Memoirs of a Munchkin Mommy

It's A...

2012-01-12T16:12:00.000-05:00

This is ridiculously late, as we've known since December 7th, but with the holidays, time got away from me. So, here is the big announcement. Our little peanut is a...

Belly Update!

2011-11-22T16:11:00.000-05:00

I'm still here! And I've still got a little peanut growing in my belly. This week my What to Expect When You're Expecting app says he/she is the size of a sweet potato. :)

The first trimester went relatively easy. I consider myself one of the lucky ones anyway. Some nausea but very minimal vomiting. Just quite a bit of fatigue but I have gotten some energy back in recent weeks.

I am currently 17 weeks and 3 days. We go for our anatomy ultrasound in a little over 2 weeks. Hopefully the little one will show the goods! We certainly hope so because we have a gender reveal party all planned and our families have already been invited.

We have been busy getting the room that is to be the nursery cleaned out. That is pretty much done now and we are just waiting to find out if we have a little Mama's boy or Daddy's girl on our hands so we can start painting (well, not me with my pregnant self, mostly hubby) and decorating.

Here is a little peek at my belly's progression since 12 weeks. I possibly had a little bit of baby showing but mostly a whole lot of bloat then (let's just say I haven't seen my previously flat belly since about 4 or 5 weeks) and now I'm starting to really pop! Ha ha. Definitely got some baby showing.

Right now we are just gearing up for the holidays. I've already started putting out some Christmas decorations and now I'm just waiting on picking out our tree (we do a real one) so I can get it up and decorated. Christmas is my favorite time of year. :)

I'll try to check in again soon. I was hoping I'd be able to do the pregnancy updates that so many expectant blogger moms do, but I have too much going on. I'm lucky to get the pictures and measurements every week! Ha ha.

Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate it. :)

A Peek at our Bundle of Joy!

2011-10-05T08:43:00.000-04:00

Well, it looks like this blog will finally live up to its name! If you didn't catch the last post, we're expecting! :) I am just bubbling over with excitement! It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do keeping it a secret for as long as we did. And now it feels so wonderful to be able to share it with you!

I am currently 10 weeks and 4 days along. Our little peanut is the size of a lime! :) He/she is growing fast. My official due date is April 28th and thank goodness for that! I always hear being pregnant during the winter is so much easier, especially here in SC where our winters are mild and our summers are ridiculously HOT.

I know they say you should wait until after the first trimester to tell people, but honestly I think that is a personal decision. No one can tell you when the right time is for you. I was on the fence about it for a while. We knew we wanted to tell our parents as soon as possible because we would need their support and advice no matter the outcome. We wanted to tell them in person, so we ended up waiting a few weeks after we took the HPT until we could arrange a trip to hometown. I'll share how we told them in a later post.

At first I was determined to keep everyone else in the dark until 12 weeks. But, after we saw our little one and heard his/her heartbeat, I knew it was time to share. The more people who knew, the more people who could be praying for this life I am so blessed to be allowed to carry. I'll share how we announced it to the rest of the world soon. Once the cat was out of the bag, it was a huge relief. No more being cautious with what we said in front of people, no more worrying someone would spill the beans. It was wonderful! And the support from everyone has been amazing.

We had our first appointment at 8 weeks and were able to have some ultrasound photos taken. Hubby also recorded the heartbeat on his phone. We listen to it whenever we have the inkling. It is just such a miracle. :) Our next appointment is in a couple of weeks. I am trying to enjoy everything as it happens but I am also really anxious for our 20 week appointment to find out the gender. So far the majority think it is going to be a precious baby girl, but my Mom is convinced it is going to be a sweet baby boy. We shall see! We will find out in December. It seems like forever!

And here is a little peek at our sweet bundle!

I Have A...

2011-09-19T20:22:00.000-04:00

Slacker Much? + Photos!

2011-08-16T11:59:00.000-04:00

Yes, I realize I am a complete slacker when it comes to blogging and being a good blog reader. If there are any of you still out there, please comment and let me know you are still here! I am certain I have lost most of you though. :( I'll try to be better...but it seems like everything I make a pledge to blog more and read blogs and comment more, something happens to throw a wrench in my plans.

My photography business has completely taken off. I have photo shoots booked nearly every weekend. If only I could quite my job and let photography become my full-time job. THAT would be wonderful! But not in the cards at the moment.

I have lots of photo sharing to catch up on. These are from back is April, how terrible is that?! If you remember THIS post where I shared photos from Lane's first birthday shoot, the following photos are from his actual birthday party which I also photographed.

The Details

How creative and adorable is this? Don't you love it??

Favors!

Pinata!

I ADORE this cake. :)

It was a candy-themed party if you haven't already guessed!

The Party

This is the outfit I bought him. Isn't is presh? Etsy, of course!

Hopefully another post will come soon so I can catch you all up on what's been happening in Munchkinland!

Sneak Peek from Lane's Birthday Party

2011-06-30T22:59:00.000-04:00

If you remember THIS post about my photo shoot with Lane for his 1st birthday, I promised to share photos from his birthday party. Well, here is a little sneak peek.

How precious is this cake setup?

I've Missed You!

2011-06-27T10:35:00.000-04:00

To all of my lovelies, I have really missed y'all! This blog started as an outlet for me and also, along with the Munchkins' blog, a way to chronicle my time with them. But it turned into so much more than that. I have made some wonderful friends. I am so very grateful for each and every one of you.

Lately, I have had a creative outlet in my photography. And it has been so fulfilling. But, it just didn't make me miss this blog and all of my blog friends any less. Now, I'm not promising that I'm back for good and that there won't be any lulls going forward, but I'm going to make more of an effort. :)

A lot has been going on with me and with my family lately. I really feel the need to share and get it all off of my chest. If you care to listen, look for those posts coming up. If you don't, that's fine too. Just skip over those posts! I also have several shoots to share with you! I have been contemplating starting another blog just for my photography, but then I was afraid I would post even less here than I have been (which would equal not at all). I don't know, we'll see.

I wanted to write a quick post just to let you know that I'm still here and that I am going to really make an effort to blog at least once per week, hopefully twice. And I'll be trying to schedule a little time for reading blogs and commenting. I've been so terrible about that these last few months. Forgive me, please?

A Golden Heart Stopped Beating...

2011-05-31T08:56:00.000-04:00

"A golden heart stopped beating, two shining eyes at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best."

The world has lost one very special lady. Dru's grandmother passed away on the morning of the 19th. She had been in the hospital for nearly 2 weeks as a result of a hemorrhagic stroke. After surgery, she never came out of a coma and has left a huge hole in our hearts.

Dru received the call from his Mom Thursday morning, just after I left for work. He waited to call me until he was sure I was at work. The moment my phone rang and I saw it was him, I just knew. A knot formed in my chest as I answered the phone. We had been expecting it, but I had been in denial, holding out hope that my will for her to live was the Lord's will. But, God had a different plan and although I do not understand why he took this amazing lady away from us, I know that he is more wise than me and has a purpose in all that he does. Through him, I have been able to find tremendous peace after such a devastating loss.

My heart still hurts but I know now she feels no more pain. She was 77 and she lived those 77 years well.

I know I didn't talk about Dru's grandmother much here, but she was such a huge presence in our lives. If anyone has ever embodied being the matriarch of a family, it was Mrs. Libby. When Dru and I first began dating (remember I was only 13 at the time), I was terrified of her! But that's because I didn't really know her and because I knew her approval could make or break our budding relationship. Honestly, I had no reason to be afraid. She welcomed me into the family with open arms and made me feel like I was one of her grandchildren.

Over the years until and when Dru and I announced our engagement, I experienced a tremendous amount of hurt at the hands of his family. Hurt that has not easily been overcome or forgotten, but Mrs. Libby was always there, excited for us, making me feel accepted, and making me feel like I was always a part of the family. I knew as long as I had "Granny's" acceptance, nothing else mattered.

Thursday, Dru and I headed to hometown to be with the family. It was such a difficult day and it took me a while before I could bring myself to enter Granny's house. When I did, memories in the kitchen overwhelmed me. I escaped to the den only to nearly be brought to my knees. I was perusing the photographs she had framed on her entertainment center, trying to pull myself together, when I spotted a picture I had no idea she had. It was a picture of me, as a little girl, in a miniature wedding dress at my mother & father's wedding. I have no idea how she got it or who gave it to her, but she had it displayed above her television with the rest of the photos of her grandchildren. All at once it made the loss more acute but also made the hurt ease a bit as well, just knowing that she loved me and that she knew she was loved by us all.

My amazingly wonderful friend Cole has been offering her prayers and asking others to pray for our family and for that I am eternally grateful. To those of you who read her blog, saw her post, and have been praying, I thank you. We have felt the prayers of our friends and family over these last few weeks and I can't even begin to tell you how much it has helped to bring us peace.

I also wanted to let y'all know that I am still here. I haven't had much to say lately and I've also been crazy busy. I don't feel like there is enough hours in the day to get everything I need/want to get done. I can't promise that we will be returning to normal here on this little ole blog of mine but I hope I can sneak in some posts soon. I do have several photoshoots to share though! :)

Thanks for just being out there and reading.

1st Birthday Shoot!

2011-04-18T10:22:00.001-04:00

There has been so much going on lately I have no idea where to even begin! Some of it good and some of it bad, but that is life I'm afraid. I needed a good pick-me-up to start off my week so I am sharing these photos from my photoshoot with Lane on April 2nd. These were taken in Smythe Park on Daniel Island.

I can't tell you how much fun this shoot was. Well, besides the pesky wind that seems to always be present when I have a shoot with Lane. But, we were able to work around it and sometimes with it, so we got a ton of great shots of this cutie patootie. He is just so precious and so sweet. He is such a joy!

The messy cake shots were so much fun! Watching him devour that cake was hilarious. He was enjoying himself more than I would have ever guessed.

I was also present at his actual birthday party and will hopefully have pictures from that to share soon.

**Edited to add: I wanted to ask y'all to keep my family in your prayers. We are going through something really difficult right now and we would be very appreciative if you would remember us when you pray.

*****

I know I don't post links to my photography website or Facebook page here (for reasons that are solely my own) but if you are in the Charleston area or will be traveling to the Charleston area and would like to have a photoshoot, just email me at MunchkinMemoirs at gmail dot com and I will send you the links and information so you can check me out.

Busy Bee!

2011-04-12T14:49:00.000-04:00

I am up to my ears in photos to edit. I have been a very busy lady this last week. I had such a wonderful photo shoot with this cutie for his 1st birthday portraits on the 2nd.

And I spent every evening, all evening last week editing photos from that shoot to have them ready for this past weekend, which was his birthday party. I shot so many photos that I wasn't able to get through them all but I did get through the best ones and had them ready for the party. I was so happy with the way they turned out. :)

I was also in attendance for his party. I now have all of those photos to edit on top of finishing up what is left from his birthday shoot. My evenings have been completely consumed but I have thoroughly enjoyed it. I am also supposed to have a shoot this weekend too. I am really hoping this means that things are picking up for the spring/summer!

I promise to post photos from the birthday shoot soon!

Hodge Podge

2011-03-30T11:29:00.001-04:00

**Updated 8:44pm to add a picture of the cupcake cake!

Where have I been this week? Well, I'll tell you. I've been home, in bed. Yep, that's right...IN BED. Monday and yesterday I was battling the mother of all migraines. I left work around lunchtime on Monday, got incredibly ill Monday night, attempted to go to work yesterday only to leave before lunch, and I spent both afternoons and evenings curled up in bed. I got lots of rest and am happy to say that I'm feeling better. Just trying to keep hydrated and hopefully no more headaches or migraines this week.

I had a nice weekend though. Saturday I spent most of the day scouting locations for a photoshoot this weekend and making my "famous" twice-baked potato casserole for our friends Nick's & Chris' birthday. That casserole is my cover charge to go to my friend Deb's house!

Deb is from New Hampshire (but I swear she was supposed to be born in the South) and had some of her family members visit for Nick's (her husband) and Chris' (her son) birthday party. We had a lot of our mutual friends over and hubby and I made some new friends. We were definitely in good company.

Speaking of which, guess who we met at said party...Noah Everett, creator of TwitPic. Super nice guy and pretty comical too.

Chris' girlfriend Alyssa (who is such a sweetheart...love her!) made a beach-themed cupcake cake that was adorable and yummy. I took a picture but do not have my memory card with me. I will update this post tonight and add the picture of the cake.

How adorable is this???

It started raining about 30 minutes into the party, but Deb has an amazing screened in porch that most of us utilized. We alternated between the porch, inside, and the firepit outside when the rain subsided which was sporadically. Surprisingly, hubby and I stayed out until after 12, which is SO unlike us! We are such old people.

Sunday was a dreary day so we stayed in until hubby had to go to work.

I recently (well, within the last month or so) purchased some new "toys" and can't wait to share them! Post coming soon!

I have a photoshoot this weekend with THIS precious nearly-1-year-old. Gosh, it seems like yesterday that I took his 9-month-old winter pictures. Where does the time go? I have lots of fun stuff planned for this shoot and I can't wait to share with you guys. I will be working some serious overtime editing these photos because they all have to be ready by the following weekend for his birthday party, which I am also attending and shooting. Yikes! Cutting it close? No, not at all. (And for those of you who didn't recognize, that was sarcasm.)

Swamped!

2011-03-24T22:05:00.000-04:00

I know I've been silent this week. Not because I don't want to blog but because I have been swamped! I haven't filled you lovelies in on the recent happenings in my world. Someone at my company (at a different location but that I interacted with on a daily basis via phone and email) was let go a few weeks ago. That person's job then fell to me. Keep in mind that this job is one that kept him busy pretty much 8 hours per day. I already have multiple titles and do the jobs of about 10 people, which pretty much kept me busy. But now I do the job of one more person and there really aren't enough hours in the workday to complete these jobs. It stinks. I'm on my feet all day, going between my office, my lab, and the additional space I am now in charge of.

Needless to say, I have been crashing when I get home in the evenings. I haven't had any energy to do anything at all. I wish I had the energy to do my Zumba workouts or at the very least, my exercise ball workouts, but I have been falling into bed the moment I walk in the door. Unfortunately, I haven't been getting much accomplished at home at all. :(

I do have a few pictures to share though! We went to the beach this past weekend and it was amazing! The weather was in the mid-80s, sunny, with a nice breeze. It was glorious on the beach.

Bentley chilling on the beach blanket.

Dolphins! It doesn't matter how many times we see them, it NEVER gets old.

Here's a close-up! There were actually around 6 or 7 that we counted but this was the best picture I got.

Lexus loving on Daddy.

My love. If you look closely, you can see me in the reflection of his shades. Just don't look too closely! My body is so NOT beach ready.

It was so funny. After we got settled and had been relaxing for about 15 or 30 minutes, Bentley started grumbling. I could tell he wasn't "fussing" but he was definitely "talking". I looked around and he was staring at this woman behind us. I walked him over to a nearby "pool" and back hoping he would stop but once he settled back down, he kept right at it. Being that he is my social butterfly, I had a feeling he wanted to go meet her. So, I took him back and told the woman that. She was super sweet and loved on him. After that, he was totally satisfied. He led me over to another lady sitting nearby who was more than happy to give him some attention. And, when we got back to our blanket, he settled right down and stopped "talking"!

My sweet boy again. He was really enjoying the sun.

Love this one of my sweet pea!

When we started packing stuff up to head home for a shower, I heard a couple of ladies beside us talking. I heard one of them say, "Look at that little dog! I bet he's only about 2 pounds." Immediately my mind went to our friends Melissa and William and their little 2.5lb Chihuahua Rigby. I looked toward the water and guess who it was?

I can't believe this amazing shot of Rigby that I got!

The Munchkins were so excited to see him and he was squeaking he was so excited to see them. We got to love on Rigby for a while before we finished packing up our stuff and headed back home.

We went to our favorite theather, Cinebarre, for dinner and a movie. We saw The Lincoln Lawyer, hubby's choice. It was pretty good. I didn't feel like it was a waste of my $9 (I got 2 tickets through a Living Social or Groupon deal...can't remember which). And of course, I never mind a little bit of the eye candy that is Matthew Mcconaughey (although something weird was up with his hair in this movie).

Oil Cleansing Method & No 'Poo Update

2011-03-17T16:57:00.000-04:00

(If you don't care to know about the Oil Cleansing Method but ARE interested in my No 'Poo update then scroll to the bottom!)

I'm jumping in with both feet so to speak and I'm getting crunchier by the minute! What's the deal? I'll tell you.

Back during the summer, my adorable North Carolina bloggy friend Same Sweet Girl blogged about this new skincare method she was trying called the Oil Cleansing Method. Now I, being a believer in all things natural, was intrigued. However, I had become somewhat of a skincare snob so I bookmarked the blog post and the website and then promptly forgot about it.

When I was doing my research into the No 'Poo thing, I came across several No 'Poo-ers that also use the OCM. I thought, why not? Especially since the first week I was No 'Poo-ing, my skin began acting out of character. I think it had something to do with the baking soda (which is basic) changing the pH of my skin.

I guess I should start with a little background. Up until late 2007, I had no skin care regimen. I used plain old water to "wash" my face and didn't use any sort of moisturizer. And you know what? I had the nicest skin of anyone I know. Seriously. My skin was beautiful and aside from a day or two adjustment period when the seasons changed, I had no problems. I would get like 1 pimple maybe once a year. I also only wore eye makeup back then too (probably because I didn't need to wear anything else with that glorious skin!). But then I went to an Aloette show hosted by my Nanny. My family had already started using Aloette and were all raving about it. They were really seeing a difference and they were loving it. So, I began using it as well.

To be honest, I have loved Aloette. The products in their Platinum (anti-aging) line feel amazing on my face and the enzyme peel is THE BEST! Their make-up is mineral based, is long-lasting, and the eye shadow doesn't crease. It's great. And it worked great for me for a long time. But then I don't know if my skin changed, or maybe my stress level increased but I began to get two or so pesky bumps about once every two weeks. Now that, for someone who has had blemish-free skin all her life, is like the world coming to an end. I'm sure a lot of you are probably sucking your teeth and saying "that's nothing!" but for me it was/is something. After customizing my own little regimen with the products (I was a consultant for about a year and learned the ins and outs of their lines, skincare in general, etc.) and not really seeing too much improvement, I figured it was just my age. As we get older, our skin changes. And, to be honest, my stress level has increased tenfold because of work. So, I just decided to manage it.

Then, when I started no 'poo-ing, it made my forehead and around my mouth break out a bit. And this time I knew the culprit. I wasn't following the baking soda wash with the apple cider vinegar rinse every time and therefore was altering the pH of my scalp and face. BIG NO-NO!

So, with this whole changing of my ways, I decided to go ahead and just dive right on in. I decided that I would give OCM a try. Last night was my first night doing OCM and oh my stars it was HEAVENLY! You start out with castor oil. This is your "cleansing" oil. You add to it a thinner oil. Most people start out with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but there are other nice alternatives such as sunflower seed oil or jojoba oil, etc. You mix up your blend according to the ratio recommended for you skin type. Then you pour about a quarter-size amount in your hand, rub your hands together to warm it slightly, then begin massaging your face. And there is no need to clean your face beforehand. Actually, it is better if you don't b/c you don't want to over-cleanse. Olive oil has been used by a lot of women to remove make-up (and let me tell you, it works fabulously) so you can do this right on top of your face full of make-up.
I wore make-up to work yesterday because we had an important visitor come to our facility, but I normally don't wear make-up during the week. So, I mixed up my oil blend (80% EVOO & 20% CO) and began massaging away my make-up. I did this for about 20 minutes. I felt so good that I didn't want to stop! You don't have to do it for this long but it was so nice to just sit back and relax while I gave myself a nice facial. The oil warms under your fingers and it really feels wonderful!

A couple of minutes in, I noticed some hard stuff under my fingertips. It was sort of hard white pieces. I'm not certain, but I am guessing these are "impurities"? When my arms finally started to get tired (around the 20 minute mark) I decided I might as well move on to the next step although I was REALLY enjoying my facial massage!

The next step is to take a clean washcloth and soak it in hot steamy water (but not scalding hot). Wring it out and cover your face with it. You want to steam your face to open your pores. Allow it to sit until cloth gets cold. Then gently wipe the oil from your face. Repeat this two or three times, it's up to you (although some people only do it once and are satisfied). I can tell you I steamed 3 times total and I would have continued but hubby was off last night and wanted some snuggle time! The steaming was almost as enjoyable as the massage and it was just as relaxing. Definitely a fabulous way to unwind before bed!

And honestly, it was easier for me to go to sleep last night and I stayed asleep. It was magnificent!

This morning, I simply rinsed my face with hot water in the shower and then splashed it with cold (to shrink the pores), gently towel-dried, and applied just a smidge of my Aloette daytime moisturizer (it has SPF 15). I'm hoping to eventually not need any moisturizer at all but we will see. My face is super soft and glowy today. Will definitely keep you updated on my progress with this!

_________________________________________________________

Now for the 'No Poo update. Last week my hair felt like doll hair. Yes, DOLL HAIR! It felt so gross. That entire week I wore my hair up in a bun. Part of the way through the week, I realized what I had been doing wrong. I had shied away from the ACV because I thought I had used to much in those first few days and it was making my hair oilier. So, I was only using BS+H2O on my hair and it was drying it out and making it feel weird. Plus, I was using it every day and wasn't supposed to. Oops! I guess my brain didn't register the part about only "washing" your hair 2x per week in the beginning. So I fixed that problem in a hurry and let my hair rest for a few days. Then, on Sunday I did a white vinegar + water pre-rinse, washed with BS + water, rinsed with ACV + water, "plopped" my hair (and did NOT use any products), then let it air dry.

Friends, let me tell you. I was amazed as I was washing my hair because it felt normal again! Then, when my hair dried, it wasn't frizzy! My hair is ALWAYS frizzy unless it is a dry day and I flat iron it at 450 degrees. Seriously. But Sunday, it wasn't frizzy. When I normally air dry my hair, I look like a Chia pet on steroids. But not Sunday! It was sort of messy-wavy (think beach hair) and I was pretty happy with it. And the fact that it is supposed to only get better from here makes me ecstatic.

Sunday night I braided my hair before bed. I read somewhere that it helps if you do this to prevent breakage while you sleep. So I tried it and it was ok. I woke up, took down my hair, and went to work. I didn't bother rinsing my hair and it was too soon to wash it. The ends looked weird from the braid but otherwise it was ok.

Tuesday, we had an important visitor at work so I felt like I needed to wash it. I did the BS wash, ACV rinse, put a bit of EVOO on my ends (although I think I used too much) and then blow-dried it on the coolest setting. It took forever but it wasn't so bad. Then I flat ironed it on 300. It didn't get all of the waves out but it was passable. I was pretty happy with it. It looks a lot fuller and thicker than normal. My ends were sort of clumped which I think was due to the EVOO.

Wednesday, I just rinsed my hair with hot water, then with cold, and repeated the drying & flat-ironing routine from Tuesday. I was happy with it. It looked pretty similar to the day before except the ends weren't as clumped. I eventually pulled it back because my hair is REALLY long right now and was getting in the way!

Today I rinsed my hair with just water again. I decided to try plopping again and then let it air dry. My roots are a tad bit oily but I don't think it's too bad and my hair isn't the least bit frizzy (hallelujah!). It's sort of messy wavy.

I was hoping to hold out on washing it until Saturday but I may end up having to wash it tomorrow morning. Either that or it will go into a ponytail tomorrow. I'm planning on sticking with washing it 2x per week but will judge it based on the condition of my roots on a daily basis.

Suffice it to say that so far I am really happy! Oh, and I also wanted to mention something I noticed. Hubby was washing his hair with regular shampoo and conditioner last weekend, and the smell was so overpowering to me that I thought I might pass out. You don't realize how chemical-ly shampoo and conditioner smell until you stop using them.

Craigslist Find

2011-03-15T20:23:00.000-04:00

The weekend before my birthday, I was doing a little deal searching on Craiglist as I like to do from time to time. I usually search for furniture pieces with potential that I can take on as a project to refinish (although I have yet to find the pieces I need/want to refinish). Normally the pickings are slim. But, that weekend I stumbled across a post for a refurbished antique nightstand. Since we are definitely in need of nightstands for every bedroom in the house, I checked it out. My excitement was pretty much instant. The picture attached said it all. The robin's egg blue had me at hello. And then I spotted a note at the bottom of the description stating that a very similar but as yet unfinished piece was also available.

I emailed the poster immediately and expressed my interest. She got back to me very quickly letting me know that both pieces were still available and I jumped on it. Hubby picked up the first piece that next week while I was at work and had it already in place and the drawers filled by the time I got home. Can I just say I LOVE!

The second one still had to be refinished and I told her to take her time. We weren't in any hurry. About a week later hubby picked up the second one while I was at work. I can't tell you how awesome it felt to walk into our bedroom and see a set of nightstands flanking our bed. :)

And here they are!

They aren't identical but they are similar enough. And I'm not a matchy-matchy person anyway. I love pieces of furniture that have beautiful lines and coordinate but dont' necessarily "match". The first one is on my side of the bed. It looks more "girly" to me and the second one looks a little more manly so that one is on hubby's side. It works out well!

No 'poo update tomorrow (hopefully)!

We Have A Winner!

2011-03-14T12:18:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Gina @ Crave to Save for winning my $20 CSN gift code giveaway.

Thanks to everyone for entering! Gina, I hope you enjoy that 8-piece bakeware set. :)

Don't Forget to Enter My GIVEAWAY! (Ends tonight!)

2011-03-11T10:17:00.000-05:00

This week has completely gotten away from me! I owe you several posts, one of which is about 2 or 3 weeks late (about my Craigslist find).

I just wanted to give you a quick reminder to enter my giveaway. It ends tonight at 11:59pm so hurry and enter! I'll announce the winner by Monday, I hope! :)

Have a great weekend!

Bamboo Pink!

2011-03-09T09:56:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, one of my favorites, Cole, posted about a new opportunity called Bamboo*Pink. I was intrigued! When she said there was no sign-up fee, I was sold! This is such an amazing opportunity that I wanted to share it with you.

Bamboopink is a new fashionable, yet affordable jewelry line made and designed by a famous, high-end designer whose current line is sold in upscale department stores, is all over the red carpet and worn by Oprah! This company is the first of its kind, an internet launched company with virtual trunk shows. There are no parties to host and no phone calls to make.

Analysts speculate that Bamboopink will be the largest women's internet start-up company in history. The company has a cutting-edge business model, and the jewelry will be sold through consultants on our personal websites and through "virtual" jewelry parties.

Sign-ups are free, with no risks or obligations. The free signing period is only for 30 days (through March 15), after that you will have to pay to be a consultant. You can sign up here and take part in this AMAZING opportunity:

https://www.bamboopink.net/tiffanyb

What sets this company apart from other direct sales companies:

* GROUND FLOOR opportunity (probably won't ever happen to you again!) * Strongest comp plan in the industry
* Very successful "designer" multi-million dollar jeweler making/backing this jewelry, so sure to be successful
* Instead of growing one sales rep at a time, this business model using the free sign-up period - we can grow fifty sales reps at a time - but the time to do that is NOW!

This company is going to explode in a few weeks with a national press release and official launch. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So be one of the first to sign up!

Then you can do the same as me and get credit for signing up your friends, which is what we are compensated for with jewelry, cash and/or an ipad. It is not about selling the jewelry at this point, but networking and creating interest. If you decide not to sell, you have lost nothing and your name is dropped from the list.

Some of you may have even already seen some of the jewelry the designers, JudeFrances, behind Bamboo*Pink have established in upscale department stores, like Saks and Neiman Marcus.

It's definitely worth a shot. And the best part is, the people involved only want to see you succeed! Sign up today and be a part of this amazing opportunity with me!

No 'Poo!

2011-03-07T16:23:00.000-05:00

And no I don't mean THAT kind! I'm talking about shampoo people. A few weeks ago I was reading Her Southern Charm when I came across THIS post. It was talking all about going shampoo-free. And since I tend to be a little on the crunchy side, I thought why not give it a try? I already garden, make my own laundry and dish washing detergent, use reusable shopping bags, clean with vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and salt, and hang my clothes on a line to dry. Actually, this isn't the first I've heard of the no 'poo movement nor is it the first time I've tried it.

I tried making my own shampoo last summer and it did NOT go very well. My hair was in perpetual tangles the entire time. I HATED it! But, I figured out which ingredient (castile soap) in the shampoo was causing this issue. Since this no 'poo recipe doesn't contain castile soap, I'm giving it a try.

So, how do you go shampoo-free? Great question! Basically, you make your own "shampoo" and "conditioner" from ingredients that are common in most households. You dilute 1 tbs of baking soda in 1 cup of water and use this as your shampoo. I cleaned an old empty shampoo bottle and poured my mixture into it to have it readily available in the shower. You just shake it well before pouring it over your head and then rub it in. There are no suds, which may take some getting used to, but it honestly doesn't really bother me all that much. You can visit THIS website for more information on going shampoo-free.

If you have thin, fine, naturally curly/frizzy hair like I do, then conditioner is a MUST. In that case, you simply mix 1-2 tbs of apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of water. I put a teensy bit of vanilla extract in my mixture to cut the vinegar smell (although the smell rinses right out and doesn't linger). I didn't have any essential oils on hand but that will be in my next batch! Supposedly you won't have to use this every time you wash your hair. I'm not really far enough along in the process to say whether or not I can do without it.

I have the type of hair that has to be washed EVERY day. For the first 24 hours my hair is fine, but when I wake up in the morning it tends to be greasy at the roots, making a daily washing necessary. Supposedly, this shampoo-free method is supposed to balance out your hair's natural oil production so that you can do a couple of days without washing your hair. My hair stylist has always said that washing your hair every day isn't good for it, but I haven't ever had the luxury of skipping a day unless I plan a day lazing around the house. I am hoping this shampoo-free thing will get my hair to a point where it is healthier and happier!

I started going shampoo-free on Tuesday (I think). Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday my hair looked great! I wore my hair wavy Tuesday and Wednesday to avoid blow-drying and flat-ironing so I could sleep in a littel bit. Thursday I flat-ironed my hair and it did beautifully! It took about half the time to straighten it and it looked fantastic. Friday, my hair felt a tad oily but it didn't really look oily. I thought maybe I used too much of the vinegar mixture. Saturday morning my hair was very oily (I only used the vinegar mixture on my ends). I had an engagement party to go to so I caved and used regular shampoo and conditioner, but I promised myself I would go back to 'poo-free the very next day and see it through.

Yesterday I let my hair rest. I didn't wash it and just left it up all day. I didn't have anywhere to be so I just made it a relaxing day for me and my hair. This morning I washed my hair with the baking soda mixture but I didn't use the vinegar. I knew my hair would probably tangle pretty badly without having a "conditioner" but I was running late so I was planning on wearing it up anyway.

I am currently in what is called the "transitional" period. My hair is basically trying to return to its natural state. Because I've used harsh shampoo all my life, my hair is over-producing oil right now (because it is used to trying to compensate for all the oil the shampoo normally strips away). It should balance itself out soon. I will definitely keep you posted!

I apologize for the lack of pictures. I forgot to take pictures last week and today, honestly, my hair is not a pretty sight. I overslept and had to rush to get ready. That means I had no time to dry or straighten my hair. That equals frizzy, unruly hair for this chick so it is currently in a bun.

Oh and don't forget to enter my giveaway! It ends this Friday at 11:59pm.

New Look!

2011-03-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

Well, sort of. Just a new header really but it does change the whole look of the blog. I wanted a change to hurry spring along! It has actually been gorgeous here these last couple of weeks. Temps in the 60s and 70s is fabulous!

And OMG, I am getting old. My brother turned 16 yesterday. CRAZINESS! I remember the day he was born (there's a 10 year age difference, in case you were wondering). I was in elementary school, in gym class. One of my friends was sent to fetch me so I could leave with my Nanny (she was a teacher there) to head to the hospital for his birth. It was a 45 minute drive but it was exciting.

16 years later, he is nearly grown and thinks he's completely grown. Despite his faults though, he has the best heart. He would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. I texted him yesterday but I wanted to wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY here too. Seriously, where does the time go?
Don't forget to enter my giveaway! The last day to enter is Friday, March 11th at 11:59pm.

January Photo Shoot

2011-03-01T14:50:00.000-05:00

I'm finally starting to get caught up with these photoshoot posts! Thank goodness. The following photos are just a smattering of the ones I took in January of this adorable little (then) 9 month old. His Mommy is an old high school friend of mine and we were able to reconnect during this photoshoot and when I delivered the DVD to her house. I got to spend time playing with this little cutie patootie and he is just precious. He is such an easy going, well-mannered baby. His first birthday is in April and his Mom has asked me to be a part of the celebration. I can't wait to share those photos with you too!

These were all taken here in Charleston, at Waterfront Park. Those of you who have been to the area and visited the park will recognize the pineapple fountain. :)

What in the world is he sitting on in those last 3 photos? Well, that's a beaver hide of course! (And yes, it is real...and NO, the raccoon and the gun are not.)

Oh, and don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!

CSN Giveaway!!!!

2011-02-28T10:37:00.001-05:00

Wow, my first giveaway! I'm so excited! I hope you, my darling lovelies, are too. :)

Not too long before my birthday, CSN reached out to me about hosting a $20 gift code giveaway. And this was just days before I won Cole's CSN gift code giveaway. Pretty crazy, huh? Of course I jumped at the chance to share this opportunity to win with you, my lovely readers.

I'm sure most, if not all of you, have heard of CSN by now, right? There are posts about them ALL over the blogosphere. But, if you haven't you simply MUST go and check them out RIGHT now. They have the most gorgeous pendant lighting, just about all the cookware you can imagine, and even shoes and pet supplies. Seriously! I have had my eye on SOOO many things that I'm still trying to decide which item I want to buy with the gift code I won in Cole's giveaway.

This giveaway is for a $20 CSN gift code to use toward any item(s) of your choice. You will have 5 chances to win (6 entries total). Please leave a separate comment for each. Oh and please be sure that your email address is available on your profile, your blog, or leave it in the comments so that I can contact you if you win!

1) Comment on this post and tell me what you would buy with a $20 CSN gift code (1 entry)
2) Follow me on Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
3) Follow me on Twitter (1 entry)
4) Tweet about this giveaway (1 entry)
5) Blog about this giveaway (2 entries)

This giveaway will close on Friday, March 11th at 11:59pm. The winner will be chosen using random.org and will be announced on or before the following Monday. Good luck!

Stay Tuned for CSN Giveaway!

2011-02-25T16:15:00.000-05:00

Check back in on Monday for a CSN Giveaway. And be sure to spread the word!

And Then There Were Four

2011-02-23T14:14:00.000-05:00

Things have calmed down around our house. We no longer have 6 occupants. We are back to 4. Yep, the "roommate" and her little pup have moved out. If you remember THIS post from a couple of weeks ago, then you remember that we were helping out my SIL's SIL by letting her stay with us. She is a young girl who is in between high school and college. She hasn't made any decisions yet about her educational future but had decided to get a job in the meantime.

The job she was hired for was basically PRN, filling in for people who were out. But when she was interviewing they led her to believe that the job was pretty much full-time. I had already offered to let her crash with us if she needed to to cut out some of her driving time and cost of gas (b/c she lives an hour away from work). She asked if she could stay with us during the week since the job would be full-time and we thought that would be fine, especially since hubby works the evening shift. Last Wednesday, the person training her basically told her that the job would mostly be part-time. This, on top of some other drama she was dealing with, had her completely frustrated. She had to go back "home" to deal with some things that weekend and by Sunday she had decided to move back home.

And somewhere in there she developed an upper respiratory infection. Poor kid! She felt terrible all weekend and on Monday paid a visit to the doctor. I'm not certain if she made it to work this week but I hope so!

Now, I must be honest. Having someone live with us that isn't a close relative was a bit weird. Not to mention that having someone in the house completely messed up my routine. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to help her out because she needed it and I thoroughly enjoyed her company. But now I'm relieved to not have someone around all the time that I feel like I have to entertain. Is that terrible to say?

And I have to say that I miss my hubby in the evenings, but it's also nice to have some time to myself and to spend with my Munchkins. I must say it is so much easier to keep the house clean without him underfoot!

Family Photo Session

2011-02-22T11:24:00.001-05:00

Back in November, I had a family photo session with this adorable little family. They are related to my husband, so I know them very well and I adore those two little girls! They are just so precious and so much fun. The goal of this shoot was to capture some nice family photos for them, but also for their Christmas card. The card turned out so cute! It was a collage of pictures that Kim (the mom) made from several of the pictures we took that day.

This first location is a historic house in Georgetown, SC. It is called the Kaminsky House and the grounds surrounding it are a common site for weddings and photo shoots.

These next couple of photos were taken at the fountain on the Georgetown Harborwalk.

Do you see all that green? In November people! THAT is why I love SC!

This next crop of photos were taken on Pawleys Island, specifically the south end of Pawleys.

Isn't this sunset glorious???!!!! I love it. It reminds me of a Dorothea Benton Frank novel, The Land of Mango Sunsets. Am I right?

This last crop of photos were actually taken a few weeks later, toward the end of November. They were taken at Hubby's family reunion. We do it every year and it is so nice reconnecting with family, especially those that live far away. The setting is just an old house in the area.

Now, if you've made it this far...THANKS! I'll have an update on the roommate situation for you tomorrow!

Birthday Recap

2011-02-21T11:21:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful weekend! I couldn't have asked for better weather on my birthday. It was positively glorious! It was sunny and 77 degrees. I love it that I could wear shorts on my birthday in February!

I spent Saturday morning (my actual birthday) relaxing at home until it was time for dinner. We had a table for 17 at Hominy Grill on the patio and it was so nice. They had laterns on our table that cast the most deliciously warm glow. They also had heaters but only one was turned on at my Mom's request. She is very cold-natured and is pretty much always cold. I had fried green tomatoes in a ranch sauce for my appetizer, broiled stuffed flounder with deep-fried cheese grits and a cucumber & onion slaw for dinner, and a brownie with ice cream and fudge for dessert. Everything was AMAZING! I couldn't have asked for better company or better food. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures. I DID take my little point & shoot camera and toward the end of dinner I remembered I needed to take pictures, but when I pulled my camera out and attempted to take a pictures, I was met with a big red flashing battery symbol. :(

We contemplated going out after dinner but I was soooo sleepy. I guess keeping mine & hubby's schedule has me worn out! We went home and crawled in bed. It didn't take long at all for us to fall asleep.

Sunday we overslept and missed church. I was highly disappointed. So we relaxed at home until it was time to leave to meet my dad's side of the family for part 2 of my birthday dinner. My aunt (dad's sister) had plans on Saturday that she couldn't break, so we decided to get together on Sunday instead. My grandparents were staying at their beach house in Garden City (it's about an hour and a half drive from Charleston) so we met them at a little restaurant near there called T-Bones. I have been there many times before but this visit was definitely interesting.

My aunt and I both ordered the 6oz filet. Mine was fine but hers SO was not. After a couple of bites, she handed a piece to her husband and asked him to smell it. He immediately waved her hand away and nearly gagged (he has a weak stomach). Then ensued the passing around of the fork to smell the meat. Honestly, it smelled like spoiled meat. It was very unpleasant. So then I got paranoid about mine because I had already eaten half of it. It tasted and smelled fine to me and everyone else thought so too, but I just couldn't bring myself to eat any more of it. I was already beyond full anyway. My aunt sent her steak back to the kitchen and the chef came out insisting that the steak was over-seasoned or it was the steak sauce that was bad. Ummm...no. My grandmother was using the steak sauce and it was fine. And I'm sorry but spoiled meat CAN'T be mistaken for anything else. It has a smell all its own. Ewwwww.

On the bright side, the garlic mashed potatoes were yummy.

After dinner we headed straight back home and snuggled in bed while catching up on some shows from last week. Doesn't get any better than snuggling with the hubby.

Oh and I almost forgot...I won a giveaway last week. What a great birthday present! The darling Cole hosted a CSN gift code giveaway and she announced I won just two days before my birthday. :) So excited! Will definitely share when I figure out what I'm buying with my $40 gift code!

One of THOSE Weeks

2011-02-18T10:20:00.000-05:00

I had planned to start off the week by blogging about the Munchkins' new housemate, but as the blog post title suggests, it's just been one of THOSE weeks. You know the kind I'm talking about.

Monday at work I was playing catch up, I caught lunch with hubby for Valentine's Day and started feeling sick. Monday evening I was still feeling sick. Tuesday I couldn't even get out of bed. I called in to work, slept in a couple of hours, and then attempted to go in at 10. I was there an hour before I was sent home. I spent the rest of the day in bed mostly. Wednesday, I was feeling a bit better. I'm guessing I just had some sort of 24 hour stomach bug. I spent most of Wednesday at work playing catch up from Tuesday. Wednesday night I had another migraine. They started end of last week after several months migraine-free. :( Yesterday, I was feeling much better but I was swamped at work. Last night I was exhausted but thankfully migraine-free.

Today, hubby is working a double. Can I just say: SO NOT COOL! Because he works late, we didn't get to bed until after midnight (and that is pretty much an every night thing now with his new job and new hours), then he had to get up extra early this morning (I think around 5:30am) to get ready to go in for the first of his double shifts. Of course because he was up, I was "up" (and by this I mean awake) too. Again, SO NOT COOL! But, at least he gets overtime and an additional bonus for picking up what is technically an extra "weekend" shift.

All I know is that tomorrow is my birthday (Happy Birthday to me!) and we WILL be sleeping in! I plan on relaxing and maybe doing some light shopping (we will see) and nothing else until we head downtown for my birthday dinner. We decided to keep it low-key and are going to Hominy Grill. If it was just me and hubby I would have insisted on High Cotton, S.N.O.B, or something similar, but because we invited some family and friends, we're keeping it inexpensive and laid back. Hopefully I'll remember to take pictures!

New Roommate

2011-02-10T20:52:00.000-05:00

We have an addition to our household and NO it isn't a baby or another dog. If you follow me on Twitter you may already have heard this little bit of news. My SIL's SIL (Nicole) is staying with us during the week. She is from hometown but got a job in our city. The commute would be about an hour and would cost over $400/month in gas depending on gas prices. Since hubby made the commute for nearly 4 years (thank goodness that is over), we know how exhausting (& expensive) it would be for her. So, we offered to let her stay with us whenever she needs to.

It's actually nice to have someone in the house now that Dru works evenings. It doesn't hurt that we are friends and that the Munchkins adore her. She is young, but she is a very sweet young lady and will be a huge help around the house. She plans on helping out around the house with the day to day stuff and, once she starts getting paid, she plans on contributing to the household expenses. Obviously we don't expect her to pay 1/3 of the rent because the whole purpose of our offer is to help her out until she can get some roots established here, but it will be nice to have that little extra bit of dinero for household expenses, especially with hubby's medical bills still looming over our heads. (Don't worry, we're chipping away at them!)

This week it is just her, but next week she will be bringing her little puppy along. He is a miniature Dachshund and he is positively adorable. He is a rescue and the Munchkins have met him once already, so I hope things go well. I'll definitely be taking some pictures of him to share the cuteness with y'all!

Hopefully this new development will provide some blogworthy stories I can share as well.

Happy Birthday Lexus!

2011-02-09T08:28:00.000-05:00

My sweet little princess turns 3 today. Gosh, where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday when we brought her home. She has been such a joy to us. We couldn't have asked for a better little one. And of course it doesn't hurt that she is so much like her Munchkin Mommy!

Are we going to celebrate her birthday? Well, if you have to ask that question then you've either just started following this blog, you don't know me very well, or you haven't really been paying attention! Of course we are! Tonight she'll just get lots of love and kisses from me and then we will celebrate this weekend with a special dinner for her and Bentley and a trip to Hairy Winston for a birthday treat.

Fall Photoshoot

2011-02-08T15:30:00.000-05:00

It just goes to show you how incredibly behind I am on blogging when I'm just now posting fall pictures in February! These photos were taken in early November in my hometown. The two little girls are my cousins, Maggie and Adilyn and in some of the pictures, their mom (my aunt) Pam.

I can't even begin to tell you how incredibly sweet these two are. I'm always excited to see Maggie when I go home for the weekend and she in turn always runs to me and jumps into my arms. Adilyn loves Dru. Whenever she sees him, she runs right by me and jumps into his arms. After she gets her hugs from him, then she finally acknowledges my presence. If I see her and Dru isn't with me, the first things she asks is "where's Dru?" She is such a little stinker!

After I did the maternity photos and newborn photos for my other aunt (Pam's youngest sister), Pam asked me to do fall pictures for her. I had the perfect place in mind. These were all taken, believe it or not, in Dru's uncle's backyard. Gorgeous scenery, isn't it?

Now onto the photos!

It was chilly the day of the shoot, but the girls were troopers! We giggled the entire time and had a ball. Taking pictures of kids is SO much fun.

I still have tons to catch you up on, but for now I am leaving you with that.

What's New?

2011-02-02T21:14:00.000-05:00

What ISN'T new might be a better question! Things are rapidly changing in Munchkinland...hopefully for the better. Hubby got a new job. Although it doesn't really pay any more than his previous job, we save TONS of money on gas because there is no commute, and we will eventually save on his healthcare. We currently pay out of pocket for independent health insurance and once his insurance through work kicks in, we'll save a bit there. Hopefully the job works out and he works his way up the ranks...or something else (better) comes along. We're definitely going to need it!

Which brings me to my next update. I have made a HUGE decision regarding my future. I have come the realization that I DON'T want to be a doctor. Yes, seriously. I have prepared for being an MD my entire life and now I realize IT ISN'T WORTH IT. It's not worth the time I'll be away from my children and it's not worth putting off a family for WAY too many years. With this realization, a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I can't even tell you the relief I am feeling. My calling to be a Mom far outweighs my desire to be a doctor. I have spoken with several MDs who have pretty much confirmed my fears about the sacrifice it means for a family. I have spoken to my old college advisor who supports my decision 100%. I have also spoken with a few acquaintances who are the children of doctors and they also confirmed my fears. The sacrifice for my family just isn't worth it to me. (I do want to say at this point that although this decision is right for me personally right now, it may not be for everyone and I in no way look negatively upon those who do wish to pursue a career in medicine and have a family. It is a completely personal decision.)

I am still pursuing a career in the medical field, but one that will allow me to only work 3 days per week and make my own schedule. Not to mention the money is (well, will be) fabulous. I have a little bit of a road before I get there, but I am excited about it. I will be going back to school in the near future and I can't wait! The only thing I am apprehensive about is the financial situation when I quit my job to return to school.

The Munchkins are well. Hubby's hours have changed with his new job, so I don't get to see him as much as I did, but the Munchkins have someone home most of the day so they are as happy as clams! Today is only his 3rd day with this new schedule and right now I'm not too fond of it. I miss him terribly, but I do find that it is easier to get things done around the house when he isn't home! Ha!

We recently had some excitement around work. A scene from Army Wives was filmed behind our building on Friday. The cast and crew used our parking lot for their trailers, etc. and set up breakfast and lunch in our warehouse. We were invited to eat with them and let me tell you the food was AMAZING! If I ate like that every day I'd be 10,000 pounds! They took us down to watch the filming of a scene and it was very cool. I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say so I'm just going to leave it at that. We were asked not to take pictures out of respect for the actors and were told we couldn't post any pictures of the set up. I didn't take very many pictures but I'll look between the pictures I have and the pictures my coworkers took and see if there is anything that I can post that won't get me in trouble! I didn't recognize anyone (I don't watch the show although I should since it is filmed in my city) but a couple of my coworkers met Tony Serpico (he plays Colonel Frank Sherwood) and got a hug. I wouldn't know him if I did see him! There were only two of the main actors involved in the scene from what we were told, so none of the ladies were here. I definitely would have recognized Catherine Bell if she had been here. :)

That's all for tonight. I have more photoshoots to share with you soon!

I'm Still Here! & Newborn Photos

2011-01-07T15:08:00.000-05:00

I know, I know. I fell off the face of the earth for over two months. Not a peep from me. What can I say? Life just gets in the way sometimes. We have been so insanely busy. The wedding festivities lasted for over 2 months and the weeks leading up to it were the craziest. But, SIL had a beautiful wedding, a nice turn out, and we all had a blast. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it if it made her happy. The sad news is that I didn't take one single picture. Not one. Why? Because I was just so tired by the time it actually rolled around. Long days full of decorating and preparing for my MOH duties will do that to you. Hopefully I can share some of the pictures the photographer took whenever they are back. I'll try to find out on Sunday when they'll be available.

All is well in Munchkinland these days, aside from a tight budget due to numerous medical bills. But hey, at least everyone is healthy at present. That's all I can really ask for ATM. I feel blessed to be as fortunate as we are, even if things get tight from time to time. There are some new developments that I promise to fill you in on when I can.

And now for the main event. Baby pictures! Ya gotta love 'em. These are super old (from September) but I was waiting on the little mommy to send out her announcements. The announcements are out so now I can share.

I love the footsie shots!

And here is the announcement I did for them.

I have LOADS more to share with you. And not just pictures from photoshoots either, although there ARE a ton of those too. A lot has been going on while I've been MIA. I can't wait to get all caught up with you ladies. I can't even begin to tell you how much I've missed y'all!

Photoshoot with Hailey

2010-11-01T15:15:00.000-04:00

I mentioned that I had a photoshoot with a precious little 1-year-old, Hailey, a couple of weeks ago. Well, I am finally getting around to posting the pictures for you. I had SO much fun with Hailey and her family during this shoot. She is such a precious little girl. I hope I get to shoot her for her 2 year pictures!

These pictures were taken at an adorable little park in Florence, SC. There was a gazebo, a sweet little playground, tennis courts, lovely grassy areas, bridges, concrete steps, etc. It was a photographers delight!

This is only a smattering of the pictures I took. There were loads more but I didn't want to overwhelm you any more than you are already going to be!

Long Weekend

2010-10-25T10:29:00.000-04:00

I am utterly exhausted. We had an excruciatingly long weekend in hometown. It makes me remember why I moved.

Friday night was spent at home, thank goodness. I was supposed to make chicken enchiladas and amaretto dip for SIL's lingerie shower, but the pesky migraine I'd had since Thursday morning had me in bed the moment I got home from work. Hubby was such a doll and made the enchiladas and dip for me. Gotta love him!

Saturday we had to pick up SIL's gift for the miscellaneous shower on Sunday and head to hometown. I had to run to the bridal shop in hometown to try on my bridesmaids' dress and pay the balance on it. Then it was off to my Mom's to drop off the Munchkins, then to drop hubby off to go hunting, and then off to set up for the lingerie shower.

The shower wasn't only a lingerie shower but it was also a "surprise" party and I don't mean that the party was a surprise either. If you aren't familiar, email me and I'll fill you in. Totally NOT my idea. I planned the lingerie shower part and two of the other bridesmaids planned the other part. It was interesting to say the least...and I think maybe I've been scarred for life!

Oh, on Thursday, MIL decided to dye her own hair. It came out orange. She went to get it fixed on Friday. It turned purple. They tried to fix it again on Saturday but with no result. This made her nearly an hour and 30 minutes late for the shower. SIL wanted to wait on her so the shower, which was supposed to start at 7, didn't start until around 8:30. It was after 11 before it was all said and done...and if you know me at all, you know I go to bed by 9:00pm every night. I am an old lady. I was so tired on Sunday!

Sunday was SIL's miscellaneous shower. It was nice to see members of hubby's extended family but the whole process was just exhausting. Seven showers is ridiculous. I mean really.

And all of this has just brought to light some things that aren't right at all. It would be difficult to explain in writing, although I'd love to share and get it off of my chest. Let's just say that in a family with three children, it's not right for two children (one more than the other) to be handed everything and anything they want, while the third is left out and has to fight for everything. I hope that when I have children, I remember this very situation and don't make the same mistake.

Pictures from my photoshoot with Hailey coming this week!

Sneak Peak!

2010-10-20T19:02:00.000-04:00

Here's a little sneak peak from one of my photo shoots this weekend!

Weekend Wrap-up

2010-10-18T10:02:00.000-04:00

I am completely amazed that I am actually doing a weekend wrap-up on a Monday! That's a rarity for me it seems. I was so crazy busy last week that I didn't have much time for blogging. This week I hope will allow me just a few moments to breathe!

This weekend was pretty full. It started with leaving work early on Friday for something potentially very important. I may be able to fill you in on that later. We'll see how it goes. After finishing packing and loading up the car, it was finally off to hometown. We stopped over at SIL's new place on the way to my Mom's to check out the latest improvements. They have been working on it non-stop to get it ready before the wedding. They had to replace spots in the floor and walls, put in new flooring, strip wallpaper and/or repaint, etc. It's been a lot of work but it seems to be coming together now. MIL and SIL's future MIL were there stripping wallpaper so we visited with them for a bit before heading to my Mom's house.

Saturday I had two photo shoots. Saturday morning I had another shoot with Gib. He's too cute and he is finally opening his eyes when I'm around! That little stinker wouldn't open his eyes for anything during our first shoot. Saturday evening I had a shoot in Florence. It was for an adorable little baby's 1st birthday. Her party is next weekend so I have to work super fast to get some pictures ready to print before then. We didn't get back to my Mom's until around 8:30pm and I was exhausted! I watched "He's Just Not That Into You" with my mom and then it was bedtime.

Sunday I was supposed to have another photo shoot with my friend C and her little girl T, but T didn't sleep very well and needed a nap. So we rescheduled for next weekend. Hubby had some things he needed to do before we came back home so I let him take the car and I hung out at my Mom's with my brothers and edited photos. When hubby finally returned, we loaded up the car and made a stop by SIL's place again to help SIL's future husband with some electrical issues. Then we stopped by MIL's house to clip Beemer & Jewels' nails. After that it was finally homeward bound!

It was fabulous to be home. Hubby whipped up a yummy pizza (no marinara, just EVOO) and then we called it a night. I was NOT looking forward to getting up this morning and coming in to work. I seriously considered calling in sick, but I have to save up my PTO for SIL's wedding and hubby's colonoscopy on Nov. 1st.

I was supposed to go try on my bridemaids' dress on Saturday but I didn't get the chance. Hopefully I'll be able to go by this Saturday and get that out of the way.

Oh and I didn't forget to take a picture of my wreath. I really DID take a picture but for some strange reason the pictures look weird. I'll retake them and this time I won't be in such a rush!

A New Look!

2010-10-12T11:44:00.000-04:00

I finally got my stuff together to create a new look for fall. It's still a work in progress because I'm not certain if I love it yet, but I'm happy with it for now at least. What do y'all think? Any ideas?

If you stop by and things are a bit of a mess, then you know I'm still working on getting it just right!

In other news, we finally have a diagnosis for my stepdad and it wasn't anywhere close to the original diagnosis. He was originally diagnosed with diverticulitis, and initially at the ER, that is what they thought his newest bout was as well. But after a CT scan, they discovered that he has an uncommon condition called acute epiploic appendagitis. It is supposedly fully treatable at home so that is very good news. However, he is still suffering some sort of intestinal blockage or something similar. They are still working to figure that part out as they say it isn't related to the apendagitis.

Otherwise, everything is going well in Munchkinland. :)

What a Weekend!

2010-10-11T10:56:00.000-04:00

Why was it so fabulous you ask? Because our very own Gamecocks knocked the #1 team right outta the #1 spot! Woo hoo! We rolled that Tide right on outta there. Totally made my weekend! I only hope this means we'll spank the tails right off those Tigers in November.

Otherwise, our weekend was pretty low-key and normal. Saturday before the game, we headed over to our dear friends, Deb & Nick's house, to hang out while some other friends of ours used their driveway for a yard sale. I did manage to get a couple of cutsie things out of it too. I love being thrifty! :) We took the Munchkins along too for a little visit. They were exhausted by the time we got back home.

After dropping them off, we swung by the salon for a couple of quick trims, and then back home to watch the game. Well, to be totally honest, I just checked in on the game. Hubby actually watched the entire thing. I just can't do it...well unless it's the big rivalry game in November and then my butt is planted in a chair from beginning to end. I watched the last 30 minutes or so and I'm SO glad I did! It was fabulous.

Sunday morning hubby wasn't feeling to hot so we spend the morning at home. We found a 50% off coupon to AC Moore in the paper and that was all the incentive I needed to get out of the house. I saw this pretty awesome vase when I was there last weekend that I just HAD to have and at 50% off it was as good as mine. Several people actually saw me walking around the store with it and went in search of one for themselves. They would have seen it themselves if they had just bothered to look up while they were shopping. It was on the top shelf but of course my eye spotted it immediately. I ALWAYS look up. You might miss too much amazing stuff if you don't.

It was back home after AC Moore for the rest of the day. We caught up on some shows and tried to get some rest before our insane non-stop craziness that will be our weekends going forward until SIL's wedding.

And yes, I do realize I promised to share a picture of the awesome fall wreath SIL made for me, and then I failed to deliver. I will try my best to get a picture of it, along with my new awesome vase, and share it with you this week.

The only other news I have is not good. First, my stepdad was back at the ER yesterday evening. I haven't gotten any updates from my mom yet but they were thinking it was his diverticulitis again or an intestinal blockage.

Hubby will be going in for a colonoscopy...finally. He was supposed to have one a few months ago, but with all of the issues he's had, he was very adamant that he wanted to get off of all the meds he was on before going in for more testing. I hope this gives us a diagnosis once and for all and we can go on with our lives. Hubby just wants to be able to eat normal foods again!

Sorry for the Silence

2010-10-06T16:13:00.000-04:00

We have some things going on at work right now. I can't really get into it but we are hoping they turn out to be good things. We shall see.

Our weekend was nice but exhausting. Saturday was SIL's wedding dress fitting. The dress fit perfectly except for a tiny bit that needed to be hemmed from the bottom. The dress is absolutely gorgeous...the 2nd prettiest dress I've ever seen (mine is 1st, of course!). And it definitely suits her shape. I got some quick snaps of her in her dress and with her veil. She picked out a gorgeous headpiece that is nearly identical to the one I used in my wedding. She is thinking maybe she will use mine and call it her something borrowed. Frankly, I'd be honored!

After the fitting it was time for shopping. We had to do some shopping for hubby's grandmother. The mean Kirkland's people took the store away from us here several years ago, but they realized their mistake and Kirkland's is back! There is one less than 5 minutes from my house. I am ecstatic but also sad, because right now all it does is torture me. If anyone would like to win the lottery and be a dear and give me, oh say, half a mil, I'd gladly accept! Ha ha.

After Kirklands it was off to Home Goods for even MORE torture. I love that place but I walked out of both there and Kirklands empty handed. I was being a verry good girl!

PetCo was having an Adopt-a-Pet event and the sidewalk was covered with people and doggies. There were SOOO many Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes that it broke my heart. I REALLY wanted to take ALL of them home with me, but we're not even able to add one right now. But the fact that there were tons of people milling about looked hopeful.

After Petco, we headed to Brixx for lunch. It was yummy, as always, but I was disappointed because they served us regular kettle cooked potato chips instead of the beloved blue ones. :(

After lunch it was off to North Charleston to visit Michaels and AC Moore for Dru's grandmother. She needed fall decorations and doesn't settle for ready-made store bought decorations. My MIL and SIL have to make up wreaths and such for her from scratch. I did use the fact that we had a 25% coupon and the 50% off floral isle to compile some elements for a fall wreath for my front door. Don't worry, I was bargain shopping and spent next to nothing. SIL took the supplies home and assembled my wreath for me. And let me tell you, it is FABULOUS! I will share a picture tomorrow.

Afterward, we had to swing back to Kirklands to pick up an item they were holding. We got to see that nearly ALL of the dogs had been adopted! It made my heart smile.

Then it was homeward bound for both me & hubby and MIL & SIL.

Sunday was mine and hubby's 12 year anniversary (of being together, not of being married...we hit the 3 year mark for that in July). We decided to go to breakfast and then hubby made us a delicious Hawaiian pizza for lunch before heading out to SIL's monogram shower.

SIL had a good turnout for the shower. She got lots of monogrammed stuff, even several duplicate items. She now has 3 monogrammed mailboxes and at least that many monogrammed flags. Crazy! She is a monogram freak though so it is perfect for her.

Dru's cousin came and brought her camera, so SIL said I could have the day off from taking pictures. It was nice to just be able to be there without worrying about getting pictures of everything. The only downside is that I don't have any pictures from that to share with you.

Inconsistency

2010-09-29T12:54:00.000-04:00

Admittedly, I am a terribly inconsistent blogger. But, that is because I allow life to get in the way of blogging...and I have absolutely no intention of changing. I need to live my life and NOT miss it by writing about it all the time. Am I right? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE blogging and I love all of the wonderful friends I have connected with through blogging, but it's definitely not at the top of my list of priorities. That would be my family and it will stay that way.

I have also been inconsistent with my faith, which is something I am working on. Hubby and I have found a new church that we are going to start attending and I hope it brings us both back to the places where we need to be. I have heard so many wonderful things about this church and its ministries. If you live in the Charleston area and attend SeaCoast Church, would you send me an email (MunchkinMemoirs at gmail dot com)? I'd love to hear from you.
I have been inconsistent with my weekend wrap-up posts as well. :Sigh: They should come on Mondays but that rarely seems to happen anymore. Oh well. I guess Wednesday is as good as any day.

We had a rough week last week but we had a nice weekend. Things at work are progressively getting worse but I am holding out hope that something changes, either for the company or for me. Hubby is getting better. His infection is almost completely gone and yesterday was the last day I had to put that stupid antibiotic cream up my nose. Yeah, very pleasant.

We babysat my mom's dog, Rascal all weekend. My mom, my stepdad, and my two brothers all went to stay in my grandmother's mountain house. They packed a ton in to just those four days, among them going to Dollywood. They had fun but I think they're going to need a vacation from their vacation! Rascal did pretty well. That first night I wanted to strangle him because he wouldn't go to sleep, but the next few nights were better. His presence always seems to cause Mr. Bentley to forget his potty training somewhat which is annoying, but it's not Rascal's fault. Luckily the accidents were close to the potty pads so it wasn't too bad. Boys will be boys!

Saturday I had to take my rings to be inspected. I have to do that every 6 months to keep the warranty good (this basically means that if a diamond falls out, they replace it with one of equal quality and value for no charge). I always love going and having my rings cleaned. I clean them at home with the solution recommended by Tiffany & Co but having them cleaned by the jeweler is always a treat.

We picked up the Munchkins & Rascal and went to Hairy Winston to drop off some of my brand spanking new business cards and then it was home for dinner.

Sunday we treated ourselves to a nice lunch at Brixx (we had a coupon and I wasn't about to let it go to waste!). I had the Roasted Chicken Caprese pizza with wood-roasted chicken, sun-dried tomato pesto, shredded basil, roma tomatoes, and fresh house-made mozzarella. Hubby had the Hawaiian pizza with fresh pineapple, prosciutto, and mozzarella topped with fresh cilantro. For dessert, the best freakin' tiramisu I've ever had in my life. YUMMMMMM! It was fabulous.

The rest of Sunday was pretty laid back. This week so far has been rainy. Very very rainy. And it stinks...but hopefully it brings with is coolor, more fall-like temperatures. But, Lord knows we can still have a 70 degree Christmas here in SC and no I'm not kidding. Christmas before last it was warm enough to wear a short-sleeve dress. How do I know? Because I did!

I possibly have a mini photo shoot with my good friend C's daughter T. She just turned 1 this summer and C has been wanting to get some photos of her. I have SIL's dress fitting on Saturday and her monogram shower on Sunday. You will be seeing lots of posts mentioning showers because SIL has seven. Yes, I said SEVEN. A little excessive? Absolutely but it isn't her doing. Hopefully she gets everything she needs for her new place. :)
I have a photo shoot next Saturday, possibly one on Sunday, and one the follow Saturday, followed by another of SIL's showers on Sunday. Crazy!!! And it won't stop until after the holidays. Boy am I gonna need a vacation after the first of the year!

Oh, and just a little sneak peak of the newborn shoot I had with Gib.

Tuesdays at the Table

2010-09-28T15:28:00.000-04:00

For this week's Tuesdays At The Table, as hosted by the lovely Cole, I am sharing my version of my Mama's spaghetti. For most of you (i.e. those NOT living in SC), the temperatures are beginning to cool down a bit and if you're a foodie like me, that means breaking out the cold weather chilis, soups, stews, etc. My Mama's spaghetti is always a favorite for me when it gets cold outside. Although we're not there yet here in Charleston, hopefully our full week of fall will be here soon!

Mama's Spaghetti (with meat sauce)

Ingredients

- 1 lb hamburger
- 1 med yellow onion, chopped
- 1 med green bell pepper, chopped
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Garlic Powder, to taste
- Onion Powder, to taste
- Italian seasoning, approximately 1 tsp
- 1 tbsp Worchestershire
- 1 tbsp A-1 sauce
- 1 pkg McCormick Chili seasoning
- 1 can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings (drained)
- 1 can Italian tomato paste (small)
- 6 dashes of Texas Pete
- 4 dashes of Ms. Dash, appoximately 1-2 tsp
- 1 large container of tomato juice

Directions
Heat large pot to medium heat. Add hamburger. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook until brown. Drain grease from hamburger and return to pot. Add in chopped onions and bell pepper; cook until soft. Add Worchestershire, A-1 sauce, McCormick Chili seasoning, diced tomatoes; stir. Add tomato paste, Texas Pete, and Ms. Dash; stir. Add tomato juice to desired consistency. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over angel hair or spaghetti pasta.

As you can plainly see, I'm not big on measuring. When I cook, I mostly eyeball it, especially if it isn't my first time making a dish. So, everything here is relative. You use as much salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, Ms. Dash, Texas Pete, etc. that you wish to suit your tastes. After all, taste is subjective!

Now, mosey on over to Cole's blog and see what everyone else is cooking.

Birth Shoot

2010-09-27T11:07:00.003-04:00

Sorry, blogger and I were having a little disagreement last week. I think everything is okay now though. Well, hopefully. :)

I already filled you in on Gib's arrival. If you missed that post, you can read it here. I promised to share the pictures from that so here you go. The newborn shoot I did with Gib won't be posted until after the birth announcements have been mailed and received. But I promise to share some of those when I'm able.

Miserable Mommy. She was spiking a fever and labor wasn't progressing at all.

I think her shirt says it all!

Be sure to click on this one and view it larger. You really need to in order to get the full effect.

Hugs before going off to surgery.

Daddy suiting up.

AK waiting on her Bubby to arrive.

Still waiting...

Providing the entertainment while we wait.

Our first glimpse of Gib, all 7 lbs 13 oz of him!

I've got the picture on the scale to prove it!

Proud Daddy

Big feet!

If you look closely, you can see that he is sucking his finger. Too sweet!

Excuse the nails. He is a man that works with his hands and he has a nail condition that prevents them from growing properly.

Big sister!

After recovery, in her new room.

One last picture before leaving for the day.

Me & baby Gib

Nanny & her newest grandchild

Gib & his lovie

Sibling love!

This is my cousin/lil sis B with Gib. Isn't she gorgeous? I'll be doing her portfolio & I'm so excited!

Blogger

2010-09-24T14:26:00.003-04:00

Blogger and I haven't been getting along very well these last couple of days. That's why I haven't posted the birth pictures yet. Hopefully we can settle this little disagreement and I can share them soon!

Catching Up

2010-09-22T16:17:00.000-04:00

I feel like I am constantly playing a game of catch up these days. It's bordering on ridiculous but I guess it is what it is. Things have been nutso for me lately, pretty much on par for the rest of this year too. I'll update you quickly and hopefully I can move on to REAL blogging soon.

You already know Baby Gib was born on Friday, September 10th via c-section. Everything is going good with him and his mommy. They are home and are trying to get into a routine.

Last week was crazy at work for me. We are in a serious downward trend at work and it has everyone stressed. Most people don't have much, if anything, to do to fill their days. But, that doesn't apply to me. It seems even when business isn't good, I'm still swamped. Despite all that, the company is currently implementing emergency measures to keep the doors open. Can you say SCARY? I've always known I would only be doing this temporarily, but I'm not at a point yet where I can lose my income and go back to school. Hubby has to get a better job than the one he has now in order for that to happen. I am stressed big time, but I know everything happens for a reason. So, if things turn out badly for our company, I know there is something else out there waiting for me. I just have to find it.

Friday was my Nanny's 61st birthday. The fam came down to Charleston to meet us for dinner. It was nice to have dinner together and celebrate her birthday. My boo came and was able to stay overnight with us. I love it when he and I can spend time together.

Saturday, I had a photoshoot scheduled with Baby Gib. The photoshoot still happened, but Baby Gib wasn't a very happy baby that day. His circumcision incision (I think that's redundant but oh well) busted open in one spot (totally normal) on Friday, so he wasn't feeling so hot on Saturday. He mostly just wanted to be held, eat, and sleep. Despite that, I still managed to get some pictures and the next time we are in town, I'll be snapping a few more.

Sunday was a day of rest at the Munchkin casa. Thank goodness! Yesterday we got some not so great news. Hubby noticed some sort of bug bite on the back of his hand weekend before last. He thought it was just an ant bite and didn't think too much about it, until early that next week when it started to get worse. It was looking like a poisonous spider bite or a severe infection. After much prodding and convincing, he finally went to the doctor to get it checked out. They started him on antibiotics and took a culture. We didn't get the results of the culture until yesterday. The diagnosis freaked me out initially, but after combing my memory banks and talking to the doctor, I'm not so freaked out. In fact, I'm not worried about it at all. I would share but I really don't want to get you Googling and grossing you out (because what you see and read on Google are the extremes and NOT the norms). So, if you're that curious and you just have to know, email me and I'll fill you in.

Needless to say, hubby hasn't been catching a break. This entire year has been non-stop ER visits, doctor visits, invasive testing, and medication. Universe, I think its time you give us a break. Pretty please??!!

Friday I have a consultation for a newborn shoot and a family shoot. Keep your fingers crossed that I get both jobs...or at least one! Pictures from Baby Gib's birth and newborn shoot coming soon.

New Addition

2010-09-14T15:45:00.000-04:00

As I told you on Thursday, I was scheduled to shoot my aunt's birth on Friday. Well, things didn't exactly go according to plan. L went to the hospital early Friday morning for her induction. They started her on a drip and the progress of labor was very slow. By 1:00pm she was at 4 cm...and at 6:00pm she was still at 4 cm. It was the doctor's feeling that a natural birth wouldn't be safe or even possible. L is barely 5'0 and (what they were guessing as) an 8lb baby would have made for a very difficult, if not life-threatening delivery. She was still given a choice about whether or not to go ahead with the natural birth, but the doctors highly suggested a c-section. After much prayer and a consultation with her husband, she decided to take the doctor's advice. That meant no birth shoot. I was a little bummed but her safety as well as the safety of the baby is most important to me.

At 6:04pm on Friday, September 10th, 2010, a little tinkle of a tune filled the labor & delivery floor as they announced the birth of a baby. We all rushed to the nursery to see L's husband and baby Gib coming through the door. Dawson Gib weighed 7lbs 13oz and measured at 20 inches long. He was beautiful (and not just because I'm biased) with long feet and toes. I took tons of pictures of him through the nursery windows.

L was in recovery for a while after that. L's husband was able to take Baby Gib into recovery to see his Mama. Most of the family had arrived so we all sat around talking and waiting for L to make it back to her room. Baby Gib's temperature was a bit low, so we didn't get to hold him that night. They took him and put him in a warmer in the nursery, by the window so we could still peek in at him.

I went back to the hospital the next day to hold Baby Gib and take pictures. Shortly before I arrived, the hospital's contracted photographer had come by and taken pictures. They did a fantastic job but their prices were a little steep if you ask me. In any case, it was a wonderful service they provided free of charge (it only cost to buy the packages or the CD but not for the actual session). The only problem was they woke Baby Gib up and proceeded to make him mad by undressing him and moving him around for pictures. By the time I got there, he was just getting back to sleep and L didn't want him to get mad and fussy again so soon. But, that was fine with me. I got pictures of him sleeping, of him in his Mama's arms, and had my cousin take a quick picture of me holding him. I'll get more pictures in their home soon. Those always turn out best.

I knew they would be going home on Monday, so I stopped back by on Sunday and dragged hubby along with me. I still can't figure out why on earth men are so scared to hold babies. It totally baffles me, but maybe that's because I've been holding babies since I was old enough to hold babies. Even Gib's dad only held him for a second because he was scared he would break. Ha ha ha. Too funny. I DID manage to convince hubby to hold Gib but he was adamant that he wanted to be seated and wanted me to hand him over and take him away. He's still scared, but a little less so now, I think.

Both mommy and baby are doing well. They went home yesterday and hopefully they are all settling in. I know they were missing their daughter, AK, like crazy. She was at the hospital on Friday for a while, stopped by with my grandparents on Saturday, but she didn't make it on Sunday. They were eager to get home and see her.

I took tons of pictures at the hospital, so I'm still sifiting through them. Once they are finished, I'll share a few. I'm very eager to get some pictures of Gib and the whole family at their house. I'm hoping to do that in the next few weeks. And yes, it absolutely IS an excuse to go by and see the baby. :)

I'm swamped at work, helping cover for someone who is out on vacation, so if you don't hear from me much this week, that's why.

Labor Day Weekend & Birth Shoot

2010-09-09T15:21:00.000-04:00

Now that the week is almost over, I am finally filling you in on how we spent our long Labor Day weekend. Not that it was exciting or anything because it totally wasn't and that was the plan. We spent most of Saturday and Sunday lounging together, getting in some quality time with the Munchkins and each other. We did our grocery shopping on Saturday and I for one had fun walking the aisles at Harris Teeter. I just LOVE that place. It's almost as awesome as Whole Foods, which I also adore. Nothing interesting on the menu this week other than the Banana-less Banana Pudding I posted on Tuesday.

Hubby did go fishing on Saturday morning. I wanted to get in some beach time, but I knew how bad he wanted to go fishing...and how bad I wanted another hour of sleep! Unfortunately his fishing trip wasn't productive but I assure you he will keep on trying.

Monday we decided to go to the beach. It was nice and sunny already at that time of the morning, so why not? We started gathering our stuff and then both Munchkins planted themselves in front of the door...oh and Lexi proceeded to whine. They knew where we were going and were insisting on being included. So, we relented and sprayed them with their doggie sunscreen and loaded them in the car. As we drove the two minutes to the beach, the sky was getting a little darker the closer we got. Hubby assured me it wasn't supposed to rain so we went ahead. Approximately 15 minutes after setting our blanket out, the sky proceeded to open up and rain despite the fact that we could see the sunlight less than a mile out reflecting on the water. We propped up our beach umbrella and huddled under it with my beloved camera, trying to keep it as dry as possible and were going to wait it out. After about 15 minutes of steady rain, it began to rain harder and we packed it up to leave. On our rush back to the car, I somehow was bitten twice by a mosquito (I'm very allergic, if you're just joining us) and that put me out of commission for the rest of the day. :Sigh: It was fun while it lasted.

Oh well, in any case, we had an nice relaxing weekend. As stressful as things have been at work, I definitely needed it.

I am getting so excited about tomorrow. For two reasons: 1) my new baby cousin will finally come into this world, and 2) it is my first birth shoot and I can't wait! I was originally only taking photos of baby and mama, and baby's introduction to the rest of our family, but my aunt called me yesterday and asked if I would photograph the events surrounding the entire birth (not the actual delivery itself, but everything and everyone around the room during the delivery). Since I'm not yet a Mama to human babies, I've never experienced a birth and I've never witnessed one either so this should be interesting. It will be great for me in the long run though for when I have to do rotations in obstetrics for school. :)

I'm trying not to make too much of a plan because with a birth, nothing ever goes as planned. She is being induced tomorrow but that is no guarantee that baby will actually be delivered tomorrow. And she could also need a C-section and then no cameras are allowed. But I'll be happy with whatever photos I can get. :) I'm so excited that she is wanting me to share this with her.

I have alerted my boss that I may have to rush out a little early tomorrow but it should be fine because I do have some PTO accrued. I am going to get regular updates from my Nanny on how far she is dilated so that I can get in as much of the work day as possible before I have to leave. I don't want to cut it too close to the actual delivery because I do want to get photos beforehand too.

So, if you don't hear from me at all tomorrow, you know why!

Baby Shower Photos

2010-09-08T16:59:00.001-04:00

At the end of August, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a baby shower for my aunt (my Mom's youngest sister). This aunt and I grew up together, and being only five years apart, were always very close. So, when we found out she was having another baby, and a boy at that, I was beyond thrilled. I offered to do her maternity photos and she accepted. We had such a fun shoot and we came out with a fantastic photo to use for her shower invitations. They were a HUGE hit. When her sister asked if I wanted to help host the shower, it didn't even require a thought.

So, I was in charge of having the invitations made and also in charge of the fruit dip. I brought along strawberries because you can't have amaretto dip without strawberries. Perish the thought! I decided to bring along my camera and snap some pictures. Good thing I did because the momy-to-be didn't pick up either of her cameras once during the whole shower.

Here are some photos I took before the shower. AK's room is such a bright, beautiful shade of purple and the lighting in there is gorgeous. I can't wait until her room is 100% done so I can take some photos of this sweet girl in her purple palace.

This is AK. You might remember her from the maternity photos.

This is AM. I love photographing her too. Isn't she adorable?

AK and P in the play closet.

After checking out AK's room and the new nursery, we all went back to greet our guests. And the party started rolling VERY quickly.

This photo I shared on Wordless Wednesday last week. This is my cousin Brooke holding Charlee, my aunt's SIL's youngest girl. Talk about a gorgeous chubby baby!

AM and her grandma. She doesn't even look old enough to be a grandma, does she?

AK enjoying the party.

Aunt's SIL & her middle child.

And here's the mommy. Isn't she positively radiant? No photoshopping here ladies, this is au naturale.

The gift table at the start of the party. Do you see the photos back there. They're mine, thank you very much. :)

Veggie tray!

Yummy in my tummy fruit bowl!

Gobs and gobs of food.

Cutie patootie P.

And yes, it was super yummy.

This is H. She is my 2nd cousins' baby. This was my first time seeing her.

This little guy was too adorable. He belongs to a friend of mine from high school.

Aunt's SIL's middle child.

The gift table at the end of the party.

Yowzer!

It was most definitely a successful party. The turn-out was insane. Over 75 people were invited (not including the entire church) and my aunt's house was packed! The shower was a drop-in but everyone dropped-in at the same time! There was not even standing room left. But it was tons of fun. I got to see some family and friends I haven't seen in a long time.

All the while I was at the shower, hubby was at SIL's new place helping paint and remodel...with no air conditioning. No air conditioning + SC = NOT GOOD. I stopped by after the shower and luckily they were finishing up. :) Once the AC is hooked up, I will definitely help out. But not a moment before. (In all honesty, I can't help without AC. I get heat stroke VERY easily.)

I am shooting my first birth on Friday! I am so excited. My aunt is scheduled to be induced on Friday morning. The family will be keeping me up to date on how far she is dilated so that when it gets close, I can leave work and pop on over there. I can't wait. In a family that is overrun with females, it is so exciting to add another male to the mix! :) Keep your fingers crossed that the lighting conditions are favorable. I would hate to use my stinky old flash. I HATE using a flash. It's much too harsh. But, I do have some tricks up my sleeve if it becomes necessary.

Tuesdays at the Table

2010-09-07T18:57:00.001-04:00

For this week's Tuesdays At The Table, as hosted by the lovely Cole, I am sharing mine and hubby's recipe for Banana-less Banana pudding. Yes, I know most of you are thinging WHAT??!! Are you nuts? And no, I'm not. I love the banana flavor but I absolutely 100% abhor bananas themselves. And there is nothing worse than biting into a nice yummy bite of banana pudding and being met with a mushy, gushy yucky piece of banana. Gross. And honestly, I don't think the flavor changes AT ALL. But that could be because I've always picked around the bananas when forced to eat banana pudding that actually contained bananas. Again, gross. So in my house, it is blasphemy to put bananas in banana pudding. Here is the recipe we use.

(Please ignore my dirty stove. I took this picture while we were still preparing dinner and I didn't think to give it a quick wipe before snapping away.)

Banana-less Banana Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 large box of instant vanilla or banana pudding
- 3 cups milk (to mix up the pudding)
- 1 box of Nilla wafers
- 8 oz heavy cream
- 3 tbs sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix up the pudding with the milk according to the package directions. Whip the heavy cream until fairly stiff peaks form. Add in the sugar and vanilla extract and mix well. Fold in your pudding mixture. Line the bottom of a glass bowl or container with Nilla wafers (I prefer using the broken or misshapen pieces so my top pieces are all pretty). Place a nice layer of pudding mixture on top of that, making sure to smooth it out. Add another layer of Nilla wafers and another layer of pudding. Finally, add your final layer of Nilla wafers. If you like your cookies crunchy then dig in right away. But, if you're like me and like your cookies a little on the softer side, refrigerate for at least an hour before eating.

Trust me, it's delish! And there ARE ways to make it healthier. You can use sugar-free pudding, fat-free or low fat milk, and/or Stevia or Truvia instead of sugar. Hey, every little bit helps. :)

Now, mosey on over to Cole's blog and see what everyone else is cooking.

------------------------

I am hoping to share my photos from the baby shower tomorrow so stay tuned for that. I gave you a little taste on Wordless Wednesday last week. :)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T16:23:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Bentley!

2010-08-31T12:30:00.000-04:00

Three years ago today, my sweet Munchkin boy was born. It was only 12 weeks later that he came into my life and filled it with so much joy. He helped heal a heart that was broken and made me smile when all I could do was cry. I can't even begin to explain how this little bundle of fur has impacted my life for the better.

My sweet Bentley, you bring so much joy into our lives. The Munchkin Daddy, Lexi, and I love you dearly. I couldn't ask for a better Munchkin.

Normally, we plan a party for the Munchkins' birthdays but this year it just isn't possible. We are still dealing with Dru's reaction and reprecussions from that, so we are just having a small celebration tonight just the four of us with a special birthday dinner for the Munchkins and then we are making a stop into Hairy Winston for a special birthday treat. A nice family birthday celebration at home is just what we need. :)

Weekend Wrap-up

2010-08-30T14:11:00.000-04:00

This is going to be a quick one because, as is usual at the end of every month, I am swamped at work and I know I won't have time to post when I get home. Such is life.

I guess since I only blogged like once last week, I should start from last week and work my way to this past weekend. This week was pretty ok. We are still dealing with the craziness surrounding Dru's reaction but hopefully all of that will get resolved soon. I don't want to say too much yet. Sorry.

Dru's steroid pack was finished last Sunday. The angry red splotches were mostly faded. You had to look pretty closely to see them. Tuesday or Wednesday, he woke up with the angry red splotches back and slowly getting worse. He called our GP and got an appointment for that morning. The short of it is that the ER didn't prescribe enough meds to get him completely through the reaction. So, he came home armed with more medication to get him through the week. We will know in a few days if this time it worked 100%. Drug allergies are a VERY scary thing.

Otherwise, our week was nice. I didn't fill you guys in yet, but our good news turned into bad news last week. Because the reaction caused hubby to miss his first four days of work at his new job, he ended up losing it. Totally NOT his fault but apparently these heartless people don't care. They told him it wasn't anything he "did" because he did everything he asked when he actually was able to go in to work. Whatever. It's a shame too because they will have an incredibly hard time finding anyone as polite and hard-working as my husband. That's the plain and simple fact. Luckily, he still has his job in hometown. He was going to continue doing that on the side anyway. He has an interview this afternoon so I am keeping my fingers crossed! Please, no sympathies necessary. We believe everything happens for a reason. :)

This weekend I helped host my aunt's baby shower. Do you remember these maternity photos I did at the end of July? Yes, well it was her baby shower. I used one of the photos I took for her invitations. They were super cute and she got so many compliments on them. I also made my special Amaretto dip (my grandmother's recipe) to go with the fruit, as well as framed some of my fave pictures from her shoot to go on her gift table. The baby shower was fun and the house was packed! There were so many people it was hard to get pictures of everyone. I'll try to share what pictures I did get soon.

While I was partying it up at the shower, hubby was with his family helping his sister paint her new place. They are trying to get it all ready before the wedding in November. There is a lot of work to be done still but my in-laws are VERY handy. SIL has a interior design certificate so I know she can handle it.

Sunday we spent being lazy at home. Oh boy was it nice! It was exactly what I needed. I was able to tweak my new photography website some more as well as get my photography facebook page published. Keep your fingers crossed that my business/hobby continues to grow! I have my eye on a couple of new lenses, flashes, and flash accessories that would be incredibly useful. I just need the dinero to get them. :)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Better Late Than Never

2010-08-27T22:27:00.000-04:00

Sorry I've been so absent this week! I have been super busy at work. In my spare time, I have been busy working on a new photography website. The one I had just wasn't up to my standards so I had to do a serious makeover. And I'm trying to get my photography Facebook page up and running. Hopefully I'll have some blogging time next week. :)

On to some awards. The first ones are several months late, hence the post title, but I didn't want to go by without acknowledging the lovely ladies who bestowed them upon me. If you gave me an award recently or several months ago and I did not acknowledge it here or in a previous post, I apologize! Sometimes things just get away from me. I assure you the thought was greatly appreciated.

Cary at A Little Piece of Sunshine, Jenna at Jenna's Jargon, and Paris Pink at The Pink Polka Dot tagged me for this sweet award several months ago! I am such a slacker when it comes to accepting awards and tags. Girls, I apologize for the incredible lateness. Thanks girlies!

Here are the rules:
1. List 10 things that make you happy.
2. List the top 10 bloggers/blogs that brighten your day.

My 10 Happy Things:
1. My husband :)
2. My sweet Munchkins
3. A Tickled Pink
4. Fudgy brownies
5. A beautiful sunny spring/early summer day in SC
6. Reading
7. Blogging
8. Reading blogs
9. Starbucks
10. White chocolate-covered pretzels

This award is from the lovely Jenna at Jenna's Jargon many months ago as well. I didn't see any rules for this award so I am just going to say thanks Jenna!

This award was given to me by the lovely Sprinkles several months ago too! Thanks girl! The rules are to list 10 things that make me happy and do at least one of them today and then pass it on to 10 other bloggers. Since I already listed those 10 things above, I won't list them here again. Since all of these are super late, I won't pass them on as I'm sure they've been around the block a couple of times already. But, if you are a follower of mine and you don't have one of these awards, please feel free to take one and consider yourself nominated by me. I love all of you ladies dearly.

And now on to some more recent awards. I'm excited because these were actually given to me in the last week! Yay! I'm getting better. :)

The "Scoop of Daily Chaos" award was given to me by the lovely Cole at All the Small Stuff. Thanks girl. :) To accept this award, I need to tag 8 awesome bloggers and answer the following questions.

What is your signature color?
- Hmmm...this is tough. It all depends. I tend to wear a lot of white. I love white or mostly white shirts, sweaters, pants, etc. I normally pair a white top of some sort with a pair of nice, crisp, dark wash jeans and dress it up with a pop of color either in my jewelry, shoes, and/or my purse. My favorite colors are most definitely turquoise and yellow (like you couldn't tell by my layout, ha), although not necessarily together. I tend to wear a lot of both.

What is your most embarrasing moment?
- This is tough too because I don't embarras easily. Oh, sure, I do lots of things that would embarras most people, but most often I just don't care. Ha ha. Let me think on it and I'll come back to this question.

Ok, I've got a semi-embarrasing moment. When I was in elementary school, I was in a special program for "accelerated" learners. It was this class that was involved in the Christmas play at school. Guess whose name got drawn to be Santa Claus....you got it, ME! I had to wear a hot, stuffy velour suit stuffed with pillows and Lord knows what else. The upside, I got to carry cartons of chocolate chip cookies under each arm (I don't remember why), so backstage I would munch on them. I shared with everyone else too though because I'm nice like that. :)

Would you ever get anything pierced other than your ears. If so, what?
- I actually do have something pierced other than my ears. My bellybutton. I pretty much ignore it most of the time but I do like having a little bit of bling when I'm sporting a bikini! That's it for me though. I have no desire to pierce anything else.

Are you a social butterfly or a homebody?
- Mostly a homebody. I do like to go out every once in a while, but most often I prefer staying at home, cuddling with my hubby and munchkins, and catching up on the DVR or reading a book.

Are you done having babies or do you want more?
- I'm gonna go with Cole's answer here. How could I be done when I haven't even started??!! I'm good with just two kids but hubby would like three. We'll see. :)

Are you loyal to your hairstylist or do you try every salon in town?
- I used to be. I went to the same lady in hometown every time I needed my hair cut and I really didn't trust anyone else to cut it. But, when we moved, I had to go in search of someone new. Now I'm not picky. The prices here are a lot higher, so I find a good place with reasonable prices and I'm happy. My hair is pretty straightforward though. No layers, no color, no highlights nothing. Just a quick trim and I'm all set.

How many times have you moved in your life?
Oh Lord...let me count. There was twice when I was a toddler although I don't really remember it. Then two more times when my parents divorced and my mom and dad both remarried. Then three more times in college. Since we've been married we've moved 3 times. Yeah, crazy, I know. The house we are in now we've been in for going on two years. The next move will be when we buy a house and we'll be there until I'm done with med school and we build a house.

If you could plan your vacation with just you and your love where would it be?
- We would take about a month off and do a tour of Europe. We would visit hubby's great aunt and uncle in the Netherlands, hopefully stay in their house in Paris, travel to Tuscany, see the German countryside, Madrid, Barcelona, the Canary Islands to see my grandmother's old exchange student, and I'm sure there are a few other countries we would plan to hit along the way. Now do you see why we would need at least a month???

This award was also given to me by Cole. Thanks Cole! To accept, I need to link back and thank the blogger that tagged me (already done, see above), then tell ya'll 7 things about myself and tag 15 wonderful bloggers.

1. I am 5'3. Yes, I am a short cookie.
2. I am allergic to mosquito bites, ant bites, and possibly a multitide of other bugs. I'd rather not find out, thank you very much.
3. I am married to the most wonderful man, husband, and Munchkin Daddy in the world.
4. I used to be a skincare and beauty consultant.
5. I have very long toes. Seriously...I have like fingers for toes.
6. My eyes are very very very dark brown, nearly black, and I have a sapphire ring around my iris. You have to get all up in my grill to see it. Oh, and no, that's not an invitation! Ha.
7. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. Double-edged sword. :(

I'm going to do sort of the same as Cole and only tag 10 people for both (b/c I'm taggin 8 more people in the next set below). Lame I know. Sorry. :(

1. Sprinkles @ Wyldechylde
2. Amy @ Same Sweet Girl
3. Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields
4. Blair @ Reasonably Swanky
5. Nadine @ This and That
6. LeighAnne @ There's No Place Like Memphis Mama
7. Kerr @ Say Cheese
8. Angela @ Short Southern Mama
9. Jenna @ Jenna's Jargon
10. T @ Desperately Seeking Seersucker

And last up...Sprinkles tagged me. :) The rules are: Answer 8 questions, come up with new questions, and tag 8 people.

These are the questions Sprinkles would like for me to answer.
1. Have you ever seen a ghost? If you have, what's the story behind it?
- No. Sorry, I know it's a short answer but that's really all I can say about it.

2. What is your most embarassing moment?
- See question above.

3. What was your best job and why?
- Tutor to college-level students. Not only did it help keep me familiar with several subjects, but teaching those subjects increased my understanding a lot. And, I was able to help people. It was nice. Hopefully, in ten years my answer to this question will be DOCTOR! :)

4. What was your worst job and why?
- Honestly, the job I have right now. But, it pays the bills...for now anyway. Mostly, a hostile work environment. My coworkers are great but there are others who aren't so great. I'm just saying.

5. If you won the lottery, what would you do with the $?
- Well, it depends on how much money we're talking. Several million? I'd put 1 million in a high-yield account and live off the interest, using my time to volunteer and study for med school (if I'm not already in school or done with it...in that case I would still practice medicine). The rest I would use to pay off our student loans, buy/build a house, pay off my parents' debts, my in-laws debts, and my grandparents' debts. I'd give a sizable portion to several charities that are dear to me, adopt/rescue several Chihuahuas (and maybe a couple more lovely breeds) to add to my family, and I have no idea what else!

6. Have you met any celebrities? If you have, what's the story behind it?
Yes. I met Chris Rock when I was young. His sister went to elementary school with me. I don't really remember it all that well. I met Jennifer Garner's parents (I know they're not technically celebrities but close enough!). One summer, while I was in college, I took a job working at a gourmet bistro in hometown. Jennifer's parents sat at one of my tables and they were so very sweet. I had no idea who they were as I waited on them. They had been traveling by boat from their home (in West Virginia I think) and happened to stop in hometown for a bit to eat (the restaurant was right on the water). We talked for a while as I waited on them and they were such nice people. It wasn't until the end of the meal that they let me in on their little secret and then Jennifer's Dad put his hat on and it was an Alias hat. LOL. Jennifer's mom said they don't usual tell people who they are but they thought I was such a nice "young lady" that they wanted to share. And yes, when I got home that night, I DID google them to make sure they were really who they said.

Other than that, I can't think of anyone else. Darius Rucker lives here in Charleston but I have yet to have an encounter with him.

7. What is your favorite childhood memory?
- Birthdays with my great grandmother. Our birthdays were on the same day, February 19th, and we always celebrated together. Thinking about it makes me miss her so much! I am so fortunate to have known her so well.

8. What's your biggest regret?
- Hmm...I don't know. I don't really have too many regrets. They are a waste of time because what's done is done.

Now for your 8 questions:
1. What is your favorite book? Pick a good one because I'll be adding them to my To Read list!
2. What is your favorite alcoholic beverage? Non-alcoholic?
3. I'm stealing Sprinkles' questions: What is your favorite childhood memory?
4. If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
5. If you aren't married, what is your dream wedding? If you are married, was your wedding your dream wedding? And if not, tell us why and describe your dream wedding?
6. What are your favorite names for a boy and a girl?
7. What type of animals do have, if you have any? (Be species and breed specific please!) What are their names?
8. If you could pick any one store to serve as your own personal closet, what store would it be? What is your ideal outfit from this store?

Tag, you're it:
1. Cole @ All the Small Stuff
2. Jenna @ Jenna's Jargon
3. Amy @ Same Sweet Girl
4. Nadine @ This and That
5. LeighAnne @ There's No Place Like Home Memphis Mama
6. Kerr @ Say Cheese
7. Andrea @ My Chihuahua Bites
8. T @ Desperately Seeking Seersucker

Happy (and sad) Monday!

2010-08-23T11:38:00.000-04:00

I know most of you are probably grumbling right now saying "what's so happy about Monday?" Normally, I would agree with you. I hate Mondays. But today, I'm not hating it so much. Hubby almost looks normal again! And he is off today so I get to meet him for lunch. Having something to look forward to on a Monday is definitely the way to get through it. :)

Before I go any further, I do want to thank all of you who left kind words and said prayers for us last week. I can't begin to tell you all how much it was appreciated. Hubby has had a rough go of things this year and so has my family. I am so fortunate to have such an amazing support system in all of you, my lovelies. You guys are the best.

We had a nice weekend. I hope you all did too. Hubby was supposed to start his new job last Tuesday, but because of what happened, he wasn't able to start until Friday. He worked Saturday and Sunday morning to catch up. I used my alone time those mornings to catch up on some reading, studying, and snuggle-time with my munchkins. We didn't do much of anything and it was glorious. Just hanging out together at the house and catching up on some rest was perfect!

I know some of you are probably curious about what exactly happened with hubby. I would love to fill you in, but I don't feel like that is an option right now as it may turn into a legal matter. We are hoping that it doesn't have to go that far, but until I know for sure, I don't want to say too much. However, I do want to caution all of you.

Most of us think we can trust our doctors 100%, unless they have given you reason to think otherwise. Take a lesson from our predicament and always double and triple check behind your doctor, especially when it comes to medication. As we have found out, just listing drug allergies in your file does NOT mean that a doctor won't prescribe you a medication that could kill you by triggering a severe allergic reaction. Be sure to call your pharmacy RIGHT NOW and ask if your drug allergies are on file. If not, have them add it to your file and then the next time you go there to pick up meds, ask again if it is in your file. The pharmacy is your last "check" before the medicine is placed in your hands. Always always always seek a second opinion, especially on large matters and/or if surgery is involved. When a medication is prescribed to you and has been placed in your hands, read ALL of the literature that accompanies it and google the heck out of it to make sure it isn't similar to any medications you are allergic to.

To be honest, doctors and their staff are only human. They make mistakes. We all do. But you don't want their mistake to cost you your life or the life of someone you love. Take advantage of what happened to us and make sure it never happens to you. This sort of thing happens a lot more often than you would think.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox now. I want to update you on my Papa's condition. The good news is that he is home! Yay! The doctors did a biopsy of his lung on Wednesday and also cleaned out his lungs. There was a bunch of "junk" as they put it, in his lungs. They had to go in six times to clean out all of the calcification and mucus. We won't have the results of the biopsy until the end of this week. My Papa is a smoker so hopefully this ordeal will make him think twice about lighting up again.

I just recently started following this blog, Cream Puff to Health Buff. Fabulous name, isn't it? This sweet lady lived here in Charleston until just recently when she moved to go back to school. On Saturday, her beloved Chihuahua, Buddy, crossed the Rainbow Bridge. If you would, please keep her and her family in your prayers. I know all too well how devastating it is to lose such a beloved pet (we lost Tiny in November 2003 and Angel just last week) and when it first happens, it doesn't feel like the pain will ever go away. And honestly, it doesn't go away, but over time, it DOES get easier. You gradually begin to remember the good times and remember them with a smile instead of tears. If you feel inclined, please visit Amelia's blog and leave your condolences.

Good News!

2010-08-20T09:10:00.000-04:00

Finally, I can share our good news with you! After all the craziness that has gone on this week, I really wanted to be able to share something good with ya'll. I know some of you may be curious as to what exactly happened with hubby and I am working on that post. It is a loooonnnnggg story so it is going to be a looooonnnnggg post, but if it even helps one person then it makes it all worth it. That should be coming up next week.

Okay, on to the good news. Hubby got a new job!!!!!!!!!! Can you tell how excited I am about that? I'm ecstatic. For those of you who don't know, hubby has worked at the same place since he was 15. The job was a family-owned business owned by his cousin. It is located in our hometown, which is about an hour drive from where we live now. He's been looking for a job here on and off for the last three years and just hasn't had much luck. He has a 5 minute drive to work now instead of an hour drive to work. He loves his old job but his new job (doing something totally different) is something he loves as well.

He went in for a "try out" last week and they offered him a position. He was supposed to start on Tuesday of this week, but due to a doctor's HUGE screw up, he wasn't able to go in until today. So today is his first official day at work. The only downside is he is more than likely going to be working every Saturday morning. That should give me the opportunity to get some things accomplished while he is out of the house so it's not entirely a bad thing!

We are both really excited and we feel so very blessed to have found this new opportunity for him. I don't want to reveal too many specifics about this new job here on the blog for all of the world to see, but if you're curious, just email me and I'll fill you in.

If you feel inclined, would you say a little prayer that today isn't too difficult for him? He still isn't back to 100% so today is probably going to be tough, but it was necessary for him to give it a shot. Thanks!

The Hits Just Keep On Coming

2010-08-18T13:22:00.002-04:00

Dru is doing better each day. He picked me up for lunch today which was nice. But on his way over he got some bad news for me. My lab (my in-laws take care of her for us since we can't have her where we live) Angel, passed away last night. I do not want to elaborate. Just please keep us all in your thoughts as we deal with this loss. I am still in shock and my heart is hurting.

My mother emailed me not too long ago to tell me that my Papa (remember he was admitted to the hospital earlier this week) had some scans done and there is a mass on one of his lungs. They are doing biopsies today. Please keep him and my Nanny in your prayers. He is a strong man and I believe he can survive through anything, but prayers are always helpful. Thank you.

The good news will have to wait a little longer. I will tell you that I'm NOT pregnant. That's not the news. Nor is it that I've been admitted to med school yet (I haven't yet applied!)...sorry Sprinkles! But the news is great for us! I promise to share as soon as things settle down.

A Bit Better

2010-08-17T14:28:00.000-04:00

Still not a real post today but it's all I can really manage right now.

The good news is, hubby is starting to get better. I'm not ready to type the whole ordeal out yet because I am still very upset about it, but hopefully I will be able to tell you all about it soon. It is good information for everyone who trusts their doctor to know. I will say that this reaction could have 100% been preventable if proper procedure had been used regarding my husband's care.

I did not take any pictures of him because I thought it would gross most of you out. It was pretty yucky to look at, but it is so greatly improved today. Yesterday was definitely the worst so from here he should continue to improve. Suffice it to say that he looked like a very bumpy, splotchy, cooked lobster with very little "normal" skin peeking through. Yeah...not pretty.

He isn't feeling 100% but we are hoping that by tomorrow or Thursday, he'll be feeling a lot better. The good news I wanted to share with you was put on hold because of this reaction. However, I will share soon. I promise!

Thanks to those of you who commented yesterday with kind words, thoughts, and prayers. It is very much appreciated.

No Real Post Today

2010-08-16T13:47:00.002-04:00

Sorry, but there won't be a real post today. Just to fill you in quickly, I had to take hubby to the ER this morning. He had a severe allergic reaction to a medication (which could have been prevented...more on that later) and now resembles a cooked lobster. He is at home with strict order from the doctor to rest and let the steroids counteract the reaction.

I got a text from my mom not too long ago letting me know that my Papa (her dad) was admitted to the hospital for possible pneumonia.

I am exhausted. I promise to fill you in later. Thanks in advance for any and all well-wishes sent our way.

Last Weekend

2010-08-12T16:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks to all of you who commented on the last post. Your comments were so sweet and so very encouraging. I do very much enjoy taking pictures (of my dogs, of my hubs, of random stuff, and portraits for others). I can't tell you what an honor it was that my aunt chose me to do her maternity photos. And I know it wasn't just nepotism that caused her to choose me. She knew that I wouldn't rest until she had the photos she wanted but BOY am I glad she liked them on the first try! Ha ha.

Honestly, I had so much fun taking pictures and helping her capture the memories of this time in her life. She is very excited to be bringing a sweet baby boy into this world. AK is going to be a fabulous big sister!

Now onto the reason for this post. This will be the last of my "catching up" posts. We are up to last weekend, which was one spent in hometown. My baby brother celebrated his 8th birthday last weekend, and so did my little cousin who we'll call Mini-Me (she looks a lot like I did as a kid). Boo's birthday party was on Saturday so of course we had to go to hometown to celebrate with him. He had the party at his grandparents' pool and all of the kids had a blast. It was dreadfully hot and humid so I spent most of my time under the huge oak tree where it was MUCH cooler and actually tolerable.

I didn't take many pictures but I did manage to snap a few when my little cousins were first arriving and when the kids climbed out of the pool to chow on some pizza and cake.

My camera loves this child!

See what I mean? Too stinkin' cute!

My Boo's cake.

My caramel-colored brother...he has spent LOTS of time in the sun this summer.

Isn't he adorable? Maybe I'm biased...but I don't think so!

The littler kids were definitely enjoying the little pool in the shade. The bigger kids were more content to use the big, in-ground pool.

Boo had a lot of fun at his party. I think he enjoyed seeing some of his friends from school more than anything since he hasn't seen them most of the summer. I had fun watching the littles run around and play. They are a hoot!

Sunday was my cousin, Mini-Me's, birthday party at my Nanny's pool. She actually lives with her dad and stepmom not too far from me so most of the kids at the party were family or friends from church. I didn't take any pictures on Sunday. To make a long story short, I forgot my headache meds so I wasn't able to take them on Saturday night. I was feeling it on Sunday for sure and it wasn't fun. I wasn't really up for taking pictures but I did enjoy a cupcake and a slice of cake!

This weekend, we have a full weekend in hometown too. My MIL is doing flowers for a wedding on Saturday, so hubby and I will be going to hometown tomorrow after work to help with that. The wedding itself is outside at a historic house in hometown's neighboring town and I'm sure we will be getting a large share of sun on Saturday setting up for the wedding. It's going to be hot and humid, I'm certain. The reception is actually going to be in the same venue in which my reception was held. I haven't been there since our wedding so it is definitely going to bring back some memories. I just hope we can make the wedding/reception this weekend as amazing and unforgettable as everyone made our wedding for us.

I promise to take pictures! I'll be taking pictures for MIL's portfolio so I'll definitely share once I get back home and get them edited.

Maternity Shoot

2010-08-11T10:25:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure of taking maternity photos for my aunt while we were on staycation. My aunt (although it feels wierd calling her that since we're only 5 years apart) wanted to have the shoot on the beach and she wanted the pictures to sort of double as family photos too. I decided Sullivan's Island beach would be the perfect place. Stations 21 and 22 have such a gorgeous stretch of beach that its hard NOT to have a shoot there.

On Saturday, my aunt and her family met me at my house. They changed into their outfits and then followed us to the location. The heat index that day was well over 100 degrees but thankfully by the time we got there, with the breeze off of the ocean and all, it was much more tolerable.

My adorable little cousin, AK, is 2 years old so we weren't sure how the shoot would go but it went amazingly well. I mostly just let AK do her thing and worked with her. Small children are best captured candidly anyway. That's when they shine.

I'm not going to post all of the photos because you would be here all day waiting for the page to load and then it would take you forever to get through them all (there are over 300). So I picked out some of my favorites to share. I had so much fun doing this shoot!

One of the photos is even going to be used for her shower invitations and thank you notes! I'm so excited that I get to be a part of that as well.

After the shoot, we all went to dinner together at my favorite family-owned restaurant, Page's Okra Grill, and then my aunt and her family had to head back home. It was fun while it lasted though! Not too long after the day of the shoot, she was placed on bed rest. Now it is just a waiting game to find out when the little man while make his appearance. Of course I will be there at the hospital to take photos of him with Mommy, Daddy, Sissy, Nanny, etc. after his arrival. I can't wait!

The Market

2010-08-10T11:46:00.001-04:00

The weekend before last we got to spend some quality time with Dru's brother and sister. On Friday evening, my SIL, her fiance, and my BIL came to visit. We had steaks, twice baked potato casserole, green beans, and salad for dinner. We spent a lot of time talking and hanging out before bedtime.

The boys were all set to go fishing Saturday morning. Originally, SIL and I were going to the beach but SIL forgot her bathing suit. So, we opted to go downtown to the Market instead. I, after our lovely staycation, had no money to shop but I always enjoy looking around. The Market is definitely a tourist-heavy place but I think it is so much fun to go there, check it all out, and possibly get a bargain on some cute stuff.

The Market was recently renovated so I was excited to check it out. I used to love going there but I hated all of the people crammed into the narrow little walkways between tables. Well, foot traffic jams in the Market are no more. It is now nice and open and I don't feel rushed because there is a mountain of people behind me pushing me along.

I stuck to my guns and didn't buy anything except lunch. SIL however, did a little shopping. She wanted some Charleston Gate jewelry like the beautiful set I was given by my dear friend and coworker for my birthday. We found the appropriate table and sista got her some bling. She also bought a little something for the fiance. Of course we looked at some of the local art, name the sweetgrass baskets. I do so love them but they are SO expensive!

After leaving the Market, I was going to take SIL to High Cotton (my favorite) for lunch but because she is on a new diet, she couldn't really eat anything on the menu. So, I took her to Southend Brewery. We ate there for my birthday earlier this year so she was familiar with the menu. I had a margarita pizza (it was delish) and SIL had a very yummy chicken sandwich with caramalized onions.

After lunch it was on to Costless Outlet. If you're not familiar, that is a "privately owned store that carries over stock, end of lot, dented box, out of box, and open box returns from Wholesale Clubs. They tend to have a wide variety of stuff that changes from week to week. Dave Ramsey talks about them a lot. They always seem to have large flat screen tvs (with the plastic still on them) for bargain prices. I would love to buy one but I just can't justify it until one of our tvs crap out. I still like to go in, oogle them, and dream! I knew SIL would love it. She had never been and it is the sort of place that is right up her alley. She loves a bargain.

The only downside to going there was that my no-spending policy for the day was shot all to pieces. Hubby and I really needed a stand-up freezer. It just so happens that Costless had a stand-up freezer (approximately 16 cubic feet) for such a bargain of a price that I couldn't say no. In all honesty, we did have money set aside for this purpose in our savings so it wasn't really all that spontaneous of a buy. We were just waiting for the right price. Costless had it so we bought it.

I don't think SIL bought anything there but she had fun looking around. I have a feeling she'll be going back after she gets married to invest in a tv. The boys loaded up the freezer and we all headed back to the house to unload it and hook it up. It works like a dream.

Unfortunately, that was the end of our visit with them because they had somewhere else to be, but it was nice while it lasted. I had fun spending quality time with the SIL and talking about wedding stuff.

That pretty much wraps up the weekend before last. Tomorrow, I hope to post pictures from the maternity shoot I did while we were on staycay. And then more blogging about this past weekend and we'll be all caught up!