The Oldest

They always say that the younger kids in the family don't get as many pictures taken as the older ones, but it's kind of the opposite here. Before The Youngest started kindergarten he was home to model for me anytime, and even though he's in school now he's got more free time since he doesn't have homework yet.

On Sunday we went for a family drive so The Parent's could unwind from all of the previous week's stress. We headed up to Oswego so I could shoot something different, and when we found this wall on the side of a skateboard shop, I couldn't help but drag The Oldest out for a few pictures.

Isn't he handsome?

Whew!

That's what my desk looked like yesterday. I forgot how much work setting up a new computer was! I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon trying to get software called Intellimover to work. It's never been very fast (or reliable) and I finally gave up and decided to try a flash drive. As technologically savvy as I am, I've never used one until today. I can't believe how much easier it is to transfer files! I'm in love. :)

Saturday afternoon we worked on some of the kitchen demo. We'd been waiting until we could have the electrician move the wires that were in the wall being removed. Our recent electrical problems got that accomplished a little sooner than we'd planned and it was nice to take some frustration out on the drywall. Even though it looks like a tornado ripped through our kitchen and dining rooms, I'm very excited to see it opened up and can't wait to see the finished project!

The Youngest took this one while I held my breath and prayed he didn't drop Junior on the floor.

This is The Youngest's reaction when Daddy destroy's stuff...or anytime, really. We see this look a lot.

We left those logs there to help hold the house up until Matt and Bob can do their thing. This will be a big entry with wood casing that they'll match as closely as they can to the casings on the doorways in the original part of the house. I'm so excited this work is finally getting started!

Macro-less Monday

Over the past few months my computer has gotten slower, and slower, and s..l..o..w..e...r. I did the best I could to clean it up and remove anything I didn't need, hoping to put off getting a new one until the end of the year, but it didn't work. Time is money, and in the end I just don't have the time it takes to process images on that thing anymore!

As exciting as getting a new (faster) computer is, installing all of the programs and software I use on a daily basis is a tedious process. I managed to get Photoshop and my wacom tablet installed, but I'm waiting to hear back about a couple of other programs I'd downloaded to assist in editing. Because they're a part of my workflow I'm holding off on processing images. I'm itching to get to the pictures I shot this weekend so hopefully I'll be up and running tomorrow!

Which explains why there's no picture today. Look out next week, though! The contractor's will be here starting our renovation and I'm sure there will be lots of interesting stuff to take pictures of.

A Full House

This is what I saw this morning when I looked out the kitchen window:

Thank you Oldest for making me chuckle!

In house-related news we had plumbers and electricians and contractors here today. It's so funny (to me, I haven't noticed any of them laughing, to be honest) how our lazy fur ball of a dog turns into Cujo when men arrive to work on the house. He's got no memory, short or long term, so it doesn't matter how many times the plumbers have been here...they get the same snarling, barking welcome every time. They readily admitted to drawing straws to see who had to come up from the basement.

Turns out we had some pinched wires inside a wall that the electrician wanted us to take care of ASAP. I called the contractors to see when we could get that done and they were here within a couple of hours to take care of it. Here's a picture of Bob and Matt removing a built in shelf that was actually the problem.

This was the first time they'd actually used any tools during a visit since we're not on the books until February, but so far I'm really happy with them. When you have an old house it's easy to get contractors who would rather gut everything and start over than work with the existing structure. I'm adamant about saving the history and integrity of this old house and they really respect that and try to work with it. Plus they're really fun guys, and that's nice, too.

Now that the wires have been removed from the wall that's coming out, The Youngest is anxious to start demolition this weekend!

The Money Pit

When I returned home from the gym yesterday afternoon it felt a little chilly inside. Sure enough, the furnace wasn't working again. The good news was that our HVAC guys were here quicker than Dominoes pizza delivery...the bad news is it looks like we're in for a new furnace.

The plumbers left and Thelma arrived for her fun rock star photo shoot. We were sitting at the kitchen island waiting for the boys to leave when the overhead light went out. Since the kitchen runs off a fuse box The Husband checked it out to see if we blew one, and suddenly sparks were flying everywhere. It's a very unsettling sight to see in your house!

So, instead of a photo shoot Thelma and I hung out with the Electrician while he tried to make heads or tails of the situation. The bad news is we have to rewire the kitchen and connect everything to the circuit breaker...the good news is we caught it before we had a fire.

I'm praying nothing else goes wrong because I can't take anymore!

Macro Monday!

The Husband was correct, last week's image was a hair pick.

Good luck with this one!

50mm Friday

One of the best things I've ever done for myself was to join a couple of forums for Photographer's. It's especially beneficial to me this time of year, when I'm desperate to take pictures but lacking in creativity. Because I love shooting landscapes so much, I sometimes need a push to shoot something more mundane. (Like a cork, for instance).

So we have an ongoing assignment on Friday's to shoot something...anything...with our 50mm lenses.

Yesterday's subject was the beautiful tulips the boys brought home for me a few days ago. They know that tulips are my favorite flower, and I think it was The Husband's way of giving me something to take pictures of without being obvious. Thanks, guys! It feels a little like spring in the kitchen!

Still Life

I have yet to shoot a wedding between the months of October and May, but I've decided I need to find those winter Brides & Grooms in order to get my photography fix during those months. I get really antsy when I can't get out and shoot.

Until I find them, I have to keep taking pictures of whatever catches my eye. In this case, it was a cork!

Between the 3 days a week I watch my Little Buddy and Peanut, my Tuesday shift at the gym, and meeting with couple's, I've been busy. I've settled into a workout routine of sorts and am down 2-4 lbs. depending on the day (I need to stop weighing myself every day. I'm just making sure it doesn't go up, lol). I don't know if I have any hope of beating The Husband at this weight loss thing, but I'm dedicated none the less!

Last Night

Winter came back yesterday. When I woke up there was a beautiful dusting of snow sticking to everything. I've been itching to get out and shoot some landscapes, but it's near impossible for me to do so on a weekday morning. Instead, Junior and I stalked the boys at bedtime. Again.

The Oldest is kind of over having his picture taken. He's so almost 13.

But I still get some entertainment value from The Youngest. Here he is showing me his new tat and his bulging biceps.

Yesterday was library day at school. Here's The Husband bravely reading the book about snakes that The Youngest selected. I'm very proud of him...there's no way I'd read a book about spiders.

Murph's at the foot of The Youngest's bed, listening to the bedtime story too.

Macro Monday! Early!

You guys are a tough crowd! I must be the only blogger in history who can't give prizes away. :( I'm not going to hold it against you, though. In fact, I'm going to give my loyal reader's a few extra hours to figure out what this week's shot is. You're gonna need it!

Note: the object is lying on another object of a similar color.

Anyway...it's funny to me how some people can know a person so well when they've never met them in person. Amy (the Luna Vine) is like that with me. I think it has to do with the bond formed by women who drive trucks. (Or used to, before it had a mechanical meltdown). Whatever the reason, she knows with all her heart that I do not drink tea.

The Husband does, and I try my very best not to hold it against him. Back when I worked with at-risk boys I had a co-worker who drank tea. He also sat with his legs crossed and ate apple slices. He didn't last long.

So, yes, last week's shot was a tea bag. (And no, Husband, you don't get extra credit for knowing what kind of tea bag you purchased at Price Chopper).

Now please excuse me while I go make a cup of coffee...

Do It!

Whew! There's been a lot going on this past week. Shirley's going back to work soon, so last week I spent some time with Peanut so we could get to know each-other a little bit beforehand. If I didn't have the stretch marks to prove it I'd swear I'd never given birth to 2 children. I completely forgot what a 3 month old infant does. In preparation I washed up the high chair and a ridiculously expensive piano toy that The Husband purchased for The Youngest when he was little.

I was a little ahead of myself. She doesn't need the high chair...she's not eating food yet. And she's a bit too little for the piano right now.

I'm so out of touch with reality, lol!

Besides watching Peanut and trying not to sustain permanent injury to myself at the gym, I'm using the off season to upgrade my editing software and research potential album companies, among other things. I'll have more about the album situation in a future blog post.

In case you're unaware, we're experiencing spring-like temperatures here in NY. There's absolutely no snow to be found. This afternoon Junior and I took the opportunity to explore the Country Club a little bit. This time of year is rough for me...I have a really hard time seeing past the trees without leaves and the ground without snow. I like to refer to it as "stick and mud season". It's usually around this time of year I start petitioning The Husband to move to Hawaii.
I'm doing my best to focus on anything but the sticks and the mud, and I'm going to keep shooting for fun as much as possible in the next month of so. Who knows what you'll be seeing pictures of, but I really need to push myself to "see" beyond the obvious in order to nurture my creativity!

Emails and Other Related News

I got this email shortly after Christmas. I love it when couple's read my site and "get" me. I laughed so hard at this one!

My fiance and I are looking for a wedding photographer for our 5/24/2009 wedding. The wedding will be in the evening and on a boat sailing around Seneca Lake . . . so it is imperative that our photographer not have any issues with boats, water or seasickness!

We can make arrangements to have large amounts of coffee available, however an IV drip is not possible . . . If you are available on this date and we have not scared you off with our boat talk, please contact us at your earliest convenience.

I did end up meeting with them to chat about their wedding cruise. "A" & "G", if you're reading this, I hope to hear from you soon!

Other business-related stuff: After much deliberation I have decided that I will no longer be doing post-production work on images before your galleries go live. This will not only allow you to view your images online much sooner, it will also expedite the album design process. Instead of editing all of your images, I'll only need to edit the ones that are going into your album or being printed. As always, previews will be posted on the blog within 24 hours, and that will give you an idea of what your final images will look like.

The Boys

The latest pictures of the kids, taken in December.

Macro Monday

Looks like last week's shot was a bust! It was part of my printer.

On to this week's shot and contest: I'd like to start offering prizes again, so this week I'm going to try something new. The person who referrs the most people to the blog to guess will be entered into the drawing at the end of the month. So call up your BFF, your Mother, send the link to the person in the cubicle next to you...whatever! Have them leave a comment with their guess and your name as the referring person so you get credit.

I'm not sure what the prize is yet...I'll let you know!

O Christmas Tree

This afternoon we will be removing all semblance of the holidays from our humble abode, including the evergreen that's begun shedding needles if you even look it's way. I LOVE live Christmas trees, but you'll hear me grumbling in June when I'm still vacuuming up needles that have been hiding somewhere in the house.

Last night I took the opportunity to photograph this year's tree. I used available light (no flash) and camera settings that would give the "star" effect on the lights. The picture's not lopsided...the house is, hehe.

Goodbye tree!

Availability

Congratulations to those of you who got engaged over the holidays! 2008 has just started, but leads are already pouring in for 2009. It's never too early to start looking for your photographer.

There's so much that goes on behind the scenes where weddings are concerned (sorting through all of those images, editing them, and designing albums), and since I do it all myself the only way to stay on top of everything is to limit the number of weddings I shoot to 2 a month. That ensures that I don't get behind, and it allows me to give you the time and attention you deserve while still spending time with my family. I truly love what I do, and I never want to get so bogged down with work that I stop enjoying every minute of it.

I am (and have been) booked solid for August and October, 2008. I also have several dates with multiple inquiries (but no bookings yet), so if you put off planning because of the holidays, don't delay or you might loose your date.

Flo Runna

I don't usually do New Year's resolutions, but this year I'm dedicated to getting back in shape, so The Husband and I decided it was time for a contest. We've been putting money aside, and at the end of the designated time period the person who lost the biggest percentage of weight gets the money. I'm determined to be the biggest looser.

This morning I woke up and was itching to drive around aimlessly looking for photo opportunities, but I knew I should get my butt to the gym. My decision was made when I learned it was 2 degrees outside. I had an asthma attack just getting the snow off of my car...so off to the gym I went.

I arrived at the local fitness facility, changed into my sneakers and grabbed a treadmill. I'm following a workout routine I got online, so I have it all written down and have to follow it carefully...it's an hour's worth of speeding up, slowing down, changing the incline, running, walking, etc. Everything was going fairly well and then, about 50 minutes into it, I grabbed my towel, put it to my face to wipe off the sweat...and fell off the treadmill. Somehow I even managed to step on my own foot during the event.

I wanted to die.

On the way home I heard one of my new favorite songs by Flo Rida. In case hip hop isn't your thing, I've created a link for you. If you listen for a minutes you'll hear the line that I've changed for the sake of making you laugh. Ready? Here you go...

"...the whole gym was lookin' at her...she hit the floor (she hit the floor)....next thing you know....Lisa got lo, low, low, low, low, low, low, low...Them baggy sweatpants (yep, that's what I was wearing) and the Notre Dame hat...she kept on messin' with that freakin' iPod strap...she hit the floor (she hit the floor)...next thing you know...Lisa got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low.

Okay, now that you're done laughing, give me some encouragement!