On Top of the World

Greg is sillouetted against the beautiful expanse of the Shenandoah Valley.

Shenandoah In Autumn

Greg and I took a short trip to the Shenandoah this weekend. I was hoping to see more bears, but no luck. We did take in some of the autumn sites in the area.

Here are some interesting looking green pumpkins we saw at a Pumpkin Patch in Luray, Virginia.



It was a bit too early to see the mountain side filled with blazing reds, oranges and yellows, but we did see an occasional tree that had turned red.



We drove through a tunnel on the Skyline Drive and here we see the light at the end.



Some interesting looking gourds...



A multitude of pumpkins..

Autumn Family Photo Shoots

As many of you know, for the past few years, I have been doing photo shoots of families, grads, pregnant moms, a few weddings, and even animals! My usual rate is $100 per session, which includes approximately 30-60 minutes of shooting, post production editing, and a disk with the final photos on it so the recipient can print as much as he or she wants.

I decided to offer an "Autumn Photo Session" at half price! $50 would include the same deal as the $100 session, taken at my home. I am willing to come to your home (I have a stand and a few backdrops) or a nearby scenic location for an additional $5 to cover my time and the cost of gas.

Autumn is a wonderful time to have family or any other types of photos taken.

Please contact me at allenjm@gwu.edu if you have any questions or would like to schedule a session.

True Love!

Wow! I can't believe how quickly time has flown by! Just five years ago, on September 27th, 2003, Greg and I had a really sweet, small wedding attended by those we dearly love. I remember that Greg commented to our guests that he had received a fortune cookie earlier that week letting him know that he would be having a romantic encounter soon! And we know fortune cookies never lie!

We had a beautiful cake that was decorated in edible sea shells. One of my dearest friends, Diane Blodgett, played a favorite piece on the piano for us, Enya's Watermark, making the day even more magical. We left the next day for a wonderful honeymoon at Panama City Beach, Florida. We practically had the whole beach to ourselves. It was a great way start to a wonderful marriage.

I still marvel that Greg took on a peri-menopausal woman with a teenage daughter, two dogs and a cat. No small feat, as he has four sons and no daughters and no pets. He states emphatically that he never said he didn't like animals, he just felt that they should live where they belong- outdoors, not inside with humans. Well, that all changed very quickly for Greg. All of our pets are comfortably lodged inside our home. I think Greg might be fond of at least one of the pets, although "fond of" may be a slight exaggeration.

I continue to discover new things about Greg that, frankly, I never had a clue about. I recently learned that he plays piano! When did this happen???? His sister told me that that of course he plays! Where have I been??? Then there was Mark's wedding reception. Who knew that Greg could dance to disco the way he did that night. I just stood there on the dance floor with my jaw on the floor. I certainly knew that he could dance a mean Foxtrot, but disco? Who knew?

So, five years later, I love even more, this sweet, funny man. No one can recite quotes like Greg. His love for sports has increased over the years, if that is even possible (much to my dismay). He is smooth, steady, strong and sensitive. He knows when to leave me be when I am in one of my moods and he knows when to gather me into his arms when I need a BIG bear hug. He is easily the most thoughtful and kindest man I have ever known. I have a big stack of sentimental cards to prove it. He sends me cards for holidays, when he goes out of town, when I am not feeling so well, to cheer me up, and for, well, ... just because.

Am I one lucky chica or what???? Yes, I am. And I am truly grateful for this wonderful blessing in my life that I call husband.

Trigger Finger

Guess what I am enduring? Trigger finger! No, it doesn't mean I am quick with a 6 shooter, though I do enjoy a bit of target shooting. What it means, in layman's terms, is that my tendon in my left index finger has decided to lock up. When I reached for something yesterday, I felt a very sharp twang near the middle joint- it was like a current of electricity shot through me. So what does this mean??? I am left with an index finger that is temporarily bent and I cannot straighten it out at all without excruciating pain.


The first time this happened, a few years back, it lasted for only an hour or so. The last time it happened, a few months ago, it lasted for 2 weeks. I am thinking it's time to see a doc about this. What do ya think?

I have new, heartfelt empathy for people who have ANY kind of physical limitation. I know that this is just a minor inconvenience compared to many. But I forgot how difficult it is to bathe and wash my hair with one hand. Definitely not fun or easy!

Okay, my whining is over. If you'd like to read a sweet love story, read cjanerun. You know I have been following Nie Nie and Christian Nielsen's recovery. Her sister Courtney wrote a touching piece on her blogsite about when Stephanie and Christian met. Very sweet.

New Friends I've Never Met

Okay, I am not the greatest blogger. I knew that going into the blogosphere. I guess I just don't think a lot of exciting things are going on in our everyday lives (which is not necessarily a bad thing). More than updating my blog, I truly enjoy reading other blogs so I can keep up with the lives of my dear friends and family. From there, I love to check out the links to their families and friends, people I have never met. I have become acquainted with many new moms and families, people who have brought a smile to my face and inspired me to keep trying new things and to hang in there.

One blogsite I stumbled across came from a friend of a friend. I learned about Stephanie and Christian Nielsen, who, on August 16, were involved in a fiery, private plane crash. A pilot was killed. Christian, who is also a pilot, sustained burns over 20% of his body. His lovely young wife, Nie Nie, has burns over 80% of her body. Both are in critical condition. Even sadder is that they have 4 small children waiting at home for them, who are being cared for by relatives. I don't know Christian or Nie Nie, but I check Nie's recovery blogsite on a daily basis because I care about her and her husband and checking her site reminds me that I can help by praying or donating to help with their rehabilitation costs.

So today, Nie Nie and Christian, this blog's for you! May you recover steadily.

Happy To Be In Primary!

Well, I just was sustained on Sunday to teach CTR 6 in Primary! I am really happy about this. Don't get me wrong. I totally LOVED teaching Relief Society. That was a wonderful opportunity where I learned soooo much from each sister! But now, I get to learn from 5 year olds and can't wait! I only had one sweet boy in class for my first lesson, Cameron. But we had a fun time getting to know each other.

So, I believe that change is a good thing and I feel honored to be able to teach these sweet kids!