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2010-03-20T15:41:00.001-05:00

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2008-10-29T16:15:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone! (Or should I say "both of you"--heehee) (Hey, two readers are better than none!)

Carly has been sick again today. I say again because she missed school on Friday of last week too. Last week she had a bad stomach ache off and on for several days. Friday morning was particularly bad, so I let her stay home to rest. It has been better the past couple of days, but this morning she woke up feeling nauseous (which is different) and has had diarrhea. She looks pale. There is definitely a stomach bug going around, so I didn't take her to the dr. yet. She just stayed home and rested. If she feels okay in a few hours, we need to get her Halloween costume. (Yes, we have waited until the last minute--mostly due to crazy schedules)

If she doesn't feel better, I don't know what we'll do. Richard and I are supposed to go to the Mavericks game tomorrow night (we got invited to a suite!) so that leaves us no time at all. Ugh.

SS 1 still won't talk (nicely) to us. I had a text exchange with him...just trying to figure out what is going on in his head. He said some incredibly mean things again: "I don't want your damn money and I gave u all a chance and u all blew it like I knew u would..now leave me alone and u people can go be cheap and mean somewhere else" and "...u all are pathetic and are a waste of my time". Isn't that sad??

I emailed his mom and asked for her help in this situation. I figure she could talk to him and reason with him. My God, if my kids even STARTED to talk to their dad that way, I would ground them until they got over their rudeness! She, of course, never even acknowledged my email. See, lately she has been incredibly rude to me. She shakes her head and scowls at me whenever she sees me....she talks about me--loudly--in public to other people, and she pulls the kids away from me any chance she gets. I really think the behavior of SS 1 has a lot to do with the way she treats me and/or us. I can't imagine she ever says anything nice about us to him. I've been researching Parental Alienation Syndrome and I really think this is happening here.

Well, another load of laundry is calling my name. Time to run. Have a great evening!!

2008-10-22T16:29:00.003-05:00

It's been a nice day...of doing nothing.

Tomorrow I begin my career as a part-time substitute teacher again. I put it off for a while, so I could enjoy my time off, but I am now ready. I am only going to sub at my kids' schools. Mostly the Elementary school where I worked last year and OCCASIONALLY the middle school.

My first job, tomorrow, is for a 5th grade teacher. Should be fun considering these are my kids from last year. I pray they will be good for me even though I KNOW they will be excited!

The next day I am doing a half day (afternoon only) for Jake's 3rd grade teacher. I love 3rd grade! I'm excited to do this one. Next week I am subbing Wed, Thurs, and Fri for the same teacher. It's going to be weird being in Jake's classroom all this time.

As much as I miss teaching, I just don't know how I would be able to handle it this year. Our kids' extra curricular activities are much more time consuming this year and we run constantly with something to do every single weekday. Plus, I currently have all 3 of mine in orthodontic treatment, so those appointments take time. I wouldn't be able to foster a sweet boxer if I was working full time either....and I love that!

I forgot to post the following pics last week, but they are of Jake's golf class. He is participating in an after school program that teaches golf. He loves it!!

Richard and I might go watch the first game of the World Series tonight....although I must admit I would be very content to stay in and relax. Practices have been cancelled tonight and Richard's boys asked if they could stay with their mom to go to a birthday dinner for Matt with her...so we have a lot less than usual going on tonight. YAY!

2008-10-18T14:00:00.003-05:00

Well...I am trying hard to stay in a semi-decent mood, but it isn't easy.

Stepson 1 is being a selfish kid. He is basically refusing to see us because his dad won't just buy him a car for his 16th birthday. Can you believe that??? Spoiled much? DJ turns 16 in a little over a month. Can you imagine if we just bought each of them a car? Sure....no problem, right?

We *did* go out and open each of them a savings account with a $2,000 in it. Not too shabby of a gift IMO. In fact....I was opposed to that amount....I thought it was too much. Richard insisted.

So....SS 1 won't come over. His exact words were, "I don't want a stupid $50 gift card for my birthday" and "I just asked you for one thing, and you won't get it for me."

Ugh. I'm so frustrated.

One guess where he gets this attitude....and it's not his father. *rolls eyes*

2008-10-16T15:34:00.004-05:00

I am not sure what is up with me, but I am so sleepy in the mornings lately. I get up at 6:20 to get the kids off to school. When they leave (by 8:00), I go back to bed. I usually read a little bit, but eventually I fall back to sleep. Yesterday I slept until NOON!!!! Today I *made myself* get up at 10:30. I hate being tired. I feel so lazy.

I've been lazy today, though, that's for sure. I've done very little, but read blogs and take care of my dogs.

Jake had a half day today, so he and his buddies from next door have been playing. Luckily they have been playing outside as opposed to the usual which is playing in our house. (I don't know what it is about our house, but oh well...). I was enjoying the peace and quiet until Jake yelled at me from the door....

"Mom, we have a problem!"

Ugh. Words no mother likes to hear.

I run outside and THIS is what I found.

Yeah...small problem. Those are balls...about 6 maybe? All stuck up in the gutter of our roof--way up high!

My question to the boys was...."WHY??" I mean, I understand ONE ball getting stuck up there...then maybe throwing another ball up to try to knock the first ball down maybe...but SIX???? At some point around the 2nd or 3rd ball wouldn't one think that maybe, just maybe this plan isn't quite working?!
Ugh.
Richard is NOT going to be happy. I have a ladder, but I am not about to climb up it as I am terrified of heights. As much as I'd love to protect my youngest child from the wrath of his stepdad, I just can't do it.

Jake has a football scrimmage tonight, then no school tomorrow for my kiddos. I will be going to a parent-teacher conference with Jake's teacher tomorrow morning at 8:40. After that, I might take Carly to buy a new outfit as she is going a bar mitzvah this weekend.

Hope everyone is doing well. I'm really enjoying getting to know you all through your blogs.

2008-10-14T15:22:00.003-05:00

Praying for RAIN......I usually don't like rain, but let's just say that Jake not having lacrosse practice today wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Richard is working late and a quiet dinner with my kids sounds much better. We have something EVERY night...EVERY day...I swear. A break would be very welcomed by the whole family.

Jake was sick yesterday...and his stomach still hurts "a little", so maybe it would be better to let him take it easy tonight.

Am I a bad mom?

A "mommy" wouldn't do that, right?

Anyway....today I took my first One To One class. It was pretty informative. I've had my MacBook for a while now (about 2 months, I guess), but there are still things I don't really know and haven't quite gotten used to. These classes are great as you can just ask whatever you want about any apple product/program. I had a couple of questions about syncing my iPhone calendar with my MacBook calendar, etc.

I have had a couple of really productive days. This is good for me as I've been struggling a bit with my depression/social anxiety (self-diagnosed). Lately there have been more days than not that I have wanted to do NOTHING and see or talk to ANYONE. It is nice not to feel that way right now. I hope it continues.

Speaking of productive....I guess I'd better go fold clothes. ALWAYS have laundry to do in the "Brady" household! *wink*

Have a SUPER day!!!

2008-10-10T15:15:00.002-05:00

This is so weird. I woke up this morning feeling like something really bad was going to happen. I was depressed and anxious at the same time. I tried to explain it to Richard, but it was difficult to do.

Well, I just received a phone call that my kids' dad just got laid off. It was completely unexpected. Not good at all.

Needless to say, we are keeping the kids this weekend, while he deals with this problem. They don't have any savings..in fact they are behind on their bills already. They are only giving him 2 weeks severance.

Other than that...it was a decent day. Jake had his first student council meeting this morning. He was so excited and proud. He had to be at school early and that was not a problem as he was ready to go 30 minutes before we even had to walk out the door! So cute.

I am leaving to pick him up in a few minutes as he also had his first after-school golf lesson today. They offered this cool program for the kids at our school and I jumped on signing Jake up. His dad is a big golfer and I figured it would be cool for him to learn at least the basics. I can't imagine he will learn a lot, but we'll see.

It was supposed to be a kidless weekend...and we were going to do some OU/Texas celebrating/watching....but we'll still have fun. I am so thankful for Richard being understanding in the need to keep the kids here this weekend. Our alone weekends are very special and important to us, but sometimes we have to give up that time.

I've really been enjoying reading people's blogs around here. I feel very inadequate compared to most, but hopefully I will learn. I've got to learn to budget my time, so to speak, so I don't neglect my household chores to read blogs. Hehe. It's been happening....can you believe that?!?!?!

I'll leave you with important words....BOOMER SOONER!!!

2008-10-09T15:19:00.002-05:00

I'm really scared about our financial situation. Yeah, I know...join the club. Here I am, not working, and bills keep piling up.

We've never struggled...still aren't at this point, but it's not looking good for the future. We've lost 45% of our retirement savings. That is scary.

I pray that Richard's company stays afloat, but who knows what is going to happen. Ugh!

I think I need to wait on Jake's orthodontic treatment. I feel bad, but I can't afford it and my ex can't help me much at this point either.

I am really stressed. Very nervous.

2008-10-06T15:51:00.002-05:00

Oh my gosh....I just got back from the orthodontist. Jake and Carly are both starting treatment. Carly got braces last week, and Jake is in the process of getting started in "phase 1" which is getting an expander put in. I will now be paying about $270 dollars a month. Ugh. I swear I should have never quit my job. I am going to have to find a way to earn some money. I will probably start subbing at Jake's school a couple of times a week, I guess.

STRESS!!!

2008-10-06T10:59:00.004-05:00

The weekend was good. Pretty busy, as is typical for a family with six kids, but good. I won't bore you every week with our weekend details, but I figured I would write out the events of this one so you can see what we typically do every weekend.

Friday night Jake had football practice, Carly slept over at a friend's house, and Ethan had a school "social". I fed Noah and DJ dinner here and Richard and I went out for a quick bite on our own in between bringing Jake home and picking up Ethan. After we brought Ethan home, Richard and I went to a this little hole in the wall hangout that we like to go listen to music and have a few beers.

Saturday morning Richard, Noah, and DJ took Jake to his football game and I took Ethan and Carly with me to Mitzi's (our foster dog---see other blog) Pet Fair. The Pet Fair was a nightmare, so we didn't stay the whole time. About the time we finished, Richard and the other kids met us for lunch. After that, we had a couple of hours free, so I took a nap. (I love naps!!!!) It was a short nap because Jake had lacrosse practice at 4:00. Noah had a game in Highland Park, but luckily some friends took him to that since Richard is one of the coaches of Jake's team and had to run practice. When Jake's practice was over, we waited around for about an hour talking to some other parents until Noah got back. By the time we got home (almost 7:30), we were exhausted. We ordered pizza for the kids and relaxed the rest of the evening.

Sunday Jake had a lacrosse game at 1:00 and Noah had one at 4:00. We didn't have time to go home between these games, so we just had lunch and ran into Wal-Mart to get a couple of things. We got home from the games at around 5:30, fed the dogs, showered, then took the kids to Outback for dinner. After Outback, we went to Barnes and Noble. (I love going to the book store!!!) By the time we got home, it was pretty much bed time. We were ready, too! :)

I'll leave you with some of our goofiness at dinner last night. I have started carrying around my old (non-professional) camera in my purse. I figured that way I can capture things that happen more regularly. Carrying around my good camera gets a little tedious.

Ethan being a goofball! (I hate the quality of pics this camera takes)

Richard and Carly

Preview of next weekend....DOWN WITH THE LONGHORNS!!!

Have a good week everyone!

2008-10-04T09:19:00.004-05:00

It's time to get back into the swing of blogging. I have been thoroughly enjoying reading others' blogs and I wanna try to make a habit of writing daily.

For those of you who don't know me..I'm Beth. You can read all about me in my profile I guess. Just know I am not the "Mommy" type. I'm "Mom" and always have been. I am far from perfect and our blended family has as many ups and downs as the roller coasters at Six Flags.

With six kids, our days are pretty full. My only free time is when they are at school. Unfortunately that is when I am supposed to clean my house, run errands, etc. Well...I need some down time, right? *grin* As you can imagine, my house isn't spotless.

I look forward to getting to know many of you. I admire the talent around here. I hope my blog will be half as interesting as the ones I've been reading lately.

2008-10-01T09:27:00.000-05:00

This is the organization that we are volunteering for. I'm not asking for money...just your vote!

Simply click on the picture below and vote for NorCal Boxer Rescue. There is no cost to you, there is no further obligation, and you can choose to remain anonymous if you wish. It only takes a minute of your time, but that minute can offer a Boxer in need a lifetime that he or she might not otherwise get.

$10,000 Can Provide:

Spay-Neuter Surgery
Microchipping
Wellness Exam & Annual Vaccinations
Fecal Flotation & Dewormer
Heartworm Testing & Treatment
High Quality Food, Heartworm Preventative & Flea/Tick Control

For Approximately 30 Boxers!

Please Vote Today!

The animal shelter or rescue organization with the most individual votes by November 1, 2008 wins $10,000!

2008-09-12T12:50:00.003-05:00

We are in LAS VEGAS!

Richard and I are here because Richard is attending a conference. For a work trip, however, there is very little work that is having to be done. A lot of socializing (aka NETWORKING) and some fun activities.....and you call that work? Oh...and we are staying at the Wynn.

Last night we went downstairs and I watched Richard play some craps. I do not fully understand that game, so I just watch. He did pretty well. Only lost about $60, I think.

Then we went to the reception where we basically walked around talking to people. I did a lot of nodding and smiling (lol) but it was nice. I was a little distracted worrying about the kids and animals who were at home with our sitter. But once I knew everyone was home from their various activities and ready for bed, I was able to relax a bit.

Dinner followed at the Country Club. It was nice. I had the Chilean Sea Bass for my entree. It was very good. We even had dessert, but even though the chocolate cake was TO DIE FOR...I had no room for more than a bite or two.

We were exhausted after dinner and decided to call it a night. Today is going to be fun as we are doing some sort of Amazing Race activity this afternoon, then we are going to see a show tonight. Should be fun.

2007-08-09T11:05:00.001-05:00

Our pool is finished!!!! Here are some pictures.....
Here is the kitchen area. We have a built in grill and refrigerator. Richard put speakers up and so we can listen to music out there as well. It's really nice in the evening.

We are going to get lots of use out of our backyard now. It is going to be fun! :-)

2007-02-13T22:29:00.000-06:00

Today was TIRING! I didn't stop running most of the day. I DID, however, take 5 minutes off--just for my sanity. During that 5 minutes my door only got knocked on once and my name was only called twice.

Heaven!

2007-02-12T20:43:00.000-06:00

I played some more with my white paper tonight. I'm too tired to do much, so we were just silly.

I went to my first NILMDTS session today. It was sad, but a good experience. The baby had lived only 5 minutes in this world. How sad is that?

Kids are still up and wanting my attention. Goodnight.

2007-02-11T21:18:00.000-06:00

Decided to play with the white seamless paper tonight, but was having a hard time with lighting. One of my bees isn't flashing for some reason (hopefully just a burned out bulb). Today's picture is Carly, who modeled for me straight out of the shower. :)

2007-02-10T18:01:00.000-06:00

I've been so swamped that I haven't had time to come visit everyone else's blogs in a few days. I promise to catch up after I edit this session I did today. Some of you already saw one of these on the board, but for those who haven't...Here are a few from my boudoir session today. This girl was great. A total natural. It was a lot of fun.

2007-02-09T14:01:00.000-06:00

I did a newborn session today. It was fun. I really enjoy photographing babies. Here are a couple as I have just started editing them....
I have a boudoir session tomorrow....I'll try to get a model release for that one. We'll see. :)

2007-02-08T17:52:00.000-06:00

The kids love their Wii! Here they are playing baseball. It is fun not only to play, but to watch them playing as well,.

2007-02-07T21:47:00.000-06:00

Today is my sweet daughter's 11th birthday. We are actually celebrating it on the 17th when we have her "Hollywood" party. :)

Tonight we just went out to dinner then came home and did homework. Here she is with Richard helping her with her math.

She is such a good girl. I'm so proud of her. She is student council president, she is a straight A student, and she is part of a district honor choir. She takes after ME, of course....hehe!

Happy Birthday Carly Marie!

2007-02-06T22:11:00.000-06:00

Oh man, I almost didn't get my photo in today. At 10:00 pm, I was just finally sitting down after a long day of rushing around and I realized I hadn't used my camera at all today! So, I decided to go peek in on my youngest, who gets to sleep with me tonight because my hubby is out of town. Instead of taking a picture of my son---who wasn't asleep yet----I snapped a shot of Mr. Hamilton, who apparently thinks he gets to sleep with me tonight as well. :)

2007-02-05T15:34:00.000-06:00

This is Jake. He is one of the 4 of our 6 kids who are playing lacrosse this spring. Jake couldn't resist donning his new gear to practice in the front yard today.

DJ is still sick. He still has a fever. He is coughing a lot too. The dr. says strep sometimes takes a few days to respond to the antibiotic.....but usually he gets better after the first day. I think he has more than strep quite frankly. The cough is deep in his chest and it is making him miserable.

Have a great day, challenge buddies! :)

2007-02-04T22:21:00.000-06:00

Super Bowl Sunday.......need I say more?

2007-02-03T16:53:00.000-06:00

Our Project Today
We got these pics framed and Richard worked very hard to meticulously measure and hang them just right. These are black and whites of each kid (except the one who refuses to be photographed). There are two pics of each kid....one with a serious expression and one with the kiddo being silly. This wall is in our entry way...we have a little rotunda area when you walk in the front door. People who come here to get portraits done will walk by these and I figured it is a nice little gallery of my work. :-)

2007-02-02T21:27:00.000-06:00

My 14 year old has strep. He gets it once or twice a year lately. :( Poor guy. He feels horrible. The good thing about strep is that he gets put on antibiotics and usually feels better within 24 hours. I would rather strep than the flu. Hopefully the other 5 kids won't get this......

2007-02-01T19:11:00.000-06:00

Today has been quite busy. Started the day at my daughter's Spelling Bee. She did great....one of the last 5 people. She finally got out on the word "tongue".

Then I had the second part of the 3 month session I started last week. I haven't really edited many of these yet, but here is a sample---for my photo of the day.Now my oldest is sick.....icky cough, chest hurting, and fever. No fun.

Hope you all are doing well. This challenge is fun! :)

2007-01-31T20:13:00.000-06:00

Carly is planning her birthday party. We are going to have a limo take her and 7 of her friends to eat pizza in a couple of weeks. She is calling it her "Hollywood" party. I am going to make invites. We had a little photo shoot for a "Super Star-ish" type picture to put on the invitation. Here is an example of what we did.

I was tagged...so here are my 6 weird things about me:

1. You guys know this already, but I am addicted to McDonald's diet coke.
2. I am a very phone shy person (until I get to know someone).
3. I LOVE to organize....I'll buy bins and bins---just to fill them with disorganized stuff.
4. I change careers every year or two. I've been a flight attendant, a teacher, and now a photographer. Next year I plan on going into skyscraper construction.
5. I know every word to most songs from the 80's and many of the songs from the 70's.
6. I LOVE Hot Tamales candy....they are my favorite. I have to buy a box of them every other week or so. YUMMY!

Now....who hasn't been tagged?!?!? I'm going to list 6 people.....sorry if you've already been tagged.

Melinda
Margie
Jess
Heather
Anna
Kayla

2007-01-30T21:37:00.000-06:00

I'm so tired....I barely got a picture taken today. It's just been one of those busy days. I don't even have the energy to post anything interesting.....so today's photo is of my youngest reading his bedtime story to me. Honestly, if I hadn't been workin' the camera, I would have fallen asleep lying next to him.

Goodnight all!

2007-01-29T21:01:00.000-06:00

I'm not the only one here who has a hobby....

My husband collects and paints metal soldiers, tanks, etc. He also makes buildings, warehouses, and other objects so that he can set up battle scenes. He has a whole room in our house with big tables and his set-ups. We call it "The War Room". There are games the boys can go up there and play for hours at a time.

Richard spends hours painting these things. They are tiny and it amazes me that this relaxes him--it would stress me out! :)

Here are a couple of pictures I took in "The War Room" tonight. This is the Battle of Parkers Crossroads in WWII. It took place in Belgium.
Here is a close up view of one of the soldiers that he painted. He looks big in his trench, but he is only 20mm tall.

2007-01-28T19:24:00.000-06:00

Here are two of my favorite guys......hubby and hammy. Love 'em both! :)

2007-01-27T18:11:00.000-06:00

The wedding was a BLAST! I LOVED it! It was not the easiest of all shooting situations--the place was small and crowed, light conditions varied A LOT, etc. But it was fun. The bride and groom were very laid back and sweet. Here are just a couple of quick shots....first the bride and groom....
This one is the bride's daughter---with the Dallas skyline in the background:
I've got SOOOOOOOO much editing to do. Can't wait to see how the rest of them turned out! :)

2007-01-26T20:28:00.000-06:00

My newborn session was actually a 3 month old session. She was such a cutie! I so love babies. I don't think weddings are going to be my thing because I just ADORE photographing little ones too much. The session was at their home and we had to cut it short because the baby got really sleepy and fussy. We didn't get to do any of the planned shots of baby with her parents, so I asked the couple if they wanted to try again next week. They are going to come to my "studio" next Thursday and we will do part 2 of Baby J's 3 month session. (if they like these, they might sign up for my Baby Plan---yay!!!) Here are a couple from the session:

2007-01-25T17:27:00.000-06:00

I'm doing a newborn session tomorrow morning, so I guarantee you won't be seeing my kids or my dog for tomorrow's entry. LOL!

For now...more playing with my lights...and my dog, Hamilton.

2007-01-24T21:44:00.000-06:00

I'm feeling a bit stressed about the wedding I am photographing Saturday. I am renting a 17-55 2.8 lens for the occasion and tried it out a little tonight at my daughter's practice. I didn't get a lot of spectacular shots...it's so dang hard shooting in a gym sometimes. But---the picture I chose for today is the end of the practice. The girls are so much fun and so full of energy.

GO DIVAS!!!!!

2007-01-23T20:28:00.000-06:00

Can you tell what we watched tonight? It wasn't as good as the last couple of episodes, but it was still entertaining. The boys must have been interested in something Paula was saying as they stopped playing "football" for a few minutes here. Normally they are mostly just interested in the actual auditions.

2007-01-22T20:42:00.000-06:00

Wanna see MY desk area? I'll be brave enough to share....

Keep in mind I share this work table with my hubby who paints little metal soldiers, so half of the mess is his.

:)

2007-01-21T20:22:00.000-06:00

Today was a pretty ho-hum day. In finding my photo for today, I just snapped pics of my family doing whatever they were doing at the time.....so here is Carly playing on the computer. I know....nothing creative. I'm sorry.

2007-01-20T20:40:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday To You!

Happy Birthday To You!

Happy Birthday Dear HAMILTON!

Happy Birthday To You!

Today is my sweet labrador retriever's birthday. He is one year old. I love this dog. He is so good with his new baby brother.....so tolerant of the 6 kids in our family....and just an all around sweet love puppy!

2007-01-19T21:56:00.000-06:00

We love to go to the Pet Store as a family. We enjoy looking at the puppies, the hamsters, and the birds. This bird isn't for sale, but is so much fun to watch. She just hangs out and watches everyone. She says "Hello!" every once in a while and she does this darling "dance" where she bobs her head up and down. The kids love her. Trouble is her name and here is a picture of her.

2007-01-18T14:57:00.000-06:00

I'm addicted, baby!

This is my addiction. It is a McDonald's Diet Coke. Diet Coke in a can won't cut it. Diet Coke from other fast food restaurants aren't quite the same. I truly love the fountain Diet Coke from McD's. I have to drive through once a day to get one....then my day is complete. :) Some people have their Starbucks habit...I have a McDonald's habit.

2007-01-17T20:39:00.000-06:00

I tell ya he's a good model. :)

2007-01-16T19:17:00.000-06:00

Had a couple of darling boys over tonight for a quick session, but before they got there I decided to practice with my light meter. (I still don't know how to use it properly, but I am determined to learn!!!) My daughter --- who likes to call herself my assistant---set this one up completely. Isn't Otis a good little model?

2007-01-15T15:48:00.000-06:00

Well....it is day one of the challenge and I decided to photograph something that doesn't move for a change. It's my kitchen! I chose my kitchen because it has just recently been painted and the walls textured and I just love it so much! :) This is just the eating area, which is the part I love the most---and not just because I love to eat--haha!

One down, 29 to go! Woohoo!

2007-01-10T22:27:00.000-06:00

Getting ready for a FUN challenge.....A Photo A Day for 30 Days starts 1/15. I'm looking forward to this! :)

2006-12-28T20:56:00.000-06:00

We have a new member of the family!

Meet Otis Snorts Schwartz....Otis is a sweet little Pug we have brought into our family. He was born November 11 and is a DOLL! The kids and Hamilton love him. Hamilton probably loves him a little *too* much...he wants to play with him and doesn't realize how strong he is! This little guy snores and snorts and licks and nips.....what a fun pup he is!

I hope everyone is well. I'm sorry I have not been updating this as much as I should be. I have been keeping busy with the kids and the business. Now that the holidays are over, I think I will be able to relax a little and maybe use my camera for some fun, share with friends and family shots! :)

I have to go snuggle with my Puggy-poo.......Have a GREAT day!

2006-07-25T22:53:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure anyone reads this, but I'll post anyway....

We just got back from vacation a couple of days ago. It was a lot of fun. We spent a week at Hilton Head Island, then a week at the Outer Banks of NC in Corolla. The kids had fun---we all did---and it was nice to be with family at Hilton Head. I haven't gone through all the photos we took, but I'll share a few for now.
Back at home, business is keeping me busy. I did a newborn session Sunday, a portrait party with 5 baby sessions today, and a swim team (group and individual photos) tonight. I had some cute babies today at the party.

I have a business blog now.....that is where I will share my images from sessions I do. Check it out!

2006-06-15T09:11:00.000-05:00

We took Carly and Ethan to camp Tuesday. It was weird dropping them off and knowing they would be away for 12 days! I pray that they don't get homesick. I want them to have a great time. Everyone I have ever spoken with has told me that Greene Family Camp is the best experience and that kids hate to leave at the end of the session. *fingers crossed*

2006-06-06T10:42:00.000-05:00

We are in London!

So far it has been a very nice trip. Here is the view from the apartment in which we are staying:

Sunday we went to the London Rugby 7's and had a BLAST! I love that sport! I didn't bring the camera, because they don't allow "carry-alls" (backpacks), but we had a total blast. We were in a suite-type situation whereas we could watch inside on big screens while we ate or drank, or we could step outside for the authentic feel of being at a sporting event. I had a blast watching the fans from all over the world. My favorite were some people from Kenya that NEVER sat down! They had some of the most hilarious cheers/chants/dances. Heck, they had me getting into some of them...lol! I had the hardest time getting used to a score being called a TRY. I'm so used to someone TRYING to score....not scoring a try!

Yesterday wasn't so great. My sinuses have been acting up for a month now, and the pollen-count here is through the roof. You can see the stuff flying through the air. After ending up Sunday with a terrible headache, I was dizzy and weak all day Monday....very congested as well. Managed to get up so that Richard could take me out to a wonderful, nice dinner when he got home from work, but really didn't feel great. This morning I went to the dr. here (hated to have to do that) and he diagnosed migraines brought on by my allergies. (?) He prescribed a migraine medicine and some antihistimines.

After the appointment, and finding a "chemist" to get the prescriptions filled, I went exploring with my camera. I basically got on the train with no idea as to where I wanted to get off....but I ended up at the Green Park. It was beautiful. People were everywhere enjoying the early summer sun. It is obvious that the weather hasn't been nice like this for long here. It is beautiful, too...about 70 degrees, light breezes....beautiful!

From there I walked to Buckingham Palace, then to St. James Park. I'd like to share some pictures from my journey.....I hope you enjoy them!

Gates of Buckingham Palace

View of London (and the Eye) from St. James' Park

I'm having trouble uploading pictures. I have many more to share, so I'll keep trying to post more throughout the week. Keep checking in and PLEASE drop me a comment and let me know what you think!

Hugs to all....

2006-06-01T18:11:00.000-05:00

Hello everybody! Did you all give up on me?!

It's been a busy first week of summer vacation. We have been getting ready for our trip to London, Jake's been sick with a stomach virus, and the photography business is up and running.

Richard and I are still in the "portfolio building" stage of our business. We offer free sessions in exchange for a signed model release form so we can use the photographs for our online galleries. We give a free 8x10, but we have been getting some decent orders as well. We shoot together on the weekends and evenings (Richard has become quite the camera hog---we need a second one I keep telling him) and I work solo during the week.

Here are a few sample shots from my first ever maternity session today:

It was a fun session and I have another one tomorrow morning.

I'm sure we'll take pictures in London, so I will post some during our trip.

Hope you all are doing well.............Hugs to everyone!

2006-05-07T21:28:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! It's been a busy few weeks around here. Sports seasons are winding down and we have been taking pictures, making slideshows, etc. Here is a sample--a team photo we took of Carly's volleyball team:

We also took individual pictures....here is Carly's:

We took a few studio pics of Noah today. They turned out pretty cute. Here are a couple of them:

That's about it for now. I promise to post some more pics soon!!!!!!

2006-04-19T21:04:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! Hope you all are doing well! Everyone is healthy here and the weather is GORGEOUS! It was too hot yesterday (97 degrees, can you believe it?!?!), but today was in the 80's and perfect. When Jake got home from school yesterday all he wanted was to swim. Great, except we have no pool yet. Don't even have a hole in the ground yet. He wanted me to find him a pool. He wanted me to call all our neighbors who have pools and see if they would let Jake come swim. He was relentless in begging. I finally sent him outside--thanks to my husband's idea:

This made him very happy. Like the dog dish pool? :)

I have my first official portfolio building session Friday. I'm going to photograph my next door neighbor---who is 2. I am doing it for free to get the experience and some pictures (hopefully) that can go on my website or in a portfolio. I hope I get some good ones. I'm nervous as I have no studio lighting--YET (I'm saving for some strobes). Wish me luck!

Richard and I are going to the zoo with Noah tomorrow---his field trip. We are looking forward to it. I'm sure we will get lots of pics!

Speaking of pics, here is one I took of Ethan and D.J. this afternoon. Look how grown up they look---and of course it would be uncool to smile for the camera! *wink*

Hugs to all!

2006-04-11T09:51:00.000-05:00

POTD April 11

I took a few shots of the kids this morning. I am trying to practice portraits as I have a family who wants me to take some for them *gulp* in a couple of weeks. I thought this one turned out pretty cute. Of course, it helps that I have a cute model. :-)

Hope you all are having a wonderful day! More pictures soon, I promise!

2006-04-10T20:23:00.000-05:00

Not sure where the time has gone.....I've been subbing a lot, and the weekends have been JAM PACKED with games, leaving me very little computer (blogging) time.

We took several pictures at Noah's soccer game while we were freezing our tails off. One of the cutest ones, of course, was of Hamilton.

He is such a sweet dog. He has to have surgery because he has early stage hip dysplasia. This surgery is done at a young age and is very successful with most dogs. If we didn't do this, he most likely would be in a lot of pain as he grows up. Think about Mr. Hammy on Friday--that's the day we are doing the surgery.

Here is a picture of Noah and one of Jake....I thought it Noah's was especially cute with his teammates looking on from the sidelines. Jake is just doing a throw-in (he loves soccer!).

2006-04-02T09:37:00.000-05:00

Picture of the Day 4/2

Matthew spent the night last night and he met Hamilton for the first time. I think they like each other. It's really hard NOT to like this dog. He is mellow, sweet, loving, and down right CUTE!

As for his name...I have no idea where it came from. Richard thought it up and I thought it was fitting for a big dog.

I made up his middle name...Wilbur. That is after the pig in Charlotte's Web...because he snorts like a pig. Hamilton Wilbur Schwartz...yep...that's our baby! :)

Have a great Sunday everyone! Love you!!!

2006-03-30T09:05:00.000-06:00

Today's picture of the day is an introduction.....

Friends and Family, meet Hamilton.

Hamilton is our new baby. He weighs twice as much as Siggy did full-grown and he is only 10 weeks old! He is a soft, loveable, and GENTLE sweetheart.

We were going to adopt a lab dog (and avoid the puppy stage), but we decided that we would rather know the dog's history, raise him and train him the way we want him to be, and reduce the shock the cats were going to feel in seeing such a massive canine.

The kids all adore him--even DJ who wanted a pug or a boston terrier instead. Richard and I adore him. He slept in bed with us, until about 4 am when he was all of a sudden restless and wanting to play. (I took him out, then hung out in the family room with him so Dad could sleep) He walked (when I wasn't holding him) the kids to school with me this morning and did pretty well on the leash.

I'm going to Petsmart today to buy lots of chew toys...and to look into their puppy training classes. I want this dog to be very well trained.

I think he is going to be a wonderful addition to the family!

2006-03-27T10:58:00.000-06:00

POTD 3/25-3/26

I just wanted to post a picture that I took Friday, then later I will post several from this weekend. I thought this turned out quite cute--it helps having a ham for a son!

Let me know what you think...

2006-03-24T08:58:00.000-06:00

POTD 3/24

My wonderful husband bought me an AWESOME new lens for my birthday!!! I am so excited about it! He tricked me, too. I seriously had no idea because he had me believing I was getting something that had nothing to do with photography! He gave it to me early so I could play with it today on my birthday. (Isn't he sweet?)

So, today I play. Since the kids are at school, I am using my 4-legged kids as subjects. Today's picture of the day is of Tabby sitting in the sun. It's taken with the new lens and natural lighting.

I hope you are all doing well and staying warm---it was 31 degrees this morning when I took my kids to school! And we thought it was Spring--ha ha ha!

~Hugs to you all~

2006-03-22T22:09:00.000-06:00

Here is the slide show I threw together today for the kids. (click on the screen to view it) It summarizes our camp retreat weekend pretty well. Carly and Ethan are for sure going in the summer and watching this made them even more excited about it! Enjoy!

2006-03-22T11:23:00.000-06:00

Picture of the Day 3/22

I have been a bad blogger....I just have not had time to take any interesting photos over the past few days. So...today's POTD is a collage I made with Greene Family Camp retreat pictures. I'm working on a slide show as we speak, and when I finish it I'll post it so you guys can see it!

2006-03-20T09:27:00.000-06:00

Photo of the Day 3/20

Took this last night with my white backdrop. It was very difficult for me to get a good shot with no shadows...I still have SO much to learn. Anyway, here it is. Noah and Jake after their bath last night:

2006-03-19T09:52:00.000-06:00

Photos of the Weekend March 18-19

This has been a very WET weekend here in Texas. Saturday morning DJ had his first Flag Football game and it was so miserable outside that I watched most of it from inside the car. We got a few pictures, however--and took one beforehand.

The kids didn't mind the weather much. I took these pics from inside the car---Ethan and Carly were cheering and dancing together at one point! It was hilarious! They all had a good time cheering DJ on.

Carly, then had her first volleyball game. It went very well and was much more comfortable, being inside and all. *grin*

Jake was so bummed because his soccer game got cancelled because of all the rain. He can't wait for his first game! We missed last week's because of camp, so the rainout this week REALLY disappointed him. HOWEVER, I must brag on my little guy: He won the award for being RESPONSIBLE in his kindergarten class. His name was announced at an all-school assembly and he got a certificate. Here he is displaying his award:

Noah and Ethan had no games due to it being their Spring Break this week.

I'll leave you with one last picture. We had a RARE photo-op this morning! We actually had all the kids stand together for a picture. Matthew spent the night last night---and even though he didn't want to be in the picture, he stood with the kids for us! YAY! It's not even a good picture as they are all looking in different directions, but at least you can see everyone's face! :)

Hope the rest of your weekend is wonderful!

2006-03-17T08:58:00.000-06:00

Pictures of the Day 3/17

I'm posting one of my sweet Ethan! He is so good-hearted and loving. He brightens my day and I'm truly enjoying having him and Noah here for Spring Break. It's just a bummer that my kids' spring break was LAST week, while theirs is THIS week. Oh well. Here is one to put a smile on your face!

And since I didn't post my picture yesterday---I meant to, but it was a crazy day...here it is. Jake is learning to read this year and I caught him "in the act". Yesterday's picture of the day is Jake reading his book about wheels.

Have a Great St. Patty's Day!

2006-03-15T18:52:00.000-06:00

Picture of the Day 3/15

Didn't have much time to shoot today as I've got a deadline to meet in doing layouts for the yearbook. (It's fun, though, so I don't mind being busy working on it)

I got a new external flash yesterday. I love it. I played with it a little this morning and I got a really cute picture of Carly.

I guess this should be my picture of the day, but I also did a fun one (so I guess there are two photos of the day!)

I hope you all are having a great week!

2006-03-14T08:46:00.000-06:00

Picture of the Day 3/14

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. We are very sad here, because our beloved Sigmund escaped again. He has been missing since Friday. Being that he is microchipped, I have called every pound around, we have signs up, and he had tags on....the outlook isn't so good. Being gone so long and not having heard anything, we are beginning to fear the worst. The local dog shelter has told me that there are a lot of coyotes around here that kill small dogs, like Siggy. :( However, Richard and I are going to think the most positive thing we can: some nice family has him and decided to keep him as their own because they love him so much. Not what we would wish, but much better than the alternative. And of course we still pray daily that he will be returned to us unharmed!

So...the picture of the day is of my precious baby dog. The one who sleeps cuddled up next to me every night....the one who follows my every step during the day as I work around the house.....the one who plays with Richard every night with one of his zillion toys....the sweetest dog I have ever had:

2006-03-13T08:34:00.000-06:00

Photos of the Day for 3/11 and 3/12

We went on a family camping retreat this weekend, so I couldn't post my POTD's. But---we got 191 pictures! I'll be making an AWESOME slideshow, that's for sure! Camp was wonderful! The kids had a blast. Ethan and Carly want to go back in June for 12 days. We'll see if we can afford it, but we really want to as it would be an amazing experience for them....and they both made friends that will be there as well!

Soooooo---with that are your Photos of the weekend. I will only post a few, but hopefully you can get an idea of the fun that was had by all 5 of the kids (Matthew didn't go with us unfortunately).

2006-03-10T12:19:00.000-06:00

Picture of the Day 3/10

Here is a shot of Drew and Carly in a rare moment where they are actually being nice to each other----ha! Just Kidding!

Hey---PLEASE feel free to comment on these every once in a while, so I know who is looking. I don't want to feel as if I am posting these for nobody. I want my family and friends to see my work/the kids/ etc.

2006-03-09T09:31:00.000-06:00

Picture of the Day~March 9

For some reason, when I see the sun's rays shining through the clouds, I think of God.

This morning I thank Him for all He has given me including my children, my wonderful husband, my health and that of my family, and this beautiful world.

2006-03-08T20:27:00.000-06:00

Picture of the Day 3/8

Not a lot to say....my fish was my model today. Played a bit on Photoshop and came up with this. :) Enjoy.

2006-03-07T16:58:00.000-06:00

Photo of the Day 3/7

The cat is always an agreeable model as she is NOT the most active creature in our house. Here she is in her relaxation mode.

2006-03-06T14:11:00.000-06:00

Picture of the Day --- March 6

I love Black and Whites. I decided to take a photo of Jake and then convert it for something a little unique.

I'm so glad to be getting some friends and family visitors! I hope you enjoy these blogs. Let me know what you like and don't like about my work.

Hugs to you all!

2006-03-06T11:16:00.000-06:00

Picture of the day for March 5

This was fun. Richard and I had as much fun as the kids with this mondo bubble wand! Took several photos. Here is one of my favorites:

2006-03-04T21:31:00.000-06:00

Picture of the day for March 4

This is my step-son, Ethan, at his Lacrosse game today. He is such a good player! I chose this picture over the action shots, however, because I love the look of concentration here.

2006-03-04T12:33:00.000-06:00

I have decided to start a photography blog. I post pictures all the time on my Xanga blog, but since discovering twopeasinabucket.com, and their wonderful photography forum, I have decided I want to post favorite photos daily. It has started b/c of the March Picture a Day challenge. That has me motivated. I want to see if I can improve my skills over the coming weeks....months.....etc. I am IN LOVE with photography!

I will post the first 3 POTD photos now.

March 1

This is Jake and one of his soccer teammates during practice. I thought it was cute.

March 2

I was feeling down on this day, so I went to the park. In one of the trees, I noticed these new blooms. Nothing cheers me up like spring and I loved how pretty these flowers looked against such a blue sky. Spring is Coming! Yay!

March 3

I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I was in bed all day. I had to find a picture that I had taken previously and this was the one I chose. I cropped it and sharpened it a bit, but I think it shows off Jake's eyes beautifully.

I'm still feeling bad today, but I am going to try to go to Ethan's lacrosse game and get some pictures later today. Then I will have my POTD for today! I don't want to miss any....I love a good challenge!