Caption This Photo

I have no words...

The Perfect Picture

I love it when I get the perfect picture without me setting it up.  It just happens and the picture completely coveys the mood of the setting. 

Like this one.

Nothing better than a froggy slide to a 3 year old!



Enjoying the last days of summer...

A Guest Photographer

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you already know that I love to take pictures.  I have a few friends who also like to do photography as a hobby and I love to see what they've shot.  One friend in particular has a really good eye behind the lens.

I was thinking about a picture that he took a while back.  It's just so awesome that I had troll the boards to find it.  And then I had to post it here so I wouldn't lose it again.

I *wish* I would have taken this picture.  It's just so awesome.  :up:

And who is the guest photographer?  My friend Mike from New York City.  :)

Hope you don't mind me trolling to find the picture and then putting it up, Mike.  :)

Bazooka, Zooka Bubblegum!

Camp songs are the best.  They're fun to learn.  They're fun to sing.  And you never forget them.  I use to work at a Y camp and I can still sing those songs today. 

Sheldon loves to sing and she learned a lot of fun songs at camp this summer, which she taught the boys this week.  Or, attempted to teach.  At least they learned the best part - the hand motions.  :p

I give you Bazooka Zooka Bubblegum!



But, wait...that's not all!

I give you preparations for I'm A Little Nut...



And...now...I'm A Little Nut!



So sorry for the ear worm.  You will be probably be singing these songs, and doing the hand motions too (don't kid yourself!) for the next couple of days.  Enjoy!

Letters From Camp

The boys cousin Sheldon went to camp this summer and sent a letter to both of them.  She also sent one to her dog, her chicken, her dad but not her mom.  I guess you're chopped liver, Susan.  :-|

She writes very detailed letters.  And is sure to add hearts and cute little girl things to it.

The typical boy's letter (if there were any that is) would probably consist of "hi", "bye" and perhaps a "yes" or "no" thrown in there as a response to his parent's 15 letters that the mom mailed to him.  Including the one that she wrote and signed the dad's name.

I love how she put a football player as Owen's sticker and a birthday cake on Shane's.  And, of course, the hearts after her name on both envelopes.

xoxo,

Sheldon :heart:

The Birthday Cakes! Yes...Cakes!

This woman:

Made these cakes. Yes, THESE cakes:

For these kids:

To

their birthdays.

Shane turned 11.  Sheldon turned 9.

Shane's favorite: red velvet cake!

Two pictures of it since it was so good!  (The other cakes were vanilla and chocolate and they were just as yummy!)

Shane's eyes got big as saucers when he saw the cakes.  He was so impressed.  Seriously.  Because he's use to cakes that look like this:

So sorry, Daddy. It's the thought that counts, right?  ;)

Mary has a soft spot for kids.  And a talent to go with it.  Which I *obviously* do not possess.  (Like that   even needs to be stated!)  Thanks to my aunt Mary for the hard work that I know that she put into making the kids birthdays so special!  :)

A Good Old Fashion Race

Remember the good ol' days where kids actually played outside ALL DAY LONG and only coming in because the sun was going down (their mama's cue to come in) or they heard her hollar for them? They played all kinds of games outside - King of the Hill, Freeze Tag, Flash Light Tag, Kick Ball, Dodge Ball ... the list just goes on and on.

At our recent Eckhardt family reunion, my aunt Mary put together a bunch of games for the kids to play. By far the most popular one (well, except for the candy race!) is the Potato Sack Race.

Nothing better than jumping, trying to run or totally falling and busting your a$$ in a potato sack.

All of the kids getting ready to go!



Ready?



Figuring out the best method of jumping in the sack.




Mary Mayken getting her practice on.



Owen getting his practice on. I'm not sure but I think that he's probably practicing so he can fall on purpose. :-|



Ladies and gentlemen, your starting lineup.



Go Shane go!



Oh look. Owen fell. :p



I think that someone lost his potato sack. I'm just saying.



Picture of the race! Elation! I'm not sure if Sheldon even knew if someone beat her. Or cared really judging my her body language. :) I think it was her silly banzs that pushed her ahead.



Happy? :)



Look at the concentration!



Poor little Mary Mayken. She tried so hard! Come on little friend, you can do it!



Even though a picture tells a 1,000 words, sometimes a video tells 2,000. Enjoy!



So next time your kids whine because they are bored, grab some potato sacks (where you'll get them I don't know!) and have a good old fashioned race.

We loved it when we were little. :)



Nothing better than good old fashion fun! :)

Picture of the Day

Most of my pictures of the day (ie - my favorite pics) are of nature and scenery or things that would be considered photojournalism. You know...when people don't know that you're stalking them and taking their picture.

But not this time.



So pretty. :)

A One and a Two.and a You Know What to Do!

One, Two, Four, Ten!



Go Mary Mayken!

You can do it girl!



Don't worry about Nanny. Her hair will dry.





Remember when you were little and the best thing about the summer was playing in the pool and the biggest thing that you had to worry about was ducking under the water so you couldn't hear your parents tell you to get out?

Well, that and your fear that Jaws was going to get you. In your pool. :rolleyes:

Ah. For the good old days to be a kid.

A Touch of the South

Just a few shots from the road of the good things about the south.

Sweetened fresh peaches. Vidalia onions. And boiled peanuts. All reminiscent of a slower pace of life.

Enjoy!

Headed Up The Road

Well, we've covered the entire East Coast this summer I think. We've burned up 95S, 85S and all the small country roads in between. Now it's time to take some southern charm north and visit my family in NJ and PA for the annual Eckhardt family reunion. And yes...there are more of us! Have a great weekend and I'll see you soon!

PS - If you're thinking about breaking into our house because no one's there, don't bother. Ken is still home so go find another house to hit. ;)

Shane Conquers Cliff Island

Shane: 3, Cliff Island: 0



Thank God Cliff Island got none!

It is so out of character for Shane to try anything risky. So when we were in Abingdon, VA with our friends at the lake, when he asked if he could jump off of Cliff Island, I said sure.

Never thinking in a million years that he would do it.

But, Shane being Shane, he scouted out the area before he decided where to jump from.





Always one to be prepared, he also did some practice jumps from a smaller jump off a few times. (Which is where Owen only jumped from.)



Then he decided that he was ready to do it.

Then, he decides whether he should really do it or not.



Because the first step is a doozy.



Jeronimo!



He said he was going at least 100 miles per hour by the time he hit the water.



Wasn't that nice of some random parent to be there to catch him?



He jumped at least a few more times.











So that was Shane's adventure on Cliff Island.

He came. He saw. He conquered!