Today's Random Pics...

My parental units











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family movie time!

Thankfully my father has always enjoyed taking pictures and movies. I have feared for some time, however, that many of the old movies might be damaged or lost. So.... I have been using some of my spare time to try and preserve a bit of our family history.

I started with the old 8mm films. My dad started filming these silent films back when he was just a teenager, and kept filming with it up until the 1980's. He and I set the old projector up and started watching and converting the films... I was quickly shocked and moved by all that he had recorded on these old films. He had movies of my grandparents... and movies of my great grandparents... my sisters coming home from the hospital.... my first Christmas... family trips to Florida... trips to the zoo... and many many Christmases. Watching these movies were so much fun... and thankfully just about all of them were still in perfect condition.

After my father stopped using the 8mm, he invested in a state of the art Beta VCR and camera. We no longer had a working Beta VCR, but Thankfully... my father had recently seen an old Beta VCR that had been left out on the curb as rubbish. Dad picked it up... and it still worked!!! All of our old tapes still worked - with the exception of one tape.


It has taken me several months... but all of our old 8mm films, Beta tapes, and VHS tapes are now on DVD! WAHOO!!! To celebrate this - I have put together a small video of some of the later 8mm films (mainly because I am in them! HA!). So... turn up your computer's sound volume and enjoy.... oh... I am the little boy in the movies... and I know that my socks rocked!







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A few shots from my family's Christmas party...

My dad with some of my sisters...






My sister Sherry with her son Andrew:






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'tis the season...

I am loving this Christmas season! I can't tell you how great it is to be home for Christmas!!!!!

I am really feeling in the Christmas spirit... mostly because this week has been a lot of fun! The other night I went to see Santa's village with my mom, sister, and my sister's three kids. Seeing Santa... hearing the choirs... and feeling the fake snow really made me ready for the season! Then... today my family had its' annual get together meal. Just about all of my sisters were able to come (keep in mind that I am the baby of the family... and that I have six sisters!). We had a blast eating... laughing... watching old home movies... playing games... and exchanging gifts. I had to keep reminding myself that it was NOT Christmas eve yet!

Have I said that it is great to be home for Christmas?


Here is a pic for you. This is my two nieces (Laura Beth and Brooke) with Santa.





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Mallory's brother and sister on the rope...

I have to include a few pictures of Mal's siblings on the rope. Who would have thought that something so simple could bring such enjoyment...
















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‘Faith like a little child’

I need to tell you about my amazing little niece - Mallory. She is four and half years old, and is full of spirit and attitude. This little girl (I say 'little' because she really is so small) is already a very talented artist (I have many pieces of her artwork already), and even a hair stylist (She recently cut her own hair).


The following is an account of an event that happened this summer:

Mallory was feeling a bit tired and laid down upstairs to take a quick afternoon nap. Little did she know that her Grandfather had come over on a mission. He took a really long ladder and tied the most beautiful blue rope high in the old tree in Mallory's back yard. Mallory awoke shortly after her Grandfather left but did not discover the new toy until the next day. She saw her brother and sister swinging and climbing on the incredibly long.... thick....rope that seemed to reach all the way up to the sky. With amazement she said, "That was so nice that God dropped us a rope from the sky for us to play with!".


Here is a picture I took of Mallory playing on her rope.







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Things no photographer ever wants to see:

I came across this sign while taking pictures along the gulf coast in Alabama. Needless to say.... It kinda freaked me out a bit!

The fact that the sun was going down and my wife wasn't going to pick me up for another hour didn't help any!!!

Have I told you that I love the fact that Ireland does not have any snakes (or alligators)?




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A follow up pic...

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Today's Random Pic...

I can't believe that I have not posted this one yet...

This is my niece - Brooke - when we went to feed the ducks.

a post for my mom....

I am really sad to see the warm summer months disappear. There really were a lot of things that I had intended to seek out and photograph... and thanks to the change of season, I am afraid that I have missed the opportunity. One ongoing photography project was my hunt for the perfect hummingbird photo. I don't really remember seeing hummingbirds when I was young, but both my parents' house and my in-laws' house were overrun with them this summer. These little creatures were fascinating to watch, and almost impossible to photograph. These little guys can beat their wings up to 80times a second, and don't stay in one place for very long. I really can't tell you how many out of focus pictures I took of them... but finally I was able to get a few that turned out well.







Here is the interesting thing... these sweet little birds are actually a bit on the vicious side. They are EXTREMELY territorial and will fight off any other hummingbird that tries to steel it's sweet nectar. My favorite spot at my in-laws' house was rocking chair on their front porch. I often (when the weather was still warm) sat here with a good book and watched the hummingbird fights. lol!








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Today's Random Pic. (bugs - part 2)

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We are NOT sore losers!

Go Auburn! War Eagle!