Circus.

We took Ella to her first circus tonight. What an amazing experience to watch a little person experience things for the first time. All the wonder and amazement. I think as adults, especially as parents, we forget to sit back and watch them watching something. I guess that's why I like photography so much. You can catch moments of people seeing.
She is such an amazing little person...soaking it all in - as it should be :)

SPRING!!!!

Mmmmmm.

Celebrating Great Friends...

I went to college with some amazing ladies. Now our friendship is even stronger and I was reminded of that this past weekend as we all packed up from our seperate destinations and traveled to Cooperstown. What a beautiful place. Not only our surroundings and the home we stayed in but to be in ANY place with these women. I love them. Each of us with our unique character strengths and flaws...always seems to fill each other when needed.
Somehow we all knew that we needed this weekend. It was restful, filling and peaceful. I am truly blessed.

Finding Appreciation.

Funk. Not the fun, big haired, tube socked kind. Just blah. That's the best way to describe it. So as I have the chance to recollect, I decided to give myself an assignment. To capture images of things that I appreciate today...
It got my creative juices flowing and helped to get outside my own head. Thank you!!

Realizations.

Just some thoughts I have come to realize over the past couple weeks...read as you may...

- Ella's mood is directly tied to my mood and I think that's the most bizarre phenom ever.
- I love my job...yes..I actually like the work that I do and appreciate my being able to do it.
- People do their jobs because they have to...i.e. I can't get mad at that guy for throwing me under the bus, it's his job - however I can tell him off if I ever see him in an alley and I have had a couple too many drinks.
- Having lunch with my best friend is one of the most therapeutic things I could possibly do.
- Also equally therapeutic is seeing my therapist and my hair stylist.
- I have an apparent addiction to listening to John Legend.
- I have two very distinct times in my day that I love. One being in the morning if I am home after everyone leaves and I am still getting ready for work. The morning light (allowing me to take pics like this one) and the quiet. The other being the moment I get into bed at night to read before going to sleep. Ahhh sleep.

Ok..that's all.

Perspective.

I have never been one for New Year's Resolutions. I believe that you should be ever changing throughout the year...why wait until January 1st to lose 10lbs. or quit smoking or eat healthy? Never really made much sense to me. Until this year...

I'm a busy gal. With a full life. Not perfect but full and energetic and loving with friends and family whom I adore. I work hard and truly give 100% to those people I work with. It's the hippy in me, I can't help it and I like it.

I have a friend at work who started going to art class to give her "inner 8 year old" something to do. I started thinking...what am I doing to feed my creative self? Oh yeah, there's that interest in photography...

*Enter 2009*

In one sense it is in my blood. My grandfather was a photographer and my Dad likes photography. But there is something about capturing one moment on film to have forever. To embrace a look or a feeling with a picture. What an amazing opportunity. So I am going to take my Kodak point and shoot with me when I am off living my life and take more pictures.

So, if anyone still reads this blog...there used to be several of you, please give me feedback on the pics I post. I appreciate and welcome it. Provide links to your own pics/ideas/creative flights of fancy!

A Little Quiet Time.

Shhhh. It's so quiet in my house right now! I am home today, Brenna is sick and our hot water tank broke last night. There is a bit of chaos in our hours but right now Ella is at 'school', Matt is at work and Brenna is sleeping. I am here with no TV, no radio. Nuttin'! Just quiet. Ahhh. It really is the best noise ever...no noise.
I don't really take the time to just be quiet. My day is filled with listening and noise ...working in a CDT there is no barrier between us and the clients so there is always noise. Ella is the nosiest human being ever created by God. Even when she tries to be quiet she is still a mess :)
I need to take more time to be quiet. The cliche of "Just Be" is so true. I hate cliche's but they can be useful in helping us to remember what helps to fill us.
Shhhhh. I like when things are quiet.

Mamas.

My mama is in Florida taking care of my second mother (my Aunie Flo) who got her knee replaced. I miss my mom. This is no way an attempt to manipulate her into coming home. She says she is going to but we wonder sometimes. I miss my mom. It's Florida. It's warm and sunny and my cousins live right on the beach. I miss my mom. We are hoping to visit this spring...at lease Bean and myself. I miss my mom. So I am sure she will bring lots of purdy pictures back to show up...I miss my mom and hopefully she will come back with those pictures. That's all...just some thoughts about my mama.

It's That Good.

I saw it twice...

Foo.

Last week Matt, Sarah, George and I went to see the Foo Fighters. One of the finest bands to walk to Earth. It was an amazing concert and as Sarah said in her blog post , it was awesome!! They completely rocked out and Dave Grohl was nothing short of a sexy.
I came to the sudden realization that I have a major thing for rocker guys. The hair the tattoos...when I told my best friend this, she said, "Really? You just realized this?". I guess it has been a lifelong admiration.
If anyone is interested in taking me, Daughtry will be at the State Fair this month. I have been banned from concerts apparently but if someone were to take me... ;)

Kathy Griffin.

I made the mistake of attempting to surprise my husband for our anniversary this year and I got tickets for Kathy Griffin in Toronto for Aug. 8th. I should know better that our lives are not planned for surprises. We can't go. Matt cannot get the time off so we are looking to sell the tickets. If anyone is interested, please let me know. I'm not going to let the tickets go to waste. Either email me or comment on the blog. She is really funny!!!

One Wedding.

One of the weddings we have gone to was Matt's friend Katie's wedding. It was nice because we didn't have to manage children. We always have so much fun at his friends' wedding. I adore Katie! ADORE HER!! It's so nice that his friends are so wonderful and seriously hysterical!

Back Again.

It has been a full 4 months since I last blogged. A busy summer and now that all the weddings and stuff are over I am looking forward to not feeling obligated to do things. I adore summer. It truly is my favorite season. I could live in summer all year round. I would not miss winter. At all. Not not one moment.
Anyway, so far we had three weddings, a third birthday and a 5 anniversary. I wil be posting :)

This is George.

This is George. George is Sarah's boyfriend. George is one of my newest favorite people but George decided he was going to give a birthday present. George made me a black armband with a picture of Heath Ledger on it. George isn't funny. George is a butt-head. I still adore George though.

32.

Someone told me the other day that they wish they were 21 again. I thought about that. 21. I was in college and drunk most of the time. I had no idea who I was nor where I was going. I thought I was smart and thought I knew who I was. I thought I knew what I wanted in a partner but realized I had no idea. There is no way I want to be 21...I love being 32.
32 has brought me two of the most amazing little souls I have ever met in Brenna and Ella. It has brought me a life partner whom I adore and who equally adores me. It has brought me a loyal and loving family and an extended family who I cherish with all my heart.
It has brought me intelligence, passion, determination, love, peace, direction, comfort and confidence. I like 32. I recommend it.

Philadelphia Freedon.

I had a great trip to Philly this past weekend. I had a great trip home. After 16 years it is still home. Matt has told me that he likes that I am "from somewhere". So do I. I love that I have history and memories in this place that I am from. A place where I feel instantly comfortable and familiar, where the food is amazing and the people talk like I think people should talk and I don't have to explain weird sayings...
I loved being home. I went to see Bon Jovi with my best and oldest friend Nikki. One of the most beautiful people I know (seriously, look at her!) ...hence our 24 year friendship. 24 YEARS. Crazy. I adore her so much and I adore her family. Her daughter is a beauty ...so precious. And she has another one on the way.
So there we were at Bon Jovi (no leather pants but he was still breath-taking!). And as he sang lyrics like, "I love this town" and "Feels like summertime"...I understood.
There is a familiar feeling to that place. I adore going home and I too love that I am from somewhere.

Free Funnies.

These episodes are pretty funny...I love Jenny McCarthy and Leah Remini so it is right up my alley...enjoy :)

http://inthemotherhood.msn.com/Default.aspx

Moms Get Sick?

Yes, Moms get sick. As I have posted about before, it's not easy. I recently came down with pneumonia! Of all things! So I have been trying to take it easy and thanks to our families, I have been able to do just that.
Ella is very aware of my wellness or lack there of and frequently asks me if I am okay. Yesterday I had a fit of coughing and she asked, "Mama, you okay?". I said yes. She said, "You need applesauce medicine" and proceeded go into the kitchen open the fridge and say, "I got the applesauce, you get the spoon, I can't reach". So she fed me a teaspoon of applesauce. She may be the cutest child to ever walk the face of the Earth.

Newer Year.

Some thoughts that I am taking away from this past year...

* As with past years I don't make resolutions. I believe that life is ever evolving and I try to move with the ever changing flow which means making changes along the way. Why wait for a 'new year' to make improvements, changes etc.

* I am becoming more comfortable in my mom role. For so long I didn't want to have children. I pictured myself traveling around the world doing something free and hippy like but with the salary of a social worker, it ain't happening people. It feels good to settle down and know that I have blessed with the opportunity to raise two healthy, intelligent, graceful little girls.

* I realized even more so how much I rely and appreciate my family. I adore my immediate family, my mom, dad and brother and I adore my in-law family. With our family growing in the coming year, with Jay getting married, I am excited to extend this even further. I always appreciate the help and support our families provide us.

* Stress can motivate me to make change. It took me 3 months to find peace away from the pace of work. As I am returning on Monday, I am going back with a new outlook and, more importantly, my priorities in order.

* My body likes to exercise and I hope to master the Nordictrac we are inheriting from my parents...if nothing else, it will amusing. Having little/no control over how I felt from day to day for 9 months helped me to realize that I can control some pieces.

* It is incredibly healthy to separate myself from those people who thrive in drama.

* Most important...DO NOT put your social security number on forms in which it is not necessary. I had someone use my social security at work, a fellow employee...well, former employee, to steal thousands of dollars from our employeer. Also from this I was reminded of how the universe provides natural consequence to people who need it and it does not matter how much hate we harbor for some...things will work out.

* I LOVE MY HUSBAND! He has been such a rock to me through this new phase in our lives. He is such a sweet, strong person who works a lot to take care of his family when he would much rather be home.

* And finally - I like General Hospital. Yes, that's right, there it is...I like watching General Hospital.

Happy New Year everyone. Here's to a year full of health, spiritual growth and love