Helena's Photo Blog

Meet Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy--the four raccoons that Ava raised this Summer.


They were orphaned this Spring, so Ava (more than willingly) took them under her wing and raised them until they were ready to go out to the wild on their own.


Our German Shepherd, Vreni, adopted them and treated them as if they were her own puppies.


Ava built a cage for them outside, but every so often let them into the house for a little fun.


They are quite tame and friendly. And like to snuggle.


This is the fourth batch of raccoons Ava has raised.


But it's never been four at a time before.


In the middle of Summer they started growing a mile a minute.


They learned to climb trees--a very important skill if they want to survive in the wild!


We faithfully video taped them during their different stages so as to make a movie later on.


It was hard for Ava to know that they would eventually be leaving.


But we had several months of enjoying their mischievous ways.


With friend, Adam F..


What to do with a misbehaving raccoon. Do not try this on a wild raccoon.


Meeting a beard for the first time. (friend Bruno R.)


Eventually, Ava started letting them out at night (raccoons are nocturnal) and bringing them back to their cage in the morning. Then they started not coming back in the mornings--they would be gone for a couple days at a time. One of the raccoons left for good on their own, and the other three Ava released several miles from our house (so that our dogs would not hunt them).


The last one was released this past week while I was in TN. They sure are fun little animals to be around.

I've got a cute nephew. Here's pictures to prove it.






Wish we had a picture of him frowning. He's so cute when he's mad.


Tiny fingers.

The rest of these photos are from my iPhone, so I apologize for the poor quality.


Holding Eric for the very first time. He seemed so tiny and delicate.


The new grandpa holds Eric for the first time.


Look at that face! I went down to spend a few days at Johannah's house when Eric was a week old.


Eric has a secret joke.


His first bath.


With his mama--squeaky clean.


I think he is very kissable.


So does his Mama.


Tiny smile.


The little family. Adam, Johannah and Eric.


On the fourth of July with his Mama.


This is his Harrison Ford Smile.


Eric meets Uncle Hans for the first time.


Gwammy finally gets her long waited for grandchild.


Auntie Ava and the little munchkin.

So you still haven't decided on whether to go to the reunion or not. Well, if my last blog entry didn't convince you, these should:


Something professional enough to have their own banner has GOT to be worth coming to.


The road trip to the reunion can be half the fun.


Awesome people will also be attending.


You get a cool autograph book to fill up with your friends names and notes (this is a seriously fun part of the reunion--I love it).


Delicious food (now don't sue me if I'm wrong--but I'm probably not ).


Jamming with fellow musicians.


Sports (for those who don't mind getting sweaty ).


English Country dancing...


...is one of my favorite parts.


You'll hear great speakers...


...learn...


...visit the expo hall...


...meet more awesome people...


...and if you're really lucky, you'll get interviewed and published all over the web.


You seriously don't want to be missing from this picture again.

Ok, so you haven't registered for the reunion yet. There's only 19 days left to do it in! I suggest you don't put it off any longer--get your money in the mail!
Maybe you've decided that you don't want to go or don't think it will be worth the travel expense. If this is you then you should seriously reconsider. This is NOT going to be something that you'll want to miss! It'll be my fourth year to come to the reunion--and I wouldn't miss it for the world! I'm specifically looking forward to the awesome fun dances, seeing old friends, making LOTS of new friends (that includes YOU!) the talent show and hearing Eric and Leslie Ludy speak. Seriously, you need to come! I can gurantee you will make great memories and most probably will make some of the kind of friendships that last a lifetime.


Plus, I'm going to be there and I want to meet you, whoever you are.

Post a comment if I've convinced you.

My sister Johannah gave birth to a boy this morning, Eric Myles Stanford! A healthy 6 pounds 13 ounces. Praise God!! Can't wait to meet him.
There are first-time grandparents on both sides. Some serious spoiling is going to go on, me thinks.


Mr. Cutie himself (a photo that Ava sent from her iPhone).

OK, I'm changing the first sentence in this blog entry because nobody has even LOOKED at it yet, let alone commented. -sniff- I attribute it to the boring first words. People, there are PICTURES in this post! LOTS OF PICTURES!!

In the middle of April, me and my siblings met up with several other HSAers in Bishop Hill, IL for a Swing Dance-- put on by some friends of ours. Excellent dance instructions, live band, friends...what more could one ask for?


A live band has gotta be the best thing to dance to.


Kelli H. and I attempt the "pretzel". Do you think we'll become un-entangled?


My sister Johannah and Jill W. at supper time. Ahhh, did I mention there was food there too?


Karen and Andy Fuzak, our awesome dance instructors. They taught us several Swing steps, and also short introductions into waltz, foxtrot, tango (so fun!) and other types of dances.


Swingin'.


The Many Faces of Kelli and Helena.


Here you just might be able to pick out Ava & I dancing, as well as Mr. & Mrs. Hemmer and Faith & Melody Hemmer.


Adam and Johannah. Awwwww.


A highly improvised and lively dance with Kelli.


Desi and Hans. Desi has such a cute smile.


Faith Hemmer and April Brown.


Mr. and Mrs. Fuzak share a laugh.


Nine-piece band.


Before leaving, we head out to admire one of the four raccoons my sister Ava is raising this Summer.


Desi tries to snip my nose off.


Jill and Greg. One more thing brothers are useful for: a hiding place from a prying camera.


A street in Bishop Hill. How cool is that?!?

This is all old news now, but I thought better late then never--so here we go.
I apologize in advance for the poor quality of most of these photos. They were taken with my iPhone. You'll be able to tell the few ones which ones were taken with Nathan's Marvelous Camera.

In early March, my sister Ava and I went to a dance held at a "castle" in northern Illinois, put on by some friends of ours, the Hemmers.


I finished my dress the night before.


Ava and I with Faith and Melody Hemmer. All in medieval garb.


The castle was so neat to explore. It was complete with hidden passageway leading to the chapel.


English Country dancing into the night.


I found my knight in shining armor.

The castle event continued on to Saturday, but since Ava and I wanted to meet the rest of our family down in St. Louis for the Notgrass wedding, we left early Saturday morning and made our way down there.


It was such an honor to be there. The ceremony was amazing and God-honoring. John and Audra were so much in love.


With Laura Curran and Ava.
(I'm only posting these two photos from the wedding since I am not sure which ones we have the rights to)

After the wedding, Ava and I drove down to Missouri to pick up Katie and Emily West and to head in a Westerly direction to....


Visit the Covingtons in Joplin! They took us down to a peaceful river where we watched the fisherman and walked on the rocks.
(Ava, Abigail, Angela, Katie, Me, Emily, Amber and Hannah)


Gotta get a "triplets" pose.

After staying there one night we headed further West to....

Visit the Naylors! It was a long awaited and much anticipated visit since we had been talking about doing it for a very long time. Here we are relaxing at a coffee/chocolate shop.
Sarah, Tera, Sage, Katie, Emily and I (Ava was taking photo).


The Naylor's hospitality was simply amazing. They made each one of us feel so at home and treated us like royalty. We even got our own little cozy guest house to stay in! Here we are on St. Patrick's Day. You might notice a smidgen of green.


Spring comes earlier for Oklahoma than for Illinois. It was wonderfully warm. Here we are on a walk in the park.
(Tera, Ava, Katie and Sage)


Bubble tea! Anna and I had been talking about getting bubble tea for a very long time....and here we are, finally getting to do it! Bubble tea is tea with huge tapioca pearls in it. Yummmy!
(Sarah, Emily, Anna, Katie, me, Ava and Tera)

After staying three nights at the Naylors, we had to tear ourselves away because we knew our little vacation could not last forever. -sniff- We drove back to Belleview, MO to drop the West girls off...


Willow and D.C. were glad to have their masters back.

...and on Friday Ava and I drove the rest of the way back home.

It was a great trip.

At the end of February, my brothers, our friend Desiree and I headed down to Arkansas to attend Eric and Noelle Van Vleet's wedding.
We found many more signs of Spring down there than we had up here. It was great.


We stayed at a really neat old hotel with winding hallways, disconnected stairways and unexpected courtyards...we won't talk about the room service.
Here's Noelle when she first came down.


They got a few photos there in the lobby of the hotel...
(me and Noelle)


...then headed over to the gorgeous capitol building to get shots of the bride...


...and bridesmaids.


Back at the church, the groom and groomsmen were looking quite dapper.


Pamela VanVleet waiting for the ceremony to begin.


Hans and Desi.


Leeeeaaaaannnnn!


And they're off!

We gathered some people for supper at a delicious Mexican restaurant, then hung out at the hotel for a bit.

Next morning, we took some photos in the lobby...

Me and A&A, otherwise known as "the triplets".


...then the guys did a bit of rock climbing before heading home...


...while us girls amused ourselves with taking pictures.

(the good photos in this entry were taken by Nathan, the bad ones by me )

Here's a few more photos from the weekend--on the Covington's blog:
http://lifeatthepinkhouse.blogspot.com/2009/03/arkansas-weekend.html

.....coming soon.

The second week in January was an awesome week. It held the San Antonio Independent Film Festival! I'd been looking forward to this trip for various reasons: getting to see old friends and make new ones, getting to FLY again!!, WARM WEATHER!!!, seeing cool films, and enjoying the atmosphere of the beautiful River Walk.

My brother Nathan flew in to San Antonio on the previous Monday, to attend the Film Academy....where they learned about...


...cameras....


....vision...


...and how to do your own stunts.


Of course, Nathan kept the Facebook world up-to-date on all the things that were going on.

Thursday arrived...


and so did the Film Festival! Hans and I flew in this day (having to get up at 3 in the morning to do so -yawn-).


That afternoon members of Christian Filmmakers met at the park and had a pizza picnic. I was not a member, but snuck in anyways.


?, Heather and Monica Tull.


Stephen Nasby (who came all the way from the North Pole..err...Canada , Tera D., Danielle M., Sage D., Mandy M., and not sure who the last person is.

Friday was spent watching films, talking and eating.


Stephen Kendrick, the producer (or director or writer or whatever it was ) of Fireproof, here with his little boy.


Doug Phillips, the originator of the SAICFF, with two of his sons.


Gator More, the little star of the winning film "The Widow's Might".




Hans, depicting "bird in flight".


In the evening, we were able to enjoy a short concert by the Von Trapps, the great grandchildren of Maria Von Trapp.


And Kirk Cameron told the story of how it was his real wife that he kissed in "Fireproof". Awwwww.

Saturday was spent in much the same way as Friday, with the awards ceremony in the evening.


Nathan doing what he loves best, networking.


Me and the twins! Love these girls!


The entire Duggar family made an appearance at the awards ceremony. Wow.


Some of the cast and crew of "The Widow's Might", which won the $101,100 grand prize. It was an excellently made film, and beat Fireproof, which got second place.

All in all, this was a fantastic trip which exceeded my expectations, and if I weren't making this blog entry so late at night, I'd probably sound more enthusiastic about it.