Happy Birthday, Don!

Today is Don's birthday! He turns 50! So of course we are having a party. The whole goal when we started remodeling the kitchen was to have it done by today. It's not quite done yet (stain some trim, paint the walls & put the blinds back up) but it is ready for a party. So last night Don made chicken gumbo. Letting it sit overnight just makes it better anyway. Of course it takes lots of onions . . .



He insisted I photograph the green & red peppers cooking with the onions. It is a beautiful thing.



Mix in a little garlic!



And here's the birthday boy!







Have a terrific day, honey!

Happy Birthday, Christy!

Christy, my friend & guitar teacher, shares her birthday with Don. This photo was taken in Ft. Collins this summer when we visited Mary, our mutual friend.

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Alex is Dale & Colleen's son. He's a junior in high school. Did cross country this year & did well. Looks like his dad.

2010 calendar

I've always had a fascination with people's hands so making that the focus of next year's calendar was no surprise. I actually wanted to do a foot calendar, but quickly found out that people don't really like getting their feet photographed. Maybe starting out with Dad was my first mistake. But doing hands was probably more fun anyway. Some ideas came easily, some just unfolded without much planning. January, March & December were the same in all the calendars; the other months were more random. Dad let me take this photo for January to honor Mom on the first anniversary of her death. The photo of Mom was picked out by him . . .



This photo of Dale holding his pocketknife was one that just "happened". I was at his anniversary celebration & we were standing around outside taking group pictures & he pulled out his pocketknife . . .



Krista (Connie's middle child) loves to draw whether with pencil or colored pencil. This was my idea.



Jim is photographed here with his border collie, AJ (Alan Jackson).



Connie still plays guitar. I didn't plan to use this for the calendar but it fit the theme.



Luke (Connie's son) enjoys basketball. He got a hoop put up this past year.



Kyla (Betty & Ron's granddaughter & Jenny's daughter) is a busy young lady who likes to kick around a soccer ball.



This is Audrey (Don & Cheryl's granddaughter and George & Becky's daughter) chewing on her dad's finger.



Jason (Nancy & Mike's son) was "March". His birthday falls that month & he is crazy about basketball (played in college for one year) & Michael Jordan. And it's March Madness month.



This is Ashley's foot with her new tattoo inspired by her brother, Jason, & his incredible recovery from his February 1st accident. It reads "Miracle Do Happen". Rules (it's a "hand" calendar!) are just made to be broken . . .



Calendars need a cover photo & Dad posed for this one in front of his truck.



I finally visited Ted & his family this past summer. He is holding a heat sensitive camera he uses for work. David is watching. Ted is grinning because he's taking of picture of me while I'm photographing him.



Ted & Yvonne's daughter, Abby, is shown playing her flute. She plays many other instruments as well. She played a beautiful piece on the piano sitting behind her.



David, Ted & Yvonne's son, reluctantly posed for me playing his French horn.



Daniel, my son, is holding a Kendo sword. Kendo is a Japanese martial arts.



Amy (married to Nancy & Mike's son, Nick) is holding her daughter, Hannah.



Don is shown here with his granddaughter, Audrey.



Chelsey (Dale & Colleen's daughter) loves dance. Teaches dance classes too. These are the dance shoes she chose.



Austin, my son, is a little hard to recognize here. His passion is motorcycles so this seemed appropriate. Even the gloved hand.



This is Jayden (Nancy & Mike's granddaughter and Laura & Adam's daughter) back in July. A spontaneous moment!



Lola, Betty & Ron's daughter, is never without her cell phone. I could've stuck this in everyone's hand but that would've been boring.



I took this picture of Don enjoying a brew in an Irish pub in Oslo, Norway.



This is Lora (on the left) & Heather (Betty's daughters) after they had finished the Lincoln half marathon this past May.



Jean (Gene's wife) is shown with her bird. I think this bird is as old as Kendall!



Gene's hands remind me of Dad's. Callused with years of use on the farm. Just wanted the hands with nothing in them.



Kendall, Gene & Jean's son, was sitting in Dad's kitchen & it was probably my only chance all year to get a photo. Kendall is a beer drinker but he wasn't drinking this Bud. This was my idea.



I wasn't sure what to put in Briana's hands either (Connie's oldest) so this seemed like a good idea. Briana was frequently "February".



Angie (Don & Cheryl's daughter) writes for a living.



Marc is Gene's son-in-law. Married to Amber. They had joined us last spring for turkey season.



Roy is "December". With is birthday on Christmas is was an easy idea to come up with.



So now I am plotting what the theme will be for 2011. I already have an idea but need to practice on my family first. Thank you to everyone who allowed me to photograph them.

calendar contributions

I was fortunate to get some contributions for the calendar. Colleen (Dale's wife) took this picture of Alex for me. When I had the chance to take it Alex didn't have his keys with him because he'd been grounded.



This is Blythe, Jim & Deb's granddaughter and Amy & Heath's daughter.



This is Claire, Blythe's twin sister.



And this is Drew, little sister to Blythe & Claire. Angie did a great job photographing them!



This Elena, Betty's granddaughter and daughter of Heather & Don. Great photo!



This is Heath showing a calf.



This is Jackson, Jim & Deb's grandson and Amy & David's son.



This is Morgan, Jackson's older sister.



And this is Sophia, Jackson's baby sister.



This photo was submitted by Heather. I suspect it is Elena again. I also had photos of Aaron & Cate from Heather but have lost them in the changeover to a new computer.



Amy sent me this photo of her family which tied in nicely.



Amy's sister, Angie, had a similar idea. Great photo!



Thank you to everyone who contributed!