Our Journey of Love

2012-02-12T16:10:00.003-05:00

Valentines Day Crafts
lots and lots of wonderful ideas from Pinterest
I LOVE creative ideas and that site is awesome!

Mia made this frame for her teacher!

2012-01-23T21:45:00.000-05:00

Happy and Prosperous New Year in the year of the Dragon!

NYC Trip!

2012-01-12T22:18:00.004-05:00

Mia and I headed to NYC for a girls trip with my sister and my niece Kenedy, just after Christmas! We had such a fun time and we did sooooooooo much! Mia really enjoyed riding the subway and got a kick out of all the "BIG Buildings". Being in the City during the holidays is such an awesome experience! We got tickets to Radio City Music Hall and saw The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, had afternoon tea at the American Girl Cafe' , but the best was when my sister surprised the girls with a limo ride to the show!!! They were beyond excited!!!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-25T21:48:00.001-05:00

2011-12-18T10:51:00.002-05:00

Swim Team Holiday Party- Awards Banquet on the Beach!

the kids enjoyed cooking hot dogs and making smores!

2011-11-26T20:55:00.002-05:00

another year of blessings in our home for sure!

Kindergarten Thanksgiving luncheon, it was so cute! The children sang
3 Little Indians in Spanish.

2011-11-18T20:10:00.004-05:00

Looking forward to some family time this Thanksgiving holiday! Last year this time we were heading to Atlanta to spend Thanksgiving with my sister and her family, but we will be seeing them at Christmas instead! Our Thanksgiving feast will be at my parents this year and it is going to be a low key one! My Mom and I are geared up for the Black Friday mayhem and look forward to scoring some deals around town!

Below are Mia's 6 year old pics and I must say, she is looking more and more mature everyday! Kindergarten is going great and she is loving swimming! Despite the chillier water temps, her wetsuit seems to keep her comfortable! Better her than I is all I have to say! Her final meet for 2011 will be December 10th weekend in Palm Beach and then she is on hiatus til the middle of January.

2011-11-05T22:43:00.001-04:00

Just some cuteness I wanted to share!

2011-10-31T14:08:00.004-04:00

Halloween parade this morning at Mia's school!

2011-10-23T21:34:00.002-04:00

Mia's school had their Fall Festival this weekend and the weather was great for this fun event!! Liberty Magnet has a great PTA and they put on a wonderful event!
Lots of games, a Haunted House, Hay Rides,
yummy treats and plenty of booths and games!

2011-10-13T20:01:00.002-04:00

6 year old check up DONE
48" tall- 90%
47 lbs- 75%
her pediatrician told us to keep doing what we are doing!

Happy 6th Birthday!

2011-10-11T10:09:00.002-04:00

Beach Party was on order for Mia's birthday party this year,

but Mother Nature had a different idea!

A group of us went to Ormond Beach for the weekend and Saturday almost the entire State of Florida was experiencing some sort of tropical storm effects! We were able to get some beach time on Friday , but Saturday we made lemonade out of lemons!! Last minute change of plans included dinner out and bowling for 23! All in all, a great time was had by all! Mia enjoyed her gifts and spending time with some close friends. Mike was able to meet up with some of his old police friends who since have moved away, so it was a win-win for everyone despite the weather!

2011-10-05T13:17:00.002-04:00

Go Lightning Bolts!

Mia is really enjoying her swimming and all that is involved. Her practice schedule is 4 days a week after school , but we are home at a good hour to get homework and some fun time in before bedtime! She has had 2 meets and is doing great! Her teammates are a great bunch of kids and it makes for a nice environment!

2011-09-19T21:34:00.002-04:00

Stretching Out Summer!
little weekend in Cocoa Beach at the Ron Jon Resort and Mia had a BLAST!

2011-09-13T21:05:00.004-04:00

The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. Aristotle

2011-09-04T17:52:00.005-04:00

we are back to routines and schedules and boy am I happy! Kindergarten is going great! Mia has 17 children in her class and her teacher told us that Mia is very "enthusiastic" about everything and was very well prepared for kindergarten by her pre-school!! Wednesday night is open house and we look forward to speaking in detail to her teacher. Swim practice starts up again on Tuesday and fall swim meet dates are on the calendar. We can't wait!!

Friday I volunteered for the afternoon in Mia's class to assist with a project they are doing about "themselves". I was able to sit with 2 children at a time at a table and help them pick out and decorate cut out little people to give each one their own style! It was really cute, Mia was smiling from ear to ear when I walked in the class.

2011-08-31T10:29:00.002-04:00

yesterday we said goodbye to our beloved 14 year old dog Kayla. We adopted Kayla almost 12 years ago and she has been with us through the most joyous of times and weathered the tough times with us as well! This is Mia's first experience in dealing with the loss of a pet, so it has been difficult and sad in our home right now. We know that Kayla is at peace now and she is in a better place. RIP Kayla

2011-08-22T22:45:00.002-04:00

1st day of Kindergarten was a success! Mia was such a BIG girl and proudly marched into class and forged forward without a second thought! Mike and I on the other hand had tear filled eyes and couldn't believe we were at this point! We were very impressed on how well and organized the school was amidst the large crowds
for the first day.

We asked her how her day was and her response was, " It was cool Mom, we learned a lot of rules today" Mia chose to have lunch in the cafeteria today and she was very excited to order an ice cream for dessert. Mia's journal from the teacher read,
"Mia is a delight in class and very enthusiastic! "

2011-08-19T21:34:00.005-04:00

summer has ended and Mia is beginning kindergarten on Monday. I cannot believe how fast the time flies!! Yesterday was orientation and Mia met her teacher and classmates. We signed a gazillion forms, bought a spirit shirt, signed up for the PTA and dropped off her school supplies in her cubby. I think we are ready to go!!! Her backpack is ready, her uniforms are hanging in the closet and she can't wait to start school! We are enjoying our last weekend of summer and look forward to a great school year. . .

2011-08-15T16:22:00.004-04:00

Happy 5 year Family Day Mia!

it seems just like yesterday, I was a nervous wreck getting ready to meet our baby girl! Time just has a way a flying by and we are just in awe of her wit, spunky personality and her beauty! We can't wait to see what the future holds for this firecracker!!

2011-07-26T22:18:00.001-04:00

Enjoying the summer weather!!!!

2011-07-26T21:34:00.000-04:00

2011-07-09T22:41:00.002-04:00

at the recommendation of a friend, we took Mia to meet up with the coach of our local swim team. Coach Bill recommended Mia come out to the pool where the team trains so that he could assess her abilities and her level of swimming. Once he observed Mia swim, he told us he wanted Mia to join the team. After explaining to us, what commitments we would need to fulfill, Mike and I decided that if she wants to do it, we should do what ever we can to give her the opportunity. She is going to train and practice for the next several weeks and will participate in her first swim meet in August. This has happened rather fast and we are excited!! We have been giving Mia a taste of many different activities, so that she may decide what her niche is. Mike and I were both very fortunate to have parents that were very supportive of us athletically and we want Mia to share the same type of childhood we both experienced.

2011-07-06T10:13:00.004-04:00

~4th of July in the FL Keys~

it has been a while since we have been to the Keys and we have decided we are NEVER going to wait that long again! We went snorkeling at John Pennekamp State Park, fed the tarpon at Robbies,

relaxed by the pool and really enjoyed our family time!

2011-06-30T09:36:00.004-04:00

2011-06-09T15:07:00.001-04:00

Having a great time in Marco Island! Mia gives it 2 thumbs up!

2011-06-07T12:30:00.002-04:00

Mike's goddaughter Makenzie graduated from high school this past Friday! We are so proud of her and will always be there for her no matter what!! We pray that she will continue to follow her dreams despite all her bumps along the way!

2011-05-28T13:45:00.005-04:00

emotional day yesterday saying our goodbyes to Kendall Academy where Mia has attended pre-school since she was 21 months old. The staff is like family and I attribute many of Mia's success's to them! At 5 years old and ready to start Kindergarten , Mike and I are blown away and are very proud of what she has achieved in her pre-school years. Mia is a strong reader, enjoys math and most of all is a confident well mannered girl that is always concerned for others and is very lovable. She really enjoys arts and crafts and as the director mentioned as she crossed the stage last week to get her diploma, "Mia can make art out of anything, whether it be scrap paper or a piece of mulch!". Many days it would take me a good 15-20 minutes to get out of the school because she wants to hug and kiss everyone before leaving. When we did our final good bye's yesterday with all her personal belongings in tow, she was the one that said, "It's OK, I will be back to visit!"

2011-05-24T15:57:00.002-04:00

Can't wait to get my hands on this month's issue of our local Parenting magazine! Mia is on the Summer Fun Section!!! I just love this photo!! I submitted it to the magazine when I took it because it looked so "summery". The editor LOVED it and asked me to sign a release!@

2011-05-21T17:54:00.003-04:00

Beautiful graduation and show last night!!!! All the children did great!!!

Mia decided that she wanted to wear her hair curly, so I set it in hot curlers and it came out REALLY curly! Maybe we left them in a little to long! ((ooops)))

In the end she loved it and said she had hair like me!

Graduation Day 2011

2011-05-19T14:20:00.004-04:00

today Mia graduates from pre-school and has her ceremony tonight at 7:30pm. We have some grandparents that are on their way up to join the celebration. I am just blown away that it has flown by so quick!! Where has the time gone???

We have been so very blessed to have found a pre-school that has prepared Mia so well to embark into Kindergarten!! Mia's pre-k teacher is Miss J and she adores her, she is always writing her love notes to bring to school. Next week will be her final week and it will be sad to say our goodbye's, but VERY exciting for a summer full of fun!! Mia has been attending that school since she was 21 months old and has formed many many special friendships!!!

Practice Makes Perfect ! !

2011-05-15T16:48:00.005-04:00

gearing up for some summer vacation snorkeling!

2011-05-08T21:35:00.002-04:00

Happy Mother's Day!

It's not always the easiest job but being a mom is the best job I've ever had.

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T21:12:00.002-04:00

Easter weekend was filled with egg hunts, visits to the farm, and poolside relaxing! Mia absolutely LOVES my Dad's clams oreganato and she devoured her share of clams!

The Easter Bunny delivers Mia basket to the front porch because we have a greyhound named Kayla and she will chase him away!! One of Mia's goodies was a snorkel and mask, she has been asking to learn so she could accompany us when we head out. Well I am proud to say, she took to the whole thing like a champ and is doing great. A couple more times practicing in the pool and I think she is ready to hit the ocean!!

Cousins...there is nothing like them

2011-04-14T09:09:00.003-04:00

Spring Is Here!

2011-03-16T16:26:00.005-04:00

we are very excited to share some of Mia's modeling photos! The Company Kids catalog was delivered and we were so excited when a friend informed us that Mia made the cover!

We of course had not gotten our copy and were quite surprised!

These photos were taken in December in the beautiful FL Keys. Mike and I are always amazed at how she can follow directions for the photographer but as far as her parents.....well you know how that goes!

2011-03-02T12:09:00.003-05:00

Florida Marlins Spring Training Opening Day 2011

what beautiful weather for a baseball game! We got some great seats and had a fabulous day! University of Miami played the Marlins this year on opening day so we had a torn family! We are fans of both, so we sported an assortment of team spirit!!!!

2011-02-22T10:48:00.004-05:00

The warm weather is back in FL and we have

been enjoying the outdoors lately!

Valentines Love

2011-02-13T22:09:00.004-05:00

crafty day today at our home making some
Valentines gifts for Mia's teachers!

2011-02-10T10:53:00.002-05:00

We hope you have a great weekend full of love!

2011-02-03T13:28:00.000-05:00

2011-01-22T14:26:00.006-05:00

took these pics today and tried them in 3 different versions!
Which one do you like best? I can't decide. . . .

2011-01-10T20:01:00.001-05:00

2011-01-03T13:39:00.004-05:00

Why does vacation fly by?

Snow in Florida? well at The Gaylord Palms Hotel in Orlando they do!!

Mia has been asking to see snow, so here it is!! Florida snow!

tubing was fun and the shots of me tubing were a little blurry. We had a blast!

these Ice sculptures were amazing. It takes 4 months for these to complete. There was an ice slide that we also enjoyed but, due to the cold, my camera was working slow, the mechanisms were starting to freeze up I think! I wore gloves, but they weren't warm enough evidently!

Mia's first visit to Seaworld!

2010-12-31T11:51:00.006-05:00

we had a great Christmas this year and had some great family time!!

2010-12-22T14:09:00.003-05:00

LOVE this time of year! Merry Christmas to everyone!

We hope Santa is good to all of you!

2010-12-14T21:58:00.004-05:00

this is our 2nd year of putting up an additional tree and dedicating it to all things nautical, or better know as Daddy's fishing tree to Mia! Our main tree is in the formal living room and we do not get to enjoy it as much as we would like, so we put a second tree in our family room! This tree is all about fishing, the beach and sea life! We love it! I took some shots of the ornaments and it was so hard to decide on which ones because they are all unique in their own way!

Christmas is rolling in fast and we are almost ready. Just some wrapping and getting ready for Grandaddy and Grandma T to come and stay a couple of days for the holiday!

Thanksgiving Blessings

2010-11-30T09:24:00.001-05:00

we spent Thanksgiving in Atlanta this year. Deanna and Vince hosted the holiday this year and it was great to have some cooler weather and all be together. Mia of course LOVED her time with her cousins! I ventured out in the wee hours of the morning with my sister and my Mom for the Black Friday deals and it was loads of fun! (yawn)

2010-11-28T21:53:00.004-05:00

Very Proud!
Mia's first professional job is hot off the press! Parenting Magazine's December 2010/January edition is now on the shelves. Mia is featured in the Rising Stars section which shows children in different holiday clothes ideas. Mia has been busy doing some modeling jobs and she really seems to be enjoying it, her agency is keeping us very busy. Her favorite part is the hair and makeup!

2010-11-22T22:35:00.003-05:00

I entered this picture in the I heart faces weekly photo challenge. The topic this week is paper and I remembered Mia brought this home from school last week! She is always soooo giggly and full of smiles! This face makes me thankful every single living day!!!

Happy Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T22:37:00.000-04:00

this year we invited Mia's friends and their parents to our house. These children have known each other since preschool and us Mom's have formed a special friendship! We had a hayride type of Halloween this year. In our neighborhood, there is a lot of walking and the hayride made it much easier and more fun for the kids!! Stephanie, Jamie and Kelee joined us again this year and I loved Mr. Potato head! My Mom and Dad as you can see joined in on the fun as well, and to be quite honest with you, I think my Dad makes a pretty woman! Mia acted very distant to my Dad in costume and I asked what is wrong and she responded, "Papa is scaring me" !!!

2010-10-25T22:30:00.005-04:00

I love when I catch these moments on camera!
These pictures really get a feel of what goes on in our house quite often! Mia loves being mischievous with Daddy!

2010-10-23T17:45:00.006-04:00

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party 2010
what a great time we had with the gang at Disney! LOTS of candy, laughter, and friendship!!

Mia gettin down with Pluto at the dance party!

2010-10-16T16:57:00.000-04:00

Yee Hawin' Good TimeMia wanted her birthday party this year again at the farm! We celebrated her 3rd birthday here also and she must have loved it! Some new changes at the farm this year so it was a different experience. This year they had a corn maze and the kids had a blast searching for toys! They also had 2 baby piggys which were 3 weeks old, it was so cute to hear them squeal! The weather was perfect and all the kids had a great time!

2010-10-11T21:41:00.002-04:00

Family dinner celebration at Fujiyamas!

the look of excitement when she tore open only one little corner of the present and noticed was was inside was priceless!!

2010-10-07T08:25:00.001-04:00

Today our baby girl turns 5!

Where does the time go? Mia stands at 46 " tall and weighs 42 lbs. WOW!! She loves to sing country songs, talks a whole bunch (non-stop), is always full of life and is very thoughtful. She was very excited when she was tall enough to ride Space Mountain at Disney and can't wait for her final 2" to get on Mount Everest at Animal Kingdom and Aerosmith's Rock n' Roll Rollercoaster in Hollywood Studios. My little daredevil hangs with me, has no fear and I love it! Tonight is our family dinner celebration, and as tradition goes, the Birthday person get to pick where they want to eat and YEP! Mia picked Sushi! She eats the ginger like it's going out of style and uses her chopstick better than some adults. I made chocolate Chip cookie ice cream sandwiches for her birthday celebration at pre-school and that was at her request because, and I quote "Mommy EVERYONE brings cupcakes!"

Her 5 year old pictures were taken with her friend Belle, who is the sweetest horse. Mia has been taking lessons for a couple of months now and loves to bring her carrots and apples for treats after lessons.

Dol-Fan

2010-09-24T16:44:00.002-04:00

have to share a funny story while watching the Miami Dolphins game last weekend! It was getting near the end of the game and the Buffalo Bills were near the goal line and I started chanting FUMBLE...FUMBLE and Mia turns to me and says, "Mommy, why are you cheering for the fumbles, we are supposed to cheer for the Dolphins?" We all broke out in laughter! We've got a tough game this weekend and let's hope they can get a WIN!

2010-09-21T22:12:00.000-04:00

I'll Tumble For You!

2010-09-15T21:53:00.002-04:00

practice...practice...practice

HOLIDAY get-away

2010-09-06T21:24:00.006-04:00

A little family time in Ormond Beach for the holiday was just the perfect ending to summer!! We found this place that has the cutest beach cottages and is now on our definite list of fav's. Mia really got to boogie board this weekend and she is enjoying it sooo much! She knows how to wait for the perfect wave to ride it to shore. It is so cute to watch because she squeals with excitement as the wave rides her in. We were able to sleep in, relax and we even stayed up 'late' one night to watch a movie and she got a kick out of it , because after Daddy fell asleep we raided the gummy worms.

2010-08-31T08:49:00.012-04:00

I am thinking that my hubby hit the jackpot when he bought me this birthday gift! I had a fun packed, laughter filled, relaxing absolute blast this weekend. I have been truly blessed with wonderful and thoughtful friends as well!! My girlfriends here in Vero made arrangements behind the scenes via Facebook with Joey and had the cabin decorated, a birthday sign on the door and a chocolate cake delivered to dinner on Saturday night! WOW !!

The weather cooperated and our massages on the beach were very relaxing! I have to say, those late nights of dancing and drinking can catch up real quick! I took a 3 1/2 hour nap when I got home and am thinking I can only party like a rock star every once in a while!!!

Daddy and Mia had a great weekend as well, Mia went to a birthday party on Saturday and Grandaddy came up to visit while I was gone and the 2 Harrell men, held the fort down! I couldn't wait to get to Mia's school to pick her up and squeeze her, I missed my little parrot!

Happy Birthday to me.....

2010-08-26T22:15:00.003-04:00

Thanks to my hubby and my BFF for putting together a girls only get away cruise this weekend. We are celebrating our birthdays! Joey's is in September and mine was Monday the 23rd and I am loving her idea of celebrating!! Daddy and Mia have some fun planned this weekend and I will be on a chair somewhere relaxing or heading to the spa for a massage! My wonderful family hid some moola in my birthday cards and some pampering is on the agenda! Four of us girls are heading to Miami tomorrow and and I am super excited! Girl time is always fun!

Bon Voyage!

Pre-K

2010-08-23T21:38:00.005-04:00

Today Mia enters her final year at her pre-school and is now in the Pre-k class , and she is so excited! Many of her friends made the cut off date and went on to kindergarden which she was a little sad about, but our resilient go with the flow girl, got over it quick and forged forward with her big girl attitude. Mia's feet are growing like weeds so we did a little shopping and she wanted these pink converse, so I took them home and blinged them out!

Happy Family Day

2010-08-15T09:54:00.000-04:00

Time has sure flown by and everyday we are thankful for the little girl that we met 4 years ago on this very day! You are so special to us and when you finally are able to sit down and read all of these journal entries, I want you to know how much you have enriched our lives! You have this personality and sense of humor that brings laughter to our lives on a daily basis. You are kind, playful, sensitive and smart.

Mommy and Daddy will never forget the first time we held you and were finally able to say we are now complete! We have many plans for you and want to you have the special memories and opportunities that Mommy and Daddy had as a child! We love you very much Mia!!

Every Picture Tells A Story

2010-08-07T10:36:00.003-04:00

Practicing some photography skills can land you in jail I guess!
Friday evening I set out with Mia and her friend Haley to do some photos for Haley's 5 year old birthday pictures. The shoot was going well until the Police showed up with lights on and everything. My husband warned me, but I laughed at him and said this is a small town and we are only going to be there for a short time! Well I will admit, right here for all to read, I was wrong! LOL. In my opinion, I think this officer was a rookie and was a bit cocky! Here we are 3 ladies with 2 children, my camera and zoom lense in my hand, we DID NOT look like hoodlums by any means. But he made sure he told me in front of the kids, ya know I could take you to jail right now! REALLY, was that necessary?! We were just getting the kids into the car anyway, so I was at least able to get all the shots I wanted to. I guess I won't be doing that again! Now my idea of shooting at this cute abandoned old farmhouse is out of the question!

2010-07-31T08:52:00.002-04:00

Florida has been burning up and we have spent many days at the beach! The surf has been rough at times and when Mia wants to boogie board she wears her life jacket. I myself have hit the deck when trying to get out far enough to ride a wave in, and I am telling you that was NOT a pretty sight!! Our pool temp has consistently been at 90-91 and it has been a rather dry summer here! We have been missing those afternoon showers to cool off the pool a few degrees!

My Summertime Girl

2010-07-18T21:53:00.003-04:00

I think that we spend most of our time in our bathing suits from May til late September. Mia has mastered the backstroke and can do the entire length with no problems, we are working on the breaststroke right now but she's got to get some muscle behind those arms!!

This weekend, Mia's close friend Haley had her birthday party which was a Hula theme. So I dug deep in Mia's closet and found the hula skirt that my parents brought back from Hawaii last year. She does not like the coconut top, so the skirt it was!

2010-07-13T15:36:00.005-04:00

yep! most of us were ALL together for a family shot! I can't believe it!! My grandfather

is 85 and his sister, my great aunt is 87. My side of the family is really small and this

almost sums it all up!!

Thank God for a tripod and a timer. It was quite funny watching me hall *ss to the group

while the timer was counting down.

2010-07-07T21:38:00.003-04:00

Family....Fun there is nothing like cousins! Our 4th of July this year was spent with our toes in the sand!!

2010-06-30T11:33:00.006-04:00

. . . . YEE HAW . . . . Mia has started her riding lessons and she absolutely loves it! The first lesson she basically talked the ENTIRE time and asked umpteen questions. Mia's facial reaction was priceless when she learned that her horse was named Belle and she loves apples and carrots! This past week she started to trot a little and she was all giggles when she started bopping in the saddle. . When we purchased her helmet, they were out of pink so Mia asked me to add some bling bling to her helmet! After this weeks lesson, we were heading to the car, she asked me why we can't have riding lessons everyday!!

2010-06-24T23:48:00.002-04:00

Busy Little Beavers... last weekend was my BFF Joey son's Bar Mitzvah. We of course made a little weekend out of it and hit some of our old stomping grounds!! I have to say, although I love the tranquility and slower pace Florida I live in now, I REALLY enjoyed me some South FL this past weekend. The boardwalk was busy busy and we were able to have lunch at one of our favorite Greek dives on the beach. The Marlins game was a blast and Mia got to meet Billy the Marlin too. Saturday night was the big event and it was a rockin' party. Mia hardly sat down and was right in the middle of everything and couldn't be bothered with Mike or I. She sat at the kids table and thought she was hot stuff. We caught her twice going to help herself to more and more soda from the kids bar! I must say, we have a social butterfly on our hands!!

2010-06-12T23:51:00.008-04:00

Our annual 2010 Marco Island trip has come and gone and we had another great year! Mike and I have shared this tradition for many years and look forward to many more. This year we really cherished the beauty of Marco and are hoping that our little slice of heaven is spared the horrible disaster that is happening in the gulf. The beaches are so beautiful and the sand is pure white and the thought of them covered in oil makes me sick. Everytime we came across some sort of wildlife, we wondered if we would see them again next year!

2010-06-03T22:22:00.003-04:00

Mia was chosen as the June 2010 cover girl for our local Parenting magazine! We are soooo excited! It was so cute when they were delivered to her school. I actually shot this picture and submitted it last month and then they contact me and asked if they could use it for the June issue. I don't know if I was more excited that Mia was on the cover or that my photo was chosen for the cover! We have left for our annual trip to Marco Island and are looking forward to some sun, fun and relaxation!

2010-06-01T16:24:00.003-04:00

I took Mia to the beach to take some photos for her portfolio and to practice a little. I also took some shots of my friend's daughter who also signed with Ford. Erin and Mia were good sports despite the heat and the car load of beach toys they couldn't wait to get into. I am almost ready to share my favorite shots of family and friends that I have been taking so that I can maybe get a little side business going to help pay for all the photography gadgets on my wish list. So far so good, word of mouth seems to keep me busy and I am just waiting to take the BIG plunge.

2010-06-01T15:34:00.001-04:00

PS~ Erin even got a new photoshopped front tooth!

2010-05-24T08:27:00.002-04:00

Sunday we spent the day with Alayna and her family! We started the day off with lunch and then headed to Andretti Thrill Park. The girls are about 4 years apart and love each other very much. I wish life didn't get in the way so much and let us get together more often, but either way, we always have fun when we can coordinate a little get together. Mia tried go cart riding and rock climbing for the first time. The first time she climbed the rock she only went up a little and asked to come down, but she asked to go again and then was able to go higher. Once she weighs a little more, I think she will do fine!

2010-05-23T00:09:00.001-04:00

Mia went to a bday party and it was a dance party. So Mia wanted to do her hair 'fancy' and wear a pretty dress. I snapped this picture in our front yard in front of one of our blooming bouganvillea's!

2010-05-14T22:39:00.003-04:00

We set out to witness the Space Shuttle Atlantis' finale voyage today! These shots were taken by my iPhone because I left my memory card in my laptop! ugh .......Anywho, I thought they were great, Mia kept looking around in all different directions way before the scheduled launch time saying, "Mommy, I don't see the rocket!"

2010-05-13T21:43:00.004-04:00

just a cute photo I shot of my chatterbox! I love my little girl so much and all her little Miaism's. I love how she tells me that if I want my skin 'smoov" I can buy some stuff on TV that she saw. I love her affection to animals and reminds me how Daddy took a hurt birdie once to the 'Umane Asociety". I giggle when she wiggles and shakes her booty when a song with a good rhythm comes on and how she loves Scooby -Doo and always says "This show is sooooo creepy". Daddy is blown away at how you can work your way thru my iPhone and know exactly how to play your 'favorite' songs!

Mia~ you are always the life of the party and everything about you is fun,

thoughtful and you bring us such joy!!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-10T12:03:00.003-04:00

my Mother's Day weekend began on Friday when Mia and I joined 4 of her friends with their Mom's for a get away to Disney. We stayed Friday and Saturday and came home early Sunday so we could be catered to on our special day! I arrived home to flowers and lots of goodies wrapped beautifully. I floated in the pool while my 'pool boy' brought me some frosty beverages! Mia made sure my sunscreen was evenly distributed while she rubbed me down, and my special day ended with my favorite salad, Rib Eyes on the grill, shrimp cocktail and some snow crabs!

I was so blessed to have my 2 favorite people taking care of me today, I was truly treated like a Queen for the day!

2010-05-10T12:00:00.000-04:00

2010-04-30T09:20:00.004-04:00

Mia has officially signed with Ford Models and we are so PROUD of her. When we were in the office, Mia asked if she could go over and look at all the comp cards they had displayed on the wall, and then she asked her agent if those kids are going to be in magazines! LOL We were also referred to another agency by Ford who has offices in Orlando. We spent the day in Miami Beach yesterday meeting with the Ford Models agent and Mia's comp cards are being printed as we speak. I can't wait to see where this little adventure takes us! either way, the Harrell's always seem to enjoy the ride!!!

2010-04-27T12:13:00.001-04:00

Is this a mischievous smile or what? She is just about to soak Alyssa with the hose!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!!!

2010-04-21T17:57:00.002-04:00

2010-04-18T11:48:00.002-04:00

2010-04-11T22:08:00.002-04:00

this is a video that the photographer put together! It brought tears to my eyes! I can't believe our girl is growing up so fast. I feel like we were just gathering all the things that we needed to travel to China.

2010-04-10T22:36:00.002-04:00

Family Time is the best time!!!
Mike has been wanting to take a trip to a state park about 30 minutes south of us
to spend a family day together, just the 3 of us. I enjoyed some relaxation and Mike was able to throw a line in as well. I can't help myself when it comes to taking some photos so i snapped a few of our beach bum!

2010-04-04T21:46:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter!

the Easter Bunny paid our house a visit early this morning and he must have had wet feet because he left several footprints on our porch and his cotton tail was shedding too! I thought he did a WONDERFUL job cramming all that stuff into that basket!! The look on Mia's face was priceless when she opened the front door!

2010-04-02T20:49:00.004-04:00

Beach days are back!

the water temperature was a little too chilly for me, but we have been blessed

with unbelievably beautiful weather.

2010-03-29T22:11:00.002-04:00

Original

textures

A little bathtime fun!

Playing with Photoshop! I feel like I have gone back to college!

2010-03-28T11:59:00.003-04:00

Saturday afternoon was a perfect day for a picnic! I organized a get together for Mia's close friends and their parents to have an Easter celebration, decorate some eggs and just have a good time! The Easter Bunny paid them a visit too!! We all met up at a local park and relaxed in some lawn chairs while the kids ran around and had a blast! We arranged an egg hunt and some squeals were heard when one of the 3 golden eggs were found!

2010-03-25T22:32:00.002-04:00

Mia's school had their annual Easter Egg Hunt today and Marshmallow the Bunny made an appearance too! It was mayhem when the kids took off in search of the eggs but the kids all had a great time!

2010-03-25T12:41:00.013-04:00

I won!!

a couple months ago, I entered in a Nestle' photo contest.
I entered our family holiday card and a photo that I took for my friend's Christmas card. Both shots won first place and I was sooo excited when I received the news!!!
just click here to go directly the site that shows the winners in each category!

2010-03-21T12:31:00.004-04:00

these eyes are always thinking and wondering!!!

Not to much gets past this one! I can't even sneak a snack or two from her, she can sniff a piece of chocolate on my breath from miles away I think!!! Summer is approaching and we can't wait! I have sooo enjoyed picking out some cute suits for Mia and she also has informed us that she rrreeeeaaalllllyyyy wants to take horseback riding lessons, so we have decided to give gymanstics a little break and give horseback riding lessons a try. The ranch we want to take her to, will start the kids once they are comfortable with their right and left so they can help guide the horse! Although Mia is a strong swimmer we have decided to continue her summer swim lessons also. I can't wait til she is old enough to put on a snorkel and mask and jump off the boat like Mike and I did as kids!!

2010-03-19T17:48:00.004-04:00

Take me out to the Ballgame!

we spent a beautiful day today at the Mets spring training facility and caught a game! Mia was up and dancing when the music was playing between innings and she somehow must have tugged at the heart strings of 2 guys sitting behind us because, they came back from a beer run with a baseball for her. The look on her face was priceless!

2010-03-15T22:45:00.002-04:00

I was able to attend a photography class at a Botanical Garden in my hometown. They had a dinosaur art exhibit there at the time and we were asked to shoot things during our mid-day break!!

VOTE for Mia

2010-03-12T09:26:00.006-05:00

become a facebook fan first and cast your vote!

search by name or photo entry date which is 3/12/2010!

thank you!

click on VOTE FOR MIA to take you directly to the link!

2010-03-11T21:00:00.001-05:00

A little bathtime fun!

2010-03-08T16:51:00.001-05:00

this is another proof from Mia's photo shoot! I will post the rest once they are all edited!

2010-03-08T16:27:00.004-05:00

just a couple of days away with some special friends! I was SOOOO proud of Mia, she rode Tower of Terror and she loved it! It was especially chilly this weekend, so we were all bundled up!!