Light-Up Night - Irwin

last thursday night was light-up night in down town irwin.. it was so much fun to walk around this year with my new beast and take pictures.. such a huge difference from last year.. not only in image quality [thanks to my new camera] but also in my confidence as a photographer.. i was so much more at ease just walking around and snapping shots of people and things that i never would have even attempted last year.. so its really cool to look back & realize how my style has changed and developed -- and is still developing :)

this little boy was so adorable..

the official lighting of the Christmas tree to kick everything off :)

it was SO incredibly cold thursday night.. i was so numb by the end of the night.. so i was kinda surprised at all the LITTLE little kids that were out .. but they were all bundled up SO cute !!

see.. now this is where i would have liked to be.. in a warm house.. looking down on the parade.. lol

sparky & valley forge

while at derrick's parent's house last weekend.. derrick asked me to get a few shots of their dog sparky that he wanted..

he's the sweetest little dog ever.. but the poor thing is almost ancient.. i've spent 3 weekends at derrick's parent's house and.. its noticeable how much sparky is losing his vibrancy.. as well as his hearing.. he is almost completely deaf -- poor thing..

just chillin' out..

awww.. a man & his dog.. :)

so then.. the day i left -- monday.. the train didn't leave until 1:19.. and so that morning derrick & i went and walked around valley forge..

the place is stinkin' huge.. we covered nothing compared to how huge the grounds are.. we both agreed we would love to go back -- sometime when it wasn't so cold !! lol

oh.. and there are deer everywhere.. i first learned about them when i got there and steph & i went to the mall and we had to drive thru valley forge.. and she was like "ugh there are deer EVERYWHERE around here.. you have to be so careful !" and they are totally fearless.. we were so close to these guys.. and they were totally cool with us..

concert night #2

after church on sunday.. we packed up the car again and headed out to derrick's uncle jim's church to do his second concert..

getting ready..

he was actually a little bit nervous about this concert which is very unlike him.. normally he's totally cool with singing.. i think it was because.. unlike friday night where it was a little more informal.. he knew that sunday night he would have everyone's attention on him.. which he actually flourished under -- yet he was a little nervous before hand :)

aww.. :)

btw.. caleb took all of these pictures for me.. and he captured this amazing shot of his beautiful wife :)

hehe.. the smokey the bear face.. watch out or he'll come after you :)

and yes.. i did accompany derrick for both concerts.. :)

here we go :)

singing his heart out..

derrick & i with derrick's uncle jim & aunt dot :) we had so much fun at their church and then hanging out with them afterward.. they are so lively and energetic about everything and soooo funny !! we only meant to stick around until around 7:30.. but we didn't end up leaving until after 9.. oops :) we had an awesome time tho' && left soo encouraged..

concert night #1

friday morning.. we packed up steph's car and headed out of VFCC and up to derrick's parent's house.. and friday night derrick performed again as the entertainment during a dinner his parent's church had..

me && steph :) lol we were playing with the table centerpieces -- the pilgrims? hehe it was so funny !

derrick && i..

naomi took these pictures for me.. and i loved how she got the light from the music stand and how nicely it is reflected onto my face.. not my favorite picture of ME in the world.. but i loved how she captured the lighting !! because the lighting definitely was tricky..

singing.. always..

so after derrick did his thing.. paul && naomi got up and sang a couple songs.. :)

so after the dinner.. we helped clean up and then went back over to the house for a game of risk.. needless to say.. steph && i got beaten out of the game fairly early.. and the guys decided to take over the world.. paul got killed off around midnight.. and then derrick && caleb battled it out until 2am

sparky.. !!

steph..

caleb.. these two let me stay with them in their apartment while i was at VFCC.. they are derrick's best friends.. and i can totally understand why.. they are sooo amazing.. the best way to describe them is that.. i totally felt like i was just re-meeting some long lost best friends.. they are amazing people -- soo ready to strike out into the world and make an impact for Jesus.. i can't wait to see how God uses them :)

hehe derrick's dad.. he was soo funny while we were playing risk !! he kept saying to the person who's turn it was "can i give you some vision?" and then he'd tell them what he thought they should do.. and of course they all took his advice because they just assumed he was telling them in their best interest.. when actually.. he was trying to help ME out.. hehe it was really funny :) he's awesome :)