Cleaning out old photo files…

I worked all day on the computer while my family went and worked all day at my grandparent’s place cleaning up from Hurricane Ike. Some would say that makes me a bad granddaughter, and actually I did feel guilty, and after a couple of hours, lonely. Still, I’ve been behind because of Hurricane Ike and needed the work hours – you know, to meet the bills that will come at the 1st of next month, regardless of whether or not we were affected by Hurricane Ike.

There are days when I really wish I worked a salaried position. Don’t think I don’t consider it – a bit of vacation pay, sick time, and other benefits.

Then I wonder what employer would pay my fees and allow me to work the odd hours I work. That’s usually when I shut my mouth and count my blessings.

After today’s brain drain, I needed something mindless. Jeff was finishing off his book and would soon be snoring on the couch behind me, and so I needed something quiet too. I decided to go through my old photo files and clean’em up a bit. I found a few photos I thought were worth sharing. Old photos make me smile.

First, I found this shot of my Grandpa’s hand with his Aggie ring. If you aren’t an Aggie, don’t know an Aggie, are clueless of what the class ring means to an Aggie, this won’t be significant to you. But to me? It is VERY significant. My Grandpa graduated from Texas A&M, just like 3 of his grandkids, including me. I love that his ring, old and worn as it is, matches mine exactly.

I miss you Grandpa.

This photo makes me laugh every time. Kenny beneath the Rainbow play set, oblivious to his Daddy above him. I keep expecting to see Kenny spin around in a circle; the mind does terrible things to you after midnight, no?

I found this one of my garage office when we were in Augusta, GA still. That house, although nothing we would have picked to buy, was a precious gift to us when we needed a home. We rented it from a couple at the church we attended there, and they made for excellent landlords. Sure there was awful wallpaper, cracks in the wall, indoor/outdoor carpet on the floor, and so many pine trees out back the grass couldn’t grow for all the needles, BUT it was a fine home with a fabulous fireplace. We were happy there for a few years until Jeff got out of the Army.

I liked my office – and filled the walls with the kids’ pictures and coloring pages.

Kenny’s FAVORITE PLACE for a while was in this fleece pouch. Jeff and I would both wear him around in it and sometimes he’d snuggle deep inside and just fall asleep. If he woke up at night when I was working at the computer, I’d pull him out of bed, place him in that pouch, and go back to work. He’d be asleep in seconds flat.

I remember the day I took this photo. We were getting ready to go to church on a Wednesday evening. The girls had been in such good spirits all day – playing so peacefully together. I pulled them together for a shot to remind them of the time when they played all day without a single fight.

I should probably frame that one and hang it in a prominent place in our home these days. Geez louise they’ve been after each other off and on for the past week.

At one point the girls were always dressing up as something. Now they dress up their American Girls more than they dress up themselves, but it wasn’t too long ago that they were dragging all sorts of interesting items out of the box and pulling it on their bodies.

I liked this one – not sure what she was going for in her look, but it makes me smile anyway.

My very best sleep was when Kenny was a baby and he was snuggled between me and Jeff. I knew the girls were tucked in together in their bed just one door down from us and it just felt peaceful. As Kenny started moving around more, Jeff attached his crib to the side as a make-shift co-sleeper. We still slept well. I love co-sleeping with babies; hearing their noises through the night, knowing I’m right there if they need me.

*Sigh*

Is it obvious Mer’s been crying in the shot below. I can pretty much guarantee you she wasn’t getting her way. The pout you see across her face and in her stance was often used to get this point across – as if we needed help understanding.

Why do kids ever think this pose and tossing fiery darts out of their eyes will work?

Can you hear them talking? I can. “Here, you hold this and I’ll measure…”

The sweetest part of this photo is I can see my Grandpa in the background looking on with a big smile. He could barely see the kids any more at that point, but he could hear them (which is saying a lot because he was nearly deaf).

This is one of my all-time favorites I’ve taken of Emelie. I love that precious smile and I love her hair in that cut. I know, I know, she doesn’t like it that way, but a mom can like what she wants to, right?

My mom doesn’t like my hair either; In my lifetime my mom probably hasn’t liked my hair more than she has liked it.

Do moms and their daughters ever agree on style? Unlikely.

I think I love it because of how sweet she looks, but she’s 11 now and wants to be COOL, not sweet.

Go figure.

I called this one Peanut Envy.

*ahem*

You figure it out.

And with that, I’m outta here.
Thanks for hanging with me down memory lane.