Savannah Faces

Savannah Faces, originally uploaded by Mark Andrew Photos.

One of the many faces of Savannah.

Kids with Mamo & Papa

Kids with Mamo & Papa, originally uploaded by Mark Andrew Photos.

Mamo & Papa with Andrew & Savannah after Savannah's spring dance recital.

Yellow Iris

Yellow Iris, originally uploaded by Strouthion.

Not much time to post lately due to my busy schedule with work. But, I always have time to stop and take a few pictures of the flowers at my customer's houses. Here's a yellow iris that I've been waiting to bloom. Many more blooms to come. Waiting for a few other iris (dark purple, I think) at another customer's house, too. I don't know what my attraction to iris is this year.

Drinking Coffee in Church

Here's a funny entry at the blog Stuff Christians Like called Drinking Coffee in Church.

Most Sundays you will see me walking into our worship service with my Bible in one hand and my Starbucks travel mug in the other... I'm sure many in the older generation are shaking their heads at us in the "younger generation" (yes, I'm considering 42 as young) ... "rock music", jeans, t-shirts with an open and untucked shirt over it, unshaven (the men, that is), flip flops and crocs (even in winter with wool socks... yeah, I'm a geek), messy hair, hats (in church??? OH NO!!), more "rock music" and now COFFEE DRINKING IN WORSHIP!!

I don't know about any of you, but I personally think drinking coffee in worship helps the Spirit flow more. Oh wait, no... I just have to go to the bathroom more in the middle of worship now.

I'm really praying that the next building phase at our church will include cup holders at each seat in the auditorium. There is nothing more frustrating than a "late arriver" crawling past me to get to an open seat and kicking over my coffee.... How rude!! They must be new to the church if they don't know you're suppose to look down at the floor as you walk thru a row of seats during worship :)

I'm also hoping that the next building phase will include "refill stations" at the back of the auditorium. My coffee never seems to stay hot enough through the whole service and I'm always sitting there thinking "I really could use a new cup of coffee." The ushers could act as the attendants at each "refill station" and possibly even walk up and down the aisles carrying a carafe of sumatra and another of verona ... besides, what are they doing the rest of the service aside from serving communion and taking up the offering?

I'm just wondering... do you think God will be serving coffee in heaven? I do... :)

Pink Poena Tree Flower

This is the first year I've seen flowers on this poena tree (about 8 flowers coming on). Of course, there was a major transplant involved in 2003 (or 2004) that probably set it back a little. It belongs to a customer that I've been doing gardening for since 2002.

White Deciduous Azalea (different)

This white deciduous azalea is from a customer's garden, also.

This is not the same as the previous white deciduous azalea I posted, which was from my gardens. Needless to say, I like mine a little better :)

White Flowered Deciduous Azalea

White Flowered Deciduous Azalea, originally uploaded by Strouthion.

The Perfect Day for Laurie

“It was a perfect day.”

That was Laurie’s answer when I asked her how she liked her Mother’s Day. YEAH!!! That made me feel VERY good J

We didn’t really do anything, which is why I think she said it was perfect.

• Went to church (on time)
• I “made” lunch (Didn’t feel like grilling out in 40-50 MPH winds and rain, so on the way home I ran into Kroger and bought fried chicken, chips, dip, etc.)
• I cleaned up (of course, I didn’t do the dishes until this morning L)
• Laurie napped (a long one, too… as evidenced by the “I-just-woke-up-look” in the picture above J)
• Laurie and Savannah played scrabble
• We watched baseball and golf on TV
• Laurie opened her presents (of course, her favorite gift was the Starbucks gift card J)
• Laurie got to read

It was a perfect day… Happy Mother’s Day, Laurie J

An Act of Kindness in Competitive College Sports

Laurie told me about an amazing story this past week involving a women's college softball playoff game. I had forgotten all about it until tonight while reading through the blogs I subscribe to on Google Reader. John Hampton (senior pastor at First Christian Church in Canton, Ohio) made an entry about the same story in his blog. You can read it here.

Another Reader In The House

Another Reader In The House, originally uploaded by Strouthion.

It was SO awesome to see and hear Savannah read her OWN Bible story tonight.
WOW!!!

Learning Black & White with Savannah

Learning Black & White with Savannah, originally uploaded by Strouthion.

I've been spending time almost every night the last few weeks learning how to better work with digital pictures (if you haven't noticed lately on my blog and on facebook). I've always enjoyed "messing" with pictures, but over the past few months I've been taking it a lot more seriously and going deeper into digital imaging. There is SO much more that I can do (meaning "yes, I can do it". I already had seen things that COULD be done)!!

I've always used Photoshop Elements for my images, but have never known the depth of what could be do with it. I always assumed I needed Photoshop (the complete and expensive software) for what I really wanted to do. But, I've discovered that's far from the truth and especially with the newest version of PE, 6.0. I also purchased a book that was well worth the cost: "The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby & Matt Kloskowski. This is an excellent book with very helpful walk/talk-thru's and realistic examples.

One photography style I've always enjoyed is black and white. But, I've never been able to produce good black and white images. until now (I think???? Opinions please?).

Savannah loves to be my model when I'm trying different pictures. and of course, Andrew HATES to be a model for me. Which is why you'll usually see more pictures of Savannah. But, every once in awhile I catch him as a willing model.

Anyway. enough for now. I have to be in court tomorrow morning at 9 (for a small fender bender a month ago) and I want to look "well slept." I'm not sure what mother nature will offer tomorrow for work conditions. sounds like rain. Which means I help us get caught up on laundry and work on business books. Oh boy, Oh boy!!

Lovin' the Lilacs

Lovin' the Lilacs, originally uploaded by Strouthion.

Our lilac bush is in bloom, and Laurie is VERY happy. Especially after losing all of the blooms last year due to a late freeze.

It's too bad you can't post the lilac scent with the picture...

Bananas Abound

Bananas Abound, originally uploaded by Strouthion.

My hardy bananas (Musa Basjoo) are putting up a lot of pups this year... a few are too close to our foundation. The pups will all be removed in the next couple of weeks and given to friends who have been wanting to start hardy bananas of their own. (I think I've started something)

Yellow & Red Tulip

Yellow & Red Tulip WEB-MAS.jpg, originally uploaded by Strouthion.

Purple Iris

Purple Iris, originally uploaded by Strouthion.