Black & White Wednesday ~ Friends {part two}

Friends.

Even at the ripe old age of "almost three", these two understand the meaning of friends.







This adorable little girl featured here with our Annabelle is Hannah. She is Lori's daughter. And seeing how close Lori & I are, it is only understandable that these two girls became dear friends as well...

Yes - I am starting...already!

That is Christmas shop for 2010!



Call me crazy, but we tend to exchange gifts with a lot of family & friends (not to mention our own kiddos) that I have to start shopping ~ early.



I usually start on the 26th...of December...but seeing how we went to Disney World in January, I just didn't find the time (or energy) to do so...



So I started picking up little things here & there for our family & friends that we exchange with.



Seeing how I will have to Christmas shop for TWELVE kiddos this year, I needed to start now!



It is amazing what FABULOUS Sales are going right now!



One AMAZING deal I got was at disneystore.com!



I was able to pick up four of these....{of course one is for Benjamin}


Disney Cars Launcher/Race Track!

At a deal of $9.99 each!

Sweet!!!

Now if you think that is Sweet! (which I did), I can't wait to share with you all my next HUGE Sale find ~ and I do mean H-U-G-E for our own kiddos to play with!

It is the Le Cafe Play Tent from Time To Play!


Can't you just see all three kiddos playing in it!

This play tent measures 7' x 4' x 7' Did I mention it was HUGE!

I have seen these retail for over $140...

Me...

I paid only $38.01!

$38.01 and that included the shipping fees!

Super HUGE Sweet!

And...

chances are that while you are reading this post, I am once again suffering the Internet for more amazing deals for Christmas 2010!

Did I take on too much...?

I know so many of you, save your photos in very different ways....

Me...

Well let's just say I still save them all to disks ~ directly from my computer.

And because I have been doing this since 2007....

when my computer crashed....

I have a lot of disks!

(and wasn't really sure what to do with them)

Than came the weekend I went to my Mom's for a quick visit...(during the first weekend of March)

and I was looking for one particular photo in the many photo albums she has saved.

After looking at about 10 of the albums my mom had poured her heart & soul into....

and truly having such a wonderful walk down memory lane...

I just knew what I wanted to do with all.of.our.photos.that.are.saved.to.all.those.disks.since.2007.

That's right!

I am going to start labeling & placing all of our priceless photos in some precious photo albums & photo boxes!

Now this is truly a BIG job for me!

For I actually have to start from 2005...

for that is when I was still using my 35MM camera (which I still love) and was getting all those rolls of film developed and placed all those photos into a box (actually several boxes)

So if you are keeping track, it is 5 years of photos I need to work on getting organized, labeled, {many of them} printed, and placed in albums.

I see myself very VERY very busy over the next few weeks...

for I am hoping to have this little project that I crazily started...

finished by Memorial Day weekend!

Black & White Wednesday ~ Friends {part one}

Have you ever had a friend that you can count on...

for anything...

at any time?

Have you ever had a friend who understand you completely...

and know what you are saying?

Have you ever had a friend who knows exactly what you are thinking...

or feeling?

Have you ever had a friend who is all "this"...

and more?

Well, I do! In fact, I feel very rich in my life to have the friends that I do!
{Sara, Elissa, Amy, Lori, Krista, Kelly, Gina, Diane, Megan, Jamie, Lisa, Jennifer, my Mom ~ well you get the idea!}

One of my dearest friends is Lori {who I did mention above}. We only have known each other since October 2008 (when we traveled to China for our daughters) but ever since that van ride from our landed flight at the airport in Beijing to our hotel on that very first night, we both had this connection that grew into what we have today....

and that is...

a friend for life!



Lori and I used to talk every.single.day before she headed back to work this past January. Even when we were at Disney this past winter, we talked every.single.day. Our conversations are never brief {sound fimiliar Sara}. In fact I know the minute we got on the phone together, it is easily an hour's worth of talking, laughing, crying, complaining and yes "comparing our differences". BUT ~ Isn't that what friends do...

When we lived in Pennsylvania, our families only lived an hour apart.

Now that we live in DC, the distance between us has grown...

but because of that distance, it has made our friendship stronger!

We see each other at least once a month.

We have even taken vacations together and are planning more for the future.

Yes, I do believe we all need friends.

And as I said before, I am truly one very rich woman indeed because of the friends that I have.


(Here is the color version from the black & white photo displayed above. This photo was taken at the end of our visit together this past March. As you can see from the smile on our faces, we did a ton of laughing, a little bit of crying, and even had some difference of opinion {that's why we look like we do} but in the end ~ FRIENDS is what we are!)



and for those of you who are keeping track, ever since Lori has gone back to work this past January, Lori & I only get to talk "a few times a week". While I so do miss my friend, I know that no matter what she is doing, she is ALWAYS there for me {as I am for her}...and now instead of our phones calls only lasting an hour...now we can chat & giggle for at least two ;)

***And coming this April, it is looking like I am finally going to get to meet in person one of the sweetest & dearest human-beings I have ever known...my long-time friend, Sara, when she & her husband come to DC for a visit!!!! Oh how I can't wait!!!!***

once again ~ a glimpse into the future...

OK we all saw how Francesca was behind the wheel but just check out our Annabelle! I think that Grandma did most {all} of the driving as Annabelle was most interested in waving to her Mama!

Just thinking about both of them driving is making me stomach turn and add Benjamin into the mix...I see a many of "staying up until they get home" nights ahead in our future...

("Now I know what you went through Mom...")

my little fashion diva!

I think she gets her fashion sense from Keith ~ yeah we'll just go with that ;)

Black & White Wednesday ~ once again our Francesca...

Oh my Francesca ~ I just can't get enough of her!

Make sure you take a minute and go over to Lisa's blog to see this weeks beautiful black & white photos!