I'm a mom. I have 2 sons: Drew, who is my favorite, and Nick, who is also my favorite. My husband, Andy, is a police officer. I take lots of pictures, and I like to think that they're good. I scrapbook. Oh, and I also work full time in a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. Currently my biggest desire is to find land available and build a house far out in the country, no neighbors nearby, with space for a herd of cattle and a big veggie garden.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Happy Halloween!
I'm posting before the trick-or-treating, so tomorrow night you'll get to see pictures of the boys in their costumes. For now, enjoy the pumpkins. Nick's is the one on the left. He chose the facial features from several jack-o-lantern photos, and I drew the face on and carved it out to his specifications. Drew's pumpkin is the one on the right--he drew the face onto the pumpkin and Andy carved it out for him. Each boy gutted his own pumpkin (and let me tell you, Drew DID NOT like that) and then we roasted the seeds. Unfortunately for them and luckily for me, I'm the only one that likes roasted pumpkin seeds. So they were mine. All mine!
I happen to be home right now. It's only 2:30. Ask me why I'm home. Go on, ask?
Nick is sick again. The sitter called me at 11:00 this morning and said he'd thrown up twice in 30 minutes. So, I went to get him. He's taken a long nap and eaten some applesauce and (stop now if you're easily grossed out) had some very watery diarrhea, and now he seems to be feeling a bit better. No more vomiting, anyway. He insists he'll be able to trick-or-treat tonight. I hope so, because Andy is working and if Nick can't go I'll have to hunt around for someone to take Drew or he won't be able to go, either. I have some anti-nausea medication, and I figure I'll give him a dose right before it's time to leave--just in case. Poor kid. What a rotten day to be sick.
My 'not myself' costume went over pretty well today. There are not currently any photos of me wearing it because I had to leave so abruptly before any pics had been taken. I may put it back on later. We'll just have to see how things go. The boots with the 4-inch heels were killing my feet (I NEVER wear heels) and I don't think I could survive trick-or-treating in them.
Have a great Halloween, everyone!
I happen to be home right now. It's only 2:30. Ask me why I'm home. Go on, ask?
Nick is sick again. The sitter called me at 11:00 this morning and said he'd thrown up twice in 30 minutes. So, I went to get him. He's taken a long nap and eaten some applesauce and (stop now if you're easily grossed out) had some very watery diarrhea, and now he seems to be feeling a bit better. No more vomiting, anyway. He insists he'll be able to trick-or-treat tonight. I hope so, because Andy is working and if Nick can't go I'll have to hunt around for someone to take Drew or he won't be able to go, either. I have some anti-nausea medication, and I figure I'll give him a dose right before it's time to leave--just in case. Poor kid. What a rotten day to be sick.
My 'not myself' costume went over pretty well today. There are not currently any photos of me wearing it because I had to leave so abruptly before any pics had been taken. I may put it back on later. We'll just have to see how things go. The boots with the 4-inch heels were killing my feet (I NEVER wear heels) and I don't think I could survive trick-or-treating in them.
Have a great Halloween, everyone!
Monday, October 30, 2006
What??
Seen on the local Shoney's Restaurant marquee sign:
"If your day starts here it can only get better"
Yeah, that makes me want to eat there.
Tomorrow is Halloween, ya'll. The boys are so excited that they can hardly wait. It's supposed to rain in the morning, but should be cleared off by time to trick-or-treat. The fairy princess costume that I have is far too revealing to wear to work (it was fine for the party we were supposed to go to this past Saturday) so I'll be dressing as "not myself" tomorrow for work. All black--shirt, skirt, pantyhose, and boots. I'll even put on makeup. It'll have to do.
Lots to do tonight and not much time, so I'm outta here.
"If your day starts here it can only get better"
Yeah, that makes me want to eat there.
Tomorrow is Halloween, ya'll. The boys are so excited that they can hardly wait. It's supposed to rain in the morning, but should be cleared off by time to trick-or-treat. The fairy princess costume that I have is far too revealing to wear to work (it was fine for the party we were supposed to go to this past Saturday) so I'll be dressing as "not myself" tomorrow for work. All black--shirt, skirt, pantyhose, and boots. I'll even put on makeup. It'll have to do.
Lots to do tonight and not much time, so I'm outta here.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Photo Sunday #5: The 'My Boys Are Cute' Edition
|
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Takedown
Two words all mothers fear: Stomach Virus.
There have been rumors of a stomach virus going around Drew's school for the past week or so. Yesterday one of the babysitter's kids got off of the school bus and promptly vomited in the grass. Drew rode the bus with him, and Nick was still at the house when that happened. So I knew it was just a matter of time.
Nick refused his lunch today, and then took a long nap. When he woke up he said his stomach hurt. Then he showed me just how much it hurt. I'm having to wash everything that was on his bed. Everything.
So now, about 2 hours later, he seems to have reached a holding point. We've now gone a full 40 minutes without throwing up, and that's a record. Hopefully it was just a quick virus and not one of those 24 hour things.
At any rate, I figure I'm next. And Drew probably won't escape, either. Andy may, since he's avoided Nick like the plague and is leaving for work in less than an hour. So, wish me luck. I imagine it'll be a long night...
edited to add: I was so wrong. It's been another 4 hours and he's still throwing up every half hour or so. If I don't give him any water he just retches, if I let him have a tiny drink that comes right back up. Poor little guy. We've never had a bad stomach virus around here before--I don't know that Nick has ever truly thrown up in his whole little life.
There have been rumors of a stomach virus going around Drew's school for the past week or so. Yesterday one of the babysitter's kids got off of the school bus and promptly vomited in the grass. Drew rode the bus with him, and Nick was still at the house when that happened. So I knew it was just a matter of time.
Nick refused his lunch today, and then took a long nap. When he woke up he said his stomach hurt. Then he showed me just how much it hurt. I'm having to wash everything that was on his bed. Everything.
So now, about 2 hours later, he seems to have reached a holding point. We've now gone a full 40 minutes without throwing up, and that's a record. Hopefully it was just a quick virus and not one of those 24 hour things.
At any rate, I figure I'm next. And Drew probably won't escape, either. Andy may, since he's avoided Nick like the plague and is leaving for work in less than an hour. So, wish me luck. I imagine it'll be a long night...
edited to add: I was so wrong. It's been another 4 hours and he's still throwing up every half hour or so. If I don't give him any water he just retches, if I let him have a tiny drink that comes right back up. Poor little guy. We've never had a bad stomach virus around here before--I don't know that Nick has ever truly thrown up in his whole little life.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Fall Festivals: Family Fun or Parental Torture Device?
Oh. My. Goodness.
We've just returned from a 2 hour visit to the Fall Festival at Drew's school. See Drew's face paint? What you can't see is Nick's hair paint--he has glitter hair to the extreme. Also what you can't see is the giant inflatable sticks that they're holding. Taller than me, and purple. They were called Bongo Sticks.
There was a chili supper, at which each of my children ate a pimento cheese sandwich and drank an entire Pepsi. Then they had chocolate chess pie for dessert. Can you say energy? There was face painting, obviously. And hair painting. And a cake walk, a fish pond, a giant inflatable slide, a ring toss, a 'general store', and a jail. (The jail upset Nick, who associates such things with real criminals and was concerned that so many little kids were in jail.)
But mostly, there were kids. Little kids and big kids and babies in strollers. You would have thought there would have been more adults, but there seemed to be a shortage of parents. And the big kids, they were awful. Running around and screaming and acting 'cool', and generally being a nuisance. And so many of the little kids were unchaperoned. I would never consider turning my 5 or 6 year old kid loose in such a huge crowd, with all the doors open to the outside and strangers all around. But there were tons of little kids wandering around alone, or in packs of two or three. And they weren't on their best behavior, either.
I've said it before and I'll say it again right now: I'm not a kid person. I'm just not. Reasonably well-behaved, polite children are fine. But these kids just gave me a headache. I was worried the entire time that I was going to lose track of the boys in that crowd. It was difficult to have a good time, although they seemed to have a blast.
Now we're home, all glittery and painted and hyped up on sugar and caffeine. With big, inflatable sticks.
What was I thinking?
However, things are made considerably better by the fact that I just discovered that "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" is on tonight. Right now, in fact. Yay!
We've just returned from a 2 hour visit to the Fall Festival at Drew's school. See Drew's face paint? What you can't see is Nick's hair paint--he has glitter hair to the extreme. Also what you can't see is the giant inflatable sticks that they're holding. Taller than me, and purple. They were called Bongo Sticks.
There was a chili supper, at which each of my children ate a pimento cheese sandwich and drank an entire Pepsi. Then they had chocolate chess pie for dessert. Can you say energy? There was face painting, obviously. And hair painting. And a cake walk, a fish pond, a giant inflatable slide, a ring toss, a 'general store', and a jail. (The jail upset Nick, who associates such things with real criminals and was concerned that so many little kids were in jail.)
But mostly, there were kids. Little kids and big kids and babies in strollers. You would have thought there would have been more adults, but there seemed to be a shortage of parents. And the big kids, they were awful. Running around and screaming and acting 'cool', and generally being a nuisance. And so many of the little kids were unchaperoned. I would never consider turning my 5 or 6 year old kid loose in such a huge crowd, with all the doors open to the outside and strangers all around. But there were tons of little kids wandering around alone, or in packs of two or three. And they weren't on their best behavior, either.
I've said it before and I'll say it again right now: I'm not a kid person. I'm just not. Reasonably well-behaved, polite children are fine. But these kids just gave me a headache. I was worried the entire time that I was going to lose track of the boys in that crowd. It was difficult to have a good time, although they seemed to have a blast.
Now we're home, all glittery and painted and hyped up on sugar and caffeine. With big, inflatable sticks.
What was I thinking?
However, things are made considerably better by the fact that I just discovered that "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" is on tonight. Right now, in fact. Yay!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
When did I get old enough to attend a Parent/Teacher Conference...as the parent?
Well, today was my first ever parent/teacher conference. As a parent, anyway. I had the chance to review Drew's very first report card, and to sit down one-on-one with the teacher and discuss his progress.
There was good, and there was not-so-good. The good? The boy is very, very smart. He got excellent in everything academic. All the letter stuff, the number stuff, the concept stuff, the skills stuff. Excellent. Well, he only got a satisfactory in "cutting with scissors", but still...
Then we got the the other stuff. The social stuff. It appears Drew is very good at the social stuff. Too good, actually. He got Needs Improvement in about 75% of that side of the report card. Things like "ability to stay on task" and "talking during work times" and "staying seated at appropriate times" and "finishing work in required time period". All big, fat, NI's. He's chatty. He talks when he should be working, and consequently doesn't finish his work on time. What he gets done he gets right, but he's just not getting it done. And he's taking other kids down with him, pulling them into conversations when he should be working and they should, too.
His teacher attributed it mostly to his age. He's a young 5, while several of the kids are already nearly 6. But truly, he comes by it naturally. Because for the first several years of my academic career, my report cards looked just like that. The teachers told my parents the same things. I was plenty smart, I just talked too much. So did my brothers, especially the youngest one. It's coming back to haunt me.
She did have several suggestions for helping him out. We're going to start doing extra work with him in the evenings--things to help him practice concentration. Worksheets, with a timer set to 15 minutes. Reminders to stay on task. And I think that may help a little. But mostly I think he'll probably just have to outgrow it.
You know, it's hard to hear that your kids aren't perfect. Even when you already know it. It's difficult to sit and listen to someone list their faults and not defend his actions--even when you totally agree with what you're hearing. I have high expectations for my children, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I was disappointed when the teacher didn't spend the entire 15 minutes extolling the virtues of my marvelous child--even though I knew going in that it wasn't going to happen that way. I, better than most people, know Drew's faults. And I know the behavioral predispositions that he's inherited from me and from his father. I anticipated what I was going to hear, some of it verbatim.
But it was still hard. Parenting is not simple. At all.
There was good, and there was not-so-good. The good? The boy is very, very smart. He got excellent in everything academic. All the letter stuff, the number stuff, the concept stuff, the skills stuff. Excellent. Well, he only got a satisfactory in "cutting with scissors", but still...
Then we got the the other stuff. The social stuff. It appears Drew is very good at the social stuff. Too good, actually. He got Needs Improvement in about 75% of that side of the report card. Things like "ability to stay on task" and "talking during work times" and "staying seated at appropriate times" and "finishing work in required time period". All big, fat, NI's. He's chatty. He talks when he should be working, and consequently doesn't finish his work on time. What he gets done he gets right, but he's just not getting it done. And he's taking other kids down with him, pulling them into conversations when he should be working and they should, too.
His teacher attributed it mostly to his age. He's a young 5, while several of the kids are already nearly 6. But truly, he comes by it naturally. Because for the first several years of my academic career, my report cards looked just like that. The teachers told my parents the same things. I was plenty smart, I just talked too much. So did my brothers, especially the youngest one. It's coming back to haunt me.
She did have several suggestions for helping him out. We're going to start doing extra work with him in the evenings--things to help him practice concentration. Worksheets, with a timer set to 15 minutes. Reminders to stay on task. And I think that may help a little. But mostly I think he'll probably just have to outgrow it.
You know, it's hard to hear that your kids aren't perfect. Even when you already know it. It's difficult to sit and listen to someone list their faults and not defend his actions--even when you totally agree with what you're hearing. I have high expectations for my children, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I was disappointed when the teacher didn't spend the entire 15 minutes extolling the virtues of my marvelous child--even though I knew going in that it wasn't going to happen that way. I, better than most people, know Drew's faults. And I know the behavioral predispositions that he's inherited from me and from his father. I anticipated what I was going to hear, some of it verbatim.
But it was still hard. Parenting is not simple. At all.
Labels: Parenting
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Company
We had company today. I'll get to that in a minute.
First off, I'd like to say thank you to all of you that complimented my hair. Really, thank you. Because I'm never, ever happy with my hair and it makes me feel good to know it doesn't look really awful. But you do need to know, those of you that asked about the color, that it's all natural. Sometimes it gets lighter in the summer and darker in the winter, and it's definitely getting darker as I get older, but I have never, never, ever colored my hair. Not one spray of lemon juice or Sun-In or peroxide. The blonde is 100% natural. The cut is actually growing out--I got it cut way short back in the spring and it's just now getting back to a manageable length. I always think I want it short, and then I get it cut and all I want is for it to grow back out long enough to put it in a ponytail. Same cycle, over and over and over again.
Now, about my company. Here they are. That's my mom, and my younger brother Chip.
My dad didn't make it this trip--his hip is really giving him some trouble. But that's alright, because he's getting a new one next Wednesday. You'll be hearing more about that later, I'm sure. At any rate, Mom wanted to eat lunch with Drew at his school, and it's a long trip so Chip came along for company. He had lunch with Drew, too. Mom (a retired elementary school teacher) also read his class a story. He's thrilled--he keeps telling me about it over and over. "Grandma read us a story! A cool story! Grandma's cool!". He was excited about Chip visiting, too, because Chip is, apparently "Cool!".
After lunch with Drew, we picked Nick up early so he could have some special time, too. Unfortunately he was asleep when we arrived, and he didn't wake up well. We all went to Sonic, ordered our food and ate, and came home. 15 minutes later Nick finally spoke. He was silent that entire time! But once he came to life, he was his normal sunny self. I think everyone had a great time.
This morning, before everyone arrived, I took some time to myself for photography. After dropping the boys off, I headed to the farm to hopefully get some wildlife shots. I was in the deer stand before sunrise, all decked out in my camo and my camera ready. It soon became apparent that, while my camera is nice and all, I really need some more lenses if I want to do wildlife photography. Need proof? Here:
Can you see the deer? Just to the right of center, between the grass and the treeline, you can see a head and some ears.
Yeah. I need something with a little more magnification. I could see that doe clearly with my eyes, but the camera just couldn't get close enough. While I was 'hunting' I saw 4 does, 1 red fox, 1 squirrel, and 1 great blue heron, along with a multitude of birds and bunnies. But being as I was up in the stand I didn't get close enough for pics of any of them. *sigh* oh well.
I did, however, take some other nice shots. They're over on Flickr, if you're interested.
|
First off, I'd like to say thank you to all of you that complimented my hair. Really, thank you. Because I'm never, ever happy with my hair and it makes me feel good to know it doesn't look really awful. But you do need to know, those of you that asked about the color, that it's all natural. Sometimes it gets lighter in the summer and darker in the winter, and it's definitely getting darker as I get older, but I have never, never, ever colored my hair. Not one spray of lemon juice or Sun-In or peroxide. The blonde is 100% natural. The cut is actually growing out--I got it cut way short back in the spring and it's just now getting back to a manageable length. I always think I want it short, and then I get it cut and all I want is for it to grow back out long enough to put it in a ponytail. Same cycle, over and over and over again.
Now, about my company. Here they are. That's my mom, and my younger brother Chip.
My dad didn't make it this trip--his hip is really giving him some trouble. But that's alright, because he's getting a new one next Wednesday. You'll be hearing more about that later, I'm sure. At any rate, Mom wanted to eat lunch with Drew at his school, and it's a long trip so Chip came along for company. He had lunch with Drew, too. Mom (a retired elementary school teacher) also read his class a story. He's thrilled--he keeps telling me about it over and over. "Grandma read us a story! A cool story! Grandma's cool!". He was excited about Chip visiting, too, because Chip is, apparently "Cool!".
After lunch with Drew, we picked Nick up early so he could have some special time, too. Unfortunately he was asleep when we arrived, and he didn't wake up well. We all went to Sonic, ordered our food and ate, and came home. 15 minutes later Nick finally spoke. He was silent that entire time! But once he came to life, he was his normal sunny self. I think everyone had a great time.
This morning, before everyone arrived, I took some time to myself for photography. After dropping the boys off, I headed to the farm to hopefully get some wildlife shots. I was in the deer stand before sunrise, all decked out in my camo and my camera ready. It soon became apparent that, while my camera is nice and all, I really need some more lenses if I want to do wildlife photography. Need proof? Here:
Can you see the deer? Just to the right of center, between the grass and the treeline, you can see a head and some ears.
Yeah. I need something with a little more magnification. I could see that doe clearly with my eyes, but the camera just couldn't get close enough. While I was 'hunting' I saw 4 does, 1 red fox, 1 squirrel, and 1 great blue heron, along with a multitude of birds and bunnies. But being as I was up in the stand I didn't get close enough for pics of any of them. *sigh* oh well.
I did, however, take some other nice shots. They're over on Flickr, if you're interested.
Labels: Drew, Nick, Photography
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
I have seen the future (hopefully) and it is good
I did a photo shoot today for a brother and sister. Dustin is 16 and Amber is 12:
These kids had the kind of relationship that I want my boys to have. They joked around with each other and had fun the entire time. They weren't in the least bit reluctant to sit together for photos, arms around shoulders and heads close together. You could tell they loved each other. I'm sure they have their differences--they are brother and sister. But overall, they're close. It gives me hope.
It especially gives me hope on nights like tonight, when Drew won't leave Nick in peace. He can't seem to let the poor kid be. He's chased him with a Power Ranger sword, stolen food off of his supper plate, hidden his Lion, and called him a stinky-head. And Nick, well, he's not dealing well. The child has a scream that rivals the sound of a jet engine. And I'm getting a headache from hearing it so often. Bedtime can't come soon enough tonight.
Tomorrow is a big day. My mom and brother are coming to visit--they're having lunch with Drew at school and then picking Nick up from the sitter and having a special lunch with him, too. I haven't told the boys, so it'll be a big surprise for them. I can't wait to see how happy they are.
Alright, enough for now. I'm just not feeling inspired tonight.
|
These kids had the kind of relationship that I want my boys to have. They joked around with each other and had fun the entire time. They weren't in the least bit reluctant to sit together for photos, arms around shoulders and heads close together. You could tell they loved each other. I'm sure they have their differences--they are brother and sister. But overall, they're close. It gives me hope.
It especially gives me hope on nights like tonight, when Drew won't leave Nick in peace. He can't seem to let the poor kid be. He's chased him with a Power Ranger sword, stolen food off of his supper plate, hidden his Lion, and called him a stinky-head. And Nick, well, he's not dealing well. The child has a scream that rivals the sound of a jet engine. And I'm getting a headache from hearing it so often. Bedtime can't come soon enough tonight.
Tomorrow is a big day. My mom and brother are coming to visit--they're having lunch with Drew at school and then picking Nick up from the sitter and having a special lunch with him, too. I haven't told the boys, so it'll be a big surprise for them. I can't wait to see how happy they are.
Alright, enough for now. I'm just not feeling inspired tonight.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Dueling Cameras
The light this afternoon was absolutely perfect for photos. And I had no willing models. Nick flat out refused, the people I have scheduled for later this week couldn't reschedule, and Andy had to leave for work. Drew really didn't want to pose, either, but he conceded when I told him he could take pictures, too. And look--he did a really nice job! I wasn't exactly dressed for the occasion, but still, I think they came out nicely. There are so few pictures of me at all, I'm glad to have some decent ones. More on Flickr, if you're interested, from today and playing in the leaves yesterday.
Christmas is getting closer every day. I am so unprepared it's not funny. Normally by now I'd be more than half finished with my shopping, but I've barely begun. I think I've purchased 3 gifts. It's getting difficult to buy in advance for the boys, because as they get older they get much more observant. I can no longer just hide things in a closet or under the bed. And I'm having a hard time deciding what to get for anyone this year. The boys have lists, so it'll be pretty simple to find things they like--but I still have to do it on a limited budget. Andy is impossible to buy for, and I'm pretty sure my family is getting tired of receiving framed photographs. Ideas, anyone?
Christmas is getting closer every day. I am so unprepared it's not funny. Normally by now I'd be more than half finished with my shopping, but I've barely begun. I think I've purchased 3 gifts. It's getting difficult to buy in advance for the boys, because as they get older they get much more observant. I can no longer just hide things in a closet or under the bed. And I'm having a hard time deciding what to get for anyone this year. The boys have lists, so it'll be pretty simple to find things they like--but I still have to do it on a limited budget. Andy is impossible to buy for, and I'm pretty sure my family is getting tired of receiving framed photographs. Ideas, anyone?
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Photo Sunday #4 and a half: the I just couldn't resist edition
Three months old in the first frame, three years old in the second frame.
He's grown a little, don't you think?
Labels: Photo Sunday
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Photo Sunday #4: A Picture (or two) is Worth a Thousand Words
Yes, it's real. And no, of course it's not loaded. Nick refused to hold it, so that's why only photos of Drew.
edited to add: I've added a new link on the left there to my NEW blog. Life Moments. Basically, it's just a place to put my portrait photography without having to bore you guys with it every time I do a shoot. It's bare bones--nothing but photographs. So, if you're interested in that sort of thing, check it out. If not, well, I promise my feelings won't be hurt as long as you keep visiting me here. OK?
Labels: Drew, Nick, Photo Sunday, Photography
I'm an original
Found this link over at Welcome to Parenthood.
| HowManyOfMe.com | ||
|
And if that wasn't enough, the fact that I'm an original with my married name, I thought I'd check my maiden name...
| HowManyOfMe.com | ||
|
So, not only am I the only one in the USA now with my name, I was the only one in the USA with my maiden name, too. And now there are none!
Interestingly enough, though, there are 16,498 people with the name "Alissa". Same spelling and everything. Guys, my mom thought she made that name up. I guess she wasn't the only one!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Field Trip to Lacy's Orchard
(click photo to enlarge)This is Drew's class. He's third from the left in the front row. We had a marvelous time today at Lovell's Lacy Orchard. We took a hayride (two, actually) and the kids got to pick apples from the trees. There was a pumpkin patch, and a straw maze, and a petting zoo. OK, actually it was baby farm animals in little pens, but still... Drew was the only kid in the class brave enough to touch the pig. Perhaps it's because his mother was the one holding it? I'm going to regret that little stunt in the morning. The children (and teachers) were suitably impressed, but that pig weighed 50 lb easy and didn't like being picked up.
The weather started out cold and dreary, but once the sun came out it was quite nice. And I'm only a little wound up now from spending the day in the company of 18 five-year-olds. Wow, do they have some energy or what?
Drew came home with a pumpkin and 5 apples that he picked himself, ran through the sorter, and washed. I came home with some Christmas gifts in the form of apple butter, apple salsa, apple cinnamon jelly, and peach preserves. Oh, and a deluxe caramel apple for me, complete with M&M's and a white chocolate drizzle over the caramel and nuts. I can't wait until the boys go to bed tonight, because I'm not sharing!
After reviewing the 168 (!!!) photos that I took, the teacher has declared me the official class photographer. I'm invited to all the class parties and activities. Oh, and she wants me to photograph her children, too... I got several very nice shots, including individual pictures of each child posing with their pumpkin. I'm very pleased with those. However, being as I don't have permission I don't feel like I can post those for you. Not yet, anyway.
So, it was a good day. Now, onward to a good weekend...we hope.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Surprise!
Awhile back I got an e-mail from my aunt telling me about a photo contest. I read the rules and figured it couldn't hurt to enter. I searched my photographs and decided to send one of my more dramatic lightning photos. I submitted it, and promptly forgot all about it.
Today I got an e-mail from Peggy with a "Congratulations!" and I was quite confused. What did I need congratulating for? There was an attachment. This:
Are you kidding me? I'm a finalist? I didn't know it--they didn't notify me! However, the 30,000 subscribers to the site were notified. And after the 4 finalists are chosen those subscribers vote for their favorites. The winner gets $100. Cool, huh? Wish me luck!
Last night at my scrapbooking group I began putting together a portfolio. I figure if people are going to ask me to photograph their children (or themselves, or their pets) it's only fair to show them what I can do. My capabilities, my style, etc... So far it only contains 17 photos, and I've ordered a few more to include. But I've got a shoot tomorrow afternoon and one Saturday afternoon, and those individuals have already given me permission to use their photographs if I like. I entitled the book "Life Moments". I think if I had a real photography business, that's what I'd call it. Life Moments Photography. Because that's what I'm trying to capture. Not just a picture formally posed in front of a paper background or with a teddy bear prop, but the more spontaneous, casual moments that occur when you just go with the flow and let folks do what they do.
Total switch in topics.
We're keeping Callie (the big, black dog) again tonight. Why, you ask? Well, my friends were given (given, as in free) tickets to see Aerosmith tonight in concert. Aerosmith and Motley Crue. I am insanely jealous. I would so like to go to that concert. The tickets were $150 apiece, and they just had them dropped in their lap. *sigh* But I get the dog, and that's something. She is alot of fun. Of course, I may not think that when they stop by to get her tonight at 1 AM. We'll just have to see.
Tomorrow is Drew's class field trip to the apple orchard. I'm accompanying, and photographing. It should be really fun. I'll let you know tomorrow evening.
|
Today I got an e-mail from Peggy with a "Congratulations!" and I was quite confused. What did I need congratulating for? There was an attachment. This:
Are you kidding me? I'm a finalist? I didn't know it--they didn't notify me! However, the 30,000 subscribers to the site were notified. And after the 4 finalists are chosen those subscribers vote for their favorites. The winner gets $100. Cool, huh? Wish me luck!
Last night at my scrapbooking group I began putting together a portfolio. I figure if people are going to ask me to photograph their children (or themselves, or their pets) it's only fair to show them what I can do. My capabilities, my style, etc... So far it only contains 17 photos, and I've ordered a few more to include. But I've got a shoot tomorrow afternoon and one Saturday afternoon, and those individuals have already given me permission to use their photographs if I like. I entitled the book "Life Moments". I think if I had a real photography business, that's what I'd call it. Life Moments Photography. Because that's what I'm trying to capture. Not just a picture formally posed in front of a paper background or with a teddy bear prop, but the more spontaneous, casual moments that occur when you just go with the flow and let folks do what they do.
Total switch in topics.
We're keeping Callie (the big, black dog) again tonight. Why, you ask? Well, my friends were given (given, as in free) tickets to see Aerosmith tonight in concert. Aerosmith and Motley Crue. I am insanely jealous. I would so like to go to that concert. The tickets were $150 apiece, and they just had them dropped in their lap. *sigh* But I get the dog, and that's something. She is alot of fun. Of course, I may not think that when they stop by to get her tonight at 1 AM. We'll just have to see.
Tomorrow is Drew's class field trip to the apple orchard. I'm accompanying, and photographing. It should be really fun. I'll let you know tomorrow evening.
Labels: Photography
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Quick and Easy
I'm scrapbooking tonight. Andy is keeping the boys, and he's even taking care of supper. They'll probably eat PB&J, but that's alright. I don't have to fix it.
So, since I'm in a rush, I present for your viewing pleasure, a photo essay. Autumn in Kentucky. All photos taken this afternoon and as yet unedited.
So, since I'm in a rush, I present for your viewing pleasure, a photo essay. Autumn in Kentucky. All photos taken this afternoon and as yet unedited.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Breakfast for Supper
Last night we had pizza for supper, of course. It was Monday. After supper was over, Nick announced that he wanted pancakes for supper tonight. OK. Sounds good to me. So, tonight I fixed pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, and cornbread.
I don't think the boys have eaten such a huge amount of food in a long, long time. They cleaned their plates and asked for more. It's possible that they ate more than I did.
Which gets me to thinking. There's not a whole lot of meals that they'll put away like that. Let's see, guaranteed to disappear are:
What do (or did) your kids like? I'm up for some recipes, or even just a super simple meal idea that I'm overlooking here. Nothing that requires fancy ingredients that can't be bought in a small town, please. And nothing that takes hours to prepare, because I'm lucky if I get minutes, much less hours. I have a crock-pot, and I'm not afraid to use it, if I could get some ideas there...
Help.
I don't think the boys have eaten such a huge amount of food in a long, long time. They cleaned their plates and asked for more. It's possible that they ate more than I did.
Which gets me to thinking. There's not a whole lot of meals that they'll put away like that. Let's see, guaranteed to disappear are:
- Pizza
- Smoked Sausage
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Chicken Strips/Fish Sticks
- Pancakes
- Hot Dogs
- Spaghetti
- Cheetos, of course
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
- Hamburgers or Cheeseburgers (occasionally they'll surprise me and eat this, but not often)
- Meatloaf (unless they've squished it themselves)
- Chicken and Dumplings
- Cheeseburger Macaroni
- Hash brown Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Any vegetable, except corn
- French Fries (no kidding--they really don't like fries. not even from McDonald's)
- Pot Pie--homemade or store-bought
- Salad (well, I don't offer this unless we're out, because I don't eat salad, either)
- Pasta, unless it's the aforementioned mac and cheese
- Soup, of any kind
- Roast--either beef or pork--is a lost cause.
- BBQ, or Sloppy Joes
What do (or did) your kids like? I'm up for some recipes, or even just a super simple meal idea that I'm overlooking here. Nothing that requires fancy ingredients that can't be bought in a small town, please. And nothing that takes hours to prepare, because I'm lucky if I get minutes, much less hours. I have a crock-pot, and I'm not afraid to use it, if I could get some ideas there...
Help.
Monday, October 16, 2006
I lied to my kids
I did. I told them a big fat untruth. More about that in a minute. First, a very important announcement: We let the turtle go.
I had several inquiries about what we did with the turtle I featured in the Photo Sunday post. Not to worry, we set him free. He was actually a rescue. He was crossing the road, very slowly as turtles tend to do, and I nearly ran him over. So I stopped, picked him up, and we brought him home and released him in the treeline out back. He's probably a little confused, but he'll be alright.
Now, about the lie I told. Really, it was only sort of a lie. Let me explain:
It is very rare for me to get a photograph of my children together, both smiling and looking at the camera. It just doesn't happen. Nick doesn't like the camera, and when he does Drew is usually feeling contrary.
Last night I was designing our Christmas cards, and I was increasingly frustrated with how they were working out. What I really needed was a picture of them together, but I searched through the past few months worth of photos and couldn't really find anything I could use. So I asked them
"Hey, boys? Will you sit together and smile for a picture for me?"
I got the expected response, which was "nope".
And then it occurred to me. They've been thinking about Christmas. Nick even mentioned to me the other day in the store that he'd like Santa to bring him a Diego Rescue Center. Hmmm.
"Boys? How do you think Santa knows who to bring all the presents to?"
"I don't know. How?"
"We need to send him a picture. A picture of both of you, so that he'll be sure what you look like when he's getting his stuff all together. And you need to be smiling and happy, so that he'll know you've been good all year".
And this is what that untruth got me:
I had several inquiries about what we did with the turtle I featured in the Photo Sunday post. Not to worry, we set him free. He was actually a rescue. He was crossing the road, very slowly as turtles tend to do, and I nearly ran him over. So I stopped, picked him up, and we brought him home and released him in the treeline out back. He's probably a little confused, but he'll be alright.
Now, about the lie I told. Really, it was only sort of a lie. Let me explain:
It is very rare for me to get a photograph of my children together, both smiling and looking at the camera. It just doesn't happen. Nick doesn't like the camera, and when he does Drew is usually feeling contrary.
Last night I was designing our Christmas cards, and I was increasingly frustrated with how they were working out. What I really needed was a picture of them together, but I searched through the past few months worth of photos and couldn't really find anything I could use. So I asked them
"Hey, boys? Will you sit together and smile for a picture for me?"
I got the expected response, which was "nope".
And then it occurred to me. They've been thinking about Christmas. Nick even mentioned to me the other day in the store that he'd like Santa to bring him a Diego Rescue Center. Hmmm.
"Boys? How do you think Santa knows who to bring all the presents to?"
"I don't know. How?"
"We need to send him a picture. A picture of both of you, so that he'll be sure what you look like when he's getting his stuff all together. And you need to be smiling and happy, so that he'll know you've been good all year".
And this is what that untruth got me:
Yeah, I know Drew's hair is funky. And Nick's ear is squashed. But that, right there, is so my boys. Their personalities are shining right out. It's perfect. And I actually got more than one nice shot, simply because they were so excited to be posing for Santa.
And like I said, it wasn't exactly a lie. Not really. Santa, the Santa that will be delivering their gifts this Christmas, has already seen the picture. And he (well, she) loves it!
And like I said, it wasn't exactly a lie. Not really. Santa, the Santa that will be delivering their gifts this Christmas, has already seen the picture. And he (well, she) loves it!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Photo Sunday #3: Double Dose
|
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Picnic
We went on a picnic today. It was a spur of the moment thing, just something to get us out of the house while Andy was sleeping. I whipped up 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, tossed some Cheetos and some cookies into a sack, grabbed a couple of bottles of water, and off we went.
I drove as far back on the farm property as I could get with the truck. The boys were thrilled. The sky was a deep, cloudless blue and there was just a hint of a breeze. 60 degrees or so. Perfect.
They didn't want to eat on a blanket on the grass--they insisted on sitting in the back of the truck. They ate every shred of food I brought and then asked for more. Oops. Poor planning on my part, I guess.
After eating we did some exploring. We saw a red fox and several squirrels, and we caught minnows in the creek with a net and a cup. We examined some weed seed pods and some other grasses and flowers. We saw wood ducks circling the wetland, but they didn't come in--probably because we were there.
On the way back out we saw our friends with the tractor stuck in a ditch/creek/wash. Really stuck. The boys had a wonderful time watching them pull it out with another tractor and a truck. I'm pretty sure it made their day.
I think that those 2 hours were the most perfect hours I've had with my boys in a long, long time.
edited to add: I almost forgot! My friend Alison has just started up her own blog, Party of 3. I've known Alison for a few years now through a parenting board that we're both members of, and I can tell you that she's really funny and has a way of writing that makes you want to read more and then more. Check her out--I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Labels: Parenting
Friday, October 13, 2006
How do they know?
I think my kids just have a sixth sense telling them they need to be extra careful around their Mama. Really. Last night they were absolute angels. They did pick up on the fact that I had a headache, and Drew even brought me a Mt. Dew out of the fridge to help. They went to bed without a fight (of course, it helped that we had Callie yesterday evening and I let her go to bed with them for awhile) and behaved themselves while they watched their movie and both slept all night.
And today. Well, I was off work today, which made a world of difference in and of itself. Work, and the people associated with, were my main issue. The root cause of my unhappiness and stress. So, I felt better simply because I didn't have to be there. I did drop off some samples early this morning for a friend, but I had the boys with me. Of course, everyone ooohed and aaahed over how cute and smart they are, and what mother wouldn't feel just a little proud with all that adoration and praise?
Both boys took their naps and then they had haircuts, and I bought them each a set of footie pajamas. Then Andy took over for awhile and I spent 3 hours, totally alone, at the farm with my camera. That was what really helped. Time to just be alone in the fresh air and sunshine, to think, and to reason, and to just enjoy the beautiful autumn weather.
Now it's the weekend. We have a birthday party this weekend, and some work to do around the house and in the yard. Hopefully it will be relaxing and fun and I can start over again at work on Monday. And hopefully by the time I return the equipment problems will have been resolved and everything will be back on track.
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I don't write here looking for praise or pity, but just to get the thoughts out of my head. However, it does help to hear that I'm not the only one, or that my perceptions may not be entirely correct. Shira even wrote an entire blog post just for me. Wasn't that the nicest thing?
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Tell me and I'll do it
This is what I want to know.:
How, when you're having a horrible day, when everything at work that can go wrong does and then even more stuff that you didn't even know about goes downhill, when everyone you run into is crabby and unpleasant, when your head is pounding and your mood is just sour, how do you go home and be a good mother? Go home and read stories and play games and answer ten thousand questions and fix meals and kiss scrapes and give baths, when all you desperately want to do is go to sleep?
When you already know you'll be alone, and that the children will whine about the meal you fix, and that they will whine because they want their daddy, and that they won't want to go to bed at bedtime, and that Nick will fight you tooth and nail for just one more drink of milk, please Mama. Please. And then he's not my friend any more, because I'm mean.
How do you even begin to prepare yourself for that? To go home, already in a bad mood, and know it's going to be hard.
I just don't know.
I don't want to be mean. I don't want to yell at them, or ignore them. I so desperately want to be that fun mom. You know, the one who bakes cookies with her kids and doesn't mind the eggs on the floor and the flour on the ceiling. I'm not, though, not even on the best of days. I'm impatient and edgy, and it breaks my heart when my kids spill their milk at the supper table and instantly say "I'm sorry mom. Are you mad? Are you a little mad or alot mad this time?" when I'm really not mad at all. They just assume I'm angry because that's how they see me.
I love my children. My children, not children in general. And believe me, I wouldn't trade those two boys for the world. But this is so not the life I was envisioning. I am not the mother that I want to be, that I thought I would be. I'm not saying I'm a bad mom, I just thought I'd be more like my mom. More patient. More loving. I want that for my kids. I just don't know how to get there.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming my job. My job does not define me or control me. But days like today, when I've been chewed out by a veterinarian for something beyond my control, and half the staff is off for one reason another, and the remaining staff is tired and crabby and several of them are sick, and my machines are down and there's no light at the end of the tunnel, it makes it so much harder to just be, much less to be someone responsible. Harder to be a mother, or a wife, or even just a nice person.
How, when you're having a horrible day, when everything at work that can go wrong does and then even more stuff that you didn't even know about goes downhill, when everyone you run into is crabby and unpleasant, when your head is pounding and your mood is just sour, how do you go home and be a good mother? Go home and read stories and play games and answer ten thousand questions and fix meals and kiss scrapes and give baths, when all you desperately want to do is go to sleep?
When you already know you'll be alone, and that the children will whine about the meal you fix, and that they will whine because they want their daddy, and that they won't want to go to bed at bedtime, and that Nick will fight you tooth and nail for just one more drink of milk, please Mama. Please. And then he's not my friend any more, because I'm mean.
How do you even begin to prepare yourself for that? To go home, already in a bad mood, and know it's going to be hard.
I just don't know.
I don't want to be mean. I don't want to yell at them, or ignore them. I so desperately want to be that fun mom. You know, the one who bakes cookies with her kids and doesn't mind the eggs on the floor and the flour on the ceiling. I'm not, though, not even on the best of days. I'm impatient and edgy, and it breaks my heart when my kids spill their milk at the supper table and instantly say "I'm sorry mom. Are you mad? Are you a little mad or alot mad this time?" when I'm really not mad at all. They just assume I'm angry because that's how they see me.
I love my children. My children, not children in general. And believe me, I wouldn't trade those two boys for the world. But this is so not the life I was envisioning. I am not the mother that I want to be, that I thought I would be. I'm not saying I'm a bad mom, I just thought I'd be more like my mom. More patient. More loving. I want that for my kids. I just don't know how to get there.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming my job. My job does not define me or control me. But days like today, when I've been chewed out by a veterinarian for something beyond my control, and half the staff is off for one reason another, and the remaining staff is tired and crabby and several of them are sick, and my machines are down and there's no light at the end of the tunnel, it makes it so much harder to just be, much less to be someone responsible. Harder to be a mother, or a wife, or even just a nice person.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Here comes trouble
Stripey will be the death of me yet. Now I recall what it is I don't enjoy about kittens:
Stripey can't decide if she'd like to be an outdoor kitty or an indoor kitty. Fern and Daisy want her out. Spot wants her in. Andy wants her out, the boys want her in. I just want her to shut up. She comes in, 15 minutes later she's yowling to be let out. I let her out, 15 minutes later she's yowling to be let in. And she's a persistent little thing, too. At any rate, we'll need to make a decision and stick with it soon. I'm leaning towards leaving her outside, because Fern and Daisy aren't accepting her even the least little bit. And Spot, while not terribly excited about her, is letting her sleep with her and eat at the same time. Baby steps.
Ya'll, that's all I've got today. I'm totally uninspired, and just the slightest bit blah. Sorry to be so boring. Perhaps something exciting will happen between now and tomorrow evening so that I can write the best post ever. Until then, please, be happy. Or at least content.
**edited to add: I recently found out about JPG Magazine which is a really cool magazine that features photographs from non-professional photographers. It's not a contest, but folks have to vote for you for your photo to be published in the magazine. I've entered two photos for this round, and if you guys would swing by and vote for me (yes or no, please be honest) I'd really appreciate it. And please, tell your friends. I need all the help I can get! You can vote here, and here.
|
Stripey can't decide if she'd like to be an outdoor kitty or an indoor kitty. Fern and Daisy want her out. Spot wants her in. Andy wants her out, the boys want her in. I just want her to shut up. She comes in, 15 minutes later she's yowling to be let out. I let her out, 15 minutes later she's yowling to be let in. And she's a persistent little thing, too. At any rate, we'll need to make a decision and stick with it soon. I'm leaning towards leaving her outside, because Fern and Daisy aren't accepting her even the least little bit. And Spot, while not terribly excited about her, is letting her sleep with her and eat at the same time. Baby steps.
Ya'll, that's all I've got today. I'm totally uninspired, and just the slightest bit blah. Sorry to be so boring. Perhaps something exciting will happen between now and tomorrow evening so that I can write the best post ever. Until then, please, be happy. Or at least content.
**edited to add: I recently found out about JPG Magazine which is a really cool magazine that features photographs from non-professional photographers. It's not a contest, but folks have to vote for you for your photo to be published in the magazine. I've entered two photos for this round, and if you guys would swing by and vote for me (yes or no, please be honest) I'd really appreciate it. And please, tell your friends. I need all the help I can get! You can vote here, and here.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Not really a day off...
Technically I was off work today, because my sitter was off today, and Andy worked last night and needed to sleep. But I think I did more today than I normally do in 3 days at work. The boys were up at 6:00 and we were off and running!
I was supposed to have 2 photo shoots today, but the first one had to re-schedule. Why, you ask? Simple. The girl woke up this morning with a giant pimple on her chin and refused to be photographed today, no matter what her mother wanted. So, we've decided to do it next Tuesday afternoon. But really, it worked out well for me. One less thing to worry about.
I had to go to Princeton today to pick up a sickle-bar mower for my dad. Princeton is about 30 miles from here. So around 9:00 I loaded up the boys, drove to the farm, hooked up the trailer that I borrowed, and headed to Princeton. I arrived at the place, and no one was home. Even though the fellow assured me last night that he was going to be there ALL DAY, no one was home. I waited, and waited, and waited some more. And then I couldn't wait any more, because it was nearly lunchtime and naptime and the boys were wearing down fast. So, I unhitched the trailer and left it there (with a note for the guy) and drove home.
Upon arriving home I discovered that the cable and internet service was out. So, while the boys were eating, I called the cable company and battled my way through a horrid automated phone system to reach a real human being. It seems my neighbors cut the cable wire while digging for utilities for their new home. *sigh* It's fixed now, but what a hassle. I've not seen so many trucks in these yards in a long time!
After nap the boys and I headed back to Princeton, only to find that the guy was still not home. However, he had been home, and the mower was nicely loaded onto the trailer. So I left the $$ on the kitchen table with another note (yes, the door was not only unlocked but open, and the dog was friendly), hitched up the trailer once again, and took it back to the farm. I left it there with the mower on it and came home.
Then it was time for my next photo shoot. A friend of mine from work with her kids--a girl that's 7 and a boy that's 2. The little girl was fairly simple--the biggest problem with her was the fact that she's a pro at the fake "cheese" smile. It just took a bit to get her to loosen up. Then it was time to work with the little one. It took me nearly 2 hours to get a smile out of that child! But when it happened, it was like sunshine. And then I managed some really nice shots--even some of the both of them together. I think their mom will be really happy. This is my favorite from the evening:
I have it saved in color, also, but I like the simplicity of the black and white.
So, by the time all that was finished with and they had left for home, Andy had already left for work. There was still supper to fix and serve, and the kitchen to clean up, and 2 very dirty little boys to bathe and get into jammies. They're watching Nemo right now and then it's off to bed for them.
Keep in mind that in addition to all of the above, at some point today I managed 2 loads of laundry (washed, dried, and put away, thank you very much) and a trip to the grocery store for bread and milk.
Tomorrow I'm going to work. To rest.
I was supposed to have 2 photo shoots today, but the first one had to re-schedule. Why, you ask? Simple. The girl woke up this morning with a giant pimple on her chin and refused to be photographed today, no matter what her mother wanted. So, we've decided to do it next Tuesday afternoon. But really, it worked out well for me. One less thing to worry about.
I had to go to Princeton today to pick up a sickle-bar mower for my dad. Princeton is about 30 miles from here. So around 9:00 I loaded up the boys, drove to the farm, hooked up the trailer that I borrowed, and headed to Princeton. I arrived at the place, and no one was home. Even though the fellow assured me last night that he was going to be there ALL DAY, no one was home. I waited, and waited, and waited some more. And then I couldn't wait any more, because it was nearly lunchtime and naptime and the boys were wearing down fast. So, I unhitched the trailer and left it there (with a note for the guy) and drove home.
Upon arriving home I discovered that the cable and internet service was out. So, while the boys were eating, I called the cable company and battled my way through a horrid automated phone system to reach a real human being. It seems my neighbors cut the cable wire while digging for utilities for their new home. *sigh* It's fixed now, but what a hassle. I've not seen so many trucks in these yards in a long time!
After nap the boys and I headed back to Princeton, only to find that the guy was still not home. However, he had been home, and the mower was nicely loaded onto the trailer. So I left the $$ on the kitchen table with another note (yes, the door was not only unlocked but open, and the dog was friendly), hitched up the trailer once again, and took it back to the farm. I left it there with the mower on it and came home.
Then it was time for my next photo shoot. A friend of mine from work with her kids--a girl that's 7 and a boy that's 2. The little girl was fairly simple--the biggest problem with her was the fact that she's a pro at the fake "cheese" smile. It just took a bit to get her to loosen up. Then it was time to work with the little one. It took me nearly 2 hours to get a smile out of that child! But when it happened, it was like sunshine. And then I managed some really nice shots--even some of the both of them together. I think their mom will be really happy. This is my favorite from the evening:
I have it saved in color, also, but I like the simplicity of the black and white.So, by the time all that was finished with and they had left for home, Andy had already left for work. There was still supper to fix and serve, and the kitchen to clean up, and 2 very dirty little boys to bathe and get into jammies. They're watching Nemo right now and then it's off to bed for them.
Keep in mind that in addition to all of the above, at some point today I managed 2 loads of laundry (washed, dried, and put away, thank you very much) and a trip to the grocery store for bread and milk.
Tomorrow I'm going to work. To rest.
Monday, October 09, 2006
Are you proud of me?
I didn't say one word yesterday. And it wasn't even really all that difficult. Aren't you proud? Of course, I was kinda busy around here, so that helped.
You see, I was alone all weekend. Did I tell you guys about that? No? Well, always better to be safe than sorry. Wouldn't want to tell the entire internet that my husband is out of town so that some weirdo can come and kidnap and torture me and the boys.
At any rate, Andy was gone. All weekend. Friday morning until sometime after I went to bed last night. He and his friends went to Talladega. Are you a NASCAR fan? Then you're familiar. If not, then let me just tell you it's a big car race. Lots and lots of drunken folks watching cars go round and round a big track. Andy thinks it's fun. I guess it may be, if that's your sort of thing. I enjoy the sport itself and don't object to watching it on television, but the one in-person race I attended was too much for me. Too loud. Too many people too close together. Too much public drunkenness. Too much craziness. And his driver didn't win--he was knocked out at the very last second. So it wouldn't have been a pleasant 6 hour drive home, either.
This week is fall break, and my sitter is off today, tomorrow, and Friday. Andy stayed home with the boys today, I've got tomorrow. Friday is still up in the air. Anyone want to come hang out with my boys for a few hours? They're adorable, I promise! Actually, I probably have Friday, too. I just don't need to be taking another day off this week. Although, the prospect of a three day weekend is very enticing. And after Andy's big weekend this one past, he won't be getting much in the way of time off any time soon.
I forgot my lunch at work today, and after working out at Curves didn't have time go get anything, so all I had was yogurt. I'm starving! But I don't want to eat now so close to supper. Fortunately it's pizza night, so there will be plenty of good stuff for me to eat this evening.
Tomorrow is a paying photo shoot. Teenagers, this time. One with a car, one with golf clubs to use as props. I'm really getting some varied practice in. Wish me luck.
I should have titled this post Randomness. I hope it wasn't too disjointed to read. I think the hunger pangs are affecting me ;-)
You see, I was alone all weekend. Did I tell you guys about that? No? Well, always better to be safe than sorry. Wouldn't want to tell the entire internet that my husband is out of town so that some weirdo can come and kidnap and torture me and the boys.
At any rate, Andy was gone. All weekend. Friday morning until sometime after I went to bed last night. He and his friends went to Talladega. Are you a NASCAR fan? Then you're familiar. If not, then let me just tell you it's a big car race. Lots and lots of drunken folks watching cars go round and round a big track. Andy thinks it's fun. I guess it may be, if that's your sort of thing. I enjoy the sport itself and don't object to watching it on television, but the one in-person race I attended was too much for me. Too loud. Too many people too close together. Too much public drunkenness. Too much craziness. And his driver didn't win--he was knocked out at the very last second. So it wouldn't have been a pleasant 6 hour drive home, either.
This week is fall break, and my sitter is off today, tomorrow, and Friday. Andy stayed home with the boys today, I've got tomorrow. Friday is still up in the air. Anyone want to come hang out with my boys for a few hours? They're adorable, I promise! Actually, I probably have Friday, too. I just don't need to be taking another day off this week. Although, the prospect of a three day weekend is very enticing. And after Andy's big weekend this one past, he won't be getting much in the way of time off any time soon.
I forgot my lunch at work today, and after working out at Curves didn't have time go get anything, so all I had was yogurt. I'm starving! But I don't want to eat now so close to supper. Fortunately it's pizza night, so there will be plenty of good stuff for me to eat this evening.
Tomorrow is a paying photo shoot. Teenagers, this time. One with a car, one with golf clubs to use as props. I'm really getting some varied practice in. Wish me luck.
I should have titled this post Randomness. I hope it wasn't too disjointed to read. I think the hunger pangs are affecting me ;-)
Labels: Randomness
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Photo Sunday #2
Labels: Photo Sunday
Saturday, October 07, 2006
A visit to Christian Way Farm
Today I took the boys to Christian Way Farm. We go every year, but this year was especially fun. We met some friends of mine there with their children (who you won't see pictures of because, well, I didn't know if I should put them on the internet without permission) and spent almost 4 hours playing and having more fun than is probably legal.
There was a pumpkin patch, which you got to by taking a hayride to a cornfield. Then you had to find your way through the corn maze before you could choose a pumpkin. There were grain trucks with the beds filled with shelled corn for playing in. A hay bale castle/maze, a tricycle track for races, and a garden that's still producing. Big tall sunflowers and beautiful zinnias were still blooming. There was a pen with calves, sheep, and goats. Of course, the main attraction for my kids was the animals, but not the ones in the pens. They fell in love with an old farm dog named Rusty, and spend lots of time just petting him and loving him.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip for me was when the goat butted Nick through the fence. It knocked him right down and the look on his face was priceless. He wasn't hurt at all, but of course he cried, and then it wasn't quite so funny any more. Except it was. Oops. It was hard not to smile while I was comforting him.
The boys each picked a pumpkin to bring home. They each got a small ornamental gourd, too. Now I just need a few mums and my front porch will look all autumn-like and festive.
There was a pumpkin patch, which you got to by taking a hayride to a cornfield. Then you had to find your way through the corn maze before you could choose a pumpkin. There were grain trucks with the beds filled with shelled corn for playing in. A hay bale castle/maze, a tricycle track for races, and a garden that's still producing. Big tall sunflowers and beautiful zinnias were still blooming. There was a pen with calves, sheep, and goats. Of course, the main attraction for my kids was the animals, but not the ones in the pens. They fell in love with an old farm dog named Rusty, and spend lots of time just petting him and loving him.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip for me was when the goat butted Nick through the fence. It knocked him right down and the look on his face was priceless. He wasn't hurt at all, but of course he cried, and then it wasn't quite so funny any more. Except it was. Oops. It was hard not to smile while I was comforting him.
The boys each picked a pumpkin to bring home. They each got a small ornamental gourd, too. Now I just need a few mums and my front porch will look all autumn-like and festive.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Best Friends
I've said, at some point or another I'm sure, that I don't have alot of friends. It's not that I'm antisocial or anything, it just takes alot for me to consider someone a friend. I know tons of people. I have alot of acquaintances. Several of them I refer to as friends for lack of a better term, and that's fine in the moment.
But in the grand scheme of things, a true friend is something different altogether. It takes awhile to even become friends, because a true friend is someone who knows you almost better than you know yourself. There's not much a true friend wouldn't do for you, as long as it's within their capabilities. A true friend isn't afraid to make you angry if that's what it takes to keep you safe and secure. They'll do what it takes to make you smile when you're down, and they'll stand beside you and be confident in you, even when you're not necessarily confident in yourself.
Be honest. Are you going to do all that for someone you barely know? And for those of us that are more difficult to get close to, it's real work to make true friends.
There are 4, maybe 5 people in my life that I'd count as true friends. Is that alot? Is it not many at all? I don't know, and it doesn't really matter. 3 of them are guys, and that complicates things as far as society is concerned. You know, the whole 'guys and girls can't ever be just friends' thing. Whatever. I've known all 3 of them since college, and they are some of my very best friends. We do for each other as we can, and we all always know that the other is there if needed. Another friend is the spouse of one of those guys, and while I'd consider her a friend, I haven't known her nearly as long.
Then there's Annie (whose name is really Andi [well, really it's Adrienne] but I changed it when I started dating Andy):
by alissa207
If I had to pick someone to be my best friend, she'd be it. Not that the guys aren't great--they are. But you just have to have a girlfriend.
We have a rather unique way of handling our friendship, out of necessity. Although we went to college together and lived in the same town for awhile after graduation, she married and moved far far away. We rarely actually see each other. This picture was taken the last time we were together, and that's Drew she's holding. What's that tell you? I have a child she's never seen, and she has 2 children I've never met. Sometimes we go months without talking, although it's never more that a few weeks between postcards and letters (she doesn't 'do' e-mail, and will probably never see this blog even though I've sent her the link hundreds of times). Still, she's my best friend. How?
Well, it doesn't matter how long it's been since we've talked--we fall right back into our conversations and routines from last time. We can still read each other's thoughts and complete each other's sentences even though we're a thousand miles apart. She's still the only one that knows some things about me, and I'm still the only one that knows some things about her. Recently her dad died, and though I didn't know him well, I am still so very sad for her. I wish I could be there as a shoulder for her, but there's nothing we can do about that. But you can see how our friendship is--the last time we spoke was in June, and I've talked to her 3 times in the past week, because now she needs me. And I know she's there for me if I need her. For anything.
And it's weird. We are not at all alike. We don't look alike or think alike or anything. She's tiny, I'm not. She's impulsive, I'm certainly not. I am the responsible one, she's more flighty. We like different music and different movies and different styles of clothing. We have a definite difference of opinion when it comes to parenting styles. But still, it works.
And I miss her. But what are you gonna do?
What about you guys? Who's your best friend? Are they like you?
*disclaimer: for the purpose of this post I'm only referring to non-relatives.
|
But in the grand scheme of things, a true friend is something different altogether. It takes awhile to even become friends, because a true friend is someone who knows you almost better than you know yourself. There's not much a true friend wouldn't do for you, as long as it's within their capabilities. A true friend isn't afraid to make you angry if that's what it takes to keep you safe and secure. They'll do what it takes to make you smile when you're down, and they'll stand beside you and be confident in you, even when you're not necessarily confident in yourself.
Be honest. Are you going to do all that for someone you barely know? And for those of us that are more difficult to get close to, it's real work to make true friends.
There are 4, maybe 5 people in my life that I'd count as true friends. Is that alot? Is it not many at all? I don't know, and it doesn't really matter. 3 of them are guys, and that complicates things as far as society is concerned. You know, the whole 'guys and girls can't ever be just friends' thing. Whatever. I've known all 3 of them since college, and they are some of my very best friends. We do for each other as we can, and we all always know that the other is there if needed. Another friend is the spouse of one of those guys, and while I'd consider her a friend, I haven't known her nearly as long.
Then there's Annie (whose name is really Andi [well, really it's Adrienne] but I changed it when I started dating Andy):
by alissa207
If I had to pick someone to be my best friend, she'd be it. Not that the guys aren't great--they are. But you just have to have a girlfriend.
We have a rather unique way of handling our friendship, out of necessity. Although we went to college together and lived in the same town for awhile after graduation, she married and moved far far away. We rarely actually see each other. This picture was taken the last time we were together, and that's Drew she's holding. What's that tell you? I have a child she's never seen, and she has 2 children I've never met. Sometimes we go months without talking, although it's never more that a few weeks between postcards and letters (she doesn't 'do' e-mail, and will probably never see this blog even though I've sent her the link hundreds of times). Still, she's my best friend. How?
Well, it doesn't matter how long it's been since we've talked--we fall right back into our conversations and routines from last time. We can still read each other's thoughts and complete each other's sentences even though we're a thousand miles apart. She's still the only one that knows some things about me, and I'm still the only one that knows some things about her. Recently her dad died, and though I didn't know him well, I am still so very sad for her. I wish I could be there as a shoulder for her, but there's nothing we can do about that. But you can see how our friendship is--the last time we spoke was in June, and I've talked to her 3 times in the past week, because now she needs me. And I know she's there for me if I need her. For anything.
And it's weird. We are not at all alike. We don't look alike or think alike or anything. She's tiny, I'm not. She's impulsive, I'm certainly not. I am the responsible one, she's more flighty. We like different music and different movies and different styles of clothing. We have a definite difference of opinion when it comes to parenting styles. But still, it works.
And I miss her. But what are you gonna do?
What about you guys? Who's your best friend? Are they like you?
*disclaimer: for the purpose of this post I'm only referring to non-relatives.
Labels: Parenting
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Stripey Lives
Well, Stripey survived the night. She still can't walk a straight line, but her appetite is good and she's been using the litterbox. We're going to keep her on the meds a few more days just to make sure all the toxins have left her system, but I think she's going to be fine. Possibly not the most intelligent cat on the face of the earth, but alive and happy.
Fern and Daisy are not amused. At all. Fern has already smacked the poor thing twice, and Daisy is staying under the bed. But they will come around. Until then, Stripey will live in the pet porter when there isn't a chaperon available.
So, without further ado, meet Stripey:
|
Fern and Daisy are not amused. At all. Fern has already smacked the poor thing twice, and Daisy is staying under the bed. But they will come around. Until then, Stripey will live in the pet porter when there isn't a chaperon available.
So, without further ado, meet Stripey:
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
I'm a sucker
That's a cute kitten, isn't it? It looks like it may be ours--if it lives. I need another cat about like I need a hole in the head, but like my title says, I'm a sucker.
Backstory: The babysitter always has kittens around. They have several cats that come and go, and none of them have been spayed or neutered. There's always at least 2 or 3, and at the present time there are 11. Or, there were 11.
Yesterday she asked me if I could think of any reason that all 11 kittens would just disappear. I didn't really know, although several unpleasant scenarios came to mind. At any rate, they were all gone. The big cats were still there, but every single kitten was missing.
Today they found this one under a bush, shaking uncontrollably and unable to control it's eye movements or even walk. Seizure-type activity. My guess is that it got into some pesticides. This one just happens to be Nick's favorite of the bunch--the one he's forever hauling around and cuddling with. Oh, and he named it Stripey.
Andy was the one that picked the boys up today, and he brought it home intending to, um, dispose of it for her. They didn't want to off it in front of all the kids. Makes sense, I guess. But, Nick thought we were bringing it home for us to keep. For me to save and for him to have and love forever and ever.
So, I'm trying to save it. We've given it some meds, and it seems to be doing a bit better. The shaking has lessened, and it ate some wet food and drank some water. We gave it a bath, because it was covered in fleas. And now it's resting in a basket on the deck.
Cross your fingers that Stripey makes it. Not that I need another cat, but I don't want Nick to have to deal with its death.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Finally
A while back (a long while back) I posted asking for opinions on how best to create the new flowerbed that I want along the side of the house. I got some feedback, did some measuring, and made a decision. I decided on a raised bed, the depth of two railroad ties, extending two feet out from the side of the carport, and 24 feet long. I called my friend with the railroad ties, and he said "sure. we'll do it this weekend." That weekend I went out, and we chose the ties that I want, and sorted them into a separate pile.
They're still there. Life gets in the way, you know.
Tonight we're going out to get them. It'll be nearly dark by the time we get home, so the bed won't be built tonight. But it's a start. Once the ties are here we'll have to get it done, because otherwise they'll be in the way. It's going to require some chainsaw work, and some heavy lifting (we're talking 1500 lb. of railroad ties), and probably two or more truckloads of dirt before the whole thing is finished.
But it's a start.
Bonus? The boys will get to play with the dog. They can hardly wait.
Oh, and one more thing. I got a request today to photograph Drew's school field trip to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch on Oct. 20. And the teachers aide in Drew's classroom has asked me to photograph her children. For money, this time. Oh my.
They're still there. Life gets in the way, you know.
Tonight we're going out to get them. It'll be nearly dark by the time we get home, so the bed won't be built tonight. But it's a start. Once the ties are here we'll have to get it done, because otherwise they'll be in the way. It's going to require some chainsaw work, and some heavy lifting (we're talking 1500 lb. of railroad ties), and probably two or more truckloads of dirt before the whole thing is finished.
But it's a start.
Bonus? The boys will get to play with the dog. They can hardly wait.
Oh, and one more thing. I got a request today to photograph Drew's school field trip to the apple orchard/pumpkin patch on Oct. 20. And the teachers aide in Drew's classroom has asked me to photograph her children. For money, this time. Oh my.
Monday, October 02, 2006
A conversation with Nick
We leave the house in the morning at 6:00. At this time of the year, it's still dark. And Nick is typically asleep, or mostly asleep. I just carry him to the truck in his jammies, and most days he's still out of it when I put him on the couch at the sitters house.
Today was no different. It was a beautiful, clear morning. The sun was just starting to turn the eastern horizon a deep red color, and there were streaky cirrus clouds that were still deep purple. The stars were shining brightly overhead. Drew went out first and began getting himself into the truck. I was carrying Nick, still wearing his footie pajamas and wrapped in his blankie. As I stepped out onto the deck, I hear a small voice from inside the blanket. From the kid I thought was asleep.
"Mom, look at the sprinkles."
"What?"
"The sprinkles, in the sky."
"Honey, those aren't sprinkles. They're stars. They sure are pretty, aren't they?"
"No, they're sprinkles. I put them there."
"You did?"
"Yes, for you."
"How did you get them all the way up in the sky?"
"I climbed a ladder. And put them there. For you. Do you like them?"
"Yes, I like them. They're very pretty. Weren't you scared to climb all the way up to the sky like that?"
"No, it wasn't scary. God watched me while I was up there, and you watch me when I'm down here. I'm always safe."
And that was it. By the time we reached Trish's house, he was asleep again.
**and one other thing. i'd like to bring your attention to a small change in my blogroll on the left side of the page. i've categorized it a bit, placing the blogs of my family members at the top. my brother's girlfriend shira just started a blog (a return after long wanderings) and after 2 posts it's easy to see she's a talented writer. also there are my aunt (count it all joy), who definitely has a way with words, and my cousin (nature of natalie) who is a talented photographer. if you have some spare time give them a visit. you won't regret it.**
Today was no different. It was a beautiful, clear morning. The sun was just starting to turn the eastern horizon a deep red color, and there were streaky cirrus clouds that were still deep purple. The stars were shining brightly overhead. Drew went out first and began getting himself into the truck. I was carrying Nick, still wearing his footie pajamas and wrapped in his blankie. As I stepped out onto the deck, I hear a small voice from inside the blanket. From the kid I thought was asleep.
"Mom, look at the sprinkles."
"What?"
"The sprinkles, in the sky."
"Honey, those aren't sprinkles. They're stars. They sure are pretty, aren't they?"
"No, they're sprinkles. I put them there."
"You did?"
"Yes, for you."
"How did you get them all the way up in the sky?"
"I climbed a ladder. And put them there. For you. Do you like them?"
"Yes, I like them. They're very pretty. Weren't you scared to climb all the way up to the sky like that?"
"No, it wasn't scary. God watched me while I was up there, and you watch me when I'm down here. I'm always safe."
And that was it. By the time we reached Trish's house, he was asleep again.
**and one other thing. i'd like to bring your attention to a small change in my blogroll on the left side of the page. i've categorized it a bit, placing the blogs of my family members at the top. my brother's girlfriend shira just started a blog (a return after long wanderings) and after 2 posts it's easy to see she's a talented writer. also there are my aunt (count it all joy), who definitely has a way with words, and my cousin (nature of natalie) who is a talented photographer. if you have some spare time give them a visit. you won't regret it.**
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Bloggers need a break, too...
Any of you that know me have probably figured out that I tend to be a tiny bit obsessive. When I take on a job or project, I put my all into it. I want it to be perfect, or at least as perfect as I can make it.
When I first started this blog, my intention was to write a post every 2 or 3 days. Pretty soon I was writing every day, just because that's how I am. And somewhere along the line, inside my compulsive little brain, it became something I had to do. I feel like I have to post every. single. day.
I know that's not true. I know that none of you expect me to post every day. And if you do, well, too bad. From now on, I'm taking Sunday off.
From writing, anyway. Because I totally realize that I won't be able to resist, I've decided that Sunday will be photo day. I don't even have to write a caption, if I don't want to, because I'm just that wild and crazy.
So, here for your viewing pleasure is my first official Photo Sunday post:
When I first started this blog, my intention was to write a post every 2 or 3 days. Pretty soon I was writing every day, just because that's how I am. And somewhere along the line, inside my compulsive little brain, it became something I had to do. I feel like I have to post every. single. day.
I know that's not true. I know that none of you expect me to post every day. And if you do, well, too bad. From now on, I'm taking Sunday off.
From writing, anyway. Because I totally realize that I won't be able to resist, I've decided that Sunday will be photo day. I don't even have to write a caption, if I don't want to, because I'm just that wild and crazy.
So, here for your viewing pleasure is my first official Photo Sunday post:
Ninja Drew
And, since I've sort of contradicted myself by writing this post explaining why I'm not writing posts on Sunday any more, next Sunday will be the true beginning of the Sunday Photo Post tradition.
See? I just can't let it go. Anyone want to place bets on how much I write next Sunday?
See? I just can't let it go. Anyone want to place bets on how much I write next Sunday?
Labels: Photo Sunday