2nd Saturday in November...

There is a story in the picture as you can imagine... Yesterday it was a cool 40' or so degrees in the morning.. I have learned that if you leave blankets for this pup she drags them in the middle of the yard where she freezes to bits instead of leaving them in her house where she can cuddle and stay warm... So on this particular morning I throw a couple of old huge towels in her house and call it that as the sun was coming up and she would warm up soon any how... But Steve on the other hand felt pitty on this pup (Mr. she's a dog and I didn't want one!) and decided to put her dog bed that she sleeps on next to our bed out in her house so she could stay cuddly warm! As you can see he came home to the green swiss alps; stuffing every where and the bed on the side of the house with needless to say NO stuffing left in the bed.... Do you think she had fun... I think she had a hay day! The funny thing is she is my dog and I got to clean it up! What is wrong with that picture! LoL

This is the porch that Steve has been building on this beautiful fall day over at the girls house to keep the rain from hitting the french doors... It should have been built a long time ago, but now is as good as never... It looks great and just needs to be roofed tomorrow, the sheeting is down and it is as strong as a barn... It is going to be great next summer as the dogs will have a great place to get out of the hot sun and relax...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend, Shann @}----

Whats happening...

• This dog (Tucker) got over being an idiot and now gets along with Bella! They played and the played and they played... Bella is tired to the bone because her and Tuck ran all over both yards all day long... It is wonderful that he came to his senses finally!
• The weekend was busy!!!
• Friday was a morning appointment, then to Costco, Sportsman's Warehouse and then up to visit with Joe, Susan and the kids... You can not believe how tall the kids are getting! It was really good to see Susan and get to visit with them all... Cody was busy being Brian's Best Man as he was getting married and starting a new life... I haven't got to see Cody in his tux but bet he was one handsome dude... I hear he did a great toast too and even took a date! and had a great time...
• Saturday was a trip to the camera shop to see if I could get my camera and lens fixed... The good news is yes for the camera and possibly for the lens; it gets to get sent back to Nikon... Then we were off to Wild Sports, Wild Bills, the Gun Store and the Douglas Range where the need to be in the range and fire at clays ran through our minds... I think I need the feel and smell of a little burnt powder...
• Sunday was a morning of laundry, mowing the lawns at both houses, the Michael Jackson Movie and coming home to help Steve start building the back porch next door...

This weekend was a great weekend as far as spending time with Steve and Bella... Life really is good in my neighborhood...

The next two days will be days filled with computer training; another new program to take on... I am hoping this one is everything we need it to be with the support that we are paying for... I am looking forward to learning and making this program everything we need it to be as I love learning and the program we had before limited us so... So hears to hoping my braincells are willing to expand...

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, Shann @}----

Alaskan Trick or Treaters

GHOST LEVI
BAT JESSIE

HAPPY BAT & GHOST READY TO TRICK OR TREAT!

Angie made their costumes from scratch... I love them both and I am sure they had lots of fun... Just wish they could have visited my front porch and the Christmas porch next door...

Happy Day, Shann @}---

116 tricker treaters...

Trick or Treat...

Happy Halloween Everyone... I am sitting on the porch tonight handing out candy to the kiddies... I am going to have dry ice witches brew, lights and music... fun stuff!

Here I am...

• Yes with my amusement this makes me laugh! I feel like this sometimes! LoL
• I have been a "bad" blogger... I am going to try to be better...
• I haven't been taking pictures lately... I am still pouting about breaking my wide angle Len's in Mandalay Bays bathroom! I miss my wide angel and nothing is like it... I am going to try to send it off to be fixed but there is not much hope! boohoo
• Steve is working on a job and his back hurts... I hate when he hurts all the time makes for a sad wife... Poor guy! Getting old sucks! ex specially when you have been so hard on your body when you were a young buck...
• I am decorating for Halloween and it is so much fun! reminds me of pirates of the Caribbean... I am dressing up as a witch for work and for Halloween I am going to sit on my decorated porch with dry ice and a witches brew... fun stuff
• The girls next door are decorating their house for Christmas and handing out candy canes, playing Christmas tunes and dressing as elves... They will probably be the talk of the block!
• I love my scentsy jars! I have a nightlight jar at work and everyone loves the smell of home...
• Work is work... Work is work... Work is work...
• My Bella is a spoiled brat! and I am not kidding... I am reading the Dog Whisper and she has to learn who I am "the Leader of her Pack"... She thinks she is Queen now and that is a jump up from Princess! The little girl needs an attitude adjustment letting her know that I am indeed the Queen! I love her with all my might though... the little punk
• My bills are paid... Life is good... I am blessed when it comes to life!
• I really love the fact that my daughter is unhappy and disappointed with a C on a test! Makes me smile inside! She is a hard worker and would get straight A's if she didn't have to work and go to school... The kid is so much better at life than me at that age!
• The wind is gone, the sun is out but it is still cold outside...
• I saw a picture on FoxNews this morning that is still bothering me... I need to get over it!
• I had lunch with my daughter today and loved every minute of it... :)
• Wish I could twitch my nose and be back east with my Sis to celebrate Fall! 2000 miles is just to many miles in my book!
• I get to go get rid of my grey tonight... This is a good thing as I am not ready for being silver in any way...
• blah,blah,blah

Happy almost Friday Everyone, Shann @}----

Relaxing Sunday...

I haven't put pictures of Bella on lately so here is my beautiful girl... She is a dainty, but starting to fill out 50 lbs of puppy... She won't let me out of her sight after being gone for a week; I missed her too! Steve took good care of her though and I actually think they bonded a bit... He brought her for rides with him over to the other place, to the store and even bought her, her own burrito at Taco Bell... Today we took her while we went out to lunch and to the grocery store, she rides really good in the truck and has patience while we run into the store... Shes a good pup!

I am wishing I had another day or two off... The weather is scrumptious and I love being home when it is cool and cloudy... Tonight I am making elk stew for dinner, carrots, potatoes, the works... The girls are asking me to go to the movies to see Gerrard Butler in his latest movie, but I am thinking now I should stay home since it is my last day off and savior the hubby and my pup...

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, Shann @}----

Home from Vegas...

The picture above is Las Vegas traveling on 215 going west at 70 mph... Artsy don't you think?

• Thursday in Vegas - Left the house at 10:45 ish and went to my first Las Vegas buffet (it was mighty good with all the fixings, corn bread pudding was the best) it is amazing how much food is in this city!
• We then we went and saw Zombie Land which was funny, amusing and actually had a plot (Bill Murray was the best!) Woody wasn't bad either and actually it is the best show I have seen him in... The movie was better than I thought it would be...
• Got back to the house around 3 pm and decided with a wild hair in my ars that it was time to go and I really needed three days before going back to work because the anxiety of having to go back to reality was making me crazy! I hate thinking about going back but it takes over... We were on the road and heading out of Vegas at 4:00 pm and got home at 1:00 am with 1505 miles under my dodge hemi's belt... The last 60 miles were hard!
• Driving 9 hours in the middle of the night and then waking up at 6 am gives you a hangover that is unpleasant and makes you realize you are not a young human anymore... (Joe this qualifies you as young!)
• We drove by Buck Owens Crystal Palace but did not stop which Steve could not understand, after all it is a monument like Hoover Dam! LoL
• Bella was very happy to see me! so was Rosea and Tucker!
• Yesterday was a day of errands... Costco, Raleys and taking Cody to ARC...
• I took a two hour nap and then woke up at 2:00 am screwing up my rested feeling...
• Today I need to do laundry, clean house, love on the dog and work in the yard...
• I miss Vegas and hanging out with the girls already... another vacation under my belt...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend since the weather is so absolutely beautiful!

Happy day everyone, Shann @}----

Las Vegas day 4...

Today was spent showing Chelsea Hoover Dam... I saw the dam a few years back with Steve and it still amazes me what a feat it must have been to work on this dam, as it is amazingly big...
As you can see from the above pictures they are still not done with the dam bridge that will keep traffic from traveling over the bridge and allow for an awesome view of the bridge and river below... What I find funny is that it took 5 years to build the dam and didn't have the technology and manufacturing of today and they have been building the dam bridge now for 8 years... The bridge is an awesome feat too, but the engineering, technology of today you would think it would be done...
Sorry about the pictures not being wide angle, but I dropped my camera earlier in the week at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and my favorite lens (18x135) now does not focus and shoot... Sadness is in my soul, but at least the camera works as it could have been worse... I miss the angle that wide view gave, there is a huge difference...
After we were done seeing the dam we went to lunch at Sonic as Chelsea and I had never been... I must say they have the best onion rings on earth, and the lime cherry aid was very good too... Then we were off to the Vegas strip to go to the worlds largest M & M store (4 stories tall), then to the Coke a Cola store and the Hard Rock Cafe... We also got to see the Lions at the MGM... Can you believe the habitat for those darn lion cost a mere $9000000.00!

As of today I have drove over 900 miles and have came out of the town of Las Vegas in every direction you can imagine... I have seen the homeless section, industrial section, the speedway, the rich homes, the not so rich, down town and I think I have been on every part of what they call the spaghetti bowl which is there knot of highways... I really love driving around a town I don't know and think it is very amusing... I can't believe how many Targets, Home Depots and Walmarts there are in this town...
The hot tub is calling me as I am now in need of one at home... My bones love the darn thing and I know Steve would move around a lot better with one too... My piggy bank is going to be saving for one! Have a great night everyone, Shann @}---

Las Vegas day 3...

Can you believe I am taking a picture of my daughter smiling while a gun is being pointed at her!

Tonight we went to a murder mystery dinner (Marriage can be Murder) and Chelsea my criminal justice majoring daughter solved and won the murder mystery dinner! She was the super sleuth... It was a great night and we had a great time! She won a plaque, two tickets to a show, a round of applause and seal of approval...

Happy Tuesday, Shann @}---

Las Vegas day 2...

Chelsea and I spent the day on the strip checking out the sharks at Mandalay Bay, shopped, had lunch, went to the outlets on Las Vegas Blvd and to Ceasers HUGE mall and then to see Frank Caliendo last night and it was really, really good... It was his first show of his ten year contract at the MoniCarlo... The place is very fun and watching people is very amusing... I think my favorite thing is driving in all the craziness...

Having fun in Vegas, Shann @}---

Las Vegas night 1...

Las Vegas day 1...

Today we slept in and then decided to head for a ride up the hill to Mount St. Charles... Turns out there are pine trees in Las Vegas (sugar pines & quakies) it looked like fall with all the beautiful yellow and gold... We went all the way to 7500 ft elevation... It was really pretty with a small community of cabins just like up in Kyburz... It was a nice drive and so different from down in the valley of Las Vegas...

We were going to go to the Hoover Dam, but since it was Sunday it closed early and we ran out of speed, had lunch, came home and took a nap and are going to the movies tonight... Tomorrow Chelsea and I will take on the strip...

Aunt Pat and Bob are so nice to let us stay at their beautiful home... Callie showed me pictures of them on their cruz ship tonight with smiles on their faces... I hope they have a wonderful time as we are having a very relaxing time here...

Happy Sunday everyone, Shann @}---

It's finally Friday!

Found this picture on the Internet and just love it... I think I am going to start collecting pitbull art, they have such soulful faces... Love there eyes

Chelsea and I head off on our Girls Road Trip tomorrow and I can't wait... I am crazy and love to drive... Can't wait to see Callie and see the sites with Chels... I am hoping my feet and back step up to all the walking I can see in my future, the crystal ball says there will be a lot of it... I am looking forward to watching people as they amuse me so and this will be like going to San Francisco! fun, fun, fun... Chelsea is looking forward to sleeping in and the MALLS! and I know Callie is looking forward to the pool and is already bummed that it will be in the 80's in which I am thrilled about, you can swim in the 80's can't you??? Hope so...

Steve, Cody and Bella are home together this week... I hope they eat??? Bella is already pouting and knows something is up... I feel guilty, but not guilty enough to stay home... She will either love me or hate me when I get home... I am hoping her and Steve finally bond in my absence...

I am not in the working mode today and feel like my mind is already on vacation... I should go home early... I'm not packed yet, though I do have the truck ready with brand new oil and the tires are rotated... I will need to do a quick load of laundry, but other than that I think it is going to be a throw everything together and pack the truck night...

That is all the news from here...

We are taking our computer so I will blog pictures and keep ya all posted...

Have a great week, Shann @}---

Eye am a bad blogger...

Eye am a bad blogger as of lately... Can't seem to take the time or make the time to blog what little is going on in my life... So I will fill you in on what is going on in my little part of the world...

I got my oil changed and tires rotated on my truck because Chelsea and I are leaving for Las Vegas on Saturday - Girls Road Trip... I am on vacation count down and it is three days away! I am looking forward to girl time, sleeping in, laughing, seeing the town, taking pictures, watching people and trying out a new town and new views...

Steve and Bella are staying home together... Steve didn't go hunting because of work and having an infected bursa in his knee... So the two of them are going to lay low and are probably going to live off peanut butter & jelly and popcorn...

Work has slowed down a bit with a different kind of busy... Things are still not looking very good for Regular Ed in the following year, but things aren't looking like dooms day either... I getting ready to be really busy implementing a new routing system... I am glad I get a vacation before delving into it and all of it's new challenges... It is a totally new way of routing and I have to say I am a little weary of it not being the same esri based program I am so used too, but change is good and I won't be bored by any means... The other plus is that this program has a ton of support and learning tools that I really am looking forward to as we have been on our own with the old programs...

The kids seem to be doing really well with their classes this semester which always makes me happy and proud... I love seeing them both grow and enjoy learning and this semester they are both showing huge growth...

Life is good in our neighborhood, hope it is in yours too...

Have a great almost Wednesday, Shann @}----

What we did this weekend...

Steve laid tile and I worked the grout... I can say that I really could care less or my knees could careless about working with grout for a while... It turned out nice though, we did the entry way, the kitchen, dining room and laundry room...

We also painted base board and got it ready to put down... Steve still has the wood floor to lay in the hallway, living room and family room, then the floors will be finished... The house is slowly coming together in a good way, but there is still so much to do...

Today Chelsea turned 22 years old... I can't hardly believe my baby is 22... I love the kid to pieces, I do... She spent her birthday at work and then went to school tonight... I am hoping to see her for a few minutes before I go to bed... Happy Birthday Chelsea Melsea *<{:o)

Have a great night everyone, Shann @}---

The wedding pictures...

The wedding I was to take pictures for was last Saturday... (This photo was taken from the balcony with no flash). I have to tell you I was so nervous before this event! It was worse than taking my CHP written and driving test; I was a wreck trying to get all my gear, camera settings and gear arranged... It proved to be nerves for a reason as the church was lined with giant arch stained "yellow" glass windows! Yes, I said YELLOW! The worst color for taking pictures inside a building... Everyone looked to be dying of jaundice and I'm not kidding... I cried on my way home from Friday nights rehearsal thinking what did I get myself into fore I thought for sure I was going to ruin all of Lori's memories and being the sentimentalist I am it just plain hurt to think I bit off more than I could chew...
Needless to say I went home Friday night and popped the photos in the Mac and told everyone to keep their opinions to their selves as I was on the edge of disaster! Thankfully since I took the pictures in RAW I was able to take the majority of the yellow out and felt that okay I could indeed deal with this... I was sure wishing this was an outdoor wedding though! Life would have been much easier and the outcome would have been so much more my style...

I didn't know that Pasteurs had so many rules for their ceremonies... This one had a no click, no flash policy during the wedding... Everything had to be posed after the ceremony... I though went up to the balcony and took shots from above with no flash which was a challenge from so far away for me and my ability... I totally understood his reasoning as the ceramony is about the promise and not the photos being taken, but my owe my did I have to rethink my ways...

This is the happy couple that are perfectly happy with my photos even though I haven't worked through all the color issues and were very grateful that I took their pictures to preserve their memories... I wish we would have had more time to take pictures in the courtyard, but they ran late for the wedding and things were a little rushed for the rest of the day... For what I was delt I ended up taking 431 pictures and 229 were worth working through... I actually feel good about them because most were taken inside and that is not my strength... Now for the what a weekend it was... My back went out; like flat on my back went out! I helped Steve move a giant toolbox, then Thursday I walked all over the mall looking for a blouse to wear, Friday I ran up and down the balcony stairs for the wedding rehearsal and on Saturday did the same plus staying on my feet taking pictures from 10:30 until 4:30 and that was all my back was going to take! I was flat on my back with heating pad and ice for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday... I stayed home Wednesday just to make sure I was still going to be able to stand straight and be able to sit in a chair... It was another lesson in listen to your body... Shannon never learns!
These are the bridesmaids; aren't they beautiful! I have worked with them all and they really are nice girls and we're very fun to take pictures of... Lori's gown below was absolutely beautiful and I just couldn't take enough pictures of the sequins...
All in all it was a huge learning experience for me... I don't know that I liked being so busy and not having the time to think through the shots as I like to do... I think it limited my creativity and as far as my camera was a little beyond my comfort zone as to the depth and clarity I like to get... I don't know that I will ever do a wedding again as being the only person shooting, but would rather be the person backing up the main photographer... It was fun though and was fun to give a try but don't want to take the fun out of what I enjoy doing for pleasure... I really do like learning though and it just proves to me that I really do need to take a few college course on photography and working with CS4... I would love to be better and have the chance to be more creative with people shots...

My back has made it through two days of work, though I still have my hitch in my get along... Live is good and things are slowing for more manageable days... This means that next week I am going to start taking on my map issues and working on our new program again...

Life is good in my neighborhood, hope things are good in yours too, Shann @}---

Hot Darn...

Hey, I think this is more than two post in a week! Does this mean life is slowing down? Does this mean I miss sharing my thoughts? I think it means I am sick of being so busy and I am trying to make time for myself...

Did I tell you all that I am taking wedding pictures this week as I am the one they are depending on the one that is suppose to get all of those thought out shots, that are suppose to catch the moment and the feeling of the moment... I am a little on the nervous side or should I say a LOT on the nervous side... I keep telling myself that I will be fine, they will be fine, that I have the ability to make it all work; but it sure takes the fun out of it... I don't know that I like that part of it... I did buy a much needed flash with my overtime money and I think that will make life a little easier and less stressful... I just have such high expectations of what I want them to turn out like... nerves!

What else is going on in my life....

The kids are super busy with full schedules at school and work... Chelsea leaves at 7 am and doesn't return until after 10 pm all week long... She is enjoying her classes but I don't think has adjusted to the hours... Cody is doing some really neat art work that I will have to take pictures of to share with you all...

Steve is busy working on a job he worked on many years ago and seems to be doing well on it... I think he is surprised that his back isn't giving him more problems... Though he is coming home tired enough that Bella is winning in tug a war! She really gives it her all with him and doesn't do that with me; its a good thing she isn't Roseas size or he would be in trouble the way the two of them play...

Life is good in my neighborhood, hope it is good in yours too! Shann @}---

Cody's Converse...

Cody's Converse... He bought these white converse and then used ink to create art on his feet... I really like them and am hoping that he will create me a pair too... I love the darn things!

I hope everyone is having a great week... I started adding pictures again on my picture of the day blog... Have a great night, Shann @}---

Dave & Angie...

I had to share this picture of Dave & Angie coming back from moose hunting... You don't often get a picture of these two together and especially such a nice photo at that... Thanks for sharing with me Lin I enjoy all of your photos! I haven't heard if Dave had any luck with a moose this year but I sure hope he gets one to fill the freezer...

Happy Day to you All, Shann @}---