Photo Story Friday: Lynsey Sweet Sixteen Invites

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Lynsey's Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party is coming up. We wanted to do something different with the invites. So, I thought photo invites for her friends would be AWESOME. I didn't want to pay someone. I thought I could take the pictures myself. So she did her own hair, slapped on a crown, used the homecoming dress from last year, and we headed to the overlook by Spanky's.

I want to say a few things right now:

1.) Lynsey is a really pretty girl. I have never really seen a bad picture of her. I have seen funny, strange, beautiful, to grown, ect. However, I have never seen a picture of her that I thought was ugly. (I know Lynsey will read this and I want her to know that I love her and don't take any comments personally;)

2.) I am by no means a photographer. I take pictures of the kids but I am not a professional, and I never thought I was. I just wanted 1 or 2 good shots to use. I took 100 pictures that afternoon. It was hard to choose in the end.

Back to the story. Well as we were driving there it just got darker and darker. It was really cloudy and we thought we would get rained on. Also, the wind was really bad. You'll see. The wind never really stopped.

Here we go.....

Well the island goes right through her head. She is facing what would be sun behind the cloud and her eyes are all squinty.

Bangs in her face. Was a good idea. I just couldn't pull it together.

This is something that I really liked. I love her leg kicked up like that. I love her up shoulder, and her poked out bum. I do not love her upper arm, but we can't be perfect.

We thought under this tree would be nice. Then I realized no one wants a picture of an armpit.

I say Lynsey go over by that tree. Those first tree pictures were really uncomfortable for her and for me. I didn't know what to tell her. I just kept saying get closer. Maybe if she would've been closer.

We took a break so she could look at what I took, and told me what she liked and wanted to keep doing. She likes the idea of the tree. I also told her about not smashing her arm against her self. Well that leads us to this picture.

Then she started getting really comfortable with the tree. I like this against the tree.

We liked the flowers. Put this looks like she doesn't and she is doing push ups. Sort of very square.

I said 'Hey lets do one just for Aunt Amanda. You know the pose she loves.'

Lynsey decided that I wasn't taking them from her best angle and took some herself.

Back to the tree. Only this looks like she has no hands, and it's another good shot of an armpit.

Bethany climbed a tree and the pictures are good. They are at the end. So, with high heels on Lynsey climbed the tree. I like this photo. It was one of my favorites.

I took some of Lynsey from the angle she likes. To bad the flower almost took out her eye.

Peek a boo I see you.

This is a proof of the invite. They are going to be 5 x7. Pretty cool. After the party all of her friends will have a really great picture of her with a crown. I guess it is alittle self absorb, but we'll let her be the princess for awhile. Hee hee ;)

These are a few shots I took of Bethany that I really liked.

I think this summer I would like to take the rest over there and snap some photos. All in all I think I didn't fine enough.

James Howard Uphold Sr.

This week as been really tough. I got the call Monday night that my Grandfather Uphold died. This is my Dad's Dad. I grew up right next door to him. He was a good man. He had his faults, but he was a good man. These last couple of years have been really hard for him. These next couple of years will be very difficult for my Grandmother.

An Uphold Reunion was started a couple of years ago. Which I would just like to say was a GREAT idea. I think it is a shame that families only seem to have time together for weddings, and funerals. Reunions give us an opportunity to really embrace each other. You can check out the Uphold Reunion website. That reunion is great fun. The man sitting in the wheelchair in the front is my Grandfather, James Howard Uphold Sr. My father was named after him. My brother was named after my father. My son's middle name was from them all.

I was unable to attend the funeral. I am very sad about this. I had allot of reasons which seem pathetic, and irrelevant as I am writing this so I will not mention them. There are no do overs in life, but if there was a do over I would be there today for the funeral.

I am relying on my sister to tell me every detail. I know she will. I asked my sister to make sure the pulling of the flowers and laying them at the casket and singing of amazing grace gets done at the grave site. I know she also asked for this song to be played at the beginning of the funeral service.
Amazing Grace by Chris Tomlin


The Dash
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

What could have been......

This should have bee a diet coke commercial.
I should have been the woman....hee hee