The head of the library called. They found my "overdue" book on the shelves. Again. At least the head lady made them look for it rather than making me come in.
In other news, I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins in one night. It's a young adult book, but it was really interesting. I love distopian literature! Can't wait to read the other two!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
BQOTD- What Would You Do?
So, I grew up with GREAT experiences in the public library. I let my library card lapse when I moved away to college, but got a new one shortly after Lizzy was born. I couldn't WAIT to get Lizzy started with the Babies in the Library program. However, I've had really weird experiences with the library since I got my new card:
-I am SUPER careful with our library books. I typically only check out one or two at a time. Lizzy's books go in a specific basket as soon as we're done with them. When I go to return them, I check them off my list as I put them through the return slot. However, more than once, the library has told me that I haven't returned a book that I most certainly HAVE returned. Usually, I'm able to find the book that I supposedly hadn't returned on the shelves. But that takes some of my time, and usually involves a lot of explaining to whichever volunteer is working.
-On more than one occasion, I have gone to renew a book online, and it confirms that it was renewed. I print out the confirmation. Then several days later, I get a call that I have overdue books. I go in to the library, and they tell me that they have no record of me renewing the book, even though I have the printed confirmation that I have renewed it. Again, we can usually get it resolved, but it just takes unnecessary time.
I've written a letter to the library system, but other than that, I really don't know what to do. I'm dealing with the "you haven't returned this book" situation right now, and it's just irritating to have fines that are totally not my fault. I am tempted to just drop going to the library, but I don't want to do that either! I just have no idea what else to do. Any ideas?
-I am SUPER careful with our library books. I typically only check out one or two at a time. Lizzy's books go in a specific basket as soon as we're done with them. When I go to return them, I check them off my list as I put them through the return slot. However, more than once, the library has told me that I haven't returned a book that I most certainly HAVE returned. Usually, I'm able to find the book that I supposedly hadn't returned on the shelves. But that takes some of my time, and usually involves a lot of explaining to whichever volunteer is working.
-On more than one occasion, I have gone to renew a book online, and it confirms that it was renewed. I print out the confirmation. Then several days later, I get a call that I have overdue books. I go in to the library, and they tell me that they have no record of me renewing the book, even though I have the printed confirmation that I have renewed it. Again, we can usually get it resolved, but it just takes unnecessary time.
I've written a letter to the library system, but other than that, I really don't know what to do. I'm dealing with the "you haven't returned this book" situation right now, and it's just irritating to have fines that are totally not my fault. I am tempted to just drop going to the library, but I don't want to do that either! I just have no idea what else to do. Any ideas?
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Photos and Snippets
-Thank you all for your kind words yesterday. I really did try to handle that situation with as much grace and professionalism as possible, and it was nice to hear that many of you would have handled the situation the same way. Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated even more, but I'm just not going to get into it on here. I am done feeding in to her attempts to start drama.
-With that said, happy time! We went to the pumpkin patch this weekend! I took these from Facebook, so the quality has deteriorated a little, but you get the idea. Lizzy got to ride a pony, which she was THRILLED about! Over all, it was a great fall day spent with great friends!
-And a question for other moms--when did/do you plan to start your kids on whole milk? I know the official recommendation is not until after they're a year old, but it seems like most moms I know started earlier...
-With that said, happy time! We went to the pumpkin patch this weekend! I took these from Facebook, so the quality has deteriorated a little, but you get the idea. Lizzy got to ride a pony, which she was THRILLED about! Over all, it was a great fall day spent with great friends!
-And a question for other moms--when did/do you plan to start your kids on whole milk? I know the official recommendation is not until after they're a year old, but it seems like most moms I know started earlier...
Monday, October 25, 2010
Bummed.
I need to share a story with you guys about a negative experience I've had recently with doing photography. I'm really bummed about this whole situation, and really grappled with whether or not to blog about it. But I feel like there's a chance some of you could learn from my story, and hopefully not end up in the same situation.This is an extremely emotionally charged situation for me, but I'm going to do my best to write about it as objectively as possible. It's long. Here goes:
Last year, I was asked if I would donate a family photo session as part of an auction for the church that I attend and the school. I happily did so. The family that won was I family that we knew well, and I would have definitely considered close acquaintances, if not friends. I have done photo shoots for several of the family's friends, and I was excited to do the shoot.
We set up a date, and I went out to do the shoot. It was a GREAT shoot involving the family's horses, and I thought it turned out really beautiful and unique. Typically, I had people sign a model release form any time I was taking pictures of minors, as was the case in this situation. I forgot to bring a copy, so I said that I'd email her a copy, along with a sneak peek of the pictures. She asked if I could post the sneak peek to Facebook, which is not something that I typically do without the release, but I didn't think much of it...these were friends.
As it happened, Lizzy went to bed early that night, and Justin was watching Avatar...again. I ended up finishing editing the photos that night. I posted the sneak peek to Facebook, and immediately got great feedback, including from the mom herself. The next day, the mom came to pick up the CD of photos, and said that she had forgotten the release at home. I told her that it was no biggie, and that she could just leave it with my mother-in-law at school the next day. The following week, I checked in with her about the release again, and she said that she had forgotten. I genuinely didn't think much of it.
On Thursday night, the mom posted a Facebook update that basically said, "Having a friend edit some family pictures. So excited to see them tomorrow!"
I responded that I hoped she liked how they turned out, and didn't think much of it. I updated my own status to something about being speechless that evening. It had been a looonnngggg, emotional week.
A few minutes later, she responded back to her status, "There were a few with the camera bag in the background. And some other things I guess you didn't see."
Then, she responded to my status {about being speechless}, "Hmmm...I think this is about me. I will inbox you later."
Honestly, I was a little shocked. I really didn't think that she was talking about the photos that I had done for her at all. I had only heard from her that she loved the photos that I had done. I didn't really know what to say, so I responded, " Gotcha. I would have been happy to fix them for you had I known. And just so you know, my status wasn't about you--I actually didn't even realize that they were my photos that you were talking about until you replied :) "
It was my intent to reply with as much civility as possible, even though inside I was pretty hurt. First of all, I wish that she would have spoken with me if she was unhappy. If there truly was a camera bag in the background, I would have fixed it no questions asked {though, I have looked through the photos again, and I only see ONE photo that may have my camera bag in the background. It just as easily may be their cat. It's in the bokeh, and really difficult to tell}. Second of all, I suspect that the person doing the editing is also a photographer, and I just cannot get over how unethical editing someone else's photos without their permission is. Every photographer has such a distinct and unique style, that it just isn't something you should do EVER.
After this, I really felt like giving a CD or DVD of images to a client wouldn't be possible anymore. I was bummed, because I don't WANT to deal with ordering prints. And if I were the one hiring a photog, I would want a CD of images! The next day, I conferred with Leah, who gave me the great suggestion of adding a disclaimer into the release that specifies that the person may print the photos, but not alter or edit in any way. I decided that this was a good learning experience for me, and a great reason for me to update my release form.
Later on Friday, I sent another message to that mom explaining that I still needed a model release for her children. I explained that if they weren't comfortable signing the release, that was totally fine, but just to please let me know, as I can't have photos of minors up on my Facebook page without a signed release. For the record, I didn't even send the new release with the no-editing provision. Just the old release that they had received originally. I saw that the mom was on Facebook through the night, but didn't respond to my message.
On Sunday, I left a comment that said, "Hi! I know Facebook has been a little screwy lately with notifications, so I just wanted to make sure that you got my message. Please let me know what you'd like to do." Again, the mom was on Facebook throughout the night and this morning, and I have received no response. I took down the photos, and sent her a final message that I had seen she had been on Facebook several times and had not responded to or acknowledged my messages or comments, so I was assuming that she was uncomfortable signing a release, and had removed the family photos from my Facebook page. I noted that I would be happy to put them back up if I had a signed release in hand.
Guys, I'm just disappointed about this whole situation. I'm disappointed that I wasn't given the opportunity to fix something if she really was unhappy. I'm disappointed that we can't seem to have a civil conversation about it.
So learn from me:
-Have everyone sign a release before the session, even if they're good friends.
-Do not post any pictures to Facebook or your blog without a signed release, even if they've given you verbal permission to do so.
-Explicitly lay out your expectations as part of the contract/release. If you're giving them printing rights, state that. If you do not want them to have editing rights, state that. I also added that the photos could not be used for advertisement or contests without my permission.
Last year, I was asked if I would donate a family photo session as part of an auction for the church that I attend and the school. I happily did so. The family that won was I family that we knew well, and I would have definitely considered close acquaintances, if not friends. I have done photo shoots for several of the family's friends, and I was excited to do the shoot.
We set up a date, and I went out to do the shoot. It was a GREAT shoot involving the family's horses, and I thought it turned out really beautiful and unique. Typically, I had people sign a model release form any time I was taking pictures of minors, as was the case in this situation. I forgot to bring a copy, so I said that I'd email her a copy, along with a sneak peek of the pictures. She asked if I could post the sneak peek to Facebook, which is not something that I typically do without the release, but I didn't think much of it...these were friends.
As it happened, Lizzy went to bed early that night, and Justin was watching Avatar...again. I ended up finishing editing the photos that night. I posted the sneak peek to Facebook, and immediately got great feedback, including from the mom herself. The next day, the mom came to pick up the CD of photos, and said that she had forgotten the release at home. I told her that it was no biggie, and that she could just leave it with my mother-in-law at school the next day. The following week, I checked in with her about the release again, and she said that she had forgotten. I genuinely didn't think much of it.
On Thursday night, the mom posted a Facebook update that basically said, "Having a friend edit some family pictures. So excited to see them tomorrow!"
I responded that I hoped she liked how they turned out, and didn't think much of it. I updated my own status to something about being speechless that evening. It had been a looonnngggg, emotional week.
A few minutes later, she responded back to her status, "There were a few with the camera bag in the background. And some other things I guess you didn't see."
Then, she responded to my status {about being speechless}, "Hmmm...I think this is about me. I will inbox you later."
Honestly, I was a little shocked. I really didn't think that she was talking about the photos that I had done for her at all. I had only heard from her that she loved the photos that I had done. I didn't really know what to say, so I responded, " Gotcha. I would have been happy to fix them for you had I known. And just so you know, my status wasn't about you--I actually didn't even realize that they were my photos that you were talking about until you replied :) "
It was my intent to reply with as much civility as possible, even though inside I was pretty hurt. First of all, I wish that she would have spoken with me if she was unhappy. If there truly was a camera bag in the background, I would have fixed it no questions asked {though, I have looked through the photos again, and I only see ONE photo that may have my camera bag in the background. It just as easily may be their cat. It's in the bokeh, and really difficult to tell}. Second of all, I suspect that the person doing the editing is also a photographer, and I just cannot get over how unethical editing someone else's photos without their permission is. Every photographer has such a distinct and unique style, that it just isn't something you should do EVER.
After this, I really felt like giving a CD or DVD of images to a client wouldn't be possible anymore. I was bummed, because I don't WANT to deal with ordering prints. And if I were the one hiring a photog, I would want a CD of images! The next day, I conferred with Leah, who gave me the great suggestion of adding a disclaimer into the release that specifies that the person may print the photos, but not alter or edit in any way. I decided that this was a good learning experience for me, and a great reason for me to update my release form.
Later on Friday, I sent another message to that mom explaining that I still needed a model release for her children. I explained that if they weren't comfortable signing the release, that was totally fine, but just to please let me know, as I can't have photos of minors up on my Facebook page without a signed release. For the record, I didn't even send the new release with the no-editing provision. Just the old release that they had received originally. I saw that the mom was on Facebook through the night, but didn't respond to my message.
On Sunday, I left a comment that said, "Hi! I know Facebook has been a little screwy lately with notifications, so I just wanted to make sure that you got my message. Please let me know what you'd like to do." Again, the mom was on Facebook throughout the night and this morning, and I have received no response. I took down the photos, and sent her a final message that I had seen she had been on Facebook several times and had not responded to or acknowledged my messages or comments, so I was assuming that she was uncomfortable signing a release, and had removed the family photos from my Facebook page. I noted that I would be happy to put them back up if I had a signed release in hand.
Guys, I'm just disappointed about this whole situation. I'm disappointed that I wasn't given the opportunity to fix something if she really was unhappy. I'm disappointed that we can't seem to have a civil conversation about it.
So learn from me:
-Have everyone sign a release before the session, even if they're good friends.
-Do not post any pictures to Facebook or your blog without a signed release, even if they've given you verbal permission to do so.
-Explicitly lay out your expectations as part of the contract/release. If you're giving them printing rights, state that. If you do not want them to have editing rights, state that. I also added that the photos could not be used for advertisement or contests without my permission.
BQOTD: Splitting Holidays
For today's Burning Question of the Day, I'm curious how those of you that are married or in serious relationships split holidays.
Do you alternate years between your family and your husband's family? Do you try to see both sides of the family on the "big day"? Do you only live close enough to one side of the family to see them? Do you host and have everyone come to you?
Do you alternate years between your family and your husband's family? Do you try to see both sides of the family on the "big day"? Do you only live close enough to one side of the family to see them? Do you host and have everyone come to you?
Friday, October 22, 2010
Blogging About Blogging
Hey faithful blog readers, could I share something that might make all our lives easier? See, once or twice a day, I get a question left as a comment.
Hey, what camera do you have?
Where did you get that onesie?
How did you do the wall art in Lizzy's nursery?
We're going to be in Oregon this winter--want to meet up?
And usually, I'm more than happy to answer the question. However, when I click reply on the comment notification email, I see that many of you don't have an email address visible from your blogger profile. All I see is the dreaded noreply@blogger.com listed.
Sometimes, I can track you down by going over to your own blog, but sometimes the things I have to say are a bit more personal than I'd like the whole world to see. And you would be AMAZED how many people without blogs leave questions in the comments for me. Plus, it's easier, and I can respond from my phone, which means you wouldn't have to wait a week for a simple reply!
See, good for you, good for me. And it's easy:
Hey, what camera do you have?
Where did you get that onesie?
How did you do the wall art in Lizzy's nursery?
We're going to be in Oregon this winter--want to meet up?
And usually, I'm more than happy to answer the question. However, when I click reply on the comment notification email, I see that many of you don't have an email address visible from your blogger profile. All I see is the dreaded noreply@blogger.com listed.
Sometimes, I can track you down by going over to your own blog, but sometimes the things I have to say are a bit more personal than I'd like the whole world to see. And you would be AMAZED how many people without blogs leave questions in the comments for me. Plus, it's easier, and I can respond from my phone, which means you wouldn't have to wait a week for a simple reply!
See, good for you, good for me. And it's easy:
Go to your dashboard.
Click on Edit Profile (next to your picture).
Add an email address.
Click the check mark to make it visible.
Click on Edit Profile (next to your picture).
Add an email address.
Click the check mark to make it visible.
{PS, thanks to Katie for these instructions from her post a few months ago about this very topic}
Please keep in mind that you do NOT need to attach the email that you log on to your blogger account with. For example, I log on to blogger with an email like firstname.lastname@gmail.com. I also have an email address specifically for this blog {labuenavidablog@gmail.com}, since J and I like to do our best to keep our last name private. I can add the email address specifically for the blog, and make it visible. People can respond to me via THAT email address, and I can still log on to blogger with my old email address and keep my last name hidden, but still have access to my reader.
Really, it takes like half a minute. Pretty please?
Really, it takes like half a minute. Pretty please?
TGIF
-I'm excited for my brother's football game tonight! The high school that I graduated from is playing the high school that Justin graduated from for the conference championship, and a home game in the playoffs! It's a HUGE game. The only question, is which color should Lizzy wear?! I wish I would have planned things out a bit more in advance and found a way to do a cute onesie that said "A Child Divided" or something like that, lol!
-I might need to entirely re-vamp the way I do my photography services. I'm really bummed about it, but I'm not sure what else to do at this point.
-Lizzy = seriously not sleeping lately, either at night, or for naps. Last night, she woke up screaming almost every hour consecutively. She doesn't have a fever, didn't want a bottle, didn't need to be changed, etc. A lot of people keep suggesting an ear infection, but every time I've taken her in, they say no, and that they usually don't prescribe antibiotics for ear infections unless there's a fever anyway. I noticed yesterday that another tooth had broken through, and that one looked like it was about to. Here's hoping.
-We have NOTHING scheduled this weekend, and I am thrilled. We may go to the pumpkin patch with Ryan and Renee on Saturday, but other than that, I'm hoping for some laying around time and reading!
-
-I might need to entirely re-vamp the way I do my photography services. I'm really bummed about it, but I'm not sure what else to do at this point.
-Lizzy = seriously not sleeping lately, either at night, or for naps. Last night, she woke up screaming almost every hour consecutively. She doesn't have a fever, didn't want a bottle, didn't need to be changed, etc. A lot of people keep suggesting an ear infection, but every time I've taken her in, they say no, and that they usually don't prescribe antibiotics for ear infections unless there's a fever anyway. I noticed yesterday that another tooth had broken through, and that one looked like it was about to. Here's hoping.
-We have NOTHING scheduled this weekend, and I am thrilled. We may go to the pumpkin patch with Ryan and Renee on Saturday, but other than that, I'm hoping for some laying around time and reading!
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Thursday, October 21, 2010
Snippets
Lizzy and cousins on Tuesday. Love it!
-I think I'm finally caught up on editing, which is good since I have another shoot tomorrow afternoon! I'm thankful to have had so many opportunities to shoot recently, but I'm also thankful to have a weekend off! So does Justin!
-About 20 minutes into the Couch to 5k running podcast, the podcast guy says something to the effect of, 'At this point, you should be feeling warm, but not tired or out of breath.' I want to punch him in the face every time.
-Lizzy took two wobbly steps last night. Justin missed it, so I tried to recreate it my putting a gingersnap (she LOVES them for teething) on the couch, and putting her standing about a foot away. She did the wobbly walk again! Holy cow!
-Lizzy took two wobbly steps last night. Justin missed it, so I tried to recreate it my putting a gingersnap (she LOVES them for teething) on the couch, and putting her standing about a foot away. She did the wobbly walk again! Holy cow!
- Justin made Kraft Macaroni and Cheese out of the box for dinner last night, and it was delicious.
-My sister-in-law decided that we would take a load of things to the dump yesterday. Instead, we ended up cleaning out our entire garage. For the first time ever, our CAR actually fits inside our garage! And it's a single-car garage! Wooo!
-While we were cleaning, we talked about the idea of all of us (4 sisters/sister-in-laws that are married and in our own homes) getting together, and taking days to go to each others houses, and doing either the cleaning tasks that never seem to get done (i.e. washing the windows, cleaning out the pantry), or the cleaning tasks that person hates most (i.e. the bathroom for me, laundry for others, etc). I am really, really liking that idea!
-Thank you guys for your prayers for my friend {A} who lost her baby over the weekend. On Wednesday mornings, most of the women from Mom's Group meet for a Bible Study. {A} asked that the group still gathered yesterday, and she wanted to come. I was really nervous going into the morning, because sometimes I feel like I'm really socially inept when it comes to people who are grieving. When I'm grieving, I initially need some time and space to be left alone, and sometimes I assume that others feel the same way, and don't reach out to them enough. Anyway, we gathered, all wrapped around {A}, and prayed.
The church that I grew up in and attend today doesn't tend to do the laying on of hands when we pray, but we did yesterday morning, and it was one of the most powerful things I have ever experienced in my spiritual life. There was so much love, sorrow, grief, and compassion in that room all at the same time.
After that, {A} asked if she could share the story. She talked about her experience, and about how beautiful her precious baby girl was. She asked us all questions about physical recovery. She spoke of her sorrow, but also of the fact that she trusts that God is walking alongside her through this experience. I was, and continue to be in awe of her perspective. There were smiles, laughs, tears, and so much love. I am so thankful for this group of women, and I pray that we'll continue to be able to support {A}, especially around Christmas, when she would have been due. That we'll be able to help her remember that it's OKAY to be feeling angry and upset. That just because we know God can use any situation for good, doesn't mean it hurts any less while we're going through it.
- In the midst of being with {A} and the other Moms, I received a text that another one of my friends who had previously experienced pregnancy loss had given birth to a health baby girl that morning. It was an overwhelming and emotional day.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Lovebirds
Awhile ago, my sister-in-law Renee asked what I thought about doing vintage style family portraits. She was thinking 1940's era (think The Notebook), and older. It's definitely not my usual style, but I was totally game! Renee and I had a fun time scouring Goodwill and thrift stores to look for different outfits, and decided to do the shoot yesterday.
One of the shots that Renee was hoping to get was a shot of her and Ryan sitting in a tree with a guitar. It was an awesome idea, and ended up being one of my favorite shots of the whole session!
Here's another shot that I thought was a lot of fun:
My mom let us borrow one of my grandmother's hats for the session, and I LOVE the way it turned out! This session totally encouraged me to think creatively and outside the box...I'm so glad we did it!
One of the shots that Renee was hoping to get was a shot of her and Ryan sitting in a tree with a guitar. It was an awesome idea, and ended up being one of my favorite shots of the whole session!
Here's another shot that I thought was a lot of fun:
My mom let us borrow one of my grandmother's hats for the session, and I LOVE the way it turned out! This session totally encouraged me to think creatively and outside the box...I'm so glad we did it!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Prayer Request
Blog Friends,
It's with a heavy heart that I'm asking for your prayers this afternoon. One of the women that I'm in Bible Study with was pregnant with their first, a baby girl, due around Christmas. I just received word that while she and her husband were out of town over the weekend, they lost their baby. I don't know many of the details, other than she had to deliver knowing that the baby had already passed away.
My heart is breaking for them so much.
It's with a heavy heart that I'm asking for your prayers this afternoon. One of the women that I'm in Bible Study with was pregnant with their first, a baby girl, due around Christmas. I just received word that while she and her husband were out of town over the weekend, they lost their baby. I don't know many of the details, other than she had to deliver knowing that the baby had already passed away.
My heart is breaking for them so much.
Gingersnap Pot Roast with Sweet Potatoes & Carrots
I came across this crock pot recipe in my Better Homes & Gardens cookbook, and I knew I had to give it a try. I made this last Friday, and really enjoyed it. It's a great hearty fall meal. I slightly modified this from the original recipe. Here's what I did for our 5qt crock pot:
I removed the roast and veggies, skimmed the fat, and then thickened the gravy with flour. Next time, I think I'd probably use the full can of beef broth, because there really wasn't a lot of gravy (at least by Justin's standards).
This was a GREAT meal, but very hearty, and a little on the sweet side. I definitely needed a green salad to balance out the meal, but I would definitely make it again. So easy! Give it a try!
- 4 lbs beef chuck roast
- 1 cup beef broth (about half a can)
- 8 gingersnaps, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & quartered
- 3 medium carrots cut into 1/2-inch pieces or slices.
- 1 bay leaf
I removed the roast and veggies, skimmed the fat, and then thickened the gravy with flour. Next time, I think I'd probably use the full can of beef broth, because there really wasn't a lot of gravy (at least by Justin's standards).
This was a GREAT meal, but very hearty, and a little on the sweet side. I definitely needed a green salad to balance out the meal, but I would definitely make it again. So easy! Give it a try!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Lost & Found
On Saturday, after my two photo shoots, my mom, sister, and I went out to a new Bubble Tea place that had just opened in town. My mom was going to treat, but when we got there, the debit card machine hadn't arrived yet. I paid, and then stuck my wallet in my sister's purse. We had our tea, laughed about how weird it was, and then went on our way.
On the way out, I said, "Court, I DID give you my wallet and camera, right?" She laughed, said yes, and we went on to my sister's work, a consignment shop. We shopped around, tried on some clothes, and then went to pay. I asked my sister for my wallet, and then my stomach totally dropped as she said, "I don't have it. It isn't here."
We called the Bubble Tea place immediately, and they said they didn't have it, hadn't seen it, and that no one had been sitting where we were since we left. The decor is really modern/minimal there, so there weren't many places that it could have been hiding, but we went back, and looked EVERYWHERE. We looked inside, outside in the flower beds, all along the parking lot, etc.We even looked through the trash can to see if someone had taken the cash from my photo shoots and tossed it. No dice.
We headed back to my parents house, where I probably scared the living daylights out of Justin and my dad as I ran inside hysterically crying. They scoured the car, and then grabbed flashlights and then drove me back to the Bubble Tea place, where we looked through all the flower beds AGAIN. We talked to all the surrounding businesses, etc. Again no dice, so we went to file a police report just in case any one turned it in there. They hadn't, so I began canceling all my cards, and was able to successfully do that within about 30 minutes, even on a weekend. I also changed my privacy settings on Facebook to allow anyone to search for me by name and also to message me. I TOTALLY recommend this temporary change if you ever lose your wallet--I know several people who were contacted this way when people had found their belongings (wallet/purse/backpack).
I left my parent's house determined to feel optimistic, but actually feeling pretty pessimistic about the situation. I really felt like someone had stolen it--it had been about 5 hours, and I felt like had it been left, a 'good samaritan' would have either turned it in to one of the businesses or attempted to contact me already. Either way, I was (a) relieved that I still had my camera, which was also in Court's purse and (b) was overwhelmed by the generosity of my parents, who told us that they were giving us cash equal to what I had earned from my photo shoots that day, which was of course in my wallet.
We went home, and I fell asleep exhausted, trying to remain optimistic. In the morning, when I woke up, there was a message for me on Facebook--"Hey, I found your wallet this morning. Call me." I did immediately, and arranged for a time for her to meet my parents to return it. And I received it back with everything, including the case, inside.Honestly, I wouldn't have even cared if the cash was gone--it was really the driver's license that I cared about most because we had JUST replaced both mine and Justin's, and I was really irritated to have to do it again.
The odd thing about this situation, was that the girl who returned the wallet was definitely in the Bubble Tea place right after we were the day before. My sister has had classes with her in college, and it was abundantly clear from her Facebook picture. But when I asked where she found the wallet, she said in the flower beds in front of the Bubble Tea place that morning. The flower beds that we scoured four or five times, both in daylight, and with a flashlight. I don't know whether she did take or find the wallet the day before, and just had an attack of conscious, or if she loved the Bubble Tea (we didn't for the record) and went back the next morning for more. It's interesting to me that the girl was at the Bubble shop the same time the wallet went missing, but I honestly really don't care. I'm just so relieved and thankful to have anything back.
On the way out, I said, "Court, I DID give you my wallet and camera, right?" She laughed, said yes, and we went on to my sister's work, a consignment shop. We shopped around, tried on some clothes, and then went to pay. I asked my sister for my wallet, and then my stomach totally dropped as she said, "I don't have it. It isn't here."
We called the Bubble Tea place immediately, and they said they didn't have it, hadn't seen it, and that no one had been sitting where we were since we left. The decor is really modern/minimal there, so there weren't many places that it could have been hiding, but we went back, and looked EVERYWHERE. We looked inside, outside in the flower beds, all along the parking lot, etc.We even looked through the trash can to see if someone had taken the cash from my photo shoots and tossed it. No dice.
We headed back to my parents house, where I probably scared the living daylights out of Justin and my dad as I ran inside hysterically crying. They scoured the car, and then grabbed flashlights and then drove me back to the Bubble Tea place, where we looked through all the flower beds AGAIN. We talked to all the surrounding businesses, etc. Again no dice, so we went to file a police report just in case any one turned it in there. They hadn't, so I began canceling all my cards, and was able to successfully do that within about 30 minutes, even on a weekend. I also changed my privacy settings on Facebook to allow anyone to search for me by name and also to message me. I TOTALLY recommend this temporary change if you ever lose your wallet--I know several people who were contacted this way when people had found their belongings (wallet/purse/backpack).
I left my parent's house determined to feel optimistic, but actually feeling pretty pessimistic about the situation. I really felt like someone had stolen it--it had been about 5 hours, and I felt like had it been left, a 'good samaritan' would have either turned it in to one of the businesses or attempted to contact me already. Either way, I was (a) relieved that I still had my camera, which was also in Court's purse and (b) was overwhelmed by the generosity of my parents, who told us that they were giving us cash equal to what I had earned from my photo shoots that day, which was of course in my wallet.
We went home, and I fell asleep exhausted, trying to remain optimistic. In the morning, when I woke up, there was a message for me on Facebook--"Hey, I found your wallet this morning. Call me." I did immediately, and arranged for a time for her to meet my parents to return it. And I received it back with everything, including the case, inside.Honestly, I wouldn't have even cared if the cash was gone--it was really the driver's license that I cared about most because we had JUST replaced both mine and Justin's, and I was really irritated to have to do it again.
The odd thing about this situation, was that the girl who returned the wallet was definitely in the Bubble Tea place right after we were the day before. My sister has had classes with her in college, and it was abundantly clear from her Facebook picture. But when I asked where she found the wallet, she said in the flower beds in front of the Bubble Tea place that morning. The flower beds that we scoured four or five times, both in daylight, and with a flashlight. I don't know whether she did take or find the wallet the day before, and just had an attack of conscious, or if she loved the Bubble Tea (we didn't for the record) and went back the next morning for more. It's interesting to me that the girl was at the Bubble shop the same time the wallet went missing, but I honestly really don't care. I'm just so relieved and thankful to have anything back.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Look Mom, No Hands!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Um, it's not Halloween yet.
Yesterday, I was doing a senior portrait session for a local girl and her boyfriend. We were at this old barn-type place, and I had backed up to get a wider angle shot.
Suddenly, I heard her shriek, and sprint away. Her boyfriend {who was clad in a deer shirt and mossy oak hat to give you an idea of his personality}, also yelped and ran for the hills.
"What? What's wrong?!" I yelled as they were running away.
"Oh my God! OH MY GOD! It's a bat! I heard something squeaking, looked over, and it's a freaking bat! It just flew behind that post," she yelled.
"Maybe I should check and see if it's okay?" the boyfriend suggested.
"Don't you dare! Bats aren't supposed to be out during the day! It could have rabies! My friend from high school had a bat land on her shirt one evening, and she had to get rabies shots! DO NOT TOUCH THE BAT!" I yelled back frantically.
"Seriously though, it was kind of dark over here by the overhang, and then it flew over there to the dark corner. Maybe it's just hurt..." he responded.
"Don't you dare touch the bat or I am taking you to the hospital to get rabies shots!!!" the girlfriend threatened.
He began to walk over towards the dark corner where the bat was hiding, when it promptly flew away into the distance, invoking shrieks of terror from the girlfriend and I.
Seriously, bats during the day are not cool at all. I itched the rest of the day just thinking about it, even though the bat didn't come within 30 yards of me, and even though I doubt having rabies makes you itch. I have no desire to see bats in person....EVER. I'm quite content to see them in our copy of Stellaluna, thankyouverymuch.
Suddenly, I heard her shriek, and sprint away. Her boyfriend {who was clad in a deer shirt and mossy oak hat to give you an idea of his personality}, also yelped and ran for the hills.
"What? What's wrong?!" I yelled as they were running away.
"Oh my God! OH MY GOD! It's a bat! I heard something squeaking, looked over, and it's a freaking bat! It just flew behind that post," she yelled.
"Maybe I should check and see if it's okay?" the boyfriend suggested.
"Don't you dare! Bats aren't supposed to be out during the day! It could have rabies! My friend from high school had a bat land on her shirt one evening, and she had to get rabies shots! DO NOT TOUCH THE BAT!" I yelled back frantically.
"Seriously though, it was kind of dark over here by the overhang, and then it flew over there to the dark corner. Maybe it's just hurt..." he responded.
"Don't you dare touch the bat or I am taking you to the hospital to get rabies shots!!!" the girlfriend threatened.
He began to walk over towards the dark corner where the bat was hiding, when it promptly flew away into the distance, invoking shrieks of terror from the girlfriend and I.
Seriously, bats during the day are not cool at all. I itched the rest of the day just thinking about it, even though the bat didn't come within 30 yards of me, and even though I doubt having rabies makes you itch. I have no desire to see bats in person....EVER. I'm quite content to see them in our copy of Stellaluna, thankyouverymuch.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Snippets
- I did an AWESOME photo shoot a few weeks ago that included horses (!) I have been wanting to post the photos for some time, but I'm waiting on a photo release. I also have three senior photo sessions in the next 4 days (weather permitting), so I hope to have some good photography stuff to post soon.
-That said, I am not having much luck with the October Photo Hunt. I don't really decorate for fall or anything of that sort, and so I'm just having a hard time coming up with things close to home.
-Over the weekend, I had a sandwich that consisted of turkey, bacon, fontina cheese, lettuce, and a balsamic vinegar/strawberry sauce. The sauce had big hunks of strawberries in it, and I was pretty skeptical about that, but it was DELICIOUS.
-I'm mad at Gap! My favorite jeans in the whole wide world used to be Gap's Long & Lean jeans. I'm pretty much one size up from my pre-pregnancy size, so I went to buy a pair. Only, they have apparently completely changed all their jeans, and my faves aren't at all like they used to be, post-pregnancy body or not. Bummer.
- I finished reading Grapes of Wrath, and have started Me & Emma. However, I'm like 10 pages in, and I have already figured out the 'shocking twist' {yep, I just Googled to confirm}, so I think I'm going to abandon the book. So many reviews on Amazon said they were 'totally blown away' by the ending, so I was pretty bummed to have figured it out this fast. I do have Her Fearful Symmetry, the most recently released book by the woman who wrote The Time Traveler's Wife, so maybe I'll give that a try.
-Hopefully, at the beginning of next week, I'll post before and after pics from the 30 Day Shred. But, I'm *honestly* not sure that there's that much of a visible difference. After the 30 Day Shred, I'm not sure where to go next...Couch to 5k? But what about resistance training? I've gotta hit it all at once, or I just won't do it!
-Funny Story: I'm doing a Bible Study right now with a bunch of girls that I'm really enjoying. We're reading a book called "Blessing Your Husband". At the end of every chapter, it gives little suggestio ns of things that you can do to bless your husband. Sometimes they're great, practical ideas. Some days I roll my eyes because the suggestions just wouldn't be blessings for either Justin or I. Today, I laughed out loud. One of the suggestions from this chapter was to create a calendar for your husband to refer to that lets him know exactly where you are in your menstrual cycle so that he can have a better understanding of you and what you're going through at any given time. I literally laughed out loud, because (a) I doubt that my husband would ever consider that a "blessing" and (b) I really, REALLY doubt that her would ever refer to it. Would anybody's husband really appreciate this?!
-That said, I am not having much luck with the October Photo Hunt. I don't really decorate for fall or anything of that sort, and so I'm just having a hard time coming up with things close to home.
-Over the weekend, I had a sandwich that consisted of turkey, bacon, fontina cheese, lettuce, and a balsamic vinegar/strawberry sauce. The sauce had big hunks of strawberries in it, and I was pretty skeptical about that, but it was DELICIOUS.
-I'm mad at Gap! My favorite jeans in the whole wide world used to be Gap's Long & Lean jeans. I'm pretty much one size up from my pre-pregnancy size, so I went to buy a pair. Only, they have apparently completely changed all their jeans, and my faves aren't at all like they used to be, post-pregnancy body or not. Bummer.
- I finished reading Grapes of Wrath, and have started Me & Emma. However, I'm like 10 pages in, and I have already figured out the 'shocking twist' {yep, I just Googled to confirm}, so I think I'm going to abandon the book. So many reviews on Amazon said they were 'totally blown away' by the ending, so I was pretty bummed to have figured it out this fast. I do have Her Fearful Symmetry, the most recently released book by the woman who wrote The Time Traveler's Wife, so maybe I'll give that a try.
-Hopefully, at the beginning of next week, I'll post before and after pics from the 30 Day Shred. But, I'm *honestly* not sure that there's that much of a visible difference. After the 30 Day Shred, I'm not sure where to go next...Couch to 5k? But what about resistance training? I've gotta hit it all at once, or I just won't do it!
-Funny Story: I'm doing a Bible Study right now with a bunch of girls that I'm really enjoying. We're reading a book called "Blessing Your Husband". At the end of every chapter, it gives little suggestio ns of things that you can do to bless your husband. Sometimes they're great, practical ideas. Some days I roll my eyes because the suggestions just wouldn't be blessings for either Justin or I. Today, I laughed out loud. One of the suggestions from this chapter was to create a calendar for your husband to refer to that lets him know exactly where you are in your menstrual cycle so that he can have a better understanding of you and what you're going through at any given time. I literally laughed out loud, because (a) I doubt that my husband would ever consider that a "blessing" and (b) I really, REALLY doubt that her would ever refer to it. Would anybody's husband really appreciate this?!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Letter to Lizzy- Nine Months
Dear Lizzy Loo,
Yesterday, you officially turned 9 months old. I have to say that your 8th month has been totally different than I expected-- for one, you still aren't walking. When you were 3 or 4 months old, I was positive that you'd be walking by now, but I am actually kinda relieved that you aren't. Somehow though, you are trying to climb UP things (like our bookshelves and entertainment center), which I was not expecting at this point in time.
- You know the book "Pat the Bunny" and attempt most of the tasks without prompting. You really love books, and spend lots of time looking at them, both with me and alone.
- Just yesterday you really started to try to stand on your own more frequently. You especially like to stand with a cracker in each hand.
- You have learned how to make your teeth chatter, and do it ALL THE TIME, even when I know for sure you aren't cold.
-You try to imitate sounds, like coughing {which is hilarious by the way}.
-We haven't been to the doctor in awhile, but I would guess that you weigh just about 15 pounds.
Yesterday at church, your Aunt Renee sang "Your Hands" by JJ Heller, which is most definitely your favorite song. You got so excited, flapping your hands up and down, bouncing, and trying to sing along. It is so much fun to see you developing likes and dislikes, as well as recognition. This month, it really, really felt like you were becoming a little kid instead of a baby, and it is so incredible to watch you grow up!
Your dad and I love your silly laugh, and your snuggles on the rare occasion that you slow down and stop wiggling for a minute or two! All the love in the world,
Mom.
Yesterday, you officially turned 9 months old. I have to say that your 8th month has been totally different than I expected-- for one, you still aren't walking. When you were 3 or 4 months old, I was positive that you'd be walking by now, but I am actually kinda relieved that you aren't. Somehow though, you are trying to climb UP things (like our bookshelves and entertainment center), which I was not expecting at this point in time.
Other things you are doing and/or enjoy right now are:
Cheering at sporting events. You happily scream right along with everyone!
You respond to the sign "finished" in regards to food, and almost ALWAYS shake your head "no" in response.You still love food.
You LOVE animals, especially cats and dogs. Over the weekend, we took you to a farm that has a petting zoo. You took awhile to warm up, but ended up having fun.
Tantrums. Lots and lots of tantrums. You are so opinionated already, and definitely want to do things your own way!
You definitely recognize family members and friends, giving them big smiles, and happily go to them.
- You know the book "Pat the Bunny" and attempt most of the tasks without prompting. You really love books, and spend lots of time looking at them, both with me and alone.
- Just yesterday you really started to try to stand on your own more frequently. You especially like to stand with a cracker in each hand.
- You have learned how to make your teeth chatter, and do it ALL THE TIME, even when I know for sure you aren't cold.
-You try to imitate sounds, like coughing {which is hilarious by the way}.
-We haven't been to the doctor in awhile, but I would guess that you weigh just about 15 pounds.
Yesterday at church, your Aunt Renee sang "Your Hands" by JJ Heller, which is most definitely your favorite song. You got so excited, flapping your hands up and down, bouncing, and trying to sing along. It is so much fun to see you developing likes and dislikes, as well as recognition. This month, it really, really felt like you were becoming a little kid instead of a baby, and it is so incredible to watch you grow up!
Your dad and I love your silly laugh, and your snuggles on the rare occasion that you slow down and stop wiggling for a minute or two! All the love in the world,
Mom.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Crafting Fail
I am not by nature a very crafty person. I don't have fun swirly handwriting. I don't have a good eye for taking unusual things and making something beautiful out of them. There is no way on EARTH that I could ever open an etsy shop.
That said, every other Mom's group, they do a craft. Sometimes it's something you could then do with your kids, sometimes it's just something fun and easy. Today, we were painting pumpkins. We were actually supposed to paint pumpkins, hollow them out, and use them as a "vase" for mums, but I knew right off the bat that I would never make it past the painting step, so I just set my expectations right from the start to just be a painted pumpkin. I had grand dreams of what my pumpkin would look like. I mean, how hard is it to paint a pumpkin?!
I envisioned something like this:
That said, every other Mom's group, they do a craft. Sometimes it's something you could then do with your kids, sometimes it's just something fun and easy. Today, we were painting pumpkins. We were actually supposed to paint pumpkins, hollow them out, and use them as a "vase" for mums, but I knew right off the bat that I would never make it past the painting step, so I just set my expectations right from the start to just be a painted pumpkin. I had grand dreams of what my pumpkin would look like. I mean, how hard is it to paint a pumpkin?!
I envisioned something like this:
photo credit-{BH&G via S.HOPtalk}
I decided to start with some silver metallic paint. Only, after I got the darn pumpkin painted, I realized that it must actually be like a silver finish...meant to go on TOP of another color, not to stand alone. It was all lumpy and chunky, and no amount of smoothing it with a brush was helping. So, I did the only logical thing I could think of. I threw handfuls of red glitter all over the pumpkin. And very quickly realized that doing so was not a good idea for a number of reasons, the least of which being that the whole thing turned into a goopy globby mess.
By the time I had finished {about 5 minutes into the project}, one of my friends was still contemplating what to do with her pumpkin. I turned to her and said, "Hey, you could just write 'Fall 2010' in black sharpie, and it would probably still look better than my ghetto disco pumpkin!" We both died laughing, and decided that my pumpkin would from thence be known as "The great disco pumpkin of 2010", and made a sign for it.
And now it sits on our front porch.
Perhaps scaring off solicitors.
It's okay, you can laugh. I did. A lot.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
October Photo Hunt Sign Ups
Click here for the list of all 20 items/techniques to photograph in the month of October. I think I'm going to participate again, even though there are a few items on the list that I'm not excited about AT ALL.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Justin Says: Target vs. Wal-Mart
Me: Babe, another light burnt out today. We seriously need lightbulbs. Do you want to stop at Target or Wal-Mart on the way home?
Justin: Definitely Target. I would rather look at Target shoppers any day. It's not like there's a People of Target website or anything.
Justin: Definitely Target. I would rather look at Target shoppers any day. It's not like there's a People of Target website or anything.
Lizzy Bit Me.
That hurts Charlie! Heh.
In all seriousness though, a couple days ago, Lizzy bit me on purpose. Twice. She was yanking on my earring, even after many attempts to redirect her. So I calmly but firmly told her "No." Lizzy totally understands no, shakes her head no whenever I say it, and does NOT like being told no. Lizzy looked right at me, 'yelled' at me, and bit me on my arm. Hard. I told her "No" again, more sternly, and set her down on the floor and walked away. She crawled after me and bit my foot!
I am not kidding when I say that my child has a temper. How in the world did she learn the correlation between being mad and hurting the person that made you mad?!
Anyway, I know, I know...I wrote a post not that long ago about alternatives to saying no. But as one commenter eloquently pointed out, those techniques seem to work better once the kids get a little bit older. At 9 months, I'm not always sure how to approach the situation. In the above instance, I did a short "time out" in her crib, but I'm not even sure that the crib is the right place for that consequence...do I want her to associate the crib with 'punishment'?
So for all you out there...how do/did/would you handle a child of this age in terms of discipline? Any tips about biting would be especially appreciated!
In all seriousness though, a couple days ago, Lizzy bit me on purpose. Twice. She was yanking on my earring, even after many attempts to redirect her. So I calmly but firmly told her "No." Lizzy totally understands no, shakes her head no whenever I say it, and does NOT like being told no. Lizzy looked right at me, 'yelled' at me, and bit me on my arm. Hard. I told her "No" again, more sternly, and set her down on the floor and walked away. She crawled after me and bit my foot!
I am not kidding when I say that my child has a temper. How in the world did she learn the correlation between being mad and hurting the person that made you mad?!
Anyway, I know, I know...I wrote a post not that long ago about alternatives to saying no. But as one commenter eloquently pointed out, those techniques seem to work better once the kids get a little bit older. At 9 months, I'm not always sure how to approach the situation. In the above instance, I did a short "time out" in her crib, but I'm not even sure that the crib is the right place for that consequence...do I want her to associate the crib with 'punishment'?
So for all you out there...how do/did/would you handle a child of this age in terms of discipline? Any tips about biting would be especially appreciated!
Monday, October 4, 2010
BQOTD- Racing
Have you all ever ran or walked in a race? How far? Have any tips for a first-timer?
Running has always been super mental for me--I'm one of those people that TOTALLY has to cover the display if I'm running on the treadmill. Otherwise, I quit. Because I don't think I can. And I also don't really *like* to run. But still, for some reason, I've always wanted to run in a race. In fact, one of my 101 in 1001 goals was to run/walk a 5k. I'm not ready for a 5k yet, but I'm trying to convince Justin to run with me (to pace me and keep me motivated) during a fundraiser race on Thanksgiving morning. It's a 2 mile fun run/walk, and I feel like it would be a decent place to start...if only I could get J out of bed at 7:30am on a holiday!
Running has always been super mental for me--I'm one of those people that TOTALLY has to cover the display if I'm running on the treadmill. Otherwise, I quit. Because I don't think I can. And I also don't really *like* to run. But still, for some reason, I've always wanted to run in a race. In fact, one of my 101 in 1001 goals was to run/walk a 5k. I'm not ready for a 5k yet, but I'm trying to convince Justin to run with me (to pace me and keep me motivated) during a fundraiser race on Thanksgiving morning. It's a 2 mile fun run/walk, and I feel like it would be a decent place to start...if only I could get J out of bed at 7:30am on a holiday!
Friday, October 1, 2010
In the Photo...and it's Friday!
I love this photo.
Even though the camera strap is in the way.
Even though Lizzy's arm is blurry.
Even though I'm not wearing makeup.
Even though people always think Lizzy is a boy in this shot {gasp! no pink!}.
Even though my carpet desperately needs to be cleaned.
I still LOVE this photo.
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