Hoping you had a happy Turkey Day

Boooo (does it have an "h" on the end?)

Hmmm. I actually really liked the FIRST one. Super-duper-teenie-bopper, low-budget and all. Actor-Edward grew on me, the music got me, and it made me happy to see that fun book in film. Everyone said the second one was even better.

Blackhhhccccgggg. Turns out I was so disappointed. I knew the first time around I was SO bummed at the choice for Bella. But I guess I could handle it for one movie. This time I was overwhelmed by my lack-of-love for Kristen Stewart. I think it should have been the cute girl from Gilmore girls, or just a no-name that was cuter, more endearing, not so pointy-like and droopy-eyed. Between her and Robert I was sure they would fall asleep at any moment. Just look up! I wanted to scream. Almost there... his eyes... getting warmer...

It almost ruined it for me, her down-cast-eyes staring at his overly pink vampire lips. And that you-know-what 'tension' that gets a little old even in the book and is WAY worse watching these two little teenage actors.... and then there was Jacob's feminine voice. Geeze louise.

Thank goodness for Jessica and her under-breath rants... she was my favorite by far.

Hhhhhhhh ....... I miss the Edward and Bella I knew and loved in print...maybe there's hope with the next two.... but I'm feeling doubtful. Sad and doubtful.

On my Christmas List

The watch. Not the gorgeous, perfectly blond long hair, or big lips and model-smile, or tiny post-two-baby frame of this beautiful girl at the Baby Naming from last weekend. No I keep a reasonable list. The watch.

And get this--- it's by Swatch Watch. Like the brand we knew when we were 9. Which means it's like 120 bucks. I LOVE it.

Now we'll just wait and see if :

a: Santa brings it

b: It looks nearly as cute on a wrist that's twice as big.

Nov 19th--- HER day.

And then I'll go to Disneyland---

Today I'm two and lucky.

Just one that's catching my eye so far...

Off to Disney tomorrow... Let the festivities begin!--- just wanted to post one from a recent shoot I'm still working on before I took off. This is Emma--- leopard print, curly haired, darling Emma. More lata-- I keep nodding off and then my head jolts, waking me back up like it did when I was up too late in college--- I think it's because the remote is tucked too tightly in Ross' armpit while he sleeps on the couch and I'm too lazy to get up and wriggle it out... so I'm stuck with sports center instead of something more.... cool, and less...... manish.

Lovely right?

There are two walls in my house that are ever-changing.... haven't managed to get anything I love there--- so nothing sticks. I'm thinking one of these might do the trick. I had in my head that something like this would cost me an-anthropologie-fortune.... more specifically like $2800. But that's just bananas. And no amount of picture-money-that-Ross-doesn't-ask-questions-about ;) could have justified that to me in the end. As much as I sort of hoped it could.

So I looked elsewhere and was shocked to find these options from Target and Urban Outfitters for between $4-600! Which is your fave? I'm not sure if I could pull off the orange one on the wall I'm referring to since it's so close to my grey/blue living room.... but I LOVE it, and maybe if it doesn't work there I could just put it at the foot of my bed--- but then I love that blue one in the photo with the wood floors---(if only I had those and the white walls instead of tan tile and tan walls.... one thing at a time), love the green too, and who couldn't use a great b/w print somewhere? Oh I don't know. help?

I've always wanted to order one for myself and haven't gotten around to it...

... so it was so fun to open up an email from Mollie, a recent client, with this this picture attached ... to get to see one of my photos stretched on canvas. Now I'm just waiting to get that perfect shot of my girls that's worthy of it...

Thanks for giving me the peek, Mollie!

Just another manic monday.... ohhhoohooh...

(Just wanted to throw a photo up, and this is one of my favorites from the last shoot I blogged.)

Did the Baby Naming party in San Diego on Saturday and it was UN-believable. The decor, food, ceremony, PEOPLE (are all Jewish people SO beautiful?!) I remembered the tight-knit group I went to high school with were classy and lovely, a few of which were there... but had never seen so many in one room. I only wish I'd had an outfit that was both comfortable enough for shooting, and cute enough to not stick out like a big, tall, blond, sore thumb in long gauchos. Ugh.

So now I just need to get through a few more family shoots before I can take the time to peruse the photos and HOPE I did that party justice! And until then, you'll just have to be in suspense. But I'll give you one hint: animal print seat covers. Done RIGHT.

Also? I convinced Lizzie and Rachelle to come with me and do a big Ikea run together after the Baby-Naming, so I've got some before and after projects.... ahead. Who knows how far. Maybe somewhere after the hooks for hanging tutus I bought on my last ikea run, or the rehanging of Mila's too-long curtains, or the that chair reupholstering I started a few months back. :) I just keep forgetting to pick up a staple gun, and maybe it looks too close to fine to me, draped and stapled haphazardly in my living room as IF it were done. Just maybe.

Did I mention we're going to Disneyland this week?! We're seeing Lacy and Joe in THREE days. Countdown on.

Oh and just so you know what I get to work on today--- here is one of the kids in this little family with four. The hair? You can imagine my joy. And yeah--- they're ALL that cute. And stylish.

What came to my mind NOW.

- We have cloud cover today and it makes me feel all warm and tingly.

- I'm so happy to have NOTHING official on my schedule today besides preschool pick-up. It's been a busy week.

- Something happened to me after kids where I cry-- a little bit-- all the time. If ever it seems I should say something out loud, but instead, I'm quiet, pretend to be clearing my throat or something, I'm really choking down a cry. It happens at the most ridiculous times... and I'm not talking like Zales or EPT commercials... those are givens. No. no,no. More like children's books, ALL hymns at church, and lessons from zee on noggin. I'm talking like me on the elliptical at the gym with ANY book that has any KIND of a powerful moment (happy, sad, exciting, ANYTHING but boring... me - on elliptical- sobbing quietly--- it gets even harder to control it when my body's exhausted at the same time- if ever you catch me running outside with my kids- a rare occasion-- there's a good chance my mind has wandered to something to make me cry. Don't be alarmed.) Or me in my car with Mylie Cyrus' new "party in the usa" song on the radio. I know right? Are you scratching your head? Because it's not sad-- and I can't even stand her. But apparently she just speaks to me with all of the nodding and the hip-moving ... it must be hard to be a prematurely-rich, arrogant, country-girl in LA with butterflies. Or at least my hormones think so.

- NO I'm not pregnant. The crying has been a problem since I had Sophia. I think my hormones are permanently altered. Altered to make me look weak and vulnerable-- I'm still trying to figure out why that would be part of the plan.

- Is it "legal" to listen to Christmas music yet? Because we are. And again... with the warm and tingly. Oh I love this time of year.

- Thanksgiving is at my house this year with my fam-- too bad I haven't had any time to get my house ready. So many plans and dreams!

- Ooh but I did paint Sophia's lamp bases turquoise the other day and I'm LOVING them. One of the many before/afters I plan on blogging eventually.

- Lacy and Joe come in ONE WEEK--- and all the fun starts at Disney Land! It happens to be on Mila's b-day, so I can't decide if that's the celebration, or if I still want cupcakes and presents.... hmmm....

- This Saturday I'm photographing a big Jewish Baby-Naming in San Diego. I'm nervous. Sometimes I hate that I have to pretend I'm not nervous or SUPER self-critical on this blog for fear that clients will see it. And then I'm embarrassed to even use the word "clients" on this blog for fear my friends will see it and think I'm taking myself too seriously. And then I keep thinking about how my mom told me she stopped caring what people thought by the time she was 30... and I figure I've got a longer ways to go than I'd like in this next year and a half.

- Should I grow my hair long or keep it short? Any opinions -- (refer to bullet above-- still cut my hair for the approval of others)?

- Was any of this worth writing... not sure... but no time to reconsider...

PUBLISH.

Just a link to my newest set of blonde beauties...

Check 'em out here.

I need to record more of this stuff:

Yesterday I sat on the bench outside during Mila's nap reading Catching Fire while Sophia jumped on the trampoline. She came to the edge and sat with her legs dangling through the springs staring at me.

"Mom, Heavenly Father gave me to you--- you SUuuuuuuuuuuuuRE are lucky."

She's one smart cookie.

Halloween

So Ross' sister Brooke and her family came out to spend Halloween with us, which was SO fun. It made the whole weekend feel like a party. We started with carving pumpkins... (or at least A pumpkin - thanks to tradition-keeper-Ross) and then did chili and cornbread before launching the mayhem that was huge-group-trick-or-treating-in-a-neighborhood-with-no-streetlights-or sidewalks. We were joined by the Smiths, Lamms, Terry's, and both Homecs, we hit our stride, made a loop, got tons of loot, and ended with dessert at our house. Somehow the stars aligned and all of the kids were so occupied by their candy and the trampoline in the dark, that we actually got MINUTES on end of grown up time. It's the little things, you know?

Funny how I think I'd written off Halloween at like 14. But then I had kids and it was reborn. There's just something pretty special about seeing the joy on their faces with every drop in their candy bucket. They have this way you know? They make everything a little harder, but a lot sweeter. Overall, I'm thinking it's a good deal.

Oh and because I think I want to be done with Halloween blogging... (well unless I get the pictures back from kodi's camera and there are any good ones of my girls in costume since I couldn't manage to snap a photo before the sun went down and I have no pop-up flash)... here are the ones from preschool on the day of the carnival.

Mila dressed up as Belle just to wear something easy, but if you haven't been able to figure it out, both of my girls were peacocks, also know as colorful birds. It was the only thing Sophia would tell me she wanted to be every time I asked (a colorful bird that is)... so I went with it. We tried to mimic the PB one-- but secretly, I thought mine would be way cuter. I forgot that I'm not really crafty and that the felt feathers I made would have to be secured to the tutu. When the fabric glue didn't work, I resorted to staples... which... resulted in random feathers decorating the streets. Oh well. At least I got a really great photo first so all my hard work wasn't for nothing. Oh wait....

lame.