Strike that, wasn’t recommended.  Wrong book, but right author.  I didnt realize that it was the wrong book until I was well into and came to a part, that I know would never have been recommended.  Immediately, I was like man oh man.  This is definitely the wrong book.  But, I was already into to.  I wanted to see how it ended.  I wanted to see that they would be alright.  I needed to KNOW that they would be alright.  So I continue to read.  Hoping against all hope that it is a happy ending.  Plus, with an opening page quote such as the one it has, you know it has to be a good read.

The quote. 

ciao for now…shel

This week has been a doozy for lots of people I know.  Sadness that school has started.  Deployments. Illness.  Frustrations of the new routines.   Drama.  All kinds of things have been out of whack this week for people I know.  

As a lot of you know my brother passed away a little over a year ago.  It has changed me life in so many ways I can not even tell you.     

And because of him, I choose to see the good things.  

This image makes me smile.   It’s a good thing for me. 

What good things have you found around you lately? What things have you done just because?  Do tell because I might want to do them just because too!

I’ll go first……. I read a book under a tree this week just because.

ciao for now..shel

See in my parts we barely have enough rain to keep the grass alive much less to keep a gigantic tree alive.  So the whole way out East, I was amazed.  Amazed at how tall they are.  Amazed at how green they are.  Seriously, anyone listening on the outside must of thought I was a bit on the nuts side.

He had this brillant plan.  He knew exactly where to take me.  The Smokey Mountains.  The whole time I just couldn’t stop singing, Rockey Top you’ll always be home sweet home to me….nor could I get Kenny Rogers out of my head or his Six Pack.  Not that the Smokey’s have anything to do with that song or the movie.  But still.

So when I saw these images in the flesh…I immediately said…Hello nature, nice to meet you.

ciao for now…shel

1) learn zumba.

2) update my website with new work.

3) actually live in the same house as my husband.

4) learn the art of coupon clipping.

5) skydive..once again.

6) run a marathon.

7) go meatless for a week.

I didn’t really mean a marathon..maybe a 5k.

9) drops some pounds.

10) get preggers so I can put the pounds back on and have a legitimate excuse.

11) find some peace.

12) photograph a wedding in Hawaii.

13) swim with dolphins.

14) learn ballroom dance.

15) hang around in new york for a few days to people watch. 

16) get a new cell phone. any suggestions?

17) build a snowman.

18) have a mud ball fight on Coronado island..

19) photograph twins.

Kidding on the preggers part…just seeing how careful you are reading.  Not funny you say???  (giggles on my part, sorry mom) Although that is a topic to discuss.  Anyone else consider deployments when discussing preggers??  Do you want to be alone during the pregnancy or during the first 6 months or last 6 months of the first year?? Or do you even want to go through it again when you are going to be alone away from friends and family yet again.   That is the question.  Things are so much easier when you have support.

I am working on the meatless for a week thing.  If I take the advise of my friend and read THIS BOOK, it shouldn’t be a problem to go meatless for life.  I am also wondering how it would effect my grocery bill.  No jokes folks, a pound of hamburger meat cost me $8.47 last week.  And it wasn’t even organic.  San Diego living is MUCH MUCH higher.

I haven’t found a ballroom class yet, but I am seriously considering getting back into ballet. Not really sure how my tush would look in a leotard. 

Zumba totally totally rocks!   Even Em gets down with me in the living room.  When I went to my first live class last week, she awaited my arrival to see if Beto was “REALLY” there.  He wasn’t.  Claudia was and she totally rocks it! Seriously people you must try Zumba. It is sooooo much fun. 

So how is your bucket list coming along??

Because every post is better with an image….Here is #18 minus the mud ball fight….HOTEL DEL

ciao for now..shel

remember to stop for just a second and let someone capture you. It doesnt matter that it is 115 degrees outside or you have your raggerty shorts on or that you have the leftovers from snack on your old t-shirt or that your hair is in a pony.  Just pause…I am glad she did….

ciao for now…shel

I knew it was going to be a great day when the first image I see is this….

Colonial Williamsburg was spectacular.  I really was in my dream world of imagery.  The textures, the lines, the clothes, the simple way of life…awwwww.

This building stands today just as it did in the 17th century.  It was one of the few that was not destoryed.  Which is a good thing, because it housed all the armory.

Then we watched how bricks are made by hand.  Very few companies still do this today.  Clay is placed in molds and then dried in the sun.  Girl Power all the way.  (A man was doing the talking.  Figures.  LOL)

I was intrigued by the ladder on the roof.  Wondering what the purpose was back in the day.

This would be my girl listening to what our “roles” are during the grand ball at the Governors Mansion. We were the cleaning crew.

The Governors Mansion

It was stocked full of yummy antiques and cool little things.  For an example in the teen dressing room was four images on the wall for decorations.  The images were examples of how to dress during the four different seasons.  Interesting, no Jacob was plastered up there.

Then there was this gem.

Really cool experience.  We were there just for the day and didn’t cover half the place.  So much to see and do.  (Side note…if you are military you receive free admission.  Super plus!)

ciao for now…shel

I often wonder what life was like back then.  How hard was it?  How simple was it?  On our road trip I thought what routes the folks to took and how long would it take them to go the same distance.  I know I am weird.  But I do, I do think about these things.

Ever wonder how captains navigated the waters back then?    Who kept watch over the seas?  Or how it felt for a shipmate to see that light.  The light that says they are finally home.  The light of the magnificence Cape Henry Lighthouse.  I do.  I wonder how it felt to see her in her full shining glory.

Ciao for now..shel

First stop…The Family Mountain.  Also known as STONE MOUNTAIN.  We saw the signs and had to check it out.  I loved the old world style of the place.  The buildings, the wood, the lines.  While there was the humongous carving on the side of the mountain to take an image of I was more into to these….

ciao for now…shel

Same kinda of thing like I was talking about in THIS post. 

When we moved into this house recently and I was trying to figure out what travel photography images I wanted to print and frame, I said it.  Tony said it.  I said it. And we said it again and again.  The issue was this….when we traveled Europe and lived in Italy, we didn’t have a big fancy camera with a huge sensor and fancy lens.  The DSLR fade was not yet unleashed on all us mom and pops.  We were still “cool” if we just had a little point and shoot. 

I am being sarcastic with the cool thing, of course.  I totally crack up with all the folks out there spending all this money on the big fancy camera and lens.  They just have to have it to take “good pictures”.  In my opinion, you don’t need it for everyday life.  (And I emphasize the everyday life part.  There is a reason you come to photographers for portraits and why we use the equipment we use.)  But for everyday life it doesn’t matter.  You are not going to care that the camera had “x” senor or ”y” resolution.   Or that the image was taken on manual. 

These days point and shoots are sooooo yesterday and everyone that is anyone has the DSLR. Right?  Want to know what I asked for my birthday?? A little point and shoot. 

Anyways off my tan-git and back to my…if we only had a good camera.  The reason I wished we had one back then for the current issue is this…”better” cameras have bigger sensors.  Bigger sensors equal capabilities of larger prints.  I was wanting to enlarge an image to 16×20 and it just wasn’t possible.

I say all that to say this…It doesn’t matter what type of camera you have. Or what lens or what fancy filter or any other piece of equipment you have. You just need to get out there and capture the moment.  Capture your life as it is today.  Make a memory.  Create a path that your loved ones can come back to and remember. 

As I was looking for an image of my brothers and I,  I came across this gem….

It was taken with that same crappy point shoot I had when we lived in Italy.  Yes it was that old, but that is my point.  It doesnt matter the equipment,  it still gave me an image I am going to treasure for the rest of my life.  My baby was not yet one.  I remember she carried that rock around everywhere that day. 

Work with what you have and make the best of it.  Trust me, when this crazy life passes us by, you are going to wish you had just had taken some pictures. 

So get out there…and make life freeze for just a second.

ciao for now…shel

So here is my advice for the day.   When you are cooking fish sticks and a certain 4 year old is yapping in your ear, make sure your hand is covered  and protected BEFORE you try to pull the oven rack out.  Yippers I would be {that} girl.  All my fingertips on my left hand are burnt from the 425 oven. 

Right about the same time, I get a text from my niece that I love to pieces.  That says “Hey”, Then I am all, “cant text just burnt my fingertips.”  Then she is all, “dumb, how did you do that.” Then I am all, “blah blah, blah.”  explaining, all the while thinking to myself, ouch ouch ouch ouch, why am I texting??? (Anyone else do these sort of things or is it just me?)

Then shortly after that, I got a call from a client with a great oppurtunity for her girls.  She is needing image submissions for an upcoming movie that is really really really,  I mean REALLY popular.  So I am super stoked for her and the girls.  Then I remembered my fingers.  So I ouched ouched ouched my way through their images, said a little prayer and called her to say they are ready for viewing.

So that was my day.  Did I mention Tony has duty???  (That means he doesn’t come home.

Anyhoot

On to some images…

ciao for now..shel

ciao for now…