Our Little Halloween Fairy

This is just a reminder that you can click on any picture to see it larger.

Wouldn't it look cool if dry ice were in this cauldron with smoke billowing out?

Click on this picture to really get a good look at the details of her costume! Precious!

I can't remimber what game she was playing here, but didn't it turn out cute as a picture?

I just wanted to show off the pictures that I took of Lauren in her Halloween costume. A co-worker, Jessica, made the the tutu, wings, bow, and magic wand for Lauren. The adorable orange and black striped tights are from Gymboree...(I love, love, love Gymboree clothing for Lauren!) Let me tell you what an excellent job that Jessica did with this tutu! It all looked perfect down to every last detail, including the colorful tulle, Halloween ribbons, and spiders! This had the be the cutest outfit that Ladybug has ever dressed in! You can search her store on http://www.etsy.com/. Look for her store, called Dancing Elf Designs.

I had been taking Ladybug to Target portrait studio to purchase pictures of her for the last 3 Halloweens. However, this was my first year to do them myself since I now own my new flash, the Nikon sb600. Let me tell you how much I am loving that flash! It was really helped me "step it up a notch" with my photographs. Actually, I get upset because Wal-mart and Walgreens don't want to seem to print out my photos anymore because they claim they are professionally done! I suppose that is a major compliment, however, it is a royal pain because I am having to type up a letter for my mom (for example) to show that I give her permission to print out my work! So, what's the point of doing my own photography if I can't get them printed out locally? I am researching good, professional websites and online photo labs to upload all of my work to, now.

Lauren did a great job with this photo shoot. Actually, I did it over the course of 2 days because I realized after the first session was over that I had forgotten an important part of her costume, the adorable little magic wand! To change up the look of the pictures, I decided to alter the costume to make it a hip, little witch's outfit. To do this, we took off the wings and added a few props. I had purchased the witch hat, cauldron, and broom from Wal-mart and was so excited that the props turned out so cute for the witch portraits. We also used our own pumpkin from the front porch as well as some silk decorative leaves from the dining room to add to the pictures. I am lucky to have such a cooperate, little model....as long as I don't put her through this too often!

Pumpkin Farm, October 2008

This afternoon after church and lunch with my parents, we decided to take Lauren to the pumpkin farm in Greenback for a hayride. Of course, the hayride takes you to a field where there are countless numbers of pumpkins ready to be chosen by the perfect family. If you know me, then you will also know that I can't resist playing photographer and getting some practice time in for my hobby. We found a great pumpkin to take home and carve. Lauren really enjoyed the hayride through the field. The weather was just perfect for our outing. The sun was so bright for my photography, though. I need to learn tricks for what to do to avoid the bright lights and harsh shadows.

Poor Lauren is getting sick of being my only model I am afraid. I explained to her that I don't WANT her to always look and smile at me.-just go about your business and I'll do my own thing with the camera. Ha!

I guess this means that we need to have another child to torture with the camera. He he he he! No, we are not expecting. I am kidding. That time will come later. But, not soon enough for Lauren's liking! She was ready to be a big sister when she was 3 years old and has been bugging me ever since!

Pawley's Island-October 2008

When it was time to leave Garden City Beach, Lauren was

tired & cranky. She wasn't ready to leave and got mad. She

put the red bucket on her head to hide herself. It was just

too hysterical that we couldn't help but laugh, and I

couldn't help snapping a few shots....

Needless to say, Lauren cheered up after that!

Surprise, Mommy & Daddy! I was hiding! Ha ha ha!


Lauren & her Daddy rode a bike to the river. This
probaby isn't legal, but they took the risk anyway!

Look how big she is getting, almost too big to hold!
Well, I'll hold and rock my baby for as long as I
can get away with it!

Cousin Chele & John flew in from Washington state

on our last night. We hated to miss out on their visit,

but at least we got to see them for one day!

Lauren definitely loves her Aunt Mary & Uncle Jeff.

A day at the beach. Mommy was too cold to swim, but
not our little ladybug!



What a gorgeous girl; she could pass for a model!


I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take
Lauren's picture as a Hawaiian hula dancer on
the beach. The pics were too cute for words, even a
fellow beach goer commented on how adorable she looked!

Bye-bye baby loggerhead! This is the pic that I

got in "trouble" for taking (didn't mean for the flash to go off!) Opps!

The proud mama...aka...Aunt Mary...setting

the baby free.

A large croud of people were on hand

to watch Aunt Mary and the SCUTE
members inventory the loggerhead sea turtle's nest.
Lauren was excited as well!

Looking for any babies and counting empty egg shells.


The proud turtle Mama with her nest that
she discovered all by herself! Go, Mary!

One of Lauren's favorite resturants in Myrtle Beach is

Margarittaville. She just loves the music, giant hurricane,

& watching the blender fill up every 30 minutes. It's hilarious to us

that she would love such a place, but she doesn't realize the meaning

of the song. Plus, it is geared towards families, so we feel ok taking her there to eat!

Horsing around on Pawley's Island one evening.


A quick family shot.

July, 2006. Aunt Mary & Lauren enjoying
the sunset on Waccamaw River behind her
Ricefields neighborhood.


October, 2008- Same sunset location. These
pictures are precious!



Garden City Beach pier. Lauren was fascinated/grossed-out
to a degree by all of the buckets of fish (see all of the people
fishing off the pier?)


We asked a lady to take a pic of us at the pier. Pretty cute, huh?

You'd never believe that a man was standing beside Philip, and I

editing the guy out of the picture. Go, Holley!

Goofing off at the pier and looking for sharks. We didn't see

a single shark, though, and were dissappointed!

Oh well, there's always next summer!

After leaving Garden City Beach, we realized

it was a GOOD thing that there were no sharks

since we were down in the water after leaving the pier!

What were we thinking? HAHAHAHA

Gorgeous sunset views...



Fascinating plantlife...

Playing putt-putt in Garden City Beach.

A thoughtful moment in the surf...


One morning, Aunt Mary took Lauren to her church's "pumpkin patch" to
choose 2 pumpkins: one for her and Uncle Jeff and another one for Lauren. This
is the one that Lauren decorated for Aunt Mary and Uncle Jeff using magazine
picture cut-outs. They looked so hilarious that I did a similar activity with my
kindergarten class (using paper pumpkins!)


Lauren chose a baby one for herself. What a surprise
since she loves babies! She actually found a baby in a magazine to
cut out since she wanted it to look like a baby. The pumpkin's mouth has
a pink pacifier and there is also a hairbow as well!

Eagles at the Brookgreen Gardens Zoo.

The salt marsh


An egret (I believe)

A gator!

The ocean was too cold for Phil and I (but not Ladybug!)
That's why we hung out in the hot tub!

We made a trip back to Pawley's for fall break in October, 2008 and had a wonderful, relaxing time. Lauren's 2 requests were to play a game of putt-putt golf and to eat at Jimmy Buffet's Margarittaville resturant. Hilarious, huh? Bet you didn't know that she was a parrothead? (just kidding!) While there, we had the experience of a lifetime- witnessing the opening of a loggerhead sea turtle's empty nest for an inventory. This nest was Aunt Mary's project-one that she had found and was watching over. Though we missed the hatchlings actual walk to the sea, there was still one baby turtle still alive in the nest. We watched as it made its way into the sea. We definitely learned alot during this trip...one important rule being about no flash photography around baby sea turtles as they head for the ocean!