Whew Wee, crazy weeks. I have photoshoots coming out of my photoshoots.

I am shooting at Parky's farm this Saturday for a birthday party. I am a little nervous with outdoor lighting there because of the harsh sun and lack of trees around the ponies where I will be. I will have to get creative with it I suppose. I hope I don't get kicked by the horse trying to get a good shot. Wouldn't that be something?

Still no job for Steve. We are keeping our chins up about it though. We paid school off for this coming year and our van is almost paid off. I have made up for all of Steve's salary difference from unemployment with photography so far. So, we will see.

I have a friend (who has never read this blog..) who left her husband 2 weeks ago. It was tough. It was especially tough because I am friends with both of them. I was kinda relieved when he cancelled his Facebook. She sent me a text a few weeks before her baby was born saying she needed to leave him. Then, when I contacted her through IM, she said that he had gotten very verbally abusive and was now hitting her. She said it was not enough to hurt the baby but that the stress was too much for the baby. She ended up delivering early and the baby weighed 4 pounds. She is so sweet though and healthy. Then I got a text saying she was gone. I am struggling so much with how much I should help her with money. Only because I am worried also about us in the future. Obviously, a few bucks won't help her much right now. She needs full funding!! She does have others helping and she has every intention of trying to reconcile her marriage. She just needed to get out before he hurt her or the baby. It was so sad. She is such a hard working woman who just graduated college (she went back). So, I am praying about that and how I can help. She has only been married a year this past April. So, the wedding pictures haven't even all been ordered. It is sad.

I am so thankful for how much I am still learning with photography. I can see a difference with every shoot. I am always learning something new. We changed our pricing now with CC so I should feel a little less stressed. I changed how many pics I will edit. I couldn't bring myself to take less but SOMEONE very smart thought of the idea to edit less not take less. That way I still have back ups. Best advice I got. You know who you are SMARTY PANTS. So, we made several changes based on our 8 panel research group..ha. They gave me their ideas and I figured it out finally. So, thank you to all who helped. I truly believe that by the time my kids graduate from high school, I will be really great at photography to the point of being able to do only that and have vacations and stuff with my family which would be amazing. I never get time off with this job.

That is it for now!! Have a great August..almost.

Hello everyone!
We got bad news one week ago. Steve lost his job again. It was totally not his fault. He started the last part of March and within a few weeks, his boss was fired. Then, last week they announced that they were shutting down both Cincinnati warehouses and that everyone would be gone. They offered him a job in PA but of course that wouldn't work. The big guy who came in to tell them, explained that his former boss (the fired guy) didn't do things very well and they weren't even aware of all the problems. So, here we are again.
I feel pretty good about it overall. I worry of course about the long term effects. I worry about my marriage which has already become weak by the pressures of the things in life besides money. I worry about adding more work load to me when I am already overwhelmed. I worry about our children and especially their education which I could not happier with and want to afford for years to come. So, there is worry but I do feel that MOST of my choices have been with my eyes set on God and His desires so I will be okay. Steve and I talked a little bit about our issues yesterday and I feel like I know now what our big difference is. Even though I feel totally different than he does about where my energies should be focused while my babies are little, I have to start giving him more of me which is all he wants. So, I am making an effort to do it regardless of my own selfish desires. I know we can live like this for years to come as I do not believe either of us would give up on our marriage, but we don't have to. I need to give my husband more of what I give to others. It is that simple. I am starting today...or tomorrow. No, today. Well, last night at 2 flippin am...ha.
Photography is doing well and I still have not advertised in about 9 months. Even then it was once or twice on craigslist.
I have been reading blogs like mad but apparently I am the only one. You all need to update.
Well, that is all for today....thanks for reading!

Since my clients can't see this I decided to post a couple of my recent shoot pics that I like. I thought theri idea to bring a basket was a great one!

THANK YOU FRIEND: A POEM

Thank You for being my friend

Thanks for refusing to be the friend I thought I needed

The friend who always tells me Yes
The friend who "supports" every decision
The friend who is petrified to upset me

Thank you for having the courage to stand up to me FOR me

Thank you for your discernment for weapon words like "judgement" and "criticism" as ways to shut you up before you cab help

Thank you for taking the harder route, the longer route, the unpopular route so that I could truly see what was impossible for me to see alone

Thank you for suggesting other avenues instead of praising all of mine
Thank you for loving me enough to risk the very friendship that you rely upon as well

Thank you for standing strong upon your beliefs when so many friends become whomever I want them to be without an ounce of authenticity

Thank you for loving me and respecting me without changing for me
Thank you for giving me the security of knowing I can trust exactly what you say
Thank you for being a the same person every single moment of our friendship

Thank you for changing my life by being my friend in bad times and good..I love you

I want to show SOMEONE the first few finished wedding pics I have done but the couple is in Mexico and I can't share them on Fb because they are on there and I don't have their permission. I love this wedding we did. It was the easiest by far..we are just getting so much more comfortable! The pictures are great. I am so pleased with them so far. We took 1700 and I am on number 467 so I have a long week ahead.

GREAT WOLF LODGE

THIS HAS BEEN TAKEN..THANK YOU


So, here is the deal. I booked 2 rooms for 2 nights for GWL for June 4 & 5 because I was hoping Jody could come and stay the whole weekend (this was before I booked this past weekend). I found out after that Rob is graduating from college on the 5th so they couldn't come. I then decided to keep both rooms because people are always asking me to get the "deal" for them. So, I asked Kim because she was super interested in the rooms at that rate but her daughter has a softball tourney that weekend and she would be gone for all of Saturday making it not worth it. I am able to cancel just the one room and I am about to but I wanted to make sure none of you wanted the deal first. I thought of 3 of you bloggers! So, here are all the details and if you are interested, write or call me as soon as you figure out you are, please.
I will cancel the room by Friday if none of you want to rent it.

You will have a Kid Cabin Suite to yourself/family. I will be arriving at check in time (1pm) with my sons a couple of friends of theirs as a special last day of school party weekend/thing. I will pay for both rooms for both nights as it is all in my name. Once I pay for the rooms, I will get the armbands (6) for each room. You will no longer need me for anything. You would have your armbands which get you into everything including your room. They have a sensor that opens your doors. So, you would not need to hang with us or do anything with us. We will probably be side by side in our rooms but you are not obligated to do anything with us. You have everything you need until check out.

The problem lies in that if you cancel at the last minute, I am in real trouble. If you decide you want to do this, you have to take responsibility for the cost of the room even if something arises at the last minute just as you would if you had booked it.

Here is the description and price straight from the website for that weekend.

KidCabin Suite with Balcony/Patio
The KidCabin suite features an in-suite cabin-themed sleeping area for the kids with a bunk bed, a day bed and their own TV. In the main portion of the suite the adults have a queen bed, a full-size sofa-sleeper, corner gas fireplace, and another 27" TV. This suite includes a private balcony or patio.
Base Occupancy: 6
Maximum Occupancy: 7
Average Nightly Rate*:$339.99

If you chose to have more people than 6, than you have to pay another $25 for another wristband. If you are interested, please contact me and I will give you the full price I pay with taxes. We know the exact amount because we always get this room. You will just need to write me a check for the 2 nights and tax when you arrive.

The reason we feel that it is worth it for a whole weekend is that we never leave the lodge once we arrive. We check in on Friday and leave on Sunday. It feels SOOOO much like a Disney vacation or the like. You feel like you have flown or driven very far to get away. You forget you are still in Ohio.

If you need a reminder as to everything there is to do there, check out my review of the place which gives a lot of info about it. Click the here below.
HERE

So, anyway, I do not need anyone to go but I thought if someone wanted an opportunity to get this rate, they have it now. I tried my best to find this rate without going through my friend. HIGH AND LOW I checked. It just isn't out there. The best I have heard of is what Carrie got and that was for a Sunday night or week day rate. So, let me know. I have a college friend that I will email if I do not hear form any of you. Then I will just cancel the one room.