Just A Quickie!

Get your mind out of the gutter folks!  Ha!!  I just wanted to take a small break from the beautiful sunshine today to just chat about stuff for a moment!!

Big news on the Diva front!!  She actually participated at ballet last night!!  She did not run around like a heathen, making faces in the mirror or hang from the bars like normal making me want to laugh and cry all at the same time!!!  NO, she tried really hard!!  OK, I bribed her with a quarter to buy some M&Ms when we left if she was good and did what she was told!!  Why did I not think of this sooner!!  LOL!

The Moody Teen made the honor roll again!!  I really don't know how he does it since he NEVER and I mean NEVER studies for a test!!  The only thing I EVER see him do is write papers and work on projects!!  He is just one of those smart guys who could be brilliant if he tried harder!!  LOL, but I am not complaining!!

The Knight is happy because he got to ride his motorcycle to work for the first time this year!!  The is only the second time it has been out!!  It makes him happy, so I am happy too!

I start Senior Rep. sessions tonight and I am so excited that I can hardly stand it!!  The sun is out and I am ready to go!!  It also gives me something to keep my mind occupied today because it is the 6th anniversary of my sister's death!  There is not a day that goes by that I do not miss her!!  You see, she was not just my sister she was one of my best friends and biggest cheerleaders!!  I could always count on her to be there at every performance!  If I was on TV (local news magazine, Montel Williams)  she would tape it!  And she LOOOOOOOOVED the Moody Teen!!  He was her boy!  She sort of picked up where Aunt Debbie left off when she moved!  She would have loved the Diva too!!  She left way too soon but it is nice to have an angel on our side!!

It Is Finally Done!

Here is the long awaited picture of my hubby's completed motorcycle! This three plus year project is finally coming to an end! I have to admit that it is kind of nice to see his creation roar to life and know that he did all the work with his own two hands and I do mean all the work! He made the frame and the handlebars and the gas tank and the paint job is all his too! He is a very talented guy, there is really nothing he can't do when it comes to working with his hands! He is a carpenter, a wood worker, a welder, a painter and so much more! The only thing that is "stock" on this bike is the motor! Can you tell that I am so proud of him! You can click on the picture to make it larger so you can see it in all its glory!

The second photo is the love of my life lost in thought looking at his creation! He had no clue that I even captured this moment! I just love it when that happens! I hope to capture a photo of him on the beast soon! The bottom photo is, of course me! It is a self portrait that has been turned in to a pencil drawing. I just wanted to share with you cause I thought it was kind of cool!

Tip Tuesday #3

Here we go! Are you ready for this shocking revelation?

Don't be afraid to get dirty! Sometimes to get the really great shot, you have to get down and dirty! During a recent lake shoot, I literally laid on the ground in the middle of a grove of trees to capture the blue sky with the bare tree tops. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the shot!

I have ended up dirty and muddy with soaking wet feet but I got the shot I wanted so it was worth it! However, one word of caution, if you are out shooting in a dusty, windy environment and you find yourself needing to change lenses please go inside a building or at least your car because dust is your cameras enemy numero uno! Also if it is raining take care to protect your investment by using a camera cover! Don't have one handy? A clear, plastic shower cap (like you get at a hotel) will work just fine!

OK, so enough about tips and onto the photos for today! I know that I have been obsessed with fire lately but so has Spencer! He has been working on his motorcycle for, well, a good 3 to 4 years because he built it, tore it down, reworked the frame and rebuilt it all in between tours to Iraq, moving home, and working.

So now he is to some of the final stages which include painting the tank and fender which brings us back to fire, true fire! Mike Lavalle at Killer Paint developed a technique called True Fire and I have to say it is amazing. While Spencer was in Iraq the second time, I bought him the how-to DVD and he has worked hard to master it over the last few months.

Last night he finally clear coated the final paint job!! YEAH! It took him three times painting these to get them where he wanted them and I am so happy that he is done, finally!! When he asked me to take pictures, I could not resist sharing them with you! Enjoy and I will post pics of the bike when it is done later this winter or early spring! Trust me when I say, these pictures do not do the paint job justice! Wait until the bike is together and I unveil it in full sunlight!!