Bye Bye Summer

We had our end of the summer pool party today. I almost didn't go because as usual, I had things I needed to do. I am glad I went. It was relaxing and the kids had a blast. Kaitlin had 2 friends and Jack had his precious Carsyn to play with. Eric and I sat and had several conversations (full conversations), so that was nice. I hate to say goodbye to the pool, but man do I love the Fall. I am excited about football gatherings and colorful trees and cool weather. I love this state. I love the weekends. I love relaxing...no matter how not in my nature it is...it is nice. I must go....Eric is yelling at me from the living room, upset that I am not watching Tiger Woods with him.

Jack + goggles = cute

I love the look on Carsyn's face.....she's so sassy.

Gee Tar Girls

Kaitlin and her friend Aspen (who will be famous some day) sat around our house last night playing guitar and singing and I was in awe of them. Kaitlin just started playing for real this week but Aspen has been playing for a year now. They both write their own songs and sing like stars. It blew me away. I n\know how far fetched this is but I sat there listening to them and realized that maybe, possibly, someday, I might be interviewed by Rolling STone Magazine saying, "I feel like it was yesterday that they were 10 years old and strumming their guitars in my living room. Aspen dad is in the music business and Aspen has already played a few gigs herself. I feel thankful for Kaitlin to know her because she lights the fire under her fanny and inspires her to work harder at her craft (I hate that word). It was pretty awesome listening to them. I kind of wanted Aspen's autograph. LOL

(These photos are completely unedited and compliments of my new external flash. They were taken in an almost dark room...pretty good lighting ha?)

You gotta love Kaitlin's rocker hair.

Baby Dakota

I got the pleasure to take this sweet baby's photo last week and believe me, it was a pleasure. Brandi, a dear friend of mine, had this sweet baby girl at home in early July.
Congratulations Brandi and Bobby! I can't wait to spend more time with you and the girls soon! Dakota was a slice of heaven to photograph..... as you can see. There are so many more beautiful ones that I haven't had the time to edit but I can't wait to get my hands on them! I love to photograph newborns now. There's just something so heavenly about newborns.

All Grown Up

(The Humid Look)

I remember this happening with Kaitlin......Jack was 8 months old and I had been sleep deprived for quite some time. She had been in Kindergarten for a month or two and I realized that all of the sudden, she was ALLGROWNUP. I missed a lot of it with Kaitlin because I had a baby, but there is a special thing that happens to a Kindergartener. They go to Big school and unconsciencely purchase a pair of big pants, and then BAM...they're big. It is an alien abduction of sorts. A phenomonon that Kindergarten teachers everywhere get to experience every year. And it's the reason many K teachers, no matter how exhausting Kindergarten is, never want to leave that position. (Remember the poster: "Everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarten"?) Since I see this happening right before my eyes, I'd like to make a note of a few "little jack-isms" that may slowly vanish out of thin air as he grows into this Kindergarten "man" he claims to be. I'll do that at the end of this post. For now, I must record a few behaviors that have recently left me in tears, gut wrenching laughter, or just a little smile.....as I am getting little glimses into what kind of "man" my little boy seems to be transforming into. Of course....I must have photos, so I had to add the recent photos of Jack trying to decide which hair style would be best for the first day of school.

(The Faux-Hawk)

Last week in the car Jack was being unusually quiet. When I asked him what he was thinking about....he simply said, "war" (but he can't pronounce his "r" yet so he makes that ugly war word sound so cute). Then he goes on to say......."Mommy, when I gwow up, I want to be in the awmy so I can fight fow fweedom." Oh My. I had tears.

(The Electric Shock)

Friday night we went to Aunt Pattie's for dinner. On the way home I was falling asleep in the car and said that I wished I had a pillow. Jack then did something that I never thought he would ever do......he offered me his beloved b.l.a.n.k.i.e. I declined in shock that he was doing this, but the little man insisted. He claimed he didn't need it, but when I took it from him (hesitantly), I looked back into the dark car and he was culred up in a ball...cold and unsure about his decision. He kept insisting the was fine, so I snuggled with his beloved....in total shock at what had just occured. He ended up asking for it back after 5 mintues, but that was a BIG step......very manly. His blankie is a part of him......like his hair or his teeth. What a sweetheart.

(Harry the Clown)

Wednesday morning he left my classroom by himelf and walked to his class without even telling me. I check my Kindergarteners in in the mornings and it's a big process as I walk them through the unpacking and organizing process each morning, and apparently Jack got bored...so he just walked out ( I usually walk him down to his class and get a hug out of it!). I ended up finding someone in the hallway to watch my class so I could walk down to his classroom to make sure he was there. There he was, coloring at his seat. All by himself. I smiled and waved and said "you left without telling me" and he simply said, "I'm big now", shrugged his shoulders like, duh mom, and kept on coloring. Really?????

(Richie Rich)

During the 1 1/2 weeks of pre-planning I made several attempts to try and work with the kids in my classroom with me. Um, no. It was not happening. Jack was being so difficult and whiny that I called many members of my family threatening that if someone did not come get him, I was going to have a full blown nervous breakdown. Last week he was 5......this week he had decided to be 5 1/2. The beginning and end of the school year can result in some pretty long work days, but I have worked everyday until 6 all week, get this, WITH JACK IN THE ROOM. He has been so good all week, just hanging out, playing, eating snacks and making friends. PRAISE GOD! I was able to survive my first week because of his newfound manliess.

(A little McCauly Culkin never hurt anybody)

He has started this thing where he reminds me of stuff. Every afternoon he comes in with his backpack and shows me everything in it. He then reminds me the next morning that I need to pack him a snack, sign this or that form, make sure his lunch is ready, ect. He doesn't seem to care that it is already done, he has to remind me himself. He is taking on the responsibility of school like a champ and that makes me SO HAPPY. Kaitlin is my little responsible reminder and she is seriously 16 in so many ways, especially when it comes to school and taking responsibility of her schedule/work/projects.....she has never put that on me. I wasn't sure I would get lucky twice. I just may!! He is very concerned that I am doing my job as a mom and signing the necessary paperwork/packing the snack each day/sending in lunch money, ect. I love it.

(The slightly nerdy...but manly look)

So it has happened....the aliens have arrived, abducted my son, and given him back to me a man (or at least on his way to being one). I look foward to the days to come....watching him grow up, and out of the whiny-irrational-tantrum stage. (yes!) Here are a few things that I will miss about my little boy, you know, now that he's becoming a man (I guess he just skipped right over the guy stage).

1. I will miss watching him carry his blankie on his shoulder curled up in a ball while twirling his fingers through the knots in the side. He comes down the stairs like this every morning after "wake up time".

2. I will miss him waking me up by abruptly yelling in my sleeping face that it is wake-up time and demanding a snack and a drink ASAP. I will only miss this because I have big, high bed and it was always funny to see just the top of his orange head making demands from below like a little prince, even if it almost gives me a heart attack to wake up like that).

3. I will miss laying down with him at night and him saying...."Mommy, will you protect me?" This means he wants me to snuggle with him..... melts me ever time.

4. I already miss smothering him with kisses. He's all done with that. It's hugs only now.

5. I will miss his "r" that he can't yet pronounce. But when he finally learns to say his r's, I'm going to miss hearing his cute way of speaking. It makes him little!

6. I will miss his little feet. They keep getting bigger and before long they will be too stinky to kiss! I love his little feet.

7. Last but not least, I will miss his ability to play in front of me. I love hearing him make sound effects and play out loud with me right there. After a while kids get too embarrased and want to be alone so you can't hear their imagination at work. He still plays in front of me now, so I can enjoy it for the time being.

WOW.....that took a while, but I'll be so glad I wrote this all down in 10 years. I wish I had this blog when Kaitlin was abducted by teh Big Girl aliens. I might just have to take stoires from my old journal and put them on here. There are so many things I want to record about her but she won't let me because some of her friends read this. I may do it anyway and make it private.

First Day of Kindergarten!

What a DAY!! Today was a great day for Kaitlin and Jack. As you can see by the photos, it was hard for them to wake up early and face a new school year before the sun rose, but they managed. Jack was excited to go to school and loved wearing a bookbag and carrying a lunchbox. I saw him from across the lunchroom and he was standing up next to his seat, waiting for me to notice him, and he started waving and yelling "hi mommy!" all the way across the cafeteria like crazy.....melted my heart to mush. I got teary and then I stoped myself from going there in front of my own emotional Kindergarten class. He was SO positive this afternoon and walks around our school with his head held high like the King of the World. Thank you God!

Kaitlin is not feeling well but still was her usual self and apparently loves being a 5th grader. She asked me today if SHE could walk Jack to class tomorrow morning. He said okay, so I agreed. Very cute and loving of her....which is a breath of fresh air for 2 siblings who fight non-stop. They come together when it matters. :)

I'm off to bed. I can't use my brain anymore. Me.So.Tired.

Can you tell how tired they were? Jack can't even open his eyes!

taking a break

Over time, this blog has turned into something that my friends and family actually check and enjoy, which makes me glad, so I must explain to you that I am taking a short break from posting for a bit to tend to some back to school schedule changes. I've been working 12 hour days trying to get ready for my 21 Kindergarteners to arrive Monday. That alone has consumed all of my time for the last 8 days. Then add taking care of the kids, driving them all over the word to anyone who will take them so I can work, and running constant errands to buy the boo-coodles of items that need to be bought for the beginning of a new school year, keeping up with normal housework, bills, food, and l.i.f.e., with a husband who is out town, is enough of an explanation as to where I have been.

I've taken some great pictures lately and as i sat down just now to post a couple of really super cute ones....I came to a sad conclusion that all of the photos on my camera have been erased. All of them. Al 547 of them. And I have no idea how, or when. On my camera, as life would have it, were 2 photoshoots that I recently did for friends that I have yet to have 2 seconds to download or edit due to what happens to a teacher's life the week before school starts. I might cry when i finish this post, but for now I will just count my blessings to keep myself from losing it. To add to that, my desktop has died, with 3 years worth of pictures on it, and my new computer was supposed to be delivered to a neardby town.....and as life has it, it wasn't. It was delivered to a town a HOUR away. And.......um, when and I going to have time to drive an hour away to pick it up? Not any time soon. I've been working in my classroom 12 hours a day for over a week and am going back to work on Monday and as teachers do....I will spend 12 hours a day running around like a chicken with my head cut off the whole month of August. And of course, the computer store is closed on Sundays....or i could go on my one day off all week.

SO.....I have this laptop, but I can't download any more photos on here because it is my work computer and it's slowing down rapidly due to the amount of photos I've had to download as my desktop has slowly died. None of this is life-ending, I know. It's all minor. The photo shoots make me want to cry though. One of them was of a newborn and they were the best photos I've ever taken. Oh well. What can I do, right?

So this is why I have been far away from this computer. Life is crazy for us right now. I'm in pre-planning insanity and Eric is out of town for 5 days and all I can say is THANK YOU GOD FOR MY MOM'S!!!!!!!!!!! Both have saved me this week as I have tried to work in my classroom WITH both of my kids (starting a new grade level is starting from scratch) and have called them with a scary sound in my voice as I have spent 3 hours there and accomplished z.e.r.o. with them there. Not venting here...just speaking the reality of my life every last week of July. The happy side to all of this is that I have a job!!! Many teachers are out of jobs right now but I have work, and that is a blessing.

I do look So foward to downloading pictures on a super fast computer and going back to this blog that I love so much. But for now, I can't. Now....I'm off to cry over my lost photos. Oh they were so beautiful.

Are you cuter than this 5th grader?

Although it is hard for me to believe, this girl is going to be in 5th grade in just 2 weeks. And after looking at these photos today, she certainly looks ready. Although this is the only spot on earth where it is totally appropriate for me to talk about how much I adore her, I will refrain from doing so... just in case some of her friends read this. But I do have to point out one small thing....she's pretty.......inside and out....and she looks nothing like me....so I don't feel wierd saying that.

I like this pose a lot. She looks bored, but in a totally cute kind of way.

Only those that I love dearly get to wear my favorite hat.

I'm into the vintage version of black and whites these days. Alhtough I look at mine compared to others and am rarely happy with the way they turn out.

I love funky editing. I am pleased with the way this one turned out.....I think. It's hard to tell on this laptop. I like the china-doll esk look.

And isn't this a typical pre-teen...chillin' with her ipod. Thanks for the skirt YaYa! She loves her new clothes. :)

I Love you Kaitlin! Thank you for letting me dress you up and take your picture! You'll appreciate it someday, I promise. :)

i ♥ faces [week 28 - feet]

Anyone who knows me well knows I love tootsies...especially little tootsies. This week at i ♥ faces is FEET WEEK! I love this picture because it mixes 2 of my fav's....tootsies and reflections. There are some a.w.e.s.o.m.e. photos in this week's contest so go to i ♥ faces and check them out! You'll be impressed at how cool feet photography can be!

How I do it- before and after

BEFORE

Since many of my friends ask me the same questions and make the same comments about my photos, I decided to post my secrets. I've always been honest that I am a photoshop photographer in training and I'll stick by that. My friend Angie once said that people go out and buy her camera thinking that their pictures will look like hers and they find that they are greatly dissapointed when they don't. Yes, a great camera helps....but I've learned that photography is more about the eye behind ithe camera than the equipment being used. They are both super important...but I think the eye is more important. If you don't have the eye, you can fake it by snapping away aimlessly and then editing in Photoshop. Sometimes I get lucky and get great shots that need little editing. There is certainly a direct correlation between the amount of time I spend studying and the amount of time I spend editing. The more I read and study photography....the less editing my photos need. However, I want everyone to see what my before and afters look like so you understand that I am not getting most of these shots straight out of my D90. I'm not there....yet.

Above is the orginal photo. I used a window to light up her face and I was less than 2 feet away from her. I used my 50mm lens and I was shooting in Manual. The 50mm lens is a must have for portraits and is super cheap for the quality you get.

Below is the result of about 5 minutes in Photoshop Elements 6.0. I cropped it, sharpened it, made it black and white, changed the contrast, and played with the lighting and color balance. If you want to know how to do all of this, you'll have to come over and I'll show you!

AFTER

Here is another BEFORE and AFTER example.

This one I just felt needed to be cropped super close because her features were so glossy and pretty. I did in this photo what I usually do to every photo that I post...... I cropped it, sharpened it, changed the lighting and contrast, and made the color purple POP by saturating just the purples in PSE 6. I also changed the lighting to a more warm, "yellowy" tone.

If you want to know some GREAT photography websites and tutorials....look on my sidebar. My favorite is Pioneer Women Photography. I've learned a lot from those women!!! Thank you to Angie for introducing me to them! I am by no means worthy of posting a tutorial because I am just a beginner in terms of photography, but I understand all of your frustrations in not getting the photos you desire straight from your camera. Even the most experienced of photographers use editing tools on their photos. I never post a "naked" photo because I always see something I can do to make it look better. Just thought I'd share and hopefully aleviate some of the frustration you are experiencing with being unsatisfied with your photos. Now it's time to learn Photoshop!

Missed you....

Kaitlin Elizabeth....I missed you over the last 2 days! It was wierd not having you here. I got so giddy and anxious driving home from CC's today knowing you would be home. I was so happy to see you sitting at my laptop (of course) when I walked in. I love you so much! I am glad you had fun at MaMa's house though (thanks for taking such great care of my girl MaMa)! OK....I'll let you have my laptop back now. :)

a little rain dance

yesterday, in the midst of a late afternoon downour, and thunder, and lightning....i did a rain dance. by myself. in the middle of my street. i did the mc hammer, the roger rabbit, the robot, some mild beyonce, some ballet, and a few of my very own dances that i made up as i went. my sister and brother watched in hysterical laughter from my porch...i think there were tears, along with several concerned neighbors who now possibly think i've gone mad. i wish there were words to describe how it felt to let go of myself like that but i havent found them yet. there is something really stinkin awesome about splashing around and dancing in the pouring down rain. i didn't plan it. i just went out on the porch during a cookout to see the downpour and something inside me made me do it. it suddenly wasn't enough to just watch the rain....i wanted to be in it. i wanted to dance like nobody was watching....so i did. my nephew layton joined me after a while. i bet if i would have stayed out longer there would have been more people to join. maybe i should start a movement for raindancing. i told my sister jokingly that the holy spirit moved me, but i wasn't really joking. it was fabulous. i highly recommend it.

Reflections

I have a hard time staying away from reflections lately. I see them everywhere now. I just can't seem to get enough! Especially reflections of children in water......simply beautiful. I love the photo of Jack because you can see his shadow and his reflection. Such a cool shot. And the photo of Kaitlin is just pretty, like the girl.

Hilton Head

Kaitlin and Jenna

Hilton Head 2009

It's hard to come home from an awesome vacation but fun to look through a camera full of memories. Thank you Beth and Nick a million times for this awesome week.....every year. I know how much time, energy, and money goes into it and you do it all for us. And Beth.....very impressed with you new photog skills. We are now offically the paparazzi. Jenna and Kaitlin spilled out about a hundred HH memories on the way home today ( I GO!). We feel at home there now and can't believe we have all been going together for 10 years! And even more so, I can't believe Eric still has no idea how to get there......men and their sense of directions! The girls loved their secret trips to Harbor Town (aka: the gas station) and we always have fun exploring the island on bikes. I will miss being awakened each morning by Carson yelling at the top of his lungs....but I will miss waking up to fresh coffee and the sound of waves even more!!! Oh how I love this week each year. Thank you from the bottom of our burnt feet. We loved every minute of it (even the heated argument about Obama...you gotta love a family yelpin' about politics and religion!) I'm tired for now, but I will post some more of my favorite photos over the next week. We love you both so much!

Just Beachy

You know me and my love of reflections. This was our porch after a big rain storm. The kids were running and splashing and I saw reflections. My camera was foggy from the humidity but I was able to somewhat save the pictures in photoshop. Such fun!

Could Carson be any cuter?

Ashlyn playing hairdresser. Nothing like a woman in her thirties wearing a few bows.

Sweet Grandpa Nick and his sweet boy.

My idea of heaven on earth.....a sweet baby and a beach in the background.

I just love this photo. It looks like she's playing the bongos on the beach.

Beautiful Kaitlin

Handsome Jack

Kaitlin loves this boy. She loves babies like I do. She and Jenna have been an incredible help this week with the little ones. :) I love the beach so much. I can't believe how fast time flies when you are having fun!

Off to the beach!

KK, Jenna Boo, and Carson.....Charlie with his angels.

Carson...charming the photographer.

taking a nap on water (with a grin on his face)

so serious

this picture was posed.....Jack asked me to "take a picture of him running"

Um.....can we be in your big girl club?

stinker

Goodbye Guilty Pleasure!

I am knee-deep in the process of trying to rid my life of the bad, and fully embrace and nurture the good, so I thought this would be the perfect photo to express my present state. I took this weeks ago on a whim without knowing the significance it would soon be in my life. I get this concept now. I understand the benefits and rewards of keeping your life as clean as possible, especially for the sake of your children. It is a harsh world and I am always trying to do my best to protect my kids from things they may not be ready for. I am hereby stating to my family and friends that I am giving up my guilty pleasure for good. I am on week THREE of not buying Us Magazine. This is something that I have always known I would have to give up, but recently realized it had to be now. Not tomorrow, not next week, but now. It has been rediculously easy to let go of, because it is something of no real substance in my life, but it is a change....something I am not use to. For as long as I can remember, I have driven to Publix on Saturdays and bought Us. I then disappear into my world where it is just me and my useless, shallow gossip. I know this is silly, but I guess it was a way of escaping the everyday demands of reality.....just for an hour. I have always been aware of it's poisonous nature, but not completely until a few weeks ago. Without going into a full blown story I will just say this. I do not want my daughter to buy into the lies of the media. I want to show her that what you read effects what you know and believe, therefore, you should only read what will nurture your mind, body, and spirit and make you better as a person. Tabloids do not fall into this category. Goodbye Us Magazine! I will miss you! Goodbye Brangelina and Jon & Kate + 8! I wish you all the best in life! I am sure you will be fine without my$4.50 a week! Hugs and Kisses ~ Suzy

Paging the Supernanny!

I'm having one of those days where I feel ill-equipped to parent. My patience has worn thin, and I'm summoning a higher power. Every now and then Mr. Jack Stark decides to test my patience as a mother. Sometimes I win, and other times I scream in chinese behind my closet doors to avoid screaming in chinese at him. Today- I am at a loss of words. I only have thoughts. Thoughts of a deserted island, me, a fruity drink, and a good book. I know how much God loves me on days like today, and I fully understand why he gives us the ability to love your children the way we do. I saw it in the faces of every innocent person waiting quietly in the waiting room at the eye doctor. The look on these strangers faces said it all, as they watched my child throw his shoes across the room repeatedly, yell at me as if I were his worst enemy, cry about his boredom, throw himself on the floor and refuse to get up, jump on chairs after 3 warnings, and laugh at me as I am verbally warning him of what is about to occur in public if he continues. It was quite a show. And I left my appointment early with painfully dialated eyes, no contacts, and a look on my face that scared the employees.

After several sessions of Chinese screaming, closet prayer, and counting to ten, I regained my composure and laid in all out on the line for this sweet and lovely child of mine. He did not take the news well, but he is now quiet, apologetic, and happy. Still dreaming of that island though....