kids Camp on Friday! I was exhausted and still am a little..I even came back with a little bit of a cold...sniffle sniffle! It was a great week with lots of memories that I will hold on to tightly! The kids were amazing and the faces of them I hope will never leave my mind. We had a great time...we took 1000's of pictures and made great memory books for the kids....my only wish is that we could have kept some of the photos....but we cant. The reason is, we are protecting the children. If those pictures were to fall into the wrong hands (say the biological parents) it could devastating for the kids. So the only photos I have are the ones in my head....I am counting down the days until next years camp...YES, I will be going back! Until then I am looking for ways to be involved with kids in the foster care system! They are amazing kids and just need to know that they are loved and WANTED!!!!

Royal Family Kids Camp...part 2

Tomorrow I leave for a week at Camp with the kids. Mind you I havent met any of these kids..but come Monday morning I will know all of their smiling faces! As one of the camp photographers I am meeting the kids at RockHarbor at 8am to make sure that they get checked in and that their luggage gets on the bus and that they get on the bus..on top of all that we are to make sure that we get a picture of every child. One of the things that is done for the kids at this camp is that they each receive a photo album with pictures of them doing all the activities. Archery, panning for gold, woodshop, arts and crafts, swimming....you name it I take a picture of it...our goal is to put 24 pictures of each child in the photo albums. Did I mention that the albums can only have their pictures in it? For legal reasons the kids can only take home pictures of themselves and the counselors...so with that in mind...we have 104 children coming to camp. 104 x24 pictures each =2496 pictures...Not bad for week. I am sure that there will be many more pictures taken!

I am asking for you to join me in prayer for this coming week. That the enemy would be bound and that the kids would experience the love of the Father! Until Friday night or Saturday morning!!!!

One word Only

ONE WORD ONLY!

Not as easy as you might think. Now copy and post this, change the answers to yours and pass it on. It’s really hard to only use one word answers.

1. Where is your cell phone?purse

2. Your significant other? hubby

3. Your hair? thick

4. Your mother? alzheimers

5. Your father? gone

6. Your favorite thing? photography

7. Your dream last night? none

8. Your favorite drink? water

9. Your dream/goal? live

10. The room you’re in? office

11. Your ex? none

12. Your fear? fear

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? peaceful

14. Where were you last night? home

15. What you’re not? boy

16. Muffins? thanks

17. One of your wish list items? iphone

18. Where you grew up? tahoe

19. The last thing you did? costco

20. What are you wearing? shorts

21. Your TV? off

22. Your pets? none

23. Your computer? on

24. Your life? blessed

25. Your mood? tired

26. Missing someone? husband

27. Your car? BMW

28. Something you’re not wearing? shoes

29. Favorite store? GAP

30. Your summer? hot

31. Like(love) someone? Ryan

32. Your favorite color? Yellow

33. Last time you laughed? earlier

34. Last time you cried? sunday

35. Who will re-post this? bored

Steamers Jazz Club and Cafe...

Last night a few of us went down to Steamers Cafe in Fullerton to listen to some live jazz. An old friend of mine was performing ....Chris Williams (cwjazz.com) Here is the result of last nights fun!
drinks and desert....

amy and andy.....

Amy was having fun in the water..until the seaweed attacked!


On Sunday I had the honor of taking some pictures for a dear friend of mine! Amy and I have been friends since before we liked boys ( you know the time when girls think boys are yucky) Well since then we have grown up, I have married and now it Amy's turn!

We met up with Amy and Andy in Palos Verdes and hiked down a steep incline to this really neat beach..I must admit this was a hard shoot for me as it was hard to move around...but it was worth it!





I found this boat on the beach and made them get in it....they were willing to do just about anything!!! I have taken some creative liberties with this photo..although it would have been pretty fun to find a boat with the wedding date on it!


This is one of my favorites......I like the fact that you cant see faces..but you know that it is them
One of my other favorites......what a great couple!!!! So excited for you both!!!! Cant wait!!

The Never ending list of things to do around the house

Being a homeowner is fun....no really it is. We no longer have a landlord to take care of all the little things that can wrong in a house....we are now responsible for it all...here is a partial list of some the projects that need to happen:

- touch up paint in the master bathroom (completed)
- touch up paint in Master bedroom (completed)
- touch up paint in office
- buy shutters or blinds for living room(completed)
- buy a bed for guest room (completed)
- rug for dining room
- fix dishwasher (completed)
- replace filters on RO water system (reverse osmosis)(completed)
- finish building gates in backyard (completed)
- paint livingroom, dining room and hallway
- extend concrete patio in backyard
- replace grass with synthetic grass
- ground spa tub in hall bath
- check attic (completed)
- fix attic fan
-fix ducting
- fix exhaust pipes
- organize garage(completed)
- hang bikes
- hang pictures in office (completed)
- replace front doors
- fix bathroom sink(completed)
- buy numbers for the house(completed)
- Master bath remodel
- shower
- dual sinks
- build wall with door
- new countertops in kitchen
- stainless steel appliances in kitchen
- pick up china cabinet from parents house
- buy chair for living room(completed)
- curtains and blinds in guest bedroom(completed)
- blinds in masterbedroom and bath (completed)
- light on side of house
- light in back yard
- 2 lights on sides of garage

I am sure that this list can go on and on...and as we get things done I will mark them off!!!! Fun times..but I keep telling myself, it doesnt all have to get done today....we are going to be here a while!

Fourth of July..Independence Day!

Nothing says Happy Independence better than a bucket of beer...
The grub line!!! There was some yummy yummy food!
Of course....you have to have a picture of Michele in there!
Get your hotdogs....
Wiffle Ball!!!! Swing Maria!

This year for the 4th we went to party in Costa Mesa, hosted by our friends Chris and Maria...what fun! We played Wiffle ball..only you had to have a drink in your hands at all times (alcoholic or not..just a drink) What a fun day!

P, C and the kids...visit!

P coming out of our attic!
No front teeth
J...
Being shy..
A....she is a beauty!
I love this series....as H was warming up to the camera..there are more in the series..but these are my favorites

And then J warming up to the camera!
She has such a heart melting smile!!!!

I love when we get to see family that we havent seen in a while! This week P and his family are out in California visiting....well, they are at the beach and at Disneyland...but we do get to see them for short periods! Sunday, they came by the house...and man have those kids grown! H has no front teeth and his sister J is getting so tall. Speaking of tall our niece A is taller than Angie...she is only 13!!!! She sure is beautiful though..inside and out....a heart of gold that kid has! H and J are just the sweetest most loving kids and just want to be around you! It makes me feel so special to have those kids in my life!
While they were visiting..(first time to our new house) P and Ryan went in the attic to check it out..make sure that everything is good to go. Thank you inspectors...it all checked out good!

With any luck we will be able to join up with the gang tonight for dinner! Maybe some more photos???

Snickers .... a one year birthday

Yes....you read that correctly..Snickers, my niece and nephews dog had her one year birthday last week (july 1) Since the kids were both out of town Sonia and I decided that it would be fun to take Snickers to Dog Beach in Huntington. Whoever said that Disneyland is the Happiest place on earth...hasnt been to Dog Beach! Everyone there is smiling and having a great time, especially the dogs....Snickers included. I didnt take many pictures that day, I was too busy playing with all the dogs and playing in the water...but needless to say it was priceless to see this BIG fluffy down, turn into this tiny little dog...Snickers is ALL fur! After Dog beach, we washed Snickers, then blow dryed her hair (yes that is correct..blow dryed) then I went to the Dog bakery and got her a Pup cake...couldnt get any pictures before Snickers ate it!