WPC – Experimental

On November 20, 2017 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Boys, Family, Photo Challenges, Photography, Teenagers, Weekly Photo Challenge, wpc3 Comments

Our son, Patrick, is a senior in high school this year and I want some nice pictures of him. Always looking for ways to save a buck or two I decided to take some shots on my own and see if I liked what I saw. He’s been playing marimba for the band since his freshman year and music is a big part of his life. Naturally, I want to include this monster instrument in some of the shots.

Being 18 he, at first, gave me nothing but scowls and eye rolls but, then, once we had a little smile-or-else chat (that’s the polite version) he cooperated and we actually even had a couple of laughs.

Round 1 was strictly experimental and I haven’t decided if I’m happy yet or not. We will see.

Wanting some close-up shots I enlisted the help of younger brother Ben. These may be the funniest of the series because there is no way to crop Ben’s rear end out without losing part of Patrick’s head. Suffice to say there will be Round 2 because the shot hasn’t happened yet.

Stay tuned.

Getting a License

On February 13, 2017 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Daily Prompt, Teenagers, The Daily PostLeave a comment

Oh happy day! He finally got his drivers license!!

Delays, busy schedules and lack of motivation made this whole process much longer than it should have been. But, finally, our 17.5 year old teenager got all his ducks in a row and we got it done.

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Armed with a book and lots of patience we pulled into the parking lot of the DMV just eight minutes after it opened. And, there were already a bunch of people in line waiting. Hence, the book and the patience.

One little snafu delayed things a bit but within 2.5 hours we had everything complete and were walking out with a newly licensed driver.

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Seventeen and a license – freedom and independence are right behind the wheel and to say he is excited would be a bit of an understatement.

I am excited for him, too. Kinda sort of.

Having a license is definitely going to make life easier for his dad and me. However, he’s young and inexperienced and traffic is brutal and drivers are a little crazy and, in all seriousness, I’m both elated and worried.

In other words – He’s a normal teenager and I’m a normal mom.

And if you need me I’ll be in the corner….praying.

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress.

Adventures in Traveling

On July 6, 2016 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Daily Prompt, Photography, Summer, Teenagers, The Daily Post, Travel2 Comments

07 July 5 (3)

The sun is rising while I sit, looking out my hotel window, with a view of San Francisco Bay, watching as planes land and take-off. It’s peaceful and I am relaxed and rested after a good night’s sleep. A far cry from the forbidden stress of a crazy travel day yesterday.

Ever heard that saying, “red in the morning, sailors take warning. Red at night, sailors delight.” For us yesterday it was fitting except I would change ‘sailors’ to ‘travelers’. When we left the house promptly at 6:00 am I commented on how intensely red the sky was and hoped it wasn’t a sign of the day to come.

It was.

Long story short – for the first leg of our travel we took two separate flights from Dallas to San Francisco. Don’t ask – it’s just the way it was. For me and my sixteen year old, Patrick, it was a breeze. For my mom, aka Granny, and my fourteen year old, Ben, it wasn’t. While our flights were only 30 minutes apart for a variety of reasons we left right on time but they left 2 hours late.

Emma & Patrick In the end, Patrick got to have a little adventure – taking an international flight all on his own while navigating security on this end and customs and immigration in China. I can’t wait to hear the details when we finally catch up.

I stayed behind for Granny and Ben and the adrenaline flowed as we attempted to get them off quickly, claim their bags, run from the domestic terminal to the international and get bags rechecked for our next flight.

No such luck and we had to rebook to try again today.

While the day brought it’s fair share of stress we encountered a multitude of angels. San Francisco peeps rock and we have met several wonderful people who did what they could to help us. It made the stress of the situation a little more bearable.

Ben and Teresa

Today is a new day and it will be a good one. And, hopefully the next time I write it will be from our final destination in China!

安全旅行和这一伟大的日子 safe travels and make it a great day in Mandarin (I think.) 🙂

A Couple of Opposites

On July 1, 2016 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Daily Prompt, Family, Grandchildren, Photo Challenges, Summer, Teenagers, The Daily Post, Weekly Photo Challenge, wpc3 Comments

Opposites:

Big – little

Younger – older

light (blonde) hair – dark (red) hair

girl – boy

awake – asleep

Patrick and Therese

No matter though, both of them bring me so much pleasure.

Eighth Gradeitis

On May 11, 2016 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Boys, Daily Prompt, Photography, Seasons, Spring, Teenagers, The Daily PostLeave a comment

Senioritis: that time of year when seniors in high school or college are so close to finishing but aren’t there quite yet. When time slows to a crawl, and it seems like graduation day will never arrive.

Eighth Gradeitis: Senioritis for 8th graders.

The next generation of 9th-12th graders are finishing their middle school years and are on the cusp of that great big new exciting world called high school.

My own 8th grader, Ben, said to me a couple of weeks ago, “I am soooo ready to be in high school.”

“I know you are – but you still have to get through these next few weeks of school.”

Saying that also prompted me to remind him to slow down and live in the moment. Don’t forget about today because you’re so focused on starting high school.

After all – as an 8th grader he is doing many things for the last time. Like the sports in which he participates. High school will be much more competitive, and chances are he won’t be able to play volleyball, basketball, soccer AND baseball.

Also, for now, he and his classmates are the BIG kids on campus. Next year….it’s back to the bottom of the heap.

I told him, “Be excited about your future but don’t live just for tomorrow. Enjoy today and relish all the things you have going on right now.”

Isn’t that a good lesson/reminder for all of us?

The 8th grade class of 2016 – blink and it will be 2020. Just like that they’ll be graduating high school.

May 6 8th grade class — copyright and photo credit to Don Chamblee Photography

Reminder to self – enjoy this remarkable young man now. The next four years will go by way faster than I think they will.

Joshua 29:11 For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.

Halloween in April

On April 27, 2016 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Daily Prompt, Teenagers2 Comments

This morning it was time to break out the lighthearted side of life. No adulting just a playful, tongue-in-cheek attempt to laugh at myself and take that oh-so-serious mask of life off for a bit.

The gym I go to, Title Boxing Club, has been stepping up the fun aspect of our work outs by incorporating a ‘Wacky Wednesday’ contest each week. This weeks theme was the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s.

Oh I rocked this contest. Pulling out the Halloween stash I put on my make-love-not-war-peace outfit.

Apr 27 Wacky Wednesday (2)

When I got back home I heard my 16 year-old in the living room so I jumped into the doorway and yelled, “PEACE BABY!” The expression on his face was totally and completely worth dressing up in the middle of the week at the end of April.

So worth it.

Apr 27 Wacky Wednesday (1)

He snapped my picture and proceeded to add it to his Snapchat story. I love to see my son laugh – even if it is at my expense.

No serious adulting masks today. Just a little spirited enthusiasm to brighten a Wacky Wednesday.

Happy Hump Day!

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/mask/

Weekly Photo Challenge – Dance

On March 24, 2016 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Boys, Photo Challenges, Photography, TeenagersLeave a comment

Happy. Smiling. Living the moment. Enjoying the life.

Dancing.

One of many favorite pictures I have of my boys.

photo copyright @terezpics 2004

They were 3 and 5 years-old in this picture and now they are 14 and 16. They are still apt to be just as fun-loving and goofy. Just not as keen on me getting pictures of it.

Ben and Patrick under the railroad trellis

No matter – I love my boys to bits.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/dance/

A Spring Sunday

On March 17, 2016March 17, 2016 By My Crazy Graced LifeIn Boys, Dogs, Family, Nature, Photography, Seasons, Spring, Teenagers, Thankful ThursdayLeave a comment

Sunday morning brought blue skies, warm temperatures and a sprinkling of clouds. It was a beautiful contrast to the week just finished, which had been dreary, gray, cloudy and rainy.

Having enjoyed Mass followed by lunch with friends, the weather was too pretty to stay inside. So, with hubby out of town and, looking to spend some time with my boys, I coaxed my teenagers into putting on their shoes – and putting down the game controllers – to go for a walk.

After loading dogs, baseball gloves and the camera into the car we headed off to explore a newly completed walking/biking trail in our town.

A relaxing, laid-back time was had by all as we wandered, played, explored and enjoyed each others company. The mild temperatures and rain ‘greened’ everything up – seemingly overnight – and the natural beauty we experienced was fresh and new. Flowers and trees in various stages of blooming along with green, green and more green everywhere we looked.

I managed to snap a few good pictures; capturing moments on this journey called The Teenage Years. At 14 and 16, my boys, in the blink of an eye, will be heading off to begin the next chapters of their lives and I’m grateful for these moments of togetherness.