Maxie's turn

Now it's my Maxie who was offended that I didn't post photos of her..... so today it's all about Ms Maxie.

He's still doing it.

Replaying that damned recording.

and he just said that he's going to take it to work tomorrow.

for reals.

This is my life....

my husband just farted really loud after sticking our voice recorder by his a$$, recording it for posterity. Now he keeps replaying it over and over.


Is this seriously my life?

It's Holly's turn...

Holly was hurt that I only showed a photo of Chumley...so it's her turn today.

Libby's Tutu Photo Gallery Link

If you would like to see all of the photos from Libby's tutu session (samples in the next post below) just go to the online gallery. Click here

Girl time

Despite being sick with Strep Throat, Libby wanted to be my model today...she knows that it usually earns her a special treat.... I have wanted to get her out on a real shoot (away from our yard) for awhile and wanted to get some photos of her in her tutu and new rainboots. I put a lot of them on the Soul Reflection blog, and am going to post a link to the entire 'session' tomorrow. She had so much fun, even being sick. She can really ham it up for the camera. (is it any surprise, then, that I totally love her? Ha!)
She is feeling better today...the meds are helping. She actually asked for her 'bubble gum medicine' (her antibiotic tastes like bubble gum) earlier this evening, which is a ton nicer than chasing her around and around the dining room table trying to catch her and dose her up. :)

Here are just two of my favorites from tonight.

Faceplant Photos

Well, the photos do not do the faceplant justice...her bangs cover the big one on her forehead and the ones on her cheek got better overnight. The scab on the left side (your right) of her nose is the only visible one. But you get the idea. And one of Chumley for fun...and had better include one of Libby, too, to be fair.

I'm running long-ish tomorrow morning with Jo. Probably about eight miles. I'm fighting off a bad cough so we'll see.

Libby and Amelia went to the doctor this morning. Libby has Strep Throat and Monkey seems to just have a bad cough. They are sending in a culture just to be sure, though. I'm coughing and both my throat and Chris' are sore...but that could be our imaginations getting to us. :)

Faceplant

This evening Monkey left the audience stunned and amazed at her outstanding and spectacular performance in the faceplant event. The crowd gasped with horror as she ran down the driveway, arms flailing and out of control...stubbed her right toe on the concrete and sprung into the air with impressive velocity. Time slowed to a near standstill as the crowd pointed and jumped to their feet, watching the athlete's perfect form...arms extended, back straight, toes pointed....as she sliced through the humid air towards the concrete. The landing was equally impressive, punctuating the event with a two bounces, a skid, and audible thud. The crowd waited, barely containing their nerves as the judges made their calculations.... and then it was announced........ the crowd was on it's feet in silence...... 9.8!!!!!!!!!!! The athlete wiped blood from the side of her nose as she pumped her fists in the air, screaming......

I'll take photos tomorrow. It's pretty impressive. Road rash on her nose, cheek, and forehead. That's my girl.

My website

I did a lot of updating on my website...new photos added, old removed, did some more editing to existing ones. I think it looks much better. I'd love for you to take a look and let me know what you think. My friend and photographer extraordinaire (yeah, I know I spelled that wrong, but the spellcheck wouldn't help me out) Amy (there is a link to her site in my sidebar) helped me pick which photos to add. Please always feel free to leave comments here....I never get them and they make my day when I do ;)

And today it's (mostly) about Bug.

My Monkey

I was playing with an old lens tonight in the dark drizzly weather. My Monkey is getting so big!!
(there are more from tonight on the Soul Reflection blog)

Testing

I'm trying to find out if you get an email notification when I post a new blog entry.... if you have subscribed, can you please leave a comment letting me know? Thanks a ton!

Yum

"Holly tastes like chicken" (...Holly is the Black Lab)

Hello Chicago!!

Well, I'm on my last leg of the trip. I'm in Chicago and will fly home late this afternoon/early evening. I can't wait to see my family :)
I ran four miles by O'Hare this morning in extremely humid weather. Ouch for the lungs, otherwise good.

SO it's been a weird 12 hours.... I came home from dinner and took of my shoes and went over by the head of the bed to discover a wet floor. Gross. We stay in very nice hotels, so this was odd. Had it been Mo's Highway Motel it would be expected. Then, I kept hearing weird noises...no biggie, it's a hotel you know? As I was working, laying on the bed, I kept feeling like something was brushing up against my leg, but nothing was there. When I went to bed at 11pm I turned off the tv and closed my eyes. About fifteen minutes later the tv turned on by itself. Eeeeek. I didn't sleep all that well.

Edited to add: I got out of the shower and grabbed my towel...and thanks to my OCD behavior checked it over before using it...thankfully, since I found a short curly black hair (you know the ones) stuck to it.

Edited AGAIN to add: I forgot one more thing...when I was out running at 6am, I came across a large puddle. So i tiptoed around it on the curb. In the middle of the tiptoeing, however, a car drove by and sent up a splash all over me..the likes only seen in movies.

Hello Minneapolis!

I had my first on-site visit with one of my accounts today in Cleveland. Now I'm in a hotel room in Minneapolis, ready for my next visit tomorrow...then off to Chicago tomorrow afternoon for one more on Thursday. So far, so good! I'm glad that things are really starting to get going with my new job.
Chris' parents are taking both girls for the weekend...Chris and I are planning on riding our bikes to Madison to hang out, as long as the weather holds out. We're excited to get out for a ride and have some 'us' time!
Ran about three miles in downtown Cleveland this morning...and got lost. :) It was fun, though :)

Three States, Three Days, Five Flights

I'm writing from the airport in Cleveland...first stop on my whirlwind tour of the Midwest. I'm meeting my boss-man in baggage claim, as he's joining me on these first three visits to my accounts. Tomorrow I'll fly to Minneapolis and then on to Chicago after that. I'm excited to be getting into the meat of the new job!
I shot a wedding on Saturday and am very happy with the results. I put 12 of my favorites so far up on the Soul Reflection blog if you'd like to see.
Ran eight miles yesterday with Jo (on her birthday...she's now as old as me) and it was HARD for me. Seriously, I'm really struggling on runs lately. We made the big decision to take next year off of marathons. After three marathons, I need a break to get inspired once again. Instead of training for the super long race, we're going to focus on mid-distance events like 15Ks. I'll still do the half-marathon next month but after that it will be a change of pace (literally) as we go for a little more speed and shorter distances. Maybe that will get me excited about running again...

Monkey's big day

Amelia turns two next month....I can't believe it! It's too early to send out, but I made invitations :) What do you think?

Missing: a runner's ambition and drive. Reward for safe return

This happened last Summer, too. By this I mean losing my dedication and ambition regarding running. I have no interest in running long. I ran eight on Sunday and it went well, but I didn't want to do it. I don't want to run during the week, either. I do it, but it feels more like drudgery. It's burnout. I'm sure of it. Last year after my marathon I had no interest in running...no ambition...no drive. After months of running really, really long runs (15-20 miles on Sundays) even eight miles seems daunting. I'd rather just sit around and eat. Isn't that supposed to happen in the Winter, not Summer? I'm doing well with eating well and concentrating on Project Tenspot, but I'm not very happy about it. Maybe I'll feel better about it on Friday when I weigh (it had better be down a few). I don't know what's up. I have my half marathon next month and I don't even really feel like running it.
Someone, please, find my drive and ambition and return it? There will be a hefty reward.


I have been extremely busy with work lately...the new job is picking up (and going well) and I've been crazy busy with photography sessions. I did a newborn session that I'm happy with on Saturday...There are two posts with photos from it on my SoulReflection Blog if you're interested. :)

I just checked my running log and since I started keeping track in January 2006, I've run 1,015.83 miles. That is pretty unimpressive. I feel like a big lazy blob! :)

Weddings, Weddings, Weddings....

I am very busy with photography right now, which is wonderful...but makes for long days, since I'm also working my new job which is starting to really pick up. For the last two weeks I've been staying up very late every night proofing wedding photos from two weekends ago. Something like 450 photos :) I am very happy with how they turned out, and I put some samples up on my Soul Reflection Blog...check 'em out :)
I have another wedding in two weeks, and yet another three weeks after that. I also have an appointment tonight and a newborn session on Saturday!!! I'm amazed at how my photo business has taken off in the last six months. I have had some wonderful clients who have really spread the word for me.
Between a great new career and my photography, I'm very blessed professionally.
And I'm obviously blessed a thousand times over with my amazing family. Amelia is saying more and more words every single day and just blows me away. I cannot believe that she's only two months away from her 2nd birthday. And Libby is getting TALL. It seems as though she's grown two inches overnight. She's got her streak of funky color back in her hair (after much begging) and this time it is bright purple :) She's such a freespirit and I love it. She's definitely my girl in that way....good thing, too, or nobody would believe she's mine since she looks so much like Chris. Amelia looks nearly exactly like I did at her age, with the exception of her eyes which are ALL Daddy.

Speaking of dads, mine would have been 85 on his birthday a week ago. My God I miss him. It's been nearly three years. I just got a land line for the office and the last four digits of the number they assigned me are the date he died...weird, huh?