The Post where I post a lot of pictures and play catch up!

So I’ve neglected my blog, YET AGAIN!  I’m sorry!  Life happens, and it kinda takes hold of you in random ways!  I know I left off doing the 30 day blog challenge…  We see how far I’ve gone on that one!  Hey, I did try!!  May not have finished it, but I’ve come to realize that Life and living comes before the blog. :-) So, I’m going to try to update you as quickly as possible…  With pictures..  Of course… Because you know, I’m a photographer and all.  Ohhhhh but wait…..  That’s #1 on my list…       

#1.  My sweet Ladybug turned 1 on May 9^th.  Guess who shot 133 pictures, and then the camera goes caput???  Yep.. That’s right… ME!  Not the Battery, not something stuck with the lense, NOTHING…  Oh, except for the revolving mechanism that triggers the shutter decided to completely mess up!  Researched to try to fix it myself, to no avail.  I’m not taking my camera a part….   I’d rather Nikon do that…   (Fast forward 3 full months….   And $200 later, I have my camera back, and it’s good as new!!)  These are the last two pictures I got before it went caput!

#2.  One of my great friends who just also happens to be my neighbor got married to her Soul Mate.  I could not be happier for the two of them!  Their love is so pure and amazing!  I love it!!  :-)  I actually rented a camera to shoot this just for fun, and as part of my wedding gift to them!  Here is a pic of us toasting to the happy couple!  CONGRATS K&PK!!!!

#3  I spent a week down in Florida with my family.  My beautiful grandmother is 90 years old, and the woman still takes her walk on the beach!!  She is one amazing lady, and I am so fortunate to still have her on this Earth with us.  I’m also very happy that I was able to spend some quality time with the entire family!  I love being related to this great group of people!!

#4  When I got home from the Beach, the Guy stopped by before he had to go into work.  He now is on the night shift, which he hates, but he’s getting paid pretty well, and has amazing benefits..  and his company loves him!! (he wasn’t able to go down to FL with us due to the fact that he couldn’t get off of work.)  I run outside to greet him, because I was so excited to see him.  I had my cellphone in my hand, and sat it on top of his car. He got out, we hugged, kissed, etc..   I gave him his souvenirs from Florida.  I was just so excited to see him.   Then he had to go, and I said goodbye, and waved until he drove away, and I got into the house, was going to send him a text to thank him for stopping by…..   Yeah… Remember the whole sitting the cell phone on top of his car??  He remembered hearing a thud about a mile from my house, and thought he may have hit a stick or something…  I called my dad, called the Guy, hysterical!  Photos of my Bugs were on there from the beach and videos of the most adorable things…  and I didn’t have those anymore!!  When The Guy got off work @ 6 am Sunday morning, he went and looked up and down a very busy road, only to run into my Duddy doing the same thing….   They had some bonding time searching for my cell phone along one of the busiest streets in the area.. Combing through trash in search of my purple covered cell phone.. No one found it. :-(  I was DEVASTATED!

#5  Short story long…   I borrowed my sisters 2002 flip phone (amazingly she keeps these just in case, and she takes VERY good care of her phones!!).  At least I had something in case of emergencies.. (I know, what did we do without technology when we were younger??)  Luckily.. My contract was almost up, and everyone kept trying to talk me into smart phone technology…   Yes, my readers, I upgraded from the Dumb Phone to the iPhone….  And I will never go back!!!  I do miss my old phone, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the capabilities of the iPhone.  That was part of my Birthday Present!  Oh… Did I mention how much I LOVE the camera on this thing???  

#6 The Guy and I have been doing a lot of travelling, and going out on the lake with his boat and friends.  We went to Charleston for a week, and spent some quality time with BOTH dogs!!  And surprisingly enough, they both behaved themselves!!  We stayed at his Aunt and Uncles house.  They don’t have Cable (they do have a DVD player/small TV), however, this forced Brent and I to communicate more and spend more time outside.   Each day we took the boat out in the water.  Each day we woke up early and took the dogs for a VERY long walk on the beach (before it got too hot), and we cooked meals at home for dinner, and just relaxed.  It was a GREAT time indeed!

#7  Work has been crazy.  Stressful…  So why do I find myself B*R*D?   Second guessing…   Maybe it’s the 2 year itch.  Who knows..  I do know that I love what I do.  I love my company because they allow me to express myself creatively, and my boss allows me to work on some projects that are outside of my job description (THANK GOODNESS!!  I think everyone needs a break from typical duties).

#8  My Best Friend Carri had her third child.  A Girl..  “Izzy”.  So she has two girls and a boy now, and I’m so in love with each of them!  Carri and I have been best friends since the 6^th grade.   I had the honor of doing Izzy’s newborn pictures, and I’m so happy with how they all turned out!!  Here is one of my favorites….  IS SHE NOT BEAUTIFUL????

#9  I resigned from the Home Owners Association Board of Directors.  I had been feeling the stress a little too much from this volunteer position, and I needed to step away.  I decided only one Volunteer Position at a time, and I chose The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Charlotte.  I am the Social Media and Publicity Chair, and I find this so rewarding!  The American Cancer Society is an amazing organization, and MSABC is so uplifting to women of all ages, races, and nations who have either known someone/or are going through it themselves.  I LOVE THIS!!

#10  On Monday September 24^th, I celebrated my 33 birthday!!  Almost 4 years ago I made the decision to make sure that I got to see 33, and I did!  I am now an aunt to two of the SWEETEST SMARTEST BEAUTIFUL nieces anyone could ever have.  I am living, I’m alive, I have a house, I have a dog,  I have a job, I have my family, I have my boyfriend….  But most of all, I have myself!!  I’m LIVING this life that I will NEVER take for Granted!  The Guy gave me a Kayak for my birthday, and we went up to Mom and Dad’s Mountain Cabin two weeks ago and went Kayaking down the New River.  I was in HEAVEN!!  

   So here’s to this Crazy Life! Here’s to 33 years!  Here’s to the next chapter! Here’s to Adventure! 

Day 12 and some other stuff!! :-)

I know I know I know! I’m not doing so great at keeping this 30 day challenge thing going!! Insanity!! I am trying!! It’s been a very crazy, hectic, and busy past month!! Quick wrap up?? Okay! Here goes.. Brother and family come into town for Brother’s 30^th birthday! LOVE THEM! The Guy has series of dizzy spells, Monday April 2, I got a call from him stating that he had gotten his finger cut off at work and was in the ER. Yes, the TIP of his finger was cut off, and they were unable to reattach it. He had surgery on Tuesday April 3. Talk about a girl wanting to take that pain from him! Shot a wedding on Easter Weekend. Over 2000 pictures! CRAZY! Work craziness, went to Charleston with The Guy to deliver some parts. We took the dogs. In a one day trip! Spent time with my 90 year old grandmother who was in town. Ahhhh… Doesn’t seem so bad does it??

So.. Let’s get to Day 12 Already… :-) I know you are all anxiously awaiting it.

Something I don’t leave my house without. My smile and my Cell Phone. Ideally I’d have my purse too, but I don’t ALWAYS take it with me.

My smile, because no matter how bad it gets, it could always get worse! I smile because I am alive, I have defeated monsters in my life, and I am proud of that! I am a work in progress and I am proud of that as well!

I think that a smile (whether from myself or from a stranger) can ease tensions, break down barriers, and open up communication. It allows people to feel comfortable with me, as I am genuine when I do smile. It’s ALL Good is my motto, and yes, it is! Whatever “IT” is! Life is too short!!

As for the cell phone: The age of technology has transformed how I communicate now. My cell phone seems to have become an appendage to me, and I feel naked without it. I text various people, call various people, maintain my photography contacts, take pictures of random things, take video of random things, and it’s my communication to the world outside of my own. I have yet to upgrade to a “smart” phone, and I am almost afraid to. I am unsure if I want to be THAT connected to everyone all the time. I also do not want to spend the monthly data plan fee. Maybe one of these days I’ll bite the bullet and invest in one, but as long as I can text, take pics, take video, and talk, I think my current “dumb” phone suites me just fine!

I promise to try to update more frequently. This past month, just got the better of me. I am still alive though, and I am still ME and I think that's a good thing! :-)

Day 11: Favorite TV Shows..

Favorite TV Shows..

Wow.. I have to pick just a few?? I will first tell you that I don’t watch THAT much TV. So when I do, the show has got to be great!

NCIS (My ABSOLUTE Favorite TV Show!!)

The Middle

Grey’s Anatomy

Modern Family

Wife Swap (my guilty pleasure in reality TV!)

Okay, so I said that the show has got to be great… The first four really are AWESOME shows. Wife Swap… I find it incredibly hilarious, and in some situations extremely disturbing.. I can’t say I gain a lot intellectually from them, but I do gain an entertainment value from it. I guess it just comes down to this. I’m glad someone else has the guts to put their lives on TV…. Glad it’s them and not me! Haha!

Day 10: Something I am afraid of….

I could put my superficial fears as what I discuss. I.e. spiders, snakes, bridges, falling..etc… But I think the one fear that I want to talk about is my fear that I am going to gain all of the weight that I’ve lost…. Back.. I am afraid that I am going to screw something up somewhere along the lines, and I will be that large person again. Yes, I am more active now than I ever have been. No, I can’t eat the things I used to eat prior to the surgery. Yes, I am fully aware that I will have days that I will struggle. I think today may just be one of those days. I just don’t want to be big again. Not that I hated myself for it, but, I LOVE being able to run with my nieces and play, and get into a Kayak with The Guy, and sit in a booth, and pull my knees up to my chin without forcing it, I love being able to shop for clothes in non plus sized stores.

I just have this one fear that I am going to screw something up. Maybe by verbalizing it here, it is an accountability thing. I WON’T go backwards. I WON’T be THAT heavy again, I WILL keep everything in check!

I hope….