Guardian Angel

My big girls are all going through changes right now. I wish that I could keep them all here with me, safe and sound, but since they are grown up that's not an option any more.
I do, however, want to remind them that they always have their special guardian angel with them always. Someone who loved them unconditionally and is always looking out for them.
Sara, who just moved into a new house, hubby is away at police academy, is hearing all those new house sounds. This one is for you. Amy, who is going through changes always, this one is for you.
Lindsay, who is in month 7 of waiting for the new baby, this one's for you.
Wait a minute! Lindsay was always one to march to the beat of her own drummer.
But still, your guardian angel is with you even though you think you blaze your own trail.
love you all.

Bribery

What's a grandma to do when her buddies start to get older?
How does she keep that special Saturday night for herself?
This Grandma resorts to bribery.
She stumbled across the game while innocently going to Best Buy for a movie and some ink.
Look how excited this made her little buddies. The Grandma wasn't quite sure what to do with all the wires.
Not to worry. The one we call Jeff Jr. said "no problem".

and when they got it hooked up and the image came on they were thrilled!
This plan may have backfired.

I actually have to compete with the bribe now.

At least I know where my grandkids are at 10pm on a Saturday night.

Is it Thursday?

This week seems to be dragging by.
I was almost too tired to blog tonight,
but then came an email from my pal, Teresa.
She sent me more pics from Audrey's workshop.
Here are the two of us on the famous green fainting couch. These were shot by June. I forget what was so funny.......
we laughed a lot that weekend!

This is the area of the loft that the clients use to prepare for their sessions. The large photos on the wall, the photo "tree", the decor....it's all so awesome! I still can't believe I was actually there.

Man - do I look like I mean business behind the lens! Hopefully this face won't scare any of the little ones. :)

Thanks for sending these to me, Teresa!

Here's a little something else I'm putting on my plate just for fun.

I received an email from Shimelle today with this information.
Even if I don't get the entire project done,
(which I plan to)
it will be a great deal of fun!

I've also been busy working on my new website.
Deciding to go into business for myself again has
been exciting and exhausting.
But I love the excitement of getting started
AND it's something I truly love doing.

I am also working on getting Wonderland going
(that's the special garden in my backyard for my little buddies).
I'm at the really hard labor part......digging for a flagstone patio!
What happens to your strength and stamina after hitting 50?
I used to be able to go all day long and into the night.
Now I'm pooped by dinnertime.
So - little by little it will all get done.

nite.

Ladies and Gentlemen

Weighing in at 16 pounds wearing the white trunks in this corner

BABY NICHOLAS

Weighing in at 6 pounds wearing the black trunks in this corner

CHLOE THE POMERANIAN

Chloe the Pomeranian won by default when baby Nicholas became too sleepy to stay awake until the 15th round.

Happy Sunday

I love Sunday.

Today was a good one.

Did a photo shoot of D. to mark his 2nd year.

The photo below won't make the final cut,

but it sure had me laughing.

Little as he is he came down that big, red slide

knowing that he could trust his mommy and daddy to catch him.

But check out that little bit of caution.

Arms spread, feet trying to brace for a stop.

I just love it.
Here is one that I will be showing them.

I love this one too.

I did one more today, but can't show anything yet.

The dad set it up as a surprise for the mom,

but will show as soon as I can.

I loved them too.

But wait!

I didn't tell you about our SNL yet.

It was pretty uneventful,

we just hung out.

I loved that too.

My new friend, June, sent this today. It's a shot of the group I was with for Audrey Woulard's photo workshop last weekend in Chicago. What an inspiring group of inviduals! The talent this group has is incredible. See that big white carpet in the foreground? That was our one and only rule for the weekend. We couldn't walk on it with shoes on. By Sunday afternoon we were eating pizza on it.

Off to bed.

Another Happy Sunday over with.

Hope yours was as good as mine.

Ready, set, BOUNCE

Spring is finally here.

The grass is a soft green carpet,

perfect for little girls to run barefoot.

Chloe loves to play with little P. in her backyard. This cutie (P's baby sister) is too little for the bouncey balls,

but she certainly is mobile and makes herself heard this year.

P. has the prettiest smile - it goes all the way to her eyes.

Okay - here they go.......

bounce..........
bounce............
bounce..............
and rest.

I've been negligent in blogging since coming home from Chicago.

Just busy working on business stuff..............

like my new website!

It should be up and running within a week - if I can figure out all this html stuff.

(Again, I long for the days of film and plain old business cards).

This Saturday's adventure was going to be a moonlight hike at Klondike Park.

It's an old quarry that looks like a white, sandy beach - beautiful.

But, we have so much cloud coverage that we wouldn't be able to see

and I don't want to walk in the path of any little reptiles that

are out after dark. Maybe next month we'll get to go.

Welcome little one

My good friends were blessed with this precious little boy this week.
He has a head full of red hair and a very proud, very pretty big sister. Congratulations Mandy, Jeremy, Taylor, Vic and Lisa!

Hey Lucy, I'm Home!

We got back from Chicago late this evening and I'll be glad to get into my own bed (even though we had a heavenly bed at the Allegro). It's always good to be back home.

I'm not going to be too wordy tonight, but wanted to share a few of my favorite shots from this weekend. They are in no order whatsoever because I am too tired, so I'll add them to my flickr page in the next couple of days.

I would like to say that Audrey Woulard is the most down to earth person I've met in a very long time. And SMART! She is one smart lady. Kind, generous, insightful, and many more adjectives that I cannot think of because of the hour. I had a fabulous time at her workshop, part of it being attributed to the wonderful people that were there with me. I feel like I now have 17 new friends. What a talented group they are too. I've added some of their links for you to go look at.

This is the side of a building being torn down. It reminded me of a giant filmstrip.

Here I am in front of Audrey's loft. photo by Teresa Reed

A snail's view of the loft.

Pigeons on LaSalle Street.

Glen & I calling it a night. One last shot in the large mirror in the hotel by the elevators.

The grand staircase at the Allegro.

Is it a fisheye lens? Nope. It's the reflection of the city skyline in the SBC bean at Millennium Park.
Another portrait of me and my pal.
SBC Bean, full view.
The bars stay open until 5am and the taxi's run all night long.
This is the church Glen went to on Sunday morning. He took me by there later that day to show me how beautiful it was. I especially loved the crucifix on the front of the building.

Just caught my eye.
This is underneath the SBC Bean, smack in the center looking up. It made you a bit dizzy walking through it.
This shot was taken by Teresa. We were so lucky to have found a new couple to call our friends. She was a delightful to be with and her Joe gave Glen a run for his money. Probably a good thing those two live in different cities.
I was AMAZED at this clever fixture. A vertical tissue spindle.

Even a man could change the roll.

I call this "When opportunity knocks, open the door". The entrance to Audrey's loft.

The Firing Squad. This was one of our field trips. See that alley in the background? That's the backdrop for many of Audrey's infamous portrait sessions.
Another snail's eye view of the loft building.
Glen kept a watchful eye on me as I wandered the city streets taking some night shots.
Anywhere, USA, late at night (but really, it is Wells Street)
nite.

Headed for the Windy City

I'm heading to Chicago to attend Audrey Woulard's photo workshop.
I've been waiting to do this for two years and can't tell you how excited I am.
Last week while going through a shelf of "memories" in the basement, I ran across a treasure chest. The treasure was hundreds of slides that I had taken during the time I was taking photography classes so they go all the way back to 1980. That's how long I've had a love affair with SLR's. It is still going strong.
So I'll leave you with a few of my favorites that I had put onto slides. At $1/slide it's going to take some time to get them all transferred, but it will be worth it. I can't believe I don't have prints of these......
My precious little chicks circa 1984 One of my first "assignments" circa 1979
Daddy, the fisherman, showing his girls how to catch the big ones circa 1983
Happy weekend!