Photography

Haven't been talking much about my photo hobby. I've basically been concentrating on uploading a picture a day to the photography blog.

Someone asked me why bother with that sort of marketing so to speak if I don't plan on making money, and I decided it was like the old concept of - if you want to be a writer, write every day. I don't necessarily ever need to make money being a photographer (said with snooty tone), but I want to get really really good. SO I dabble in it every day. That is the concept for the challenge.

I particularly like getting an older picture I'd given up on because I didn't know what it needed or didn't know photoshop even more than I don't know it now, to shine.

I think hobbies are important. I think focusing on one makes all the difference in the world... (no offense oh collector of hobbies sis-in-law). I think that concentration is the best defense against giving up. I mean most of us have trouble fitting in fun or passion into our day. Us moms are notorious for that, though I am not sure why. Working people are no better at it, in fact, possibly worse because most mothers I know are pretty 110% passionate about their kids... so even if we're doing nothing else we ARE being passionate about something we love every single darn ding day. I suppose we're so infamous for needing hobbies because those kids are so completely independent from us in truth and eventually in reality, the idea is not to invest in the kids as if they were a painting we created that we'll someday hang from the wall when we make it "good enough." No, those kids take our passion and hopefully thrive and build their own passions and seldom realize anything but a lot of love and cookie dough went into parenting them. SO in order to "remain ourselves" we are encouraged to have something that is ours that we CAN tuck away into our pocket or on our wall and say "It's mine. ALL mine."

So the photography. It certainly makes sense that that would be MINE, (all mine)... considering my checkered photography past... from elementary school on.

It's certainly something I am totally capable if not happy if not downright excited to do every single day. It's not a stretch, in other words, to make sure I take photos/mess with photos every day forever and a day.

I could write everyday, but it wouldn't be downright exciting.

I could eat cupcakes everyday... that would be sort of close...

Anyway, I'm enjoying myself.

Next step, when Jack is weaned and it's not a stress, is a photography class where I can eagerly try to get praise from some teacher. I do love being graded.

The funny thing is though, is now I put aside my favorite photos that I take to save for my picture a day on the photography blog. So I save my not favorite, but perhaps best story-telling photos for this blog and the Abby&Jack blog. And snapfish... poor snapfish... suffers greatest.

And my little point and shoot. Great little camera... has a months worth of photos stuck on it.

I'll put that on my to do list for tomorrow, to get those photos off there and to upload pictures to snapfish.

Okay.

Night.

So... right...

Doing well on the halting of the dessert binge. That's good.

Nursing is going well, though that is good and bad. I had sort of gotten excited about being free... not weaning so much... just being free. Classic eat your cake and have it too. Hmm. I want cake... Anyway, point being, weaning in and of itself is emotionally a little sad. Being free from breastfeeding isn't sad at all - it's 'let's go have a round at the bar even though I don't like alcohol' free.

Still... don't have much to say.

I really think that whatever hormones are common to the pill, pregnancy, and nursing stick me with a shorter temper and decreased drive to function in life... plus they add in some paranoia. I didn't totally recognize the feeling of... whatever this is... call it hormones or baby blues or whatever... until I was half in/half out of nursing. And as soon as things settled back to normal I felt that veil settle back over me... it's like theres this just slightly fuzzy film over my perception... like I can't quite find me until it's gone. I only see it when its new... otherwise all these just slightly overblown feelings seem perfectly natural and make total sense.

Oh well. Luckily no one seems to notice the increase in "crazy" except my mother... or... well... perhaps you're just not mentioning it. Either way, at the most its another nine months of this... then free and clear. And if Jack takes to solid food, it will be quite a bit less. So, its not so bad. With Gramma close, I can almost fight enough against it to do a consistent job on dishes... that's something.

I could almost pass as myself I think. Just with less to say.

This Little Piggy...

Goes to the Market Every Single Bleep Bleep Day... it seems... sometimes...

MD2 - The Pool was WARM

The air was not so warm... but the pool - the pool was wonderfully warm. Hence why Jack and I even took a turn in there.



Micaiah did not seem to care that it with "the wet factor" it was twenty degrees outside. He still did his usual in and out of the pool.

MD Part One

Does it ever seem like some people you want to hang out with you never find the time for?

Well that's us...or rather... Steve and Dave. Shannon and I and the kids do pretty well finding time, but all of us together is rare. It doesn't help that the men's work could conceivably go on 24/7 if their family's let them.

Memorial Day BBQ

I know, I'm Late, I'm Late, I'm Late I'm Late I'm late...posting it...

I'm getting there! Pics posted shortly...

Aaron's Brilliant

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_9387513

Aaron let us know about this article. He did not, however, mention he was on the front page of the actual newspaper. Just in time for his father's birthday. Not bad.

We only got one copy (not sure if his partners got a bunch) so if you have a Los Angeles Daily News for the 27th - keep it for us!

Steve's Brilliant

Comfort Things...

I have been noticing a strong urge to binge on comfort food or comfort shopping.

I've been successful in denying the comfort shopping... the comfort food... a bit harder.

I just need to remember to stop and think. I really find myself almost rushing to get the snack before my mind can stop me. Which I think is funny. Anytime you are working against yourself I find it slightly silly. I'm still holding steady at the weight... i.e. five more pounds would be fantastic... ten would just make me giddy. BUT I have not been walking with Maggie like I was and have been binging on dessert. SO just for the sake of not being a crazy binger, I need to stop.

SO I will... right after ... ;) Just kidding. RIGHT now. I think I've been letting it go non-stop since I got sick. So even my addicted side is like, 'yeah, we're cool, let's stop.'

Season Finales (safe for coffee and bagels)

You know what else sucks?

Season Finales.

I mean just the annoyance and general emptiness of knowing there will be nothing new for so many months is one thing (because nothing ever totally satisfies). The uneasy "oh you thought this couple was fine, but now we're throwing doubt out there so you don't get too comfortable and forget about us" season finale just depresses me and makes me resent the show and their manipulation of my emotions. CLIFFHANGER season finales are a whole other kettle of fish. They just make me mad. You really expect me to just hang on for all that time? Pfft on you. I spit on your cliffhangers CBS.

If I was really really really cool I'd tivo them and save them until the season premiere and just to spite them watch the premiere first and THEN go back and watch their pitiful rude cliffhanger.

THANK YOU "My Name is Earl" for having a decent season finale. One that refocuses the show and makes me feel a big sigh of, "Oh, good, all that I like about this show is going to be coming back with integrity after this detour of a season." Not that I had problems with the season, but you get the idea.

That is all.

You Know What Sucks?

When you've forgotten that you may have burned your scalp a while back and you itch your head while in public and then look in a mirror back at home and realize you've dislodged large parts of your flaked off burned scalp and didn't know it.

LOVELY.

Summer Pool Kick-Off

It wasn't that hot today but we started the pool hoppin' summer lovin' today anyway. Abby was there and had a blast (she went to sleep after bedtime routine within about thirty seconds - and I swear I am not exaggerating)... however she was not as into picture posing and so I didn't force it even though I almost got the cutest sweetest picture of her - it was blurry... but did I reshoot until I got it? Nope. Because I'm trying people. I'm trying to reverse the trauma.

Fairy GodMother-In-Law

I've been watching a lot of Fairly Oddparents recently. So I guess this train of thought was pretty logical. I've been thinking that there have been dozens of my deepest wishes granted... by my Mother-in-Law.

I don't know about the rest of you poor saps, but I happened upon a Fairy Mother-In-Law. Beautiful bed linens (maybe if I thought the bed was really really beautiful made... I'd make it). Clothes that made me feel cool enough during pregnancy to feel like a celebrity... or at least really human. A recurring gift of housekeeping every year for my birthday. A windfall of wonderfully cute clothes for my kids that scratches that very itch that I so much want to splurge. Gift cards to places that I shouldn't go but can go to now and then guilt free. Plenty of Zoozie-esque (yet appropriate) spoiling of the grandkids. Spa get-a-ways for the girls- coolest gift ever.

And now of course (with the help of my [well... I won't call David my Fairy Father-in-law because somehow I don't think he'd appreciate that ;)] - but with his great involvement too) the help in bringing my mom's retirement right around the corner.

It's the "little" treats that she gives that make it easy to stay on the budget and keep everything under control.

She is also, I might add, a very caring person. When I'm stressed or sad she is someone to listen and sympathize, when I'm happy, she is someone who wants to hear it, when I'm annoyed she's available to shake her fist at the situation with me, and even to give incredibly sound and tricky advice during a rough patch. She's the first one to add flowers to brighten any situation (even though she's perfectly aware I am going to accidentally murder them all the moment she drives away). She's also pretty funny if her children ever let her get a word in edgewise.

Of course it's not all wine and roses. I was perfectly happy living my life believing I was eating a good vegetable by eating corn. I was quite effectively relieved of this belief on my very first family bbq by this very same woman. It's a starch everyone, in case you didn't know. And apparently no good for you at all.

Despite the corn fiasco, I'm very very thankful. And pretty tickled. Abby has the cutest new clothes courtesy of my fairy godmother in law... squeeeee.

This is the best picture of her outfit yesterday I could get and it doesn't quite do it justice... the pants are just a little bit capri for the summer heat... sigh... *so* cute.

Julia's Birthday Party

Julia's aunt Kelly made this incredible cake.. and no, Dave was not just pulling my leg, the fact was confirmed by several non-pulling-leg sources.
To see Julia before her wardrobe change, go here.

Abby was so polite... even when she asked to help Julia open her presents (sigh)

Wesley will also have another appearance in the photography blog, though slightly less glamorous than his sister's.
Leave some room for the Holy Spirit, kids!


It was gloriously low-key on a 105 degree day. The kids were barely not in the little plastic pools long enough to eat pizza and cake.

Terrible Twos? Couldn't be...

Now does she look terrible to you?

Babies, Babies Everywhere

Christi and Rich had their second, a girl, Gabrielle Avery on Thursday, May 8 (8 lbs 12 oz at birth and 21 in long).

James and Lori had their second, a boy, Ben, May 12

Blessings to the new families!!

Gramma's Birthday (the return)

Years ago Gramma took command of her birthday to make sure she got what she wanted. Seemed fair to us (especially since she tends to feed us when she brings us all together). Seems especially fair to me who wants exactly what she does - a bunch of pictures.

You've already seen a few sprinkled here and there but the main event are the family pictures. The only problem? My picture taking has turned me into even more of a photo-monster. Now, not only do I want the pictures to be nice etc etc, but I want to be in control of them... i.e. I want to be the one pressing the button... i.e. I don't want to be in them. I mean... I do... for posterity's sake and for my own sake (I like pictures of my family together including me). But giving up control... not as easy.

So I didn't get any of my little nuclear family together. *sigh* I guess July will bring new demands. Which means I'm going to need another picture strike to prep Abby so she is not over-loaded with being asked to sit still for the camera.

I did however get a lot of interesting fun pictures and oh yes, I had a great time with my family. I guess that is the real reason Gramma likes us to get together.

SO we all drove to Mahattan Beach where Megan, Aaron and Bronx are enjoying living. We went to the Farmer's Market on that day and enjoyed very fresh food for lunch. Abby made friends with some of the other kids playing. Grandpa kept Jack from getting burned and we all just spent some time in the nice weather.

Some notable things happened. Like Jack being in the double stroller for the first time, Steve learning Manhattan Beach handicap ramps were designed by disturbed individuals, Steve dug a very deep hole, and... thats all I can remember at the moment.

Then we spent some time at the beach (well documented) and finally just stalled to miss traffic by watching a movie (Ice Age 2) and eating pizza. Abby, of course, still had energy to burn even after all this.

Even Dozen

Sunday marked 12 years since Steve and my first date.

House of Waffles

Since Jen's blog won't let me post comments and sometimes I greatly desire to leave one, I will try leaving them on my own blog.

Jen's daughter recently discovered Elmo.

I ADORE Elmo. You've got to listen to him, he definitely has a sense of humor. Just go ahead and sit through an entire Dora the Explorer before you find yourself annoyed by Elmo. Elmo is hilarious in comparison to some of the shows Abby has forced me through. He has character, he has personality, he has wit. He can hold his own with celebrities and usually is much more awesome than them (yes not a big accomplishment, I know), still. TRUST me. Enjoy Elmo. Elmo is wonderful.

My only complaint about Elmo was that on his wall he had a picture of his parents and they had three legs or something confusing like that. Drove me crazy. I think it was supposed to be a tail and if he'd drawn it short it would have been confused for a potty function perhaps. I dunno, but I didn't like that.

I kid you not, I miss Elmo. And I don't think Jen was naive at all to think her daughter wouldn't fall for the marketing... I just wanted to put in a defense of Elmo, because he's great.

List of shows with no heart, no character, or otherwise infiniti plus one worse than Elmo:
Dora the Explorer/Diego
My Little Pony
Disney Princess Stories
Barney
Heck, even Thomas (don't ever show this post to Wesley) is a dud compared to Elmo

Mother's Day BBQ

As is our custom, we gathered at Grandpa and Zoozy's. This serves many purposes, the greatest of which is that we do not have to cram our brood into a restaurant's time or space continuum. It also means we have more time and more flexibility to talk and share and sit and play ball and hit pinatas. What, you didn't have a pinata for your mother's day celebration? That's just odd.

Since the daughters-in-law have started having children there has been a dwindling number of people to help organize and contribute Mother's Day. Samantha took on the Captain's Chair for the event and everyone else took aim... on honoring motherhood.


Yes, I know mommy just made a stupid joke Jack, you don't have to flip out.


Megan made cupcakes and churros. How she made churros, we'll never know. It was an adventure we hear.
Tim, as usual, manned the Fire. And did excellent cooking. I had half a steak just eating off the serving plate before everyone gathered... it was just so gooooood. Afterwards he was thrilled to have the opportunity to swim with the kids. Don't let the sunshine fool you. The water was... well, I wouldn't know. But according to Abby... the water was fine. Just great. Don't worry about it.

The Mom Project

My thought was that this Mother's Day Celebration I would get pictures of every mom with each of their kids (present) individually rather than trying group shots.

The only one that didn't pan out that way was mine! Abby is still a little tender about isolating Jack & Mommy without her beautiful self.

Runner

Be careful what you comment...

Sarah commented that the only representation I had of her our last weekend away in my blog was her enjoying a forbidden cup of ice cream. The reason for that, of course, is the same reason there are rarely pictures of me or any other mother on trips. Unless we specifically ask we are either running after kids/making them nap or sleep so we aren't around during picture taking OR we are the ones that take the pictures (point being, yes of course the dads are working with the kids, thats what we have all the pictures of, but you see how it gets complicated).

ANYWAY then, as I giggled at a picture I'd taken today of Sarah, I got to thinking... wouldn't it be hilarious if the only pictures I ever posted of her were silly ones? A running gag... that only you who were reading this blog this particular week would know about. Everyone else would just think, "Gee, that sister-in-law of Adrea's sure is a hoot."

That's the decapitated back half of a pinata on her head in case you were wondering.

It's just a thought is all...

Did I Mention RED BULL sponsored the event?

My ill-fated trip to Coronado did not start off ominously. We were there for something Steve and I had been excited about for months. There is this super cool air race flown RIGHT through the bay, RIGHT outside Noni's condo called the Red Bull Air Race. I thought it was pretty cool before I knew anything about it. I had figured it would be way up high, I wasn't sure how much of the course we'd be able to see, that sort of thing. Well, that shows how much I know about flying. My first inkling that this would be different was the commercial I caught for it. It's "smaller" planes doing this crazy thing where they fly between inflated pylons with different rules for what they are supposed do - i.e. one set they are supposed to go through sideways (my poor pilot father-in-law is going to read my terms and cringe :) ), some straight through, others you have to bank all the way sideways one way then the other immediately. It was insane and quite impressive.


And there were perks. I knew the race was Sunday. I knew we were only staying Friday and Saturday. I knew we were going to see the race. I didn't exactly know how. It turns out Friday they were practicing. Saturday was time trials. So, we basically got to see everything without the crowds. AND David had a scanner so that we could hear the radio chatter... which made everything SO much more interesting. Before that there was a lot of, "Is that the silver plane with the green stripe or the green and yellow flame?" and "Quick! Get his number when he flies by before he loopy loops!" to try to follow who we were watching. After that we were insiders.


The unlikely star of the whole thing, the incredibly awesome daredevil pilots would be very annoyed to know, was the helicopter filming the event. He (for I have a crush on "him" therefore he must be a he) would wait over in one place and then there was a specific shot they would try to get each time which was coming from way up high, chasing the airplane through the cross pylons (the ones where pilots had to bank one way then the other). So from his neutral location he'd suddenly race up to a corner of the sky at some crazy angle the swoop down after the plane as it made its way through the course. It was quite cool.

There was plenty of family time. We went to the pool both days since it was heated, Abby ran her feet raw (hence Daddy holding her in the 2nd pool shot), and Jack had his first swim.

Everyone helped with Jack. I think I have separate pictures of everyone with Jack.

Sarah and I had a very nice game of Rummikub (with Ice Cream... it's a rule) while everyone else went to see Ironman.

It was really cool.

But lets not talk too much about Saturday... and please, let's never, ever mention the drive home. Jack had some screaming. Abby had some car sick. Auntie Samantha long ago earned her stripes... so I guess maybe she earned a purple heart. Oh, while we're not mentioning things, let's not mention that, sensing Steve was in for the sick wife of his life, I took the kids and spent the night at Gramma's for one last night of rest for him and was then promptly sick all over her new carpet... several times. Yeah. Let's keep that to ourselves too.