Images by Gro

The End of Our Trip to Disney

2010-03-14T23:22:00.005-04:00

Just a last hug from Mickey before we leave the hotel for the last time- for this visit...

Let me just thank all the men and women serving in the military for their service. And never forget their families waiting for them at home when they are risking their life for us to be safe.

On the ride to momom and pappap's condo for a little dinner

All the grand kids

Checking out some of the photos and videos from the trip

Making sure they are approved for viewing

Disney World - Day 5

2010-03-14T22:59:00.007-04:00

After putting on some more clothes we headed to Hollywood studio to meet some of the family.

So High School Musical was worth waiting for the kids.

A few crackers and hot chocolate helpes

Kristin and Emily was asked to join the Wild Cats and this was one of the high lights of the trip, at least this day

Getting Hair Cuts in Magic Kingdom

2010-03-14T22:39:00.005-04:00

Kristin needed a hair cut, so what better place to go than Magic Kingdom. We took the ferry, not the best choice considering the weather

No line and a private performance

This is Penny; Shannon's favorite hair dresser

Britt just needed a little adjustment on her bangs

Here is the balloon Uncle John got the girls a few days earlier. We had no room for it in the car, so Kristin and Britt decided to do what we do with all balloons, send them to heaven. For personal reasons we do not allow balloons, and send them to mormor and Mary Rita in heaven.

By now it was so cold, we went to the hotel and put on some more clothes and had one more park to go to, namely Hollywood Studios

On my own in Magic Kingdom

2010-03-14T22:20:00.004-04:00

I left the family in Animal Kingdom and brought my tripod to Magic Kingdom to capture some photos of of Cinderella's Castle during the fireworks.

Made it to the park just as the parade started

The castle looks magical during this season

After shooting these images I was so cold, that I ended up spending the next hour in a restaurant drinking hot chocolate

Then off to the Fireworks

Disney World - Day 4

2010-03-14T21:28:00.008-04:00

Animal Kingdom

Next Park was the Animal Kingdom and finally the day Kristin could dive the nuts to Chip and Dale that she had carried in her pocket for days. It had now become a little colder and the start of the coldest January in years.

We started the day at the Kilimanjaro Safari, a little cold but we managed

WE FOUND THEM!!!

Lunch at Pizzafari

Festival of the Lion King

Then we started to meet all the Characters.

New Years Eve

2010-03-14T21:06:00.004-04:00

After arriving back t the hotel for a little relaxation, and a short time of shooting on the hotel property, Aunt Dutchy and Uncle John came to visit on their way to their "winter home" in Florida.

There was a little fish pond on the property and I could not resist shooting a few photos.

It is also a very popular venue for weddings, a wedding every night we were staying at the hotel.

My FIL and Uncle Joe

Melissa and Aunt Dutchy

Shannon, Cathy and Emily

Kara and Emily

Not sure about the taste

After this little party in the room we headed back to Epcot. It was very crowded and we picked our spot for the fireworks and waited for it to start. It was incredible as always and shortly after it was over we and the other million of guests headed home. Thankfully we were lucky that very few were riding on the same monorail as we, so we arrived home at the hotel before 1 a.m.

Spaceship Earth Epcot

2010-03-14T21:01:00.002-04:00

Just a few different angles of this impressive "golf ball"

Disney World - Day 3

2010-03-12T20:38:00.007-05:00

New Years Eve in Epcot

As we did 10 years earlier, we spent New Years Eve in Epcot. It was another nice day and a nice change from Pa.

On the bus they told us that Magic Kingdom has been full since about 10 a.m and nobody else would be let in that day.

We had made lunch reservation in Italy and took the boat over the lake

Rita and Catherine

View of Spaceship Earth

Italy

Waiting to be seated

John and Cathy

Kristin, Cathy

Still waiting

Tree decoration in the restaurant

After an early dinner we took a photo of the entire crew

China

Norway

Snow White

Marry Christmas in Norwegian

Heading home for a little break

Disney World - Day 2

2010-03-12T19:55:00.008-05:00

Magic Kingdom

We waited for Kristin's medication and then met everybody in Magic Kingdom.

Britt went early with her cousins so Shannon could get a hair cut by her favorite hairdresser; the only one allowed to cut her hair, Penny.

Britt and Shannon, new haircuts and pixi dust

Main Street looks absolutely beautiful around Christmas time

We decided to go and get Fast Passes for Space Mountain, and got a time about 6 hours later.

While waiting we went on one of Britt's favorite rides, Dumbo!

and the Carousel

Uncle John was nice enough to purchase Mickey balloon for the girls.

It was warm enough for the kids to play with water and Chris and Shannon were the first to get soaked

Kristin decided she wanted to go on Space Mountain with mom and dad, Melissa and her aunts and uncles. She was very brave. I was behind her and did not hear her telling me that she wanted to get off the ride, in the middle of the ride.

After an exciting first day in the park we headed back to the hotel and back to the pool.

Fun with uncle Craig

Shannon relaxing buy the pool

Disney World - Day 1

2010-03-12T19:07:00.007-05:00

It was 10 years since last time the Engler family all visited Disney World together. The Engler family has grown and we had 5 more children with us at this trip.

We drove from Pa, started at 7 p.m and drove all night and met my in-laws in Jacksonville, Fl for breakfast. We all stayed at the Shades of Green, witch is a military hotel on the Disney grounds.

About 10 minutes after arriving at the hotel, the kids had their bathing suits on and ready to check out the pool. We took a short nap while momom and the girls were enjoying the warm weather and the pool.

Kristin unfortunately had a reaction to something (still unsure what) but we were able to get some medication and the eye infection cleared up quickly. The pharmacy brought the medication right to the hotel for the low fee of $5. Maybe the best deal in Orlando Fl.

As a result of the eye infection she got new sunglasses. She said the best thing about her new glasses, was that she did not have to use her own money to buy them.....

We spent the evening in the lobby after the family members had arrived from Ca, the kids were running around the halls in PJ's and Kristin with her big blue glasses.

Time to Catch Up

2010-03-12T19:04:00.002-05:00

It has been too long since last time I sat down and added any photos or wrote anything for the bolg, so I will try to catch up. First starting with our vacation to Disney World over Christmas vacation.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T15:18:00.002-05:00

We Wish You a Merry♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪ Christmas♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪We Wish You a Merry ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪Christmas ♥ ♥ ♥We Wish You A Merry ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪Christmas ♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪...And A Happy New Year!♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•¨•♫♪...Happy Birthday Jesus!

A Fitting Activity for These Snowy Days

2009-12-20T23:59:00.007-05:00

Create your own snowflake, here is one I created a few
minutes ago. Enjoy this little fun activity with
friends and family.

http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/index.html?id=9077212

So What I Want for Christmas

2009-12-20T22:28:00.002-05:00

So this is what is on the top of my children's Christmas list. Remember they are two girls age 7 & 9.

Kristin (the 7 year old) wants a really sharp pocketknife, and it has to be very sharp... Britt (the 9 year old) wants a bow and arrow.

What happened with my little girls.

When I spoke with my mother in law she laughed and said she would get right on that..

I was on the phone with my father and he thinks that every little girl needs a knife and asked me to make the purchase to fulfill their wishes. Now and I have to add, this is the guy that almost cut his finger of about a month ago.

First Snowfall of the season

2009-12-20T22:10:00.005-05:00

I think.. and it was a big one. The northeastern is one that made the record books. I believe we got about 15 inches in about 24 hours.

You live and learn and today I learned that I always have to check my settings on the camera before shooting. Last time I used it it was under very different circumstances and completely different settings..

Our house

The neighbor's house

Love the tree in the front yard

Britt is feeling under the weather and probably could not have picked a worse day to be sick.

Kristin loving the snow, and who cares about hat and gloves..

Our neighbor Tom, helping plowing our sidewalk and then let me use his snow blower to clean the drive way. So much better on my back.

Are they expecting a snow storm??

Britt was smart enough to get out of the way, but Kristin wanted to to stay in the line of fire, or should I say snow.

Luminary Night

2009-12-13T13:23:00.006-05:00

So the day of Coopertown Civic Associations Luminary Night is finally here, The kids are excited and can't wait for the party to start. We were somewhat lucky with the weather, cold but sunny.

Kristin had made an elf hat with a friend of hers yesterday

Brian was off work this year and able to help out with the luminaries

Kristin showing off her teeth or lack of teeth

The little girl across the street

She is not sure what is more important, the luminaries or her little doll

Kaya and Britt, playing on the ice waiting for us to leave

As Kristin said "those horses are the biggest horses I have ever seen"

The time has come

All aboard

This T-shirt says it all

Now a few luminary photos

As my husband said "when all other light burn out..... (you fill out the rest)

Maura Jane - Day 8th

2009-12-09T21:54:00.003-05:00

I stopped by their house the other day to capture some more precious images of Maura Jane.

She is just adorable, and not further comments are necessary

A few Christmas shots were required at this time of the year

On request of Daddy

Assembly of the Luminary Kits

2009-12-09T20:10:00.004-05:00

So it is almost time for our annual luminary night with carriage ride through the neighborhood, that means that it is also time for the luminaries to be assembled. We met at a Coopertown neighbors house on Sunday for a little assembly party.

10 candles, 10 white bags and some sand, and the bag is assembled.

Now only another 300 bags to go and we will be all done

With some teamwork, it goes a lot faster

The sand men

Not to little or not to much

Union break

Hot chocolate for everybody

Making sure that every bag is accounted for

Big and small giving a helping hand

Then it is time for Pizza

The girls enjoying lunch

The first snow arrived the day before and there was a little time for a snowball fight.

Maura Jane - 1 Day Old

2009-12-09T19:14:00.005-05:00

So Maura Jane decided to wait till after Thanksgiving to arrive. I think she should have waited another 2 days, so I could have won the 50/50 that I entered at the baby shower. One of the girls were spot on, the right date, sex, and weight, good for her.

On November 30th I dropped by the hospital to see little baby Maura Jane.

The newborns are so angelic. The only problem is that it does not last all that long!!

A Little memorabilia.

Maura came from the Nursery with a little bow.

Having seen a lot of newborns, I can honestly say that she looks beautiful and arrived with a perfect shaped head..

The one eyed bandit

She arrived just in time to receive her first Christmas ornament.

The only photo I could get with her eyes open.

Our Cousin's Maternity Session

2009-11-05T20:12:00.008-05:00

Our cousin's are expecting their first child in the end of the month.

We are still thinking they planed this to get out of hosting this years Thanksgiving Day dinner! Last year she told me she really wanted to host Thanksgiving, but could be hard since her due date is the following day.

This week I was able to shoot their maternity session:

Brian (a Mets fan) and Kevin (a Phillies fan) have been battling the entire season, wanted me to make this session very special, if you understand what I mean! I love my husband, but I have to draw the line somewhere.

Coopertown Elementary School's Halloween Parade and Party

2009-11-05T19:43:00.004-05:00

It was once again time for the Coopertown elementary school parade and following halloween party.

Kristin figured out early that she wanted to be a cow girl; (unsure if it is because Brian has been a cow for the last 15 years and maybe she thought she could boss him around for a change). She had mommom look high and low for cowboy boots and thrilled when she saw the boots for the first time.

Lots of good food at this party

Britt was a different story, she wanted to be a rockstar.... After not figuring out what to wear we ended up taking a trip to the costume store. She fell in love with the pirate coustume, so she decided to be a rocking pirate!

Britt and a girl in her class, guess they had the same idea

A 5th grader, did he loose a bet?

The Joker

Elvis just enterd the building

A First for Mrs Gilronan's Class, the kids were reading during the class party!

A little devil

Dracula

Mr G's class

Photos of my nieces in Norway

2009-10-28T22:57:00.004-04:00

Here are some photos I took in Norway when I was home this summer.

Coopertown Halloween Party

2009-10-28T17:08:00.005-04:00

As I have mentioned before, we live in the best neighborhood ever. Last Sunday was the anual Halloween Party for our neighborhood. It was held at Coopertown Elementary School, where we had entertaiment and food.

The most popular lady of the night

My daughter and her friend Kira

Put the nose right where it was supposed to go

A knight

A halloween witch

Minnie, she was so funny, as soon as she saw the camera she started to pose.

A little lion

What is halloween without a princess

A baby pumpkin

Two bees, sweet as honey

Dracula

A future austronaut

Some of the "older" girls helping out at the party

The cutest little cowgirl

Our Mother of Good Counsel - Visionary Conference

2009-10-28T16:30:00.005-04:00

I was honored when I was asked capture the Visionar Conference: "Dare to Dream, To Explore, to Become" What do we think we could or would become in the year 2020? Areas explored by the 80 parishioners included these topics: Ministries, Spirituality, Liturgy,Vocations, Communications, Administration, Education Buildings and Property.

The Basement

2009-10-28T11:55:00.006-04:00

So our basement had some issues, mold and water. We had a mold company here to remove the existing paneling and then treat the basement for mold. A few days later awe had a waterproofing company to com in to put in the french drain. After the french drain was done the entire house was covered in dust! We are still working on it, hoping it will be back to normal within the next couple of weeks.

The guys from the mold company was waring their masks and protective suits. It was kinda funny to watch. All the paneling was wrapped in plastic to prevent the mold spores from spreading.

The contractors had to carry all the concrete in buckets up the stairs and through the house to get it out. My arms would be hurting the following day.

Day 2, we have a very high water table

Thinking we could have an indoor swimming pool, stop the sump pump and we would be in business.

Coopertown Elementary Field Hockey

2009-10-28T10:53:00.004-04:00

My oldest daughter is finally able to play team sports in school and she decided to play field hockey this fall.

I am happy to say that all the kids still have all their teeth, which is a miracle after seeing them play. I hope I do not speak to soon, since tomorrrow is the student/ parents game. This is from one of their games this season.

Kaya

2009-10-28T10:32:00.004-04:00

Kaya is my daughters best friend and a cheerleader for the local football team.

She is a great girl and probably spent too much time with my daughter, she wanted to be done with the session after I had taken a few shoots.

So here is a few of the shots I was able to get before she ran away with my daughter:

Coopertown Fall Picnic

2009-10-28T09:31:00.008-04:00

So I have been neglecting my blog for too long, so now I have to try to catch up whit what is going on.

When we moved here to the Coopertown neighborhood, we did not realize how lucky we were. We have a one of the "old Fashion" neighborhood where everybody knows everybody and always willing to help each other out.

If my daughter bumps her knee, she will come home with a band aid: the older kids take care of the younger ones and the kids do not leave anybody out.

We have several events throughout the year and in the fall we have the fall picnic up at school. We have a great band for entertainment and games for the kids. We all bring some appetizers and get pizza from the local pizzeria, and have a great time.

So here to the photos from the Fall Picnic:

Same band as always, and just as enterftaining as last year

Hot dogs hoggies and pizza, could life be better?

With all the extras

A few of the neighborhood girls

Father & son moment

mom, can I have some more?

A little drink before going back to jumping in the bounce house

One of the newest boys in town

Kids were having a blast

Cant for get the mommy and me time

Dancing is not only for the young

But for the adults as well

Hell

2009-07-07T17:56:00.002-04:00

Hell Station

Stiklestad, Verdal

2009-07-07T15:56:00.006-04:00

During the 8th century, Norway was controlled by several local strong kings having control over their regions. At the end of the century, King Harald Fairhair (ON Haraldr Hárfagri) managed, in no little part due to the military superiority gained by his alliance with Sigurd Ladejarl of Nidaros, to subjugate these mini–kingdoms, and created the first unified Norwegian state.

This alliance folded after Harald's death, together with the infant state. The jarls of Lade and various descendants of Harald Fairhair would spend the next century interlocked in feuds over power. As well as power politics, religion also played a part in these conflicts, as two of the descendents of Harald Fairhair, Håkon the Good and Olav Tryggvason attempted to convert the then heathen Norwegians to Christianity.

In the year 1000, Svein (ON Sveinn) and Erik (ON Eiríkr) of Lade took control over Norway, being supported by the Danish king Svein.

In the year 1015, Olav Haraldsson, representing the descendants of Harald Fairhair, returned from one of his Viking trips and was immediately elected as King of Norway. In June 1016 he won the battle at Nesjar against the Lades.

The major reason behind Olav Haraldsson's success in becoming King of Norway was the fact that Denmark was busy trying to conquer England. In the year 1028 however, the Danish King Canute the Great made an alliance with the Lades, and Olav had to go into exile in Garðaríki (Russia). In the year of 1029 the last Lade, Håkon Jarl, drowned, and Olav decided to return to Norway with his army to regain his throne and the Kingdom of Norway.

According to saga sources, he traveled with his 3,600 man army through Sweden and crossed the mountains into the valley of Verdal (ON Veradalr), 80 km north of the city of Trondheim. Olav and his men arrived at Stiklestad a farm in the lower part of the valley. This was where the Battle of Stiklestad took place, as described by Snorre (Snorri Sturluson) in his famous book Heimskringla 200 years later.

At Stiklestad, Olav met an army led by Hårek from Tjøtta (ON Hárekr ór Þjóttu), Tore Hund (ON Þórir Hundr) from Bjarkøy and Kalf Arnason (ON Kálfr Árnason), a man who previously served Olav. The peasant army consisted of more than 7,000 men according to Snorre.

The battle took place on July 29, 1030 and at the end of the day, Olav's army had lost. During the battle, Olav received three severe wounds and died leaning against a large stone. His body was carried away and buried in secrecy in Trondheim.

100 years later, Nidaros Cathedral was built in Trondheim, and Olav's coffin was moved to this church. In the 16th Century, during the Protestant Reformation period, Olav's coffin was moved and his remains were reburied somewhere in Nidaros Cathedral — exactly where is still today an unsolved mystery.

The playground

Mom was still best

Nidarosdommen, Trondhjem

2009-07-07T14:43:00.005-04:00

Work on erecting the first stone church at St. Olav's burial site commenced around 1070, and it is assumed that the Cathedral was finished in all its splendour some time around 1300. It was then held to be the most beautiful church in the entire country, which we of course claim it still is! Admittedly, the Cathedral has undergone a great deal of restoration work after centuries of decay, but now, after more than 130 years of restoration and rebuilding, we can really appreciate the impression the church must have made on medieval pilgrims.

King Olav Haraldsson was buried by Nidelven, the river Nid, after he was killed in the battle of Stiklestad in 1030. Tradition has it that the high Altar of the Cathedral now stands on the exact spot of this burial site. One year and five days after he died the King was declared a saint, and pilgrims began to flock to Nidaros and the King's grave.

When restoration of the West Front started about 100 years ago only a handful of the original sculptures had survived. Most of today's sculptures have therefore been modelled and cut during the 1900s.

Sverresborg Trondhjem

2009-07-07T09:23:00.008-04:00

Sverresborg museum dates back to 1906 when a group of Trondhjems residents started collecting houses with characteristic houses on the way the houses where build earlier times.

We werw able to go back in time to 1906 and experience life in 1906. The girls were not to happy about having to put on costumes for the show. Sunniva the maid from 1906 had a boyfriend that had moves to America two years ago and spoke a little english so the girls could understand her.

We had to go to the grocer to pick up some items for the rich woman Sunniva worked for. He said that he saw some black legs run out of the store and after counting his candies, he found one was missing. The girls were lucky enough to get one piece of candy from 1906.

After the grocer we headed to the postoffice to see if Sunnivas boyfriend had sent her a letter, bu no letter and the grocer told her to wait another 2 years to receive a letter.

We then headed up to Sunnivas friends house to give her the box that came from America. She was very excited about getting a presesent all the way from America. In the bottom of the box was a letter from Erik, sunnivas boyfriend, where he asked her to marry her.

After the show the actors told fairy tales like they used to do in the old days. They did a great job

They also had animals, and the girls thought the pig smelt very bad

The museum also had a skimuseum.

As well as a several dentist offices througout the last 100 years

Roadtrip

2009-07-07T05:57:00.004-04:00

Our first stop on our trip to Trondheim after spending the night at my brothers house was Hanar. We stopped at the Olympic arena; Norlyshallen (Polar Light Hall) used at the 1994 Winter Olympics.

The kids were disapointed that we were unalble to go inside the building, there were some sort of function going on.

The building is beautiful, and it was used for figure skating and short track speed skating.

It is the largest wooden building in northern Europe and was buildt in 1992.

Now we have reached the mountains and an ice cream stop at Dovregubbens Hall on the mountains of Dovre.

A troll is natural to see here

Happy early 4th of July

2009-07-03T14:50:00.005-04:00

We are in Tronheim visiting my grandmother this week and are without a computer. Not a thing we are used to, the kids or I.

We are over at my great aunt and her son has a lab top we are able to use, so here we go

Happy Independance Day-

Happy Independence Day from GoDaddy.com!

Our anual hiking trip

2009-06-28T10:45:00.006-04:00

One important thing I learned on this trip was the tripod does not have to come whereever I go. I carried most of the kids stuff, Diet Coke (can't live without it) tripod as well as my own things on this hike, my backpack became very heavy at times....

The start of the trip.

The landscape is beautiful

As you can see the youngest did not want to carry her own backpack, so guess who had to carry that as well

The trees grows almos sideways, not sure if it is because the wind or the heavy snow that lay on on top during the winter months.

We finally reach our goal, Lakkenstova.

This cabin is the smaller one, and was build as a security cabin, in case the main cabin would burn down and strand visitors in the winter time.

The kids enjoyed playing in the ponds and small streams surrounding the cabins. I used them to keep my DC cold, so you can imagine how cold the water was.

The new cabin is beautiful. It has two bedrooms, kitchen and living area as well as a few extra storage areas.

The thing it does not have is electricity or running water. I made my daugther think twice when I asked if she flushed after sh went to the bathroom..

What will become cloudberry in a few months

These marks are found along the trials

A short break on the way down the mountain

Sankthansaften

2009-06-28T07:16:00.006-04:00

As you may be able to tell from the title, we have now arrived in Norway. The girls and I arrived just in time for the midsummer night or as we call it Sankthansaften .

Sankthansaften is celebrated on June 23.

A little history: The celebration of Midsummer's Eve was from ancient times linked to the summer solstice. People believed that mid-summer plants, especially Marigold had miraculous healing powers and they therefore picked them on this night.

Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirits which were believed to roam freely when the sun was turning southwards again. In later years, witches were also thought to be on their way to meetings with other evil powerful beings, though this is not the case today.

The kids enjoyed playing in the sand and in the river.

Horse shoe competition

As well as a nature quiz, before the bonfire, where our family came in on 2nd place.

The fire is finally burning and we are all pulling away from the heat..

A volleyball net was put up, where the ball ended up in the tree quite a few times.

My niece came from Oslo for the week to visit.

The Kris Twins Turn One

2009-06-07T21:47:00.003-04:00

The Kris family survived the twins first year.

With twice the laundry, feedings, diaper changes and doctor appointment; as well as twice the love.

She is just cute as a button

My daughter was very impressed that they can spell ONE

He was on the move as soon as he hit the floor, time to explore

Playtime

The Love between siblings

Long time since last post

2009-06-07T21:45:00.002-04:00

It has been too long since my last post on the blog, life has been crazy. So now I will try to do a little catch up.

Longwood Gardens

2009-04-14T16:30:00.010-04:00

Earlier this month my father came for a visit. I had heard lots of great things about Longwood Gardens and we decided to make the trip to check it out. We were not disapointed.

In 1906, Pierre S. du Pont purchased the Peirce Arboretum to save its trees from being cut for lumber. Over the next nearly half century, Mr. du Pont developed Longwood Gardens into what it is today, a magnificent horticultural showplace. Longwood Gardens, 1,050 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows.

The canopy Cathedral

The sky’s the limit for this spectacular display of treehouses. Three large-scale treehouses created by the country’s best designers take center stage in picturesque settings around the Gardens. The Canopy Cathedral, an ornate two-story house inspired by a Norwegian church overlooking the Italian Water Garden.

Peirce-duPont House

Joshua Peirce, a Quaker farmer, built the section of the brick house with the covered porch in 1730 (the porch dates from 1824). Successive generations of the Peirce family enlarged the modest farmhouse during the nearly two centuries it remained in their possession.

It was 1906 when Pierre S. du Pont purchased the property to save the amazing trees that were about to be harvested for timber. He expanded the dwelling in 1909, and again in 1914, to serve as his country home and first conservatory. The house was opened to the public in 1976 and now contains the Longwood Heritage Exhibit, a comprehensive collection of historic photos, artifacts, home movies, and video that tells the story of the stewards of the land who preserved and developed the property.

Chimes Tower

Stone unearthed during the Main Fountain Garden construction was used to partially build the Chimes Tower and Waterfall in 1929. Water for the 50-foot man-made waterfall comes from a reservoir under the Eye of Water.

The 61-foot-tall Chimes Tower houses a 62-bell Carillon. The lower portion of the Tower is open daily and the upper portion and carillon are open after scheduled bell concerts.

Caryopteris Allee

This long, narrow allée between the Topiary and Rose Gardens and the Main Fountain Garden features white hibiscus standards blooming in late summer set amid a soothing border of bluebeard (Caryopteris). The Love Temple at the south end, one of three at Longwood, provides an eye-catching terminus to the vista.

The Conservatory

Longwood's Conservatory is one of the world's great greenhouse structures. It shelters 20 indoor gardens and 5,500 types of plants. The Conservatory was built in 1919 and has been periodically expanded and renovated. At present, there are 195,668 square feet—or 4.5 acres—of covered display, production, and research greenhouses.

Baby and Child Portrait Contest

2009-03-01T12:28:00.002-05:00

Cash prizes for these winners include $2,000 for First, $1,000 for Second, $750 for Third, and $500 for each Honorable Mention. One portrait from the Final Round will also receive the highest of accolades -- Grand Prize Winner. The cash prize will be $5,000 for this lucky winner! All cash prizes will be given to the families of the winning portraits.

Miller’s 2009 Baby & Child Contest Rules

All portraits taken January 1- June 21, 2009 are eligible for entry into the 2009 Baby & Child Contest.
Miller’s will not use any participants’ images without prior consent.
Children age 12 and under can be entered into the contest.

Expecting

2009-03-01T11:13:00.004-05:00

Celebrate the Beauty of Pregnancy

Is it your first pregnancy or maybe your last?
Do not miss this chance to capture this special time in your life.

Take advantage of this maternity/newborn special.

On location maternity session
On location newborn session
11x14 collage of images from the sessions

$125

Maternity Sessions are usually scheduled at month 7 or 8.

The History of Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T19:20:00.001-05:00

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

Source: history.com

3rd Grade Field Trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art

2009-02-11T19:13:00.005-05:00

After the field trip was canceled a few weeks ago because of snow, the day had finally come to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Leaving Coopertown

The spirits are high and the volume is on as load as can be as soon as we got on the bus.

Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen

Made in Paris, France. Executed in wax 1878-81; cast in bronze after 1922. Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas, French, 1834 - 1917. Bronze cast by the founder Adrien Hébrard, Paris.

Bronze, tulle, and silk
Height: 39 inches (99.1 cm)

Degas depicted young ballet dancers--in performances, at rehearsals, or at moments of exhausted rest--in numerous paintings, drawings, pastels, and monotypes. In 1878, he added sculpture to his investigation of the theme. A young dancer named Marie van Goethem posed for what would be the only sculpture that Degas exhibited in his lifetime. Originally executed in wax and shown in 1881, the work daringly incorporated real elements such as the dancer's tulle tutu and silk hair ribbon. The sculpture was cast in bronze around 1922, several years after Degas's death.

Ceremonial Teahouse: Sunkaraku

Made in Tokyo, Japan
c. 1917 Designed by Ogi Rodo, Japanese, 1863 - 1941

The name of this teahouse, Sunkaraku, or "Evanescent Joys," reflects the spirit of the traditional Japanese tea ceremony as a temporary refuge from the complexities of daily life. The architecture reveals a special delight in natural materials: cedar thatch for the roof, nandina and red pine with the bark intact for the pillars, bamboo stalks for the ceiling and rainspouts, and earth-colored plaster for the walls. The Museum acquired Sunkaraku from Ogi Rodo, the architect who constructed it using elements from an eighteenth-century teahouse.

Japanese Temple

Beautiful roof of a Temple

Made in Japan
Muromachi Period (1392-1573), 1392-1573

The Moorish Chief

Eduard Charlemont, Austrian, 1848 - 1906

Standing in front of an arch that closely resembles the architecture of the Alhambra in Spain, the Moorish chief exudes power and mystery. This painting was probably shown at the Paris Salon exhibition of 1878 with the title Le Gardien du serail (The Harem Guard).

Charlemont was a Viennese artist known primarily for his nudes and portraits. While this subject was unusual for him, it was very popular in Europe at the time.

The Four Seasons

Léon Frédéric, Belgian, 1856 - 1940
Made in Belgium

The Four Seasons: Spring
1893

The Four Seasons: Fall
1894

The Four Seasons: Summer
1894

The Four Seasons: Winter
1894

After lunch we had some time before we had to get back on the bus and took a trip to the front of the Museum. The kids wanted to see the Rocky stairs.

One Month Since Last Post

2009-02-11T16:55:00.003-05:00

Between my two jobs, photography, house and family I have not had a minute to sit down and write on the blog.

We have had the stomach bug, which seamed never to end; and caused many sleepless nights. The stretch of sleepless night made me wonder how we managed to have two babies. I have never felt so tired as I have these last few weeks. I guess we have become spoiled in that the kids are older and love to sleep.

So finally over the stomach bug, Kristin started having a fever on Sunday.... Here we go again. She started coughing and having a hard time breathing. So after calling the doctor on Monday and being told to come in and see them, we left with a few prescriptions and a nebulizer.

Now we are back to having to be up every few hours and I am getting used to it!!

Hopefully the spring will be here soon and we get back to normal again. Today I was one of the lucky parents being able to join them.

You Can Never be Too Young...

2009-01-11T14:59:00.003-05:00

to have a favorite sports team!

Valentines Day Cards

2009-01-08T16:50:00.003-05:00

Are you tired of the the old Valentines Cards?
Want something different?

Try my customized Valentines Card this year, you will not regret it!

New Years Eve Baby

2009-01-07T00:10:00.004-05:00

This beautiful baby boy was born New Years Eve, 2008. Mom and Dad will have lots of girls knocking on his door in the future.

Saying Goodbye to the Year 2008

2008-12-31T22:01:00.000-05:00

2008 was a year filled with joy and sadness.

After ending 2007 with a wonderful Christmas in Norway we returned to spend a quite New Years Eve at home.

It was a warm winter without any large snowfalls, which suited me fine, but left the kids without a big season of sledding and skiing. This also meant that there was less shoveling and backache for the adults (read me). Mormor bought the kids skates for Christmas and we had several trips to the local ice skating rink. Thankfully only bruises and no broken bones.

February was a great time for the mother of the house, a new 24” imac joined our family. This was after months of wanting to throw the 9 year old pc out the window, at several occasions. It took a little getting used to, but we have adjusted to the new software.

The spring was spent preparing for Britt’s First Communion. Trying to decide the day of the big date, depended on the aspargus season ( in Norway), my mothers health and the other families at the church. As any person preparing to have a party at their house would do, Brian decided that he did not want the weeds in the front yard. So he killed the entire lawn, 3 weeks before the big day. I was very happy to have my father here to help us turn the dirt and help us plant the new grass. The lawn looked great 2 weeks after the party.

My parents and brother and his family were able to make the trip and we were very excited about it. My nieces were able to join the girls at Coopertown Elementary and had fun seeing how school is “over there.” We took a few day trips with the family and spent 2 nights in Washington DC. We visited almost every possible tourist spot in the DC area. While Brian and the gang went back to the hotel after walking all day, my mother and I spent more time walking around where I took more photographs. I wanted to take a taxi home and my mother said “it is ONLY 20 blocks, we ended up walking.

Britt’s First Communion was very special. She had her hair done at the hair dresser and looked do grown up. She was not to happy about the little photo shoot I dragged her on, but it was well worth it. Brian’s brother Craig and his family as well as Cathy came in from San Diego for the event. She wanted to get a lab top computer and was very happy when somebody handed her an envelope.

Ever since my mother found out she had ovarian cancer, 7 years ago, I spoke on the phone with her every day. Knowing that she had cancer has been tucked bank in my mind, as May approached, I could hear in her voice that things were not as usual. My father took sick leave from the hospital and stayed home until his vacation started.

Brian and his college buddies planed a weekend in Providence, without their wives and kids. Brian had helped plan this for months and was excited for a weekend of golf and “reading.” Well, being the best wife ever, I put a stopper to his plans. I ended up in the ER the night before he was leaving with shoulder pain. After having received more painkillers that could kill a cow, he decided to stay home to take care of me and the kids. So obviously I still owe him big time (added by Brian)

As tradition is, the girls and I headed home to Norway as soon as school was out. My parents met us at the airport, and my mom looked a little skinny, but otherwise “healthy.” As I did the summer before, I worked at a local restaurant. My mother being herself, pushed me to work as much as possible. A few weeks into our stay my mother went for her weekly checkup at the hospital and they wanted to keep her to give her more fluids. She had a blood clot and the change in her, was dramatic. She had decided to spend her last days at home and we had a hospital bed and other equipment delivered to the house. She was welcomed home with a sign, fresh flowers from the garden and snacks at a table next to her bed, all made by the grandchildren.

My brother, Trond came home from Oslo, ad his family came the week after. They rented a vacation house with a pool, where my girls loved to spend time with their cousins. Even if it was a sad time, it was nice to have all the family around at this time. Unfortunately, Trond’s mother in law passed when they were in Mandal. She had been sick for several years and it was not a surprise. My mother died three days later, July 31, 2008 with all her family by her side.

A few night before she died, I sent the girls downstairs to say good night and good buy to MorMor and Kristin said she did not want her to go to heaven yet, she laughs and said she did not think it was going to be yet. They went back upstairs and then they came back downstairs with a little basket and a letter Britt wrote. This is what the note said

“MorMor,
Mormor you were a very great mormor. I want you to stay down here not up there in heaven. But if you do I will really really miss you SO much. Well Kristin will miss you to so much to. But anyway, me and Kristin made you something.
Love
Britt & Kristin”

They had made an envelope and put Norwegian and American coins in it so she could buy coffee for Brian’s grandmother and herself when she arrived in heaven. She loved coffee.

The funeral was very nice and very sad. I want to thank my aunt Astrid and my sister in laws for taking the girls, so I could spend time with my mother, in her last weeks.

We were home long enough to help my father clean out some of my mothers clothes and belongings, so he would not have to do it on his own. Driving to the airport was an unreal event knowing I would never see my mother again.

The kids are dealing with her death well and were happy to start school in the fall. Both Britt and Kristin played soccer in the fall. It was amazing to see Britt’s soccer team starting to play like a team and not 12 kids trying to kick the ball at the same time.

In the end of September about 40 photographers that I have met on a photography forum met in Beckley WV. It was a great weekend, where I got the opportunity to meet friends and do a lot of shooting. As usual as a great wife this trip put a stop to Brian playing golf with some of his buddies at an exclusive club that most golfers consider one of the best courses anywhere.(Metedekonk National C.C.)

Two weeks later I went to the PhotoPlus convention in New York City and was again meet a group of photographer from the same forum and enjoy a few hours on a private boat trip on the Hudson River. The trip was sponsored by Mpix, Popular Photographer magazine and American Photo Magazine. They asked us to submit our photographs from the rip and one of my photographs was chosen to appear in the January issue of the magazines.

As we have the past few years we had our family over for Thanksgiving. It was overall a success, except when they all came wearing their World Champs Phillies shirts. After Brian and his cousins had been texting back and fourth throughout the baseball season, Brian saw it coming and hung the Giants jersey in the dining room.

Early in December we spent the weekend in NJ, with the family. Craig and family were in town for the annual Christmas party and Cathy and Jason came in from California as well. It was the first time we met Jason and we hope we did not scare him away.

Christmas was spent in Morristown with the in-laws. Not thinking that Morristown is north of here, we let the kids were sneakers and crocks. When we came to NJ I remembered that they had snow the week earlier. So, the kids wanted to go out and play, but couldn’t.. Sorry kids. The big gift this year was a Wii. The kids (including Brian) has spent their fair time in front of the TV playing their new games. I just want them to remember to wear their wrist band, so they do not break the TV. So far, so good.

So, here we have reached the last day of the year and it is cold and windy. They just said it is the 7th coldest New Years Eve in 100 years. So, we will not be heading downtown for the fireworks tonight. As long as the TV is not broken by a Wii remote, we will be watching it in front of the fireplace.

We hope you all had a great 2008, and wish all a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2009!

Valentines Day Portraits

2008-12-30T20:21:00.007-05:00

Can you believe it, I shot the kids Valentines Portraits this weekend. Sunday afternoon it was the perfect day for photography, 64F and cloudy.

Knowing my children I knew this was probably my only chance to get them outside without whining and complaining about how cold it was. We live close to Haverford College and their beautiful campus. I decided to to take the kids one by one, increasing the chance that they would listen and get the shoot over as fast as possible.

With some technical difficulties, here are some of my favorite photos of Britt:

And some of my favorites photos of Kristin:

Christmas Morning

2008-12-28T20:02:00.006-05:00

A few snap shots from Christmas Day morning, in Morristown at the in-laws house.

My mother made the girls an Advent calender a few years ago. Kristin decided to save all her candy and give it to Santa. She left it by the fireplace for Santa to find it.

When she woke up, she ran to the fireplace to see if Santa had eaten the candy. She was happy that he did not eat himself (a chocolate Santa)

Santa left them MP3 players they requested. Today Kristin came and asked if Santa was real, when I asked why, she said "on the present from Santa was a ToysRus sticker, did somebody buy it for Santa or is Santa not real" I changed the subject as soon as I could!!

This years "BIG" present

The Wii
Brian just informed me that he is sore from playing it....

The best presents are the homemade ones!

A Christmas Miracle

2008-12-15T18:30:00.008-05:00

This is a little story that Sara received in an email from her father and I wanted to share the story with you all.

Is it true, does it matter?

Three years ago, a little boy and his grandmother came to see Santa At
the Mayfair Mall in Wisconsin . The child climbed up on his lap,
holding a picture of a little girl. "Who is this?" asked Santa, smiling.

"Your friend? Your sister?'" "Yes, Santa,' he replied..
"My sister, Sarah, who is very sick," he said sadly.

Santa glanced over at the grandmother who was waiting nearby, and
saw her dabbing her eyes with a tissue. "She wanted to come with me

to see you, oh, so very much, Santa!" the child exclaimed.
"She misses you," he added softly.

Santa tried to be cheerful and encouraged a smile to the boy's face,
asking him what he wanted Santa to bring him for Christmas.
When they finished their visit, the Grandmother came over to help the
child off his lap, and started to say something to Santa, but halted.

"What is it?" Santa asked warmly.

"Well, I know it's really too much to ask you, Santa, but ." the old
woman began, shooing her grandson over to one of Santa's elves
to collect the little gift which Santa gave all his young visitors.

"The girl in the photograph... my granddaughter well, you see ..
she has leukemia and isn't expected to make it even through the
holidays," she said through tear-filled eyes. "Is there any way, Santa
.any possible way that you could come see Sarah? That's all she's asked
for, for Christmas, is to see Santa."

Santa blinked and swallowed hard and told the woman to leave
information with his elves as to where Sarah was, and he would
see what he could do. Santa thought of little else the rest of
that afternoon.

He knew what he had to do.

"What if it were MY child lying in that hospital bed, dying," he
thought with a sinking heart, "This is the least I can do."

When Santa finished visiting with all the boys and girls that evening,
he retrieved from his helper the name of the hospital where Sarah
was staying. He asked the assistant location manager how to get to
Children's Hospital.

"Why?" Rick asked, with a puzzled look on his face.

Santa relayed to him the conversation with Sarah's grandmother
earlier that day. "C'mon.....I'll take you there." Rick said softly.
Rick drove them to the hospital and came inside with Santa.
They found out which room Sarah was in. A pale Rick said he
would wait out in the hall.

Santa quietly peeked into the room through the half-closed door
and saw little Sarah on the bed.

The room was full of what appeared to be her family; there was the
Grandmother and the girl's brother he had met earlier that day.
A woman whom he guessed was Sarah's mother stood by the bed,
gently pushing Sarah's thin hair off her forehead.

And another woman who he discovered later was Sarah's aunt, sat in a
chair near the bed with a weary, sad look on her face.. They were
talking quietly, and Santa could sense the warmth and closeness of
the family, and their love and concern for Sarah.

Taking a deep breath, and forcing a smile on his face, Santa entered the
room, bellowing a hearty, "Ho, ho, ho!" "Santa!" shrieked little Sarah
weakly, as she tried to escape her bed to run to him, IV tubes intact.
Santa rushed to her side and gave her a warm hug..
A child the tender age of his own son -- 9 years old -- gazed up at him
with wonder and excitement.

Her skin was pale and her short tresses bore telltale bald patches
from the effects of chemotherapy. But all he saw when he looked at
her was a pair of huge, blue eyes. His heart melted, and he had to
force himself to choke back tears.

Though his eyes were riveted upon Sarah's face, he could hear the
gasps and quiet sobbing of the women in the room.

As he and Sarah began talking, the family crept quietly to the
bedside one by one, squeezing Santa's shoulder or his hand
gratefully, whispering "Thank you" as they gazed sincerely at him with
shining eyes. Santa and Sarah talked and talked, and she told him
excitedly all the toys she wanted for Christmas, assuring him she'd
been a very good girl that year.

As their time together dwindled, Santa felt led in his spirit to pray
for Sarah, and asked for permission from the girl's mother. She nodded
in agreement and the entire family circled around Sarah's bed, holding
hands.Santa looked intensely at Sarah and asked her if she believed
in angels. "Oh, yes, Santa... I do!" she exclaimed."Well, I'm going to
ask that angels watch over you." he said. Laying one hand on the
child's head, Santa closed his eyes and prayed.. He asked that God
touch little Sarah, and heal her body from this disease.

He asked that angels minister to her, watch and keep her. And when
he finished praying, still with eyes closed, he started singing, softly,
"Silent Night, Holy Night.... all is calm, all is bright..."

"The family joined in, still holding hands, smiling at Sarah, and
crying tears of hope, tears of joy for this moment, as Sarah beamed
at them all.

When the song ended, Santa sat on the side of the bed again and held
Sarah's frail, small hands in his own. "Now, Sarah," he said
authoritatively,

"you have a job to do, and that is to concentrate on getting well.
I want you to have fun playing with your friends this summer,
and I expect to see you at my house at Mayfair Mall this time
next year!"

He knew it was risky proclaiming that to this little girl who had
terminal cancer, but he "had" to. He had to give her the greatest
gift hecould -- not dolls or games or toys -- but the gift of HOPE.

"Yes, Santa!" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes bright. He leaned down and
kissed her on the forehead and left the room.

Out in the hall, the minute Santa's eyes met Rick's, a look passed
between them and they wept unashamed.

Sarah's mother and grandmother slipped out of the room quickly
and rushed to Santa's side to thank him.

"My only child is the same age as Sarah," he explained quietly.
"This is the least I could do." They nodded with understanding
and hugged him.

One year later, Santa Mark was again back on the set in Milwaukee
for his six-week, seasonal job which he so loves to do. Several
weeks went by and then one day a child came up to sit on his lap.

"Hi, Santa! Remember me?!" "Of course, I do," Santa
proclaimed (as he always does), smiling down at her. After all,
the secret to being a"good" Santa is to always make each child feel
as if they are the "only" child in the world at that moment.

"You came to see me in the hospital last year!" Santa's jaw dropped.
Tears immediately sprang in his eyes, and he grabbed this little
miracle and held her to his chest. "Sarah!" he exclaimed. He
scarcely recognized her, for her hair was long and silky and her
cheeks were rosy-- much different from the little girl he had visited
just a year before.

He looked over and saw Sarah's mother and grandmother in the
sidelines smiling and waving and wiping their eyes.

That was the best Christmas ever for Santa Claus.

He had witnessed --and been blessed to be instrumental in bringing
about-- this miracle of hope. This precious little child was healed.
Cancer-free. Alive and well. He silently looked up to Heaven and
humbly whispered, "Thank you, Father.

'Tis a very, Merry Christmas!"

Annual Luminary Night

2008-12-14T10:49:00.005-05:00

Our neighborhood, Coopertown, had its annual luminary night with a horse-drawn carriage ride through the neighborhood.

After lighting our bags we headed up to Coopertown Elementary School's cafeteria to sign up for the horse-drawn carriage ride. The ride was as expected, cold and the kids complained about the smell.

After the ride we headed back to the cafeteria for some appetizers, meatballs, side dishes, desserts and fruit. The CCA provided hot cocoa!

The kids played with their friends, and I headed back out to shoot some photos of the neighborhood.

My Photograph

2008-12-12T17:50:00.004-05:00

is published in January's issue of Popular Photography and American PHOTO.

In October I attended "Mpix Takes on New York City" and submitted a few of my photographs from the trip. I received a phone call from Lauren from Popular Photography that one of my photographs had been chosen to appear in the magazines.

So yesterday I got a call from a photographer friends that saw me in a group shot from the trip and called me to let me know. I could not make it to the book store yesterday, so today I was there as early as I could.

You can view some of the other photographs taken that day here:

New York City Boat Tour

Here is my photograph that was selected to be in Popular Photography and American PHOTO:

Shannon

2008-12-08T13:45:00.003-05:00

Even if Emily did not want to have he Christmas portraits taken, does not mean he younger cousin did not.

Little Shannon came running telling me that she wanted her picture taken.. She was the best little model ever.

Here are a few of my youngest niece:

My Weekend

2008-12-08T01:32:00.008-05:00

We went to NJ to my in laws this weekend, for a visit with my in laws.

It was a full house, Brian's brother and family was in from San Diego for business, and his sister and boyfriend came as well from San Diego for a short visit. With the oldest brother living just a few minutes away from my in laws the whole family was together for the weekend.

We went to our favorite restaurant for dinner on Friday night where we met Jason for the first time. He was a big hit with all the kids, so he got their approval as well as ours.

Saturday, my SIL and I took my California niece out to Delbarton for some Christmas portraits. It was about 31F and very cold. She had no interest in having her photos taken, so I shot lots of portraits with treas rolling down her face. We tried again later that day inside, but she rather play with her cousins that have her portraits taken.

Saturday night we went out to dinner with friends for our annual Christmas dinner, the food and company was great. We got the news that somebody is expecting another baby. We came home early (after a long night Friday).

Here are some of the photos of Emily form Saturday

Bryn Mawr Terrace

2008-12-05T00:31:00.005-05:00

The 3rd grade Brownies spent an hour with the elderly at Bryn Mawr Terrace to spread some Christmas spirit.

The girls had put together a program filled with song, Irish dancing, poems and piano music.

Bryn Mawr Terrace

The residents were waiting for the girls in the Main Lounge

Just a fun play with filters

Party time

The bottles were not just for show....

A piano man was also scheduled at the same time as the girls, so he played and the girls sang.

They did a fantastic job and I am very proud of them.

Our Christmas Card 2008

2008-12-03T12:32:00.005-05:00

So I found this template at a photography forum that I am using for this years Christmas Card. I think I have made my decision and this will be our card this year.

Front

Inside

Back

Cost of 12 Days of Christmas

2008-12-02T14:37:00.007-05:00

PNC Christmas Price Index - 2008
Traditional

...............................................................2007 ....................2008
One Partridge in a Pear Tree .............$164.99 ..........$219.99
Partridge ...............................................$15.00 ............$20.00
Two Turtle Doves ................................$40.00 ...........$55.00
Three French Hen............................... $45.00 ............$30.00
Four Calling Birds ...............................$599.96 ..........$599.96
Five Gold Rings ...................................$395.00 ..........$349.95
Six Geese-a-Laying .............................$360.00 ..........$240.00
Seven Swans-a-Swimming .................$4,200.00 ......$5,600.00
Eight Maids-a-Milking .......................$46.80 ............$52.40
Nine Ladies Dancing ...........................$4,759.19 ........$4,759.19
10 Lords-a-Leaping .............................$4,285.06 .......$4,413.61
11 Pipers Piping ....................................$2,213.40 .......$2,284.80 $
12 Drummers Drumming ...................$2,397.85 ........$2,475.20
Total Christmas Price Index ..............$19,507.25 ......$21,080.10

True cost of Christmas in song...........$86,608.51

One Partridge in a Pear Tree......$ 2,639.88
Partridge.......................................$ 240.00
Pear Tree.......................................$ 2,399.88
Two Turtle Doves.........................$ 605.00
Three French Hen........................$ 300.00
Four Calling Birds........................$ 5,399.64
Five Gold Rings............................$ 2,799.60
Six Geese-a-Laying.......................$ 1,680.00
Seven Swans-a-Swimming...........$33,600.00
Eight Maids-a-Milking.................$ 262.00
Nine Ladies Dancing....................$19,036.76
10 Lords-a-Leaping......................$13,240.83
11 Pipers Piping............................$ 4,569.60
12 Drummers Drumming............$ 2,475.20

To view the data associated with each item from the song, visit http://www.pncchristmaspriceindex.com/CPI/charts.html

Create Your Own Snowflake

2008-12-02T12:33:00.002-05:00

A photographer friend showed me this site and it is a fun little site.

Show your creativity and have some fun. You can write a little message to go with your snowflake and email it to your friends and family.

Here is the snowflake I created: http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/index.html?id=7127047

The Kids

2008-11-30T13:07:00.004-05:00

So I finally took my kids out to take the Christmas card pictures. Kicking and screaming, they came (with some bribes).

We went to Lynnewood train station for a different feel than last.

Mom, she is leaning on me

Mom, I'm cold

Mom, are we done yet?

Mom, I spilled hot chocolate on my jacket

Finally, they both looked right in the camera!

Is it time for the silly pictures??

The Gowen Family

2008-11-24T19:33:00.005-05:00

This weekend I photographed the Gowen kids...

Christmas Shopping

2008-11-22T11:08:00.002-05:00

The Christmas shopping season is here.

What do you give to the person that have everything?

I have the perfect solution: Photo Bags

The Beach bag

The Satchel Bag

The Clutch Bag

The Bucket Bag (Small, Regular or Large)

The Droppkit Bag

The Diaper Bag

The Messenger Bag

The Classic Tote

There are more options, please inquire for more information.

Mickey Mouse turns 80

2008-11-19T08:43:00.007-05:00

Mickey Mouse turns 80 years old today, and there's not a gray hair on him. Sure, he's a little rounder, a little squatter, and he's been wearing the same clothes for decades, but all in all he looks pretty good. Sure, Mickey hasn't had a movie in two years (his last one went direct-to-video), but his cheerful face remains one of the most recognizable images in the world, even beating out Santa Claus. Disney threw a big party for the mouse's 75th birthday, so this year's festivities will be comparatively subdued. But TIME has been following the adorable mouse since the beginning, and 80 years is still a big number to us. (Read TIME's 1937 cover story on Walt Disney)

Mickey's story, however, starts with a rabbit. Disney Brothers Studio was just another cog in Universal Pictures' animation machine when, in 1927, Walt Disney created a character called Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. With his round, white face, big button nose and floppy black ears, the smiling Oswald was an instant hit and Universal ordered a series of shorts. When Disney met with executives to negotiate another contract in 1928, the rabbit was still riding high and the animator thought he had the upper hand. Instead, the studio told him that it had hired away all of his employeees and retained the rights to Oswald. Univesral offered to keep Disney if he took a lower salary, but he refused. He and Ub Iwerks — the one loyal animator who stayed with Disney Bros. — returned to work and held a series of hair-pulling, late-night brainstorming sessions for Oswald's replacement. They shortened the ears, added some extra padding around the middle, and turned the rabbit into a mouse. Named Mortimer. The moniker didn't last; there are a number of tales attempting to explain how and why — the most popular being that Disney's wife hated the name and suggested its replacement — but soon he was ready for his debut as Mickey.

Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Wille, 1928

The first two Mickey shorts drew no attention, but then came Steamboat Willie, the first animation to feature synchronized music and sound effects, hit the screen. The film premiered in New York on Nov. 18, 1928 and was an instant hit. A series of Mickey Mouse shorts appeared within a matter of months — including Plane Crazy, a short that predated Steamboat Willie in which Mickey plays a rodent Charles Lindbergh. The mouse was a national fad by the end of the year, and it wasn't long before the real genius of Walt Disney kicked in: marketing. Walt quickly started up a line of Mickey merchandise, and within two years the Mickey Mouse Club, a fan club for children, was up and running.
written by: Claire Suddath

Kristin celebrated her 5th birthday with Mickey and Minnie

NILMDTS

2008-11-18T08:52:00.002-05:00

I just got a call from a nurse at Penn U hospital , Philadelphia, about a baby that just passed away. Mom decided in the end that she did not want to have a session, but it reminds me about how lucky we were to Britt pulled through and is a healthy young girl.

Here is some info on this great organization:

Pregnancy and birth are miraculous journeys. This amazing time of life is full of mystery, anticipation, joy, hope, and wonder. Feeling the powerful energy of birth and new life, watching as a new family is born unto each other. These things humble and amaze. These are the things that we celebrate when a baby is born.

But there is another aspect of pregnancy and birth. There is an unexpected place in this journey where some families may find themselves. When a baby dies, a world is turned upside down. There is confusion, sadness, fear, and uncertainty that cannot be explained. There is sorrow where there should have been joy. During this time, it might be impossible for families to know what they might need in order to heal in the future.

This is the place where the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation gently provides a helping hand and a healing heart. For families overcome by grief and pain, the idea of photographing their baby may not immediately occur to them. Offering gentle and beautiful photography services in a compassionate and sensitive manner is the heart of this organization. The soft, gentle heirloom photographs of these beautiful babies are an important part of the healing process. They allow families to honor and cherish their babies, and share the spirits of their lives.

The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation (NILMDTS) administers a network of nearly 3,000 volunteer professional photographers in the United States and eight International countries. At a family's request, a NILMDTS Affiliated Photographer will come to your hospital or hospice location and conduct a sensitive and private portrait session. The portraits are then professionally retouched and presented to the families on an archival DVD or CD that can be used to print portraits of their cherished baby.

Our entire network of affiliated professional photographers graciously donate their time and talents to our families and we are proud to be able to offer our services at no cost.Your Donations are greatly needed and greatly appreciated.
Please consider supporting the mission of NILMDTS

NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, IRS EIN# 77-0656322.
All proceeds go directly into the operation of this organization to help parents who are experiencing an early infant loss.

The Kline Girls

2008-11-17T20:11:00.008-05:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing the Kline girls at Haverford College. It was a cold and windy fall day, feeling more like winter, than fall.

The Kline family was the winners of this portrait session at the Coopertown elementary school fund raiser earlier this year. The girls was wonderful and I was able to capture lots of great portraits of them.

Veterans Day

2008-11-11T17:24:00.004-05:00

History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

The difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day

Memorial Day honors servicemembers who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries incurred during battle. Deceased veterans are also remembered on Veterans Day but the day is set aside to thank and honor living veterans who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime.

President Eisenhower’s letter to Harvey V. Higley, Administrator of Veterans' Affairs, designating him Chairman, Veterans Day National Committee

The White House Office
October 8, 1954

Dear Mr. Higley:

I have today signed a proclamation calling upon all of our citizens to observe Thursday, November 11, 1954 as Veterans Day. It is my earnest hope that all veterans, their organizations, and the entire citizenry will join hands to insure proper and widespread observance of this day. With the thought that it will be most helpful to coordinate the planning, I am suggesting the formation of a Veterans Day National Committee. In view of your great personal interest as well as your official responsibilities, I have designated you to serve as Chairman. You may include in the Committee membership such other persons as you desire to select and I am requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch to assist the Committee in its work in every way possible.

I have every confidence that our Nation will respond wholeheartedly in the appropriate observance of Veterans Day, 1954.

Sincerely,

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

Source: http://www.military.com

Images by Gro Website

2008-11-06T13:21:00.002-05:00

I am having some problems with my website, but hope to have it back online within the next 24 hours.

I am very sorry for any inconvenience.

Gro

Halloween at Coopertown Elementary School

2008-11-01T20:15:00.007-04:00

Mrs Sorrentino and her staff

Mrs Baldwin checking Britt's work

3B

The winners of the "wrap the parent in TP"

Tom Cruise

The missing teeth are not part of the costume

1S

Still have to do some work even if they are princesses

The winner of the Four Corner Game

Tinker Bell

Smile to the camera

A member of the Fire department

Just a beautiful face

The helpers

The perfect pair

The flower girl

2nd grade

A future American Idol winner

The history of Halloween

2008-11-01T20:07:00.001-04:00

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The History of Halloween.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.

As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there.

It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included "play parties," public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
Halloween: Pumpkins on steps

In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland's potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today's "trick-or-treat" tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.

In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft.

Halloween Costumes

At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything "frightening" or "grotesque" out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.

By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country's second largest commercial holiday.

The American tradition of "trick-or-treating" probably dates back to the early All Souls' Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called "soul cakes" in return for their promise to pray for the family's dead relatives.

The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as "going a-souling" was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.

The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.

Source: http://www.history.com/home.do

New York City Boat Tour

2008-10-27T20:25:00.005-04:00

Mpix and Popular Photography organized a photographic tour of New York City?

We met at the Shelburne Hotel where Rick Sammon and Carey Schumacher each gave us great tips on photography. I had the chance to meet 5 other mpixers that I had not met before. We walked to the pier and boarded a New York Water Taxi for the tour on the Hudson river.

We spent about 2 hours shooting and here are some of the photographs.

Top left: John, Dave, Lisa, Chris, me, Sara and Paul

A New York City Rooftop

2008-10-27T12:35:00.006-04:00

I was in New York City this weekend for the Photoplus convention and Jen and Tom was nice and let me spend the night at their house.

Jen mentioned that they had a rooftop, so Friday morning I got up at 6 a.m. and headed to the roof. I did not bring my tripod (should have, could have, would have) so my placement of the camera was somewhat limited.

I could have spent hours on the roof, but I had to get on the road to make the mpix bat tour around Manhattan later that morning.

The view was beautiful and these are some the photographs I captured.

View to NJ (I think)

Who would not like this view after a long day at work??

I just love how the sun hit the building

Fall Soccer

2008-10-21T13:07:00.002-04:00

Fall is the season for soccer at our house. The girls play for Haverford Soccer Club.

Kristin's 9 a.m. game

Britt's 12:30 p.m game

Wissahickon Valley of Fairmount Park in the City of Philadelphia

2008-10-18T21:39:00.004-04:00

A friend and I took a little trip to the Wissahickon Valley of Fairmount Park in the City of Philadelphia last week and got a few very nice photographs.

The Valley Green Inn

East Coast Shooters Meet up

2008-10-17T16:38:00.009-04:00

A group of photographers met up in Beckley, WV for a weekend of shooting and fun.

We had a great time and on Friday morning a group of us went out shooting landscape. Our first stop was the New River Gorge.

From the top left: Dave, Lowry, Mary Anne and Curt
Frm the bottom Left: Dave, Heather, me and Mary

Walter is missing from the group picture, he was out on the ledge..

Waiting for the fog to lift

Got some very neat photographs

We ended up leacing before the fog lifted and went to the Grist Mill in Babcock Park.

Dave, Lowry and Heather looking for the best spot to shoot.

Walter

Ready to find our next spot.

We went back to the bridge and got some beautiful photographs of the bridge from a different angle.

On our way back to the hotel we found a very small waterfall.

Walter, me and Heather

Boudoir Session

2008-10-16T21:52:00.004-04:00

Pretty PG

Maternity Session

2008-10-16T21:41:00.004-04:00

We had a maternity session at our meet up and here are a few of the pictures.

On the Way Back From Beckley

2008-10-16T20:04:00.013-04:00

I drove home with Dave from our meet up and we stopped in Lexington, VA

Our first stop in Lexington was Stonewall Jackson House:
The only home the Confederate general ever owned restored to its appearance before the Civil War, when Jackson taught at VMI.

Mary Anne And Curt

Flowers from the garden

Then a walk around town

Beautiful brick work

Photographers at work

Lost in the Suburbs

Then we headed to the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery
Stonewall Jackson, 144 Confederate veterans, two Virginia governors & Margaret Junkin Preston are buried in the cemetery. The statue of Stonewall Jackson was sculpted by Edward Valentine.

Last stop on the trip was the Natural Bridge of Virginia
Natural Bridge is marketed as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but this refers to a mention on an old list of seven natural wonders of the modern world. Before the settlers came to the New World, the Natural Bridge was a sacred site of the Native American Monacan Indians.

Host a Portrait Party

2008-09-22T21:31:00.001-04:00

What is a Portrait Party?

It is a fun way to earn FREE professional portraits in the comfort of your own home! As a Hostess of a portrait party, you invite friends and family members to your home, or location of your choice, for a professional portrait session. Each guest will receive a "mini" session with no sitting fee or minimum order. You pick the background and theme for the party and have your guests dress to match.

How Does it Work?

The hostess invites between 6- 12 guests to her home. A minimum of 6 sessions is required for each party. The hostess will receive invitations to give out to friends and family to invite them to join her for this fun experience. The invited guests then contact the hostess to schedule their session times. Prior to the party all the sessions will be scheduled 20 minutes apart. All sessions MUST be booked consecutively.
During each session the guests will receive a packet which contains an order form, portrait price sheet, copyright information, and release forms. The guests can either arrive at least 10 minutes prior to their scheduled session or stay for the entire party---the schedule is set up by the Hostess, but must be given to the photographer at least one week in advance. Any changes after that point have to be approved by the photographer. In order to facilitate a more enjoyable process all guests must have an appointment to attend the portrait party.

The guests have no commitment to purchase their prints and although samples will be available for display nothing will be sold at the party.

How to Order Portraits?
Images will be available for viewing on-line within 7 days of the party. An email will be sent to all guests with an access link to their portraits. The hostess will organize and take all orders. Portraits must be ordered and paid in full within two weeks from the date the portraits are posted on line.
Although orders may be taken after the two week period, late or subsequent orders will not go toward the commission to the Hostess.
In about two weeks from the date the orders are received by the studio, the portraits will be available for delivery by the Hostess.

Talk Like A Pirate Day

2008-09-19T14:10:00.001-04:00

Talk Like a Pirate Day, began in 1995and the holiday was founded by John Baur and Mark Summers after a racquetball game between them during which one of them (they can’t remember who) yelled out “Arrr!” in a cry of pain, according to talklikeapirate.com, the official Web site of the holiday.

The Pirate Alphabet

A: Ehhhhhhh? -- "What's that?"

B: Are -- as in "Be ye ready to surrender?"

C: Si, si! -- To a Spanish pirate, "Yes!"

E: Eeeeee! -- "Maaaaaaaaybe . . . "

I: Aye -- "Yes!"

L: 'Ell -- A destination, as in, "To L with you, matey!"

O: Oh! -- "Oh!"

Q: Queue -- A sailor's pigtail, usually tarred.

R: Arrrrrr! -- A general expression of glee.

T: Tea -- A very inferior substitute for grog.

Y: Why? -- To be said in a grumpy voice when the cap'n gives an order.

Z: Zee -- To a French pirate, "the."

Popular Pirate Slang

All Hands Hoay! - "All Hands on Deck!", everyone on the ship called to the deck, usually for action
Avast - "Avast Ye!" from the Dutch term for 'hold fast' and means "Stop and pay attention.", like, "Get a load of this."
Black Spot - a death threat among pirates made of a black spot or mark on a scrap of paper with more specific detail sometimes written on the other side, referred to in the story, Treasure Island.
Dance the Hempen Jig - To hang, (rope was often made of hemp fibers)
Dungbie - rear end
Go on Account -a tongue-in-cheek description pirates used that compared the act of becoming a pirate to going into business
Hempen Halter- The hangman's noose.
Hornswaggle - To cheat or defraud, often of money or belongings, Yosemite Sam knows a lot about it
Shiver me timbers! - akin to "Blow me down!", an expression of shock or disbelief, believed to come from the sound the ship made when 'shocked' by running aground or hit by a cannon blast.

Else Marie Meistad

2008-09-12T10:52:00.000-04:00

My mother died July 31 of Ovarian Cancer

My parents and my brother and his family came to visit in April, for Britt's communion.

June 23, 2008

Mammas last day

The church was filled with flowers

A sad day for my father

My grandmother and Aunt

Patriot Day

2008-09-12T10:24:00.000-04:00

Villanova University

2008-09-03T11:15:00.000-04:00

Welcome Back Students

Ovarian Cancer

2008-08-25T21:46:00.000-04:00

Ovarian cancer is a disease in which malignant or cancerous cells are found in the ovary. An ovary is one of two small, almond-shaped organs located on each side of the uterus that produce female hormones and store eggs or germ cells. In women age 35 to 74, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. An estimated one woman in 58 will develop
ovarian cancer during her lifetime. In 2006, the American Cancer Society estimates that
there will be 20,180 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed and 15,310 women will die
of the disease.

What is the general outlook for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer?
Because each woman diagnosed with ovarian cancer has a different profile, it is impossible
to give a general prognosis. If diagnosed and treated early, when the cancer is confined to
the ovary, the 5-year survival rate is over 90%. Unfortunately, due to ovarian cancer’s nonspecific symptoms, only 19% of all cases are found at this early stage. If caught in stage III
or higher, survival rate can be as low as 29%.

Can ovarian cancer be prevented?
At present, there is no known method to preventovarian cancer, but some things appear to reduce a woman’s risk of developing the disease.

Is ovarian cancer hereditary?
A woman can inherit an increased risk for ovarian cancer from either her mother’s or father’s side of her family, particularly if a first-degree relative (mother, father, sister, or daughter) has, or has had ovarian, breast, prostate or colon cancer. Furthermore, women
with a strong family history of ovarian cancer are more likely to develop the disease at an early age (younger than 50). Women of Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish descent are also at greater risk if they have an affected family member. Studies show that inheriting a defect in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene can also increase a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer by about 10% to 40%. Normally, these genes help to prevent cancer, but if a woman has inherited a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, her ovaries and breasts are more susceptible to the development of cancer.

While the symptoms of ovarian cancer (particularly in the early stages) are often not acute or intense, they are not silent; they whisper, so listen.