Mom is Making Friends at the Beach

My mom is making friends at the beach :) She sent me a picture of one of her new friends yesterday :) hehehe!!! Her and my dad took a trip up to the beach early in the morning and this guy paid her a visit :) Luckily she had her camera to capture the moment (way to go mom). I encourage the camera, haha, as most of you already know :) And she did quite a good job with her photography skills. I am proud :)

This little guy is actually called a ghost crab and it is rare to catch him out like this. I can remember when I was a kid and we would vacation at the beach. Whenever we would go to the beach around sunset these little guys would come out :) They used to give me the creeps because you would catch them from the corner of your eye, turn your head and there would be nothing there. Creepy right???!!! That is the reason they are called ghost crabs :) When you did get a quick glimpse of one, they'd be scurrying and always traveling sideways so fast it was hard to see them. And then they would disappear in the sand. And not the sand by the shore, the dry sand where you would lay your blankets down. Don't think that my mind wasn't wondering about those little critters while I was laying on my blanket :) So, these little buggers are not easy to capture with a camera (another way to go mom). She doesn't know what she captured here. She told me he was moving fast but would stop like he wanted her to take his picture (how funny!!) He is cute but I still get the creeps. Keep that camera handy mom, we all enjoy seeing your new friends :))

Sketch

Several people have asked me to post Cheryl's sketch of Emily. I have to tell you that this sketch of Emily looks exactly like her and Cheryl did a beautiful job :) It's one of my favorite photographs of Emily that she used and the sketch is even better. I will cherish it for my lifetime :) And I am sure it will be an heirloom in our family :) Now the photo that I took of this sketch has some glare because it is under glass. It doesn't take too much away from the sketch :) I just adore it!!!


I am also going to post a photograph of Cheryl :) This picture is one that was published in her local newspaper :) She is shown here with her grandchildren and some of her artwork. The newspaper article was recognizing her as their local artist :) Doesn't she look great...........not much different from high school right? Lucky her :)

Showcasing Talent

I'd like to take a minute to showcase a friends talent. Her name is Cheryl and she has been a friend to me since we met in high school :) The years have moved us apart physically but we do manage to keep in touch mostly by email. Once you have a friend like this, no matter where you are or how far away, that friend will always be in your heart. And that is where Cheryl is with me. She has recently been able to touch on some talent that she has and the results are amazing. The first talent that she shared with me was her drawing. She surprised me with a sketch of my daughter and I was just blown away. It's one of my favorites and I have it hanging in our family room. Everyone asks about it and always has wonderful things to say. Next, I hear that Cheryl is making wooden birds. I had no idea how one goes about doing something like that and I never saw her work but was happy that she was able to enjoy spending time with another new talent. Not long ago Cheryl gifted my parents with one of her wooden birds for their new home at the shore. I had only heard about it until last weekend when I went to visit them. They showed me the bird and I was stunned. I looked at this piece of wonder and was in total amazement at how perfect this was. That's another thing......Cheryl doesn't throw anything together, she perfects what she does with the most pleasing of ways :) I asked her how in the world does she begin a project like this. And she told me that you start with a piece of wood. Please take a look at the picture of this bird that she created and look at the detail and preciseness that is put into this beautiful piece of art. Some of you on my blog list know Cheryl and I am sure you will be quite amazed at her special talent. Cheryl, I hope I haven't embarrassed you too much. I am happy to showcase your gifts and thank you for sharing them with me and my family. You are truly a blessing and I am happy to have you as MY friend.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!!! For Friday, June 13

I couldn't very well showcase my mom on her birthday and not do the same for good ole dad :))) And I could never leave out dad. He is much too special for that. Look at that happy face on him in this picture. He has always loved the ocean. And now he gets to live near that ocean. What a way to retire is what I say. I hope I can live near the ocean someday and enjoy it's simple pleasures :)


My dad has been a major influence in my life. He has always been a hard worker and sacrificed a lot of his time for his family. His priority has always been to support his family and that he did and he did it happily. He is a very selfless man and always puts others first. That is probably the most important thing that I have learned from his example. Taking care of others, doing for others and being there for others that is what my dad is all about. He's a very carefree, laid back kind of guy. He's the kind of guy that everyone enjoys to be around and is easy to get along with.


One of my dad's special qualities is his love of nature. I know that he taught me how to be fascinated and enjoy what nature has to offer. And how to notice the greatness of the simple things that cross our paths like the birds we see everyday. He has studied these things and shares all of his findings. It's a simplistic way of life that he lives but it's full of deep wonder.


My dad has always been there for anything that I have needed. And he is always happy to be needed even if it's just a conversation for advice. He jumps at the chance to help. He is the core of our family and he has shown all of us why it's important to care about each other. We have been blessed with this man in our lives and I know that I appreciate that the blessing for me is to have him as my father. He is the meaning of what a father is and I thank God for this blessing every day. Today I wish my father the happiest of birthday's and I'm going to throw in Father's day too...............happy father's day. Dad you deserve the best of the best and I am so happy to have you to love me :))))

Happy Birthday Mom!!!!! For Monday, June 9

Today is my mom's birthday :) And I want to ring in her day with a sentimental tribute in her honor. She will probably hate the picture I chose to broadcast of her (haha) but I love it. And this picture is very appropriate in her life right now. She recently retired from working for 'A LOT' of years. Her and my dad have moved their lives just minutes from the ocean :) This picture of her with the ocean in the background is perfect for today. Her granddaughters roaming the beach with excitement behind her is also perfect for today's picture :)

My mother may be another year older but she never shows her age EVER. She seems to have this youth gene that people would stand in line to buy if they could. Let's hope that golden gene has been passed on to me :) Not only does she look young she also defies age in every aspect of her life. This woman runs circles around me and I am amazed daily at her motivation and energy. I already know that I do not have that gene (haha). She never settles for what is. She is always reaching for more to stimulate her life. And I know that she keeps my dad huffing and puffing behind her trying to keep up with her motivation.

This woman has been in my life not only as my mother but also as my friend. She has always been my biggest supporter and we share a relationship that I thank God for daily. I know it has always been her plan to perfect our relationship and keep it growing in a wonderful way. It's a true gift to have a mother who is emotionally present in my life and is ALWAYS there for me. It's an appreciation that I will never take for granted.

I admire my mother for so many things. One, she takes charge and never leaves any stone unturned and takes her life very seriously. Two, she strives for perfection and doesn't settle for anything less. Three, she has an undying love to share that I have had the pleasure of experiencing and has also been passed down to my children who also adore her. These kids have been openly loved way before they were born. My mother made her presence known in their lives and formed a tremendous bond. I could go on and on with my admiration but I don't want to overwhelm her :)

I would like to wish her the happiest of birthdays today and thank her for being the mother that she is and for loving me the way only she could do :)

I love you Mom!!!!!

My Photography Website!!!!!

IT'S HERE!!!!!

My Website has made it's way onto the World Wide Web :)

It's pretty basic right now but the important thing is that it is out there for potential clients to see.

I have my son, Michael, to thank for it. He did all of the work to get the website out there for me. I am so thankful for him :)

I am HAPPY!!!

Take a minute and go check it out....

http://www.imagesbyrobin.com/

Couch Potatoes

I think your basic couch potato is someone who hangs out on the couch and fiddles with the remote. We have a different scene at our house. Our couch potatoes are of the furry kind. I go out for the day and come home and find a site like this. He has to be the most comfortable cat in the universe. Does he have any clue how much that couch cost me? I mean look what he is doing to the cushion. Can't he just lay on the seat part of the couch like the rest of us? What is he thinking? The life of a cat..........especially the one who belongs to a sucker like me.

Oh and he isn't the only one who takes camp on my couch.

Take a look at this one.

You can't really tell where he is but he is on the couch, I can assure you :) I took this picture the same day that I came home and found the cat squishing my couch cushion. Yeah, Cocoa is also sleeping on top of the cushion. Luckily he is too tiny to really move the cushion around :) And another positive thing about Cocoa is that he doesn't shed (thank God!!) The cats are really keeping me busy with that. I'm really considering shaving them in the Spring (haha, can you imagine???)

I have to give praise where praise is due..............This pretty little lady was taking her nap right in her own little bed. What a sweet kitty!! Or I guess she could have hurried and jumped in her bed when she heard me coming in the door. Either way, she gets the slack today :))))

Now I need to go clean off my couch :)

Twin Bambi's

We often have visitors in our backyard and the other day I was graced with these little cuties. The pictures do not do them justice at all. They were moving so fast and were not very close to me so it wasn't easy to get a picture. On top of that Cocoa was barking like a mad man trying to protect his property :) This is just a glimpse of the wild animals that live in our midst. It's really not that horrible of a place to live. Wait, somebody slap me!!! Let me rephrase that......It's really not that horrible of a place to live in the Spring, Summer and Fall :)))))))))