Happy New Year
Welcome to 2023. For many, we can only hope it will be better than 2022.
For our family 2022 was a year of adjustments. Our grandson graduated from high school and that made our daughter and her husband “empty nesters.” For me personally the adjustment has been in the lack of family photographic opportunities. Six years ago we were watching dance competitions, baseball games, track meets and soccer matches. We still had three grandchildren in high school and junior high, so there were multiple opportunities to pick up the camera and record an event involving the family. Now, family photography is pretty much limited to birthdays, vacations, and holidays.
Everyone’s schedule is making more difficult to get the whole crew in the same place at the same time. Life goes on. I have decided to feature a few photos from days gone bye (in no particular order) and it will probably become a recurring theme this year. These posts will allow me to reflect on events that have special meaning to our family and post photos that bring a smile to my heart.
The first event centers around our middle grand daughter. While the world was worried about computers crashing, losing data, and the planet sinking into general chaos, Y2K brought us our second grandchild, dancer and future sports trainer. She is currently in her second semester of graduate school, studying sports therapy.
She has always loved helping Nana in the kitchen baking cookies and other goodies for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
This photograph is one of my favorites of Emily. She was a sophomore in high school in 2016. We went to the studio where she took dance and when I snapped this image in natural light, I new I had a winner. Sure enough, the image captured first place in the Tulsa State Fair for portrait.
These two still have a special relationship in the kitchen.
Monday’s Music Moves Me
The new year starts with a no theme/free choice week at 4M. This past year I came across a couple of accapella groups and I am going to feature one of them today. The group is Voice Play. They were contestants on the show “The Sing Off” several years ago. I never saw an episode of that show so the group was new-to-me earlier this year. Turn up the volume, put on your headphones and give a listen to Voice Play.
The bass singer is a uniquely talented individual. He has in excess of a four octave range, he is incredibly creative and has arranged, produced and and sang all parts to his own videos. Geoff Castalucci is one in a million.
Happy New Year and have a very blessed week!
Driller's Place 
Life is all about change and sometimes it is hard, but maybe photographing wildlife or birds will be your next calling. At least you have so many great memories from the photos you did take of everyone over the years.
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For the present, I will probably focus on high school basketball, soccer, and track.
Every trip down memory lane is a special adventure with the photos.
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Love your playlist, but your family Awww’s are my favorite of all. Always have been. What a wonderful walk through your precious grand.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week, my friend. 🙂
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You’re probably going to think you are watching a re-run of my blog before this year is over. The urge to go through the archives and share the old photos is becoming too hard to resist.
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Great family shots and good music. Happy New Year to you and your family.
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Happy New Year to one and all in your home.
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I suspect that you will find other ways to use your photographic skills, but in the meantime, these retrospectives should be fun for both you and your readers. Emily’s portrait deserved first place. I wonder what other awards you’ve won? Alana ramblinwitham
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Actually I have won one award with a photo of each of the grandkids. You will see the others in the future.
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Your photographic skills are always amazing! And Awwwwwww! Loved the reflection of Emily. Looking forward to more reflection this year! 🙂 Also? Thank you for tickling my ears with awesomeness this morning! Loved all your song choices! Happy New Year!
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You are such a wonderful photographer- love your photos and your music was truly toe tapping! Have a great week!
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Glad you enjoyed the music and the images.
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You must be so proud of all your family! Wonderful photos!
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Yes ma’am! We have been fortunate to live in the same town with the grandcrew and watch them grow up.
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Sweet photos and her in vallwt is excellent. I’m not a country fan but the bass has a great voice.
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I think I will be sharing a lot of photos this year.
VoicePlay is a special group of vocalists.
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Happy New Year! This is some excellent singling!
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Yes sir. VoicePlay is very talented and most of their stuff is now done for YouTube. I don’t know if they tour much these days. Thanks for stopping by.
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Your family always brings a smile to my face.
Would any of your grandchildren’s friends have younger siblings still in school whose parents might want you to capture some images for them? You might even turn it into a small business.
Those are some incredibly talented singers. I help the church choir by not singing!
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I have a few friends at church that have children or grandchildren still in the school system. Last year I created a Shutterfly book of the senior basketball season of a friend’s daughter. It was great fun and the parents were over the moon about the book.
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John,
Happy New Year, my friend! I always marvel at your photography skills. You have a natural eye for capturing the right shot. I really love the picture of Emily posed on the stool in the dance studio! I’m glad you earned a ribbon on this beautiful photograph. I enjoy listening to acapella singers. You introduced some new talents to me today. I particularly like Geoff Castalucci. His vocals are so rich. Thanks for sharing these finds on the dance floor this week. I hope 2023 brings to you and yours blessings every day. Have a boogietastic week!
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That portrait of your granddaughter Emily is spectacular. No wonder it won first place. You and your bride raised a great family and that is a huge part of your legacy.
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