School is IN

This summer I decided to take a few workshops from Clickin' Moms.  The workshops have a bazillion amazing reviews and I hear they are intense.

I can't wait!

Since I couldn't wait for them to start, I took a mini-black and white workshop this week. Here is a little picture play from that workshop-

My littlest trouble maker in a  moody black and white.

Happy Friday!

I promise I'm different now...

I know, I know; I'm like that A-hole boyfriend that left without saying a word.  What a pussy!

Now I'm going to poke you, say hi, tell you how pretty you are and hope you come back into my arms without asking how I feel and what I want in the future.

You are SOOOO pretty by the way!

What would YOU like in the future?

But my life has calmed and I miss you.   And I think I'm going to re-do my master bedroom for my sexy husband for Valentines Day. Shhh, don't tell him...

because it's a secret

or I'll get lazy and end up not doing it and why get his hopes up?

Oh yeah, cause I'm that A-hole.

But seriously, first person that comments on this will get $20 if I don't start painting by the end of this week.  No joke.  I need inspiration.  I can't lose 20 bucks...

Old Chicks are No Joke!

I have a friend that works for a shelter in Colorado and invited me to this HUGE community garage sale thing.

I've never been to one.

I've never been to THIS one.  I've been meaning to hit up some garage sales because I have a few things in mind that I would like.

I want a vintage sled.  The wood slat kind.

I want vintage looking suitcases.

I want a vintage wagon.

Most of them for photography props so when I heard about this huge sale close to where I live, I was all in.

I invited friends.  I put cash in my wallet (This is RARE my friends, very rare!), lifted the double stroller into the trunk... and set off.

I arrived right after the public opening and saw a woman walk out with the cutest child rocker I have EVER seen.

She paid $20 to get in early.  People mean business.

I was excited.  I was fist pumping like a Jersey Shore member.  I was going to score sweet goods and not break the bank.  I was going to be a garage sale hero.

Then I got inside.  The stroller wouldn't fit down the isles.  I got hit with someone's cane.  I got dirty looks and was for sure the youngest adult there.

Then I got the real sass, "I can't BELIEVE you brought your kids!"  She looked back and me and grunted in disgust, "Can you even FIT down any of the isles?!"

Uhhhh.

And just as she was about to walk away she added, "I don't even have any WORDS!"

She must have been in her mid-eighties.

And clearly she had words.

It was like retirement home meets Mean Girls and I was the joke.

Next time I'm leaving the stroller and bringing a cane.

Confession

Sometimes I vacuum so I can't hear my kids whine.

On My Honor

I feel like I've had a string of bad luck with sucky people lately.

Mean people.

Selfish and controlling and immature people.

Where's the love?

If you start a conversation off with, "I don't mean to be a -insert B word or A word here- but..."
Then CHANGE what  you were going to say

 or don't say anything at all.

Since I've pursued photography more, I've run into some rude-ish photographers.  And it's funny because so many people in customer service complain about the costumers/clients but I've had nothing but amazing experiences with my clients.   I LOVE my clients.

What I have an issue with is other people complaining and not building each other up.

So I wanted to let everyone know,

On my honor, I will try-

To be nice.  To never start a conversation off with "I don't meant to be a B-word but...".  To encourage others.  To make others feel the best I can.  To be honest and never fake.  To not complain that it's a saturated market and put every other photographer down so I get the business.  To teach what I know.  To learn what I don't.  To refer other photographers to a potential client when I know I'm not the best fit.  To shake hands and give hugs.  To smile. To give back.

Because the world can be nice.

Because we make up the world.

Halloween Inspiration

I switched over to the new blogger and have been scared away ever since. How do I work this thing???

 Over it and moving on.

 Two years ago, I was pregnant with Charlotte, super lazy and had no Halloween costume for Sawyer. Bad mommy. One year ago I knew he had to be something so I grabbed a lion costume at Target while walking by. No long thought process, no pressure. THIS year I want something cute, vintagey, original, handmade. And I can't find a thing. Any suggestions? This is probably the last year I can override him.

 I've been on an Etsy hunt since a few weeks ago. There are some cute infant costumes. Adorable girl costumes and almost zero boy costumes. Does dressing boys cute EVER get easy?!?! Since I've been scouring Etsy, I figured I would post some of my favorite costumes making YOUR job as mommy or daddy WAY easier. (You can thank me in paypal donations...)



  Sack of Taters!!! I don't think an infant costume gets much cuter. Can someone PLEASE buy this?!?!

(Image from link above) 

 Does Alice in Wonderland EVER get old? How about this adorable Drink Me costume???

(Image from link above)

 I know pirate costumes have been all the rage in the last five years or so but this one is too cute to keep out!

(Image from link above)

 I'm a bit... okay, A LOT in love with the shop that makes these aprons. She makes apron costumes for toddler, kids and adults. They also have this retro vibe that I love. I want like all her stuff! Check out her Little Red Riding Hood costume:

(Image from link above) 

 But winner winner, chicken dinner may be this super hero costume. The only thing holding me back is how much it costs. I mean, it's on par with the cost of all the cute costumes on etsy but I wanted to cap the cost at $25 per child. This costume is pulling me in though... the attraction is too strong... help!!!!

(Image from link above) 

Do you see my problem besides wanting to spend a zillion dollars on a one day outfit? There isn't anything here for Sawyer. I need your IDEAS or he'll end up in a Gap shirt and jeans like two years ago. Don't make me look bad...

The Random

It was Christmas morning several years back. I was working as a flight attendant at the time and woke up with a serious eye ache. I mean, SERIOUS. It hurt to be closed, it hurt to be open and WHEN it was open it just poured out tears. I guess I scratched my eyeball. I was totally fine working on Christmas day but it didn't look like that from a passenger's point of view. Tears fell as I handed out water without ice, Pepsi with extra ice and maybe even the can because they asked for it and hell, it was Christmas. Merry Christmas. Tear.

As I pushed my face into the pillow, it's no surprise I've scratched my eye while sleeping several times since that Christmas. I practically SMASH my eye into the pillow like my eye is being interrogated and I will cut off all oxygen until it does what I ask... which issssss- I'm not really sure. Stupid eye.

But it's always the moments my eye is encased in pillow when I think my way into dreamland the quickest. I've had a lot going on in the past few weeks and with all this thinking I haven't been blogging and I owe you guys.

Like the bear story? Hello?! You all wanted to hear the ending and I've been holding out... mostly because the end isn't that interesting. We opened the garage doors, made a lot of noise and after the bear jumped up and down on our jeep a few times, he just waddled his way on out. (I'm sorry bear if you are a girl!) We didn't think he broke anything but he did. JERK! Our automatic garage door is officially broken. Sad face. I have to open the door manually now. Who does that?!?! What year am I living in anyway? In most seriousness, I am terrified when I come home late and I know I can be opening the garage door to a black bear. I hear they are afraid of noise so when I open the car door and walk toward the garage door, I make yelping noises. No joke. I should be secretly video-taped. You guys would love it.

For about a week straight animal control was up here every night with spotlights. Geoff finally called them and they said they were looking for the bear. I'm not sure if they found him and if they did, what they did with them. Our house was like the fifth the bear broke into and I can only think it's because someone fed him. Don't feed wildlife, it really, in all actuality, eventually, cat get them killed.

My photography business had been BUSY! I'm totally surprised and totally happy! Since I've opened I've been thinking about this blog. All good photog pages have a blog. I have this one. Sometimes I say the F-word and sometimes I say vagina. Like now, VAGINA. Or now, vagina. You have to swat my vagina words away like flies over here! There is no way I can do all that I'm doing and keep up with two blogs. I love you guys. And I like saying vagina. My friend says that I shouldn't link this blog up to my photo page because F-words and anatomy words aren't the best form of advertising. What do you guys think?

Geoff's birthday is coming up. Every other birthday, he gets a positive pregnancy test as his present. Can you guess what he wants this year? Can you guess what he isn't getting? It starts with a 'V'...


Love you guys more than all the F words in the world!

me.

Say what?!

After watching me change Charlotte's diaper Sawyer says, "MOM! Oh no! Charlotte has a BUTT on her penis!"


Ummm, sort of?

In Bidness

I've had several people asking for photoshoots and after a pep talk from a friend in the photography business, I took a dive in.

Check it!

Strebel Photography DOT Com! YEAH!