Friday, May 29, 2009

Jon and Kate...

Okay, so you've all seen it by now, right? I'm talking about The episode of Jon and Kate Plus Eight. Everyone has seen it, everyone has chatted about it, everyone has had their opinions on who is right, who is wrong and, I think, everyone has moved on. So, why is it still bothering me?




I've watched Jon and Kate pretty much from the beginning, I think. I mean, those kids are all so adorable. So, so, adorable. But, eight of them? I have 3. I don't know how I would do 8. I do imagine there would be a lot of yelling going on. Not just from the kids, but from Dave and I, too. How else would you even hear each other? And, probably, as you continue to yell at each other the tension in the atmosphere is just going to keep going up and up. I've seen that in my own house. If the kids are playing loudly, and the baby starts crying, and the t.v. is going on in the background...ugh...I just can't take it. "Okay! Okay! That's It! Turn off the t.v. and girls, I'm sorry, but you have to go play down in your toy-room...at least until the baby calms down". All that noise can just make you batty.


And like Jon even said himself in one episode (btw, I find it really weird to use the word "episode" when what it really is, is their life), "Dontcha' think it would be weird if we were like 'Hi honey' (all sweetness and light) all the time?" Yes, that would be weird. Because no one is like that. Admit it. You aren't like that. Not all the time.


So, yeah, Kate did yell at Jon a lot but, gawd, she was in charge of all those kids. She is trying to keep things going and organized and keep everyone happy and safe. That is a big job. Sure, she could have (definitely) worked on talking to Jon nicer...but, then again, maybe Jon could have said something to her instead of being passive aggressive about it all the time (like when he kept coming into the kitchen when she was cooking and getting in her way as she repeatedly asked him to get out).


Oh dear. There I go getting judgemental. I don't mean to do that. I'm sure that is probably just the way Jon handles his stress and that is probably just the way Kate handles hers. The point is, I don't think either of them are bad people. In fact, I think they are pretty great people. They obviously love their children and, at least at one point, they loved each other.


I think all I really want to say is that I am so, so, so, sorry that things have taken this turn with them. Because, you know, it isn't just a t.v. show, it's their lives. And, yes, things got really insanely loud and hectic in their lives and, I'm sure, having a camera crew in the house with them didn't help matters any. But...what about "for better or for worse"?

The noise of 8 kids. The nasty tones. The passive-aggressiveness. That's the "worse".
The miracle of 8 healthy kids. A family. A new day. That's the "better".

"It may be a crazy life, but it's our life".

I guess I'm just sad to see them give up on their life.
I'm gonna' go hug my family now.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Swing Silhouette



This week's challenge over at I Faces is "Silhouettes", but you probably already figured that out based on the cool little button up above...cuz' you're smart like that.




My photo is one I took of Maddie a couple of week's ago over at "Play Park". I was laying down on my back in the little pebbles as she swung above my head. I must have taken 30 photos of her from this position. My neck was killing me by the time I got up...but that's okay because I got this really cool shot with the sun framed perfectly between the chains of her swing. I love how you can see the sunlight in her hair, too. This was a really fun challenge.

If you have a cool "Silhouette" photograph that you would like to enter into this week's challenge then just head on over to the I Faces site by clicking right HERE OR the other cool button below.


Thanks!!




Friday, May 22, 2009

So Much.

My girls...



I love my girls. So much. I am very aware of how lucky I am to have them. They are all wonderful, smart, sweet, loving, and healthy (knock wood). Since the littlest one came along I haven't had a whole lot of time for the bigger two. Little-one likes to be held when she is awake and she doesn't nap much during the day. Dinner time used to be spent around the dining room table, as a family, every night. But, baby-girl is always awake during dinner time and she is generally going into her hibernation mode. This means, she starts eating constantly. I think she is trying to stuff herself so she can make it through the night. That pretty much leaves Mommy out of family dinner time. So, now, the girls eat at the kitchen table either by themselves or with their Dad. I'm always in the other room...holding and/or feeding the baby. Sometimes they bring me a plate of cut-up food so I can eat with one hand and hold the baby with the other. Other times I just wait until everyone else is done and, then, Dave can hold the baby and I can eat. There has been a big part of me that has been thinking these past 4 months, "Wow. We are really lucky that the big girls still like the baby-girl so much...because she really is cutting out their time with Mommy".

They do love her, though. So much. So much that they never leave to go to school without coming in to the room to kiss her "good-bye" and tell her that they love her. Mommy sometimes doesn't even get a "good-bye" anymore. I think they kind of forgot about me. It was like I was there, but not available to them, so...kinda' not really there.

Yesterday was a good day. The baby napped during the day and Jamie was home from school. Jamie and I were able to hang-out together and play and do school work and read and even have lunch together. After school, when we got Maddie off the bus, we all headed out to play-park together. The girls had fun, with their Mom, while Colie hung out in her stroller. When we got home Daddy made dinner and then held the baby. I was able to sit down at the table, with the girls, and we had dinner together. It was great. At night, I even sang them songs again. This was another tradition that had gone by the wayside as I was always taking care of the baby...and, frankly, too exhausted by their bedtime to find the energy to move. Dave was in charge of bedtime and songs. I was in charge of baby. But, last night Colie and I went in there and sang them songs together. It was such a great day and the most time all of us girls have spent together in awhile.

This morning Jamie came running to me yelling, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" and she hugged my legs. Maddie gave me kisses "good-bye" and waved at me in the window as she waited for the school bus. It was like they remembered me again! So nice.

And all it took was that little bit of time...for me to remember them again.

I love you girls. So much.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Best Face






I am submitting this photo into the http://www.iheartfaces.com/ Blurb Book photo contest. I am granting I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

For more great faces please click on the button above or go right HERE.
Thanks!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

RQT: The Girls of Summer

It's Random Question Thursday over at Ittybits & Pieces. If you'd like to play along please head on over to her site and leave her a comment and a link to your post.

Here is your question...

What is one of your favorite* summer-time memories?*


It doesn't have to be your favorite, just say the first thing that comes to mind.





The first thing that comes to my mind is summers in Sauble Beach with my two pals, Quack and Bobbina. I think we were 17 or 18 when this picture was taken in the basement of my friend's parent's cabin. That's me in the sunglasses and that's Quack with the long brown hair and Bobbina was the photographer (I'm sure she is glad for that at this point in time). Quack's parents were still in the process of building the cabin when we got there and everything was still very "rough". There wasn't even a door on our bathroom, yet. So Quack's Dad got to work on that as soon as we all arrived. How they put up with us laughing and dancing and playing loud music (a lot of The Smith's, New Order, and Depeche Mode I'm sure) until all hours of the night I don't know...but we sure had fun.

That fall we all headed off to University. That was pretty much the end of it - our nights of dancing with funny hats on, our tight little group, our carefree days...our youth. It's funny - at the time you think those good times are going to go on and on. You have no idea when something is over, that it is over

...until it's over.

We've always stayed "in touch", the three of us, but sadly we were never again as close to each other as we were when this picture was taken.

Quack studied Science and now holds a Masters in Physics as well as an M.B.A. Bobbina was just promoted to Senior Manager of Training at her automotive company - next step is Vice-President. That is pretty impressive for a girl who is 5 foot nothing and who weighs 80 lbs in a male-dominated industry. Me, I studied English, then Journalism, then I became a Veterinary Technician, then I studied Landscape Design, then I studied Photography some more...

Hmmm...I wonder just what I'll be when I grow up?

Where's my hat? I feel a funny dance coming on.

So, like, Not me.


I've always wanted to do one of those "Me/Not Me" memes. You know, the ones where you put up a picture of something that is so you, or something you like, and contrast it with a picture of something that is so not you, or something you don't like...or maybe, something you can't for the life of you begin to understand...


Well, here is a short one for you.



Me:




So, not me:




So don't even get it me:






American Idol you have wasted so many evenings of my life.

Why America? Whhhhhyyy????

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

We Picture This - Maddie Hatter, take 2.

Hey! I've just discovered another cool Mommy-Photography kinda' site. It is called "We Picture This" and it is a "Mamarazzi" blog. How cute it that?

So they are having a challenge right now and their challenge is "Hats". Hmmm...i think I know which picture I'd like to enter...do you?




Oh! You can enter two photos. Okay. Here is my second...





For even MORE cute hat pictures or just to check out this interesting site...click on the button below. Thanks!







we picture {this}


Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Knowing Me, Knowing You - May Edition.

Just in case you didn't get to learn quite enough about me on my birthday...

it is time once again for the monthly interview project my friend Shan, over at Tales from the Fairy Blogmother, started awhile ago. I hope you'll play along on your blog and then head on over to Shan's site and sign the Mr. Linky.

Here we go (better late than never)!

1. Do you and your significant other go to bed at the same time?

Generally (and by "generally" I mean "pre-baby") there is no hard and fast rule on this one. Sometimes he'll go to bed before me if I'm all caught up in something on the computer, but I am never the first one in bed. Never. Lately, though, the pleasure of both our company is required in bed by little Colie...by about 9 pm. She will fuss and fuss and look at us and make her little, squeeky, complainy, noises...then look down the hall to where "her" bedroom is...then look back at us. It's hilarious. You can tell she is thinking, "Look people! It's right down there. Our bed. Let's GO already! I'm tired. Don't you people understand what I am saying?!". Once we get her in there she gets all comfy cozy in the middle of "her" bed and is almost instantly fast asleep.

2. Do you have any siblings?

Yes.

3. You're spending an evening with friends -- would you rather cook for them in your home or go out to a restaurant?

Oh, I'd rather go out to a restaurant. With one little baby and two "big" girls it is just too hard to make, and keep, the house "guestfully clean" these days. Although, I can't really go out right now, either (because Colie likes to eat pretty darn often during the day...not that I'm complaining because she sleeps well at night). So, can I just come to your house, instead?


4. What's your can't miss TV show?

RESCUE ME!!! Ahhh, Tommy.

5. Are you doing any spring cleaning?

Yes. But I don't call it "Spring Cleaning". I call it..."Can we please just throw all this crap out?! I can't live like this!!". Right now I am working on getting rid of all the grubby clothes, that we never wear, that are taking up so much room in our dresser drawers that I can't even put the laundry away anymore.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Baby Giggles



The challenge theme for this week over at I Faces is "Laughter". One of the best things about a baby who is about 3 months old is getting to see lots of those great smiles and even getting to hear a laugh or two. So far, Colie thinks the most hilarious thing is when you give her a nice, big, fake sneeze.


-Ahh-Ahhh-AHHH-CHOOO!




To check out some more great entries just go HERE!


Friday, May 8, 2009

Constructive Feedback Friday: Colie on Mom's Lap.



How cool is this? I was all set to play "Fix-it-Friday" over at I Faces but, instead, they are hosting a constructive feedback day. I have to hurry, though, because only the first 50 participants get the help they so desperately need (or is it just me?).


I took this photo of Colie on my lap a couple of weeks ago. I was just holding the camera above my head and shooting blindly, and madly, away. I got a whole whack of photos - most of which were of nothing more than my horribly ugly carpet. But, this one strikes me as really kinda cute. I love the expression on her face - so Colie. I don't care for the blown-out highlights on my skirt, though (you can see my edit on the photo in my header above). But that face..she is such a cutie!

So, if I can manage to stop blabbering on here long enough to get my post in on time I'd LOVE to see what the experts may do with it.

Thanks so much. This should be terribly fun.

BTW--here is the Exif Date (I can't seem to figure out how to copy and paste this stuff, so I'll just type it in):

Camera: Digital Rebel EOS XTi

Shutter Speed: 1/50 second

Aperture: f /2.00

ISO: 200

Focal Length: 50 mm

Metering Mode: Partial

Flash: Did not fire

{And, I use PSE 5.o}


Thursday, May 7, 2009

Random Question Thursday

Okay, so there is this photographer and she had a few photos published in a book that I was reading. I really, really, loved her style so I looked to see if she had a website. Turned out she did and not only that she has this really cute blog, about her really cute kids, and she publishes her really cool photos on it all the time. So, now, instead of just getting to see the three photos that I just love in my Portrait Photography book I get to see her stuff all the time. Today on her blog it is "Random Question Thursday" and this question begs for a photo or two. Any reason for me to get out my camera and start clicking is good...I can use all the practice I can get. Of course, this photo isn't anything special but it is a photo of something special.

Feel free to play along and then head on over to her blog and let her know you've participated.

Here's The Random Question of the Day...

What little something-something is sitting on a shelf in your kitchen that represents (or may actually be) a relic of your childhood?




This sugar container is part of a set. It was given to my Mom by my Dad, piece by piece, every year on their anniversary. I always thought it was kind of sweet that he would do this. He always remembered and he was always able to find new pieces. He must have been very big on traditions like this. Just like how he always remembered to give me a pink rose on my birthday. He also would not go to sleep at night without kissing everyone good-night. As a kid I would have to always make a game of this, of course, and I would hide from him under tables, and beds, and in closets. He never got fed-up or impatient with this...he'd just keep looking, and looking, for me until he found me and could give me my kiss good-night. This set of crockery is mine now. It's the only thing I have to remember him by except for a couple of photos. I don't have room for it all on my counter, but I keep the sugar container there and I use it every day.

It would have been his 80th birthday today. He was 52 when he died. Hard to believe.

Happy Birthday, J.P.M.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Forty Things About Me.



1) My eyes look brown, but they really aren't. They are mostly green with just a small star of brown in the middle.

2) I have naturally curly hair and it drives me crazy. When you have straight hair you can wake up in the morning, brush it, and go. When you wake up in the morning with curly hair you have a mass of tangled stuff all over your head and brushing it would only turn it into a fuzzy mass of stuff. My hair bugs me.

3) I don't like my legs and, so, I rarely wear skirts or dresses. But, I wish I could wear skirts and dresses more. I think they look so pretty.

4) I have a huge scar down the front of my left knee and a few on my left arm as a result of being hit by a car in my twenties. I had to have surgery on both and now I have a rod and some screws in my arm and three large screws in my knee.

5) I had to be in a wheelchair for awhile after that and I've discovered that people think you are stupid when they see you sitting in a wheel chair. Why your lack of ability to walk should have anything to do with your mental ability...I don't know. But, I was glad (and lucky) to get out of that chair after a few months. I actually had a woman working in a store offer me a piece of candy, like she was talking to a 6 year old, when I was in the wheelchair.

6) I was going to school to become a Veterinary Technician when the accident happened. I've been a Vet. Tech. for a long time now.

7) I plan on a total career change (hopefully) within about a year

8) I love animals. Too much to have a job taking care of them, actually. My favourite pet ever was my ferret named Molly. She was incredibly smart and sweet. That may be hard for you to believe but, I'll tell you, the first thing she always did when she woke up was run around the apartment looking for me. When she found me she would run up on top of me, give me a little kiss, then run back down and go play. She was amazing. Her and my dog Emmy (who I adopted from school) were just the best. I miss them a lot.

9) My dad died when I was 12. I remember that he smoked a pipe, had huge hands, and always kept jelly beans in his shirt pocket.

10) I can't remember the sound of his voice.

11) I never thought I was going to have kids. Until I met my husband.

12) We have three girls (Maddie 6, Jamie 4, and Colie 3 months).

13) I can juggle.

14) My grade 12 art teacher made me promise her that I would continue to study Art in University. I took English instead. I should have kept that promise.

15) For what it's worth: I'm Irish, I was born a red-head, and I'm a Taurus.

16) My fake bar-name was "Kendra Hayes". As it turns out Dave had one, too - "Mike Starr".

17) I love coffee. I don't drink a ton of it, but if I don't get a cup in me by 10 o'clock I'll have a headache for the rest of the day.

18) I love 80's pop music and I was a member of the Corey Hart Fan club. I received a two page letter from him once as well as two letters from his mom, Mindy.

19) I lived in the house, next to the parking lot, where Kristen French was abducted. It was very strange seeing my old house in the newspapers for such a tragic reason.

20) When I was in high school my best friend and I were chased all the way home by a maniac in a white van. He followed us into surveys and even drove his van across the school yard trying to get us. We finally made it to my house (without him seeing where we went) and we hid there until he drove away. The police were called to look for him, but I'm not sure if he was ever caught.

21) Also when I was in high school - I had a maniac reach out of a truck and try to grab me off my bicycle while I was cycling with my friend. She was yelling behind me for me to look out and I managed to veer away in time. There have been a few maniac run-ins in my life come to think of it.

22) I think I am a bit agoraphobic now. I'm guessing that stuff would be why.

23) I like to go for walks around my little neighbourhood, but walking in crowded areas or places where there is more traffic gives me panic attacks.

24) I don't think that I am shy. I think I am just quiet. I find listening to other people more interesting than listening to me: I already know my own stories.

25) My Mom and Dad met in a bowling alley. Dave and I met in a bowling alley.

26) I used to be a vegetarian and I wish I was again. I'm working on it. Eating meat really bothers me. I hate having to think and worry and stress about my food. It is so much easier for me to just eat tofu.

27) I can not take the cold. I find it painful. Seriously. I hate winter.

28) I love the heat. It can't really get too hot for me. I love the summer and I can feel all my back muscles starting to relax once the temperature goes over 25.

29) Dave and I were married on a beach in Jamaica. Just the two of us. That was the best decision ever.

30) Other than photography, my biggest extravagance for the wedding was my $300 veil which I wore for about one hour. I don't regret that at all. It was so beautiful.

31) I love rhubarb. My favourite dessert is a pie with rhubarb and any kind of berry.

32) I love Indian food, and Thai food, and even some Mexican food. I don't like Mediterranean food. I don't like feta cheese, or olives, or oily/vinegary kind of concoctions. I do love spice.

33) I have an incredibly great little family. I wonder sometimes how it all happened. My hubby and my kids are something I never even imagined for myself.

34) I moved 10 times between birth and grade eight and went to 6 different schools by the time I was in grade 6.

35) My favourite memories as a kid are the sound of the rain hitting the canvas part of our camper-tent when we went up north in the summer, waking up to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking on the weekend, and my dad bringing me boxes of timbits with all the kinds I liked...in the right numbers of each.

36) I was named after my Mom, by my Dad.

37) My parents had two boys together before they got pregnant with me. I was told my father was really hoping for a girl. I was born the day before his birthday.

38) I am a night-owl. If it was up to me (which it isn't), I'd go to bed at about 2 in the morning, and get up around 10.

39) Every year on my birthday my dad would buy me a pink rose. After he died, without my even thinking about it, my mom started to bring me a pink rose. She has never missed a year of keeping up that tradition. She said my Dad would have wanted it that way.

40) It's my 40th birthday today. My Dad would have been 80 tomorrow.

Time flies.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Another Hat...



I decided to get a shot of Dave when he came home from work today for the Adults category of this week's I Faces challenge. Wow. That was a long sentence. I think he always looks so cute in his hat so...why not?

Here he is...


I took this photo standing up in the back of the truck looking down on him. The neighbours were watching me and wondering what the heck I was up to, I am sure.

For more entries in the adults category go check out the I Faces Blog right HERE!



Monday, May 4, 2009

I Heart Faces: The Maddie Hatter



This week's challenge over at I Faces is to capture a great image of a face with a hat. This worked out nicely for me because Madilyn (who doesn't generally like playing the model) loves her hat. This hat was a gift from her BFF Abby and Abby's mom Shan - a.k.a. The Fairy Blogmother. So, capturing a lovely image of my sweet Maddie was made all the easier because she got to do it with her beloved pink, hip-hop girl, hat. Ahh...she's a cutie.




For more sweet images (and I'm betting there will be a lot of them) please check out the I Faces blog right HERE.


Thanks!!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Fix-It-Friday - Week #12



This is the picture for this week's Fix-It-Friday over at I ♥ Faces. They are up to week #12, but it's only the second week for me. I just wish I found this site sooner. It's so much fun!



Cute little kiddo having fun in the sun!

But, that sun left a bit of a distracting highlight on his cheek and washed out the background. I also thought the picture might be enhanced by a bit of fill-flash on his face and a touch of general warming up and sharpening. Oh, and I cropped it a bit, too.

So, using Photoshop Elements 5, here is my after..



To see all the fabulous fixes for this photo head on over to I ♥ Faces right HERE!