Friday, October 28, 2011

Photo Friday 2011 ~ 42 ~

This week went by in a blur.  I am so busy with editing photo shoots and I somehow got roped into planning my daughter's class Harvest Party.  That, along with cleaning my house, hosting Bible study, and volunteering in my son's classroom twice this week and I'm just happy it's Friday!  Oh and we also had a little incident on Sunday evening when my son wrecked his bike.  He had just learned to ride without his training wheels a couple days before.  He was ready...my husband actually taught him in the time it took me to run to the pizza place to pick up a pizza and drive home.  He surprised me and his sister when we got back.  I couldn't believe it!  Anyway, he wasn't great at it yet and our neighborhood has those gutters along the sides of the streets and he wrecked.  My daughter was outside with him and she has a tendency to be a little melodramatic and will often come running into the house to say "he's hurt SO BAD!" and then I race out to see a minor scrape that isn't even bleeding.  So...I'm not always so worried when she comes running in.  My husband was home and was actually the one to run out that time, so he carried him in and his shirt was all bloody so I knew it wasn't good.  I took one look at it and knew immediately that it needed stitches and I've never even seen a cut that needed stitches before.  So, off we all went to the emergency room.  I thought about heading to urgent care since it's so much cheaper because of our insurance, but since we live so close to an amazing children's hospital we just decided to go there.  I am so glad we did.  They were amazing.  They had this gel stuff that numbed his chin (no more shots!) and then they had a woman whose sole job was just to distract the kids.  They also brought in a medic who was there just to hold his head still and then the doctor who did the actual stitching all while my son just thought she was cleaning his boo boo.  It went that great.  I just sat in the corner and tried not to be grossed out.  I didn't even need to hold his hand.  He was completely distracted and thought it was great because when it was all over they gave him a popsicle.  Pretty easy...getting the bill will probably be the worst part of the whole ordeal.

Back to the photos.  I thought I didn't have any to share so I went outside this morning and took a few fall photos for the Lemonade and Lenses theme this week which is "autumn".  I love the color that our tree in our front yard turns.


Another fall themed photo.  Those are our pumpkins on our porch blurred in the background.

I have these gerbera daisies that I got from my grandmother's funeral back in the spring and I planted them in  a flower pot on our porch.  They have bloomed all summer and even just this week they bloomed again!   It's amazing because I usually kill plants and this one is doing great.  So, the other day I noticed there were 2 more blooms on it which made me smile and then I was sitting at the computer later and my son came in and had something behind his back for me.  He had picked one.  My first instinct was to be upset because it would've lasted way longer if he hadn't picked it, but of course I just said thank you and gave him a hug (although later we had a talk about which flowers we are allowed to pick and which ones we should leave).  I'm kinda glad he picked it though because it looks so perfect in my tiny blue bud vase!  And I love turquoise and red together.  And now I have this photo to look at too!

Here's a pic of my boy and his stitches.  I think his scar will just make him look tough.

Hopefully this next week will be less eventful!  Have a great weekend!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Photo Friday 2011 ~ 41 ~

Today I'm just going to share a few photos from our weekend trip to the Smokey's this past weekend.  I haven't picked up my camera since we've been home.  I have been too busy working on photo shoots!  I guess that's a good thing so I shouldn't complain.  Here they are...

That group that I'm in, Lemonade and Lenses, had another theme which was "sun flare".  All weekend I kept trying to get some shots.  I like this one the best though where I switched my camera to manual focus so that the subject was blurred.  This is actually a bamboo forest.  In the middle of the Smokey Mountains.  We didn't even know it was there, we just went to a park for picnic and then we walked over to where we saw other people walking and there it was.  It was so cool!  

My daughter in the bamboo.

My son making the most ridiculous frowning face ever!  I don't even know how his face can do that!  

The kids on one of our stops along the drive to look at the view.  This is one of the few pictures of them actually smiling at me!

We always stop at this old church at Smokemont because the kids love to pretend they are preaching there. Here's my daughter sitting by the window.  I love the light hitting her face.

My son sitting on the steps going up to the door of the church.

Love this view out of the old window of the church.

I'm not sure why they look so serious in this picture, but I like the way they are touching hands.

We had a such a great time getting away.  I have so many more photos to share...hopefully I'll get it around to it sharing them before it's just a distant memory!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Bathroom Before and After

I finished up this project a few weeks ago and I am so happy with it.  I mean beyond happy.  You'll see why when I get to the before pictures.  I had meaning to getting around to re-doing this little half bath on our main floor ever since we moved in...over 6 years ago...yeah, so I had a little time to think about how I wanted it to look.  I changed my mind a few times over the years, but I knew I wanted it to be light and clean.  It was never really in the budget since in my mind I wanted to get a new toilet, new vanity, new sink, new floor, pretty much new everything.  When I finally came to terms with the fact that it just wasn't going to happen I went for the budget friendly approach.  I spent about $200 on this re-do.  I'll give you a little rundown in case you're interested, but first up, the photos!

BEFORE.  
All caps so you aren't confused about the fact that I might actually put something this hideous in my house on purpose.  Ugh...the sink!  Gross.  And the orange...blah.  The previous owners had painted everything including the trim, baseboards and the back of the door this burnt orange.  It was awful.  They also painted the ceiling a sort of tan color.  The cabinet looked orange and even the floor looked orange.  And the jungle border...don't even get me started.  How did I live with this for 6 years?!  Why didn't you people intervene?!

AFTER.
I love it.  It's clean, light and fresh.  I went with a cottage feel.  The wall color is called 'cucumber' and it's a very pale green.  I bought the paint plus primer and it took 2 coats (about $30).  I also painted the ceiling white with paint we already had.  I painted the vanity white (2 coats of paint we also already had) and got new hardware for it (about $20).  I bought that light fixture at Home Depot for $30.  It's an outdoor light.  I love the look of it.  That window was one I had bought years ago for my apartment and it used to have crackle paint on it (remember when that was so popular?) so I just added a fresh coat of white and then sanded down all the edges for a more distressed look.

The art above the toilet is the same from the before photo, I just spray painted the frame white.  I did purchase a new sink top for $60 at Home Depot as well as the new faucet for $25.  I did all the installation myself with a little help from my husband and my mom.  The back splash was a complete and total afterthought but it is now my favorite thing!  When we took out the old sink and went to put on the new one we realized that the old one had come up a couple inches higher on the wall.  There was a line of caulk that had done some damage to the wall and I was so done with sanding and spackling at that point so my mom suggested we just put in a back splash to cover it.  Off to Home Depot again and they had these mosaic tiles on sale and I only needed two 12"x12" squares which cost less than $10.  I bought premixed grout for about $6 and the rest of the supplies and tools I already had from previous projects.  I'm thinking about tiling my kitchen next!

There you have it!  Some of the best money I have ever spent!  I love it so much and it goes with the rest of my house now.  I also no longer feel the need to apologize and explain to people about why my bathroom is so ugly.  I still need to find a little towel bar and a toilet paper holder (who knew those things were so expensive?!) but I can live with it like this for at least another 6 years or so.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Photo Friday 2011 ~ 40 ~

I know...it's Tuesday.  This post is seriously late.  But I have a really good excuse.  We were on our way to the Smokey Mountains on Friday.  Here are just a couple photos that I snapped on our ride.  I have lots more to share and hopefully I will get to them this week.  That's my ambition talking.  I am so busy this week it's not even funny.  I needed a weekend away though and it's kinda nice being away from the computer and facebook and blogs for a few days.  Where we stay we don't get good reception and we were too busy to bother with trying to check email and all that other stuff that crowds my mind usually.  Hiking, picnicking, shopping and having movie night and a bonfire...these memories will last.  I waste so much of my life not really even living it, you know what I mean?  A weekend in the mountains is just what I needed to remind me to take time to enjoy this short time I have with my kids and my husband, and to really stop and look around at all the beautiful things God has created.  Why is it so hard to do this when I am at home?  Why do all those other things seem so important?  I'm going to try to drag myself away from so many screens on a daily basis and just relax and take time to reflect.  I really am going to try.

The leaves weren't quite as vibrant as usual, but still, the mountains and the way they seem to stretch on forever is beautiful enough alone.  I took this from our moving van and I can't believe how well it turned out! I edited two versions of this, the other was more warm, but I decided to share this one because this is more true to what the mountains really look like...they really do look blue in the distance like that.

My cuties with their travel clothes and hair.  I love the road cutting through the mountain behind them.

My boy on top of the mountain.  It was super windy up there and he had a strange coughing fit when we got back in the van.  It was kinda scary.

I'll share some more when I get a chance.  I love looking at vacation photos and remembering all the details.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

4 People 12 Times


September.  I have a love/hate thing for September.  The weather is so beautiful but it also means back to school which means less time with my babies.  It also is the time of year when my business picks back up though and that makes me happy.  My son started kindergarten and my daughter started 2nd grade and we got into a groove with our drop offs and pick ups.  It makes it harder for me to get things done when I have to always be somewhere in the middle of the day, but I wouldn't trade that half a day home with my boy for anything.  We did all the mundane things this month like doctor appointments (and shots, ouch) and school forms.  I started hosting Bible study again on Thursdays and I love it.  I love having a bunch of people here.  Plus, it forces me to clean my house which is kinda nice.  My son turned 5 this month.  I still can't believe it.  I shot a wedding with a friend and did a bunch of client photo shoots.  I got a new computer!  It seriously has helped my productivity so much. I am able to get my editing done much more quickly now.  Some friends came to visit from California and Texas.  It's so great to see old friends.  I started volunteering in the kids' classrooms which is always so fun for me.  I love meeting all their little friends and getting a glimpse into their days.  I'd say it was a pretty great month.  We went to the park after school a bunch and the kids have spent countless hours playing outside with their friends.  Sometimes it's the mundane things that make me smile.  The time we went and got slushies (my son calls them flushies) from Sonic and took them to the park.  The time I took photos of the kids in the backyard with all the neighbor kids.  Oh, and I redid my bathroom just in time for my son's birthday party! I've gotta post some before and after photos for you guys.  Sorry for the complete randomness of this post.  Sometimes when I reflect on the past month I'm just reminded how blessed we are to just have a pretty ordinary life.  We are happy and healthy and have great friends.  What else could I ask for?

To see the previous entries in this series, click here.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Photo Friday 2011 ~ 39 ~

My little boy stayed home sick from school today.  I'm such a pushover.  I should have sent him, but he did have a fever during the night.  He feels fine though as you can see from these photos that I snapped of him this morning.  I love this kid so much.  It's obnoxious.  But seriously, he knows just how to sweet talk me and get what he wants.  And even though I know he's doing it, I fall for it every time.  That's how in love I am.

Check out those long lashes and those freckles.  I tell him his freckles taste like cinnamon.

He always does this thing where he blinks really slow.  It's so cute.  I used to have a crush on a boy who did the same thing.  I don't what it is about it, I just really think it's cute.

So not sick.

Trying to look sad and pitiful.  I'm not buying it.


I think he's gonna be fine...don't you?  Have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

10 Years Ago Today...






Here's to 10 amazing years with my favorite person in the whole entire world.  Thanks for giving me everything I've ever wanted by making me a wife and a mother and enabling me to stay at home and raise our children and make a home for our family.  Thanks for encouraging me to do photography and being my biggest fan.  Thanks for making me laugh and driving me crazy and always having my back, and always loving me even when I'm not so lovable.  I am a lucky, lucky girl.   I love you.  I respect you.  I am your biggest fan.  The End.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Sweet One ~ A Photo Shoot ~

Our wonderful friends from California were in town last weekend and they have absolutely the sweetest, most adorable little baby girl you have ever met.  She had just turned one the week before so we decided to do a little photo shoot while she was here.  Of course, whenever they come to town Ohio has to show it's worst side and have horrible weather, but we were able to get some great shots regardless.  This little girl is so laid back I swear she didn't cry once at our house while she was here and she came over right after a flight from Los Angeles followed by a visit to relatives and a two hour drive to our house.  My kids would've been having meltdowns left and right after that.  She is a tiny little princess who is clearly the apple of mom and dad's eye.  She is a total chatterbox...in jibberish.  It's adorable!  I can't wait to see her again.  I just wish she didn't live on the other side of the country! :(  Oh well, it's an excuse to get myself to some beautiful California weather, so I guess I can't complain.  Here are my favorite pics.

I love her cute little facial expressions.

It started to rain on us, but luckily we were able to use this porch.  She didn't seem to mind!

Love her tongue sticking out...too cute!

Talking to me.  She reminded me of my son, the only other baby I've ever heard talk that much jibberish.  I think she's gonna be a major chatterbox someday.



When I am editing, I always go through my 'rejects' one last time to make sure I didn't miss one that I should have kept.  I found this one and now I think it's my favorite!  I have no idea why I missed it the first time.  I really like the light in it.



I've only met her twice and I adore her.  I can't wait to see how much she changes between now and the next time I see her.

It was so great to see you guys again and be able to take your perfect baby girl's photos.  I hope I am lucky enough to do it again sometime!

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