hey batter batter...

Oh my, it's just about that time for baseball season to be in full swing. I was going through my senior folders and came across these photos. As I was shooting Derrick's senior pics, Braeden jumped into some of them. He looks up to his cousin, Derrick...I think we all do..lol!!!
Derrick is such a wonderful young man. The nicest kid you'll ever meet and he is an AMAZING athlete in basketball and baseball.
We enjoyed watching him play his senior year in basketball. Whether it was listening to it on the radio or watching it, we enjoyed the ride!!! Our Panther boys basketball team had an EPIC season and we are sooooooo very proud of them and Coach Brewer!!!...PROUD TO BE A PANTER FAN!!!
As the season ended last night we now have baseball to look forward to and I can't wait =) GOOD LUCK DERRICK!!! We'll be cheering for you...wooohoooo!!!!!!

missing you...

This photo was taken back in October. This is our first family photo without Jerald. It was bittersweet but I like to think that his spirit was with us (see the way the sun hit the lens and made the colorful glare/reflection in between my mom and I...I like to think that's my brother's spirit).

I really dislike it when my heart is so heavy with pain b/c I miss you. I would give anything to go back in time and have you back in my life.
When I lost you it was one of life's lessons taught. Never take someone for granted. I see so many families in feuds and I just want to say "life is too short to be mad, forgive and forget!" It's not worth the fight. Love each day and embrace life.
My family is everything to me. The family I was born into and the family I have started with my husband. I would do everything and anything I can for them.
This morning you visited me in my dreams...thank you!!! You might not have stayed too long but I remember as I got into the car I turned around and watched you in the back window and I remember thinking that I wanted to hold on to the memory forever. You smiled at me and waved goodbye.
So now I'm in tears and missing you even more this morning but I must move on with my day.
I'll be waiting for your next visit...here's to DREAMS!!!!
Love your little sister, Erika (E.Rod)

adele = AMAZING

This video is live from her home and she starts out with an interview about the song.



This video is at the 2011 Brit Awards

My friend posted this video yesterday and I wanted to share it with you (I posted two different videos b/c I couldn't make a decision on which I liked the best). If you have never heard of Adele, I highly recommend that you go listen to her now! I promise she won't disappoint you. Her voice is beautiful/amazing/magical all in one and her music is just BRILLIANT!!! Her sophomore album "21" was released on February 22, 2011 here in the US. On March 2, 2011 the album debut #1 on the Billboard album charts, selling nearly 352,000 copies...you go girl!!!!

Here are the lyrics to the song posted...very powerful!
"Someone Like You"
I heard that you're settled down,
That you found a girl and you're married now,
I heard that your dreams came true,
Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you,
Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light,

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it,
I had hoped you'd see my face,
And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over,

Never mind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"
Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead, yeah,

You know how the time flies,
Only yesterday was the time of our lives,
We were born and raised in a summer haze,
Bound by the surprise of our glory days,

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it,
I had hoped you'd see my face,
And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over,

Never mind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"

Nothing compares,
No worries or cares,
Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made,
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"

Nevermind, I'll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don't forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
"Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,"
Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead, yeah, yeah

Wow, I could almost feel her pain =( My friend, Jamie Temple, had this as her FB status today "Somebody's heart is broken And it becomes your favorite song" by DMB and it made me think of this song...Oh, how true is that?!?!

Are you sold on Adele yet???...lol!!! My other favorites from this album I would have to say "Rolling In The Deep", "Take It All", "Rumor Has It", "Don't You Remember" and "Turning Tables".
Now go get her CD (or download it)!!!!
P.S. don't forget to turn the playlist player off down below so you can hear her videos...Have a wonderful day!

it's a mix...

Okay, so remember I said I was going through an old box of photos...Well, I came across this mix tape and it made me laugh and smile =)
How many of you back in the day made a mix tape for your boyfriend/girlfriend or friends?? I know I made several of them. This one was given to me in back in `94...yes, 16 years ago, I'M OLD!!! And what made me really laugh is that I don't even own a cassette player anymore so I can't listen to the tape.
So what were we listening to on this cassette...
When Can I See You Again- Babyface • Knockin' on Heaven's Door- GNR • Have You Ever Needed Someone- Def Leppard • Every Rose Has Its Thorn- Poison • Keep On Loving You- REO Speedwagon • Unchained Melody- Righteous Brothers • End of The Road- Boyz II Men • Weak- SWV • Return to Innocence- Enigma • Comforter- Shai • I'll Make Love to You- Boyz II Men • Take My Breath Away- Berlin • Miss You In A Heartbeat- Def Leppard • Mama I'm Coming Home- Ozzy Osborne • November Rain- GNR • Angel- Aerosmith • Freak Me- Silk • Love of a Lifetime- Firehouse • Will You Still Love Me- Chicago • And Our Feelings- Babyface
Okay, I know I just took some of you back in time...HIGH SCHOOL was sooooooo much FUN!!!!! Oh to go back and make every day count instead of saying "I can't wait to get out of here!!!"
If I had to make a mix tape (CD) of my high school memories I would definitely select these songs for my CD... Ditty- Paperboy • Nuthin But A G Thang- Dr. Dre • Regulators- Warren G • This is How We Do It- Montell Jordan • Whoomp There It Is- Tag Team • Big Poppa & Juicy- Notorious BIG • I Swear & I Can Love You Like That- All 4 One • When You Say Nothing At All- Alison Krauss • Stay- Lisa Loeb • Strawberry Wine- Deanna Carter • Crash- Dave Matthews Band • Don't Take The Girl & It's Your Love- Tim McGraw • What Might Have Been- Little Texas • C'mon 'N Ride It (The Train)- Quad City Dj's • Any Man of Mine- Shania Twain  • 1979, Mayonaise, Tonight- Smashing Pumpkins • Far Behind- Candlebox • Decemeber- Collective Soul • Angry Johnny & Hello- Poe • Going the Distance- Cake • What I Got- Sublime • All I Really Want, You Oughta Know, Hand In My Pocket, Perfect, You Learn, Head Over Feet, Mary Jane, Ironic- Alanis Morissette • All Mixed Up- 311 • On Bended Knee & Water Runs Dry- Boyz II Men...Oh, my list could go on and on!!!!
So if you had to make a mix tape (CD) what would your songs be???
Peace out...Erika (E.Rod)

thirteen...

As I was going through a box of old photos, I came across Taylor's hospital photo. My goddaughter is 13...what?!?! lol!!!...Well she actually turned 13 back in September and I'm still having a hard time believing.
It seems just like yesterday when I got the call that her momma, Jme, was in labor. I wasn't able to come home and be at the hospital w/ everyone else b/c I had classes and work =( but I was updated through phone calls. On my day off I came back to my hometown to meet this adorable little girl...she melted my heart! As I held her in my arms I knew I couldn't wait to become a mommy myself but I must finish college first...lol!
Through the years I've watched Taylor grow into the beautiful young lady that she is today. I can go months without seeing her and when I do see her she always greets me with a huge hug and a big smile that lights up my life =)
I give her parents an A+ on how they have raised Taylor. What can I say, she's AWESOME, beautiful, smart, loving, fun...she's the whole package!!! I even love her laugh...it's contagious!!! Seriously, when she starts laughing, I start laughing and it's so hard to stop...laughing is good for the soul!!!
Taylor, I'm blessed to have you in my life and I thank your parents for letting me be a part of your life. Remember your "Fairy Godmother" is always watching you and here for whatever you may need. LOVE YOU!!!
P.S. could you stop growing up so fast and I can't wait for the "talk", you're not allowed to date until you are 18 b/c you are going to have fun w/ your "friends" in high school, rule #1...lol!

OC Housewives...

Oh I'm counting down the minutes till the premiere of season 6 of the Real Housewives of Orange County. This is my favorite of the housewives but I sure do miss the original cast. My other favorites are New York and New Jersey. I do not follow Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Washington DC, Miami b/c they are LAME!!!! Can't wait to see what this season brings.

P-A-N-T-H-E-R-S (stomp, stomp)...PANTHERS!!!!!!

I wanted to post this yesterday but my day was busy with workout and then an open house and chatting with friends. When I came home I started to not feel so well so I went to bed and forgot to post =(
Anyways, it was an EPIC night for the Paulding Panthers on Friday. We traveled to Defiance High School to play our first tournament game against the Tinora Rams. Our boys dominated the court =) and ended with a VICTORY. Sooooo proud of them and PROUD TO BE A PANTHER!!!!
Pictured above is our cousin, #21 Derrick Pease (or as the announcer pronounced it Derrick Peace...lol!). He played his heart out that night and we are so proud of him...We love ya Derrick!!!
Thanks to my cousin, Kelly Evans, for the photos above. I forgot my camera...well it was more of a should I take it or not and then we left in a hurry and I had no camera.
GOOD LUCK boys as you travel to Napoleon on Thursday to take on Evergreen!!

Change...

OMG! I stepped on the scale the other day and just about died! How in the heck did I let myself go. My weight has always been my biggest struggle in life, I guess you would say my biggest insecurity. This past year I have been under a lot of stress. Trying to balance work, photography business and my family. At times I felt like I was being pulled in every which direction and trying to make too many people happy all at once. I'm only one person and I'm not perfect. So here's my end result of all the stress...I'm FAT!!!
Now that I quit my job and doing photography full time, I'm going to step it up and do something about it! So I've announced to you my followers that I'm getting back on the healthy train and working my way back to a happier me =) My big goal would be to lose 40 lbs and I already get that "OMG, 40 lbs there won't be anything left of you!" lol...trust me, I know what I'm talking about. I'm not going to look at the big picture of losing 40 lbs right away but that is my goal. For now my goal is to lose 20 by end of May and then continue the other 20 by fall. Here's to sweating off the pounds!!!!

L♥VIN me some hockey...

Last night we took B to his very first Komet hockey game...thanks to my cousin, Lanni, for giving us the tickets. B wanted to take his best friend/cousin, Riley, to the game. The boys had a blast. Riley was given the game hockey puck during intermission and B ended up with the chicken. The game went into over time 3 to 3 and with 1.4 seconds left the Komets SCORED!!!!! Good way to end the night =)

The Harris Family | Paulding, OH Family Photography

I had a wonderful late afternoon with the fabulous Harris family. The kids were a lot of fun...full of energy which I like! Everyone had their smiles on and wanted to play in the snow. Like I said before I love the textures winter brings and love love the images of mom and dad =)
Thank you Harris family!!