An Afternoon in PDX

Saturday afternoon Jeff and I found ourselves alone...
Something that is happening more and more as our kids grow older and discover there is a world away from us...

Our youngest had been delivered to the airport at 4:00 AM! And was safely in Ohio...
Our oldest said no thanks I'll take a nap...

I had my camera and Jeff and I decided to venture downtown to visit the weirdness that always comes out in full force when Rose Festival is in town...

I haven't got the courage to point my camera at PDXs most interesting characters but this is what I did shoot...

 They had some of the floats parked down there.  This one, for Alaska Airlines was my favorite!

 I have learned that all the "real" photographers shoot with their tripods all the time...So in my effort to become a "real" photographer I walked around with my tripod, which I find cumbersome, heavy (collar bone is bruised!) and doesn't go with my flow...but I figure practice will help.  Plus it was fun to use the timer and take this picture :)

 Well, hello...thank you for serving our country...

 Black and White?  I'm never sure if I like it or not...

Times have changed my friends...I remember when I was a girl coming down to Rose Festival the river would be full of boaters getting close to the Navy ships...not anymore...they have the Coast Guard with guns ready patrolling the river, very few leisure boats went by and when they did they were escorted...

 I have never been afraid of Portland...but I am smart about it and I know which areas to avoid and I know how to behave when in a section that I don't exactly fit into...These things are much more difficult to accomplish when you are walking around with a tripod and an expensive camera attached to the top of it...  As Jeff and I were taking pictures of the train station someone drove up from behind us (our back to the street) and asked what we were doing...as I turned to look at him he looked normal enough...I notice he was wearing a Providence scrub shirt, my first thought was he was asking for directions...when we told him taking pictures he just paused and stared at us and then asked "are you gonna go by train?" Not sure where this was going I asked him what he was doing to which he replied "driving around talking to f*%#%s like you...and raced off...as he drove away we noticed tree branches dragging under his car and something hanging from the drivers side window... ummm OK

So then we switched things up and headed up to Council Crest but were quickly bored and went out to eat at a yummy Thai restaurant and then ventured back down to take some night shots...

So - In photography news I am moving forward and trying to set up a professional website...which means I need a professional name...I don't think Frychik will cut it in the real world.

Shelly Fry Photography is all I got at this point...

I would love to hear any suggestions you may have.

Frychik

Friday - Family

It's a fine line...

That line where you worry about your kid because he never wants to leave you
You worry about it...
You want him to be independent -- but you don't want him to leave you.

Tyler has been my homebody.
Doesn't want to go to camp...
Doesn't care to go to sleep overs...
Doesn't want to go camping with friends...

Until this year-

Its healthy and totally normal - he is almost 15 - but he hasn't prepared me...

Josh was born with a suitcase in his hand. 
He has never had a problem leaving home...

While Ty is happy to travel - with his family - he hasn't ventured out without his family until now...

Two weekends ago Ty went camping for three nights with friends.
It was WEIRD at home without him...
He is always here...

But he had a great time.

Tomorrow morning at 3:45 AM (!!!!!!!) we will be taking him and our friends Galen and Shannon to the airport.  He is going to Ohio for a week.

I have total and absolute confidence in my friends.  I know Tyler is in good hands but there are two things I don't like.

1. I am very nervous when my loved ones fly

2. I am gonna miss him!

He has said with supreme confidence that this will be the BEST trip of his life. He is so excited because my kid is a HUGE roller coaster fiend and there are two parks in Ohio that he is going to be visiting while there.  As he puts it "I'm gonna cross of some roller coasters off my bucket list!"

So this next week our family of 4 will be missing a member...

I guess this is to prepare me for life...

Only 3 years left and they are both gone...

*sob!

Frychik

Thursday - Random/learning

Mao-

Have you played the card game Mao?
I don't like it...but I think I could love it...

Let me explain-

When you begin playing no one tells you the rules
What makes things much MUCH worse is you are not allowed to speak...if you do they throw a card at you...every single time you open your mouth...

For someone who seeks understanding through questioning this is torturous!

You are supposed to sit, quietly, and watch and figure out the rules...
And once you figure out the rules...a new one is added!

Whoever wins the round gets to make up and add a rule and without telling anyone, instigates the rule and if you don't get it you get a card tossed your way (object: get rid of cards first)

The other night Josh had made up a rule and I didn't get it-what made things worse is that all three of the Fry guys understood- resulting in me feeling very stupid...not a good thing.

What this game has taught me about myself is:

-I don't really like to be quiet

-I don't like to be the butt of a joke                            

-I want to be told the rules

-I'm not the most observant person

-I don't like to lose

But probably most importantly --

--I need to be willing to be vulnerable in order to learn


Frychik

Wednesday - Exercise

I have a serious love/hate relationship with biking.
I love how I feel AFTER...
I HATE how I feel DURING (hills)

It's those awful moments of climbing some gigantic hill or the burn of my legs and lungs as I'm trying to keep the burning pace set by my husband that are the ingredients needed for me to bond more deeply with my husband.

I will admit to cursing his name a time or two as I realize he has led me to the base of a monster hill, but he is amazing in that he has never abandoned me, he encourages me, and cheers for me when I'm at the top.  I depend on him tremendously as we ride.

I tend to be a tad independent...and I like to think I don't need anyone...until I do...

I feel very needie when my muscles are screaming and I can't breathe and the mean voices are at full volume in my head telling me to get off my bike and walk because it's just too hard for you! You can't do it!

But during all that chaos my amazing husband is telling me I can do it and I did do it! When I have reached the top...(something I would have avoided if I was alone) I feel gratitude that this man has pushed me to a place I didn't think I could go and I feel stronger and loved and it is amazing!

I hope to grow old riding a bike behind my man...

Frychik

Tuesday - FLS Recap

So I'll be playing a bit of catch up with my blog.  A few weeks ago before my paper was due and before I had finished my school responsibilities and I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest-- it was FLS night. 

Regardless of my deadlines/responsibilities I would NEVER miss book club night!

Miss Jenny Ermshar hosted this month and it was delightful!

 My friend Tanna has developed a caffeine problem...keep her in your prayers... :D

 Yummy food! Loved the Red/white/blue theme! One of the funnest parts of book club is checking out the table when you arrive. The food is such a temptation that I have to yell at people to NOT TOUCH THE FOOD until I can take a picture or two...(some people get grouchy!) 

Each of the ladies have such amazing talents and the tables always look so cool-connecting with the book in some way-and the food is always AMAZING!

 Gorgeous flowers! The book "Thunder and Rain" main character was a Texas Ranger who basically rescues a damsel in distress.  A sweet love story.

 Good Friends + Good Food + Good Books to Discuss = Fantastic Evening!

 The Flash Light Literary Society

Next book Heaven is Here...I quickly read it and oh my! It is a story of inspiration!

Frychik

Monday - Photography

So, this summer I am taking a break from History and focusing on Photography...

My goals are:

1. Organize, catalogue my pictures
2. Develop my technical skills (I am so pathetic in this area!)
3. Set up a professional website complete with professional logo,pricing, ordering info
4. Take pictures :)

I have Macro lens for 10 days to see if I like it.  So I've been trying it out

 While I think it is cool to get so close and capture, texture and detail...

I don't believe I have the patience for this type of photography

I'm tempted by this lens because it is far more affordable than the wide angle lens.

But I think I'm gonna hold out for the wide angle...

Photography is a very expensive hobby...

Lots of ways to spend money...

Goal #5 - try to find a way making money doing what I love :)

Frychik

How can it be?

The graduation ceremonies (4 of them!) begin tonight...
All I can think about is that in one year it will be Josh graduating...
And I literally feel a pain in my heart...




How do parents do it?

How do you transition from being a daily part of their lives to them just abandoning you?

I already feel it...

He has his own wheels now...

He doesn't need me like he used to...

He can drive where he needs to go...

Taco Bell will feed him in a pinch...

He is following the path he should and is becoming more independent...

Ty has already finished his Freshman year! I was just sad that he was graduating 8th grade a year ago!
I had been told before that the high school years fly by and I believe it!
He has a girl who makes his heart flutter and he is shaving and he is tall and handsome and not my baby anymore...

sign...

Its harder to get the family going in the same direction.  Last night I suggested we ride our bikes into town and give the new frozen yogurt place a try.  Josh said "I'd rather do something fun" and went to a friends house... Ty wishing he had somewhere else to go got roped into it.

As I watched Ty and his dad race their bikes I had to smile.  I am so thankful for the times we have as a family.  Family is such a tremendous blessing.  Every night I thank God that we are all under the same roof...


Frychik