Beach Fun!

It's just too much fun being at the beach to want to sit down and write a long blog post. Thant's not to say I don't want to share about the fun we are having on this vacation. But as they say, "a picture's worth a thousand words," so hopefully these will speak volumes!

Seaside Beauty

As I am typing this post for today, I hear the crash of waves unto the shore which is just steps from my ocean front home for the week. The breeze gently rustles through the palms and the happy belt of a seagull is heard from overhead. I have always loved the beach and ocean. Both are so vast, so never ending, so beautiful. I could stay in this place forever and enjoy this seaside beauty!

La Playa y El Mar!

I can't tell you how happy I am to be at this place! Can you tell from my self portrait how truly happy and already relaxed I feel! I plan on doing a lot of this.

I will be checking in daily of course, but my words may be limited. See ya soon!

Proud of Her

I look at this sweet girl and I marvel at how beautiful she really is. Not just physically with her olive complexion, soulful brown eyes and beautiful long eyelashes, but also because of WHO she is. I am awed at God's amazing creation in this very little girl; how her heart sings of love for every creature of the sky, earth and water; how she loves purely her family, friends and others; how she already knows the Father who created her in her simple innocent way. I love her! She is true perfection that only a wondrous God could have made and I am so blessed and thankful to have her in my life. How did I get so lucky? Oh, how my God loves me so to have given me such a beautiful child as her. I am proud of her, proud to be her mother and so thankful.

She has finished one year of school now and summer vacation is upon her. This is what I found on her drawing table this evening.

So proud of her!  She really is such a wonderful child!

In Full Bloom!

I promised that when my hydrangeas were in full bloom I would share them with y'all. Now is the time!

I truly wish I could have y'all over from some crumpets and tea while we took in the beauty of the hydrangeas that literally fill the perimeter of my our back yard.

 This time of year will be one that I look forward to every year now, just to partake in the loveliness if these flowers.

I have been awed by the variety of color in these blooms.

They say it is the soil, so I suppose we have varying types of soil acidity side by side. Who knows? If you have any answers to why I have pink, purple and blue blooms on the same bush, please do tell. I am not complaining, though. I really love the variety of colors.

So {Chic}!

I have been asked on many occasion where I purchase my dresses, tops, ect. I am always VERY happy to share that I got my ensemble at a local boutique named Chic in the heart of the Bearden District.  It is owned and operated by the very stylish Heather who has become one of my favorite people!

Heather is not only is super stylish with a great eye for fashion, but is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Chic is definitely my first stop for a new fun piece of clothing. AND the best part is . . . Heather is getting new stuff in almost weekly.

She only buys a few of each article of clothing she sells, so you are almost certain to be "ONE-OF-A-KIND" and you are ALWAYS certain to be perfectly "Chic!" If you are looking for a great new piece to add to your wardrobe, Chic is the place to go! Chic is located on Kingston Pike next to Ironic, one of my other favs in K-Town.

The Tennessee Theater

Have I ever told y'all how much I love the Tennessee Theater here in Downtown Knoxville. It opened it's doors in grand style back in 1928! It's an amazingly beautiful old theater that recently was restored to its full grandeur. And y'all know Emma-Caroline just had her ballet performance on the stage where all sorts of entertainers, famous or not, have stood for the past 83 years. Just think of that! A-MA-ZING!!! Can you also tell I just love history! Last Saturday evening, Howie and I celebrated our anniversary a couple of days early and ventured Downtown for dinner and just some time to be by ourselves. We had a great time. The photos from Monday were done in a silly attempt to take a photo of the two of us. We then headed on over to, you guessed it, the Tennessee Theater. Of course i snapped a few, or ten, or fifty shots of the theater at night. Here's one of those shots. Isn't she lovely!

f 4, 1/10, ISO 200

Sharing with Patty for Photo-a-la-{M}ode. And I have a question for my friend Patty. How would I take this same photo of the Tennessee Theater and get the theater in focus with the cars moving by blurred. Tried several ways, but it didn't quite work.

Last Days of Kindergarten

WHAAAATTTT????? Say it ain't so! I can't believe my first born is about to finish her last day of kindergarten in 1 whole day. This year has FLOWN by. Oh, I know it's cliche to say that the year has flown by, but, literally it has. I knew it would. It has been jammed packed full of learning and fun, and learning, and meeting new friends, and learning, and did I mention, learning! Emma-Caroline really has learned so much this year and we have been very pleased with her wonderful school, Bearden Elementary. I wish I could say I was sad that the year is coming to an end, but I really don't feel that way. It's been a spectacular year and I am so proud of Emma-Caroline for all that she has accomplished. I don't think she could have had any better year in kindergarten than this past year with Mrs. Hughes at Bearden Elementary. We look forward to the next adventure coming up in 1st grade, and in between, a fun-filled summer vacation. Remember this photo from the beginning of the year?

Now take a look at these sweet friends as the year winds down. We'll have many a summer play date for sure!

 Happy Summer Friends!

Ten plus Three!

It's been 13 years today since the beginnings of this "Avery House". 13 seems like such a long time, but then again it doesn't. It's been a fun 13 years and I am looking forward to many, many more! Happy Anniversary Howie! I love you!

Wedding

Last weekend, y'all know I was asked to do the photos for a wedding at our church. I will admit fully that I was nerve racked to say the least. I mean, I was being entrusted to be the sole wedding photographer. There are no re-do's on something like this. It was the hardest photo shoot EVER. I have spent this past week in the editing process and almost have it complete for the bride and groom to view. I am only showing the bride's bouquet since the happy couple have not seen their photos. I was honored to do the wedding shoot, and I did capture some great photos of the occasion. I will say, I think I like portrait photography much better!

Photoshop

Moons ago, I invested in Photoshop to edit my then only-shot-in-auto-mode photos. I played with it for a while and quickly realized I needed to give it up for lack of time. Then I discovered Photoshop "actions" and  I became a believer. With the click of a button or two, I could make a great photo a phenomenal photo. I just recently "rediscovered" Photoshop and I am again hooked with my new-found knowledge. I won't edit all of my photos in Photoshop, but it is a fun and creative tool that is another venture in my 365 Project. Here's a look at one very quickly edited photo I did in Photoshop today using Flora Bella Luxe action "Starlet". For anyone who is looking for a great editing program, Photoshop is wonderful. And my Photoshop is Photoshop Elements, so it is affordable for anyone to try. Check it out if you haven't already. You'll be hooked too!

Snow Dreams: Emma-Caroline's Ballet Performance Act II

I've been told that we are lucky that a dance was chosen for Emma-Caroline's ballet class that involved a beautiful costume complete with a tutu. Some Mommy's have been disappointed, as I would have too, that their daughter's ballet costume was a clown outfit, night gown, or other non-ballerina-esque type costume. Yes, we were lucky that Emma-Caroline danced as a snowflake in "Snow Dreams." Not to say I wouldn't have been just as proud, as the other Mommy's were too, but it is nice to have your ballerina look like a ballerina too. So on to the performance. The studio where Emma-Caroline and Sophie take ballet lessons put on a phenomenal show for it's audience. ALL of the dancers were amazing ranging in age from 5 years to seniors in high school. There was not a moment that I wasn't wowed by these girls who gave their all last Saturday night. It was a night we will always remember and cherish!