Who wants a Starbucks Gift Card???

Yep, that's right, I am giving away a Starbucks gift card. But of course there is a catch. I am going to have my very own photo contest! I thought long and hard about what the theme should be...summertime travels, kids, trees, mugs.... but alas, I couldn't decide. So send me whatever your little heart desires! Something fun, something that moves me to tears, anything! Just send me something. This should be an easy card to win as I don't think I have a large following of readers. This is not just open to bloggers, I know I have friends out there reading this as well and you gals need to send me stuff too! Shoot me a picture and caption to bcgatterman@yahoo.com . How much is this Starbucks card you ask?? Sorry, it's only 5 bucks (I have to pay for drywall this week so I am broke). Send them in by Friday and I will post them all on Saturday and pick a winner on Monday! Oh what fun. Someone better send me a picture....

Waiting (not) patiently for Davis to come...

Today was the first day that Davis got to ride the bus home from school to our house. Since school was starting, there was a longer stretch of time before he was back at our house so the kids were excited to see him. They waited at the corner for a good 30 minutes even thought I told them it would be awhile. Unfortunately I was too busy taking cookies out of the oven, so I didn't get over to take a picture fast enough but I think Davis was a little embarrassed about his fan club at the corner.

Nothing better than warm cookies and milk after a hard day of school!

He is not sure which end to wiggle

The Name Game

1.Your rock star name (first pet, current car)
Lucky Bug (I own a vw bug)

2.Your gangsta name (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe)
Chocolate Thong

3.Your Native American name (favorite color, favorite animal)
Blue Horse

4.Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born)
Christina Bellingham

5.Your Star Wars name (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 of your first name)
Gatbro (I am not sure I like this one)

6.Superhero name (2nd favorite color, favorite drink)
Green Diet Coke with Lemon (somehow I dont think that will make it)

7.NASCAR name (the first names of your grandfathers)
Cecil Don

8.Dancer name (the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)
Romance Chocolate

9.TV weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)
Sicilia Seattle

10.Spy name (your favorite season/holiday, flower)
Fall Peonie

11.Cartoon name:(favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now)
Peach Jeans

12.Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)
Coffee Weeping Willow

13.Movie star name (first pet, first street where you lived)
Lucky Jones (not very girly)


Anyone else going to play along? Comment and let me know if you play so I can read them!!

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Gym Membership or a Horse???

So I was lucky enough yesterday to get invited horseback riding. Now, the last time I got on a horse, I think I was 14 or 15. Regardless, it was a long time ago. I also brought along my camera to take some fun horsey pictures. So on top of this giant animal, I think what a great idea it will be for me to take some pictures from the horse. This is not a point and shoot camera I own. It doesn't fit into a coat pocket or anything. So off we go, meandering down a wooded trail with my camera hanging about my neck. Lovely. Beautiful. Peaceful. I can tell that the young gal who agreed to take me around these trails is a wild one on the horses. I can tell she loves to run, gallop, feel the wind in her hair. Heck, I would love to do the same, but I envision myself flying off the horse and breaking a leg or worse...my beloved camera. But the fun in her gets the best of her and we are trotting. I am holding onto the reigns with one hand ready to pull back and the other on the handle (sorry, I'm no horsey girl so I cant remember what that thing is called). Meanwhile, my heavy camera is pounding into my back rhythmically. smack, smack, smack. My ass is bouncing all over the place. smack, smack, smack. But at the same time I am giggling and yipping. She tells me to keep my butt in the saddle, that will make it easier. So I squeeze my not so firm thigh muscles and hang on. This morning I am seriously sore all over. My left arm from holding on so tight, my thigh muscles, and my left butt cheek from the muscle spasm I had from flexing. Oh yeah, and my back, but I assume that's from my camera hitting me about a hundred times. Taking pictures on top of a moving horse didn't work out so well for me. I don't think I will try that again. But I did have a good time and am thankful for the ride! So that leaves me to wonder....maybe I should reconsider my thoughts on getting a gym membership and maybe invest in a horse! Yeah right!

PS...thank you girls for letting me play!

Fun Stuff...if you like taking pictures..

Hey all women who like taking pictures....namely you Kate and you Heather. I just joined this group who is doing a little project for the next YEAR, sounds like a blast. Here is the little blurb they put out there.

I am starting a blog that is surrounding the 365 Photo Challenge. I am looking for women, and I know you have a lot of female readers out there who might like to take part.We are going to chronicle our lives for one year with one picture a day every day. So far I have 9 women who are committed to participate and I am looking for more -- the more women, the more powerful the project will be. Do you think you could put out a call to your female readers asking if they would like to join in?If it works out, I plan on doing one for both sexes next year.If interested, the signup address is picturesandpie@gmail.com

Sounds like fun huh! I signed up to do it already and they are keeping it open until August 31st. First picture starts September 1st! Its called Pictures and Pie, and the link in on my blog list.

Playing with the AV setting

On one of the photo blogs I check out, they have a little "challenge" or "assignment" to practice using the AV setting on your camera. To get the look of a subject/object in focus with a very blurry background you are suppose to set the Fstop to its lowest. It varies depending on the lens you use. I decided to capture Dane's presence in the house without actually taking any pictures of him. Here goes....still need practice.

Oh, I cant even believe I am going to post this....

I cant help it... I just have to talk about this! Yes folks, Halloween magazines littered my mailbox this afternoon. I pulled out one mag, then another, then another! My heart was a flutter. Those who know me, know that I love Halloween. I don't know why I get so giddy, I am no devil worshipper or anything. Just something about it has me planning for the next Halloween party. In the past I have had a couple parties for my kids and they have been great! I skipped last year because of our move and we didn't really know anyone. But watch out! This year should be a blast! I am also to blame for making my family wear theme costumes. I get a good chuckle every time I see the pictures. Soon it will be time to start recording Martha Stewart (she always has great ideas as it is her favorite holiday as well). I seriously have a stack of magazines with all sorts of ideas that I just cant get rid of.

See, I told you...I am a freak. You must feel the love my husband has for me when you see the scooby doo picture. He had to drive a seperate car to the mall to get our pictures done and he wore that wig the whole way to the mall and through the mall! I laughed my ass off the entire time. What a guy!

Rainy Sunday Afternoon

All the kids are gone except my Dane. Just a lazy, rainy, Sunday afternoon. It's amazing that I can be inches from this kids nose and he just tunes me out. Must be used to a camera in his face all the time. But he wasn't too keen on me taking pictures of his little toes. Look at the dirty little fingers and toes. Trust me though, I scrub them every night and they are stained with dirt. Gotta love the dirt box.

I was blog-hopping when I came across this entry from a young mom who died of breast cancer. This was part of her last blog farewell.


"I learned that all the small stuff is very small and not worth your time and attention. Gossip and resentments,worrying about things that never happen, fearing the unknown. Let it go my lovelies, breath and just be good to each other. I realized not long after my diagnosis that life is too short to spend it hurting people and holding onto the anger we have for those around us. I am no doormat, but I just let go of all that hard core resentment. God forgives us through the blood of His Son. He forgives those who hurt us as well."



I do not know this woman and am not entirely sure how I got to her site, but I do know that every time I feel a little bit of anger, hurt, resentment, I will read this and remember to just live, love, laugh and forgive. Life is short. Embrace it.



If you want to read more about her and her site go to http://punkrockmommy.org/blog/?p=583

Maia

Maia and I had fun with a mini photo shoot!

DIRT

The kids thought we needed an underground tunnel system throughout our backyard. Just kidding, I knew they were digging a hole but not that deep. Don't you just love our dirt box?! Forget the sandbox, they are totally overrated! Those kids were dirty! My bathtub is brown right now.

The Titans

My 9 year old just started tackle football! I've got to say, I was really nervous about this. He is by far the smallest on the team and I have to tape the bottom of his pants so his pads don't fall out. I knew that if he didn't like it we were going to make him stick it out and finish the season and I think 80% of me figured he was going to hate it. Being the younger boy I knew he wasn't going to be QB or running back as those positions are pretty much earned and the older boys fill them. So what in the world would my small boy do?? Tackle?? YES! I have to say I am soo impressed the way my little guy has stepped up. He has been knocked down numerous times but keeps getting up. Not a tear, no "I don't want to play anymore", nothing. And let me tell you, that kid can tackle. He grabs on and doesn't let go.

The kids on this team are amazing. I have never seen young kids so supportive of one another, constantly cheering each other on, even when they are the ones getting knocked down. Now I know why people are so passionate about football when they say it changed their lives. If football brings out these characteristics in children so young, I will let my kids play for as long as they want.

That's Gage, getting under the big guy. Advantages for being short!

Bonus! Dad gets to coach Gage's team too!

Who is that masked man????

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. I knew he was running around the backyard naked in the pool, but we moved the sprinkler to the front and Davis came in to tell us he was outside wearing a "mask" in the sprinkler.

Last Fair Day for Me...maybe

So I really wasn't planning on taking the kids AGAIN to the fair, but I told them if I won Bunco Thursday night, I would take them. Now, I haven't won a thing playing Bunco in about a year, let alone THE Bunco. So whatdoyaknow...I won!! And since I hosted at my house, my kids were there to witness it all, so they knew I had to stick to my promise! Honestly though, I probably would have taken them again anyway, I just love the fair. So Friday morning we met Kate (Kate, was this 3rd day for you?? Your just as bad as me) to let the kids have some more fun. I packed a lunch for the kids (which sucked, fair food is so much better) but caved in when the kids wanted sno-cones. It was good times but I was a little too hot. Sweating everywhere, and I hate that. Poor Dane's face was beat red and his little hairline was all sweaty! We stuck it out for a few hours until I really could handle it no longer, so we headed home. I am sad to say I wimped out a bit but Kate and Heather pushed through the heat and stayed! We went home and I filled the pool up for the kids so they could cool off. I laid on the couch thinking about taking another shower, but too tired.

After a few hours, it cooled of quite a bit and I got a phone call from Kate saying "We're still here!" So as soon as my husband got home, I confessed to going to the fair again ( I didn't tell him my plans that morning knowing he would probably roll his eyes and then justified the money spending with my Bunco win) and asked if I could go back WITHOUT the kids so I could actually look at a few things. Being the fantastic husband that he is, he said of course, but he was going to lock the kids in a room so he could get a presentation done. Fantastic! So I hopped in the car and parked a ways from the fair and took a FREE shuttle there. Met up with Kate again (she was on hour 8 or so?? What a true fair girl.) and got some ice cream and puttered around looking through the booths. Finally Kate called it a day around hour 9 but I stayed. I am totally kicking myself for not bringing my camera back. What a beautiful night! Full moon and they had the Newsboys blaring in concert. I just walked around slowly taking in all the sights and smells. Boy is it sure different when you don't have 4 little ones to keep track of. I didn't realize how much stuff I miss. By 9:30 I decided to call it a night, and walked toward the shuttle, but I didn't really feel like getting home so soon. I figured I would just walk to my car. It was only half mile or a mile away. Beautiful night and you could hear the band playing better the further I got from the fairgrounds. I walked really slow enjoying my alone time. It really made me realize how little time I have spent by myself in such a long time and that I have to remember to do this more often. I was a little disappointed on how fast I got to my car and considered walking around the block a few more times, but I didn't and headed home. The house was quiet when I got home, my husband working on his stuff and the kids were all watching a movie, not locked in a room. It was a good day.

Oh yeah, today is the last day of the fair. Wonder if I will head out there again.

Fair Week

It is fair week! I love the fair. I think I went almost everyday last year. So far the kids have been every day too. We did the demo derby on Monday, rides on Tuesday and Grandma is taking the kids today. The two older boys in the morning and the two younger ones in the evening! Maybe I will sneak back in later tonight with the kids since my hubs will be working late. I only took a few pictures because I didnt want to haul my big camera around all day and I usually end up carrying all sorts of "goodies" that the kids have aquired throughout the day. So here are a few shots. Gage moves around so much that he is hardly in any. Dane is getting tired of me taking pictures of him and Davis asks me to take a picture of him at every turn!