Lean In

Hi...

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving..we had our meal on Wednesday evening..the food was great, the kids were wild, and our bellies were too full at the end..I was telling Brad I can't imagine there being any more kids in the family at these get togethers besides our two because holy cow, they were wild..!

I was supposed to work yesterday, but as I was getting out of the shower at 5:15am, the supervisor called and canceled me..grrrr...so back to bed I went..and piddled around all day yesterday..got my Christmas village down from the attic..I'm trying a new spot for it..and it's in the works...today I'm running to Kohl's to pick up a few more pieces..I've got the St Nicholas Square from Kohl's...Bailey is psyched..she loves looking at it lit up and messing with all the people and stuff..Brad has to drill some holes in the back of my bookcase somehow to get the cords through..I'm obsessive about cords..HATE to see cords..anyways, also got my "25 Days of December" journal started..finally got my cover design worked out, so that got the ball rolling..and Brad got the Christmas lights up on the house..we didn't do half of this stuff last year because we went to Disney this week last year..and it threw my decorating all off..but not this year..I'm feeling "in the spirit" this year...the kids are just at an age where they are so into it and excited and I want to feel like that too, with them..ooooo, and this year, we're going back to getting a "real" Christmas tree...can't wait to have that wondrous smell in the house..

Anyways, here's a few shots from the shindig Wednesday night...

   

Tomorrow is Chaz's actual birthday, so we're having a little party with the grandparents tomorrow afternoon...and he is getting a BIG, loud surprise..I'll post pictures tomorrow...we'll probably be regretting it...HA...

Total cuteness...

Those five little puppies, I mean...holy cow, were they adorable! but really, aren't ALL puppies?..I always want to bring one home, but then I remember they grow into big grown up dogs..lol...

Anyways, Melissa and Jason were so laid back and easy to work with..and I learned something about photographing pups..they are kind of like babies that have become mobile..you just have to follow them around and wait on them to stop for one split second and look at you...I was chasing these little boogers around a pasture..and I know I didn't get all five of them seperately, but oh well...here's a few shots..

   

Forgot to mention, these babies are 6 weeks old, Bloodhounds, and there are four boys and one little girl...Melissa had tied red bows around their necks and well, some of them stayed on..kindof..ha...

 

 

This is one of my favorite shots from the day...just love it..

 

Here are the Mama and Daddy dogs..Lulu and Floyd..lol...I loved the red barn in the background..I have a thing for red barns and red weathered barn wood...doesn't it look pretty with Melissa's green jacket?

 

We tried putting them in an apple basket and a couple of other things, but it was a no go..so they just had to grab 'em up and hold them..so cute...

 

 

 

Jason was praying none of his buddies went driving by while he was doing all this "posing" and having his picture taken..I promised him he would be all over the internet..lol...guys are so funny to photograph...

 

 

We were losing light fast..I've really been struggling with lighting lately..maybe I need to take a class or something about "finding the light"..I just have a hard time with it...

But anyways, we darted over to her mom's house to get a few shots with the outdoor fireplace as the backdrop cause her mom wanted a picture there..haha..and it was getting pretty dark..so I had to crank up the ISO, but dang, isn't that cute? another favorite...

 

Ok, ok, one final one..I'm glad we went over there because I like how that brick looks in the background..and there was a cool little bridge I wish we could have gotten to, but we ran out of time..and Jason had had enough...

 

Those are just some I've edited so far...I just can't help myself when I get home with a full card of new pictures..and once again, I'm burning the midnight oil, so I must go to bed..we are having our Thanksgiving meal tomorrow evening because I work on Thanksgiving..so looking forward to some "good eatin' " tomorrow (said in my best southern redneck voice)..lol..

Oh and by the way, my friend Patti got some good pictures of us the other day, but until I decide which one I'm using on my Christmas card, I can't share..lol..

My little Indian girl...

Bailey had her program and Thanksgiving "feast" this morning..she sang out so loud and so well..that's my girl..here's just a few quick shots...more to come..

  

Man, I am sooo tired today..stayed up way too late last night..uggh...I'm getting old...

I've got an appointment this afternoon for a photo shoot with two adults and 7 dogs (5 of those are puppies)..should be fun..it's funny, I always feel like I go into these shoots blindly, not knowing what to expect and having to just roll with it..makes it kindof fun, but a little stressful sometimes, wondering how the setting is going to be, will the lighting be good, I don't know the people, I've never taken pictures with 7 dogs before..HA..so, I'm just going to go with it and hope I get some fun shots!

Hopefully, back tonight with a few from this afternoon and more of Bailey doing her thing on stage...

Some layouts...

First off, Chaz's birthday party from last year...

 

and I'm really into adding in those different sized divided photo sleeves to add in more pictures..these are some super cheap ones (I mean quality too unfortunately) from Michaels..I added in cardstock in each slot to make them a little more sturdy...love how it looks and I plan to do this for several other layouts...there's a new idea magazine out by Simple Scrapbooks that shows how to use regular photo albums and stuff for quicker scrapbooks..it' a good issue...

here's how it looks from one side...I filled one slot with the guest list..

 

 

 

It's a great way to add in more pictures if you take as many as I do...

This is Thanksgiving from last year..I got that pilgrim card at Target and thought he was so cute...that whole line of cards was so cute..I bought several..

 

and then a quick one using a sketch from my favorite Donna Downey book about Buster's birthday...

 

and that's it for now..gotta go fix lunch..

One thing led to another...

It started out that I bought this cloche at Cracker Barrel of all places..I tell ya, that litle gift shop has some good stuff sometimes..they had this in the Halloween clearance section...I have been wanting one of these forever, so I bought it..and then I couldn't decide what to put in it..I plan to change it with the seasons or whatever...don't mind the blue and red in the background, those are Chaz's cars hanging around..he uses my dining room table as a race track...

 

I've had this little antique pumpkin dish forever and always loved it, plus I have a collection of real bird's nests..picked up the pretty decorative leaves at Hobby Lobby for like 66% off and voila..

So, while I was trying to decide what to do with it, I did a Google search for "cloche jars" and came across two awesome websites that are full of cool things to make and tips on decorating..you could waste a real chunk of time on these sites, so I felt inclined to share..

The Nesting Place and Blissfully Domestic

Those are some good websites..have fun...

Another thing that led to another was today...I got it all set up with one of my friends, Patti, to take some family pictures for us tomorrow for our Christmas card and just to have some pictures..I knew what Brad and I would wear, but not Chaz or Bailey...so off Bailey and I set to find something cute..wellll, several stores later, I ended up with a few things for her to wear, me a few things, Chaz a few things, and Brad went and got him a few things..I tell ya, the sales are going to be the end of me..but man, I got Bailey some CUTE stuff from Belk's, Old Navy, and Kohl's..love the stuff for little girls by Carter's..so hopefully, we'll get a few good shots tomorrow..keep your fingers crossed that Bailey will look at the camera..lol..and Chaz won't be hard headed..ha..

My shoot on Thursday went very well...such a great family..you can see the whole sneak peek on my photog blog, but here's a few just cause..

I have to admit I'm a tad bit envious of Kelly's unbelievable blue eyes...isn't she gorgeous?

 

and I loved this black and white...

 

and this one where we put little Eliza up front and let her be sassy..too cute..

 

sweet, sweet girls...

 

anyways, I've got to get caught up on my pictures..two more sessions next week and then maybe I can get away from this computer a little after that..

oh, and by the way, this maniac, high energy boy is out of school FOR A WEEK..ahhhh...

Some great photography tips...

I was just catching up on my blog reading via Google Reader and came across this post on Studio Calico with some great low light shooting tips..I use the "screen layer" thing all the time, especially in indoor shots, ESPECIALLY in Christmas morning/day pictures..and actually, I use everything they mentioned in one way or another..just thought I'd share...

I have nothing exciting to share today..lol..I worked my booty off at work yesterday..just had a patient with ALOT of drama going on and alot of family involved and darn it, I was in the middle..I hate situations like that, but it all worked out, but made the majority of my day very stressful...uggh..cancer and pain suck..I pray I don't have to go through that with any of my family or personally..

So, catching up on some things this morning..making a few photo tiles, uploading people's pictures to their gallery, and heading, where else?, but to the dreaded grocery store before picking up Bailey from school...but thank goodness we have money to go buy food, ya know? I always try to keep it in perspective by thinking about that...but man, I feel like I go every other day...

and then, this evening I have another photo shoot where I did Monday's shoot...the place where "the background looks like an Olan Mills backdrop", according to Elizabeth..haha..a really "easy on the eyes" family again...

and a random picture that is so "typical" Bailey..in her jammies, wadded up on the chair/couch, arms full with her "baby", "blanket", and usually one other random animal..watching cartoons while I edit pictures in the morning..

 

I bought several new digital elements and frames from my favorite online digital store, Designer Digitals, the other day..they had a great sale going on..so look for lots of dressed up pictures..lol..got some cool holiday words/brushes from Ali Edwards..and I got some stuff to start putting together my December Daily album, so those will be great for adding into that..planning on making my own decorated transparencies..and how cute are these tree brushes? didn't see these when I was buying the other day...

and the new first song on my playlist? LOVE..I heard it first on some commercial and I swear it was a Rice Crispies commercial done in black and white with a little girl and her Mom or it may have been a Publix commercial?, but it choked me up everytime..ha..yes, I get teary eyed at commrcials every now and then..and then they played it at the end of the John and Kate Plus 8 wedding special the other night with a montage of shots from the series that they showed for a few weeks and I was like "THAT'S IT, I'M FINDING THAT SONG"..so Brad goggled it and found it, and it's this very large Samoaen guy called IZ, who has actually passed away now..here's a link to the Youtube of it...interesting..but I LOVE that song..something about it...hope you like it too..otherwise, tough luck cause it's staying until I do a Christmas playlist in the next few weeks..haha...

back later...

If you can't decide whether or not to have a family photo done...

This is a good post to get you motivated..her kids are grown up...love her take on it..and she has a good source for ordering photos on canvas..I want a bunch of these one day...

And who else to call for your pictures, but me, right? ha...I'm pretty affordable..

I need to get OUR family done..ahem, CYNTHIA!, when are we going to meet up for our trade off photo shoot? Cynthia starting working full time and it bums me out..lol...

That's all for today, for now...

Oh my goodness gracious...

You know, most people are biased and think their kids are the most beautiful kids in the world, and I'm no different, but wait until you catch a glimpse of these cuties that I got to photograph this afternoon...holy moly, are they beautiful! Let's just get to it, shall we?...

 

 

 

   

 

Joy and I went to nursing school together..yep, suffered through the whole four years and survived..nursing school is HARD people!...and reconnected after several years through, what else?, scrapbooking!..ha! we were both on the Design Team for a local scrapbook store for a little while..anyways, she is just as sweet and cute and petite as she was way back then..really, she hasn't changed a bit...

 

(whoops, meant to erase that writing on the rock that some irresponsible, nature-ruining teenager probably did! It'll be gone in your real pictures, Joy...)

I remember when she and Brian met in college and started dating..he was a big paramedic then (he's a pilot now) and was at our college doing some kind of course or something...the next thing we knew, they were in love and the rest is history...

 

LOVE this one below..

 

This little girl is fulllllll of mischief..she looks so innocent, doesn't she? HA!...lol...

 

 

We were losing light fast..I had to crank my ISO up all the way to 1600 on these last ones, darn it..what else could I do? I was stressing a little, but I think they came out good..?

and we had to get a few pictures with her American Girl doll..I see a slight resemblance?..

 

That's just a few..I couldn't resist editing some...

Gotta go to bed..

Night...

Party On...

Well, we partied hard yesterday...lol..6 year old style...

Not sure what's up with this sideways grin..too funny...

 

 

 

Most of the boys did a lot of this...

 

and this...

 

even if it was freezing outside...

darn it..I cut Bailey out of all of the group shots..I should have changed camera lenses, but I was too lazy..I didn't realize I was cutting her out so badly when I was taking these though...  :(

 

and oh yes, we did make him wear "the hat" for a minute..

 

he got a little help on the candle blowing...

 

 

we re-lit the candles so everyone could help blow them out..they were going to revolt if we didn't..lol..

 

 

it was a mob scene during the gift opening..he got lots of great things..I know it's killing him being at school today and not being able to play with his toys until he gets home..

 

love this picture...and love that Kyle in the back..he's in Middle School, but still comes over and plays football and stuff with Chaz and his friends..such a great kid..

 

and we were pooped afterwards..entertaining does that to me..ha..

Chaz keeps saying he's 6 now, but I have to keep reminding him we had his party early..his actual birthday isn't until the 29th...lol...

Lots of random pictures...

I've taken a lot of pictures over the last few months..but never shared them just cause there were other things I was sharing..well, this is going to be one big random photo share..It's a rainy, foggy, cozy kindof day here..why not?

First off, Pilgrim Boy...

 

Can you tell how thrilled he is to have this get up on? Chaz SO doesn't get into these kinds of things..I swear, he's already like a teen ager and acts "too cool" for this kind of silly stuff..he told me twenty times "Mommy, I'm taking this off"...and I made him keep it on at least for a few pictures..all the other kids were totally oblivious and happy to have their pilgrim things on..but not Chaz..that's just so him..just how he is...lol..

See, look, when he spotted me when I first got there, their class was coming down the hall and he started taking it all off...

 

anyways, here he is with one of his buddies in his class, who, by the way, kept his stuff on the whole time..

 

one of his creations..their placemats..

 

The obligatory "with Mommy" picture..

 

They were supposed to have their Fall festival today, cause the darn thing got rescheduled from October due to impending rain (which it did rain..and they had contracts with vendors they had to cancel two days prior to get their money back)and I'll be darned if it didn't get cancelled again for today due to rain (it doesn't rain here that much anymore, but both times it's be scheduled, it has rained..lol)..so, it's put off until the Spring..bummer..

OK, on to random pictures..here's a few family shots from Florida..done with the timer, which meant they were in position, I set the camera and ran into place..multiply that by about 20 times and it got a bit tiring...and we were running out of light big time because Brad and Chaz stayed down on the beach too long instead of coming up and getting ready...

 

 

 

Not too thrilled with any of these, but oh well...

and we played Putt Putt on one cloudy morning, cause that's what you do in Destin, right? play putt putt..it was fun..our kids had never played..and you'll notice in one picture that Bailey put on one of her drama queen acts..(click to see it larger)

 

moving on...some pictures I took of Bailey one day after church in October cause she looked cute..

 

 

 

 

Smartie pants...

 

and I've come to the sad conclusion that I'm not going to get my free Snapfish photo book ordered because my pictures are too unorganized and I have two photo sessions I'd like to finish editing before my next one on Monday..bummer...

Have a good Friday!