Off to NOLA!

We are off to New Orleans tomorrow with our friends, Heather & Lee. Very excited as we all need this getaway. Heather is also pregnant, 7 weeks ahead of me. We're very much looking forward to muffaletta and beignets! If you could spy on us, you'd see us in every restaurant at some point in the French Quarter. I haven't found a place yet which compares to such food greatness in the United States! Such a perk being preggers getting to eat it all without any guilt!



We're also looking forward to the culture and relaxation. It's a much needed break for us all. We'll be meeting our dear friends, Jen and Ryan, over the weekend as they are coming to spend it there with us. We're so very excited. We haven't seen Jen since this time last year.

NOLA, here we come!!

{ p.s. Grandma's Diary really truly seriously updated finally...over a week's worth. I'm slowing updating... I've missed Grandma's entries, hoping you have, too. }

Proofing done! Chicago here I come!

This time of year is so busy for me. Wedding after wedding, shoot after shoot. It's never-ending. I love actually going out and photographing and I love coming home and post-processing on my computer, but I really don't like the time it takes me to post-process. Man oh man oh man. So while I have been down one computer and online a ton less, I'm still attached to my other computer as I proof away. I pushed myself incredibly hard this week finishing up 2 weddings. One I proofed over 1,000 photos (yes, that many), and the other, being just a reception, I proofed about 500. I figured I spent about 50 hours thus far this week post-processing. I've learned this week that I am not charging enough for the time I put in to my work. ((sigh)) At least I enjoy it. Now if I could only figure out how to balance that time between home/kids and work. (As I work I always am thinking "how do those other women do it?". I wish they would tell me.)

The good news is that tomorrow morning we're packing the kids in the car and heading to Chicago for a long weekend. Saturday, my beloved Johanna, is assisting me in photographing 6 shoots. All downtown Chicago!! How incredible it that?! I'm very much looking forward to this experience. It's something I have always wanted to do, and now unbelievably I am! The day is suppose to be gorgeously perfect and I think (no, I know) Jo and I are going to have an amazing time.

The rest of the time I am spending it solely with my family. Neil and the kids will be with me. We have no plans. We like to go places without plans and do everything spur-of-the-moment. That's a true vacation, when there is no thought processing involved!, for us. We've talked about the Chicago Children' Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo again, we don't know. But it's Chicago, and where we stay each time we're up there, we're within walking distance to everything. So we have the Windy City right at our fingers :c)

So with that said, I'll see you all Tuesday! We are coming home late Monday. Hope you have a great weekend. Think of me Saturday and send me energized thoughts as I have a feeling come lunch I will be exhausted. I'm shooting till 7:00. Yeah, I'll be tired.This is where I'm shooting. And maybe here where Buckingham Fountain resides. (Katie, yes we would LOVE lunch!! Thank you for the offer -- incredibly thoughtful.)

Here's a peak into the last two weddings. More, as always, can be seen at my other blog or flickr.








p.s. I haven't received my new laptop yet. I'm thinking if I don't, it's actually probably a good thing. It means I won't have a computer to take with me and I can't work on anything photo-wise no matter what. What will I do with my time after the kids go to bed? Talk to hubby? Read a book? Watch Joel on The Soup? Watch the Ferris Wheel turn with it's beautiful lights at Navy Pier from the balcony? All sounds heavenly. ((happy sigh))

And I forgot I had this one. Myself in action doing that photo up there. (Wanting to draw an arrow right now to that picture.) Heather shot it. She's so funny. It's kinda fun, though, to see what I look like. One thing I learned by seeing this picture is that I won't be wearing that dress again. It looks like a Moo Moo. Ha :c)

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

Thoughts residing in my head right now.

* I have to pick out a new comforter set for both Noah and Maia. Noah says he wants dinosaurs. I'm thinking plain ol' white or pink for Maia. We'll be switching Noah to his full-size bed and Maia to a twin. I can't (well, I don't want to) pick out paint for their walls until I have exact matches to their bedding. I know, I'm anal in that way. (So, I really think this is cute. It's Pirates, though. But I think I can add some dinosaurs in there. He already saw this and really liked it. I think matching wall color would be fun and he'd like this theme for years to come. But I also found this which is similar but way cheaper, and just about as cute. I am having troubles finding dinosaurs that I like in a full size. Your thoughts?)

* I really really really want my computer back. Or, at this point, any computer. If it has to be new, so be it. I'll just be even more in debt. Sigh. Since I have to have a mac (all my software is for a mac) and since I have to have a computer that is fast but has a lot of storage capacity (it seriously is a must with what I do), and *if* I have to buy a new one, I will probably get this one. I just pray I can do a lot of biz this year to pay for it. *deep breath* (Fellow mac-ies, what do you use?)

* I need to return a cable to a photography place (Tallyn's) in Peoria because it didn't fit in my lighting system and I'm waiting to hear back from the place first to see if they even have what I am needing. (Please respond to me! Please. You are usually so quick. Don't let me down now!)

* I need to make a list of all the places that I need to do change of address for. The ones that I know there will be dozens (probably hundreds) of, are my work-related contacts, businesses, catalogs, vendors, etc. Ugh. I almost forgot about doing this.

* We begin painting on the new house the 6th. I will be doing most of it myself. Any ideas on how to keep my kids entertained (in a house that has absolutely nothing in it yet) and not be in my way? (You and I both know they'll want to "help" and then would make a huge mess doing so. They're kids. It happens. What can I do to distract them for long periods of time?)

* I get to see Jenny-Jen on Saturday!! She is coming "home" from Hattiesburg, MS. I cannot wait to see her. It's almost been an entire year. We're having lunch and shopping. Girls day out, no kids! I have missed her so much.

* Packing up my office, especially packing up all my client files, old negatives, etc., is going to be a tremendous job. I'm already in denial that it has gotta be done. I can just pick up the office and move it like it is, right? The file cabinets. Man, that will be a huge job. How do you recommend I do that? (I've never had to move my business before!)

* I want to be back on vacation.

* I need to go through all the magazines that I have not read in months and months and throw them out because I am not moving them to the new house. I guess I will get off of here and do that next. Anyone in need of Parents, Child or Family Fun? I want to read them, but I never ever have time to. I'd honestly rather read a book. I'm discontinuing my subscriptions to save some trees and piles of waste collecting in my house :c) (Btw, did you know that Child is discontinuing it's magazine? I love that 'zine, too. Parents is taking over it's subscriptions. Shoot, that stinks. But they will still have their great website packing with parenting info.)

* My list of to-do's and thoughts going through my head is just way way too long.

Georgia Pictures, set 2!

Savannah pictures and tons more from the heavenly beach. I would give anything to be back there right now . . . Thanks again, Bill and Martha! Thank you so much.

Day 4 and 5 - goodbye GA!

I am going to make this one quick ("yeah, right, Val", you're thinking) because we're about to pack everything up and put into the car. Even though we aren't leaving till 9 tonight, we still have to be out of the rooms by 1:30, so time to say goodbye in cyberland from me while sitting on Georgia soil.

I think yesterday was the best day yet. Bill and Martha went golfing so Ash spent the morning with us. The 5 of us went to breakfast, then we walked around Sea Island. Noah got to see the 1 and 2-ft long Koi fish in the pond by the spa. I think we spent 20 minutes there just watching the fish. Then we met Bill and Martha back at the rooms. They changed and then we all went back to the beach club and rented bikes to take down the island.

Maia wanted absolutely nothing to do with the bikes. We tried putting her in the back of my bike and she pitched a bloody murder fit with huge tears rolling down her face. There was no way she was going on that bike. If she had to jump out, I think she would have. So she and I stayed back while the others went on. They were gone about an hour and when they got back, grandma & grandpa took Noah and Maia to lunch so Neil and I could do a bike ride. It was great for just the two of us to be together. We biked about 6 miles and it was the most beautiful ride. The houses on this island are amazing. Condos here start at 2.5 million (@ 1200 sq. ft and 1 bedroom) so you and I can only imaging the price of a 4,000+ sq. ft home. I can't wait to show you pictures. It was like riding through Coastal Living magazine. I loved it.

Ok, so now Neil is waiting on me. (rolling my eyes) But last night we ate dinner at the yummiest place ever, called Cargo, which was in Brunswick. Yum yum yum. We had a great time. Bill an I both cheered with Capirhinias (Beth and Rod, is this how you spell it?) in lieu of our time in Brazil 6 years ago. They were tasty! After dinner it was back to Sea Island and we hung out on the main patio again till about 9:30.

I love love love it here and don't want to leave, but off we go very soon. It's been so fabulous. I can't wait to download my pictures (all 600 - oh my!). But, unfortunately, when we get home, it's back to the drawing board with non-stop going-going. It's going to be insanely crazy. So I'm even that much more thankful for this peaceful fabulous time with our family. It's been heaven.

On my must-do-right-away list: 2 weddings to proof, 2 wedding albums to do, a couple sittings and a few orders all before I can even begin to think about packing. Then we move in just 2 weeks from this coming Monday! EEEEEEK! The last week (just one week from now) we have to paint in the new house. Anyone want to come help me do my photo work, watch my kids, help me pack or help me paint?! Please?! I'm serious. I think I'm going to need some major help. (Chel, are you sure you don't wanna come "home" and help your sis?)

Back to reality I come! Thanks for hanging out with me on my vacation. It's been fun seeing that I've had some loyal readers who've been along on vacation with me. See ya back in Illinois!

(Rainy) day #3 in gorgeous Georgia

Well, I haven't been able to read my book or get online because we've been so busy. Not having time to read is normal for this girl, but not being online for almost 2 days is totally not me. I feel so detached from the world . . . from you guys. But, it's been so worth it.

Yesterday we ordered dine-in breakfast and then packed the kids in the car and headed to St. Simon Island. It's very touristy compared to Sea Island. Sea Island is way more secluded and although there are tourists, they aren't so "look-at-me-with-my-fannie-pack-and-visor" but instead everyone seems to just fit in so you can't tell who is local and who isn't . . . if that makes sense?

I've never been to the Hamptons before, but what I've heard Kelli Ripa and Martha Stewart say about it, and from what I've seen in tabloids, it seems very similar to me. And even though this sort of lifestyle isn't so much me, I have to admit, I like it. A lot.

So back to St. Simon. It was fun. We didn't do much but walk around the very touristy stores, but we did eat at a great restaurant called Barbara Jean's. I guess in that area it's known for homestyle southern food and is normally really hard to get into, but we walked right in and, yep, it was really yummy. Neil and I both had melt-in-your-mouth crab cakes and the butter for the bread was mouth-watering. Mmmmm . . . I can still taste it all.

After St. Simon, we went back to Sea Island. We decided to head to the beach again. We called Brad and Chel to see what they were doing and Brad says "it's raining". Ugh. So we're like, 'oh well' and we go anyway. It didn't look like it was going to last. I'm really glad we went.

We get down there and no one is there. Literally, no one. It's like we have the Atlantic all to ourselves. It's great. With the clouds out and not much sun, it was chilly, but it didn't stop the kiddos. An hour later the sun was out full-throttle and other beach visitors arrived. We even took some bikes out on the beach for a ride. Noah absolutely loved that. Maia just kept playing in the sand. She loved the sand and the water and the salty waters didn't bother her in the least. Later Brad, Chel and Ella arrive just when Maia is ready to head back for her nap. Ah well, such is toddler-hood and parenting inconsistencies.

That night we had dinner on our patios and then planned to meet B, C & E back out at the beach at 7 for a photo shoot of the cousins. To be honest, it's like the entire trip has been a photo shoot for me. I've been in photography heaven. And with this one, even though the clouds soon grew dark on us, I had a great time shooting and the girls looked adorable in their pink and white dresses and Noah in his white polo and khakis. I can't wait to show you pictures!

Later we meet grandpa, grandma and Ashley out at the main terrace for some drinks. We had a fun time. It rained the whole time, but it was so neat to be "outside" yet be totally dry. I love 72 degree weather, on vacation, on the beach. To me, that is one definition of perfection. Thank you, dad and Martha!

Day 2 in Georgia!

Our plans this morning were to go to Savannah, and we did. It's just what we did there wasn't really as planned. Actually, yeah it was, but much shorter than planned.

Savannah is about 1 hour from Sea Island, so after we ordered a fancy room service breakfast with a rolling table, white table linens, and a sweet waiter boy (something I'm not use to but looooooved - the fancy room service, not so much the waiter, stop it now!), we headed for Savannah. We met Brad, Chel and Ella there at the visitor's center. We walked down to the river and the historic district to find a place to eat and landed at hole in the wall kind of burger joint but it was really tasty. I had a portabella mushroom sandwhich, something I tend to always get on vacations! The service was pretty dang slow, though. Bummer. Our plans were to find Paula Deen's restaurant but never could -- of course we saw it on our way back. Arg.

After lunch we headed out and about. It was scorching hot. I mean, high 90 temps and high humidity that felt like 110 degrees. It was literally scorching. We all tried our best to make the most of it (and I think we did) but with sweat pouring down our faces and the kids' faces turning beet red (but not complaining - bless their hearts!), we were easing into pure misery. The kids traded stroller seats about a dozen times and we traded who pushed about a dozen times. I still managed, though, to take a few (hundred) pictures because no matter how hot I was, I knew this would probably be my only time in Savannah, a place so rich in history.

Even through the pouring down sweat off our bodies, I just couldn't get enough of the history. The brick streets, the roads paved in rocks, the brick buildings and the amazing architecture. My favorite building was a cotton trading building. These are all we really saw as after just a couple hours were were literally drained. We had enough energy to get the kids back to the cars and to head back to Sea Island. We didn't even get to see any of the old historic homes and plantations that I really wanted to see. But Neil and I both said one day we'd come back in the spring or fall (note to file, don't visit anything in the south that is not a beach in the summer months!) and without kids. While the kids did really marvelous despite the heat (only a minor problem - ha!), we still think we'd enjoy it more alone or else when they were old enough to appreciate it.

So here we are, ending another day . . . maybe not the best day in most people's eyes, but in my eyes it was. We had a great time with Brad, Chel and Ella and this evening we had a yummy yummy dinner and then played on the beach. I got some great snaps, and that is all that matters in a day in the life of a photographer mom :c) I can't wait for tomorrow.

Hi from Georgia!!

We made it into Georgia yesterday afternoon. We drove from Atlanta to Sea Island (where we are now) later last night. I didn't even know such a place as this existed and I have to say . . . it's amazing and beautiful and just spectacular! We're staying at the Cloister where the G8 Summit was held in 2004! To think that the most powerful people in the world were recently here is just . . . amazing!

We spent most of today at the beach and we all got a little red even with SPF 45 sunscreen! (They mean what they say when they say southern heat can be strong!) So tomorrow we're heading into Savannah and spending the day there. I can't wait because a blogging friend, Candace, who I met via Wordless Wednesday at 5M4M, who is from Savannah, sent me all sorts of great information on the beautiful city. It just looks amazing. So so much (very old) history - something you can't get a whole lot of in central Illinois! I can't wait to see it all . . . my camera can't wait either . . . I can already see the old buildings and giant oak trees calling my camera's name ;c)

Maia had a blast today with her cousin, Ella, who she hadn't seen since December. Our time with her is few and far with them now being in Oklahoma. And when they were home in March, my kids had the rotavirus. Back in December they were some what into each other. Now, 6 months later, they are totally into each other. And it's a blast for all of us, I think especially grandma & grandpa!

The relaxation here is just sooooooo great. Today we drank sodas by the ocean under our umbrellas, walked the beach looking for seashells, I took a bubble bath while watching HGTV in peace and quiet, read a book on our patio overlooking the water, and then fell asleep reading that book. That's what you call bliss. I love bliss.