Busy Busy

SPIN SPIN SPIN, that's what I feel like I am doing. I need to hire a hamster to run this wheel for awhile. Not that I am complaining....cause I am not, I just didn't every think I would be so busy :)

I have been rocking out the mini shoot galleries...and Christmas cards for clients....and some how since I have been back (a week ago today) I have manages to shoot 5 sessions....a total of 4 families with 13 kids between them! :) and one lucky in love couple!

Looks like I have 3 more shoots confirmed in December. I am looking forward to a short break with my family, maybe even a date night with the hubs!

Wordless Wed tomorrow! :)

MIA much?

The blog, how I have missed you! My blogging goals were unceremoniously blown out of the water by a family emergency that took me across the country and away from my children for a week and a half. PURE TORTURE to be separated from my little ones for that long. Once my husband and I returned home, it was a mad dash to get things ready so that I could head 3 hours north to a beautiful place called Carmel, California for 3 days of family shoots and a presentation. It was a great trip. I enjoyed first rate hospitality, and some of the prettiest vistas in all of California, if not the world. Even though it was great I missed my family terribly and I am truly happy to be home with them.

While I was in Florida, I took two opportunities to shoot. It was a much needed break in the stress. A friend had mentioned she wanted some pictures of a "Cane Fire", and my husbands uncle just happens to be a cane farmer so off we went to the farm for a show like no other. A little info- Sugar cane is grown for about a year (in South Florida) at the end of that year its roughly 7-8 feet tall. At harvest time, they set the field on fire. 40 acres of cane burns in a matter of 10 minutes! It is intense. The amazing part is that only the cane they want to burn does, one perfect square at a time.

 


The second chance to get away, was a shoot with my brother in laws best friend and her family, most importantly her babies!

Then on Sunday

I got to work with a STUNNING couple for their engagement photos, and a group of Christmas Carolers. My day was so diverse! My bride to be really gets nervous in front of the camera..so we had to talk about random things and I would randomly start shooting.. it workout well. They loved the session so much they have decided to do another series with me at the Dana Powers House. And one of the best parts... we got to see many many whales off the coast! It made for a magical day.

AND THEN CAME THE CAROLERS!!!!

Well I let a week go by...

With out blogging...But not for lack of trying...I was just busier than normal. And my computer crashed (lovin the new one). Even though I failed to blog, I had an amazing work week. Saturday I shot 5 different families in Avila at the Barn. It was supposed to be 6 but my dear friend Jerissa went into labor that morning so she HAD to cancel...I told her to get her tush down there anyway that baby would wait...She didn't but he did...he arrived at just after 12:00am Halloween morning. Then it was almost 4 families as another group got a flat on the way and was momentarily delayed on the side of the rode. It turned out to be a great day. My two little ones had the time of their lives wallowing in the abundance of fresh mud provided by the torrential down pour the evening before, my two most returning clients were super well behaved (not sure how that happened-you did good Faith!), and I got to see some old and new friends.

Here are just a few shots from the day.

Friday Photo Bliss

Inspired by Soule Mama and Rita at The Coffee Shop

~no words just a moment in time I want to freeze and keep forever~

Thankful Thursday!

In my journey to become a better blogger I have been reading LOTS O BLOGS! I came across this idea at Elle's Studio (if your crafty you'll love it!) and thought it would be a fun weekly addition...

I have lots to be thankful for today.

1. I am thankful for FACEBOOK!!! yes its true... WHY? because it has the ability to bring together people who have lost touch over the years. Like my cousin Lane and I. Last time I saw her was when we were 11. I was moving cross country from California to Virginia with my father in his beat up '49 Chevy pickup...in AUGUST...with no ac...and I had a really bad blistered sunburn on my back. It was not a fun trip. When we got to Arkansas I met lots of family I had never met, and I got to see lane who had moved with her family from California to Arkansas a few years earlier.  We went to the Demolition Derby that night. Vowed to keep in touch, and that was that...18 years later (I shutter to think of how long that really is!) I get a friend request from her on FB! May we always keep in touch!!!!!!!!!

2. While Michael and I dream of owning our own home someday, we are thankful for an amazing land lord! SHE IS AWESOME! We have been doing some work on the yard and she was so thrilled she told us to take $100 off next months rent! AND she has asked me to do 2 possibly 3 photo shoots for her between now and Christmas...AND she is putting in wood floors down stairs...AND she hasn't raised our rent in going on 3 years...AND I think she is awesome... did I already mention that!

3.I am thankful that my hubby has a job even if he is currently on night shift...I shouldn't complain because any job in the economy is a blessing.
 
4. I am thankful for all my friends and family who believe in me and my abilities even when I doubt myself. They hold me up and push me forward to greatness.. LOVE YOU ALL



Happy Thankful Thursday everyone...Please share what you are thankful for today

Building a better BLOG!

In my effort to complete my goals for the next year in business...I am tackling #1 right away... Be a better blogger. This begins by me actually BLOGGING! My first mini goal is to blog twice a week, about whatever suits my fancy...along with blogging about every shoot. AND being a better blogger to me means having a better BLOG layout...that being said I have a design in my head and am trying to find someone to help me make that design happen, because I am HTML challenged to say the least! Til then...I will probably be trying out new freebie designs (like the current one which I really think is fun! courtesy of Mckenna Dawn Blogs).

Let the blogging begin....

Today was supposed to be filled with cleaning the garage, but was side tracked by an impromptu visit to the vet with Super Buddy Bolt, aka our bullheaded bulldog!  

Vet visits are never very fun....this one started out by me not being about to put Buddy in his carrier because it was out in the rain all night and it is cloth so that went out the window...The Budster got to ride in the front seat, which was ok, except the reason we were going to the vet is that he kept sneezing and shaking his head....I needed a bath after that car ride! Turns out its nothing serious....just a bad allergy season for the K9 members of the family. A few bottles of meds, shampoo, flea treatment, and medicated face wipes (usually hypoallergenic baby wipes work, but he has been digging at the roots of the palm tree out back so he needed some extra soothing special doggy face wipes at $50 a canister!!!)  and we were back in the car on the way home.

I took a little leap of faith, stopped on the way home to meet up with my good friend Hayley and left Buddy to watch the car...for those of you who know bulldogs this was probably not the smartest thing I have ever done, and given my BAD luck with leaving K9 type animals in my car only to find that they have EATEN half the front seat, it was pretty DUMB....BUT much to my surprise he was happily drooling in the passenger seat of the car when I got back in (thank goodness for leather seats),  GOOD DOG BUDDY he gets extra treats!!!