Attn Sports Fans

I know many of you will be shocked to hear this...but I am not a sports fan. Despite living in a state with one of the most rabid football fans on earth, I just don't care about sports. There, I said it. I don't care about the Green Bay Packers. I don't wish them ill will, I hope they win, but....I just don't care. I'll watch a game if there is beer and snacks involved, and I have actually been to a Packer game. I went mostly so I could cozy up to the sport shooters on the sidelines to gawk at their lenses. "Hey, is that a 500mm or are you just happy to see me?"

Here are some now semi-famous quotes uttered by me when at a sporting event; In the early 90's I went to a Brewer Game. I noted to my friends "Isn't that odd?? All those umpires are named Al?" The Umpires had their names on their hats...and it turned out it meant American League Who knew?

The Packer Game doosy came when I went with my friend Christal. Christal thinks she IS a Packer. She is one of those people who calls the Packers "We". "We play at noon" and "We lost today". I have repeatedly advised her that she is not on the team, but she doesn't believe me. Anyway, I went to the game with a 70-200 lens so I could take pictures of Brett Farve for her. She pointed him out to me and told me his number, and I set off to work. At one point I turned to her and said "Well, number 4 can't be very good. He's hardly ever on the field"

And yes, there was beer involved for both of these quotes, but I can assure you it would have happened with out it.

So since God has a funny sense of humor, he sent me...two boys. And despite my vigilant signing them up for music lessons, art lessons, acting lessons and even gymnastics...they are sports fans. They play sports. They LOVE the Packers and the Brewers. And because I don't want to give them one more thing to hash out in therapy in the years to come, I go to their sporting events. Here's the truth...Soccer is the devil and I'll never get back those years I spent on a cold, rainy field in a soccer mom chair. It's wrong wrong wrong...but the day they both were done with soccer was one of the happiest days of my life. Basketball I don't mind since I kind of understand it because I was obsessed with a boy named Steve in high school and I learned it so I would seem cool. (It didn't work). Volleyball is not bad at all, but I have found that I suck mightily at photographing it. And Caleb has found his niche with Cross Country, which is the PERFECT sport for sports hating moms everywhere. You drop them off, cheer at the start line, read a book, cheer when they come over the finish. Perfect!

Here are some shots of the last of the Cross Country meets and Volleyball. What you will undoubtedly notice is that while my kids look like brothers, the gene pool split cleanly 50/50 with them. Caleb is the spitting image of his dad, tall, lanky and lean, while Joey got blessed with my genes. Or, as he more aptly put it when he was 7 "Caleb looks like Dad and I look like you because we like bacon"

I love this one..."The agony of defeat".. Joey is #45





Caleb. And the hair I get to take nearly 100% credit for :)

Random Photos that I love

In August of 2005 my friend Jane and I went to visit my sister in Denver. My sister only lived in Denver for a few years, and I've never quite forgiven her for leaving. She lived in Atlanta for quite a few years, got a job in Denver and enjoyed her time there. But eventually she got a job back in Atlanta and moved back. She liked Denver..but had more friends in Atlanta and even though she won't admit it much, she is a southern girl at heart, unlike me. I like Atlanta...I really do. But my love affair with Denver was so strong that I still complain to her whenever I can that I cannot believe she left Denver.

I had never been to the "Left coast" until 2003. In fact, until that time the furthest west I had been was La Crosse. And YES, it was for Oktoberfest, what is your point? I went to Seattle and was immediately smitten. I truly feel every time I am on that coast that some how the cosmic universe screwed up and that is where I was SUPPOSED to live. This was further confirmed over the years when I was able to travel to Portland Oregon, Vancouver BC and Pasadena California.

The reason I was so drawn to Denver was that it feels like Milwaukee with better light and Mountains. The houses even look the same. There are more people wearing Crocs and walking their dogs, but the over all feel of Denver to me is like a more granola micro brew version of Milwaukee.

So, anyway. Jane and I went to visit my sister, three single gals hanging out in Denver. But by far, our most favorite day was the day we went to Rocky Mountain National Park. It was one of those moments in time I will never forget. Cruising up the Mountain in my sister's Mustang Convertible blasting John Denver while Jane sobbed in the back seat. Jane is a hard core John Denver fan and going up a mountain on a picture perfect day while "Rocky Mountain High" plays...well, you really cannot blame her for crying. That perfect day and his perfect Irish Tenor wafting over the mountains....I shed a tear or two myself.

The views from that park are not to be believed and though I have not traveled nearly as much in this country as I would like I really feel like no matter where I would go this would still be one of my top ten places to visit. The magnitude of the vistas are astounding. The abundance of wildlife is awe-inspiring. I hardly attempted to take pictures which sounds lame, but the simple fact is that unless you are Ansel Adams you could not even begin to show photographically the awesome-ness of this park.

This is one photo I totally love from the trip. First, because the view is awesome. And second, because Jane and I agree that somehow the angle compliments us both, and we look awesome :) Maybe the mountain air takes off 20 pounds?

Every time Jane calls me this photo pops up on my iphone, and John sings to me

"It's Colorado rocky mountain high
I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky
Friends around the campfire and everybody's high
Rocky mountain high, Colorado"

Today...I wish I was in Colorado.