Audubon Zoo New Orleans July 2014

I have neglected my blog! Thought I would try to get back to blogging at least once a week by posting some of my favorite pictures. 

This one was made in New Orleans the first week of July at the Audubon Zoo. My grandsons went with me to visit my son, and had a wonderful time at the Cool Zoo! I have a picture of Connor (the one on the bottom) made several years ago in the same tree.

Cooper (top picture) had a great time at the zoo! He didn't remember coming to the zoo before. I think he must have been around 2 years old.

If you are ever in the area, the zoo in New Orleans is great! Well worth the time. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Cooper Graduates!

Blue Monday

Hi! Welcome to Blue Monday! It has been a long time since I've posted. I am trying to get my blog going again, and I am linking to Sally's Blue Monday.

This picture is my youngest grandson Cooper. He just graduated from his pre K class and will be starting Kindergarten this fall.

Cooper was so proud of the Bible that the owners of the daycare gave him!

Thank you for coming by! Please click on the link above to view more wonderful Blue Monday posts. 

Cooper taking care of Connor

Deborah of Pictures Pots and Pens is hosting Family Foto on Friday. Please visit her to see all the bloggers that have family photos to share.

I love series of photos that tell a story. These four pictures were made the afternoon I went with Connor’s kindergarten class to the zoo. I could tell that Connor did not feel well that day, and when I felt his head, he felt warm. Kelli took his temperature and it was over 101. These pictures show Cooper taking his brother’s temp after he saw his mama do it.

You can see from the last one he finally hit his target!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Diane

Pink Saturday

Beverly of How Sweet the Sound is hosting Pink Saturday. Please visit her for lots of pretty pink!

You may have to look closely to see the pink this week! I have two little grandsons, and pink is not usually a color associated with little active boys. But if you look closely you can see some pink…in the eggs at the bottom of the photo, the flower behind the rabbit’s ear, and in Connor and Coopers little pink cheeks!

This picture was made about 2 weeks ago when they both spent the night with us. My husband and I took them to the mall for this picture. Cooper had teared up and didn’t really want to be there, so that is why it looks like he is trying to escape! Later, he really warmed up to the Easter Bunny and tried to ‘pet’ him!

And there will be some pink in their baskets too! Note the pink on the bunnies, some pink eggs and pink grass! I just couldn’t resist. Their dad can just blame Beverly! LOL

I hope everyone has a wonderful Pink Saturday and an even more wonderful Easter Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by!

Diane

Pink and Nature

The color pink is abundant in nature-as in this foliage plant at Sea World in Orlando, Florida.
And in this beautiful stone called pink Chalcedony..
And the rosy glow on my grandbaby's face on the beach during a sunset!

I waited til the last minute this week to do my Pink Saturday post, and it seemed that I couldn't come up with any pink photographs that I liked well enough to write about. I knew I had to come up with something because our hostess is going to be busy with a shower and I didn't want to ask her to remove my name from the list!


Then, I found this picture of the pink gem on the internet, and it occurred to me that pink is a color found so abundantly in nature! The color pink has added lots of beauty to our world...wouldn't you agree??

Hope everyone has a wonderful pink Saturday! Please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for other pink posts.

Thanks for stopping by!

Very First Birthday Party!

Although Cooper's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, we finally had a 'First Birthday' celebration for him. Since we had been to Disney World, Kelli chose to use a Mickey Mouse theme for the party.
He got lots of nice gifts-including clothes and toys!
And this little Sesame Street activity table in perfect condition that Connor and I picked out at a yard sale the morning of his party!
And finally, here we are singing to him his very first "Happy Birthday to You!"

The video is not too long...but our southern accents are very apparent-so you've been warned! LOL

This is my first attempt to upload a video-hope it works.
Thanks for stopping by today!



For more pictures visit Sassy Southern Mom!

One Year Old Today-Happy Birthday Cooper!

I am really kinda teary-eyed writing this post- it is hard to believe that it has been a year since the day Cooper was born! He was almost born early- Kelli was put on bed rest about a month before he was born from premature contractions. Then it seemed like she would NEVER go into labor after she was removed from the bed rest! I had just retired from teaching, and we would go to lunch together during the week, and walk around downtown hoping she would start having the contractions again. She was so ready for him to be born!

Here are a few of my favorite pics of Cooper. Lately, I have made a few of him not smiling, but I won't post those on his birthday! LOL

He was only a few hours old in this one...and so alert. It looks like he's looking right at the camera!
He looked like a little Eskimo baby at first with a head full of 'jet' black hair!
This is one Kelli made. She has it framed in his room. One of the doctors she works with told her she should enter it in a photo contest!
Here's one I made at my house. He seemed to love the camera from an early age! You can see how his hair has thinned out. He is about 6 months here.
Here he is at one of Connor's T ball games. I bought this little outfit for him to wear to the games.
He loves the stairs. We have a gate that we put up to keep him from climbing. If you let him, he'll climb all the way up by himself. Connor told me "Mimi, don't put up the gate. Just let him go up there. He won't hurt nothing." LOL
Sitting on the shelf of my little black table. I had to run quick to get the camera before he moved.
And a very recent one- riding on big brother's bike!
Cooper has brought us lots of pleasure! It is fun having a baby around again...and Connor has a baby brother to play with! I love keeping him and having him spend the night here. Mama, Daddy,and Connor are usually willing to let him come-but just for one night!

Happy Birthday Cooper!
Thanks for stopping by and looking at my Cooper pictures-I hope these are not ones I've posted before!

A New Home for a Bargain Table!

I bought this little iron table for 10 dollars this past weekend at a yard sale. It has a brownish tan antique finish. I really thought it was cute, and couldn't pass it up. Of course I have nowhere to put it and really didn't need it, so......
I took it to my daughter's house! Here it is on her screened porch with Cooper soaking it all in! Kelli loves the table, but is not happy with the decor! Guess we'll have to work on that. Do you recognize the candle holder on the top shelf? That was one of my Hope Village finds that I blogged about awhile back. It ended up at her house too! I can only use so much stuff, but when I see something I really like, I can't resist!

It gives me pleasure to buy for my kids and grandkids! The nice thing about this is that Kelli and I can trade stuff back and forth whenever we want to!

Of course this post wouldn't be complete if I didn't include Connor. Here's a pic of him holding baby brother!

Thanks for dropping by today!
Diane

Blue Eyed Pumpkin

For Blue Monday, I want to show you all my little blue- eyed pumpkin. I made these pictures early in the morning after Cooper spent the night with us.

He is wearing a pumpkin suit that I bought for a dollar at a yard sale.
Even if he wears it only this one time, I think I got my money's worth with these cute pictures!



For more Blue Monday posts, visit Sally at Smiling Sally.
Hope everyone has a great day, and thanks for stopping by!

Family Foto: A First for Cooper

Recently I made these pictures of Connor and Cooper at the mall on those little riding toys that you drop the coins in. I love pictures that tell a story and record an event in order.

You can see from the first picture that Cooper looked at me in shock after we had deposited the coins and the little car in which he and Connor were riding started moving. I thought at first that he was going to start crying.

They say all kids are so different...and you can see from the 'shiner' on Connor's forehead that he is 'ALL BOY'! Cooper is a little more reserved right now.....but with big brother around, that probably won't last long!

In the second picture, we put him in another two seater thinking Connor would make him feel safer. Connor really wasn't too concerned about baby brother! I wonder what was going on in that little brain of his...he is looking at me like....'why are we going through this again?'

And finally, in the last shot, you can see the beginnings of a smile! He wasn't exactly laughing with delight by the end of this adventure, but you can see that he finally started enjoying himself!
Since I started blogging, I usually carry my camera with me just about everywhere. I'm so glad I had it this day so I could capture Cooper's first mall ride with pictures.

For other Family Fotos visit Deborah at Pictures Pots and Pens
Thanks for stopping by. Please leave a comment for the giveaway I'm having to celebrate 100 posts!

Monkeys, Cabinets and Rainbows

Yesterday Cooper and I went with my friend Beth to Jackson, Ms. for her dr. appointment. We had lots of fun, but boy am I tired today. We stopped a total of 7 places counting the doctors office. That doesn't sound like much, but think about getting a baby in and out of a hot car that many times in nearly 100 degree weather! But Cooper was a great little shopper, and soaked it all up with those big blue eyes!

One of our first stops was School Aids. Beth is still teaching first grade and wanted to pick up a few items. I thought this monkey theme was a cute display.

Even though I'm not teaching anymore, I found something to buy. Cooper's little eyes lit up when he spotted this monkey puppet. So of course it's his now!I have cabinets on my mind since I'm on the lookout for a media type cabinet for under the TV. I thought this cabinet in a resale shop called From Our House to Yours was so cute. (not for my TV) It was painted the prettiest shade of lilac on the inside. Notice the big knobs.
Thanks to Janie from Southern Lagniappe, I found a new antique store that I hadn't been to before. This cabinet is really close to what I'm looking for.. It is wider and not as deep as the oak ice box, and I think would look better. I'm still not sure though...may be a little too rustic.
Here's another that was very similar painted green.
And finally.....look what I had waiting for me when I got home! We had to drive slow in certain places due to heavy rain. I wasn't expecting to see this beauty. It was lighly sprinking when I walked out made the picture from my front yard.

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a great day!

Antiquing and Eating in Birmingham, AL

Last Thursday, Kelli, Cooper, my husband and I traveled to Birmingham, Al. for a doctor's appointment. I wanted to eat downtown and antique shop after the appointment, but they wanted to go to Cheesecake Factory. So...guess you can tell where we ended up. These pics are of Cooper getting a bite of whipped cream on a dessert we all shared! I think he likes it! These pics really are worth a 1,000 words. After lunch we were in the area of Cahaba Heights, so we found an antique shop, Treasures, that I read about on Rhoda's blog, Southern Hospitality. It was so easy to find, and Kelli and I really enjoyed browsing the shop. Of course the birdhouses caught my eye....since I'm a retired teacher I especially liked this one that said 'School of Fish.'

Here is a desk painted black. I don't have room for much else except in our bonus room above the garage. I haven't done much with it yet....black is a possibility.
I loved this green cabinet! It is very close to the same color as the green on my porch...or another possible choice for furniture in the bonus room. This old hall tree caught my eye. I've been on the lookout for a hall tree! I do have room for one of these...if I move something. I've never seen one painted like this. And finally another green chest. The shop was great, and there were others in the area...we just didn't have much time.
One of the owners was in the shop that day, and was so friendly. She told us that they had someone who bought and painted most of the furniture for them. Apparently there is a real market for this old painted furniture. I sure got some ideas for furniture for the bonus room. I wish we had more shops around here like this one. We really enjoyed the shop and the day in Birmingham. I wouldn't have known about this shop or had my camera if I hadn't started blogging. The only disadvantage to shopping in Birmingham is the traffic. We got caught in the 5:00 pm traffic and it took us forever to go about 2 miles! And as always, we were glad to finally get home.