A forever friendship

Ok, fine. I think I'll come out of hiding. There's a no better time than now, right? (That's what I'm telling myself as I sit here in peace and quiet; something I never get. I pray I get this again so I can start writing again!)

And why have I been hiding, you ask? Well, most of you know my story. And I've not really been hiding. Just occupied. I got sick, then pregnant, then had a complicated delivery and then when Finn was about 10 months old we packed our bags and moved far away to . . .Omaha, Nebraska. So. Life has been crazy. Lots of ups and downs but overall, it's been one exciting adventure. My life is never dull. (I'm saying that with a smile, I promise!)

Since being here in Omaha I have found my life to be even busier than before. Well, in the mother-sense. Not so much the photographer-sense. I haven't hardly picked up my camera for any "jobs" since last summer. It's been a somewhat-difficult thing to get used to, but honestly, it's been nice. What's been keeping me so busy is the exploration of Omaha, finding new doctors, getting the kids acclimated and getting myself acclimated, plus the biggest reason, Finn, who is now 18 months, and quite the busy little guy. (That's probably an understatement.) The weeks have just flown by. Plus we've made a few trips back to Illinois, I spent 9 days in Mexico and we just got back from Walt Disney World. Like I said, my life is never dull!

Our moving . . .yeah, that's something I'll have to write more about later. If you know me, you know it's something you probably never dreamed I would do in a million years. I didn't think so either. But it has happened (God's plan!) and it has been a really great adventure. More on that another day because yeah, you're right, it's big stuff for our family.

Right now I have to remind you about one of my best friends, Alexis. She is living as an expat in Japan right now and has for a couple years now (in which I can't hardly believe it's been that long). And as you know, Japan was just hit by a category 9 earthquake followed by a tsunami within the hour which took thousands upon thousands of human lives, not to mention homes, places of work, farms . . .livelihoods. Thank God Alexis lives in Kobe south and west of Tokyo. But everything has still "hit" her and her family. So please, please think about her and their family as they journey through this very very scary time. And please continue to keep the entire country of Japan in your prayers. It's the one and only thing that is going to get these people through such a horrible time in their lives.

I told Alexis a few weeks ago that when I did start back up my blog, I already knew in my mind what it was going to be about. I didn't tell her it was going to be about her. And this was before the catastrophes took place.

See, life is never dull for Alexis, either. But when you think about it, it's never dull for any of us. Life is a journey, life is a book, life is preparation to take us to the next place . . .a place of perfection . . .something we all dream about. And that journey and preparation is different (yet so much the same) for each of us. (Ok, that was a side thought, but a thought that already resides in my head a lot as I question my own life and why I go through the things I do.)

Alexis has been a part of my own personal journey for the past 10 years. My original post was gong to be about that. A "Happy 10-year Friendship Anniversary to us!" blog post to a best friend who has literally gotten me through the worst and best times in my life. Now it's a "Happy 10-year Friendship Anniversary to us!" plus a "Stay safe, I'm praying for you and I love you so much" post.

I also have to throw in a picture (now why would I post a picture?! HA!). I thought of Alexis a few weeks ago when Neil brought home a new wine for me to try. He knew I'd like the label and when I saw the label, I almost didn't drink it so I could share it with Alexis when I next saw her because it was so cute and so perfect for her and I. But then the selfish part of me said "nah, just drink it, she'd rather you drink it and enjoy now and then you can just buy it again when you see her next". So I did. I drank it and I thought of you, Alexis, with every single delicious sip!


So back to Alexis and our friendship; many of you know our history, but some do not.

We met online 10 years ago in a pregnancy-support board. Shortly after, she and her family moved to Decatur, Illinois (where I lived at the time) from the Chicago-area after the birth of their 3rd child, Allison. Not long after their move to my town, they lost sweet Allison at 3-1/2 months old to complications with congenital heart defects. I knew from that day on that my friendship with Alexis would change me forever. There was a reason for God bringing her into my life and now I know many of those reasons. She was there with me as I learned I finally had a viable pregnancy. She got to see Noah's heart beating with me. (We celebrated!) We then shared our new pregnancies together. And the moments, memories and celebrations continued for 8 more years. I am SO incredibly thankful for this special friendship we have.
She has been a stable rock for me. Our friendship is one that will last forever . . . past life, but literally forever.

So, that said (in the shortest way I think I have ever said it!), thank you, Alexis, for your friendship, and Happy Anniversary! Looking so very forward to the next 10 years.

You can learn more about my wonderful, colorful, funny, entertaining friend at her blog (she's been much better than me at keeping up with her blogging). She has a big following so go check it out when you have time. She's an amazing writer and just by reading her stories, I can guarantee that she's immediately become your friend, too :)

Happy Day!

First of all, Happy Birthday, Chel!!! it's Michelle's very special day today as she is entering the wonderful 30's! :) Hope it's a really spectacular day, Chel!

What a better picture to put up than the one of she and I when we were both preggie back in 2005. Chel, I want that cute shirt. I forgot how HARD it is to find cute maternity clothes!

Most of you know my very dear friend, Alexis. She and her family are living in Japan now for the next 2-1/2 years. They've been there since the first of the year. I'm thankful that throughout the miles (she's halfway around the world, 14 hours ahead), she's still so close. We keep in touch in every way imaginable. You can follow her amazing journey as a stranger in a new world (with a huge language barrier) here----> You don't want to miss it.

So yesterday the kids got a package in the mail from none other than Alexis in Japan. They were beyond excited! Usually they get packages from Oklahoma, not Japan! :) Of course Maia doesn't understand the actual distance and that it's coming from a different far-away country, but Noah does (but monkey-see, monkey-do). But they both do realize when I say it's from Japan, that it's something probably from Sami. That means a celebration in our house! As you can see, they were thrilled!

And what was it? It looked like Japanese candy and, to Noah's excitement . . .

. . .his very own pair of chopsticks!! (He loves to use chopsticks. We get sushi quite regularly in our house, whether we go out or get take out. Noah has learned quite well how to use them - I think he's a little better than his mommy, actually! He loves using them, so he was SO excited to have his own very cool Japanese pair. Sami would be proud of his chopstick usage! )

So the kids weren't the only ones excited about the goodies, Neil was all into it as well. (Last night we all dug into them. My favorite is the green - slight apple taste. All very "light" in taste. I like it a lot.)
Neil got a kick out of these candies and you can only imagine what he called them. He told me I needed to put on Alexis's Facebook page, "Thanks for the nipples!". Yeah, that's my husband! I spared Alexis the harassment :)

And Alexis didn't leave her favorite Val out. For my birthday in March, she sent me the best little surprise. My own Bento Box and chopsticks! I looooove it. Thanks again, dear friend. The kids thank you, too!! It's all been so very special.

..Trail Mix..photography style..

There rarely seems to be a day where you don't find me looking like this:


. . . with a camera attached to me somewhere on my body. So here's what I've been doing on those days . . .

* Alexis and I had the best time ever Thursday night. Robbies, drinks, push-up bras and Matt Damon . . . not much can get better than that! (She should have a post on this soon - she took pictures - I didn't!)

* My mom and dad closed on their new house a few weeks ago. It's such a perfect home for them. I have more pictures of it but am not sure if mom wants me to let you see it yet? But here is a cute pic of mom and the kids the day they closed on the house, sitting on the steps of the breezeway . . .

Congratulations, mom and dad! We're so happy for you!

* This weekend we help mom and dad move their furniture in! I'm sure someone will document it . . . me?

* My wedding was wonderful. We had a such a great time. Mom, Heather and I stayed at a $60 hotel which was quite entertaining doing so. The bride, my cousin, was beautiful! Everything about the day was just perfect. I'm so happy I was able to be such a large part of it.

* I'm exhausted from the wedding. Driving 7 hours, going to bed late, getting up early, being on my feet all day long and running around non-stop is tiring! Yesterday was the best Mother's Day ever because I slept all day and did absolutely nothing. Neil fixed me a wonderful steak dinner and the kids were good to me. It was great! I actually didn't pick up my camera once!

* Right now I'm drinking some coffee and wishing it were stronger because I just can't wake up. I have an espresso machine but don't know how to use it. Go figure. Still haven't picked up my camera today. After I post this, I will be, though. Time to proof some pics . . .

* Tomorrow, Tuesday, I have an all-day date with MATT DAMON! ;-) Camera will be literally attached to my hand!!
Okay, fine, I'm obsessed!

* Last weekend my great friend, Jen, and her daughter, Addison, visited from Mississippi. Here's a couple favorite pictures from their stay. There are tons more at flickr. This is Addison's set. You probably have to be registered to view them? There are 100 or so!


I call this one "Baby Dolls":


A very funny spontaneous moment I happened to catch!:


"Just Like Mommy":


* Last week was a beautiful week with temps in the 70's. The kids and I had some really fun afternoons. Here are a couple faves from the past week. As I've said before, many more at flickr (this is the May 2008 set- you may need to be registered to view them all since 2/3's of them are "private") and will continue to be all week. I hope to proof my newborn session this week, the session I did with Addison and also my wedding. So much going on!



* Happy Mother's Day to my friends and family who are moms. Even those who are moms to furry friends. We know how they become a part of our family just as if they were our own children. Hope your day was fantastic. We all deserve it. :c)

Matt Damon . . . here??!

Never in a million years would anyone think that Decatur, Illinois could be famous for anything but Firestone (remember the recall?) and ADM's smog. But this week they are famous for Matt Damon. He is in town shooting a movie . . . in Decatur, Illinois . . . my hometown . . . it's pretty crazy. My friend, Vickie, knows a girl who is an "extra". And this morning I received all kinds of pictures from his shoot this week. He was downtown shooting a "snow scene" at an old Firestone tire shop that I've driven by a million times.

Remember the Ice Storm of 2006 and the apartment our family stayed in for 9 days? Well, that building back there behind Matt (I mean, "Mark Whitacre"), over his left shoulder, is where we lived.








Oh, why is he here? He is in a movie by Warner Brothers called "The Informant" based on the book "The Informant" which is about a man named Mark Whitacre, who was a top executive for ADM, my father-in-law and husband's company. Mark was an informant for the US Government for price-fixing in other big companies and in turn ended up being caught as a price-fixer himself. Boy, was he in trouble. He went to prison, blah blah blah . . . this was a big big thing. Not only because he committed a major crime, but also because he lived in a small farm town of 1800 people. This was BIG NEWS for our area.

Now, as you can see, it's turning into a movie and Matt Damon is the star. Sorta unreal, eh?

One of the craziest things of all is that Alexis happens to be in town this week and tonight she and I are heading downtown to "our" place for dinner. That is, if we even go to dinner. We know where he's staying, we both have our cameras, do you really think we'll go eat? Hmmmm . . . maybe ;c) So tonight should be interesting and fun and exciting and hopefully we're lucky and run into Matt . . . I mean, Mr. Whitacre :c) And we're going to ADM also . . . hmmmm . . . maybe we'll see him there? He is to still tape there . . . hmmmm. . . .

Oh my goodness, I am such a complete freak (as Alexis would say) :c) That's okay . . . gotta make the most of the exciting parts of life, right? :c)

Here's some more pics . . .





Update: I posted more info in the comment section!

Message from Thailand . . .

"Yesterday we snorkeled where they filmed the movie The Beach. Tomorrow we are riding elephants. Today we are shopping and looking at temples and the old Puhket Town.

Hope everything is going well there. I miss you girlie :)"

AJ

Thailand here she comes!

For those of you following my friend, Alexis's travels, she made it to Hong Kong this morning and I just received an email and they are in Singapore waiting to leave for Thailand in 2 hours. So far everything is good! She loved the food in the Hong Kong airport. My husband said, "yeah she is right, they do have some great food for an airport!".

I can't wait to hear (and see with pictures) all about their travels! It's so exciting. I feel like, in a small weird way, that I'm going with them. :c)

Trail Mix & Spilled Coffee

Sorry no posts from me this week! I don't have any really good excuse except that I haven't felt motivated to blog because I've been busy with so many other things.

Sunday was my great friend, Corie's, baby shower!! It was so fun. I got to see my other dearies, Beth and Tracy and Beth's mom, "mommy Pat" and Tracy's new beautiful little girl, Abby, among other familiar faces. It was fun and Corie looked flawless and beautiful! I am so excited because she is coming back up from St. Louis next week just so I can shoot her maternity pictures! (Woot!)

While Tracy and her family were here visiting from North Carolina, I was going to shoot their family on Monday afternoon, but it ended up raining, so we postponed the shoot until they are back home again in June and July. Which actually works out better because there will be green grass, trees with leaves and flowers. Plus, Abby should be sitting up well on her own then. (Speaking of Trace, darling, you NEED a blog!)

So, I have to drive 35-40 minutes each way to the town where my chiropractor is 2-3 times a week. While I loooove him and love going because I feel so good afterwards and because I get to see my friend, Beth, each time I go, I am so tired of the driving already. I think mostly because it's so expensive for me to get there and back with gas prices the way they are. That's a lot of driving for me each week in the van. I'm not really sure what to do because I know it's really benefiting me. Anyway, that's just something on my mind.

So while in town this week for my chiro, during the time of my son's preschool, on both Monday and Wednesday, Maia and I ran errands. I bought some organizational things for my very un-functional closet (it's tiny tiny), we got a baby pressie for our friends Danielle & Dan (my roomie in college whom I've talked about who had a girl March 20th!) and we went to the cat vet and made an appointment for my cat, Heinz (yes, he's named after ketchup and if you didn't realize how much I like ketchup, welp, -----> now you do!) for his hair problem that he STILL HAS. (It's driving me completely batty.) I also dropped off some pictures at a client's home. Aren't they the cutest "clients"?

But then while at home this week, I spent a good number of hours sorting through winter clothes and adding them to the "winter clothes" boxes for storage and picking out all the items that the kids can no longer wear. Then I put out the new spring and summer things (note to file, still need to do mine) and then I piled up about 10 piles of Noah and Maia's clothes to send off to friends who can use them. We got all the stacks of clothes but 1 mailed off. So I also spent a lot of time in the United States Post Office this week. But I'm so happy to have done that because the clothes are being put to good use and they're out of my house -- the most important thing, right?! :c)

Speaking of clothes, I went through a lot of my own as well, and I have a lot to give to whomever speaks for them first. And they are a lot of very very nice things. Anyone interested?

So don't dis me for this because I cannot help my size. I'm blessed to have great metabolism because yes, I do like to eat, and yes, I eat a lot! Believe me, there are a lot of things I don't like about my body, however I am very thankful that my size is one thing I don't have to worry about ---- yet.

Before I got pregnant with Noah, I was a size 0-2. After pregnancy I was told by some people that I'd never be back into a size 0. And they were right, I wasn't right away. I began as an 8, then went down to a 4 for about 6 months, but then suddenly I could wear my 2's again. (Never say never!) They didn't fit exactly as they had before, you know how our bodies change, but the point is, they did fit! Well, since I am not having anymore babies, I have no need to hold onto these 4's. So if anyone is interested, I have probably 15 pairs of brand new J Crew jeans and dress pants and I will sell them super cheap just so I don't have to spend the time listing them on ebay! Some were worn once or twice. I also have some Gap in the pile.

It's also been a busy or exciting week for some people I know. My brother-in-law, Brad, had his birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday, Bradley. Hope you liked Ella's "pink cake"! And then Neil and Brad's cousin, Kara, had her baby boy, Spencer, on the 1st. She was 3-4 weeks early and he was close to 8 lbs and Kara is a tiny size 0 girl! I can't believe he was so big. I saw her a few days before and she didn't look that large! (Spencer must have been hiding well.) I am still waiting to see some pictures. Anyone, anyone?? Congratulations to Kara and Josh! It's their first child.

On the flip side, my friend, Jennifer, is dealing with her grandmother's body beginning to shut down (bless Jenn's mom for taking care of her dear mother), and then my dear friend, Kristin, lost her grandfather yesterday. She had a relationship with her grandpa like I did with my own. He was a fantastic person and I am so touched that I had a chance over our long years of knowing each other to have met him. Again, I'm sorry, K. It's never ever easy. And a really hard thing is, Kristin's birthday is Sunday on the day of visitation. If you know Kristin, please send her a card. I know that would be extra special for her during such a rough time in her life.

And please think of my very dear friend, Alexis, as she is on an airplane RIGHT NOW flying to Thailand for her and Matt's 10th anniversary! She is nervous and upset to be leaving her kids as they didn't make it easy on her to leave. And if you know her, you know her anxieties are already way up there. So think of her and say some extra prayers for her that they make it safely and that they have an amazing time.

Finally, know how my week has ended?? I got home from picking up Noah from preschool and I brought the kids upstairs to the kitchen for lunch. Maia got up on the island area where my laptop was open and where my old cold coffee was sitting next to it. And I'm sure you can guess what happened.

I was doing something in the sink and I kept hearing "I'm sorry, mommy, I'm sorry, mommy, I'm sorry, mommy . . . " and I turn around to the sight of spilled coffee all over my keyboard. Oh.My.Lord. And that's exactly what I said, too. I quickly turn it over and let the coffee drain out on the floor and wipe it up with a towel. I figured I'd look at the screen and see it black and dead, but it was still on!! Praise the Lord! So I'm praying still that it doesn't eventually die on me, but so far so good. Cross your fingers for me! This is a scary situation on my hands! I swear my computer luck is not good. I am usually in dire mac situations at least once a year for whatever reason.

I just hope to never ever mention spilled coffee on my computer again. Lesson learned: don't put your coffee cup near the computer and don't leave the computer open. Ever.

A photography post coming soon!!!! Maybe even today!!

Thursday's Thoughts

I'm feeling better about NILMDTS. I've been pretty overwhelmed by the thought that my first time could really be at any time. I'm not sure how I will react when I do my first one, nor do I probably really know what to expect. Sure, I've seen some really graphic pictures, ones you could never ever even fathom imagining, but I still know it's nothing like being there in person with the parents who are in such immense grief. The emotions for all will be unbearable. But I'm ready. And that is partly due because of you guys with your overwhelming support. I've received a lot of emails and it's been so heart-warming. (Thank you.)

I think I've been prepared in a lot of ways for this. One, I know a little bit of what the grief and sorrow is like knowing that you lost your child who you will never get to share moments with ever. I lost three babies in utero, and no, it's not anything like having lost a child who you once held in your arms, but I've been through many of the emotions and all (or most of) the same questions, and so I hope just because of that, I can use what I've experienced as a way of helping the parents cope and as a way to do a better job at doing what I came for.

I've also been prepared through Alexis. And she talked to me last night about this in an extensive amount. She has been there. And as I told her, I know this is one of the reasons why God is having me do this. Because I personally know someone, one of my best friends, who has lost a child and who wishes she had had those pictures taken of sweet Allison. Because I have seen what she has gone through in preparing for Allison's problems before she was even born, to what she experienced in her short few months of life. Also because I held Allison in my arms once and I was there at the funeral, to see her one last time and tell her goodbye. (I know that Allison knows she has changed many peoples lives, like my own.) I didn't want to do that and it was hard doing it, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and go above and beyond for others. Wouldn't you hope they'd do it for you?

So Alexis, she will be my guidepost during this time. She's definitely going to get a call when I'm on the way to the hospital. (Thank you, already.)

To turn this into a Life is Good, I'm So Happy post, I have two cool things to also share.

One is this. I have a good friend down in Florida who makes really awesome handmade jewelry. Check this out, it's so beautiful and made entirely with love. (These are some of my favorites.)


And guess what?! Chel is giving it away!!! Go to A Gracious Home and sign up and you could win a really beautiful piece which is featured on the site. (I signed up!)

She also has a store called "Created by Chel", which I hope you will check out. She really does has some amazing pieces. She is so talented. One day I hope we can exchange services! (hint, hint!)

My other bit of excitement, well it is for me, anyways, is that I accepted one more wedding for 2008. I couldn't help it. I made an oathe to myself that I would not accept anymore for 2008, but, but, but, well, I guess I'm weak. I gave in. Only because this wedding is a dream wedding for me, oh, and because the bride begged (how can you turn down that kind of ego-booster?!).

Most dream weddings for me take place either in a great big city or on the ocean. I've had the chance to do both of them. One of my favorite dream weddings out of my 5 years shooting was Kristin and Chris's wedding down at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. Everything about it was perfect. A gorgeous October day, only close family and friends (I was honored to have been included in the "close friends" category!), beautiful subjects, not to mention down-to-earth fun subjects (!), and so my imagination just went wild!

My second dream wedding was in Chicago, Johanna and Jason's. It was a dream wedding for me because, again, I had gorgeous subjects with great personalities with the desire to have fun and do un-traditional poses! It was also a dream wedding for me because the reception took place in a 1700-acre amazing arboretum. They had a trolley for the wedding party and we went all over the arboretum taking pictures. Then the reception itself was one out of Martha Stewart Weddings. No joke. It was fabulous. I want to shoot it again! ;)

So, that said, I think I may get my third dream wedding. After the pleaing (haha), she told me where it was, and I didn't hesitate. Forget the oathe!

The wedding is in St. Louis at the St. Nicholaus Greek Orthodox Church! It's a beautiful church! And I've shot a Greek Orthodox wedding before and the ceremonies are just amazing. Long, but absolutely worth it! Here's a picture. Can you say to-die-for?!

And then the reception is at the St. Louis Renaissance Grand Hotel Crystal Ballroom! Check this place out!

The bride agreed to have all the pictures taken before the wedding which also means, we have complete freedom to do some outdoor pictures . . . downtown! You know how old and beautiful downtown St. Louis is?! (Corie does!) I am just so so excited! Helps give me the fuel power to get the 4 wedding albums that I need to have done before Christmas.

So you made it to the bottom of my Thursday's Thoughts! Yay, you! Yay, me! Yay, everyone! Time to do more of what I'm doing in the Wordless Wednesday post below. Thank goodness for coffee . . . and you all . . . to keep me going! Thanks for reading ;c)

Tidbits - read if you're bored - ha!

My site is completely done, but there's a hold up with getting it "live" which is pretty discouraging, but hopefully SOON! Believe me, I want to share it with you! Alexis has seen it since she is my editor-in-chief (seriously, she is, that's her job), and she is even antsy about getting it up! I hope soon soon soon. Cross your fingers that it gets to be "live" this week. I'm so anxious, it's not even funny!

Big news! Two of my dearest friends had their new baby boy, Anderson Troy, September 25th in the wee hours of the morning. He is so beautiful! Check him out with daddy Rusty. (Rusty and I have gone to school togehter since kindergarten all the way through college. We lived together one year in college -- what great memories. I still remember one of our conversations at the dinner table when we were talking about marriage and babies. He never ever thought he'd see either. Now he's a very amazing father to two!)Congrats, guys! Love ya!

While I'm not shooting and getting orders organized or working on the site, I am trying hard to get ready for this Halloween party that I'm throwing, which seems to be getting bigger all the time. I need to plan the menu and my decorations. But I'm not sure when. Someone I'm sure I'll squeeze in time. Probably during one of my late nights (mornings) staying up when there is peace and quiet in my house. I haven't seen much sleep in the past few days. That's okay. I'm seriously not complaining. I love my coffee.

One of my bestest friends, Kristin, is coming to visit me tomorrow. She wants to see the house. What she doesn't know is, she's coming into a house full of boxes, clutter and dirt. It's so messy and so, uck. There just isn't time. If you're reading this, K, now you are prepared! ;c)

And, big news, Maia pooped on the potty last night! I'm so excited! Maybe NO MORE DIAPERS is in our new future. I really really really really really hope so. Really!

Alexis is having a big huge interview today for a kick-arse job for her at-home PR business. Thinking of you, Alexis!!!! Can't wait to hear!!

Ok, off to get ready for the shoot and package up some things that are going off to the post office today. I swear the next post I make will be "It's Live"!!!!! I promise. You won't see me till then. Can't wait to really be "back", too. I hope soon.

Temperature is rising in North Carolina!

The most peculiar thing came to me in the mail two days ago. I knew it was from Alexis because she emailed me asking, "have you got anything odd in the mail?". My response, "Ummmm, no." She didn't say anything else after that, but of course the wheels in my head were just a turnin'. So every day I was looking in the mail for something "odd". It never came. Then she told me that it was sent to her house first. So Tuesday it finally arrived.

I opened the manilla envelope and this is what was in it:Yes, a newspaper. My first thought, "So, Alexis wants me to know just how hot it is in North Carolina. Okay . . . she has lost her noodles . . . " and I laugh. But I figure there has got to be more to this than just telling me how how NC is right now. So I start flipping through it and suddenly I know exactly why she sent it to me.

I stick "it" up on my fridge as I'm laughing so hard and saying "oh my gosh, this is so GREAT!" all the while my kids are just blank staring at me. So I put "it" up on the fridge because Neil was going to be arriving home from work shortly. I wanted to see how long it took him to notice it. Do you see it? Do you? Do you?So if you know me, and Alexis knows me quite well, you would know how much I love Clay Aiken. And lucky duck Alexis lives in the same town as he! Raleigh, NC! I hate her. (Only kidding!!)

A few summers back we went to see him at the Indy State Fair. It was the BEST TIME EVER. I need to find pictures from that. We had the greatest time eating fair food and walking around like teenagers (without any children!) anxious to see "our guy".

Clay really rocked. What an amazing singer he is. He doesn't have to put forth any effort to belt out a perfectly beautiful song. He even sung a few covers, one of them being You Were There by Avalon. That was amazing. And it was then that Alexis and I really fell in love with this man. He was a Christian and was not afraid to show it. Plus, okay, he is a little cutie, too.

And here it is close up:So what did Neil say when he finally saw it? Well, he passed by it a couple times and then suddenly I hear "What is this?!" And laughing and being silly like Neil can get, he says "how gay. You two are so gay." He knew it was from Alexis, 'nuff said. Yes we are dorks, but I admit it, so call me whatever you want to call me and I'll probably agree ;c)

Thank you AJ! What fun!!!

Prayers for a friend

Please say an extra special prayer for Alexis today. She's having a really really tough day. Thank you.

Wordless Wednesday ~ "Just like old times"

It's been so long, I almost forgot about Wordless Wednesday! So, here I am a month later, and I'm ready to get back into it. I miss the WW girls! Happy WW to you all. It's nice to be back.


The not-so-wordless part:

This is Sami and Noah running across the street together hand-in-hand (we gave them permission). Sam is Noah's dearest friend who moved far far away last summer, and this was their first reunion since they moved. It was like time had not separated them at all. It was bittersweet for me. I had hoped they would milk it all for all it's worth, and I think they very much did so. They were hand-in-hand a lot, and it was the best thing ever seeing it as a mommy and as a friend to Sami's mother, Alexis, who I also got to spend some amazing time with. I miss her so much, but visits do happen (yay!), and those visits are always so special! I know we'll never not be in touch or not be seeing each other, but I still really cherish the times. You realize when people move away whose friendships really were rare and special because effort then has to be made. Our friendship is definitely one of those, and I hope will continue to be between Noah & Sami also. It will be interesting to see as time goes on, how they react to each other. The holding hands stage isn't going to last long. I have a feeling next time it will be "eewww, gross, she's a girl!" kinda thing. But inside my heart, I'm hoping not.

I also have to mention that 5 Minutes for Mom has another great giveaway! I found it on their last day! Yay!!! The way Noah loves milk, I really really do hope I win! And if you've made it this far, be sure to check out Horizon organics. Every time we go to Starbucks Noah asks me for their milk. He loves loves loves it and I finally did try it and wow, is it good! It's so sweet! Happy contest-ing!

Happy Birthday, Alexis!

Sorry I'm a day late, AJ. I think I slept most of yesterday away, and then when trying to work on some pictures on my desktop it froze up (something that rarely happens on Macs) and I cannot get it to work now. I keep seeing flashing things on my screen, then the fan on the puter gets really loud like it's going to explode. I am beyond stressed, beyond unsure what to do or think. THIS. IS. BAD.

So, that is why I didn't get a chance to call you, or email you or even get on my blog to post anything. But throughout the feeling of losing my sanity, I still did think of you (and I thought of you while in GA, ask Chel!!). I hope you had a great day, dear friend. You know how I feel about you, so I won't post a long blurb here. Happy birthday, my dearest. Love you.

Now can you help me make my desk top work? I am in disbelief as I sit here about to leave on a photo shoot stressed. Lord help me now!

(picture above . . . AJ's 30th surprise b-day thrown by Jamie and I . . . and me, preggie with Maia Lizzy)

Ramblings from Life is Challenging YOU.

Make her happy . . . go join her challenge. (Some of you already have . . . Michelle, Corie, Jamie, Erin . . . anyone else??)

She'd love for you to participate in her book challenge. Summer Reading Challenge, I think it is called. Sounds like a very cool challenge. I would love to join it. I love love love to read. But my life is so busy, I can't find time to pick up a book. I'm either chasing kids, cleaning my house for showings, leaving the house for showings, shooting pictures, or working in my dungeon glued to Photoshop at my computer. I love my life, but seriously wish I had an hour to read. I guess if I forced myself, but once I make it to bed at midnight or 1, I'm ready to catch some zzz's to wake up to another glorious day! :c)

So, instead, I challenge you to be challenged. And tell me what your very favorites are. Maybe then I will read? I have bookcases full of unread books. I love chick lit, so if/when you get done with something that you think would strike my fancy, please do let me know and I'll add it to my un-read collection. One day I will get to it. It may be when my kids are in college, but at least then it will really be a gift and a pleasure!

Have fun!

{Wait, I just had a thought. Can parenting magazines count? Or photography ones? That's about all I read these days. I'm also working on Erin's book :c) Hey . . . I do read!!}

Thinking of you today, Alexis.

(please take time to read Alexis's post, also . . .)

Happy Birthday, Allison. xxoo

I love hand-me-downs.

We're really lucky because Alexis gives us all of Samantha's old clothes. It's so fun when I get a big bag from her. It's like Christmas every time because you never know what cute things are hidden inside. She never expects a thing in return for them, either. She's just glad to give them away to someone who will make use of them (and she gets them out of her house!). It's so fun receiving them from her and Sami (thank you, Alexis!), but I have even more fun giving.

I have a close dear friend, Katie, who had a daughter last year almost on Maia's 1st birthday. So I send her boxes of Maia's old clothes when I can. I sift through them and pick out my favorite little outfits. While I do keep some of her old clothes because I can't fathom getting rid of all of them, I do give a lot away, too. Katie always gets first grabs, because, well, she is Katie! I know she cherishes them a lot. And it's such a nice feeling knowing that someone I care so much for can dress her little girl in the same clothes that my little girl wore. I am just really sentimental like that. I hope it's a tradition I can carry on till the girls are 18! How neat would that be??

Katie and her little dootlebug sporting a springy watermelon dress
on their trip to Florida last week. Isn't she a doll?

Off to Columbus, Ohio!

Rest of today I will be packing packing packing! I hate packing but I love this reason why! I am driving with Noah to Columbus, Ohio to see Alexis & Sami! She lives in North Carolina now, but her family is from the Columbus area, so we are meeting her and Sami there (her mom taking her older two, Chris and Em, for the weekend) Friday late afternoon! Plans are to stay in a hotel with a pool right next to awesome shopping . . . oh my goodness this is going to be so much fun! Hoping to shop till we drop (of course, two things we do so very well together) as long as Sam and Noah can stand us to (!), eat (oh wait, another thing we do really well together), gab (oh wait, still another!), and then of course all the fun things we have planned for Noah and Sami (Jack Hanna's zoo, CEC . . .).

It's also my birthday tomorrow (happy birthday to me!), and I'll be driving most of that day, but I can deal. We bought a portable DVD player for Noah and I have a few new games for him, too, and I have my ipod and my new Regina Spektor CD, so I am anticipating a good drive. Except (now this is crazy and what are the chances?!) that both the U of I and Southern Illinois (SIU) are playing in the NCAA basketball tourney which is in no other than Columbus, Ohio! So the traffic might be really really awful. Hoping not, but I'm going into it thinking the worst. On the flip-side, I don't really mind all that much because I like these people. They could be fellow alum! (I went to SIU and this is huge huge huge for them because 1 -I/they think they could go really really far and 2 - if SIU wins their game and U of I also wins their game, they would play each other! And really, that game would be in SIU's favor, and how freaking exciting would that be if they did win?!?!) So . . . I have to pack orange and blue and maroon and white in lieu of both my teams!

Well, "see" you all next week, . . . gooooo Illini!! . . . . and gooooo Saluki's!! . . . and . . . . happy 31st to me! (I also cannot forget my birthday hospital buddy, Jamie! We were born on the same day in the same hospital! My dear friend, Amberley - also 31, also shares the day and so does my friend, Randy - 30!! Happy Birthday, all of you!!! Love ya!) Well, off to patching a tire, getting my oil changed, cleaning out my car, & buying a few groceries. (You didn't know I had that motivation, did you?) See you, Brad, Chel & Ella on Monday! (They are coming home for the weekend, but Monday we get to spend the day with them. Have a safe trip to Illinois!)

Thought to end:
Life is what we make it.
Always has been, always will be.
-Grandma Moses

Mac Geeks

So Alexis comes home, hangs out with me all night, and this is what we do - play on our Macs. Call us geeks but this is why we love each other.

Who took this picture? Neil; who puts up with our mac geekiness. Oh yes, and notice the food. We cannot get together without EATING! (Duh.)

Illinois' Big Arrival . . . Alexis

Well, Alexis has been picked up from the airport and brought back to good ol' Decatur. And it was so fabulous to have the opportunity to do this - bring her "back". I have really missed her and that was reinforced yesterday when I spent a whole day with her and we had the best time ever - almost like she was never gone. These are the moments you long for in a friendship. That is when you know how true and rare it is.

It was 4 degrees yesterday and when she got off that plane, she walked straight into a brick wall of cold Illinois reality. It made her appreciate where she came from, North Carolina's 60 degree January flip-flop weather. Jamie and I had a pact that every time Alexis brought up NC's weather, that we would just ingnore her. hehe. But Alexis sucked it up, frozen teeth and all, to spend a day full of fun with us - her two very favorite people. Now that is friendship.

So what did we do? Well, we spent a long while at Barnes & Noble (one of our favorite hang-outs), then went and saw a movie - my first in probably 2 years!, Catch and Release. It had gotten bad reviews but we all loved it. It was a girly GREAT. I already am on the lookout for the soundtrack at a good price or else I will have to buy it on itunes. I love Jennifer Garner and "Barry" looked so dang HOT. (drool) We were one of the only ones in the theater, which is always such fun. You can laugh and talk and it doesn't even matter. We had a great time.

Then off to dinner and drinks (something else we do so well together) and then shopping (another girly given!). Got some excellent deals at The Children's Place - an additional 50% off already discounted items, plus a coupon for 20% off of that! - woohoooo! and I came out with 2 bags full - big bags full - so shhhhh don't tell Neil, they are still in Jamie's car (hehe). And then our drive home was quite interesting, but I'll just end it with that. It was quite entertaining and fun.

So today is a lazy day, and then the big big big Bears game. We can't WAIT! Let's party like it's 1986! (GO Bears!!!!)

So . . . what a great weekend. Can't wait for the rest of the week. I think we are going to go play Bingo tomorrow night, drive out to our new lot one day, have lunch at Robbie's and then have a slumber party Tues night before I have to take Alexis back on Wed. I'm so glad she is here. Now if Jen were here, too, life would be oh so perfect. (*smile*)

Girly time here we come!

Guess what!? My lovely dearest of the dears, Alexis, is coming "home" this weekend! I cannot wait to see her! I am so freaking excited! Plan is to pick her up from the airport tomorrow and have a girly day, she, Jamie and I . . . no kids!! We're going to see a movie (movie, what's a movie?, my first in probably almost 2 years for me), shop (hello, of course!), eat (again, a given with women friends!), and probably have some drinky-drinks. Tuesday night Alexis is spending the night and we are going to have a slumber party while watching American Idol, eating, gossiping, laughing, all the things we do so well together. I'm hoping in there somewhere she can show me some of her grand organizational skills which I lack big time. Gotta take her out to our new lot, and future home forevermore, so she can see the "before" and then one day the "after". We pick her up at the aiport at noon tomorrow. Wish her safe travels and fun time while in good ol' Illinois with her very favorite people in the whole wide world (hehe).