yes, we're back. we left at 3 AM thursday morning and arrived home around 9 AM (easier with the kids that way). it was a great trip but...hot as hell. we knew it was going to be hot but for some reason, it seamed even hotter. tucson is going through a period of intense heat (around 110 degrees) without any monsoon moisture / breaks. crazy hot! so hot that i really didn't think much about taking any photos while there. well...i did briefly think about it but the heat seamed to override any brief photography thoughts. the attached photos are it (taken at our friends house)!

lots of day time spent in the pool and then evenings with our dear friends, the jamison family. and i actually got to read and focus on something other than photography. what a treat that was! i am almost done with Life of Pi. what a great, great book. i would highly recommend it to anyone.

i also bought and read a magazine called "More" (okay, i'm totally going to give away my age here but oh well). the magazine is targeted at women 40 and older. i'm not 40 yet but close :-) what struck me and spurred the purchase was, on the cover, it stated "fabulous over 40--we've never been sexier". i thought...yay...i need to get that magazine (being right around the corner from 40 and all). well, i really enjoyed the magazine. it wasn't fuddy-duddy at all. it gave me lots of inspiring things to think about. one article i read was about women, the magazine called "reinventors", women who had ditched their well paying job to reinvent themselves. i was like...hey, that's me; i did that. people often comment on how much money i could be making as a master's prepared nurse but you know what--it's so not about that for me. i wasn't happy as a nurse. i knew it wasn't me. it's about loving what i do and with photography, i truly love what i do. it's about following my passion. that is what it's about. the magazine also looked at what the reinvestment really cost--not only financially, but also emotionally and practically. it's so much more than the money (at least it is for me).

so now back to the age thing. it's kind of weird to be almost 40. i don't really think of myself as almost 40. i don't feel almost 40 but then...what is 40 supposed to feel like? i'm not sure i even know what 40 is supposed to look like anymore. do i look 40? i don't know. the other day, i had a chance to meet the wonderful and talented, wynona robison. she's a 22 year old photographer from utah. i am 15 (yes, 15) years older than her. i didn't feel 15 years older than her, yet i am. it's just kind of strange. i can't say that i'm really enjoying the developing wrinkles that seem to come with 'almost 40' but all in all, i'm pretty darn happy with this stage of my life.
i have an amazing family.
i have some of the most wonderful friendships that i've ever had.
i'm loving what i do.
i'm so incredibly happy.
i am blessed!

yes, we're off tonight for our annual tucson trip. every year, we go to tucson to visit our dear friends, the jamison family. who are the jamisons? well...carmen (aka momma carmen) took care of kiele from age 6 weeks to 3 1/2 years old, while i was active duty air force, at davis-monthon afb. carmen became much more than kiele's day care provider, the jamisons became like family. we still cherish their friendship and love. it's amazing that it's been seven years since we lived in tucson, yet they remain such a special part of our lives.

these photos are from last year's (november)tucson trip. this year, we're doing a summer trip as we learned it makes for better swimming (even though it's hot as hell). but all in all, it's my kind of vacation...chilling out at the pool, no agenda, and hanging out with great friends.

while gone, i'll have very limited email and telephone access.

meet the jamisons.

sky is...
beautiful on the inside and out
smart and stubborn (quite a combination)
funny and has a giggle that can make any day brighter
giving
my little spitfire
kind
a bit shy at first
a little girl who is much more than just a cute face
an amazing, wonderful child
four!
happy birthday skyler!



p.s. ryder seems to be all better today.

i discovered a couple cool quotes today by none other than...
bob dylan.

take care of your memories. for you cannot relive them.

and it just so happens that one of my greatest memories growing up was listening to my dad play his bob dylan and bob seger records. i used to wake up every morning to my dad blasting his music (and yes, it was always bob dylan or bob seger). and my sister and i were constantly trying to memorize the words to the songs and dance to the music all the time. i remember it like it was yesterday but i know that i'm totally showing my age here. ;-)

all i can do is be me, whoever that is.

this is something that i so believe in...being true to me. i want to do this in my photography. i want my blog to be true to me. i want to do this in life...just be me!

now, on to my photos. the photos were from today...him sleeping on the couch. my poor ryder is still sick. he threw up twice this morning, making this day number four. nothing else, just throwing up. i hate when my kids are sick. i feel so helpless. a parent can't help but get worked up about his/her child being sick. lucky for me, the kids' pediatrician is one of our best friends...someone i talk to almost daily. so, when talking to his wife today, i just happened to mention ryder still being sick. later, i got a call from the pediatrician to check on ryder and he told me that this virus seems to be a five-day deal. yikes. so i'm hopeful for the weekend and ryder's recovering from this darn virus and i'm hopeful that it doesn't get to anyone else in the family.

i so love what i do. i can honestly say that...through and through. sometimes i even think that i love it too much. i long to shoot all the time. today, i got to shoot all three of my kids and that's pretty darn exciting (not together but still...exciting). the funny thing is...i would have never asked ryder to do photos today (he's been throwing up on and off since monday) but when i brought the tricycle in the house to test out an idea i had, he saw it and jumped on. i didn't plan on him being on it but i sure was happy when he got on. i think he was pretty happy too. ha...what two year old boy wouldn't be happy about a trike being brought in his house :-)

in closing (and going to bed), i wanted to thank all my family and friends, who have been such great supporters of me during this photography journey. i don't think i'd be where i am today without your encouragement and support. it's little things like tonight, when my husband came to bed (yes, i got back out of bed after being asleep)...he kissed me goodnight and said, "you're such a great mom. and you're such a great photographer. i'm so lucky." he didn't need to say that about being a photographer but he knows how passionate i am about photography. it's the little things. and truly...i am the lucky one.

and great for you and the kids!!
you can read a review and listen to her music here but trust me...it really does rock!

this house.
this abandoned historic house.
there's magic there.
it's one of my favorite places to shoot.
it truly is.
there's something about this house and i.
something i adore.
something i'm not sure i can explain.
i'm amazed by the beauty.
i wonder the stories of this house.
but every time i go, i'm a little sad too.
i'm sad about what has become of the house...
even over just the past couple years.
i see the continuing wear and the covered up graffiti.
i see the vandalism.
i see the plywood that once was a back door.
but for now,
i will continue to try and relay my love for this house...
my love of shooting at the little old abandoned house...
the white house.

i sometimes wake in the early morning
and listen to the soft breathing of my children
and i think to myself,
this is one thing I will never regret
and i carry that quiet with me all day long
- brian andreas, storypeople

i had been waiting for the right image to post with this story and then today...ryder went and got his pillow and blankie and fell asleep on the couch. i just sat there for a while and stared at him--
taking every bit of him in
listening to his soft breathing
and wondering...
where has the time gone?
how has my baby grown up so fast?

i will never regret, no matter how many things i have to do, no matter how little time i have...i will never regret taking the time to sit back and just listen to my children breathe.

my fur is kind of sort of brownish
reddish bluish white.
my eyes are brown and blue,
but i'm told they look orange at night.
my ears are reddish whitish blue,
but they're silver when they're wet.
and all the colors i am inside
have not been invented yet.

- poem adapted from shel silverstein's "colors"

(drawing by my three year old little artist, skyler [she so loves to draw!])

last night, i had the honor of attending the harmony with no limits fundraising gala and...oh my gosh, what an amazing night. and i met the most incredible, giving people. the evening started with socializing and a silent auction. then dinner and presentation of awards. and the night ended with a live auction. an amazing woman, judy broumand (her son, who is now an adult, was born hearing impaired), received the founders award and kathy buckley (she's a hard of hearing comedian) received the dream and inspire award. the LA no limits kids performed a skit that was simply awe-inspiring. attending an event like this, you can't help but be inspired--
inspired by the accomplishments of the no limits kids
inspired by the dream of one woman and what is possible if you pursue your dreams
inspired by the goodness of so many people, who are willing to donate and help others