New pics!

You know how I put the ad on Craigslist for free senior pictures? Well, I've had several people contact me about this and actually had a photo session Saturday morning. I couldn't have asked for a better model! This girl was beautiful and really knew how to pose. She was one of those people that looks really good when she doesn't smile. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous about doing the session beforehand. But I think the pictures turned out really nice - I was very very pleased. I did some more reading up and fiddling with my camera after I took my niece's pictures and it really seemed to pay off. So, just click on my flickr box to the right to see the new pics...they are in the Seniors batch mixed with my niece's. Let me know what you think of them...I really appreciate comments in flickr!

My website

Well, it's not great, but I'm ready to show my new website, www.sweetportrayal.com. It's for my photography "business." If you look at it, please ignore all the ads, and focus on my site - it costs too much for now to go ad-free.
Now, don't think I see myself as a professional because of this. I really just created the site so that I could use it to find some subjects to practice on. Since we dont't have many friends here, and no family members here, willing subjects are hard to find. So I posted an ad for free senior pictures on Craigslist. But of course, you can't post an ad asking people to let you take pictures of them without letting them see that you're not totally untalented...although I have seen some people post their "portfolio's" and they look like something I took when I was a kid. It's like they say, "better to stay quiet and let people wonder if you're an idiot than to open your mouth and remove all doubt"(or something like that). I just hope that people that tell me my pictures look good are telling me the truth, because somebody had to have told the other people that posted their portfolios that they looked good too. Well, I have to learn somehow...and I havent had any luck finding a good course yet, so I guess for now I will just be reading and practicing as much as I can.

Gracie pictures

 
This one's cute too! I know, they're basically the same.

 
I found this picture of Gracie today that I had taken over Labor Day weekend when I was taking my neice's pictures.
What a pretty, happy baby, don't you think?

Big news! Well, for me...

I have big news to report:
Jonathan finally pooped on the potty!!!
I know, big deal, he's 3 and half years old, he sure as well better be doing that by now. Actually he has been scared to death of pooping in the potty. So this is a big deal that he actually did it once. Hopefully its not just a fluke!

In other news, I have been learning html. I was working on making a website all weekend. I am not ready to show it yet, but one day I will reveal the address.

Rock-a-bye baby

My little baby girl broke my heart tonight when she indeliberately showed me how neglected she is.

It was bedtime, and I had just put Jonathan in bed and placed Gracie in her crib. As usual, Jonathan began to cry at his door, "Mommy, I want to rock-a-bye baby..."

So, as usual, I opened the door to his room and let him out into the open loft area, which also serves as Gracie's "bedroom," where I sat in the rocking chair beside Gracie's crib and began to rock him and sing to him, "Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop..."

I looked over at Gracie as I was singing and there she was, standing in her crib, rocking side to side in complete sync with the rocking chair, watching as I sang to Jonathan.

I laughed at the sight of it and stopped rocking, calling my husband to come watch.

As I started rocking again, she began to slowly sway and eventually synced up with the rocking chair.

After getting past the initial shock and humor of it, I realized that my poor overlooked second child had learned to mimic being rocked by her mommy!!

How sad!!! But still cute...in a sad way...

Really, what this says to me, once I think about it, is that I have two different children, who have two different personalities.
Gracie is quiet, independent, resourceful, self-reliant, strong, and determined.
Jonathan is charismatic, outspoken, loving, stubborn, and non-conforming.
Nature or Nurture?

Or is the question Baby or Preschooler?

Quote of the day

"For heaven’s sakes, I mean, can’t you have a traditional woman who is also a — you know, a beauty queen and is a governor? What’s the matter?" - Pat Buchanan

One thing I love about Sarah Palin - she's not trying to be a man...

Some interesting articles about the interview with Sarah Palin last night:
ABC edits out Palin Objection to Holy War question
Bush Doctrine Question


And a cute picture of Gracie:

Catching up

As usual, so much has happened since my last post. Last Wednesday Jonathan went for his first visit to the dentist and he did remarkably well. He let them clean his teeth with no problems. Unfortunately, he has to get some caps on some back teeth. The dentist reassuringly told me that it wasnt because of not brushing...it was more genetic. Come to think of it, maybe that's not so reassuring.
Gracie has been getting more of a personality. She is easily walking around things and has started wanting to be walked around by the hands. She took her first step Monday on her own...and fell flat on her forehead. She is a very determined little girl. And she loves to eat. She doesn't want a small crumb that you give her...she wants the whole sandwich!
Last weekend was a bit rough for me. Something to do with not getting what I wanted...and what seems like a betrayal by a friend. Things that I just dont want to talk about. But I think I'm over it. I've thrown my inner tantrum.
And I am delighted to say that I have decided not to turn my back on the Republican party. I was seriously thinking about voting Obama if McCain chose Mitt Romney as VP. Sarah Palin has come to my rescue though and brought me to my senses. She is wonderful. If I were voting purely on personality and character she would get my vote for sure. Even though those are not me motivations for going with her, she (and her sidekick John McCain) get my vote on the issues. Thinking I was going to vote Obama, I listened to his convention speech and realized that there are very few issues that I agree with him on. On the contrary, most of the things the Republicans talked about (once they were finished bashing Obama - tisk tisk/ha ha) were things that I agreed with.
In another post I will highlight everything I like about Palin...but for now, I am going to take a nap. I spent the morning at the zoo with the kids, by myself. And what trip to any place with my kids is not complete with a loud embarrassing screaming and painful fit? Maybe I'll explain later, or maybe not. But for now, I need a nap before the kids wake up!!

Sent from my iPhone

Labor Day weekend

This weekend my sister and her family came to visit. They didn't stay long, but we had a lot of fun while they were here. Well, I had a lot of fun because I got to take some senior pictures for my beautiful niece. She could be a model...she posed herself for most of the pictures. The pictures turned out pretty nice just as I took them, but then I edited them after everyone left. I figured out some stuff with Adobe Photoshop 6.0 and got the pictures looking pretty great actually! Of course, it helped to have such a good-looking subject. I added the flickr link to my sidebar, so you can take a look at some of my favorites if you want!