A Trip to the Beach

Mom and I took the three dogs to the beach Saturday morning. This was Rockis' first trip ever. He loved running in the sand and chasing the seagulls and pelicans. He would run up to the water then stop short ever time. He got hit by a wave once and wanted nothing to do with it anymore, I think it was too cold for his taste.

Okay OKAY!!!

Let's see, what has happened since the last time I blogged? I finished all of my Christmas shopping early this year. No last minute shopping for me, thank goodness!!! The 23rd was the family dinner at the Coles'. It was fun running around play ing with silly string with Savannah, Chad and Brianne. I still laugh every time I think about the look on the twins face when they got silly stringed for the first time. As the party wore on Dwight broke out the karaoke machine, fun times ensued. Around 6 or 7 Alexa came up to me and sat on my lap then layed her head on my shoulder. These are one of the times I miss Kierra the most, I can't help but think that this should be Kierra sitting here with her daughter on her lap.
On Christmas I had some kind of stomach bug, and was sick all day absolutly miserable. Got some awsome gifts, alot of stuff for my room.

I am a Woman Obsessed

With crocheting!!! Seeing as how I am an unemployed full time college student, I don't have alot of money to be spending on Christmas gifts this year. So I decided to make scarves for my grandmother and my aunt. I thought that I wouldn't be done with them until a couple days before Christmas, but I ended up finishing both scarves in 2 days!!! That just wasn't enough, I wanted to make more stuff!!! So I ended up making a scarf for myself and a matching hat. I am really proud of the hat, because I never learned how to read crochet patterns, so I had to come up with my own design. After 3 tries I found a design that worked and the hat is so cute!!! I am excited to use the scarf and hat when I go horseback riding again.
Anyway other than that, I watched the twins and Hunter Friday and Saturday and with them being sick, I of course caught a bit of it. I am almost over it though. I took my last final Wednesday morning, YAY!!! Finals were pretty easy this semester. I will be taking next semester off to work full time. I just don't have the funds to start any classes in the spring. So I will continue my education in the summer. Which kind of makes me happy. I am having some serious issues with deciding what I want to be.
I am excited about the Holidays, this will be my babies first Christmas. My baby Rocki!!! I got him a Christmasy(sp?) collar today. And of course he looks so adorable!!! And you know I will post pictures later!!!

Baking Fun

Rocki helping bake
Originally uploaded by brendastarr1021.

This is a picture of Rocki with flour on his nose. He was trying to help my mom bake cookies and stuff for some of the troops in Iraq. What a cutie, huh?

Thanksgiving and Disney World

Castle
Originally uploaded by brendastarr1021.

I went to Disney World for Thanksgiving with the Shore family. The place was completely packed!!! I took a bunch of pictures, so be sure to check them out by clicking on the picture of Cinderella's castle.

November 17-19, 2006

11_19_06_0928
Originally uploaded by brendastarr1021.

What an amazing weekend. Mari-Jane, Hunter and I went up to the horse ranch in GA Friday night. Hunter and I were so excited we barely slept that night and woke up and hour before the alarm went off. I got to ride Stella, a beautiful black percheron, twice Saturday. Sunday I decided to ride someone different, so I got T-Bone, a handsome brown quarter horse. He worked really well with Barney. Both days were eventful, there is no down time there. Your are either eating, around the horses or sleeping at night. And I loved every moment. I can't wait to go back!!!

By the way I have now attatched Flickr to my blog. Beginning now you can click on any picture and veiw a larger version and view all of my other photos on the slideshow.

Warhol and Rocki

My latest design class project was to pick a picture of someone and turn it into something Andy Warhol would have done. I, of course chose Rocki as my subject. We had to pick 3 different color cords, then we could use the dark and light values of those cords to create our pictures. It was alot of fun and I think they turned out pretty cool. Below are the original picture I took of Rocki and my finished project. Enjoy!!!

The Original

The whole project.

Close ups of each.

A year

What can happen in a years time? Many, many things. People come in and out of your life, jobs end and school begins. A year without that one person you tell everything to, the good and the bad. A year without having that one person who is always there for you. I still talk to you and see you everywhere I go. I am grateful for the years we had together, but I am deeply saddened for the year we have been apart. I came to visit the very spot you were taken away from us all today. I sit there and talk to you. I wonder how you were feeling in your final moments here on earth.
I still think to myself that its not true, that you are not gone. How can she be gone? How can someone so bright and full of life, be gone? Its not fair Kierra, it just isn't fair.

November 11th, 2006

Today Jennifer, mom and I went to the memorial service for the soldier who was killed overseas. There was suppose to be some church group at the service, protesting it. This church group believes that God hates America and is punishing us for our exceptence of homosexuals. Well their threats to show up were met with hundreds of people showing up to support this soldiers family. The out pouring of love was amazing and awe inspiring. I was so proud to be apart of it. There is a group called Freedom Riders, they go to all the memorial services of fallen soldiers all over America. They are quite a group, filled with great people. Here are a few pictures I took thrughout the day.

Just a taste of the many bikers out there, they filled up 3 large parking lots.

The massive flag the firemen brought.

Me holding a flag as the family passed by.

Rocki

Here are some more recent pictures of Rocki.

Rocki and Martini sleeping.


Rocki sleeping on my lap.

Jaguars

For the past few weekends we have been walking the river walk downtown. Awhile back they use to have painted manatees all around Jacksonville, well now they have 12 painted jaguars. These are my two favorites. The fist one is named Pawcasso and the second is Vincent Paw Gough.

October 21, 2006-My 23rd Birthday

I woke up the morning of my birthday not to sure of how the day was going to be. My mom woke me up by singing me Happy Birthday. We wet over to her friend Jennifers', where Jennifer and her kids had prepared a birthday breakfast for us all. It was scrumptious!!! After breakfast mom, Isiah and I headed to the PX. We had fun running around being silly. As soon as we got home, I had to start on the food I was bringing to the family dinner, walnut tartlets and Shore is Good seafood dip.
The family dinner was nice, good food and good friends. But I couldn't get into the spirit of things. I am usually one of the first people in the pool with the twins, but not this time, I just wasn't up for it. The day just seemed sort of empty, something meaning someone was missing. It is so hard to celebrate birthdays and holidays without Kierra. She made such a big deal about all that stuff, its strange and saddening not having her here to celebrate with.

October 13-14, 2006

Well this semester I joined the FCCJ Art Guild, which I am also the treasurer for. Our first big project was to paint a billboard for the campus. The billboard is 14 feet tal by 48 feet wide. It was a huge project, but it was huge fun. We started work Friday morning at 10am and worked until 6. The only break I took was to pick up Hunter from school, take him to daycare, then headed straight back to work. The next morning I was so sore, but we still had a lot more work to do. We finished the billboard at 4pm. the billboard turned out great, aot better than I thought it would. Here are some pictures of the work in progress.

Dear Mr President-Pink

Dear Mr. President
Come take a walk with me
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep
What do you feel when you look in the mirror
Are you proud

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why

Dear Mr. President
Were you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
Are you a lonely boy
How can you say
No child is left behind
We're not dumb and we're not blind
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pay the road to hell
What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye
How do you walk with your head held high
Can you even look me in the eye
Let me tell you bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night
How do you walk with your head held high
Dear Mr. President
You'd never take a walk with me
Would you

Far Away-Nickleback

This time, This place
Misused, Mistakes
Too long, Too late
Who was I to make you wait
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know,
you know, you know

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore

One my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
'Cause with you, I'd withstand
All of hell to hold your hand
I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
'Cause you know,
you know, you know

So far away
Been far away for far too long
So far away
Been far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know

I wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear you say
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long
So keep breathing
'Cause I'm not leaving
Hold on to me and, never let me go

Design Class

Today was my second day in my design class. We were told to bring in some snacks and a plate. So I brought in wheat thins, sour candy straws and gummy worms. We were told to "plate" our snacks in a creative way. Then we had to go around and look at everyone elses plates. I was told by the teacher that mine was different then everyone elses. Which made me nervous! He said that I think outside the box. All the others students put their food in round shapes to match the round plates they were using. Mine is shaped like a triangle, yet is placed on a round plate. He said that is very good and looks forward to seeing my future projects. How cool is that?!?!

Here's my plate. I took the picture with my phone.

Rocki, Cuter and Cuter Everyday

I took this picture of Rocki the morning after I got back from the Keys. He has gotten bigger and cuter, even though I didn't think it was possible. I love this little boy more and more every day. He is a big momma's boy too. He follows me every where I go. Silly boy.

Summer Fun in the Keys

Well, I got a call from my friend Chasidy Thursday. she asked me if I wanted to go to the Keys with her. I asked her if she was serious, and she was!!! So, Thursday night at 6 we hit the road. It is an eight and a half hour drive. We got to the Keys at about 2:30 in the morning. We went straight to bed and woke up early the next morning. Chasidy, Donna and I went to the grocery store. While we were in there, I go t a call from FCCJ telling me that my Child Psychology class would not start until September 25th. Ok, no big deal.
Well for the next few days we went lobstering, fishing and snorkeling. We ended up staying an extra day. That day turned out to be the best lobstering day and I got sun burnt. Chasidy, Jim and I went out on the boat to go snorkeling then go fishing. Well we never made it to fishing because we ran out of gas!!! It was really funny. Donna had to come save us. On the way home we Chasidy and I stopped a few places, did a little shopping and made it home 7 at night. I had sooooo much fun and did lots of cool things and managed to not get a sun burn until the last day we were there. Here are some pictures I took while we were there. I took them with my phone so their no to great, but they are the best I could do. Enjoy!

The house we stayed in. Nice huh?

Open water

Some lobsters

The Navy Marina

Off the side of the house

Craziest hermit crab EVER!!!

Off the side of the house again

A really cool looking church on Duval Street

Chasidy's first lobster

Off the side of the boat

The Southern Most Point in the U.S.A

Side of house again

Some Pictures

I like taking pictures of the flowers in my yard and the beach. I got some film developed recently. So I thought I would share them with you. Maybe they will help brighten someones day.

The Jetties

One of my baby Gerber Daisies

This is actually a weed that grows in the yard, but we keep because they are so pretty.

Another one of my Gerbers

Wisteria(sp?)

What can I say, I love Gerber daisies.

Day Lily

Oh, I just love this flower!!!

Tulips at Grandmas' house

More wisteria(sp?)

I have no idea what this flower is called. But isn't it cool looking?

July 6th-8th

I watched the twins for Mari-Jane on the dates above, so Hunter and she could have some one on one time. Well, we had a great time. those are guite the little characters. I took a couple pictures of them playing in their pj's. I just got the film developed and decided to post them on here.


Tristan and Alexa, ready for bed.

Cheesing for the camera.

Big smile!!!

Look at that face!!!!

Alexa's Angry Face!!!