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Photo catch up post

Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Sorry. Work has been crazy and we’ve just been getting by day by day. Here are the pictures from the end of December and beginning of January. Click on each album to see all pictures in the album.

Pictures from Mid-December

December 2008 Part II

Pictures from Christmas

Christmas 2008

Pictures from the end of December and New Years:

December 2008 Part III

And Pictures from the first week of January visiting with Grandparents and great grandparents.

January 2009 Part 1

Happy Inauguration

We have a new president and the world keeps turning. The news coverage has been ridiculous but we can now move on. Now if only we could get over the next countdown: The countdown to DTV. I thought yesterday’s ceremony was very inspirational and I enjoyed Obama’s speech. I will pray for him and our country everyday but a few things really soured it for me and seemingly have gotten no coverage from the news.

Exhibit A: The crowd booing President bush and singing “na na na hey hey Goodbye”. It was completely classless and not in the spirit of what Obama stands for.

Exhibit B: The benediction by Reverend Lowery. For a day that was supposed to be the first day of the post-racial era, it closed by telling white will embrace what is right. I found that to be racist and insulting. I know he is 87 but I’m sure somebody reviewed his prayer before hand.

Eat a peach

December update

Well December has just flown by. We are looking forward to having next week off to spend as a family.

Claire had her 9 month appointment yesterday and she has only gained a few ounces since her 6 month. She is now 20lbs 12 oz and 28.75 inches long. Unfortunately her well baby 9 month visit was more of a sick baby visit. She has been wheezing and coughing all week so when we took her in yesterday it was discovered that she had a respiratory infection and an ear infection. They did go ahead and do a CBC on her (part of the normal 9 mos appt) and her iron was a little low so we will be starting her on an iron supplement. For now she is also on amoxicillin for the ear infection and breathing treatments for her respiratory infection. She hates it. I wish she took a pacifier as there is an attachment for the nebulizer but since she doesn’t we have to use the mask and she just can’t stand sitting there for that long. I hope she gets better at it as we go along. Atleast she should be better by christmas. We’ve got a busy few weeks ahead but atleast she will get to stay home where it’s relatively cootie free. More pictures to come soon but be sure to log in and see the photos i’ve posted.

Portrait Innovations

Be sure to log in for more photos from the first part of december. Adorable photos of bath time and such… but in the meantime please enjoy photos from last friday. I wish there were more good shots from this shoot but the studio was running an hour late so Claire wasn’t terribly cooperative by the time we got in front of the camera.

Sorry

Sorry it took so long. Log in and I’ve posted photos!

Falling asleep standing up

This video is actually from the beginning of november but it’s too funny not to post. Claire fell asleep standing up.

falling asleep standing up

Santa Claus is coming to town

There’s a reason it’s called a crackberry

Crackberrying....

Back from the swamp

I’m back from my trudge into the okefenokee swamp on a plant enthusiast trip with my mother. I’m less enthused about plans but always enthused by being outside and enjoying wildlife. We left friday around midday (Kyle had Claire all weekend), and began our drive to Folkston, GA. It was a long and boring trip, passing through small towns that probably do not even show up on a map. We found “The getting place” in Alma, Georgia. Now I know where Kurt gets all of his things.  So now when I ask where he got something and he says “the getting place”, I know where that is! Sadly my mother wouldn’t let me go back and take a picture.  We got in a little after dark and began looking for the BBQ place that had been suggested. As described to us, it was a single wide next to an ice house. We found it!

Honestly, it may have been the best ribs I’ve ever had.

After grabbing ribs and a 1/4 boston butt roast, we made our way to the hotel. The best of the two hotels in town! While I can say it was clean, the Westin it was not. I’m pretty sure hard ground and a rock for a pillow would have been about as comfortable. We actually sought to buy a pillow the next day (it was that bad) but there wasn’t even a walmart! Only a dollar general and family dollar and it was closed by the time we got back. Lesson learned for next time: When driving always bring your own pillow.

Saturday, we spent the large part of the day on a motorized tour exploring the eastern region of the swamp, a landscape populated by vast prairies and pond cypress. We even had the privelege of using a privy in the middle of the swamp. Not the most glamorous but I’m glad I used it because we had been out for 2 hours and didn’t return for 4 more after the pit stop. Our guide, Chip, from Okefenokee Adventures was fantastic. He had an encyclopedic knowledge on not only the swamps plant and animal inhabitants but also the folklore and rich cultural history of the area. In the late afternoon, we enjoyed a stroll along the boardwalk and a climb up the Owl’s roost tower to enjoy breathtaking views of the swamp.

Sunday, we got an early start (leaving by 715) to travel an hour and a half to Stephen C Foster State Park and Western side of the swamp. We launched canoes, and travelled on to Billy’s Island. Now that I have experience the back of a canoe, I love my husband so much more and vow never to be a front-seat driver again! I love my mother but you will not find me sharing a canoe with her EVER again. From Billy’s Island we headed towards minnie’s lake but due to the need to leave and get home at a reasonable hour, mom and I turned back on our own facing the swamp, chomping alligators and a out of control pontoon on our own! We made it back in one piece and headed home. I’ve got some beautiful pictures from this weekend. Unfortunately on sunday, I wasn’t able to focus on photography as much (paddling a canoe) but I think Day 1 more than made up for it.

Today I am sore and tired. I should have probably taken the day off but oh well. I’m glad to be back home and with Claire and Kyle!