I just realized that I never posted this anywhere… I had the honor of being asked to be highlighted in a photography tutuorial book: Professional Children’s Portrait Photography. I was interviewed and I sent the publishers about 100 images to choose from and it was fun and interesting to see what they picked, including my OWN kiddos on the COVER and inside the album, including a large page of my Gab-a-roo!
Here’s the pages and a link to amazon, for anyone interested…. THE BOOK
I know it’s August, but Halloween always seems to creep right up and costumes sell out fast! I have to say, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Not for any “spooky” reasons (I can’t stand being SCARED! just ask my boy who got himself PUSHED backwards over our vacuum cleaner after scaring the STUFF out of me!–he was fine, I was horrified, and the vacuum cleaner? BROKEN! ha!)… I live in a wonderful neighborhood that has tons of kiddos and Halloween is a HUGE todo!
Anyway, I got my current Chasing Fireflies catalog (LOVE LOVE LOVE it!)… they have all the new halloween costumes in there and can I just share how MUCH I loved “torturing” my children when they were younger and forced them to wear ridiculous crazy costumes (I even thought I could SEW one year and while having pneumonia, finished a PENGUIN costume… my favorite was when my boy was a pillsbury dough boy! so cute!…one year he was peter pan and I was tinkerbell! Gabs first costume was dorothy, complete with her ruby reds!) Anyway… here’s a few super adorable ideas…check out the site! If anyone gets any of these AMAZING costumes, lemme know…I may put together some “halloween mini” sessions just because I love these costumes so much!
and how CUTE is this for decorating pumpkins?? 
Okay, I just had to share! One of Kevin’s brides, Jennifer, sent me the cutest “mini me”! I totally love it and it was a nice and fun surprise (especially after the daunting weekend I just had with my computer crisis!). No, these serve no purpose…other than make me smile! And that’s just fine! Thanks Jen! (and not a bad likeness actually!) You can see kj’s here: www.thekjblog.com
Unforunately, kids…yes, it’s once again that time of year, where one of my MANY computers decides, for whatever reason of randomness, to just NOT START up one day. I have a love hate relationship with my computers. I love computers and software etc, but every now and again (READ: last week!) my computers may not love me back. That happens. Just seems to happen to me more often than MOST! My friends and colleagues have often joked that I must have some sort of “electricity”…and who knows? Maybe I do? Luckily, I had most everything backed up (just some random downloads here and there and a handful of itunes songs)….oh…and ALL MY EMAIL! blahhhhhhhh!
So all those beautiful folders organized in my inbox, including the one that reads “reply asap”….Gone. Poof. la la land. lovely. So what does this mean TO YOU? you guessed it…. You haven’t heard from me? Guess what? Instead of working this past weekend on my email responses, I worked on reinstalling an entire computer. That’s not a fun undertaking, especially since I deal with SO MANY programs and serial numbers oh and an OCD collection of FONTS and Photoshop BRUSHES! ha!
In seriousness… I am working on retreiving as much email as possible from my server and work computer, but if you are waiting to hear from me, I’d love it if you sent me a new email. To make up for the inconvenience, I’ll be offering some specials coming up, so stay tuned!
In the mean time, (READ: while waiting for the guy to ring up my BRAND new computer and apple monitor–which really is pretty darn cool!), I was looking at this software: Apple’s Mobile Me. It’s only $99 and claims to “push” calendars, email, schedules etc to several servers and gives you 20gb of “online” space (ahhhh…that’s where all those beautiful, glorious email folders would be living right about now!). Knowing that I had TONS of other software to install this weekend, I didn’t buy it yet… anyone know more about it? Any comments would be great!
Well, I just might become a football fan yet (much to the happiness of several of my best friends!)… Don’t get me wrong, I love a great football game, it’s just that I really love the chips and dip that go with the “party”!
That said…my “baby boy” isn’t so much the “baby” any more… Yesterday was his first practice on the Pop Warner “Wolfpack” midget team. He’s never been that into sports and has always been a little “linebacker”…but in the past few months, he has actually lost about 18 pounds and is really turning into a “little man”. He’s really looking forward to playing (maybe I shouldn’t have told him “girls like football players”? haha!) Oh and yea….the voice has changed and he’ll be shaving soon! How did *I* get so old?
He really “enjoyed” the first practice (even tho it was a sticky humid Florida afternoon!)…I stayed and watched it all and was just beaming with pride! He didn’t complain or wince even though this was all totally new to him. Saw him “high fiving” some boys too…. I’m such a proud mom! (yea, I bought a car magnet and sun visor…waiting on his jersey number so I can get my “custom” proud mommy T shirt! Debating on the wrist bands and pompoms, but I’m sure I’ll succomb to the “mom” peer pressure! ha!
Night before…testing the uniform!
Even tho it was hot and humid… the afternoon had the most amazing FLORIDA sky! You can’t see it here, but there was a GORGEOUS rainbow too! beautiful!
darn paparazzi follow this girl everywhere she goes! can you say “talk to the hand?!?” (this is the Gabster btw…in case you couldn’t tell from the HUGE hand covering her FACE!)
Well, anyone who knows me, knows that I really do LOVE my birthday! In fact, I claim the entire MONTH of JULY as “my birthday month”. I share it with some of my best friends too, including Laura!
I woke up yesterday to Gabriela bringing me the infamous “You Are Special TODAY” plate with a bagel with cream cheese and some cheese-its and orange juice. Gotta love “gourmet” breakfast in bed! Andrew gave me a really great BEAR hug, and EVEN…a kiss on the cheek (which somehow became “not cool” between 2 years old and 12, so it was a GREAT present!). Kevin had to go home today so we spent the day in Ybor city and at the aquarium and finished the day with “the gang” at a neighborhood pool party.
So I’m the big 35 now… not in my “early 30′s” or “late 30′s”…I’m “MID 30′s”…feels sorta strange to be honest, but good at the same time. With every year that passes, I learn a little more, love a little more and experience lots! I am grateful for all the amazing friends I have in my life and look forward to the new friends I will meet in the next year.
Here’s a couple of the most recent pictures of me taken by KJ (thanks!)… the “end of 34″…. on to 35!
This is really one of my favorite holidays! I have fond memories from when I was younger going to my grandma and grandpa’s farm in Missouri and having a huge celebration with the family! We always bought HUNDREDS of dollars worth of fireworks and hand a GRAND ol’ time! (oh and lots and lots and lots of BBQ!).
Today, I celebrate this beautiful country of ours. I come from a LONG line of military members who have served and protected this great nation. Thank you to all the men and women in the service and to all my fellow Americans who make me PROUD to be an AMERICAN! I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday weekend!
On a side note, (but relative), here’s a clip from my most favorite show ever! Gabs and I went to see them live last fall and I hope they come to Tampa again because I will be there front and center! If I could pick another gift to be blessed with, it would have been the ability to dance as amazing as these dancers…maybe in my “next life” ha! Even still…you can always find me dancing! (can’t blame a girl for trying?!?) Enjoy!
June 30th….not my favorite day of the year….nor june 29 really…. b/c of the anticipation. I will say that I had an amazing fun weekend with my *little guys*…we went to seaworld, stayed at the JW Marriott;room service, inroom movie, AM Buffet, did the crazy fun lazy river a few times round…then the did the whole “DownTown Disney”, and sawKUNG FU PANDA” ….ska dooooosH”……so great times with the boo boos…but still. Today is the anniversary date of my brother Patrick’s death. He died of a heart attack 17 years ago. He was a really fun guy and we all miss him dearly. Here’s a few blasts from the past…. excuse the scans. I love you mom, dad & Caitie! Hope everyone has a great week.
okay…I literally ran fever more days than NOT this past week and have been coughing like crazy! I got some sortsa *crud*….but I’m on the mend! woo hoo! I meant to post these last week, but didn’t get the chance (before I was “death warmed over”)…I have several NEW images to post…so kids, GET READY for the ride!
kiddos had new haircuts weekend before last (Gabs even got about 5-6 inches chopped off!) so I decided, since we had to stop at studio anyway…to get a few shots of the three of us. It’s not the easiest… I bought a big mirror so I can sorta see the “posing”…but it’s really not that easy! ha! Anyhoo…. I was pretty happy with what I got. My *babies* are growing so fast. Mister man is 12 (and a half!) now….and “sister” is 8. I love these little people with all of my heart and soul. They are so much of what I live for. I love to work on portraits of them (yea, andrew got a new wii mariokart and gabs, DS nintendo dogzfashion….no matter! love it nonetheless! haha!)
What an adorable “Gerber Baby”…. I first met “Baby B” last fall and just fell in love with those AMAZING BIG cheeks and gorgeous BLUE eyes! She’s 6 months old now and I’m not sure how she’s holding her head up with those cheeks weighing her down! ha ha!
Since I never posted in the fall (and I’m on a roll, I must say)….Here’s some images from her first and second session. DOLLBABY!!
check out this belly button…. LOVE IT!!
