Softball

Hello Everyone,
Wanted to post a picture from Sidney's softball game last night....Chris went to watch Sammie at Grant City, and I stayed home to watch Sidney...its hard to pick who goes where, but he was a sweetie and made the two hour trip, even after he'd drove an hour home from work...he has more than a few moments...he just keeps getting more thoughtful and sweeter by the minute :)

As much as I hate to admit...I think cheerleading has helped her with softball, at least pitching and her leg lift....she's kicking that leg up over her head all the time, every time shes bored you can tell, she starts cheering and kicking that leg up...but this is one time its really helped her out.

I don't know how she throws that leg up so high and not fall flat, guess its better her than me! She says its hard to throw your leg up, pitch a strike and say a prayer all at the same time....lol, she did really good for her first game of starting at pitcher, Sammie and Sidney both have put alot of time and energy into pitching the last couple of years, and both have gotten pretty darn good...and all to the credit of Mr. Newhart, who puts in that same time, his very valuable time to teach them...and I'm sure he puts in alot of patience as well working with a half a dozen girls, teen girls!! All I know is my girls sure do think alot of him, I hope everyone knows just how much he must care about the kids to give up his Sunday afternoons for 2 years....all just out of the goodness of his heart....

Okay, back to work...I'll try to get the senior sports pictures done tonight and for those of you that are reading this, and want the passwords, just send me and email copeland@greenhills.net Until we chat again~PENNY

Old School....

I want to thank a good friend for loaning me her husband's old truck..I think this turned out so cool! I hope the kids like it. I have some really good ones of the Polo Seniors this year...well at least the ones in Fall sports. Making this look like an old time photo I think even elevates the look I was wanting. They look pretty good! I told them to think tough...and I think they pulled it off! Okay, back to work, just had to play with one...Until we chat again~PENNY

First day of school...

I'm alone...so alone!! I hate the first day of school, but my girls sure were excited! They bounced out of bed this morning! A couple were up before I had to even wake them, bet you can guess which two, lol. We didn't get to bed as early as I would have liked...we were dying hair, cutting bangs, polishing nails,fixing lunches and reading books all after the time that I said I wanted them in bed by...so I figured they would have been hard to get up, but nope! Tomorrow maybe!! I wanted to post a few pictures from this morning, so Grandmas and Aunts could see. I have to admit...they're some pretty hot chicks! I think they're Daddy is in for some hard years, not that their Momma is gonna enjoy them either, but he seems to take it pretty hard. Yes...that part, the boys! And them looking a lot older than they are...they're beautiful, and a little make-up and POOF! You have grown men hitting on them...and we haven't even got to the one that's really boy crazy!!! Mary is and animal!!!
Its all good, I love having 4 girls...just love it! Okay...here's the pictures, my sweet baby girls on the first day of school :)

Sammie Jo- Sophomore

Sidney~ 8th Grade

Shelby Dale~ 4th Grade

Mary Clare~ 1st Grade

The MISSOURI STATE FAIR

Well, we just got home...a few chickens short, and ribbons and trophies in their place! The girls have been showing for 4 years now...They came home with 1st, 2nd and 3rd place...and no, we didn't know the judge!! They show market lambs, and meat birds...for those of you that don't know...meat birds are a pen of chickens, you buy them in late June, feed and water them heavy for 6 weeks, and the night before the fair..you weigh everyone, pick your pens...4 birds in each, same sex, same weight, and try to make sure their feet color and waddles match....then its bath time for those girls that make the cut. Now that is a hoot...I took pictures of my neighbor doing it about 5 years ago, and I thought it was the funniest darn thing I'd ever seen!!! If you had showed up last night with a camera, I'd have been out for blood!! It is one of the most disgusting things I've ever been a part of...last night we washed up 16 ladies....and 12 made the final cut this morning. Now those of you that have shown before know the routine, but those of you that have never been a part of it...well you're missing out! We load up early drive to Sedaila and watch the judge and try for two hours to figure out his or her system...each judge likes something different. Now that's the hard part...normally, we'd always been told you want 5-6lb chickens with all of the specifications as I told you before...but the lady judge from Arkansas last year threw every ones prize chickens to the curb, and went for the biggest fattest, non matching chickens any of us had ever seen...talk about some HOT! And not just the temperature...HOT exhibitors! So this year, we didn't know what to take...the heavy girls, the smaller ones, so we went with our gut, and came home winners! lol... actually I always give Chris a hard time, just because its so hot at the fair, normally they work hard, get beat and we come home....but this year, the girls can give all the glory to their dad that makes them do chores, wash lambs, chickens, sweat, listen to Mom fuss about having to do their chores...now they'll know what its like to go to the "Sale of Champions"...every kid that has ever shown hopes to get to make it to that night. So the girls can have a great memory of the fair, and I won't give Chris a hard time anymore. I guess it was worth it! Poor Sam got beat by her little sisters, and really does most of the work, so they'll split their winning and put it into savings...and I'm sure we'll do it again next year. Anyone that wants to get in on washing chickens next year, please apply! Now its home for the night, and leave tomorrow back to the fair...so if I don't respond to your emails, just know....that's where I am, the MISSOURI STATE FAIR! I'll eat a corn dog for you :)

Softball Season

Since Softball season is just around the corner, I decided to go all sportz on the blog!

I've started senior pictures this year off with a bang! Holy cow have I been blessed with good looking kids! ...young adults, my bad! Anyways, I'll try to start doing better with the blog now that school is about to start....seems like our summers just fly by, and the time I think I'm going to catch up on everything around here...doesn't happen! I don't honestly think I have deep cleaned my house in forever...I don't want to be that honest with myself, so...we'll not go there today. Between softball games, camps, braces, more camps...and more games...I feel like all I am is taxi service. Wouldn't miss any of my girls games if I can keep from it, but still have to be a grown up too...and work :(



Well, I'll leave you with a beautiful senior...and know there will be more to come! Hope you've had a great summer, until we chat again! ~PENNY

Big Boys and A little lady....

Hello Everyone! Its already started out to be a busy summer...I have quite a few session available, guess everyone is watching what they spend lately...need to watch mine a little closer! Yikes...four girls really suck you dry, lol....I wanted to share a few pictures this evening. Two of some "big boys" with their tractors, both different colors as you can see, and one of a pretty little lady that steals the hearts of everyone around her. Speaking of little ladies, I have a few in the other room waiting for their Momma for our movie night, we always start way to late, and the only one that makes it through the movie is the one that should have been in bed hours ago...yep, Mary :)

Has it been that long....

I know I've been super busy, but I didn't think it had been a month already! Sorry everyone...between senior orders, track meets and all of the last month of school stuff...I'm plum wore out! Sammie made it to sectionals this weekend, and then we have graduations....so another busy weekend! I wanted to post a couple pictures of one of my best friends little girls...we took these in the orchard about 5 miles away when it was in full bloom...talk about a awesome place for a tea party! I think after she got used to us watching her, she really had a ball...and of course, I had way to many for her Momma to pick from! Hopefully she can make up her mind better than I could...she just made such cute, sweet faces...laughing, running, picking flowers...a photographers dream. Poor Mary saw them and wanted to have a tea party too....but it rained after our session, and all of the blooms were gone, so next year, I'd better get it done, or my sweet baby girl will think she's too old for a tea party!

OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS!!!

Okay, Have you ever seen anything so adorable in your whole life???? If you want to see a few more of her, check out the first picture on my website, I added a couple new ones to it tonight. This is another reason I should be thankful I get to do what I do. I was lucky enough to take her beautiful sister's pictures a few years ago, and then this year I got to take hers and thank GOD I did! I love it when I get to take pictures of people that I know are connected to me by other clients...I've also taken her beautiful cousins pictures, senior and engagement....it makes me feel awesome inside when they come back, or send someone they love to me! To think they remember me years down the road for another memory to capture....I'm getting down to the bottom of my 2010 seniors, and it has been an fantastic year! The Lord has blessed me with incredible young people this season, and I hope that I have helped capture their true beauty, inside and out! Good luck to all of you in your future plans...I wish you the very best, May God bless you over and over till your cup is overflowing!

Mary's eyes

I just wanted to post a picture that helped me remember why I do what I do....I was feeling a little down in the dumps because I have to miss something that is very important to me due to my job, so feeling sorry for myself...and not wanting to miss a moment of my girls' lives...I started looking at old pictures tonight and found this one of Mary....see this moment caught in time. I love what I do, I have to keep reminding myself how I love what I get to do! These are the kind of moments that make me know its true. Good night everyone, PEN

The Vest....

To all of you that check out my blog...I like to look at blogs myself. I don't know how many of you know christian contemporary artist Natalie Grant...I have used her music on my website, she's awesome! I wanted to post what she had on her blog, I sure hope you get a special blessing from it as well.


Natalie Grant's Blog ~February, 20 2010

The Vest

I was driving to the airport this morning & saw a group of “workers” picking up trash on the side of the road. Each one was wearing an orange vest with these words emblazoned on the back:

“I AM A DRUNK DRIVER.”

Wow. Most hung their head low, hoping not to make any eye contact with the drivers passing by. There it was, in big capital letters for all the world to see.
Now listen, I’m not about to defend anyone who drinks and drives. They absolutely deserve to be punished by the law. Drinking & Driving has robbed many families of a mom, a dad, a spouse, a son, a daughter. Wearing an orange vest seems a little lenient if you ask me.
But, seeing their shame printed across their backs made me wonder what my vest would say. Can you imagine having to walk around with your sins being announced to the world? My secrets alone would be too many to even fit on one vest.
Many of us walk around wearing a similar vest. No, our mistakes and sins are not printed on the back, but the weight of our guilt hunches us over and we walk with a defeated posture. We avoid making eye contact and light & joy are missing from our face. We’re dressed in shame.
Today I’m shedding that vest. See, I have another vest and it’s just my size. This same vest fits anyone, regardless of who you are. The words emblazoned on the back say:

“I AM FORGIVEN.”

Let that vest show today. Wear your forgiveness. May grace and peace so permeate our own lives, that it can’t help but spill out to everyone around us. This vest is always in fashion, never out of style, and always the perfect fit.

“But those who depend on faith, not on deeds, and who believe in the God who declares the GUILTY TO BE INNOCENT, it is this faith that God takes in to account to put them right with Himself.” Romans 4:5

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

You. Are. Forgiven. Act like it.

With love AND freedom
Natalie

maternity and baby pics...

I just wanted to post a little sneak peak for a special mommy! We had a maternity session, and now that we have our beautiful baby girl, we just did a little baby/family session. I've got alot to get done today, but just had to post...its been almost a month, I was doing so good...and then what happened! Now that basketball session is over, maybe I'll be home more to get back in the swing of things. I think the snow is finally all melted in my yard...I have a heck of alot of MUD!! I had a client give me a hard time the other day...he said, I kept looking for the gravel road you told me to turn on...but I don't think I ever saw any gravel! Its definitely muddy around here...but you can't get to spring without a little mud right! Okay, back to work...Have a good one!

You know when I said my life is crazy, I may have some of you not believe me, but after this story, any of you that don't have kids might not want them, and any of you that have had the day I've had...well, you'll totally understand my "crazyiness".

It all began after my PTO meeting today, I waited for Sammie to get out of basketball practice, and headed to Liberty, because no matter how hard I try to be a good momma, I forget things...like Valentine's for the girl's party tomorrow!! Duh!! So I took them to Panda Express, just us girls...its was so nice, but Shelby, my 3rd grader was whining that she didn't want to eat, and she had fallen asleep on the way to Liberty, so I figured she was just tired. Well...she whined the whole time in Target, she was cold...she didn't want to walk anymore...please can I ride in the cart, I had just about had it with her. And on the way home about 3 miles from the Holt exit....PUKE!!! Everywhere...the back seat, up the front seat door....the other girls were going crazy! So I pull over, spend 30 minutes cleaning what I could up with paper towels and Lysol wipes ( thank God the gas station had them!!!) Then I went to vacuum up what I could of the fun I couldn't get with the dry paper towels....only to have my husband mad at me for keeping the girls out so late. Okay, I'm a little frustrated to say the least...but I have to stay up and fix brownies and cookies for the parties tomorrow because I made Mary a Doctor's appointment at 9:45 in the morning. Now I don't know if should try to meet up with one of my Brides or not tomorrow before the party...my luck is not looking to good at this moment! I'm not positive when her appointment will be over, and I'm not really sure what they're going to have to do to her...I honestly think they are going to have to open Mary's poor little forehead up and try to get the stitch out that was suppose to dissolve and now is working its way out...so she has about a half an inch of string hanging out of her little scar, and it is stuck, and I mean stuck good...so if you're not busy tomorrow you can meet me at the doctor's office to help hold her down...or you can meet me afterwards at Starbuck's because I'm sure I'm gonna need something strong...and it will be to early to have anything any stronger! lol...at least I'm still laughing and not crying in the middle of the floor...cause' I think it would be pretty easy to do right now. Okay...I think I have vented enough tonight...I still have cookies to make! Oh the JOYS of being a Mom :)
Wish me luck, it may be a long night ~PENNY

Dear John....

Okay, I'm here to tell you....it wasn't the "Notebook" like we expected. We left the theater feeling let down, and disappointed! How could they have built this movie up and not put anything into it. The acting was good, what they actually got to act...most of the movie was used up with wasted time...time they could have used making you fall in love with the characters, and their story...and they didn't. We enjoyed Channing Tatum...I mean who doesn't enjoy him...I wanted to share with you this picture of my cousin Andy. He is a flight attendant on Southwest Airlines...and look who he got to take care of. He said he was really nice, and normal...which is awesome to hear...especially with how popular the guy is right now. Anyways...even if his movie wasn't one that I will watch over and over and cry like its the first time I saw it...its nice to know that he's a nice guy in real life ( plus, I can always watch G.I. Joe...that's more my kind of movie anyways, lol) If you're needing a good romance that will leave you crying on your pillow, the "Time Traveler's Wife" is coming out on Friday, now that's a good tear jerker! And once you catch onto the story line, you'll love it! Hope you all are staying warm, the girls got to stay home today...still have the basketball game tonight, so go Lady Panthers! Until we chat again~penny

Big day....

Okay, today is the big day.."Dear John" comes out in the movie theater and we have a girls night planned for after the basketball game...I'm sure its a chick flick, because I read the prologue in the book, and it already sounds sad. Guess I'll have to take some Kleenex with me to go with my popcorn! Why is it that sometimes, we just need a good cry? I loved the "Notebook" and "Message in a bottle" and this same guy wrote all of them...do you think he's a sap, or do you think he went through something similar to these movies so he is able to really get to the audience?? All I know is we have been looking forward to it for a while now...so I sure hope its as good as we think its gonna be. Anyways, I'll let you know if it was worth it. Good Luck to the Lady Panther's tonight, they've had a rough week. They played hard....just played against some really impressive teams this week. I just hope tonight can lift their emotions, they need it. The boys could use it too...Okay, have to go feed the babies (lambs) and its snowing again...it looks beautiful this morning, trying to stay positive, but I'm so looking forward to spring...darn that little groundhog :)

I'll leave you with a little mushy stuff...Have a great day!

Still up....

I have written and rewritten this blog tonight to many times to tell....why is this so hard for me tonight. I was trying to write something gushy with it being February and all....I guess I know what I have, and can't help but when I talk about how much I love him...know that there are those out there, that are missing theirs, or can't seem to figure out why it just doesn't work...you know, I look at things so much differently now. Its funny how things happen, and you're never the same. I love my family and friends so much...and I'm sad I'm so busy that its nights like right now that its too late to call, and I think about how I should have called them earlier. My nights get away from me...by the time we get everyone home from practices, do homework...supper ( what ever I pull out of my hat, I'm not a planner if you didn't know, lol) and then baths, fight about bed time, read a book...and to be honest...wake up alot of times at 2:00 in the morning and think, how did I do it again! Sharing a twin bunk with Mary isn't the most comfortable in the world, so you'd think I'd wake up...but apparently when my head hits the pillow, its lights out for real. But tonight...I'm just thinking, and there isn't anyone up to talk to, so I'm writing to you. I'm going to try to go to sleep, but I want everyone to think about how we don't need a special day like Valentine's Day to prove that we love them...don't wait for a special day to let them know you care. Make everyday special....make it count. Sweet dreams~PEN

A love story continues....

Have you ever seen a family picture, where the Mom is on one side, and then the Dad is on the other...with the kids separating them?? That always makes me sad...your kids shouldn't separate you, they're just a product of a husband and wife that love each other. I'm not saying my girls are only a product...that's not the point. The point is, if I didn't love their Daddy so much, they wouldn't be here. So why would I want my family picture to tell a different story?? I want everyone to see that a family picture is just a love story continued! A picture between two people, husband and wife...mother and daughter and so on, should tell a story of how much they love each other, not necessarily "CHEESE"!!!! So if you come to me, you're gonna get the whole enchilada!! You're gonna get pictures that tell a story of how much you love each other!

Happy Day!

Okay, we missed church this morning, so it didn't start out happy. I hate missing church, it just throws my whole week off. I can't believe I'm so tired all the time! I guess its getting older??? Yikes! I'm in trouble, cause I felt like Grandma getting out of bed this morning. Chris had to work this morning, and feeding babies (lambs) in the night is really getting to me! Now...where does the happy part come in???

I just found out one of my favorite, favorite brides is gonna have a baby!! I'm so excited for them....so that made my day.

Okay, I have a mess to clean up in the bathroom, this is the last day for my "lambs" to be in the house, its suppose to be warmer this week, and even though I love them...I'm so tired of cleaning up after them. They will have a nice warm place in the barn, and I'll still have to go out and feed them, but I won't have to bleach the bathroom every 4 hours...my hands can't take it anymore! And I really don't want my house to smell like a barn! Okay...one last time...they're wanting fed, again Gotta go make a path,Yuck ;) Here's a few pictures to look at. Until we chat again~PENNY

The Boys....

Hello again...see, I'm on a roll! Anyways...just wanted to post a few more seniors...this time, they're all young men!

Something fresh!

So do you like the way the blog looks?? I needed a change...but for the 4 or 5 of you out there that read this...if all of this black will drive you crazy, please let me know! ~Until we chat again!

A few seniors....

Hello Everyone! I know...I know...I'm such a slacker, but only when it comes to this blog!! I promise. Even now, I should be doing something else, but there are not enough hours in the day....I don't think I could get by on any less sleep. I have new babies...2 inside right now, bottles...cleaning up after them...and they don't make lamb diapers! Yes...lambs, the ewe's decided in all of this bad weather to start having babies, so when they have 2 or three and they come in like little popcicles...you do everything in your power to keep them alive. The bigger ones that warm up quickly, get to go right back with their Mom, but the little ones are not that easy. And after you've begged them not to die for about 3 or 4 hours...well, they think you are their Momma! And their Mamma's don't want them after that...so, you just do what you have to do. But I can't for the life of me remember my girls being this much work! I'm sure they were, but...its been a while. Maybe this was God's way of telling me...Penny, 4 girls are enough, be satisfied with them, because you sure couldn't handle any more!! I think...well, I know he's right! Pray for warmer weather for me, so they can go out in the barn! lol...before it smells like a barn in here!
I'm going to try to be better about posting on here...

Here are a few seniors