November 30, 2010

short and sweet....

for today
no photos
no words
just a little
"please"
watch this
*

i've only just begun....

to edit
all the photos from my last family photo shoot of the year
which was on saturday

and
within just a few minutes
these two photos have jumped out as the front runners for my most favorite
~are they the sweetest boys or what~
~
now
back to our regularly scheduled program
~
which means
me getting my butt in gear and working on more post processing
*
edited....here are few more finished photos

November 29, 2010

i'm not complaining.....

the thanksgiving weekend seemed like a vat that just sucked me in and wouldn't let me out for air. but in a good way. there were presents to wrap. and a tree to put them under. craft shows to attend. movies to watch. food to eat. photos to take. late mornings of blissful sleep. air just warm enough to walk in, fooling us to believe that it isn't really winter. yet. children to photograph. laughs to be heard and boots to be worn because it's that time of year.
~
today is my hubby's birthday
~
he's a little grumpy about it. i told him it's just a number. he smiled and repeated "it's just a number" as he walked out the door and left for work. i told him last night that his birthday today is the 30th birthday i have celebrated him. we met in high school you know. it's kind of amazing when you think about it. 30 birthdays. with him. kind of special, huh.
*

November 27, 2010

my niece...

and
her beautiful spirit

November 25, 2010

a day of gratitude....

my broccoli dish is baking. the corn bread is next. i know my mom doesn't have an empty spot on any counter in her kitchen and that my dad has already made a trip to the grocery store for something forgotten. my sister probably woke up early like i did and turned her oven on, too
but
all that really matters is that we'll all be together
~
again this year i'm thankful for so much and to list it all seems an impossible task
~
i was at a local food pantry twice this week signing families up for our help portrait day. to see families so excited about having their photos taken at no cost to them, warmed my heart in more ways then i can ever explain.
~
on the help board at the pantry there was a sign asking for tarps, blankets and sleeping bags with a note saying "we're sleeping in a tent....brrrr" and i teared up. so this year i have to say that sitting here now in my warm house after having slept in my warm bed, knowing later that i'll be taking a hot shower and putting on warm clothes and furry lined boots is an amazing gift
and
something i don't ever want to take for granted.
~
happy thanksgiving to all of you who come here to my little place in the world and fill me with love and laughter and hope. may your thanksgiving with loved ones be more special than you ever imagined it could be.
*

November 23, 2010

i won't forget you....

the sky painted itself with shades of indigo blue
then magically opened up
but
when the rain appeared
it felt out of place and i saw it blush as it quickly retreated

with the air being balmy for november
i ignored the tornado watches
and
went for a walk

the sun danced around me and played hide and seek between the dried prairie reeds

while
the winds picked up and threw me around a bit
just to remind me that this is november
the droplets left behind from the earlier rain
clung to the branches
refusing to fall
making my walk around the pond
look like little fairies had put their christmas lights up early
~
i wish you could have been there
*

November 22, 2010

it's there....

if you want to see it
if you turn your head to the right
if you use your finger and outline it
~
tell me
where yours is today
~
on your sleeve perhaps
::
tell me you see the heart above
and
then
tell me yours is swollen with love
that it's too big for your chest
that the pain is gone
that the broken feeling it once had has disappeared
~
tell me your heart cries when your child is hurt
that it dances when you smile
that it beats loud enough to be heard when your loved ones are around
that it feels everything when your eyes are too tired to see
and
that it didn't absorb the ugly words that were thrown at it back in high school
~
tell me that others feel your heart long before they see you enter a room
go ahead
tell me
*

November 20, 2010

happy....

as in
happy weekending
everybody
*
and
if you helped with the voting in yesterday's post, thank you from the bottom of my heart
~
if you decide to follow her blog, please take the time to start with the birth story. you'll find it at the top, as an option, and it will be worth your time. i promise.
*

November 19, 2010

can you help me help them ?


this is my favorite new blog
and
after you read just one post, i bet it will be one of your favorites, too
~
they were just voted the best special needs blog
and
now they have a chance to be voted the best blog ever
or some other title like that
~
anyhow
can you jump over there
{for me....pretty please}
and
scroll down to the information above the very last photo in that post
where it says "vote here"
and
that will direct you to the competition page
and
then all you have to do is scroll to the bottom of that page where the voting poll is
and
VOTE for
"enjoying the small things"
~
thank you thank you thank you
i appreciate it so much and i know they will
too
*

November 18, 2010

is it just me....

or
do all of you feel that this time of year is just crazy. crazy busy. and why is that. i knew months ago that november and december would show up. i knew the stores would become crazy with people who would make any kind of christmas shopping or parking ridiculous.
~
i also knew that the frozen broccoli florets i need for thanksgiving would be gone from my grocer's freezer right now, because they were last year at this same time. sure i could have grabbed a couple bags of them in june. after all, they are frozen for a reason. and don't even get me started on how many stores i went to last year for canned pumpkin.
~
if you think this is bad and full of my whiney voice....hmmmm.....wait until december. actually wait until it snows, which could be next week.
~
in case you're new to my blog, ummmm, when i see snow outside my window, you can lower your head and put your ear close to your computer screen and actually hear me whining. you think i'm kidding don't you.
*

November 17, 2010

deep breath.....

well
it's over until next year
~
the big c
~
the only television show this year that has played with every emotion i have
~
the season finale was last night and at the end
well even in the middle
i cried
i really cried
and
not because it was over
but
because of the message it saturated me with
~
if it's available by christmas on a dvd
buy it
i promise you with all my heart that you won't be disappointed
~
oh and the message
~
live
live brightly and profoundly
say what you need to say
love your family to the point of smothering them
do things that make people think you're a bit crazy
or
a whole lot crazy
do what you need to do for you
be nice
be understanding
love
love being alive
laugh
and
then really love some more
*
ps...i woke up this morning to a wonderful award
want to see
?

November 16, 2010

want to be lit from the inside, out...like me ?

BAD
i went through the roof yesterday when they told me that the time frame of a technician coming to my house to look at my malfunctioning microwave, would be from 8-5. are you kidding me. 8-5 ? what happened to 8-12 or 1-5 ?
so here i sit
~
GOOD
i just had new tires and windshield wipers put on my car. the honda service shop i go to has hot coffee and tea, fresh baked cookies and popcorn, all served in a lounge with comfy chairs, a coffee table and a huge flat screen television. they even have free wi-fi with little office cubbies for privacy. and no matter what i've had done on my car, i've never waited for more than an hour. oh, and did i mention they wash your car for free ?
~
AMAZING
do you know what help-portrait is ? last year was the first year of the world wide event and we had a great little group we formed here in madison. to say that the day was special for us, is an understatement. this year, we have a huge group, now that the word of help-portrait has had a year to spread and we're shooting at a local food pantry. we have plans to shoot 108 families.
please
please
please
check out the link above and watch the 2010 commercial {just click on 2010 commercial on the right hand side} and if you're interested at all in doing this, check your city to see if they have a participating group. i'm sure they do. and nobody gets turned away. we need all the extra hands we can get, to make this event spectacular. i promise, if you jump in to help with this event, you won't be disappointed. what you will be, is lit up from the inside, out.
*

November 14, 2010

as the wind blew in....

the air made me shiver and fall started turning its back on me
~
i touched her shoulder so we could be face to face
i pleaded with her. reminding her that i love her. that i'm not ready to let her go. that i need at least another week or two of her friendship. she told me she felt she has already overstayed her welcome. i held her hand and looked into her eyes and smiled and promised her she hadn't even come close to such a silly idea.
then
in a whisper
she promised to stay one more week
but
that she'd be rather quiet
and
certainly not dancing as bright and lively as she had
these past few months
~
i nodded and told her i'd be the same way
*

November 13, 2010

safe travels....

i'm surprised some of them are still here. it's getting cold and the wind today sounds a bit brutal outside my office window. i'd think by now they'd want to be a bit further south.
but maybe they love fall, too. and have a hard time saying good-bye.
*

November 11, 2010

i've been a bad girl....

and
running around like a chicken with its head cut off
~
i haven't been blog visiting or commenting.
shame on me.
but
i have been in my studio working my butt off.
wow. what a picture you have now. me with no head or no butt.
~
anyhow
a new little shop is opening here in town on saturday
and
i'm putting lots of my artwork and photography related items there to be sold
and
sheesh
i'm tired
and
my back hurts
~
but
in a few days. i'll be back to normal.
~
well
maybe not completely
~
there's another project going on that will be sucking up all my time and energy
but
it's a good thing
~
a really good thing
and
i'll share that with you next week
~
okay
thanks for understanding my
"not being around, but i'll be back soon"
mode
and
now my bed is calling me. actually it just stomped it's feet really loud and then looked at me like it meant business. i guess i better go.
*
the dress form above acts as my mini bulletin board on my desk.
i fill it with notes and inspirational words
and
sometimes i just look at because it's so cute

November 10, 2010

"just one shot for christmas cards....please?"

these are my kids
and
just like every year
about this time

i remind them i need photos of them for christmas cards
i used to have to beg
but now
i think they kind of like it
because
i think they have finally figured out how beautiful they are
inside and out
and
how their goofiness
is what keeps me breathing
*

November 8, 2010

oh those eyes....



twins
double the trouble
double the fun
~
honestly there wasn't any trouble
only
fun
fun
and
more fun
~
if you have time
more of their photo shoot is over here
*

my fascination with the outdoors continues....

is this an oriole's nest
~
if it had been low enough for me to touch
i think it would have come home with me
mushrooms that grow upside down from huge trees
amaze me
i'm not sure why cattails are called cattails
~
i don't think they look like the tails of any cats i know
can you believe that i found a chinese lantern still in bloom
still bright orange
still hanging on to every last day of fall
and
as much as i love anything living
dried up pods and seeds of any kind this time of year
i find terribly beautiful
*
all photos sooc~straight out of the camera~beautiful "as is"

November 7, 2010

i think...

today
should be the kind of day
that looks like this
*
on my walk around the pond the other day, this cat followed me the same way a dog would. i looked at his tags and his address was close by, so i wasn't worried about him.
i let him wrap himself around my legs and he let me take his photo.
it was a win win situation. although i think i smiled more than he did.
*
happy sunday

November 6, 2010

for today....

because
i want to share the beauty i see around me
with
you
*

November 5, 2010

looks like an indian summer after all....

and
i couldn't be happier
~
happy friday
and
these balloons are for all of you
~
everyday you make my heart full by visiting me
and
when you take the time out of your busy day to leave a comment
~swoon~
*

November 4, 2010

today....


i think i need
to ask all the disjointed parts of myself
if they wouldn't mind
maybe getting together
and
working as a team
::

November 3, 2010

just keeping it real......

i made lasagna
~
you're probably wondering what the big deal is. but in my almost 26 years of marriage of keeping a hubby and two children alive, i have never made this "gigantic noodle~my four year old could make this" dish. and it was pretty damn good. i even used two recipes and lots of ingredients which totally goes against my
"if it has more than 5 steps or 5 ingredients i don't make it"
kitchen belief
due to some major digestive issues i've been dealing with and having been told "we don't really know why" from the specialist i saw, i've been chewing papaya enzyme tablets and drinking aloe vera juice. now the tablets are good. but that juice is awful. yesterday on Dr. Oz, he said we should all be drinking aloe vera juice for our health. let me just say that if you don't have to drink it and you've lived fine without it. stay away from it.
i bought a new pair of boots yesterday that without a doubt will be my all time favorite ones. buying boots is really the only good thing about living in wisconsin in the winter time. and if you have, lets say 10 pairs of boots, or even 13 or 14, nobody questions that.
not if they want to live.
is it just me or does everyone else want everything they see in the "title nine" catalog.
do any of you order from there.
i haven't yet and i was wondering if their sizing makes you happy.
~
the original post for today, which was much better and longer than this one, got eaten by blogger when i hit publish.
to say that i was irritated would be a total and complete lie.
i basically went through the roof.
and
if i remind you that i am totally caffeine free
you'll understand that i honestly
went through the roof
~
oh
and
i can't get this song out of my head
*

November 2, 2010

oh my heart....

sometimes

a single photo

or two or three

sits in my heart
with its legs crossed and arms stretched out
to catch me when i fall