A den of progress

We still have some odds and ends to pick up (curtains... a basket for toys instead of the suitcase over in the corner there... etc etc etc), but our new den has VERY QUICKLY become the favorite spot of the house!

We decided to keep the 'ghetto entertainment center' ...and I must admit it fits in quite nicely in there and doesn't even look as ghetto anymore!

Because this is so darn cute...

I'll forgive American Idol for existing, JUST THIS ONCE!!! I really am glad that they have such a great time camping out in the livingroom every week and watching Idol with Daddy... I just wish it could be a show that is not SO DAMN STUPID!!!! ;) ;)

Even more funny... and less appropriate ;-)

So BEFORE they were smoking dope and making my sons favorite show....

They were smoking a lot of dope and doing funny stuff for grown-ups. I discovered towards the end I probably shouldn't have watched with Sean, but oh well.... he's seen... and DONE... worse ;)

Too much sleepy

Damn writer's strike. There is NOTHING on TV lately!! So... I have just been heading up to bed to read at around 8pm. Reading makes me verrrry sleeeeeeepy. So I have been asleep around 9 most nights lately. When I to go bed that early, I have the WORST time getting up in the morning ...and I feel tired all the freakin' time. So... yeah.... there you have it.

Went to the gym today, I got in a good workout, but I didn't stay as long as I had planned because I forgot my headphones. OK... I know it SOUNDS like a majorly lame excuse, BUT my gym is a silent gym. All the TV's are silent and if you want to watch them, you have to tune into the frequency they are on, and there is no music or anything. So today, I am in the changing room and I hear what I COULD SWEAR were people HAVING SEX in the changing room beside me. A guy just moaning and grunting every couple seconds. I was thinking, "OMG... if there are people screwing here, I am SO DONE with this gym!!!!" (ROFL) So I come out of the changing room and look around and there is a guy on the elliptical machine with his ipod going just grunting and moaning with every stride. I'm sure he doesn't even realize he is doing it because he has his headphones on, but it sounded so icky and dirty and just freakin' ANNOYING!! I blocked it out as long as I could and got in some cardio and a set on each machine, but I just couldn't do that last set he was skeeving me out so much!!

We be up in the gym justa workin' on our fitness

The goal..........

Sorry Rick....

I just saw a commercial that your ultimate fantasy has just signed on with Jenny Craig. I thought you should hear it from me first ;)

Don't worry too much though. Nicole says she read an article about it and the queen just wants to get healthier and lose 20 pounds or so. And I am pretty sure this is an old photo and that she is bigger now, so she'll probably just look like this again... and that's ok, right? I'd trade bodies with her!

My first paid gig

...was... well.... it was sumthin'

The hall where the party was held is BEAUTIFUL! When we walked in, I said to Rick, "WOW!! We should TOTALLY get married here!!" He of course had to ruin it and remind me that we are already married ;) BUT.... (and you knew there was a but comin') it was a photography nightmare!! 2786 different types of lighting from candles to flourescents, and it was DARK... and as the night went on it just got DARKER (which made for a very nice atmosphere...but not-so-great for photos)! I was VERY glad I had Ken's fast lens, as I would have been completely screwed with my kit lens. I couldn't even use I new flash because there were no ceilings to bounce it from. I think I reminded Rick's aunt (the hostess) 100 times that I was not a pro and that I really hope she is happy with the photos and she just kept going on and on about how she has seen ALL my photos and goes on my site (I assume my picasa site... I assume.....) all the time and knows 'how good' I am. :::gulp:::

Anyhoo... here are a few. I don't dare post any with people in em since I don't have any releases, and since they were all cops ;)


I learned a LOT though about exposure and my camera settings and I also learned that while I'll always say yes to family, of course... since I'd be there anyway... event photography will NEVER be a goal of mine!!

Ahhhh.....

While I was at Marden's the other day getting my new couch... they had also just got in a TON of drugstore stuff. (For those of you out of the area, Marden's is a surplus and salvage place "I shoulda bought it.. When I saw it... at MARDEN'S!!!) I totally stocked up on deodorant, shaving cream and hair stuff. I also got Jessi the electric razor and hair straightener that she has been begging for for AGES!!

AND... I got MYSELF one of THESE (since I have been asking for one on EVERY holiday for the past 3 years)...
for $10. I just tried it out and was a little bummed out that it doesn't vibrate and just bubbles, but it does keep the water nice and hot and those bubbles do feel mighty nice :) Afterwards I put on some lotion and my feet feel greeeeeeaaaaat and all tingly! LOVES IT!! (Though if I find I really do use it a lot, I may need to upgrade to one with vibrating massage and those neat little attachments ;-D)

Back to work tomorrow!

Scraproom?? Is that you???

I painted the walls based on this loveseat....

....and now I am waffling cuz it's in the livingroom right now til the den is done and seems VERY happy there. (And makes the couch that's in there look like shit... damn damn damn!!!)

Nicole bought Jessi some new shades...

Apparently they came with a 'side of attitude'

Stuff n.... stuff

• Won tickets on the radio to see 'Cloverfield' at the midnight sneak preview tonight. Then I remembered that Liz and Jr went to Boston today, so wouldn't be able to have the kids overnight. Plus... Rick and I are just not night owls, so it wasn't happenin.' I gave the tickets to 'The Reel Guy.' He works in our office and I was sure he would be glad to take them off my hands :)

• Over the weekend Jessi and her friends begged me to run the scrapbooking class again. I gave in... who am I to say no to a buncha cash to do something I enjoy???? That would just be silly! So same as last year, we are starting up the week after February vacation.

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• Instead of a vacation this year, we are going to redo the scraproom into a den. I've spent the past 2 weeks daydreaming and rearranging furniture in my head. We made the decision because scrapbooking just doesn't happen that much anymore, and we could REALLY use some more space for the kids to hang out. Also, because the room doesn't get much use, it's just turning into a junk room and I don't like that! We also are going to get 'good parent points' because we are going to be taking the TVs out of the kid's rooms. Not sure what we'll do with those points.... maybe pay back some of the ones we've lost on game nights.... or the time Nicole and I almost got Jessi swept away by the sea ;) ;)

Don't worry... I still have plenty of spaces to scrap when the mood strikes me again!!

• Ugh... more crappy weather in store for us tomorrow. Jessi is WAY BUMMED that the dance might get canceled because they announced yesterday that if it's canceled again, they are not going to reschedule. She is also bummed because I told her that if it's canceled... we are not having another big sleepover to compensate for it ;) Hopefully the dance will go on as scheduled!!

• A lady at work has THE CUTEST Cocker Spaniel puppies!! (those in the photo are not them, but they look just like them... that is just a random photo off the net) She brought them in to show everyone and I was sooooo tempted to say, "I'll take one!!!!!" She still has 3 left from the litter and is starting to get a little worried that they aren't going to sell so she is dropping the price on them this weekend (ok... she isn't worried, but her SO is ;) ...he thinks they have enough dogs!), they live right nearby on Rt 69 in Newburgh and said she has a big sign out front, so I may stop by with the kids to visit the puppies this weekend... but we are NOT getting one!! Really. I am not a big spaniel fan anyway, so it won't be to hard to say no.
  

Hmmm... that's about it! I am tired... I think I'll skip ER tonight and catch it on the DVR tomorrow... ROFL that I actually thought this morning that a midnight movie might be fun!!!

Have I mentioned that I *HATE* Americal Idol???

Dumbest. Most Annoying. Show. Ever.

Fortunately for me, I stopped at my favorite little dive of a used book store yesterday and picked up a new copy of one of my favorite books ever. In hardcover even, for only 5.95... SWEET! And I got it for even less because I had a credit that I forgot I had from the last time I sold him some books! SWEETER!! ;)

So while *they* watched the dumbest show ever, *I* snuggled in bed to read my book (for the 236th time). Maybe after I get that one read and out of my system, I'll finally be able to tackle , 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' that has been sitting in my car for a month ...just can't psych myself up for that one for some reason.

Even better would be if by the time I finished it, the next book in the series would be released... but since it took 12 years for this one to come out after the last one... I am not holding my breath.

ETA: Tried to fix the crazy font action that's goin' on in this post... blogger isn't (<--should be 'ain't-just can't say it) havin' none of it ;)

From Saturday....

Jessi's school dance was canceled Friday night, but she called me at work to reassure me... "MOM... the dance is canceled, but everyone is still going to sleep over, ok?" It was a rhetorical 'ok.' ;) They were all pretty bummed about the dance, so I took them to rent some movies and get some snackies. Have you ever gone to a video store with the intention of getting 4 preteen girls (who are already a little on the bitc...err... catty side because of that whole dance thing) to all agree on a movie? It's not something I recommend.

The dance is rescheduled for this Friday. Guess what is also scheduled for Friday?? If you guessed "another storm" ....you win the prize. This weeks prize is 4-5 tweens having a sleepover at YOUR house.

Well I WAS halfway through a 'Saturday' blog...

But then Rick hollered to me from outside to show me how pretty everything was all covered with ice and sun! So instead you are getting some 'Winter Wonderland' photos!


But in case the 'Saturday' blog mystery is just eating you alive.... It was pretty much this... ...with different combinations of people ...and different locations... throughout the day ;) ;)

FLASH!!

My flash arrived today! Of COURSE I had to whip it right of the box and give it a try. I left everything on auto for now, just to play a little... since I have no clue what I am doing ;)

This is a regular 'pop up flash' type photo. Not-so good, huh?

THIS is with my new flash pointed at the ceiling to 'bounce' the light. (OK... still not a masterpiece as far as photos go, but you get the idea ;) )More bouncing :) Gettin' the hang out it!!

I think I love this thing!!!! I feel silly now for being so scared of it!

One weekend ...LOTS of fun!!!

Video coming soon ;)

Dance Party USA MAINE!!

McPhotos :)

Liz and Jr mailed the kids Christmas cards with McD's GCs in them at the beginning of December. They have been begging me to take them ever since, and I could find no more excuses not to! (damn I hate that place!) To lessen the torture I brought my camera and a photography book to entertain myself.

I also met Ken there because he is loaning me his REALLY SWEET 43mm 1.9 lens to use at my FIRST PAID PHOTOGRAPHY GIG!!!! (WOO HOO and YIKES!!!) Rick's uncle Marty is a police officer for the Bangor P.D. and he is retiring this month. I will be the photographer for the party! It's just a big, casual thing at a banquet hall that I have never been to, but looks really nice in the photos on their website. It also looks like the lighting may be a bit tricky, which is why I wanted to borrow Ken's fast lens AND why my mom also got me an external flash for Christmas that I am going to attempt to learn to use before the party :)

From WINTER WONDERLAND to JUST PLAIN RIDICULOUS!!!

We have SO MUCH SNOW... and ANOTHER storm just blew in a couple hours ago that is said to be bringing along with it ANOTHER 8-12 inches!!!!! Our pile from the plow guy is already about 2 feet above the handrails of our porch (you can't really tell in the photo). GREAT for the kids, as that is their FAVORITE sliding spot!

I am going STIR CRAZY though!! I worked from home on Friday for childcare reasons, Monday the office closed because of the snow storm, and it's looking like tomorrow may be ANOTHER show day. I REALLY hope it isn't. Rick will be home, so that will be nice I guess... but I am REALLY READY for a break from the kids and a nice day at the office!!!!!!

I forgot that I never posted photos from when we did Christmas with Nicole and Sophie. I started to the other day, but got side-tracked (IMAGINE THAT!!) and it never happened... so here they are!!