I got a new toy!

It’s my first real, non-kit camera lens since the “accident”.  Though I must defend my 28-135 kit lens.  It’s been awesome and I will still use it.  But, the new one came this afternoon and I think it is going to change my life!  Okay, maybe not, but I’m really excited about the possibilities.  It’s really nice glass that I got for a really nice price from the used department at B&H.  I’ve been saving my pennies and watching the used dept. for this lens for a while and it finally showed up.  And, it’s not even used, just a return that never even got opened.  Sweet!  Anyway, I’ll be using it for a couple of shoots tomorrow after I spend all morning practicing with it.  So, watch my 1000 Words blog for the results.  I’m pretty sure I will not be sending it back. 

Pumpkins!

I love them!

Progress

Kendall and I just got back from a trip to Utah to see Sierra.  Since this was our first visit we were not allowed to take Sierra off of the very small campus.  So, we spent a lot of time playing games, watching movies, making collages (a fave therapy activity of hers), staring at each other, and of course taking some pictures.  We were also able to go to horses with Sierra on Wednesday morning before our flight at 1:20.  It was a little icky in the morning with rain and lots of mud.  Kendall and I got to the airport with mud and horse poop on our shoes and happiness and hope in our hearts.  Sierra seems to be making progress.  The family therapy face to face was hard but well worth it.  I think the very hardest stuff has been shared and we have been able to put our behinds in the past :)  Still lots to learn but now we feel like we are really on our way to being better, stronger people.  Our next visit is the first weekend of November (3 short weeks from today) and will be a “Parent Weekend”.   We will get to meet the parents of the other girls and get lots of education and training.  We will also be able to have Sierra off campus during the daytime so we can enjoy shopping and eating at The Pizza Factory! 

The photos are kind of random, but hey, that’s how I roll!  So enjoy:

This is my favorite for obvious reasons!

Word?

 

Have you ever tried to take a one-handed self portrait with a 3lb camera?

I L-O-V-E these two.  She was smiling without being told to.

The girls at Solstice take a break from being fashionistas for the time that they are there,

but they seem to be making a statement with the riding boots that they choose. 

Sierra’s are the red ones.  That’s my girl!

These little cows are the newest addition to the farm.  So, so cute!

 

This is Sierra’s best friend Jo.  She loves to ride her.  They get along.

 

Nice hat!

Reunited!

With all that has been going on in my life this past couple of years I have found myself pining for a simpler time and place.  I’m tired of being the grown-up.  I know I can’t quit my life but how about just a little break from the responsibilities?  When I was in high school I had an awesome group of friends.  We were tight.  And to make it even better there were seven of us!  Yes, seven!  And that was just the core of us.  We loved just about everyone and we always had room for more.  When we graduated I thought the best thing in the world was to go far away to school and get on with my life.  I was not good at keeping in touch.  The last time I really spent time with my “magnificent seven” was at the amazing bridal shower that they hosted for me.  We were all so young and they couldn’t believe I was getting married already but they were troopers and supported me.  Then I had babies and my life became so different from theirs and we lost touch almost completely.  I made it to one wedding, and our ten year reunion.  A couple of visits through the years.  It has now been 19+ years since graduation.  We have been through moves, babies, marriages, divorces, loss of parents, loss of figures, illnesses, children’s illnesses, you name it.  Now, through the miracle of Facebook we have found each other again.  So, in my pining for that simpler time an idea was born.  An idea that will see the seven of us together again for a weekend of reliving old memories and making new ones.  Of completely responsibility-free time with my girlfriends, laughing, being silly, crying, and sharing.  I hope it is just the beginning of a renewal of the tradition of being there for each other.  I hope they all still like me!  I know I still love them, if just for the fact that they didn’t laugh when I said “Hey y’all, let’s get together for a weekend in Atlanta, I need you!”  Instead they totally ignored the fact that I have been a dolt for the last 19 years, that we have only seen each other a couple of times, and they embraced the idea and said that they needed us too.  One more week.  I’m excited and nervous, but mostly excited!  See you soon ladies!

From left to right: Alicia V., Alicia C., Kim, Teri, Jenny, Sue, and Liz.  And officer, I promise I never actually drove the car with everyone in it! (wink,wink)

Happy 40th Anniversary

My Mom and Dad are not really old enough to have been married 40 years.  But they have, and we are all so happy about that!  Kendall and I want to be like them when we grow up.  Their generosity never ceases to amaze us.  How about being invited to spend the last weekend of their anniversary trip with them in the North Georgia Mountains?!  It is one of my very favorite places to visit.  It is good for my soul to be in the cool, peaceful mountains in a cabin.  And when I say cabin, I mean a cabin with a hot tub, pool table, gas log fireplace, and satellite TV.  That’s my idea of roughing it!  Anywho, thanks again Mom and Dad.  For the weekend in the mountains, but more importantly for being a great example of how marriage is supposed to be.  Happy Anniversary!

 

The Great Moosemac in the sky.

Call for Pumpkins

I’m going to use you.   All of you. 

I need some pumpkins.  I’ve had an idea and I need pumpkins.  Whimsical, elegant, homemade, cute, orange pumpkins.  The pumpkins above are at Pier 1 and will be mine as soon as I save enough pennies.  If you see anything interesting while you are out and about please let me know where you find it and how much it is.  I will then dash to the pumpkin-mobile (see below) and retrieve it. 

Now pumpkin observers…go forth and find delicious orangeness.

Thank you and goodbye.

Convertible What?!

So, Kendall is in North Georgia spelunking with his brother and a bunch of other guys.  So, I took myself out for date night!  I had a great time just wandering around finding things to do.  I had some errands and did some window shopping.  A couple of things made me especially happy…..

1.  A very fashionable gay guy  said this to me:  “Honey, I LOVE those frames!”  That makes me happy with my choice.  I was wearing my new “sassy glasses”.

2.  A very cute couple was shopping in the bra department.  She was explaining to her hubby that she needed a convertible bra.   “What exactly makes a bra convertible” he asks, “does the top come off?”  “No”, she says condescendingly, “the straps convert from regular to halter to cross-back to strapless” .  I’m not kidding here about the next words out of his mouth, I couldn’t make this up.  He says , with a gleam in his eye “ I like the kind that converts to nothing.” 

It was all I could do to not spit Diet Coke all over the regular, non-convertible bras I was looking at.  Seriously, I had to walk away so I could giggle out loud and not embarrass anyone (myself included) since I really shouldn’t have been listening in on them in the first place.  I’m really glad I didn’t miss that conversation though.  It made my weekend.