Missing out, but second best

Two of the biggest photographers in the children market put together this workshop called Learnfest. A 3 day workshop. I wanted desperately to go, but it didn't play out in the cards for me, and it looks like this will be their last one. :( However, I was able to get my kids in to be models for their workshops. Ase took one day, and the other two the next. Just being there those few hours 1-made me sick I didn't go to the whole thing, 2- so inspired I was grateful just for those two hours 3- determined to talk them into just one more workshop! Aside from just getting to watch these amazing women in action (which for me was the best part) I'll also get some pretty amazing photos of the kids. Yay! Tamara Lackey is one of the photographers, and has actually posted a few photos from the workshop. Just a small preview of what's to come! You'll have to check out her blog to see the pictures she has up! The first is actually me there holding the reflector, with Nutmeg and Bug sitting in the grass. Tamara is the blond closest to them. I'd say the one with the camera, but you'll see, there's not just her. A little intimidating to have 20 cameras aimed at you! If you scroll down further you'll see 3 of Ase and under that 2 of her and me (I was not supposed to be in these... and was rather embarrassed I didn't get ready.. but I'm so glad they threw me in there!). Then down toward the bottom we have Nutmeg. LOVE that last one! One day I'll be there... you'll see! The other photographer is Audrey Woulard. If you haven't heard of either of these, and you are in photography I think you're hiding under a rock. They are the stars in the industry. I'm waiting to see if she posts anything and I'll let you know!

And since I can't post without a picture..

this was for my class. The theme was lost. I ended up really liking it!

More alike than previously thought

So I've been working on some photos for an assignment. Not going as easy as thought, but I'm getting some fun stuff in the process. I was setting the girls up for a frame I was trying to get, and I was a little taken aback by this first photo. I know it's not necessarily a good photo, the colors off and everything. But I couldn't help but notice, their profiles are so similar. From the front they are very different, but the side. Wow. And the second I just love. As much as Nutmeg didn't want to be there, she can't hide that she might actually be enjoying herself! :)

We've had it up to HERE

So we are now flooded. The good 'ol GA can't seem to find that balance between flood and drought. Hopefully it will find that happy place soon. Until then, school has now been cancelled.

WHAT?!?!

I was amazed we were even able to drive and get the kids today. It was absolutely crazy. This was at the end of our driveway. Well really, at the end of every driveway and in every gutter. It completely covered my feet up to my ankles. Nuts. And can I just say, we are SO tired of the rain.

Trying

So I'm trying to see the rainbow here. It's been a rough week altogether. I can't wait for Monday, and a new start. I was trying desperatley to get out of this rut we're all in, so I grabbed Nutmeg and took a few photos. It did help... but it's gonna take a stronger dose of something to completely get us out. It's a start atleast! Enjoy.

Finding ourselves. Yet again.

So this was a happy Labor Day. Yup. Actually, it wasn't all bad for the weekend. Just on the actual Labor Day itself. Our car was broken into, and my purse and Matt's wallet were both taken. Luckily we only had $40 in cash in there... but, once again we had to close all accounts, and again, we lost who we were according to the world. No license, no bank accounts, no credit cards. And it was a holiday, so we really couldn't fix anything until the next day. It was not fun. And insurance really isn't going to help, since it won't meet the deductible. So here we are again. Same place we found ourselves just over two years ago with the break in of our house. So someone, please tell me.. do we have a target above our heads I just can't see, or what?

There were 6 other cars who were hit (we were at the sub pool), and get this. One poor guy had just had this happen to him 2 weeks ago, and it happened again that day. I think it sucks worse for him right now. How do you explain that one to insurance? "Yes, yes I know... I'm an idiot." Poor guy.

The good thing is, we did get to hang out with family that day. So it helped to relieve a little of the stress. Ahh. Happy flippen Labor Day.

So this week has been filled with sick kids, one at a time of course. Lets drag this out as LONG as we can, and reclaiming who we are. I think we've finally arrived. Again. Can we please stay for awhile this time? Please?

So here is some window glass (i had no clue it really looked green)... which let me tell you. Flies in all directions. So it appears. And also the weapon. So nice of them to leave it for us. Now if only I knew where their car was...

Tub Thinking

Today was a scrub the the tub kind of day. Which is good... it really needed it! But while Ase was playing in one of the clean tubs, and I was scrubbing another, I had a peaceful moment to think. And it reminded me of something which can relate to me again, at this current point in my life. A long time ago I used to scrap book. Then I got busy. So I just kept collecting more stuff to scrapbook with, but never actually doing it. I would mark pages and pages of scrapbook magazine for ideas. I kept reorganizing supplies thinking that would get me going. But it didn't. Never did. Once I made the transition to digital cameras (years ago) I could never get past the pictures. I was too stressed on picking the right picture, how big to print it, how many per page, etc. It's really not that big of a deal.. but I was completely stuck. Finally one year I'd had enough. I didn't want to be weighed down by this guilt anymore. The guilt of NOT scrapbooking. I wasn't something just for fun anymore. I now needed to because I'd invested all this money and space to this hobby. I'd convinced Matt I needed a table just to work on it, or another storage system for the supplies. I was so far behind it was going to be impossible to catch up and scrapbook in a way that I would like. And if nothing else, when it came to scrap booking, I liked it, but didn't love it. As said, it stressed me out. I'm a perfectionist. So what did I do?

I sold it.

ALL OF IT.

Storage systems, paper, cutting tools, everything. I knew if I didn't commit... I'd start collecting stuff again. I needed this gone. Lucky for me we had a garage sale coming, and the scrapbook stuff? First things gone. Two people came and wiped it all out. That should have been a sign right there that this was all for something more. All I knew at the time was that I felt so much better. This weight really had been lifted. And not just that but I had more room in my house too! And you know what I did? I really started trying to take pictures. It wasn't a consciouse discision, but something that just came out. It wasn't until over a year later that I was able to look back and see how it all fit together.

Once I let go of something I really didn't need, I was able to let something much better (for me atleast) in. As soon as that scrapbook stuff was gone, I actually started trying to learn my camera. I started taking more and more pictures. I even started slowly taking some for others. Hind-sight I can see the photographer inside of me trying to find a way out... but I never listened! I was always drawn to photos. I have collected frames unknowingly for years (just take a peak in my closet!), all those scrapbook magazines I'd bookmarked? All with PICTURE ideas. It had nothing to do with the scrapbook layout. :) Ever since Bug was born I was always setting him up in funny little displayes, trying to get something greater than I could create. Looking back, it was always there.. I was just too busy listening to a nagging, tired voice instead.

Don't get me wrong though. I truely am grateful for my scrapbooking stint. Without it I wouldn't have constantly looked through pages of photos I wanted to create. I wouldn't of had something to occupy me until I was ready. But I am grateful. Grateful I did let go when the time came. That I didn't hold onto something longer than for the time I needed it.

So here's to letting go, and welcoming in the new. Whatever it may be!