I ♥ Faces Contest: Adult B&W

This is my first time joing in on an I ♥ Faces contest... but here goes nothing.





I just love this picture of Jacklyn! Be sure to head on over to iheartfaces.blogspot.com to check out all of the beautiful face entries this week

Wordless Wednesday

Not Me! Monday

Ahhh, it's Monday again and time for MckMama's blog carnival called "Not Me!" Monday and some good old free therapy.

I did not taken almost a month off of doing my "Not me!" Monday's.

I did not seriously contemplate using a large part of our tax return to by myself a new Nikon D300, no way I am not that impulsive! Don't worry Mom, I know your reading this, I am waiting and saving *grin*!

I am not so impatient that I am having a REALLY hard time waiting for my new photography website to be finished. I have oodles more patience than that!

I am not so anxious about getting my photography business off the ground that I am self doubting and wondering why I haven't gotten any phone calls off the little bit of advertising that I did last week!

I do not spend way too much time on the computer in the evenings either blogging or on Facebook! I use my time when the kids are sleeping way better than that! No way, not me!

I did not have my fingers crossed that Jack would qualify for speech services when he was screened today.

I did not go to pick Allie up this afternoon at school after Jack's Birth to 3 screening, only to find that she was napping (which she never does at school) and then decide to leave her and let her nap and come back to get her after nap. Nope, not me!

I do not get SO frustrated with blogger, when it is acting up and not doing what I want it to. Not me!

Random Weekend Thoughts

1. Why is it that Jack will sleep in till almost 11 am on the morning that I need to be up early to get ready for company... come on, now that's just not fair!

2. It was so great to see our friends Dan and Lindsey who came down to visit from NH yesterday!

3. Makes me realize how much I miss living in NH, not the place as much as I miss being near such good friends!

4. I really wish that winter would give up the fight and just let spring in! I officially have SPRING FEVER and I am so ready for spring...

5. I miss playing outside with my kids!

6. At least it is staying light out longer, the other day I realized that it was light out and it was 5:30ish!

7. Tomorrow is Jack's Birth to Three screening... I am a little nervous, but overall I am looking forward to hearing what they say about his speech.

8. I am thinking about getting a bike trailer for the summer, my mom has a bike that she never uses and I think it would be so much fun to go biking with the kids, especially when we are out visiting my parents at the shore!

9. I am hoping to have my new photography website up and running in the next week or two!

10. Wishing that we could take a road trip to NH to visit with friends... hopefully soon.

Hope you all have a great week!

Things I Have Done and Some Things That I Hope To Do Someday!

I found this over at Sugar Mommy's place. As I went through and "bolded" (is that even a word) my list I realized that I have done a lot in my life and that there is still a lot left that I want to do. Someday I hope to be able to say that I have completed most of the things on this list!

Everything in BOLD I have done...
1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disney World.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables. (Well at least tried to *grin*!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you're not sick.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to truly be satisfied.
38. Seen the leaning tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo's David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served in a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Been to the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the paper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had Chicken pox.
89. Saved someones life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a lawsuit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

Mini Photo Shoot of Jack

My little man is 18 months old, in 6 short months he will be 2 years old, I can't believe it! Where does the time go? I feel like I took Allie to get portraits done so much more than we have taken Jack. So, a photo shoot was in order! Matt took Allie to see Nanna (Jack and I couldn't go because we have both been sick) so that Jack and I could work our magic together! Here are some of my favorite pictures from today and if you want to see more check out Sialia.

Random Weekend Thoughts

I have totally fallen off pace blogging lately, I have had a ton of things on my mind with work/school and my photography. But here is some of what I have been thinking about this weekend. This idea of random weekend thoughts is inspired by Lori.

1. Matt and I went to the movie Taken yesterday, it was so good. I love Liam Nelson and he was great in this movie. Without giving anything away, it is so hard to imagine that things like this happen in the world.

2. When we were at the movie, I was so surprised that there were children at the movie, the subject mater of the movie was so inappropriate for children to be watching. I couldn't believe that there were to girls there without a parent and at the most they were 12, but probably younger. What is with some parents. I swear I am not trying to sound judgemental, but seriously...

3. I am so glad that I have a 4 day weekend! The only thing that could be better would be a full week off instead!

4. It was so nice to hear from Allie's teacher that she was so proud of her valentines that she made, when she passed them out in class.

5. I was SO surprised that Allie was the only child in her whole class that made her own valentines!

6. I am VERY excited for the Daytona 500 tomorrow and I am hoping that both kids will take afternoon naps, so that we can actually watch the race!

7. I am going through camera withdrawls *grin*! I am going to do a mini photo shoot with Jack tomorrow, they will probably be the last of his "baby" pictures.

8. Oh how I wish they would stay little forever, I had the realization that Allie will be 4 in less than 5 months!

9. Wishing that this stimulus package that is coming was going to do more for me than maybe $13 bucks in my paycheck!

10. I can't wait for spring! I am SO done with winter, when will spring be here?

25 Things, I Bet You Don't Know About Me

1.My maiden name was Smack and I was so siked when I got married *grin*

2. I lived in New Hampshire for 10 years!

3. I greatly dislike snakes; I mean they really freak me out. I can't even stand to be in the same room with them, even when they are behind glass!

4. When I was in first grade I thought I wanted to be a nurse, just like my mom , funny thing is I can't stand blood.

5. I had both of my children naturally, without any medication!

6. I nursed both my babies past their first year; Allie till she was 18 months and I found out I was pregnant with Jack. I nursed Jack until he was 15 months and he weened himself. I was very sad about this I had always thought that he would nurse until he was close to 24 months, but he was done.

7. I want more than anything to get my photography business going and I am doing everything that I can to make this happen! I am just waiting for my website to finish coming together.

8. I love my husband more than I have ever loved another person, with the exception of our children (that's different)!

9. Before our first wedding anniversary I almost lost Matt. He was VERY sick and was in the ICU at Dartmouth Hospital for 13 days, those were the worst days of my life!

10. I had my daughter when I was just four months shy of 30, which is just shy of 30 years after my mom had me when she was 30. Kinda cool, huh!

11. I was in a sorority in college, and it was the best thing that I ever did; it totally helped me come out of my shell and make some wonderful and great friendships.

12. I am really shy, when I first meet people!

13. I would love to live in New York City for one year, just to see what it is like.

14. I love watching NASCAR... oh, did I just say that/write that! But I do, I really like watching it and going to races!

15. My favorite driver is Dale Earnhardt Jr.

16. I can't remember the last book that I read (other than a children's book); I wish that I read more!

17. I waited forever to join facebook but I love it; it is such a great way to catch up with old friends and network.

18. I am very emotional and I cry very easily and have a really hard time stopping, once I get going.

19. I am afraid of dying while my children are young and they will not know me.

20. I would give up driving in a heartbeat if I could afford a chauffeur.

21. I am an absolute klutz and I wanted to name out daughter Grace, but Matt said that would be too dangerous, because she would have half my genes and what if she was a klutz too. Well good thing, because Allie definitely got that gene too *grin*!

22. I LOVE summer and I can't wait for blasted winter to be OVER!

23. I have been rear ended 5 times!

24. I have never traveled outside of the US, other than to the Caribbean on my honeymoon.

25.Someday I would like to travel to Ireland, Italy and Hawaii.

Wordless Wednesday

My friend Melissa took this picture, thanks Melissa!

Random Thoughts and Catching Up

The kids are both in bed and it is snowing outside, again! and I have some time to do a little blogging. I haven't been doing as much of this lately as I would like but things have been busy and I have really been trying to not use the computer when the kids are up, they just end up seeking out my attention in less then pleasurable ways. For instance Jack whacks at the keyboard and last week he ended up disabling part of my photo editing software and it took forever to get it fixed!

Well, lets see where should I begin... well last week Allie was diagnosed with Scarlett Fever, so she and I were home from school one day for that. Thank goodness Jack hasn't gotten it (yet). And for any of you who are interested, Scarlett Fever is not what it was a generation ago, it no longer brings along other health risks; it is basically strep with a wicked rash and when I say wicked I mean it. Poor thing already has really dry winter skin and then to top it off an itchy rash, she just wants to crawl out of her skin.

Jack turned 18 months old yesterday and I can't even believe it. Where has the time gone? We have his 18 month check up tomorrow and I think I am going to request a birth to three screening for his speech. He really isn't talking and I know, I know, he is a boy AND he is the second child. However, he really doesn't say anything and I think that by now he should at least have a couple of words that he uses reliably. This weekend I think I am going to try and do a photo shoot with Jack, try and get some pictures of him at 18 months! Well, first he needs to get a haircut, his hair has gotten a little too shaggy.

I had my first engagement photo shoot this weekend in New York City and it was AMAZING! The couple Courtney and Andrew were great and the weather was perfect for pictures! Well, other than the fact that it was only 20 degrees out. The first 10-20 minutes that we were out it was really cold and then you kind of went numb and then it wasn't too bad. I had so much fun, it was so different than photographing babies and children and I really enjoyed it. I can't wait to photograph some more adults. This is one of my favorite pictures from the day, if you are interested in seeing more go here.