Moved Blog

I have decided to move this blog content to my exisitng photography blog at http://www.virgsphotographyblog.blogspot.com/

I will leave the content on this blog in case you want to view older posts.  This will make my blogging life much easier, or at least I hope so!

Thanks!

Day 37 - July 8, 2011 Fun in the Sun

Don't you wish we could be on vacation everyday of our lives?  This week we are on vacation in Algonac.  All of our marina friends take a few boat trips a year and this month is Algonac.  We enjoyed a nice cruise on Lake St Clair and couldn't ask for better weather.  Today it is 90 degrees and definately hot!  The only way I can describe it is like this....boating trips are like camping on water.  We still have all the amenities of a camper but also the perks of enjoying the water with a boat.

Our days consist of pool time, drinking, a few games of washers, drinking, ladder golf, drinking... oh andyes eating.  Did I mention that we also enjoy a few drinks! LOL  As were we were getting our boats ready at the marina a family of swans joined us and were looking for food.  So Rodney decided to pull out some bread and feed this little creatures (well not so little).  My husband snapped a few shots with his new camera.  I just love this life!

"A righteous [man] regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked [are] cruel. "

Proverbs 12:10



Day 29 - June 30, 2011 Miss Daisy

I am a flower girl!  I LOVE my flowers.  I have lillies, black-eyed susans, roses, and of course daisies in my garden.  There is nothing better than to be able to cut your own flowers and prepare a beautiful arrangement for your home.  Today I had a nice surprise and found out that my little sister and step-mom are visiting me from TN tomorrow.  So I am very excited, of course had to get the house cleaned and clip some daisies for my vase.  They look beautiful on the kitchen counter.  I may even clip some roses to put in the living room as well.  I just can't get enough of these flowers.

What is your favorite flower?

"Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. "

Deuteronomy 18:13

Day 28 - June 29, 2011

Do you ever have those days where you don't even want to get out of bed?  The stress is too much and sometimes life just takes a turn you didn't expect?  That has been my last few days here on the home front.  So much on my mind and at times I just want to close my eyes and go back to sleep.  I am not one to show my emotions to others, I try to keep a smile and act like everything is ok because it is easier that way.  Inside though I am doing everything I can to hold it all together.  I know it will get better and thank God I have a wonderful and supporting husband.  Sometimes I think it would just be easier to let out a good cry, but I continue to fight the tears.  I know it will get better and this is just a rough patch in the journey we call life.  Enough of my venting....until tomorrow!


"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. "

1 Peter 5:7

Day 24 - June 25, 2011 I'm Jammin

My girlfriend has made me Strawberry freezer jam for the last couple of years and I just love it, so does my husband and kids.  This year I decided I am going to make my own finally.  It is VERY easy (or so she says) so I took a trip to Wal-Mart and bought my canning jars, strawberries, Certo, sugar and cute little labels. I know the more tradional thing would have been to go strawberry picking but I'm impatient.

I have an idea for Christmas this year and these little items will come in handy (shhhhh)!  What's nice is once in the freezer they will keep for one year.  In refrigerator only one month, so keep that in mind.  On the box of Certo is the recipe if you are interested in making some for yourself.

I had fun doing this and of course had to take some photos along the way.

"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

John 6:35

Day 23 - June 24, 2011 Super's On....

 I have been in the cooking mood all day today.  The latest blog that I'm following is PioneerWoman.com  Her blog is just amazing and she recently published a cookbook.  To my eyes amazement as I was walking in Walmart I saw it, "The Pioneer Woman Cooks."  They only
had one left and the price was $19.34.  Oh, don't know if I want to spend that much, after several debates with myself I purchased it. You see I'm not the type of person that I like to spend money on
myself, I'd rather spend it on my family or household items.  Good decision, I just love this cookbook.  It not only has some awesome recipes, but she has included her photographs as well (yes she is a photographer like me!) and some nice stories about her life.  I would love to meet her one day, she seems like a very interesting person.  One of the recipes that stood out was the Chicken Fried Steak, my husband just loves this dish.  So I am very excited to make that this week. Now back
to my cooking mood, as I'm multi-tasking between blogging and cooking dinner (and of course enjoying a glass of wine) I can't help but wonder what it would be like to be a stay-at-home wife and be able to do this all day. Oh, a girl can dream can't she!

Oops almost forgot, I'm cooking a rotisere chicken, pierogis with onions and corn on the cob!


"For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. "      Romans 14:2-3

Day 20 - June 21, 2011 A Walk in the Park

We all have hectic schedules and many times we loose sight of the simple things in life.  My husband and I were both in need of spending some quality time together due to these crazy schedules.  So...I took a few days off of work and we spent the day at Metro Park and Stoney Creek to walk the nature trails and take photos.  What a great day!

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. "

Deuteronomy 6:5 

Day 17 - June 18, 2011

Today was a great day until about ten minutes ago and of course my garbage disposal quite working and it is filled with, "GARBAGE!"  To be exact it has cantelope, eggshells and spaghetti sauce in it, yuck!  My husband worked a twelve hour day today and now has to make a trip to Home Depot to buy a new one.  Poor guy, it seems like he never gets a chance to relax.

My Mess

"If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort [myself]: "

Job 9:27

Day 16 - June 17, 1967 Happy Birthday to Me!!

Today is my birthday and it was wonderful!  My husband and kids took me to Olive Garden for dinner.  I savored my favorite dish, Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo and I'm sure I gained a few pounds.  We then came home and had bumpy cake and ice cream and I got to open gifts.  I got some great things and of course my number one gift that I wanted, my new 50mm f1.8 lens.  I also got a lens hood, label maker and a collapsible wagon that I wanted for my on location photo sessions.  I couldn't have asked for better gifts. 

Most of all I was so happy that we were all together on my birthday.  As our kids get older I find it more difficult to get us all together at the same time so this was really nice.  I love you Mike, Jeremy, Melanie & Megan.

"The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever."

Psalms 37:18

Day 14 - June 15, 2011 Photography Club

My girlfriend, Claudette, has been such an inspiration to me.  We both love photography and it is on our brains 24/7!  We have decided to start a monthly photography club.  The idea is to be able to gather once a month and share our ideas, tips and enthusiasm with others.  We are so excited about this new adventure.  Our first meeting is July 20th and even though the turn out will be small it will be GREAT!  I've already drafted a newsletter that we will be sending out to all our fellow photography friends in hopes they may attend.  Wish us luck!


"But if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Rom 8:25

Day 10 - June 11, 2011 Beautiful Church

I was in the Ferndale/Berkley area today and drove by this beautiful church.  It was just so amazing that I had to stop and get some photos.  The grounds had beautiful rose bushes, sitting area to meditate/pray, and just amazing architecture.  I definitely felt like I was in a holy place and even took time to sit on the bench and pray. 

By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

John 13:35

Day 9 - June 10, 2011 Vacation Day Turned Rainy Day

Today was my planned vacation day to accomplish two things.  First was to get my camera cleaned with my girlfriend, Claudette and second was to do my niece's senior photo shoot.  The morning started off nice and sunny.  We went to Camera Mart and dropped off our cameras and hit a local Salvation Army to see if we could find any treasures.  Claude did find a very nice Radio Flyer bike for $5.99, great deal I must say!  We then had a very nice lunch with Claude's cousin, Suzie (thanks Suzie for treating)!!

As we were leaving Camera Mart it was raining and it continued to rain :(  So I had to reschedule with my niece, but the day wasn't a waste.  We had a great time together and instead of being rushed we were able to take our time.  Once we arrived home I was finally able to see Claude's "she cave" that she created.  This is her personal space to get creative and I absolutely loved it!  She is so darn creative.  Seeing her space motivated me to go home and organize my craft room.

In the process of going through some of my keepsakes I stumbled upon the newspaper clipping from 1992 that covered how I found my dad after 20 years.  I thought I had lost it due to my moves so I was quite happy to find it.  Here is the article that was on the front page of the Macomb Daily.

I've been lucky because I had two dads!!

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."  Eph 6:1

Day 8 - June 9, 2011

coming soon

Day 7 - June 8, 2011 Extreme Couponing (NOT)

 In today's economy everyone is looking for ways to save money.  One way a family can save is to use coupons. I know, I know this is too much work is what you are probably saying to yourself.  If you have ever watched the "Extreme Couponing" show I would definately agree.  In reality if you are looking to save without actually hoarding it isn't that bad.  I usually buy 2-3 Sunday papers along with printing coupons on-line.  I spend an average of two hours a week looking through the sale papers, clipping & organizing my coupons and writing out my grocery list.  I started my coupon challenge a couple weeks ago and have already saved $119!  I was also surprised at how many products I am able to get for free, so it really does pay to clip coupons.  The one disappointment is that not many stores offer double coupon up to $1.00.
VG's and Oak Ridge Market offer double coupon in my area, but you do have to monitor prices to make sure they aren't more expensive than Kroger, Meijer, etc.  Now that I'm organized (I have my coupons in a small binder in individual baseball card holders) I'm actually finding this whole couponing journey very challenging and fun!  I actually look forward to receiving the Sunday paper to see what is on sale and to start clipping, clipping, clipping!!

Here are the items I was able to get for free on my last two shopping trips:

"He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not."   Proverbs 21:26

Day 6 - June 7, 2011 What are you Thankful for Today?

Sunday is always a time for me to relax, reflect and remember to be thankful to the Lord for the many blessings in my life.  I have a wonderful family, we are by no means perfect but we all love each other and are always there for each other.  Many times I think we would make a good Jerry Springer show!  This Sunday my son was on my mind alot.  It's funny how as a mom you always worry about your kids, even when they are adults.  I believe that my son and I have a special bond and I am very thankful for that.  I hope and pray that we will always be close.  I pray for him every morning and every night and I know that God has a plan for him. 

One of my favorite authors is Stormie Omartian, I have purchased many of her books.  The one that I purchased about a year ago is titled, "The Power of Praying for your Adult Children."  I refer back to this book often.  One of the quotes from the book that is near and dear to my heart is on page 7 and it reads, "for no matter where they go or what they do, a part of you goes with them."  That is so true!  I want my son to know that he is special and loved not only by his family, but by God.  As noted on page 25 in the book, "I don't believe it's ever too late for any of us who know the Lord."

I've learned from reading this book that no one is a perfect parent and that I need to forgive myself for anything in the past where I thought I could have done better as a parent.  I've also learned that no matter what I need to continue to pray.  I continue to pray that God pours His holy spirit into my son.

So this Sunday I am thankful for a loving God and a loving son.

 
"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with Thanksgiving." Col 4:2
  

Day 5 - June 6, 2011

Coming soon

Day 4 - June 5, 2011 - Lazy Days on Lk St Clair

Don't you just love having lazy days?  Sunday was a beautiful 85 degrees here in Michigan and we couldn't have asked for a better day to cruise Lake St Clair.  I just love Michigan (except for the winters), having the lakes close by makes for some awesome summers.  This is our second year with our 34' Sea Ray Express and what better way to enjoy boating!!  Today we cruised over to Poor Man's Cove with my sister, her fiance and her two boys.  This was the boys first boat ride and they were in their glory!  At one point RJ yelled, "all aboard."  My poor sister got a little sick but we think it might have been from too much sun.

Lake St Clair connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie.  Lake St Clair is appx 26 miles from north to south and 24 miles from east to west.  The average depth is 11 feet with the deepest area around 27 feet.  This is a fresh water lake and my two favorite fish to eat are perch and walleye.  My husband is an avid fisherman and I actually have a freezer full of perch right now!  Love it.


"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:18-20

Day 3 June 4, 2011 - Quilt of Love

My great grandmother was a loving woman who always saw the good in people no matter what the situation.  I remember her telling me a story of when her and my great grandfather's car broke down.  They stopped in to this little hometown auto shop and the guy told them they needed a belt for the car.  "He was a nice old man," my great grandmother said "and he went out of his way to help us.  The darn belt didn't work because he sold us the wrong one, but he meant well."  That was always her way of looking at life; always try to find the good in people.  I used to love listening to her stories from long ago.  It's funny how as a child you don't appreciate those little things.  Now as an adult I so yearn for her to tell me more stories.  Like how she and my great grandfather founded the baptist church in their little town in Alabama and my great grandfather was a minister there.  Her philosphy on how to keep her mind sharp;  she would do a crossword puzzle everyday and read her bible daily.  "This is how I will keep my mind, ya know your mind is like a muscle ya need to work it everyday." How I miss listening to her play her guitar and singing gospel music with her twang.

Her passion was quilting; and I don't mean with a sewing machine.  She would get fabrics or hand-me-down fabric and use newspapers to make her patterns.  She would then cut her fabric by hand and pin each little piece together to make her one of a kind quilt. I can remember visiting her in Alabama and in her back room she would have the old style set up (like the quilting bees) to place her quilt on.  Each stitch was hand sewn with love and passion.  I can't even tell you how many quilts she created over the years.  I do remember
one year she told me she paid the lawn quy with a quilt because she didn't have the money to pay him to cut her grass!  I couldn't believe it.  I told her, "Grandma those quilts are worth alot of money, don't give them away I want to keep them in the family."  So I bought the four quilts she had.  One of the gifts she did give me was a lesson on quilting.  What a priceless gift!  As we sat in her quilting room she explained to me how a nine block quilt would be the easiest for me to learn.  She then proceeded to show me how to get started.  When I got home I actually did make one for my son.  It was a nine block as she showed me and I made it in the color blue (in memory of my grandmother, Vera since my son used to call her Grandma Blue). The fabric also had little white hearts on it symbolizing love for my son.  He has it to this day and he is 23yrs old.
That is the one and only quilt that I made, too much work for me, but I am so grateful for having this talent passed on from my great grandmother.

"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers."   Prov 17:6

My son, Jeremy with his Great Great Grandma!

Day 2 - June 3, 2011 - Life as a Poet

Creativity is defined as, "The use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in production of artistic work."
I consider myself a creative person ever since I can remember.  I guess you could say I get it from my mother and great-grandmother.  As a child I remember reading my mother's poems she would write on scratch pads. I would read them and think that they were copied because they were so good.  I don't think she realized how talented she was.  She was also superb at drawing and painting, especially portraits.  I have had a few of her drawings framed for my home.  My great-grandmother was an amazing quilter, more about her in a future post!

As a child I would write poems to be like my mom and actually had a few that were printed in my school
newsletter.  I actually still have copies twenty something years later, can you say pack rat!!  My mom has
composed many poems over the years so I thought I would share one of her poems along with one of mine.
(Please note copyright on poems.)

This is one of the poems that my mom wrote for me & Lorie, my sister:

You'll always be my babies my darlings to me

You're my pride & joy

My Lorie & Ginny.

I love being with you

Sharing with you my love;

Everyday and night

I thank God above.

When you're troubles are too heavy to bear

Come to me darlings for I'll be there;

To hold you in my arms and tell you it's all right

Knowing I care will help you make it through the night.

You're growing and changing each day

New troubles and joys on their way

But in my heart you always will be

Little Lorie & Ginny; my babies.

This is probably one of my favorite poems that I wrote.  I used to volunteer and lead 'Operation Good Cheer' at work.  This charity was through Michigan Child & Family Protective Services and they collected Christmas gifts for kids in foster care that were neglected and abused.  I led this project for about 5 years.  One year I decided to write a poem as if one of the children that we sponsored wrote it.  I was blessed with great parents and a good home life, so I tried to imagine what it would be like to be one of these children.  Here is my poem and I hope you enjoy it:

THANK YOU TO SOMEONE WHO CARES

How do I thank you for all that your about to do?

Taking some time to bring joy to me and you.

I'm only a child lost in this world of confusion;

Hoping someday it's all just an illusion.

What a wonderful feeling knowing there's people who care;

I knew and hoped in my heart I would find you out there!

Unfortuantely, you and I can never meet;

But I will always remember your kind deed.

The thought of me receiving special gifts for Christmas;

Is more than my dreams could ever have wished!

To us kids you're the people who give us hopes and dreams;

Even when our lives are so shattered as it often seems.

So again let me tell you from the bottom of my heart;

You have no idea what this means to me, so where do I start?

Thank you for your kindness, generosity and just knowing you care;

Because there are a lot of us lonely lost children out there.

On Christmas Day I will bring "you" joy;

Because in your heart you will have brought it to a lost girl or boy.

Thank you to someone who cares....

Scripture: All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. Psalm 145:10

Day 1 - June 2, 2011 What is in a name?

Remember back in school when we used to take the first letters of our first name to try and describe ourselves?  Remember that feeling of trying to think of just the right words?  So what is in a name really, how did our parents come to decide on the name we carry today?  I pondered this thought and asked my mom how she decided on my name.  Come to find out my paternal grandmother was named Virginia and my paternal grandfather was named Loren, hence my name Virginia Loraine! (I never knew my paternal grandparents so I found this very intersting)

V- visionary

I- introspective

R- respectful

G- giving

I- imaginative

N- nice

I- informative

A- artistic

What is the story behind your name?  Please leave a comment, I would love to know your story.

"From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb.  I will ever praise you."
 Ps 71:6