Getting to know one another..



Winning some of the wonderful door prizes

Loaves and Fishes

Doug Stevenson of Abundance Business Solutions Company gave a great presentation, "How to thrive in a tough economy."

A contest between two of the members - who could get the most people to attend the luncheon.



All in good fun, the loser would have to eat crow. Which btw tasted like chicken.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am so very blessed – celebrated a wonderful “early" Thanksgiving with my family last Saturday as my husband went to Germany for his work. We enjoyed all the traditional foods of Stuffed Turkey – my mother’s recepie of wonderful stuffing and loads of other goodies. It isn’t the food – it is the time that we finally get to sit down as a family and be together. Today, I am enjoying the day with my children, we are going to make a huge pot of pasta sauce that will last us through the holiday. With 8 pounds of ground sirloin and Italian sausage - it is one meaty sauce. Then we are going to make Gnocchi. A family tradition for every Christmas Eve since I was a little girl, making homemade potato dumplings. So we thought why not today? These are so yummy – but after you eat Gnocchi, you are done for the night – it is on the couch watching a movie. I have many blessings this year – my family, my friends, the wonderful people I have gotten to know and photograph and my all my pets (Precious, Wishbone, Sweetpea, Jake “the cheese puff”, Tigger, Oreo and Mushu). I wish everyone a very Happy and a blessed Thanksgiving!

Solar Decathlon - Washington DC

Solar Energy Homes - Solar Decathlon

One large tour bus - about 45 High School students - 8 adults - a load of iPods, cell phones all into one 15 hour day for a trip to Washington DC. It is hard to believe that Sara will be graduating shortly - December 18Th. So when I was asked to help with the students that were going to Washington to see the Solar Decathlon, I immediately said yes. One of our last field trips together OK, I won't go down memory lane here - but there is something energetic about that many kids on a bus.

The Solar Decathlon were houses that were completed created and built off of solar energy. The Solar Decathlon site describe it best "The Solar Decathlon joins 20 college and university teams in a competition to design, build, and operate the most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house." Quoted from the Solar Decathlon site. Some of these homes were amazing - if you want to know more about solar engery homes or who competed and won the contest - just click the link above!

A quick group picture:


Enjoying lunch in front of the Washington Monument


One of the many houses we got to visit - it was amazing some of the designs that they came up with.


Sara and her friend

Washington DC - Raleigh Greensboro Photography

The girls



A couple of students convienced the staff at Golden Corral that it was one of the teachers birthday.

Thank You Janice

I recently meet up with Janice who is the mother of my bride Mary Jan. Janice was so wonderful to work with and one of the things I love about her is that she really wanted those Photojournalist moments. So it was really a joy to sit down and have coffee and deliver her prints. Right before we were leaving she pulled out some beautiful flowers to give to me to say "thank you". I was just so unbelievably touched by her kindness. I went home with the biggest smile on my face and now they sit on my office desk to keep things colorful on this gray day. Thank you so much Janice! You can view Mary Jan and Foster's wedding
here.

Hope you have an awesome day!
Ciao,
'Chele