Mailee, 3, of Oak Grove, tells Santa what she wants for Christmas as she is held by her mother, Mandy,Thursday afternoon at the Oak Grove Public Library. Children and their parents came to the library to take pictures with Santa. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Wednesday: Trees were lit during Lighting the Way to the Holidays at Southern Miss. MDOT launched a new traffic management program.

Thursday: “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” surprised a local family. Children and their parents came to the Oak Grove Library for pictures with Santa. (Photos coming next week in OG Today.) Southern Miss held a memorial to remember students, staff and faculty.

Friday: We went to Collins to speak to veterans about Pearl Harbor Day. (Story coming Monday!) It snowed!

Saturday: Work continued on the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” house. Hattiesburg and Petal held their Christmas parades.

Sunday: More work on the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” house.

And my weekly favorites can be found here.

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How was your week?

Multiple Meridian defenders tackle Steve McNair, Jr. (1) on Friday night during the first half of the Oak Grove-Meridian playoff game in Hattiesburg. Oak Grove ended up winning the game and will advance to the South State finals against Ocean Springs next week. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Monday: Twin sisters signed swimming scholarships to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Participants graduated from Drug Court.

Tuesday: The Southern Miss basketball team faced off against Loyola New Orleans in the Reed Green Coliseum.

Wednesday: Pepsi South celebrated its grand opening.

Thursday: Pittman Park, a new parking lot in downtown Hattiesburg, was unveiled. Southern Miss male students and male community members walked a mile in heels to raise awareness for domestic violence victims.

Friday: Oak Grove played Meridian in the playoffs and won.

Saturday: Southern Miss beat Tulsa at M.M. Roberts stadium, despite a lightning delay.

And my weekly favorites are here.

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How was YOUR week? What was the most exciting thing you did?

PDN Pulse revealed the favorite shutter speeds of college sports photogs, thanks to metadata from the students work.

Paul Nicklen’s leopard seal images are amazing.

The Sport of Photography feature on the NYT Lens blog was an interesting piece about sports photogs. Photogs can have good games and bad games. And we grow through friendly competition with our peers.

I found the ‘A Room of Everyone’s Own‘ piece on the Lens blog fascinating. It’s amazing the things a person can accumulate over a certain length of time.

Nicole Bengiveno photographed the Fort Hood memorial service for the NYT and spoke about her experience, as well as making the CP image for the next day.

I know this is really, really late, but Stobist has a post up about the gender gap and photography. I’m a technical photographer, but I don’t like to spend my time lighting a scene if I can use natural light. I blame learning photography in a fine art photo school for this one, though, not gender.

For all you photographers out there: Peta Pixel has 21 awesome T-shirts for photographers on display at their site. I’m especially loving #9, #12 and #14.

FCAHS's Aubrey Kidd (54) displays 'RIP Devon' in remembrance of his fallen teammate, Devon Byrd, Friday night during the first half of the Forrest County Agricultral High School-North Pike playoff game in Brooklyn, Miss. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Monday: Miss Mississippi spoke to parents and kids at Petal High School. (Photo gallery to come next week for Petal Today.)

Wednesday: Veterans were honored during the annual Veterans Day Service at Veterans Park in downtown Hattiesburg.

Thursday: The Southern Miss basketball team practiced before their first game. The Mississippi Secretary of Treasury spoke to students about going to college. Members of the local Junior Auxiliary set up for their annual ball.

Friday: Five Petal businesses held their grand opening. Forrest County Agricultural High School played North Pike and won during the playoffs.

Aaaand my weekly favorites are over here.

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How was YOUR week?

I know I said last Sunday that the week was crazy. Well, if that week was crazy, this past week was ridiculously busy. No worries, though, I made some lovely images while I was running around.

Staci Williams closes her eyes and holds family dog Daisy close Tuesday morning at Oak Grove's All Animal Clinic. Daisy fell down a 40-foot well Monday afternoon, cutting her shoulder, and veterinarian Dr. Kirk Frazier and Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department firefighters pulled the dachshund out of the well. Daisy spent the night at the vet's office, was given eight stitches and was sent home with her family Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Monday: Since Oak Grove’s game was canceled because of bad weather the previous Friday, they faced off against Brandon High School on the gridiron.

Tuesday: LIFE of Mississippi hosted its annual event, Walk With Me, to raise public awareness about the need for accessibility for all. A rescued dachshund was reunited with its owners. Measures have been taken in Mississippi for students to eat healthier at school. The WCU basketball team practiced.

Wednesday: Two teenage boys who died in an accident were laid to rest in their hometowns.

Thursday: Government-run healthcare was protested. Petal is digging a new sewer line and trying to dig out of debt. An elementary school is selling feathers to raise money to feed the needy.

Friday: A task force is tackling textbook prices. Southern Miss prepares to start their basketball season.

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How was your week? And what was the most exciting thing you did?

This week was a little hectic, as most of this past month has been, but it was good.

Rice Patrick, 8, and his friends are lowered after riding the swings Wednesday night at the Fair of Forrest County. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Let’s break it down, shall we?

Sunday: Southern Miss hosted in-town rival, William Carey, in a baseball scrimmage. Heritage United Methodist Church hosted trunk-or-treat in their parking lot.

Wednesday: The Fair of Forrest County opened for its second day in town.

Thursday: Oak Grove Lower Elementary held a ribbon cutting for their new Project Fit America fitness equipment. The MTV reality casting tour hosted auditions in town.

Friday: Thames Elementary invited students to dress as their favorite book characters for a Book Parade. Petal faced off against George County on the gridiron, and it poured for most of the game.

Saturday: Men, women and children ran/walked in the first Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Southern Miss. Two teenagers died in a oil-holding tank explosion accident. (So, so sad.)

Sunday: I attended the fair again and learned that goats like to eat paper. (As in, a goat ripped a few pages out of my reporter’s notebook while it was in my jean pocket.) Southern Miss baseball held a black and gold game.

My favorite images of the week can be found here.

…

How was your week? And what was the most exciting thing you did?

I photographed a firework show and picnic tonight at a local church.

Here is one of my favorite outtakes:

I don’t know what happened to this shot, but I like it. A lot.

My photo gallery from the celebration and show can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site here.

Southern Miss outfielder Kameron Brunty signs a baseball and hands it back to Katharine Dobson as her son Trip, 4, stares up at Brunty in awe Wednesday afternoon at Pete Taylor Park. Southern Miss lost Tuesday afternoon to North Carolina, knocking them out of the College World Series. Despite the disappointing game, fans turned out to support the Eagles as they arrived back in Hattiesburg. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

More photos of the Southern Miss homecoming can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site.

(Also, isn’t the look on that kid’s face PRICELESS?)

This past week was fast-paced and full of excitement.

It started with lions, panthers, man children, oh my!

Kaa (from left), played by Jessy Palmer, Baloo, played by Logan Little, and Baghara, played by Noel Anderson, spy on the monkey clan that has kidnapped Mowgli Thursday afternoon during the dress rehearsal of 'The Jungle Book' at Oak Grove High School's drama room. The OGHS drama team will visit Scotland from August 4-17 and perform the play. More photos can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site here. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

And then some baseball players left for the College World Series. Of course, they had to get in on some of the interviews (and perform some of their own, as showcased in the photo gallery) before leaving town.

Southern Miss players Jonathan Johnston, left, and Corey Stevens, right, film Chris Williams, middle right, and Jason Hurst interviewing Brian Dozier before the Golden Eagles departed from Pete Taylor Park for the Pine Belt Regional Airport Thursday morning. The Golden Eagles will face the Texas Longhorns Sunday during their first game of the College World Series. More photos can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site here. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Some children sold lemonade to help animals at a local sanctuary.

Hannah Harvison, 8, holds a sign advertising the lemonade stand Friday afternoon at the Crayon College. Children and teachers from the Crayon College used the stand as a fundraiser for the Lumberton Animal Sanctuary. More photos can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site here. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Poplarville, Miss. hosted a blueberry festival all day Saturday.

Ashley Keene, Miss Blueberry 2009, checks out the engine of an antique car Saturday afternoon during the Blueberry Jubilee Festival in Poplarville, Miss. The festival hosted music, food and craft booths and a pageant. More photos can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site here. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

And, last but not least, there was an art gallery opening in Laurel, Miss. on Sunday afternoon.

Sharon Walters, left, from Laurel, and Faye Rogers, from Laurel, discuss a tapestry on display during the opening of the Sister Cities Art Exchange Sunday afternoon at the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art in Laurel, Miss. The museum is hosting the Sister Cities Art Exchange, which features art from Shelby, N.C. artists, until August. More photos can be found at the Hattiesburg American Web site here. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

While it was a busy week, it was definitely a good one.

How was yours?

Kathy Bailey holds daughter Heather, 5, as they and her stepson Jeremy Bailey wave goodbye to her husband and Jeremy and Heather's father, Chief Warrant Officer John Bailey, Monday during the 106th Send-Off Ceremony at Temple Baptist Church's West Campus. The church hosted the Company B, 106th Brigade Support Battalion, 155th Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi Army National Guard for a ceremony, lunch and a community send-off before the soldiers went back to Camp Shelby to finish their training for another month. (Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Summer Niolet kisses her husband Sgt. Josh Niolet before he leaves Monday during the 106th Send-Off Ceremony at Temple Baptist Church's West Campus. The church hosted the Company B, 106th Brigade Support Battalion, 155th Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi Army National Guard for a ceremony, lunch and a community send-off before the soldiers went back to Camp Shelby to finish their training for another month. (Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Hattiesburg firefighter Elliott Edwards dances with Janice Sanders during the City of Hattiesburg's Senior Prom on Tuesday afternoon at the Jackie Dole Sherrill Community Center. Seniors were invited to take part in the annual event, titled "In the Mood," a theme based on the Glenn Miller song. (Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Mike Webb sits on a bench inside the Lake Terrace Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon. Webb, a new hire, is the assistant vice president of economic development for the ADP. (Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Jonathan Strickland, 18, finds a place for his bookbag in his already packed Thursday afternoon at Southern Miss. Strickland, who moved out of Roberts Hall, had another load of items to bring down to his car before making his way out of town. (Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Photo Galleries from last week:

Moving Out of the Dorms at USM (here)
HCLO presents ‘Buddy’ (here)
DuPree victory celebration (here)
Petal election photos (here)
City of Hattiesburg’s Senior Prom (here)
James Hutto retirement dinner (here)
Quality of Life summit (here)
Hattiesburg troop sendoff (here)