8-EIGHT-OCHO

My little Bubba.  He was only 4 hours short of being a Leap Year Baby.

He loves hearing the birth story, and he does wish he would have waited that 4 hours.

"If I had only waited 4 more hours, I'd only be turning 2"  he says.

I would have just liked him to have waited for the doctor to get into the room.

Bubba is a smart smart smart kid.

He loves math.
He has a quick sense of humor.
His last report card was straight As.

He is active in wrestling, football, baseball and cub scouts. (Which makes me a crazy Mom, just sayin.)

I love this boy.  I can't believe he's 8.

TGIF! Go away headache.

I'd like to bathe in Tylenol right now. 

I have a killer headache which should make the White Sox game fun tonight. :)

Taking Mr.FF's kids with us...mine went last time...how difficult is it for a family of 6 to go together?

Looks as if I will be driving a "mom" mobile for a long time to come.  Just sayin.  No downsizin there, (twss).

If we were ever to move in together...we'll need a 5....FIVE bedroom house.  *gulp*

Works perfectly if we were at an amusement park...someone always has a riding partner.

(yeeeaaahhh)

((the only riders better be me and Mr.F, just sayin))

Anyway.

I'm excited (giggle) to go to the game tonight.  Tomorrow we have our preseason football party and Sunday I'm photographing an engaged couple.  It's gonna be a good weekend.  Hope you all have a good one too.

(yeaaaah)

Oops

I was so busy facebooking working today that I ran out time to blog...but you can go enjoy the sweetness here if you like.

No. I did not have a baby.  Someone did, but it sure as hell wasn't me.  Thankyouverymuch.

I wish I could be wordless today

I want so desperately to be wordless today.

I wish I had some GREAT pictures from the Buffett concert....but I don't.

*cries in coffee cup*

I forgot to put a memory card in my point and shoot camera...so the memory was full from other pictures.  :(

I stole a couple pictures from someone else off of facebook...well, stole is a strong word.  I did tell her I "stole" them.  She was ok with it. :)  They aren't very good photos, sadly.  It will get the point(s) accross, but it's grainy...and not that great.

*psh, who invited the photo critic?*

Here's the guy who's shirt I LOVE...and this is the second year we ran into him...so now it's tradition to get a picture with him. :D



I must have posed for 1 BILLION pictures that day...can't imagine why...



Oh.  The things we do for a good time.  I was motor boated, I was felt up...I was even asked if they were real.  C'mon people.  REALLY?  My little frame couldn't hold that much real boobage.  Just sayin.  Hell the nipples were probably a pound each. 

*haha, I said pound*

Oh, what will I be able to find to top this next year???

Get it?  Top?  lmfao.  I'm thinking maybe some tassels on those bad boys.

Wedding...not mine. TYVM.

So as I mentioned yesterday, a friend of mine from high school asked me to photograph his wedding.

Full post here...



This group, especially two of the clowns in the back always have us laughing.

It's crazy to think that we graduated 19 years ago and yet, none of us has really changed.  Not just in looks, but in how mature we act.  It's what keeps us so young, I think.  Laughing is the best medicine.



One of these guys is a pilot...of a passenger plane. 

*shivers*

I have always said, as have others, if I got on a plane and saw he was the man in charge of getting me to my destination I'd walk off of that plane.  Or consume a large amount of alcohol to get through it.



The only bad thing about working a wedding in which you are also a guest is by the time you're done doing your job, these clowns have already cleaned out the bar and are either heading home or switching to water for the drive home.

Regardless, it is such a blast to get together with people you haven't seen in a long time.  Reminisce about the crazy times we all had back in high school.  It is great to meet the spouses and see just how wonderfully they compliment our friends.

It's also great to see how happy they all are and how little 19 years has changed any of us.


Good times.

I'm a day late.

For wordless Wednesday...but....we had family pictures done for this year. :)

Thank you to Studio Rachel Photography

Three Headed Chin Twins.  Er, Triplets?!?!

Yes, my 10 1/2 year old is almost as tall as me.  There should be a law.  Just sayin.

Remember last year's pictures?   I love them and I love this year's too.  :)  Buggy has changed.  Bubba and I look the sameish.  :)  Bubba's missing teeth this year.  He has 3 missing, not counting the 2 molars he had to have pulled...that's 5 (for you non adding fools) total missing from his mouth right now.

It's not WHAT you have in your life, but WHO you have in your life that counts...

Well...we're still here...

The world did not end.

Yippee.

The prediction was a little like Chicken Little, no?  The world didn't end, but there was a very devestating tornado in Joplin, MO and for some of those people their world ended.  Very sad. 

This weekend I am playing photographer for a friend's wedding.  After their wedding they are driving to Bronson, Mo for their honeymoon.  Today the bride to be posted that on their way to Bronson they will be stopping in Joplin to drop off supplies.  HOW SWEET IS THAT?  Good people.

I have so much to talk about, seeing how sparse my ideas seem to be lately, I'm only going with one topic right now...er, well...starting now...never mind that stuff up top there.  It was just FLUFF.

OK.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS WALK, YO.



Here's how much the total was at the time the walk ended. 190,000 just for the Indy walk.  Isn't that amazing???? Some of you contributed and pimped me out; for that I'm very thankful (the donation and the pimpin)...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU.

Here is how much Indiana as a state collected...WOOOHOOO!!

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Indiana Chapter

The numbers are in....with your help, the Indiana Chapter Great Strides program raised over $618,000, exceeding its goal of $564,000! Thank you for everything that you did to make it such a huge success!!

I woke up the morning of the walk.  I went outside and was met with a beautifully warm sunshine beaming down!  I was so thankful and I sighed in joy.

By the time we left the hotel and ate some lunch the clouds rolled in and torrential downpour hit us.  Lightening threatening the walk.  While we drove to the site, the kids sang You Are My Sunshine the whole way there, hoping it would have the opposite affect of a rain dance.

It worked. 

Mostly. 

The sun started peaking out again.  Then the clouds, then the sun, then the clouds, then the sun.  You get the point.  It was off and on rain, here and there, but no more lightening so the walk was a go. 

Go we did!





I affectionately label this picture (above) as Me and My Chin Twins. :D  Not much about my kids resembles me, but (hahah butt) our chins.



This is the family we walk for...when Harrison (the baby) was born almost two years ago there was a new screening for newborn babies to test for CF.  The test came back positive.

For 6 years at that point, Kennedy, one of Harrison's big sisters had had digestive and gastro issues.  They were about a month away from going to Riley's because they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.  They actually had an appointment scheduled and along came Harrison and the diagnoses.  Both sisters were tested, with Kennedy being the one also with CF.

Raegan, the biggest sister does not have it.  Stacey, their mom, has a bigger job than just being a Mom.  She has a fight on her hands, she has Dr appointments, medicines, and two kids diagnosed with this genetic disease.







Both kids are doing really well right now with their medicine.  Kennedy is growing nicely and not having the issues she was just a short two years ago.  Harrison is a tubbers, he suffers more with the breathing issues that go with CF, but he is doing well too.  They both, on the outside, are normal active kids.  To look at them you wouldn't know they have anything or just how sick they can get.







Just as last year, the kids and I really enjoyed being a part of this walk.  The number of people that came even though the weather was iffy, was inspirational and beautiful.

I hope that someday the money we've raise will lead to a cure and until then lead to better medicine options.

Thank you again to those of you that supported us with donations.  Even if you weren't able to give, I know you were all there with me in spirit.  (Just nod your head yes, there might be another end of the world prediction and you don't want to be left behind, dooooo yoooouu?).

Peace.

Bubba + Baseball = Cold

Dear mother nature,

It's baseball season, could you please warm us up?  mmk thanks.

Love,
Bleacher Mom.

Howdy - Part 2

So yesterday I told you about the place...it really was a nice place.

I'd like to get into a little bit of revelations that hit me this weekend.

You never know how old your child is until you see them through other's eyes...or observe them with their friends.   That could be a good or bad thing. 

I liked what I saw of Buggy this weekend.

She's goofy.  She's laid back.  She's loud (like her momma).  She's quiet.  She's a great blend of what I think of as a well rounded girl.

Funny thing as I was talking to another mom is I realized.  I am all those things too.  Maybe I was that way back then too, but I feel more strongly about it now.

This mom obsesses (her own words) about how her daughter is fitting in, how others treat her daughter and on and on.  She asked my opinion on the matter.  Did I see the other girls leaving her out or being mean to her?

Honestly, no.  I didn't see any abnormal girl interaction.  In fact one thing that I noticed with our group of girls is how UNCLICKY it seemed.  There were no consistent clicks between any of them.  You could tell which of the girls were a little closer, but they all seemed to hang out with each other very well.  It wasn't uncommon to see different girls grouping up throughout the trip.

I started to watch Buggy.  She doesn't come home and talk about any of her friends at school.  Sometimes I wonder if she has friends at all.  What I saw this weekend is that, she does indeed have friends.  However, she doesn't obsess over these friends.  She fit in nicely with everyone, being herself and having a good time.  She's so relaxed and not overly concerned with other people.

I told the other mom, "I am sure your daughter is fine...all kids need to find their niche and she is doing just fine.  I don't see any girls being mean to her or excluding her.  In fact, I love this group of girls, they all seem so friendly to each other and not too clicky."

She went on continuing to obsess and then even mentioned that she feels the same way with the other moms.  Source of her obsession with her own daughter.  Her own insecurities.  She's putting them onto her daughter.

I feel like I'm being looked at judgementally by some of the other moms, but you know what?  I don't care.  There was a saying that has stuck with me since I first heard it and it goes something like this...

When you are judging others you're really judging yourself.

Right?  Any time I find myself judging another it is usually due to my own insecurity.  It really helps me put into prospective my thoughts and quickly squash my judgements.

I am in a really good place with me as a person.  I like the person I see in Buggy.  I loved this part of the weekend.  Seeing her in action, so to speak.  I also liked that she was not shy about loving on her Mommy.  She was not disgusted by her Mom's actions.

There was one point that I was taken aback.  I sat down to eat.  She was on the other side of the table.  She leaned over to her friend and said, "Oh no, here comes my Mom and the embarrassment."

I know she saw the look on my face, she quickly said (out loud), "I'm just teasing Mom.  You don't embarrass me all the time."

I smiled.

I know.  Sometimes I do things to purposely embarrass her, I feel it my right as a Mom.  No?  As long as I'm not embarrassing her all the time, I'm good with that.

She did later apologize again.  I told her it was OK, she was there to enjoy her friends and me, she could do both and feel no guilt about it.  So she did.  So did I.



Now, don't get this too twisted.  There is ONE of her friends that we don't see often.  When Buggy is with THIS particular girl I do not like the person I see.  Next year these two will be at the same school.  My hope is that Buggy will gradually venture away from this particular girl.  *fingers crossed*  I chalk it up to a part of growing up.  My mom didn't like all of my friends or how I acted around those friends.  So turn around is fair play I guess. :)

Shew.  This was a long post.  Lets get to the pictures.  Shall we?


My Buggy girl...growing up.


Did I tell you about her donating 10 inches of her hair for locks for love?  She did.  Two weeks ago.  I love her hair like this.


Waiting and watching the horses come in for breakfast.  I love how the light is shining on her beautiful face.


Getting ready to ride a horse for the first time ever.  Bike helmet included. :)


She was so happy to be on that horse...she is NOT happy that I cut off the horses head in the picture.  Noted, but my focus was on HER face, not the horses.


Love her.


Maybe I'm partial...but this might be one of my favorites of the 300 pictures I took. :)  Make that 299, because obviously I didn't take this picture.

Far from Wordless

So, yesterday I meant to tell you all about my Dude Ranch experience, but I got wrapped up into a website and before I knew it the day had slipped away.  (Now today has slipped away as well, this is going to be a two or three part blog)

Curious the website?  Fro Knows Photo.

Anywho.

The Dude Ranch.

It was AH-MAZING on so many levels...

The first level:  The place. 
It took a good three hours to get to White Pines Ranch.  Three very flat landed hours.  Not much to see.  I rode with another mom that I had only met, er scratch that, I had only spoke with over the phone during cookie selling time.

She was very nice and I really had no problems riding with her and her daughter.  I think this was a revelation for me over the weekend that I will maybe get into later.  Anyway...the ride there was uneventful which is good.

We arrived at the destination and our two girls were uber excited that they were the first to arrive from our group.  It was like an episode of Big Brother where they only allow three guest into the house at a time and those people go running in to have their pick of beds.  I guess there are other reality shows like that as well, but for me to list them would just show what a nutjob I am for watching so many to know such details....

I've digressed.

The two girls run into the cabin and grab the most ideal bunk beds in their opinion.  Both girls threw their stuff onto the top bunks and started settling in, putting clothes in drawers, etc.

This was just the start of the many smiles I had at my daughter's excitement...again, more later on that.

The ranch really wasn't what I was expecting, but to be honest I don't know what I expected.  It's not that it under exceeded or over exceeded my expectations, it just was not what I expected I guess.   There were two big buildings.  Two levels to each building.  First level to one building was the eating area, game room and souvenir shop with offices and the other building had the barn on the first level.  On the second level were what they called dorms.

I would say, rough guesstimate was that each "dorm" held about 120 campers.  Our dorm held at least 40, each dorm had their own bathrooms with three showers, three hot showers and four toilet stalls.  Adequate for the most part.



The whole place was pretty clean, none of it gave me the heebee jeebees....so it gets a good rating on that aspect.

Let's face it, there's nothing ugly about horses, their pasture was gorgeous, the barns were clean and everyone that worked there was energetic and very well kept in their appearance.

Is that weird of me to say??   My uncle made a comment that the ranch he went to had people who looked like they were inbred.  I am not sure what an inbred person looks like, but I would go out on a limb to say that the people working at White Pines Ranch looked like "normal" well kept people to me.



We had about an hour before our orientation and dinner to explore a little and get settled in.  Buggy and I took our cameras around (me with my new one, her with my older one) a little after we had gotten our bunks set up just as we wanted them to be for bed that night.

I have uploaded my pictures, but have yet to get hers online...here's a few that I shot. :) 


I did have to brighten this one slightly in Picnik.  Here are the specs...for you photography people out there...any critiques feel free.  (f/4.0 1/320, iso100) 


No changes made to this one, but if I had it to shoot again, I wouldn't cut off the feet.


<3 I love this.
(F/2.8, 1/400, ISO100)


Wee bit Bright...(f/2.8, 1/500, iso100)

I moved her to the shadow...but i should have compensated with my exposure...FAIL...but I love the photo anyway...


(F/2.8, 1/500, ISO100)  -Not sure, should I have bumped up the ISO????

I will go into more tomorrow. I promise not to get wrapped up into anymore photography sites ...well, not until I'm done posting here. :)

(Here is what held me up today)

((Yes, I am aware that I've become totally obsessed with this photography thing...but it has challenged me.))

(((Another note...I went completely manual on the camera this weekend, only once did I flip it to Auto. YAY ME!!!)))

Wordless and You Capture

For You Capture - Outside



 


Wordless.

Wordless Wednesday...Easter..

Turning 25.

Today my little sister turns 25.

TWENTY FIVE, yo.

Gosh I remember when I turned 25 almost 12 years ago last year. 

I didn't have any kids yet.  I was married to EX#1. 

My life was pretty easy.  Turning 25 did bother me though, BIG TIME.  I remember thinking, "Crap, 25?  I better get a tattoo or something young and maybe a little stupid."

And so I did.



I don't regret it.  Maybe when I'm 80.

Anytat. 

My sister is young and living life...I hope she has the best birthday and continues to figure out her dreams.  Her courage is beautiful to me...and she is beautiful.   Love you Kait...



and we miss you...bunches. 

3...just THREE.

3 things.

This is his third lost tooth.

This picture is a little overexposed due to me playing with my camera...trying to learn.

Finally, *puts piece of straw in mouth* y'all this is the most hillbilly lookin snaggletooth kid I've ever seen.  I seriously want to break out in a southern draw every time he starts talking.  I hear banjos.

Seven.

Today, February 28th, is my Bubba's SEVENTH birthday.

*claps*

Feb 20th we celebrated Bubba's SEVENTH year life.  Or as MR.FF put it, we celebrate SEVEN years I've managed to live through life with Bubba.  OR SEVEN years and Bubba still has life.

I kid.  He can really be a good kid when he's paid.

Mr.FF made the cake...


Bubba read his birthday cards...so cool to hear your child read...



Bubba showed his party animal side.



I kept an eye on things....



It was a good party. :)

Here is his birth story, not gory... :)

He really has improved since last year...I think (I hope) that he is finally settling into our life now together, just us three in our house. So much for him has changed over the last year, with the finalization of the divorce, the new house, the new significant others. It seems that lately he's really started to settle in with all of the changes.

His fits are less and less, not that they are gone, but I'd say he's more to the "normal" side in number of fits, if there is a "normal" side.

He hasn't gotten into any trouble at school for the most part, nothing of the sexual nature anyway.

And maybe I am delusional. I don't know...but lately it has seemed more tolerable...and better. When I'm not pmsing .

Counseling is going well, she has good things to say about Bubba and she strongly feels that nothing has happened to him (again, back story, he has said and drawn some pretty explicit sexual things, that a boy his age should not know...which has the school and me concerned for him). However, we will continue in counseling until we feel it isn't of benefit to him anymore.

He is doing well in wrestling and when I say well, I don't mean in wins (he's had two)...but his attitude on the mat and immediately following the matches has been impressive to me. I really thought it was gonna be ugly...but it hasn't...and I tell him all the time how proud I am of him for having a good sportsman like attitude. I only ask that that same attitude follow him home sometimes.

He's so handsome. :)

I love you my Bubba-rooski!!

I will love you forever. Happy birthday Bud. :)