Saturday, October 31, 2009

Lantern Lane Farm



I know... you've seen the pictures, but let me explain a little bit about Lantern Lane Farm.




This is a great non-profit organization out in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. My friends Ralph and Joni Cook own and operate it. There is a log house on the property that has just been named The Selah House at Lantern Lane. It is a place for rest and renewal of the body, soul and mind. We are working on the brochure for the house as well as the counseling services that Ralph provides (he is a licensed counselor).



Here are a few shots of the photo shoot I took on Friday before the rains came:



Here's Riley and Cindy, the two cutest boxers around.





This is Lindsey. She is one of our volunteers. She comes out on Fridays and works with the horses and helps with the feeding/grooming, etc. Lantern Lane would be nowhere without the help of all the volunteers! There are six full-size horses, three minis and a couple of donkeys. It is a lot of work, which is why the volunteers are soooo appreciated and loved!




Here, we are showing how the counseling/therapy sessions go. The counselor and the client (Lindsey is playing the part for the photo's sake... she's not a client. I wouldn't put a client picture up without their approval first) work together to set up an obstacle course for the horse. Each object represents an obstacle in the person's life. Once the course is set, the client walks the horse through the course...


After leading the horse, the client would spend some time talking with Ralph about what those obstacles in their course represented and how to overcome those obstacles.





The other part of Lantern Lane Farm is the Selah House at Lantern Lane. It is a log house at the back of the property that is available for rental. It is really designed as a retreat for those people who need to get away. It has been rented for families who are vacationing in the area. But there are small groups that have used it as well. I know of a ladies' Bible study group that spent a weekend there and there have been a number of pastors and their families who have utilized it to recharge their spiritual batteries. That is the true purpose behind Selah House.


There was just a Board of Directors meeting this morning and are planning the first event for Lantern Lane Farm. On December 19 from 2-4pm, we will have Christmas at Lantern Lane Farm. There will be an area for people to have family photos made as well as hot chocolate and an hourly rendition of the Christmas story. There were be some live acoustical music and a bonfire.


So... mark your calendars now and plan to join us on December 19!

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Just doing the stuff...



So... it has been a good week this week. I should be writing a paper right now, but... I'm posting a blog instead.

I really need to finish the paper. And other homework too. But, it has been such a pretty day... and I've had a lot going on. So, I PROMISE... I will get that stuff done soon.

I swear.
This is where I am really hopeful that neither of my professors reads my blog...

But today was a little bit busy. My friend Requelle and I attended the funeral of a very kind and special man... Curtis Poteete. Curtis attended Two Rivers Baptist Church with me and for many years he helped with the animals when we produced the Passion Play. He was such a character and so much fun to be around. I always loved to see Passion Play roll around because I knew I would be working with Curtis Poteete and Don Roney. Curtis was great with the camels... but he also always led in the white horse at the end of the production.

Curtis has been having problems with his heart and I am told was on a list for a transplant. Unfortunately, his heart transplant did not occur... but Curtis has been transported from this world into glory. The service today was a sweet time. I thought at one point that it would have been fitting to have a white horse hanging out in the lobby. I have a feeling Curtis has stepped right up to the Lord's stables and is giving those magnificent creatures a good rub down.

Speaking of horses... I left the funeral and found it fitting to go out to Lantern Lane Farms and help set up for their annual fall festival. Of course, Requelle came out and helped as well. There was plenty of food and horrible bluegrass music from Ralph's Iphone (thanks Ralph!) and they were planning a hay ride for later in the evening. (I had to leave in order to finish this paper that I haven't finished yet!)
Here are some shots of the festivities:
This is Scooter and Apostrophe. They are BFFs.


Here's Requelle getting the food organized...

Here is the cook fire! We roasted dogs and marshmallows here. And kept warm since it's getting a mite chilly in the evenings.

Mite chilly. I'm talkin' like a girl who likes bluegrass.

'Cept I don't.

Heh.

There was a friendly game of horseshoes going on...


And I thought this tree was really pretty. So I took a picture of it.


Then I wanted to take a close-up picture of Requelle... and it took about three minutes because she kept laughing!!! Seriously.

And she should thank me for NOT posting the picture I WANTED to post.

Yeah... who's your friend, Requelle? I am.




After all that time... I finally got this shot:




And this is a great way to end a fine evening... with a horse grazing in front of a cabin!


Ahh... you know its fall when you come home smelling like you've been standing in front of a campfire.

Monday, October 19, 2009

The First Weekend - Post Wedding!

So... this weekend was a huge amount of fun! I started out working with my friends at Lantern Lane Farm (I get credit for my class on that). There is nothing like volunteering for friends who are getting their non-profit organization off the ground, getting class credit and then having them fix you breakfast!

Thanks Ralph and Joni!

Then went back home to await the arrival of my aunt and uncle (spending the night before heading to NC) and my niece and new nephew-in-law (fresh from the honeymoon). I should have done some studying... but there were so many people around and Gerard Butler was hosting Saturday Night Live.

I just HAD to stay awake.

Kristin & David brought over their wedding pictures that were taken by the lovely and talented Carla Lynn of Carla Lynn Photography. Here are a few.



On Sunday I went to brunch/lunch with Heidi and Lou Ann. KatyBell (all one word) came along and we just had a great time hanging out and eating too much food and celebrating Heidi's 33rd birthday.

Again.

Then, I made Katy come and pose for some pictures for me. Why? Because I was going to be taking engagement pictures of some people I had never met before.


Katy was a pro:


Then, I met Kathryn and Chett. Kathryn spells her name like me, but with a K. That makes her even more special! Here are a few of those pictures:




These would never have happened without Wanda Dulaney (the director) and Kaylie Dulaney (the self-proclaimed Fashionista). They rocked!!!

I just took the pictures. But it was a great weekend!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

The Wedding Day!!!

Well... the day finally arrived. I slept in for a little bit in order to be ready for the day. Kristin and Katy, Kim, Allison and some of the bridesmaids came over for a wedding breakfast of bagels and cream cheese and doughnuts. I ended up following the bride around until I had to get ready myself. So... I'll just let the pictures speak for the day.

(By the way... I took over 350 pictures.)

This was the prayer that Nana held over the bridal party that was present for breakfast.



Then... we headed to our favorite hairstylist, Alissa Kalish, from Tease Me Salon. Alissa is the BEST!!! She did the makeup and hair for Kristin and Katy and did my hair too! We love her! More about how fabulous she is later...



After the girls left and I was being "glamourfied"... I took their luggage and checked them into their honeymoon room for the night.

Let's talk about how much luggage my niece can pack for a weeklong stay in Florida. Well... let's just say it took me about 30 minutes to get them into the hotel... and that was using a CART!!

Seriously.

But here is the ante-room of their suite. I'm not showing the bedroom. Just cause that's a little too intimate.



By the time I got changed and over to the church, the wedding party was having their pictures made outside. We were very lucky in that the Lord held off the rain in order for the pictures to be taken in the garden that was on the church property. I can't wait to see them.

As for the family of the bride... let's just say... we like to have a good time. Can you tell?









Here are the girl cousins: Allison, Kristin and Katy




Here's Uncle Earl giving last minute advice. It must have been good!!

I was threatening to plant a big smooch right on Kristin's lips... like I did when she was a baby. She always wanted me to kiss her when I wore bright lipstick so she could have lipstick too. I did that with all my babies (that I have not birthed). She wasn't so excited about me planting one on her on her wedding day. I can't for the life of me figure out why...

So... we touched noses instead. It made my day.

So... let's talk for a minute about Alissa Kalish and how FABULOUS she is! Not ONLY did she work on the bride, maid of honor and crazy aunt in her salon that morning... she packed up all her stuff and came to the church JUST to do touch-ups and make sure everyone had great hair for the big event.

Oh. My. Word. With as humid and rainy as the day was, Alissa was INVALUABLE. Let me encourage ANYONE in the middle Tennessee area who needs a fabulous stylist... who is an absolutely wonderful person... contact Alissa at Tease Me Salon in Smyrna. Her phone number is 615-625-3472. Tell her the Bell girls recommended you. You will just LOVE her. I'm telling you. She's great!

Okay. Shameless plug is over (and she doesn't even know I'm doing this) Back to the day in pictures:

Here's the LARGEST. WEDDING. PARTY. EVER. lining up. That lady in the pink is my friend Heidi. She coordinated the efforts. We were very grateful for her.

Whilst they are congregating... we get a glimpse of a little father/daughter time. I have to thank my friend Requelle for taking this shot. I left my camera with her (I KNOW!!! I let someone else have my camera!) so I could go sit down in the worship center and shed a tear or two.

Oh, alright. It was probably five!


Requelle also snapped this picture, which is just darling...


And before you knew it... my baby was married! She has a new last name now. I have a new nephew-in-law, so it's all good.

This is my GQ nephew and his cousin Allison. He was quite the stud and she is always so pretty!

Time to cut the cake and toast the couple. KatyBell (all one word) did a great job of the toast! It was fun and sweet all at the same time. Kinda like KatyBell!


Then came the dancing... First with the new husband David:

Wait just one second! That's more kissin' than dancing! Oh well. They really get to do that sort of thing now!

Then came the dance with the Daddy:

Pause a moment to wipe the eye...

Okay, now it's line dancing time!


And one more plug for great friends! Here's Heidi and Requelle, without whom I would have surely lost my mind. They are great! And fun! Which makes them great fun!



And then there is Brent Gambrell. All around best friend and officiate of the wedding.

I like to call him different names at any given time. Brandt Dantranbrell is a favorite of mine. He got that moniker after receiving a piece of junk mail addressed to him as such. He and I were going to lose a lot of weight together before the wedding. Didn't happen. I'll blame him. It is much easier than realizing my own inefficiencies in that department.




And since they forgot to throw the bouquet and garter before changing clothes... we did this as they were going away. Silly kids!



And now, it begins...


All my love and then some to the new Mr. and Mrs. David Johnson!