he who loves, flies, runs and rejoices;
he is free
and nothing holds him back.
- henri matisse
yep, i'm off...
and i will be flying, running around like crazy and surrounded by love. i will be in pennsylvania for the next four days, shooting a wedding. i fly out tomorrow morning and will return monday morning. please note that during that time, i will have limited email access. hopefully i'll be able to post an entry or two while i'm gone.
since i'm not a wedding photograper, i'm really excited...and nervous!! luckily the groom knows me and my work very well.
this shot is a new one that i just love. having talked about photographing sky with the seagulls for a long time, i was inspired to finally do so by my friend martha (thanks martha!).
again, it's the litle things that i love...
the seagull in the distance planted on the light post.
the line of palm trees.
the seagull in the center, staring right at me.
the seagulls at varying levels of flight.
the pigeons, who could care less about sky's running around.
the joy of childhood and life.
the beauty...amongst the chaos.
you'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
you'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
so be sure when you step.
step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
and never mix up your right foot with your left.
and will you succeed?
yes! you will, indeed!
kid, you'll move mountains!
- audrey geisel
i had the pleasure of photographing my first high school senior this past saturday. and a pleasure it was. she was so funky and edgy, which i totally dug, but she was also so sweet and smart (such a great head on her shoulders). she (and her mom and dad) drove six hours to have me photograph her for her senior photos. needless to say, i was extremely flattered...and honored to do so.
we talked a lot during our three hours together. we talked about school, hobbies, boys, etc. we talked a lot about school (she wants to attend a san diego university) and following your heart and dreams.
also, i had to ask her about her hair and earrings...and what her parents thought about it all. she told me they didn't mind, which being pretty liberal myself, i don't think i'd mind either. but she also told me that she used to have her hair more pink, and her nose, lip and above her lip pierced but the school (the public school) made her take them out. i couldn't believe it. a public school made you take them out? yes, she said, they said it was a distraction. i was blown away by this. i was kind of surprised (no, i was really surprised) that a public school could make a child change their hair and take out piercings, claiming it's a "distraction"...that's crazy.
J, i hope you had a blast. i sure did. and i have no doubt that you truly will move mountains someday. keep up the great work and don't forget to call me when you move to san diego.
p.s. sorry this took me so long to post. blogger wouldn't allow me to upload photos for the past three days. grrrr.
my three words for the video below...
inspirational.
moving.
love.
p.s. watch with volume on...and enjoy.
inspirational.
moving.
love.
p.s. watch with volume on...and enjoy.
let me start by saying...i don't have any great fitting photos for this post so the photos are from my yesterday's adventures, finding things, while my little ones were in preschool, other than people.
so what do you do when your son pees all over the place? yesterday's target was inside the bathtub. "see momma. look. i did it. pee in the bathtub." today, apparently the target was the toilet seat and the floor next to the toilet. sometimes he does so well. other times, i think he's just having fun seeing how far he can shoot it. but, i know he can do it...aim that thing where it's supposed to go. so part of me giggles at the whole thing, while the other part of me is going crazy. i'm cleaning up boy pee all over the place, well at least all over the bathroom. i didn't have to deal with this with the girls. and i remember (like it was yesterday), my dear friend rob saying to me, when i was pregnant with ryder: just wait. boys are so different than girls. wait till he starts potty training. it's everywhere. so robin (b/c i know you keep up with me via my blog), you were right and i'm so there. i guess this phase will too pass...one of these days.
so what do you do when your son pees all over the place? yesterday's target was inside the bathtub. "see momma. look. i did it. pee in the bathtub." today, apparently the target was the toilet seat and the floor next to the toilet. sometimes he does so well. other times, i think he's just having fun seeing how far he can shoot it. but, i know he can do it...aim that thing where it's supposed to go. so part of me giggles at the whole thing, while the other part of me is going crazy. i'm cleaning up boy pee all over the place, well at least all over the bathroom. i didn't have to deal with this with the girls. and i remember (like it was yesterday), my dear friend rob saying to me, when i was pregnant with ryder: just wait. boys are so different than girls. wait till he starts potty training. it's everywhere. so robin (b/c i know you keep up with me via my blog), you were right and i'm so there. i guess this phase will too pass...one of these days.
your living is determined
not so much by what life brings to you
as by the attitude you bring to life;
not so much by what happens to you
as by the way your mind looks at what happens.
circumstances and situations do color life
but you have been given the mind
to choose what the color shall be.
- john homer miller
an incredible afternoon spent with my three at the beach. my heart fluttered with joy tonight.
not so much by what life brings to you
as by the attitude you bring to life;
not so much by what happens to you
as by the way your mind looks at what happens.
circumstances and situations do color life
but you have been given the mind
to choose what the color shall be.
- john homer miller
an incredible afternoon spent with my three at the beach. my heart fluttered with joy tonight.
yep, this post is all about the male figures in my life.
last night, when putting ryder to bed.
me: are you going to have fun in school tomorrow?
ryder: yea.
ryder: no, i cai.
me: no, ryder i don't want you to cry. i want you to have fun at school.
ryder: no mamma. i cai. you...stay home wi you.
me: no, you can't stay home with me. tomorrow is a fun school day.
ryder: i cai then momma.
me: i love you ryder.
ryder: wov you momma.
snuggle. snuggle.
oh...how my heart melts.
this morning, getting ready for school.
me: ryder, can i take your picture today.
ryder: yea.
me: what are you going to do for picture day.
head tilts to one side with great big smile. camera clicks. (see below).
me: ryder, lets move over here for another picture.
ryder: okay momma.
we relocate.
me: what's that ryder.
ryder: ant.
me: what did you just eat.
ryder: ant.
not really sure what's going on. earlier this morning, it was a piece of string...yep, he put it in his mouth, chewed it up and swallowed. and now, an ant. hopefully he's done now though. yuck.
PICTURE DAY SMILE
FINDING THE ANT
and then, dropping ryder off at school today, he started crying and clinging on to my pants. then when i brought him to his teacher, he started crying "i scared momma. no. i scared." OH MY GOSH. i wanted to grab him and run as fast as i could in the opposite direction. but the other part of me knows that it's a great school (ryder has the teachers that sky had last year) and ryder always says he had fun when i pick him up. as i was leaving the room, watching the teacher snuggle my baby on her lap, she said, "don't worry, it doesn't last long". i know that. but it doesn't make leaving him any easier.
and for the other male in my life...my husband. bless his heart, he's the most amazing husband...and father. truly he is. he's beyond kind and caring. helps me with everything, including dishes and laundry. he never complains. he's a dream. BUT...how can he not figure this out.
10 PM last night. ring. ring.
steve: hello.
converation transpires.
steve: i'm home saturday.
deb: huh?, i say in my mind. he's supposed to be home on friday. i have a session on saturday and i've already rescheduled this weekends sessions b/c he was leaving today, instead of monday (which was the original plan).
phone conversation ends.
deb: honey, when are you home from your trip? saturday?
steve: yea, i think so.
deb: i thought you were coming home on friday. what time?
steve: let me look.
gets itinerary.
steve: 7:30 PM
deb: don't you think that's something i might need to know. i have a session on saturday. (deb looks at calendar to see who is booked on saturday) and it's a session that i can't reschedule b/c they're coming in from sacramento.
deb: emails babysitter right away (and lucky for me, babysitter is available)
i was mad at first. how could he not realize that his returning on saturday was something i needed to know? but then i thought about it and *i* realized that maybe it's just as much my fault as his. why didn't i ask him about his trip earlier, when he was getting home, etc. so, i guess my following week's personal 'husband' goal will continue to be to spend more alone time with my husband and work on conversation. it's so easy to put the kids to bed, hop on our separate computers and work, work, work. before i know it, steve kisses me good night and is on his way to bed (not a word said between the two of us the entire time...he at his computer, me at mine). ugh. i must change this. it will continue to be on my goal list until i get it right. i'll keep working at it! and oh, i love and cherish him so!
found this quote the other day and i love it.
it takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them,
more strength to relate to peopel than to dominate them,
more 'manhood' to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex.
toughness is in the soul and spirit,
not in the muscles and the immature mind.
- alex karras
may we all find our personal abundance of courage, strength, 'manhood' and toughness.
last night, when putting ryder to bed.
me: are you going to have fun in school tomorrow?
ryder: yea.
ryder: no, i cai.
me: no, ryder i don't want you to cry. i want you to have fun at school.
ryder: no mamma. i cai. you...stay home wi you.
me: no, you can't stay home with me. tomorrow is a fun school day.
ryder: i cai then momma.
me: i love you ryder.
ryder: wov you momma.
snuggle. snuggle.
oh...how my heart melts.
this morning, getting ready for school.
me: ryder, can i take your picture today.
ryder: yea.
me: what are you going to do for picture day.
head tilts to one side with great big smile. camera clicks. (see below).
me: ryder, lets move over here for another picture.
ryder: okay momma.
we relocate.
me: what's that ryder.
ryder: ant.
me: what did you just eat.
ryder: ant.
not really sure what's going on. earlier this morning, it was a piece of string...yep, he put it in his mouth, chewed it up and swallowed. and now, an ant. hopefully he's done now though. yuck.
and then, dropping ryder off at school today, he started crying and clinging on to my pants. then when i brought him to his teacher, he started crying "i scared momma. no. i scared." OH MY GOSH. i wanted to grab him and run as fast as i could in the opposite direction. but the other part of me knows that it's a great school (ryder has the teachers that sky had last year) and ryder always says he had fun when i pick him up. as i was leaving the room, watching the teacher snuggle my baby on her lap, she said, "don't worry, it doesn't last long". i know that. but it doesn't make leaving him any easier.
and for the other male in my life...my husband. bless his heart, he's the most amazing husband...and father. truly he is. he's beyond kind and caring. helps me with everything, including dishes and laundry. he never complains. he's a dream. BUT...how can he not figure this out.
10 PM last night. ring. ring.
steve: hello.
converation transpires.
steve: i'm home saturday.
deb: huh?, i say in my mind. he's supposed to be home on friday. i have a session on saturday and i've already rescheduled this weekends sessions b/c he was leaving today, instead of monday (which was the original plan).
phone conversation ends.
deb: honey, when are you home from your trip? saturday?
steve: yea, i think so.
deb: i thought you were coming home on friday. what time?
steve: let me look.
gets itinerary.
steve: 7:30 PM
deb: don't you think that's something i might need to know. i have a session on saturday. (deb looks at calendar to see who is booked on saturday) and it's a session that i can't reschedule b/c they're coming in from sacramento.
deb: emails babysitter right away (and lucky for me, babysitter is available)
i was mad at first. how could he not realize that his returning on saturday was something i needed to know? but then i thought about it and *i* realized that maybe it's just as much my fault as his. why didn't i ask him about his trip earlier, when he was getting home, etc. so, i guess my following week's personal 'husband' goal will continue to be to spend more alone time with my husband and work on conversation. it's so easy to put the kids to bed, hop on our separate computers and work, work, work. before i know it, steve kisses me good night and is on his way to bed (not a word said between the two of us the entire time...he at his computer, me at mine). ugh. i must change this. it will continue to be on my goal list until i get it right. i'll keep working at it! and oh, i love and cherish him so!
found this quote the other day and i love it.
it takes more courage to reveal insecurities than to hide them,
more strength to relate to peopel than to dominate them,
more 'manhood' to abide by thought-out principles rather than blind reflex.
toughness is in the soul and spirit,
not in the muscles and the immature mind.
- alex karras
may we all find our personal abundance of courage, strength, 'manhood' and toughness.
happiness is not a goal to be pursued; it is a byproduct (of a balanced and purposeful life).
- eleanor roosevelt
so...
i was in a bit of a funk over the past few days. not sad. not depressed. just out of it in general...a funk. not sure why. and i'm not really sure i can even explain it. but, the culmination of my funk was yesterday when i experienced my first migraine (flashing lights on one side, eye pain, progressively worse headache, and severe nausea). it all started early morning but i forced myself to my 11 AM hair appointment. there was no way i was missing the hair appointment i waited a month for when i was already three months overdue. things progressed while at my hair appointment...that's when the nausea really started and i ran to the bathroom to dry heave (nice). lucky for me, the other hair stylist had imitrex pills, that she used for her own migraines. recognizing that i was suffering from a migraine, she offered me one. heck yea. at that moment, i would have taken almost anything. and i knew exactly what imitrex was for because of my time spent as a nurse in the ER and i gladly took one. within 20 minutes, i was feeling so much better. but the residual pain and nausea continued the entire day, basically putting me out of commission all day and night.
anyways...over the past couple days, i've been doing a lot of thinking about things, trying to understand the whole "funk" thing. and i've concluded that my funk resulted from some recent self-imposed stress, setting too high expectations, which resulted in general life unbalance. as an over-achiever and perfectionist, i tend to do this often.
for example, my little ones began preschool and i was so excited about it. i was going to have all this free time. i was going to do my business work (editing) during all this free time, which would then free up my nights and i'd actually get to bed by 11 PM. well, things were not nearly as easy, as free or as exciting as i anticipated (ryder crying in the AM, getting everyone up and ready in the AM, backpacks together, lunches made, etc.) and i don't have nearly the amount of free time i thought i would.
i also have a wedding in PA that i'm photographing the end of this month, which has begun totally stressing me out. they (the ones getting married) basically said that they want me to do it, XXXX is how much money they have, and they don't care what i give them. how could i say no to that?! they booked me months ago. i'm so honored to do it. i'm excited to do it. but i'm stressed as hell too. i stressed so much for the last wedding i did, i ended up with a huge fever blister on my lip. i know everything will go great, especially since i have kathy wolfe as my second shooter, but i'm not a wedding photographer. and well...the anticipation of the event is killing me. (don't worry teddy...i'll be fine ;-)
oh...and steve is leaving again for a week (leaving tomorrow, instead of monday, which resulted in my having to reschedule a number of clients this weekend). just a tad bit of stress and unbalance resulted from this one. but part of military life, said with a smile. :-)
so anyways, i'm over my funk now but it took some time and reflecting. i realized that first and foremost, i need to be grateful that my kids are enjoying preschool (ryder stops crying shortly after i drop him off and has a great time). second, i need to learn to enjoy my free time for what it is...free time. it's hard though because it's been a long time since i've had free time. i want to learn to appreciate this time and try things such as relaxing, reflecting, exercising, etc. i write that and in the back of my mind, i'm thinking, yea right. but seriously, i'm going to try it. we'll see how things go.
:-)
- eleanor roosevelt
so...
i was in a bit of a funk over the past few days. not sad. not depressed. just out of it in general...a funk. not sure why. and i'm not really sure i can even explain it. but, the culmination of my funk was yesterday when i experienced my first migraine (flashing lights on one side, eye pain, progressively worse headache, and severe nausea). it all started early morning but i forced myself to my 11 AM hair appointment. there was no way i was missing the hair appointment i waited a month for when i was already three months overdue. things progressed while at my hair appointment...that's when the nausea really started and i ran to the bathroom to dry heave (nice). lucky for me, the other hair stylist had imitrex pills, that she used for her own migraines. recognizing that i was suffering from a migraine, she offered me one. heck yea. at that moment, i would have taken almost anything. and i knew exactly what imitrex was for because of my time spent as a nurse in the ER and i gladly took one. within 20 minutes, i was feeling so much better. but the residual pain and nausea continued the entire day, basically putting me out of commission all day and night.
anyways...over the past couple days, i've been doing a lot of thinking about things, trying to understand the whole "funk" thing. and i've concluded that my funk resulted from some recent self-imposed stress, setting too high expectations, which resulted in general life unbalance. as an over-achiever and perfectionist, i tend to do this often.
for example, my little ones began preschool and i was so excited about it. i was going to have all this free time. i was going to do my business work (editing) during all this free time, which would then free up my nights and i'd actually get to bed by 11 PM. well, things were not nearly as easy, as free or as exciting as i anticipated (ryder crying in the AM, getting everyone up and ready in the AM, backpacks together, lunches made, etc.) and i don't have nearly the amount of free time i thought i would.
i also have a wedding in PA that i'm photographing the end of this month, which has begun totally stressing me out. they (the ones getting married) basically said that they want me to do it, XXXX is how much money they have, and they don't care what i give them. how could i say no to that?! they booked me months ago. i'm so honored to do it. i'm excited to do it. but i'm stressed as hell too. i stressed so much for the last wedding i did, i ended up with a huge fever blister on my lip. i know everything will go great, especially since i have kathy wolfe as my second shooter, but i'm not a wedding photographer. and well...the anticipation of the event is killing me. (don't worry teddy...i'll be fine ;-)
oh...and steve is leaving again for a week (leaving tomorrow, instead of monday, which resulted in my having to reschedule a number of clients this weekend). just a tad bit of stress and unbalance resulted from this one. but part of military life, said with a smile. :-)
so anyways, i'm over my funk now but it took some time and reflecting. i realized that first and foremost, i need to be grateful that my kids are enjoying preschool (ryder stops crying shortly after i drop him off and has a great time). second, i need to learn to enjoy my free time for what it is...free time. it's hard though because it's been a long time since i've had free time. i want to learn to appreciate this time and try things such as relaxing, reflecting, exercising, etc. i write that and in the back of my mind, i'm thinking, yea right. but seriously, i'm going to try it. we'll see how things go.
:-)
'cause you had a bad day
you're taking one down
you sing a sad song just to turn it around
you say you don't know
you tell me don't lie
you work at a smile and you go for a ride
you had a bad day
the camera don't lie
you're coming back down and you really don't mind
you had a bad day
- daniel powter
yesterday was ryder's first day of pre-school and i envisioned happily dropping him off and taking lots of great first day of school photos. nope. it wasn't happy and no photos. first, it was hard to get the whole morning organized. second, ryder thought that he was going to be in the same classroom as sky and when he wasn't, he threw a fit and i ended up dragging him into his classroom. don't worry, the teacher tells me, he only cried for the first 20 minutes. she also said, ryder NEEDS preschool. i equated that to: he's a spoiled brat and he needs to be in preschool to get some of the brattiness out of him. i said: i know, he's such a momma's boy...and i smiled. she: smiled right back at me. i really love the preschool teachers (all of them) and took no personal offense. deep inside, i knew exactly what she meant.
well, today was a much better day. :-) ryder didn't cry and his teacher said he did very good today...and is making friends, other than his sister (who he sees at lunch and recess). yay!
and it's amazing what you can get done in 30 minutes with no children in the house. i felt like a little bee (on caffeine, of course) buzzing around my house, pollinating each room with a bit of organization and cleanliness. i got things done in 30 minutes, which would have normally taken me hours to finish. what a concept this preschool thing is and the best thing is...they love it too. :-)
happy first week of school.
to get things accomplished,
write your goals down,
refer to them often, and
share them with a friend
who'll remind you of them.
- author unknown
my dear friend, steph beaty (aka lifeographer) and i, started a thing last week, where we make five long-term (once every six months) and five short-term goals (once a week) for ourselves--one for self, children, husband, self and business. every sunday, we email our short-term goals to one another, while also evaluating our progress with the previous week's goals. i just love this and while i didn't reach a single goal my first week (i was a little over ambitious), it did get me thinking about about the quest for balance in my life. there's certain things that are so easy to push aside; for example, meal planning and preparation. yet when really thinking about this, i feel it's such an important aspect in the home. it's a time when i can incorporate my children (having fun with them helping mommy cook) and then sitting down at the table together as a family (a time spent together and talking as a family. it's also a time when we can reinforce the importance of good manners).
and...it's funny how things work sometimes. obviously, one of my home goals involves cleaning and organizing. last week, when i was 'organizing' a pile, i found a little book called 198 SUPER THINGS to THINK, SAY and DO. what do i read on the first page that i open to? the quote above. it just reinforced that, whether i reach my goals or not, i need to keep focused and continue to develop and share goals with steph.
you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
- c.s. lewis
write your goals down,
refer to them often, and
share them with a friend
who'll remind you of them.
- author unknown
my dear friend, steph beaty (aka lifeographer) and i, started a thing last week, where we make five long-term (once every six months) and five short-term goals (once a week) for ourselves--one for self, children, husband, self and business. every sunday, we email our short-term goals to one another, while also evaluating our progress with the previous week's goals. i just love this and while i didn't reach a single goal my first week (i was a little over ambitious), it did get me thinking about about the quest for balance in my life. there's certain things that are so easy to push aside; for example, meal planning and preparation. yet when really thinking about this, i feel it's such an important aspect in the home. it's a time when i can incorporate my children (having fun with them helping mommy cook) and then sitting down at the table together as a family (a time spent together and talking as a family. it's also a time when we can reinforce the importance of good manners).
and...it's funny how things work sometimes. obviously, one of my home goals involves cleaning and organizing. last week, when i was 'organizing' a pile, i found a little book called 198 SUPER THINGS to THINK, SAY and DO. what do i read on the first page that i open to? the quote above. it just reinforced that, whether i reach my goals or not, i need to keep focused and continue to develop and share goals with steph.
you are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.
- c.s. lewis
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.
- Mother Teresa
i just added a new gallery to my website, "a tribute", in honor of the military members, who serve and protect our country, and the family members who support them.
i found this recipe on a website and as a military wife myself, i thought it was fun...
RECIPE FOR A MILITARY WIFE
1 1/2 cups patience
2 tablespoons elbow grease
1 pound of courage
1 1/4 cups of tolerance
dash of adventure
marinate frequently with salty tears. pour off excess fat and sprinkle ever so lightly with money. knead dough until payday. season with international spices. baste with a lot of good memories and friendship. bake for 20 years or longer, until done. serve with pride.
okay, i was tagged by the ever-so-talented child/family turned dog photographer, erin vey.
here are the rules of the game:
post the rules before giving your eight facts. players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves. people who are tagged need to post the rules and write their eight things in their blog. at the end of your blog post, you need to tag eight people and list their names. leave the people you tagged a comment on their blog, telling them that they've been tagged and not to forget to read your blog.
so, here it goes...
1. I love, love, love coffee. I remember my Dad drinking coffee all the time when I was a child and remember thinking that it was gross and I would never drink coffee. Now I feel just like him and can't start my morning without it.
2. I left nursing school for a semester and enlisted in the Army Reserves. Everyone and I mean everyone, thought I was crazy. I was nicknamed Private Benjamin by my fellow troops (from the movie Private Benjamin, starring Goldie Hawn). I guess even my troops thought my being there was crazy. I did extremely well though and won Leader of the Cycle and Distinguished Graduate, something I'm still proud of to this day.
3. I'm so inspired by and admire those who do film and do it so well, e.g. Cheryl Jacobs, Cynthia Graham and Alyssa Fortin. I hope that the three of them never leave film and that they know that have huge admirers out there. Someday I hope to dabble in film.
4. I have a secret desire to be back in the military, but I don't want to go back in as a nurse. I so wish they would take me as a photographer. Ten more years, that's all I have and I could retire.
5. I wish that I would have read more growing up. And now, I stillI wish that I would read more. It's something that I would like to discipline myself about. I do enjoy reading. I just have to find the time to do it and it's easy to find excuses not to.
6. I love school and I plan on attending photography school one day. I'll probably be the oldest in the class but who cares. It's something that I just personally need to do to complete the circle. In undergrad, I took calculus I and II, just for the fun of it. Getting my Masters, statistics was my favorite subjects. I know, I'm weird. If I could be a professional student (and get paid for doing it), I would. While I wish I would have found myself (my love of photography) years ago, I think everything happens for a reason. Attending college is a learning and growing experience and being a nurse has taught me so much.
7. I'm originally from Detroit, MI (born and raised there). Left in 1994, at 24, when I joined the military and since, I have lived in DC, MS, AZ, FL, WA and CA. I actually enjoy moving around and can't imagine the day when we have to actually choose a location to live long term. I dread that day.
8. We moved four times in 2005, initially because of a house so filled with cat pee they had to remove two walls in Ryder's room (the people that lived there long-term before us were a foster cat family and had 40-50 cats plus other animals/creatures). We moved, the house was renovated and later that year after we moved back, we endured rats in the attic, hundreds of maggots falling from the ceiling vents, and I caught 200 flies in two hours (and those were only the ones that I counted). After all of that, we finally ended up in a brand new renovated military home around the corner on Dec 16, 2005. And now...we're trying to move again because of all the neighbor crap we're dealing with. If that happens, we'll have moved five times in the past two years, all within one mile.
and now i'm tagging:
lifeography
i see the moon photography
sweet | salty
Pinkle Toes photography
follwing my bliss
pink sugar photography
kathy wolfe photography
daveen photography
we are shaped by our thoughts;
we become what we think.
when the mind is pure,
joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
- prince gautama siddharta
i often refer to sky as my little spitfire, which she is, but there is also so much more to her. skyler is smart, beautiful, funny and yes, she is stubborn (like her momma). and then i capture a moment like this...a moment that reminds me of her great amount of pureness and strength.
we become what we think.
when the mind is pure,
joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.
- prince gautama siddharta
i often refer to sky as my little spitfire, which she is, but there is also so much more to her. skyler is smart, beautiful, funny and yes, she is stubborn (like her momma). and then i capture a moment like this...a moment that reminds me of her great amount of pureness and strength.
exactly the same in this photo, i love how their smiles are. yeessss. (spoken in my best yoda voice)
okay, yes...i'm star wars crazy at the moment. we've been watching star wars for the past three days and loving it--watching them in the order of the series and not in chronological release date order. we watched star wars I, II and III so far. i had never seen them. it's been so much fun and nice to have some family movie time. now i can't wait to watch the ones i saw when i was a kid (IV, V and VI).
and can you believe that it's been 30 years since the first start wars movie was released. yikes. i clearly remember going to the first star wars (i don't remember much from the movie but i remember the movie outing. :-) some of you know i have some crazy childhood stories; well here's one more for you...the star wars movie adventure. so, i was eight years old and my sister was six. we were going to see star wars with my mom. i'm not sure if it was on the day it was released but the theatre was packed. we arrived to the theatre late (the movie had already started) and we had to sit in the very first row. can you imagine being eight and watching star wars in the first row? needless to say, it was quite an experience. the movie ended and we get in our car and began driving out of the parking lot. all of a sudden, some things hit our car. those things ended up being rocks. my mom saw the boys who threw the rocks at our car and off we went, chasing after the two boys in our car (they were on foot). we chased them into a neighborhood. once my mom got close enough to them, she hopped out of the car and tackled one of the boys. i remember her bringing him into our car and inquiring as to where he lived but i'm not positive what happened after that. i think the police might have gotten involved. hmmmm....i'll have to ask my mom what ended up happening i just can't remember. i'll have to ask her and then add it to the post at a later date. too funny, huh? my mom was (and still is) one tough cookie.
so i'm excited to watch star wars four (the star wars that released in 1977) tomorrow.
the photo was taken in the doctor's office. we were there getting the little ones' shot records reviewed, in preparation for the start of preschool (sky's second year and ryder's first, which will be another bitter sweet moment for me).
ETA (2 sep): i spoke with my mom today and she shared the rest of the star wars movie adventure story with me. yes, my mom tackled the boy and brought him into our car. lucky michelle, my sister, got to sit in the back seat with him. i was oldest so i got to sit in the front seat. my mom didn't call the police but she did drive the boy to his house and told his mom what had happened. how did you know where the boy lived, i asked my mom. well, he didn't have a choice, he was stuck in my car until he told me, she said. cracks me up. the poor boy was probably scared out of his mind. he was out doing a mindless prank with three of his friends (mom told me there were four boys) and he got caught by a 30-something woman determined to catch one of the pranksters. mom said that she found the slowest boy and that's the one she went after. she giggled that i remembered the story and then we went on to discuss a few other crazy stories from my childhood, like the babysitter who had friends over, spiked our kool-aid, cut her foot open, left us alone while she went to the hospital and my parents came home to footprints of blood leading up to our bedrooms (and no babysitter). i guess that story's for another post someday.