Happy Thanksgiving 2011...

Its been quite the year... With so much to be thankful for as well. We are both healthy and trying to get better at staying that way. Eric is enjoying his new position at Shaw & I'm enjoying the discoveries of a new arena of the photography world at WINK. Tiffany has had no issues since her eyes were taken and is the healthiest 13 year old dog ever! Our new home is beautiful and I thank God daily for allowing me to live here. Our marriage is strong, and we have finally found our "comfort zones" with each other. Now it's getting fun! :)

With all our blessings it wasn't difficult to say that dinner prayer, thanking the man upstairs for blessing us with our lives together. For the adventures and the tears, the highs and the lows. For the opportunities and the learning experiences... we are truly grateful.

It was only Eric and I and the two dogs for dinner this year. It's tough when you're the new folks in town with no relatives that live close by. Next year will be a different story for sure!
I cooked everything from scratch and think I did pretty damn good! I had all the traditional Thanksgiving meal items, right down to the pumpkin pie. I was even able to serve it all on my new china. Thank you bb!!!

I miss my Nana & Grandpa at this time of the year. There are amazing recipes that I was supposed to get from her before she passed, I didn't. Now, all I can do is start my own family traditions in my food preparations. I hope she can see me from where she is now. I hope she can see that I was watching very intently all along. And I learned from the best. I hope I make her proud. Love you Nana!

Here's to a fabulous Thanksgiving!!!

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PREPARATIONS:
Top photo is stuffing prep
Left photo is me grinding my own fresh spices
Right photo is the cranberry-mandarin glaze prep




SIDES:
Top left is fresh green beans with sauteed Shallots and toasted almonds
Bottom left is rolled nut bread, sauteed mushroom & shallot stuffing
Right photo is coconut-marshmallow spiced sweet potatoes



SNACKS:
Top photo is Orange & creamed sherry blended with brown sugar and orange zest over walnuts. Let cool & caramelize.
Bottom photo is the old thanksgiving favorite, rice krispie treats!



Shrimp cocktail with creamy-spicy green onion dip...



THE BIRDS:
Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry-Orange Glaze with a side of spiced cranberry sauce with Chardonnay and orange zest...

WINK Magazine CURVY GIRL ISSUE... & I got the cover!

It's just been one of those days. The weather was amazing, my clothing looked and felt great, my Sida was able to stretch her legs on the 77 and still no tickets, I went to look at a possible studio space in an amazing building at an incredible rent, and the WINK Magazine CURVY GIRL Issue came out today! Oh, and did I mention that my images are splashed through out the entire publication-including the cover???!!!

Yes folks, it's just been one of those days... one of those AMAZING days! And I thank you "big man" upstairs for making it all come together so perfectly, and in exactly the perfect time.

Here's to many more!

Styx Concert Columbia, SC~

Columbia South Carolina... I have not seen a very large list of entertainers that are rushing to come here and put on a show? And I think its a shame. We have a HUGE artistic community who spend their weekends at the neighborhood stage performances and help to promote our local talent. Big names hit the stage over in the arena, while the smaller concerts find their way to places like our State Fair.

Last night that's where I found myself, and I had a GREAT time! This press pass thing is like the "Golden Ticket"! HUGE line out at security, no problem, just walk right in. Crowd rushes the stage at the beginning of the concert, flash your press pass and its "Right this way ma'am, I will bring you to "THE PIT". Lovingly referred to as the "photographers pit." We are only allowed 15 minutes each in the pit, but I can get capture a hell of a lot in 15 minutes! Yes, I was officially working, but how could you ever call this work?

Thank you to Holly and Greg from Blythewood for joining us! It was great to see you both again. I did manage to grab that cotton candy I had my eye on, but no corn dog. :(

Here are some images of Styx... they brought back some serious memories last night!

Sneaking out in my Datsun B210, parking out over the lake under the moon with my friends and smoking like a bad girl! Such a bad girl!!! I don't smoke anymore, but I damn sure love me some Styx!

Bahamas Vacation 2011...

Days turn into weeks, then months... and before you know it the summer is gone. Along with the blue skies, and warm weather. Pretty sundresses, cute kitten heels, and hats.
With all the packing, moving, unpacking, painting, shopping, and family responsibilities going on, its been easy to forget just how precious those summer adventures can be. So the hubby and I decided that it was time to get a little attitude adjustment. And what better place to do that than on a cruise ship bound for the Bahamas?!?!?

6 Days/ 5 nights of heaven on board the Carnival Fun Ship, eating everything in site, drinking like a fish, and dancing into the wee hours of the morning until our socks burned (right along with our bodies).

It felt great to have my camera(s) back in my hands again capturing Gods beauty. The Bahama Islands are stunning. And what girl in her right mind would pass up the chance to play dress up and party every night for a week??? Surely, not me!!!

Here are a few images from our amazing trip. We met two fun loving couples that just so happen to live minutes from us. And I spent the better half of two evenings with a group of fabulous woman who rescued me from the clutches of that dang casino. They called me SJP all week, included me in on all their activities, and promised to keep in touch including a standing invite to their next "Girls Only" weekend. God help me!!!

Here are some images from our family trip. Enjoy...

Our New Home in South Carolina~

Life in the military is never easy. In fact, its been a whole lot harder than I ever imagined it would be. Our PCS to Germany was supposed to be filled with new adventures, and in many ways it surely was, just not all good ones. Touring Europe was amazing no doubt, but the harsh weather, lifestyle changes, driving conditions, language barriers all took their toll on both Eric and myself. My not being able to work was also a very difficult adjustment.

All in all I suppose there are things that I will surely miss in time. I already miss the wonderful friends I made while I was there. And I miss the chances to travel to different countries every weekend, but I'm an American baby and damn proud of it! Oh how I missed this wonderful country and all its benefits!!!

Our travels back to the states proved just as trying as our travels away from it. Crazy flights, unbearable living quarters in temp housing on Shaw AFB, broken a/c units, busted water pipes that flooded our luggage, complete chaos when it came time to receive our household goods (which we still don't have all of), and incompetent people to deal with when it came time to close on our new home. But we are here... in our new home (FINALLY!) and busy un-packing a million boxes full of items I haven't seen in over two years. Oh how I missed 110v appliances and my summer clothes!

Eric and I had been saving for the last year in preparation for this move. We wanted to treat ourselves and buy all new furniture! It was a whirlwind shopping spree that lasted the entire fourth of July weekend, and ended with some amazing bargain buys! I have this itch to do it up... from the paint to the light fixtures. The rugs to the drapes. Bedding, towels, and shelf items, I was in hog heaven for sure!!! And although its not even close to being finished, I have to say that I'm thrilled with how its turning out so far. Every weekend we find ourselves doing little projects around the house. The latest was our glass tile back splash in the kitchen that came our beautiful! And I hate to brag, but I did it all by myself! :)

Along the way I've been taking a few pictures so I wanted to share what we have thus far. I love it, and I can't wait to have our house warming party in a few months.

Enjoy.....

New Kitchen & back splash...



Breakfast Area....



Gallery/ Entry way...



Livingroom fireplace minus Built-Ins. Testing paint colors on the wall to go with the cocoa zebra chairs and Brazilian rug....



Bedroom sitting area...



New bed minus comforter set (on order), & Whirlpool tub...



More to come soon!!!