18 hours at Smith Mountain Lake

Being fashionably late is kinda Spring’s thing this year. I can’t complain. It really couldn’t have made more of a grand appearance than this passed weekend. Smith Mountain Lake was the spot for the wedding of lovebirds Rahul and Jennifer. The drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway was amazing. Here are a few shots from my fine time with some fine folks.

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Oh hay Spring!

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What a good looking family.

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Happy 7th birthday!

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Hey handsome!

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Men in suits cleaning up baby vomit.

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I’m not really sure what’s happening here.

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Easter Funday

It’s really too bad laughter doesn’t burn more than 1.3 calories per minute because I would feel a lot better about all the food I ate today. With my family, you just never know what will happen next. They are fun, loving and down right entertaining. Here’s a glimpse at our Easter Sunday Funday.

Hell-o spring.

Hell-o spring.

There’s no question that my PawPaw is legit.

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Oh yes.

After we ate, we did our annual Easter egg hunt. The adults always try to be extra clever in the hiding spots. See for yourself. Ha!

Egg in broom

…in a broom…

…under this handle…

…tucked in the rocks…

…in Luke’s shirt…

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…in Aunt Brenda’s hair roller…?

Ready. Set. Go!

Mirra found Brenda’s right away!

Ella found one in Brook’s cup!

Score!

…making sure they found all of them…

Eggcellent rewards.

I wanna play!

Once the kids collected their rewards, they hid eggs from the adults…

Get in line.

Be nice kids!

George, doing things his way.

This is serious business.

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...a little friendly competition...

…a little friendly competition…

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Lastly, a little prank that didn’t go quite as planned. 🙂

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Note: airborne plastic egg

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…then she threw a real egg…

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…and it bounced off his arm, and onto her car…

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…but it was still hilarious…

Cabaret with The Judy Chops

If you get bored in Harrisonburg, there’s about a 23% chance that you suck at life. There really is something for everyone in this town. On this particular evening, it was my friend’s birthday and we ventured to The Artful Dodger where we were certain we would be thoroughly entertained. And we were right. The Judy Chops played, girls ate fire, some guy danced around on broken glass, and we were oohed and ahhed for a solid hour. Sound like a good time? Good news: this show was only a teaser for a big Cabaret production they’re planning for April at Court Square Theater. Haaaay.bsomeIMG_9558bw

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Happy 6th Mirra Grace!

My niece is one of a kind. I need very few words to describe her…her personality screams from these photos. *down-to-earth-diva*  I stopped by to deliver her birthday gift today and when I pulled in I noticed an old yellow chair by the blue garage door. Luckily, I had my camera in tow. *standard* I told her to go put on a dress so I could take her photo. She put on a dress alright…right on top of her pjs. Kids. Happy Birthday Mirra Grace! Keep that sassiness, wouldya?!IMG_0388web

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Mirra represents…IMG_0383bwweb

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And just for giggles…here’s her 6th birthday thank you card we made last week!Mirra's 6th Partyweb

Todd Paints

I’ve known Todd since middle school. Back when we were both skinny little twerps sitting silently on the school bus, staring out the window watching the cows go by. He’s been a great friend through the years and he’s just a darn good person. One evening I was in day three of self-imposed isolation…not because I’m a total freak, but because I had an insane amount of to-dos on my project list. Todd, probably feeling sorry for me, brought his work-his painting-to my house and set up camp in my kitchen. We both worked, in separate rooms, shouting the occasional obscenity and laughing.  It was nice to have another living, breathing, adult in my presence for a bit. Not to mention he’s creative and extremely talented. 
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Bread with Mommy

Mommy makes the best bread. I asked her to come over one morning and teach me the ropes of her family envied recipe and technique. Her experienced hands showed that dough who’s boss! We made what we call “Three Generation Rolls” where she rolled a small ball of dough and then my daughter and I did the same. We put all three in one muffin pan and it was very obvious which one of the three my mother man-handled. It was grey and cold outside and warm and delicious inside. Hope your not wearing your new shirt ’cause this post is mouth-watering!Dough and Hand 1

Fried Bread

Breadmaking 1

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Breadmaking 3 Breadmaking 4

Rising dough

homemade rolls

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Mommy's hands and dough

Rolling in the dough

mommy rolling dough

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bread in pan

cinnamon rolls

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happy girl with bread

buttering bread

fresh baked bread

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cinnamon roll icing

holy cinnamon rolls

cinnamon rolls with nuts

cinnamon roll taste test

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Dinner Rush, Union Station

Cassie, the owner of Union Station, asked me to come in to snap a few photos of her and her hubby’s restaurant. I’ve done photo work with these two before (and here) so I was up for the challenge. I bopped on into Union Station at 6pm Friday evening, right smack in the middle of dinner rush. Cassie said, “Go on back in the kitchen, I warned everyone you were coming.” Maybe I should’ve been warned. If the kitchen were an animal it would be a fire breathing dragon! I feared for my life in the belly of that beast. *aaah!* As hectic as it seemed, it was a well-oiled machine. I later learned that their kitchen staff is the same kitchen staff they opened the doors with, three years ago! Shew.
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St. Snow Day!

As I mentioned yesterday…it was snowing on St. Patrick’s Day. After the potluck, I headed back home with a car full of kids and friends. The light in the sky shifted when evening came and it looked like a fairy tale in my back yard. I tried to sweet talk the kids into going outside with me for a mini-shoot but they were too engulfed in a full on nerf war and wanted nothing to do with it…so Misti and Ben agreed to be my subjects because I would.not.stop bugging them about it. *cheese*MistiSnow1

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A Day to Celebrate

I woke up to grey skies and a chance of snow. Typical. Last week my son was wearing shorts to school…no big deal. That’s a typical March in Rockingham County for ya. I headed to church then joined some friends for a birthday celebration that just-so-happened to be on St. Patrick’s Day. Perfect. We all met at a local restaurant then headed over to our friend’s place for a delicious potluck. The snow covered the grass and the crockpot aroma filled the house. It’s ok to be jealous.

green juice and green shirts

green juice and green shirts

found...and never opened

found…and never opened

cabbage and taters

cabbage and taters

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shepherd's pie

shepherd’s pie

...well it is st. patty's day...

…well it is st. patty’s day…

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shepherd's pie

shepherd’s pie

jalapeño deer bologna

jalapeño deer bologna

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a birthday complete with candles

a birthday complete with candles

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snow big deal

snow big deal

i love grandparents

i love grandparents

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