Jun. 20, 2008 - Outrigger Island VBS Decorations

We go all out here.

Collecting the bamboo, our pastor brought his trailer, and felt extremely strong about cutting down a million stalks of bamboo. The plan was to completely line the entire sanctuary with bamboo. We almost did it.



Cas and Debbie used their share of the bamboo to build a tiki hut on the stage, it turned out so well that all the kids wanted to live in it.



Marc needed to adjust the load before we drove a mile down the street with 20 feet of bamboo dragging off the back of the trailer. Since the cops in our town are notoriously stringent about trailer regulations, this was a real worry. We made it. Phew.



I don't know *why* they would mind about this load of bamboo driving down the road. It's not like it's HUGE or anything!



Back at church, we built a volcano. Then we spray painted it. Lots, lots and more lots of spray paint. That's me, poking out of the cone of the volcano. It really erupts smoke and tinsel-y streamers. It's quite cool! Thanks, Galen and Jess for thinking it up!



Who needs a surfboard?



Leaders in action:



No, seriously, I was continuously amazed at how Pastor Josh and Stacey dealt with everything that came up at church, kept all their regular commitments, and stayed cheerful and hardworking all week. Josh was especially dedicated when it came time to clean up Friday. Really! No joke!


The kids really love that the hallway going to the nursery looks all jungle-fied too. Those vines were my favorite project all week. I loved making them.





Info booth tiki hut. This might have been my favorite project all week, too. I really enjoyed making stuff out of bamboo. It felt all distaster-preparedness-y.



The traditional acquarium of the staircase. I think this is the second time this has been done in 3 years we've been doing VBS at New Life.



The Volcano. All done and stuff. Finally!



The Stage. Tiki hut on the right, drums hidden behind the VBS logo, ocean mural drawn in pastels by Erin Luther. Wow, what a great mural! On the left of the stage is the giant rocks and the waterfall.




The waterfall, with actual running water, again designed by Galen and Jessica.




Bamboo wall. Did I mention that the ceilings are more than 30 feet tall? Crazy.



Just crazy.

Jun. 9, 2008 - Wedding Saturdays within the month of June.

The neatest thing about this wedding, aside from the bride and groom of course, was that they chose to get married at 5 pm on 6/7/08. So cool!

Laura and Marc are old-ish friends of mine, I went to high school with both of them. Because of this, I was even more excited than usual when she asked me to be their photographer. She was a positively radiant bride, and kept herself so composed in the face of bazillion degree heat index and gnats up her skirt! Well done, Laura! I'm in awe of your organizational ability!



Laura wanted no less than 8,000 posed photos of herself, her groom, their families and friends, and she had a *plan* to get them done! Jeanette was her go-to girl, and made everything possible. Well done, Jeanette!













Guys, I wish all the best for you in your marriage, and pray that God would help you grow closer as the years go by. Thank you for allowing me to share your day.

Jun. 2, 2008 -

Bethany.



Turning 4!



Cake. Not made by me.



Birthday girl.



Everybody sing!



Everybody eat the blue food coloring!



Everybody turn blue inside.

Can't believe my sweet girl is 4 already. What a vivacious four year old she is! She is just so stinkin' sweet.

May. 29, 2008 - Garden Photos, FINALLY!

First, my sweet little herb garden. It's really starting to take off!



For some reason, everything is flourishing except my basil. I have no idea what the reason for that is. So, yes, that's evil nasty Sevin dust on the basil. I promise I'll wash it really well, and probably not do that anymore. I just really, really want it to grow and nothing else was working.

This is our first tomato.



It's just so cute. The angle of this photo makes it look huge, but it's about 1.5 inches across, on a tomato plant that's about 8 inches tall. Ah, the magic of photography.

This is our first pepper.



It's cute, too, but it'll be cuter when it's a red pepper. I'm told that if I just leave it alone long enough, it'll turn. I hope so. This is what happens when idiots garden. All we have to go on is what "they" say on the internet, and you know how risky that can be.

Here's my sweet pea, fixing to flower. We have 3 rows of these, and they are going to be *so* good. I just. can't. wait. to taste them.



I've had just the best time watching the pea vines take hold of the fence and climb up. Reminds me that there's an infinitely clever Creator of the universe that designed the whole place, and we should just sit back and watch sometimes.

This is our "upper garden." There are two similarly sized patches, maybe 12 yards by 25 yards each. One is up the hill a little, and one isn't. One has about 8,000 potential zuchinis, and one has about 3,000 potential peppers. We'll see come August which one we like the best. I'm holding out for peppers, myself.



This is the view from my garden. It's the neighborhood I grew up in, and the one I'm so thankful I get to raise my kids in.



This is the little neighborhood church. There's the little league field across the street from the church.

Here, I rotated the camera about 15 degrees. Maybe more. I'm not too sure about degrees. How's this? It's a little to the left of the shot before.



The brick building you can barely see behind those big trees is the apartment building I lived in from when I was 2yo until I was 8.

This is rotated just a little more to the left.



It shows the field between our yard and my parent's house. The burn pile is down in the middle, and the little white speck is my dad's goat, Nanny. She lives in the doghouse in the middle of the field.

This is the last photo in the tour of our neighborhood.



The white speck in the upper right hand corner is my mom and dad's house. I lived there for the rest of the time until I went to college. It's nice that my kids will be running the same dirt as I did, only I didn't really run in the dirt that much.

Anyway, this has been your tour of our garden and our neighborhood.

See ya!

May. 29, 2008 - Backyard Chickens.

So, for some reason I can't remember right now, I really wanted to get some chickens this summer. We did. And we even built a fantastic chicken yard, since we live in town and have to keep them contained. (Stinkin' rules...I'd much rather them be free-ranging, but alas...)

Here's Marc, putting the finishing touches on the door of the yard:



Amanda was trying to catch one of them so that she could have her picture taken.



She finally caught the rooster. Aptly named "Prince Charming," he'll fit right in among his 8 princesses- I mean, hens.



Bethany is a chick in love. Get it? Chicken love! Ha!



Anyway, I just had to share. Fresh eggs for sale, starting in August or so. Come on down.

May. 27, 2008 - How's this for a picturesque wedding?

Wow, what a gorgeous day for Kyle and Maggie!  I'm so glad to have had the opportunity to record your special day, guys.  Praying for a long, happy and blessed marriage for you.

May. 25, 2008 - A recap of my weekend in California.

So, I never got around to posting more photos from my trip.  I'll have several more posts coming up soon about the moms getaway weekend I went on in early May.  I just have to say up front that I'm so truly thankful to my sweet and wonderful husband who sent me away with a smile on his face and kept all the children perfectly happy and content while I was gone.  Even though the babies were sick!  Love ya, babe!

So, a group of about 50 of us homeschool moms gone wild got together in gorgeous Huntington Beach, CA where we promptly trespassed on City Property and had a photo taken on the sign.  Plenty of guys were honking at us while we sat for the picture, but we were able to resist the temptation.  This is Jen, AKA mamamoz, me, and NJLisa who was gracious enough to have us over to her mom's community's hot tub even though security had to come kick us out. 

(The pool was closing, but we were in denial of that...it was very, very, nice hanging out in the hot tub with a bunch of friends.  We were respectful of the nice security guy, whose actual words were, "OK, everybody out of the pool!")

The thing about California is, it looks just like on TV.  Everything is all tropical and palm treed and these flowers were no exception.  I just love Birds of Paradise.

The lifeguard towers look just like on TV, too.  I was stunned to go for a walk on the beach and see a scene out of Baywatch.  The lifeguard was very modestly dressed, though.  Unlike on TV.  :)

We don't have kelp on our east coast beaches.  At least, not that I've seen.  It's a little freaky looking, and very rubbery and wet.  But now I'm looking like a clueless east coast girl.  Oh, well...if the shoe fits...

More photos of my trip to California soon, I promise.

May. 24, 2008 - What a slacker mom! A month later, here's Daniel's birthday!

It happened correctly, right next to his birthday, but here I am just now getting to look at his birthday pictures. He's so exceptionally cute, so, so cute. He looks *just* like his Diddy.



The cakes were made by a good friend, Jennifer, who is also available to make *your* cake if you live anywhere near me.



He's in awe of the cake. He can't believe he's supposed to eat it.



Lots of fun people to sing to him, and he'd rather have who? Mama. Oh, well.



Big cousin Nick had to help him figure out what to do.



Tentatively digging in. Not the most exuberant cake-eater.



Actually, since all dietary rules were off for the party (we're dye- and preservative-free) he much preferred the cheetos.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUDDY!

May. 8, 2008 - Olvera Street

After we lef the resort, a smaller group of friends and I went to a place called Olvera Street in downtown LA.  Turns out, a little piece of Mexico was transplanted into this place, and since it was Cinco de Mayo, it was a major party. 

I was so happy to get in the old bricks, teal paint and cool textures places I'd seen in other people's photos.

The tiles were so cool, and everywhere I looked I saw something else I *had* to take a picture of.

This bell is on the front porch of the oldest wooden house in LA.

Somehow, all of the junk they were selling came together to form a perfect background.

Even the electric wires were old and grown in.

I felt like a puppet on a string all weekend.  With a king, loving, benevolent Puppeteer.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Ephesians 3:20-21

May. 4, 2008 - A snail! I saw a snail!

May. 4, 2008 - Disney Princesses! Woohoo!

May. 1, 2008 - I'm leaving on a jet plane!

I'm halfway to CALIFORNIA!!!! I'm going to CA this weekend for a "Homeschool Conference" (AKA Moms Weekend, or Big Fat Meetup {BFM}). I'll be getting together with homeschooling moms from all over the country for a weekend of relaxation and refreshment, not to mention hillarity and fun. Can't wait to get there.

Anyway, I made it! I woke up this morning at 3:30, unable to sleep the last half hour (I was supposed to wake up at 4 am). Marc and I left, and I made it to the airport early enough to catch an earlier flight from DC to the midpoint. I took several pictures for the girls, who are fully expecting a photo-documentary of this trip.

I was pretty nervous before the plane took off, thinking I was completely insane to unnecessarily leave my kiddos (in the oh-so-capable care of their Diddy) and travel across the continent. After the plane took off, I settled fully into the excitement. I can't wait to see my friends, meet new friends, and see what's in store for this weekend (Disney Land, for one thing... )

Here's the view out of the window of the airplane. I think that's Mississippi down below, but I have no idea.



This is the screen that I watched a movie on.



This is what the seats looked like...there are little trays in front of each one for you to eat on, and they gave me cereal and a banana for breakfast.



Here's me on the plane. The man who took my picture certainly thought I was a dork, but I already knew that, so no biggie!



I can't wait to take more pictures for you, girls!

Love you!

Mama

Apr. 25, 2008 - Virginia is for Lovers!

You guys are so cute together, I pray for God's blessing on your marriage and a maternity photo shoot sometime soon!

Apr. 11, 2008 - Isabelle is a big, gorgeous 6 year old!

And, her mama wanted some portraits.  I think she's just gorgeous, and I'm rather pleased with the results.

What do you think?

And please feel free to contact me for a photo session any time!  Email at danaracette@yahoo.com or call 540.894.1938

Apr. 7, 2008 - EMS Photography.

I'm feeling a little wistful about my old job these days.  Before we had any kids, I worked at Richmond Ambulance as a paramedic.  I love EMS, and still volunteer on our local rescue squad, but it's just not the same.  Last weekend, I went out with some friends to celebrate one girl's birthday.  Being in Shockoe Bottom just brought the old memories flooding back.

I loved it, but I don't wish I was back there anymore.  I love being with my kids, but I don't always wish I could stay home with them and never go to work ever again.  I'm sure lots of moms feel the same way.   I know that for now, and for the foreseeable decades it'll be just right for me to stay home with them. 

I entered the following photos in a contest the Thomas Jefferson EMS Council is having the spring.  Think I'll win?

(And isn't this post just chock full of googleable words?   :) )

---

 

Mar. 26, 2008 - A gorgeous new baby. And new life for my blog.

Spring has sprung, and with it, my desire to get out with the camera more.  There's only just so much gray and brown and winter that a girl can take, right?

Feb. 5, 2008 - What February looks like at our house.

Jan. 18, 2008 - Snow day!

I love snow days!  Now that I'm a big old grownup, snow days sometimes seem like extra work, but they sure are pretty!

Jan. 8, 2008 - Tired Sunrise.

I spent Monday night on an ambulance. The whole night. No break. We finally fell into bed about 4:45. Talk about thankful for a hard mattress. Here's why I wasn't in bed at 4:30:



The parking garage at the hospital caught my eye, and I almost got run over by someone who thought their patient getting to the er was more important than me and my camera standing in the middle of the driveway.



This is a little fuzzy, my partner was rolling his eyes at me for wanting to set up my tripod in the back of the ambulance. But let me tell you, there's a warm feeling in my heart, seeing the clean stretcher, ready to be loaded into the truck at the er entrance. For some reason, I usually find the gritty, messy, cluttered er entrances to be really beautiful. This is UVA Medical Center, which has some really great architecture, and one day I'll get up there to show you some more.



At 7 AM, after a little more than 2 hours of sleep, I dragged my sorry self out of the bed and over to our little airport, which is the only wide open space I could think of that faced east for the sunrise. I was rewarded with this:

Jan. 1, 2008 - Need to Breathe

After many, many years of being boring and old on New Year's eve, I changed my tradition last night.  Our church hosted Need to Breathe and they gave the best concert I've been to in a long time!  These guys were so cool, so real, so nice it was a real blessing for me and the other few hundred people who were able to spend a couple of hours listening to their stuff. 

I'm still wading through the photos I took, but I want to share a couple really quick.  I'll put up the real post later.