Schools out....

So... Fall break already!!! Can you believe it. Where in the world has the time gone??? I literally feel like the kids just went back after summer and now they're out again for a whole ten days. My head is spinning at how quickly time is flying past me... leaving me wondering what the hell is going on. 

Look at that pencil go!!!!!!! 

I wish we had somewhere to go during this break but unfortunately we're still working

stiffs and the girls will go to the YMCA instead of a trip to the mountains... sigh. 

Trying not to dwell on it, regrets and coveting the fortunes of others are something I really need

to work on . In my next life I want to be a teacher.. or a trust fund baby or something. 

On the bright side, it is FALL!! It's still hot here but the 'idiot not to be trusted" on the radio

just said we're in for a cold front.... yay... 80 degrees instead of 95.

I'm starting to feel like spending a little more time in the kitchen, I love love love

pumpkin recipes so this is the time of year I make pies and pancakes and everything that 

smells so good, spicey and homey... yum!!! 

Don't get me wrong I'm no Suzie homemaker but I have a darn good stab at it for ... 

umm... about three weeks in October!!  a girl can try!!! 

What are your plans for October? by far the most delicious month in the year!!! 

Monday.. a great day for some Randomonium...

I wanted to join in with Macro Monday over at Lisa's Chaos but guess what.. no macro shots to share. I have had a definite slump in the picture taking lately. A huge cavernous void from which I'm finding it hard to climb out of.  It's my fav hobby so how can it be so up and down??? weird.

In an effort to get out the slump I have signed on to Scott Kelby's World Wide Photo Walk, I will be joining a bunch of camera wielding maniacs and walking around Tallahassee.. yes the Capital of Florida....snapping anything and everything. We will then converge on a lovely restaurant and eat lunch and talk about the great pics we took.... nerdalicious!!!!! I even got my sister in Wales interested... check  it out people there are walks all over the World.. hence the name.

It's about four in the afternoon as I type, this has been a very unproductive Monday at home with sick child and I am feeling very sleepy.. very sleepy indeed. The remedy for this is to sit down and bang out a random post whilst enjoying a very delicious cup of coffee and an apple fritter... yes it's my way of starting the day again!!!

At last I am no longer a member of the "have not seen Bridesmaids" gang. The hubs and I watched it Saturday night (which is why I'm probably so tired.. that movie is loooongg!).  It wasn't what I thought it would be but I thoroughly enjoyed it... and will watch it again soon. It's def up there with Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing.... only better... alot better!

Ash has decided to switch back to taking her lunch to school again... which is a good thing because then at least I know she's getting something good.  Her reason for the switch.. so that she can sit with the cool kids! Whenever I think of taking lunch to school I think of Tab, my mother made me take Tab because I was a fat kid. In the seventies if you took Tab to school you were a fat kid, and didn't sit with the cool kids. I can't even think what else I had in my lunch box except an apple and Tab. Maybe that was all I had!!! Sheesh!!

If you are a member of Sam's Club here's a tip.. you have to go try their garlic something or other chicken sausages.. .they ... are .... to ... die ... for!!!!!!  

and finally.... it's that time of year again... when I have to get out of bed in the pitch black and I CAN'T STAND IT!!!!! Looking for a school for the kids that starts at nine and a job for me that starts at ten, all with the same stopping time in the afternoon of course. Any ideas????

Thanks for tuning in folks.... hopefully the groove will be back soon and I'll be my old creative, witty self!!!!

Food coloring, paper and straws.... I call it... cheap entertainment!!!! 

Silent Sunday

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OK not so silent... I'm so proud of my lovely Syd, what makes her smart is knowing

that homework and studying are not an option.  She's going to do great things! 

Just because you can doesn't mean you should...

For the love of all that is SANE.. can we just go back to do things in the 

old way.... can we stop with the back linking and suggestions and the finishing

of words and sentences???

I don't really give a flying rats ass about the new layout of FB, it's just a little 

distraction in my day and it's not enough to throw me into a frenzy. 

Which in itself is shocking because the teeniest thing will throw me into a frenzy

as you know.. if you're a regular here.. are you?

What I do care about is all the effin' thinking for me that not only FB is trying to 

do but actually Google and all sorts of other sites are doing. 

I use Gmail... I love it... but today I noticed (and it's probably been there for  a

long time but I just noticed today) that when I sent an email there was a little 

"suggestion" as to who else I'd like to include in the email. 

Excuse me but I know who I want to send the damn email to and I don't need 

interference from the stupid program... what are you my Mother???

Yesterday I wanted to send a FB message to a friend who is a tad older than me and is 

a very respected kind of mentor figure. She lives close by and I adore her, she's 

such an inspiration to me when I need guidance.. PS.. everyone should have a mentor.

Anyautolink... I wanted to include the name of my company and do you think 

FB would let me do it without trying to link it to other friends I have on FB... 

other not quite as "mature" people who I knew in years gone by but still stay in touch 

with but don't necessarily want linked into my conversations.

 Google+ has the right idea.. you don't want certain friends seeing certain stuff you

 would gladly share with other certain friends. 

I don't even know if respectable mentor lady would even see these links or not?

Urgh... too much pressure. Just go back to the good old days of adding the 

little @ if you want to link someone into your messages. 

We are adults, we know who we want to link to and who we want to send 

emails to thank you very much!  Just leave us be, give us the toys and then step 

back and let us decide how we want to play with them, it's what every good 

parent should do!!! 

I'm ready to go back to good old pen and paper.. you???

The Cross Roads....

Well well well... I kinda find myself at a junction of sorts... 

I have spent the last few weeks undergoing the rigors of a very thorough recruiting process 

necessary to progress to the next level of my career. 

A level which will eventually lead to a fantastic opportunity for my family and I, an 

opportunity to provide us with a certain amount of security for our future.

Whoop whoop for me right? yes I am excited but it also means the commitment 

of ALOT of time and effort on my behalf so I have to make some 

decisions about my blogging and photography. I just won't be able to do it

all going forward. Right now I'm weighing up my options and considering how

best to plan my time. When thinking about closing down the blog I realize

I will miss it so much... the therapy, the camaraderie, the laughs, the bullshit... 

it's like losing a little friend one turns to in times of need. Maybe I can just post 

when I want to and not actually think to much about it... oh wait... isn't that what 

I do now??? pretty much!!! 

I'm going to have to make my time with the family count extra because there will be less 

of it. Instead of thinking in terms of a blogger listening to their chatter and thinking

"ooohhh that would make a good post".. I'll have to be fully engaged thinking.."ooohhh

these are our memories". I am sure I will continue sticking the camera in their faces

at every available opportunity. I don't think that will ever stop. 

The hard thing for me is that I want to be good at everything I do... such a freak! 

I want to be the best ever parent in the world, I want my kids to look back and think 

that I was a good Mom and taught them well, helped them grow in to good, productive and

kind citizens. I want to be the best photographer I can be, to learn the art and be able

to produce fantastic pictures to look back on, whether it be as a "pro" or otherwise. 

I realize that if this new opportunity means I can no longer have my own photography 

business then I can still keep it as an uber-hobby. I can continue to learn and read and 

absorb all I can, maybe focus on it in a little different way, more for personal 

pleasure than as a way to make a living. I actually think my foray into professional 

photography has taught me a valuable lesson but that's for some other time .. some other

post.  I am envisioning that this new path my life is about to take is going to be a 

huge change for us, I don't know if I will even have time to dwell on how 

super perfect I want to be.... I'll just have to be super perfect without thinking

about it!!!! 

"It is time for you to stop being an extra in other people's movies, and be the 

star of your own." ~Alan Cohen

Thanks Liz.. The Fragrant Muse for the quote!!! 

Lovely eggs....

I never thought I'd be marveling over a crate of eggs. 

Maybe I need to get out more. 

But they are lovely n'est pas???

When will the madness of mass production stop and let us all 

get back to lovely little eggs, the way they should be... 

different shapes, sizes and colors.. just like people.

Goodies for photographers and bloggers....

Hey all you guys and gals out there who are hooked on the  

fascinating world of photography and editing, textures and actions and all the goodies that 

go along with them... . 

You have to check this out... 

Reverie is having an enormous giveaway... 

Now then.. I have to go..sorry... there is so much to check out it's like a box of 

deliciousness all in one place. Even if you don't win you'll discover all kinds of 

spectacular sites out there ready to inspire you in your artistic adventures. 

See you in a day or two!!!! 

being the youngest...

"it stinks being the youngest!!". 

yes it does my friend... yes it does!!!! 

Grandparents Day....

So.. this week at school included the much anticipated Grandparents day for both my kids, you know.... Grandparents Day.... remember that well known day set aside to honor and acknowledge our Grands... you don't??? me neither.

We never had a special day set aside for the parents of our parents when I was growing up, no special songs or poems, no dedicated mornings with refreshments and little objet d'art.... not a damn thing! As much as we love those of the previous generation who offer attention and gifts to our kids I'm not entirely sure we need a day at school dedicated to the demonstration of such love. Oh.... but wait... of course.. there are those kids who don't have parents and miss out on that other special day... wait.. what special day? They make us little mother's day cards and father's day cards which honestly they don't really have to... but a day when we get to go to school and be honored for being the fools responsible for these crazy ass kids being in the world... nope don't remember getting that invitation.

So back to Grandparents day... we don't have any Grands in the vicinity therefore it's up to one of us parents to beg for a couple of hours off so that our kids don't feel all sad and alone on this special day which they have prepared for during the course of the SIX weeks prior!!! This year it was Dad's turn, apparently Ash remembered it as being we had both gone in prior years but I really don't think we could have... anyway she had a meltdown the morning of because she wanted us both there because it's not fair she doesn't have Grands around... totally my fault for that one...and don't I know it. She settled down and apparently once Dad got there and watched them sing a couple of songs all was well again. The performance was lovely and when they were done the assistant principle said a few words and invited all the grandparents to spend some time with their little darlings and go visit the Book Fair which just happened to be going on at that time in the Library.... Ahhhh I see.... get the Grands all huddled in one place, soften them up with some darling songs in their honor and then herd them and their wallets to the damn book fair!!!

Such a cunning plan, the brainchild of a mastermind no doubt... who in their right mind is going to refuse to buy a child a book while they are in the school... in the library... under the scrutiny of the librarian who just oozes with importance of reading at an early age.  No one.. that's who!!!  It's called Grandparentgate... favors for books.... songs for literacy..... we will herd the old peeps in there and close the door.. no one escapes until the bookshelves are bare.

Hubs was quite frankly beat down by the time he escaped....but he did have a brilliant idea... why not send a note home something to this effect... OK folks, we're having a book fair, you don't have to come, just send us five bucks and we'll call it good. The school gets their cash and the families get left alone to go about their daily lives without all the brew ha ha and the kids can go about the business of learning to read and write and rithmetic.... see what a good life it would be.

This article has been brought to you by the Coalition for Realism and the Campaign for Life Ain't a Bowl of Freakin' Cherries People.

Chicken... no head....

Running around like a chicken with no head this morning!!! 

Three different birthday parties to get the kids to, a little photo shoot of a fund

raiser for a cancer charity and chaperoning one of the birthday "parties" which

is herding a bunch of wild tween girls around the mall and a pizza place! 

Not to mention trying to get some picture orders in and make some well overdue

phone calls and return library books.. also overdue..... I have a little headache brewing. 

With five minutes to spare before Ash gets picked up for the pool party she can't 

find the sunscreen... fits of hysteria.....I assure her that the friends picking her up 

are bound have some but she continues to whine in her oh so aggravating way until 

I'm about to SNAP!! The friend turns up and thankfully has sunscreen but no

towels... guess who did all the laundry this morning.. phew.. I am happy to let them

use my freshly laundered nice smelling towels. That NEVER happens!!! 

Now a ten minute peaceful interlude while Ash is gone, Syd is with Daddy at a 

neighbors house borrowing a pressure washer (he blew the motor in ours this morning!)

and I can decompress before the next session of chaos with the tweens at the Mall.

I swear.... weekends are getting more and more hectic around here. I seem to recall 

there was a time when they would play quietly and take naps in the afternoon, I could potter

around and do little projects here and there and life was charmed. Not so now!!! 

Would I change it... sometimes yes.. but mostly no... my blessings are 

well and truly counted! 

That's that then.....

So... the tomato plant of 2011 is gone... caput... deceased... in the shitter. I think I got maybe about seven tomatoes and they were DELISH!!!! Between the birds, squirrels and my tomato loving shih tzu it was a fight to get one that hadn't already been tampered with.
Next year I'm going for a ton of those hanging upsy daisy, topsy turvy things and I will adorn the back porch with them!!! Until then it's adeiu to Tommy... thanks for memories.

Men behaving badly....

OK I am pissed.... pissed that I haven't had a chance to download the new Texture Bundle II from Kim Klassen, let alone use it!! I want you to go check out her site and see what goodies she has to offer in the way of Textures, Kim was the first person to introduce me to the world of textures and I loved her Skinny Mini classes. By the way she hasn't asked me to toot her horn or anything... I just want to share the lurve!!!

Today is Texture Tuesday and I don't have anything to add because I have been gallivanting around South Florida with the family and didn't pick up my laptop one single time I was there. I purchased the bundle on Friday and still haven't downloaded it yet... slacker!!! I did take some pictures but honestly I probably will never even share any of them because I just wasn't in the mood. I was so damn hot!!!! You can't really cart around the big girl camera in that heat (not to mention the fact I'm afraid I'll drop it in a swamp or something!) and the little camera died on me... wtf... it just died with no indication of a pre-existing condition. This being so I realized I need to get the D60 fixed and use that to take some good family fun shots without the hassle/worry of the big camera or the unreliability of the little girl camera. So complicated!!! It's been almost a year since the demise of the D60 so it's time I got my act together and get it seen to... again with the slackerness.

So, yes, there we were out in a State Park and they had a little cafe/gift shop thing where you can actually buy a beer... in a State Park... I know!!!! We decided to take the air boat ride which I was a little disappointed in because it was a huge air boat, not a little thing that would speed across the lake, top speed was probably what... 3 miles a YEAR!!!! So.. when purchasing the tickets the helpful chap at the kiosk lets us know it's thirty minutes to launch and we're welcome to take snacks and beverages on board with us which can be purchased upstairs in the snack and beverage department. I send hubs and father in law in search of such... they come back with four deliciously cold and yummy beers... only to be told we can't take them on the damn air tug boat!!

So we're trying to chug them when we're herded down the ramp onto the boat, I still have my beer because I'm a lady and can't chug it like my sister-in-law did in three seconds flat. The she-man at the end of the ramp tells me to get rid or go back up the ramp and drink it before boarding the boat... yeah... how the hell you gonna get a rotund chick like me back up that single file ramp when everyone else is heading down it???? My only option was to get rid; she ceremoniously dumped my delish beer into the lake rendering all the wildlife totally useless for the next three hours. Bitch. I pointed out that they may want to tell the helpful chappy at the kiosk to let peeps know there's a 'no beer on the boat' rule... which is a stupid rule if you ask me... who the hell goes on a boat WITHOUT beer...anyone???? no didn't think so. She then proceeded to list all the places where they had a damn sign.. I just walked off but she kept on talking... there's a sign here.. and there's one there... and if you had looked there's one on the wall there and blah blah blah... By this time I just wanted to take a sign and shove it down her throat!!!! URGH!!

The boat ride kinda sucked... it would have been better with a nice cold beer... but hey... you don't know until you try right. As we were leaving we saw a chalkboard sign which read "Please.. no alcohol beyond this point"... I died laughing as my dear father-in-law just happened to casually erase the word "no". Funny stuff !

Sorry Florida State Parks.... we promise to behave next time!!!