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Archive for Fort Wayne Photography Blog

Cousins

"Cousins are people that are ready made friends, you have laughs with them and remember good times from a young age, you have fights with them but you always know you love each other, they are a better thing than brothers and sisters and friends cause there all pieced together as one"   - Courtney Cox
 
 
 

 

(and...adding Rapunzel puts the icing on the cake)

 

I love the excitement a cousin can bring.  No doubt that the bond between cousins is strong and wonderful.

Take the time to laugh aloud

It's my pleasure to introduce to a guest writer, whom I enjoy to no end, Miss Dori Graham.  One recommendation I've heard over and over regarding photography is "Get a different perspective."  Looking at things in a different way can change everything.  This can be applied to life.  I love to read what other people have to say about anything.  I was happy to hear that Dori would drop in from time to time and fill my blog with loveliness.  So without further a do...a little something from Dori...

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I am currently rereading Daddy Long Legs, a story about an orphan, Judy, who is graciously permitted to attend college due to the benefaction of a gentlemen she knows only as “John Smith” and to whom she gives the pet name Daddy Long Legs because of the brief silhouette she sees once as he is leaving the foundling house in the very beginning of the tale. The story is told from the young lady’s point of view through the incredibly humorous, unique letters she sends to her benefactor.

  • Not only has revisiting this novel returned me to a wonderfully soothing sense of innocence and imagination—not unlike the carefree sense of self I possessed upon my first reading of the story—but it has given me a window into how some of the most fundamental elements of my humor were formed. I find my own voice on nearly every page…that is to say; I hear my own turn of phrase and wit in the things that Judy says. In retrospect, I think I may have learned the value of being able to laugh at one’s self from this protagonist. Her willingness to contradict herself and be downright silly offered me permission in my early years to do the same. And how thankful I am! There are few things more valuable than laughter, dear ones. It is a balm to any physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental hurt. And how easy can it be to waylay the large and small frustrations and tragedies that life brings us from day to day when we are willing to find laughter in as many situations as we possibly can?

    Seek joy, and when you can’t find it in the world around you, create it in yourself. You can’t always find humor in external things—that is why it is imperative that you find it in yourself. Yes, maybe school, parenting, or work is stressing you out of your mind to the point where you are fueling yourself on Life Cereal because it’s the easiest quick meal in your kitchen, but let yourself laugh out loud when you realize you’ve tried to write a note with your spoon instead of a pen.

    Take the time to laugh aloud.

    Seriously, the next time you bite the floor in front of a group of people, laugh as deep and as long as you are able—stop just before your observers consider carting you off to the loony bin (approximately 1.5 minutes of hard guffawing followed by 2-3 minutes of light chuckles intersperse with relieving sighs). Not only does it keep you from crying about the gash on your knee, it alleviates a great deal of your self-consciousness, it moderates the embarrassment, and it reboots your spirit with giggle-induced warmth. Win, win, win, win!

 

 

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1st Birthday

This sweet princess turned 1 last week.

 

I had the privilege of coming to her house right before her birthday party.

Her mom and grandma rock - like mom and grandma's do.  They made some awesome treats that didn't go unnoticed.

 

 

 

Party yummies fit for a princess.

 

I'm not sure if there is any birthday more exciting than the 1st birthday.

It's such a big moment.

That first year seems to go by so fast.

They change so much in that first year.

I feel the 1st birthday is bittersweet

and fun too.

 

This princess is a daddy's girl...

 

 

so sweet.

 

But, she shares cake with mommy...

 

 

CAKE!

 

Happy Birthday, Caitlyn!

and many more!!

 

My Mary

Today is my grandma's birthday.

Mary is 85 today...I think..because I loose track of those things...and it's not polite to ask a lady her age.

 

 

My grandma is amazing...like most grandmas are.

She still has a job...a full time job.

She goes to Biloxi - to the casinos when she has a chance.  And she wins.  often.

She has been to Italy in recent history.

She is living life.

 

 

 

If anyone were to ask me, "what are some of your favorite childhood memories?"  My answer would include times with my grandma and grandpa.  They were a big part of my childhood and they were amazing.  When I was very young, they lived in a wonderful house - on a wonderful pond - and that part of my life was magical.

Time happens.

Life happens.

And now my widowed grandma lives in Florida, and has for the last...almost 30 years.

We cherish the time we do get to see her.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Grandma!  I wish you many more trips to Biloxi!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

If you live in the Midwest, I don't need to tell you - it's chilly.

Luckily, we didn't get as much snow as "they" were calling for.  (what do "they" know anyway?)

It has been windy.  It's got a nasty bite.

My dog, the only one I am claiming today, didn't want to go out this morning...or this afternoon.

She finally caved, knowing she didn't want to relieve herself on her new, pretty bed...but that is another story.

We have been lucky to have mild days the last two weeks - filled with sunshine even.  All of that came to an end yesterday.

We knew it would.

A couple of months ago, my two oldest and I went to Florida for a family wedding.

It was beautiful.

Today I was looking at some of the pictures I captured on my phone while we were there

and decided that was where I was going to let my mind go today.

 

 

To say my kids were excited to see the beach was an understatement.  This little beach at Boca Grande was our own beach during our stay.  We only had to share...and I use that word lightly...with a woman laying out, reading a book one day.  It was wonderful.

 

Can we get in?????

 

 

I almost forgot we shared the beach for a moment with two other friends.

 

 

There is something wonderful about dogs in water that love the water.  There is a sense that they can't contain themselves to stay away from getting in for one second longer than necessary.

 

My kids thought it was cool.  We only get to see dogs in water when we fill the kiddie pool in the summer time and our dogs get in to cool off.

 

 

On our last day at the beach, we also shared our cove with these dainty birds.  They wet their feet as they pecked for food at the shore.  It looked as though some rain was going to roll in.

 

We decided to get off the beach before we were rained on, and hurried to the local ice cream shop before they closed.

I think it was there that I got one of my favorite photos of the whole trip.

 

 

Oh my!  Are those genuine smiles?  They are!

I am not sure if I have a photo where my kids look like they are having a better time than what I captured here.

 

Now as I get ready to turn in for the night, I hope to have dreams of warm days to be had.

 

Happy Weekend!

Stay warm out there!

 

 

 

Condiments on a grocery shelf for $200, Alex

I am finally at a place in my life where I want to try different food. 

It's working out well. (imagine that!)  I like almost every new thing I try. 

So, when I am out grocery shopping, I really try to look for different things. 

When I go grocery shopping there is attention to detail. (unless my three year old is begging me to go over to the lobster tank)

Today, when picking up some mayo, I noticed this:

 

 

 

I had a good laugh while thinking of some of you...yeah, you know who you are....those of you who have an unabashed passion for bacon.  I thought of you and had to capture the Baconnaise with my camera phone because...well,  it was my duty to share my knowledge that this condiment even exists.  Just in case you were in the same boat as I was prior to my outing today and didn't know it was there. 

Everything tastes better with bacon.

 

and it's good for you too.

Yearly trip to the mall with my monsters

 

I take my kids to the mall to see Santa every year. 

 

It just dawned on me this year that one year my daughter will announce to me - "Not this year, Mom.  I'm too old for this."

*gasp*

I asked her about it.  When she thought she might let me in on this awful announcement. 

True to her dad's style she told me, "I'll tell you when it happens." 

Great. 

I'll be the mom in line to get pictures taken with Santa, fighting back the tears. 

Or at least hope I won't be the one with tears streaming down my face. 

That possibility is never out of the question.

This season was not the year.

{insert me wiping my brow with a that-was-a-close-call look on my face here}

 

Since we have made visiting Santa at the mall a tradition, we have 3 must-dos while we are there. 

#1  - We pick up dinner from the food court and take it home.  And let me tell you the line for Panda Express is always long.  So long that you can check your email and Facebook from your phone and still twiddle your thumbs in anticipation to be helped.  But it's worth it.

 

#2 - We will cram into the photo booth there and try to get silly pictures of us all.  Much like visiting Santa, I know this tradition will not last forever - only because my kids refuse to stop growing and you can only cram so much into those booths.  :)

 

#3 - We ride the carousel there.  This one is a must.  I can't help but take pictures of my youngest while we are riding.  The kids have so much fun, you would think we were at Disney.  I love it.  (And you are going to see similar pictures of the same thing every year.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And thankfully, we take dinner home with us, because if the older two kids had it there way...they would do this until they threw up.

 

 

I hope the first week of getting back to "normal" after the holidays is treating you all well.

 

Happy Weekend!

2012. Do it for the future *You*

 

As I have mentioned in recent past posts - I am a Pinterest junkie. 

I love it.  Can't get enough of it.  

Not long ago I repinned this:

 

Thanks to alinakaras.tumblr.com

I pinned it on my "Things I should do" board. 

 

 

I also loved it because I am a fan of How I Met Your Mother.  If you have watched most of the episodes, you know that sometimes they will talk about their future selves...as in "you know who should take care of that?  Future Marshall and Future Ted, that's who!" 

 

 

Who doesn't tend to procrastinate every now and then anyway?
 
 

Not long after seeing this, I decided to run with it. 

 

 

It was the perfect season for it.  I had a lot of Christmas wrapping to do.  Every time I sat down to wrap a group of presents I thought to myself, "Future Me is going to be so glad I did this!"  And I was. 

 

 

So I have decided with 2012 I am going to keep running with this idea.  Every day I am going to try to do something that Future Me will be glad Past Me did. 

 

 

Today I am washing my shower curtain liners.

 

 

 

Future Me is going to be so glad I did. 

 

 

If I get really excited...I might also clean my bathrooms...but Future Me shouldn't hold my breath.  ;)
 
 

Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope 2012 is your happiest year yet!

 

 

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Get outta here, 2011

2011

I'm not sure what to say about it.

For many of my friends and family 2011 was filled with heartache and emotional challenges.  For me, that meant I took some of those emotions and tucked them in my pocket in hopes to relieve them of some mourning.  Unfortunately, love and loss doesn't work that way.

Our immediate family had our fair share of loss this year too.  My husband's grandmother, June, passed away this summer unexpectedly.

We also lost our sweet English Mastiff, Maddie.

2011 seemed to be a little on the somber side.

Even the silver lining items of the year were more bittersweet than anything.

Locally, we have had loss and near tragedy that makes me question humanity.

It also makes me hug my kids tighter and appreciate my family more.

So, be gone with you, 2011.  We have had enough.

My wish now, for all of us, is for a happy and healthy 2012.

My goals for the year is to be a better mother, wife, and friend...to be less critical of others and myself.

I hope 2011 was kind to you and your families, and I hope that 2012 is even better.

What was your favorite part of 2011?  What are you looking forward to in 2012?

What resolutions are you making or breaking?

I would love to hear from you all!

And with that....

I'll see you all in 2012!

Happy New Year to you all!

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