Quick Update....

Just a quick post to let you'll know where things are.....the drywall is getting finished this weekend!!! I can't explain how excited I am - this means that next week I can start to:

Clean, clean, CLEAN
Prime and Paint - the entire house
Install my fridge, microwave and stove
Apply the back splash in the kitchen
Get all the light fixtures installed
Tile the shower in both bathrooms
Install the stool and sink cabinets in both bathrooms
Install the kitchen/dining room ceiling - excited about this can't wait to share pics
Clean, clean, CLEAN some more
Wash all my dishes and put them in the cabinets
Remove the last of the carpeting and try to clean the hard wood (sanding it in the spring) - any suggests to remove carpet/padding marks without sanding are appreciated
Clean out the fireplace and haul a couple loads of wood - starting to get cool here
and then start MOVING IN!!

Time left before my first house guest arrives: 20 days
In that time I also have to get 5 more sessions already shot edited (one of which is a wedding with LOTS of pictures), attend and take a few pic's of a friends wedding next week, 7 photo sessions to shoot(which of course all need to be edited for possible Christmas gifts) and I'm decorating a wedding Nov 20th with fresh flower arrangements- only 40 tables, no biggie! Plus basketball has begun so I 'have' to attempt to attend as many games as possible every Tuesday and Thursday night.

This post isn't meant as a complaint in any way, shape or form - I'm LOVING life!

Magazine Covers!

Katie's softball coach contacted me about creating magazine covers for the girls on her team (I'd been to several of the games and she knew I had pictures of all the girls). While making them for Katies team I also did one for Matthew.

You can see Katie's team HERE!

House Update: Week 1

In the first week of home ownership, this is what's been accomplished:

1) carpet removed from bedroom/future dining room
2) closet & wall between kitchen and bedroom is GONE (Dad did this - he's decided he's good at tearing things up!)
3) kitchen cabinets have 1+ coats of paint (still working on the doors & drawers - ran out of paint)
4) sliding glass door between the sun room/entry and living room is gone - very odd spot for a door, not sure why they had it there
5) garage was sprayed out with the power washer (needs done again at least once - still a strong smell of oil - previous owner worked on garden tractors/lawn mowers and wasn't real neat about spillage of oil)
6) closet and 1/2 bathroom between 2 bedrooms has been demolished down to the studs
7) new kitchen faucet installed
8) new fridge made it safely inside the house

I know I should have pictures but they're at home and I'm not! I'll try to get a Part 2 to this post tonight with pictures of the progress. Plus we still have 2 & 1/2 weeks left of summer ball. I have tons of pictures to get edited & posted from ball season this year and a wedding to decorate and photograph this weekend, plus four other sessions to get edited......UGH, I think I need a vacation!

Since every post 'should' have a picture, here are a few from a bridal shower I shoot several weeks back. You can see more on my PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG!.

Super cute favors - note pads and pink or orange Sharpies


Part of the foods spread (all prepared by her parents)

Stay Tuned....

I have a big announcement coming next week so stay tuned!!
After this announcement I'll be posting more to my blog too.

Life's been hectic as usual. Junior high track ended about a week ago, of course summer baseball has already been practicing for a month now. Every Sesser team kicks off the season with a home game next Saturday, May 29th. So if you're in the area, drop by the new fields you're bound to find at least one relative of mine there (oh yah, Sesser has 4 new ball fields wooo hooo!!!). I'll be the one behind the camera if you have trouble locating me! I have two nephews (Johnathon and Matthew) and one neice (Katie) playing ball this year. Have absolutely no idea how many cousins, if I happen to see them there great - but don't plan to hunt them all down.

I'm determined to get the pictures from baseball edited quickly and posted to my client viewing website.... http://pfphotography.zenfolio.com in the sports section. Be sure to check out the 1st grade basketball if you haven't seen them already. I'll have this years school junior high baseball posted on the client viewing website soon along with the basketball pictures from this year. Next year I'm not going to take 8000 junior high basketball pictures, they take FOREVER to edit. Speaking of that I've been checking out a few seminars that teach more efficient post editing procedures, I need this training in the worst way. If anyone that reads my blog knows of a good seminar to attend pertaining to this let me know.

I'll get pics posted soon from the Steak & Jazz night (Johnathon plays baritone), Chorus Spring concert and Band Spring concert. Tonight is the junior high awards banquet. I thought about skipping it but was specifically asked if I was going to be there to get pictures of him accepting his awards, so I guess I'm going after all. Sunday night is baccalaureate at the high school and graduation is Thursday. I have a cousin graduating and I'm decorating a party at the church for the 9 seniors from Hazel Dell (one of which is my cousin).

Well, I think that's about all I have to report right now. Burned my thumb on hot glue last night making silk floral arrangements for headstones. Since today is Grandma's birthday I did arrangements in none other than PINK for the two urns on her headstone and did matching arrangements for my dad's parents. Grandma's is getting one of the pink flamingo yard stakes from her birthday party that I still have. Also did red,white&blue arrangements for Shane Wheatley and Grandpa Shurtz for next weekend (Memorial Day). Johnathon will be marching with the band from the 4-way stop in Sesser out to the cemetery. I'll be sure to take pictures of the headstone for those living away from here who haven't seen it yet.

The Mundstocks

Check out my photograhy blog , just click HERE to see the rest of their wedding pictures!

Anxiety!

I'm having slight separation anxiety, okay it might be a little more than 'slight'!! When we were in Peoria for the boys state basketball playoffs, my bag fell off the chair and crashed onto the concrete floor. This wouldn't have been a big deal except for the fact that my 24-70mm lens was in my bag and now it won't turn (change focal length). So I sent it in to get fixed which won't cost me a whole lot but they're estimating 4 weeks before I get it back UUUUUGGGGHHHHH I don't think I can go 4 weeks without my most favorite lens in the whole wide world.

I was forced to use a prime lens on my most recent session which turned out well, but I miss my lens. I had to move all over the place to get the shots I wanted instead of just sliding my lens to the focal length that I wanted :( If you've ever used this lens you understand totally and completely what I'm talking about and if you haven't, well you're missing out on one good lens!

So while depressed and feeling sorry for myself I went looking at my WISH LIST again. If anyone would like to ever buy me a gift I'd like the lens on the left Nikon 400mm, 2.8f for a measly $9,000!

If this is too much the one on the right will do, Nikon 300mm 2.8f for the bargain price of $5,200. I'll be extremely grateful for either!

Sesser-Valier 1st Grade is Undefeated!

I got to rise and shine early this Saturday morning to attend a basketball game/tourney for the Sesser-Valier Devils 1st Graders and I thought my bleacher days had ended for the season....well, here is the events of the morning.

If you like to see more pictures from the game (there's only about 300 of them) be sure to check out my photography website - just click here.

Matthew had stole the ball from Waltonville (he's #2 by the way)

Oops, he doesn't quite have that dribble thing down yet and ran past the ball.

Defense, Defense

The one smiling in the front is Matt's buddy Michael E. Not sure what Michael found so amusing but he smiled through most of the game.

What more is there to say?
He was running so hard he couldn't stop and ran into his own player :D


Rebound....
Go Matthew Go

If you remember the pictures of Johnathon playing basketball, well I guess the tongue thing is an inherited trait - notice below that Matt's is sticking out.
Stole the ball

Wild dribble and lost the ball....
Give it to me, give it to me
They are only first graders and can't dibble well therefore they let the kids literally carry the ball. The ref's were really only there to make sure they're going in the right direction. Yet Matthew managed to get multiple fouls called on him.....hmmmmm

Not sure what this move is called
Celebrating Michael E (one of his best buds) breakaway lay-up. Good Job Michael!

......and the awards - each child received a metal (Sesser won both games!!)
Your victorious 1st grade Devils!
Great Job today Matthew and congrats on your two wins!

At least Seven AM!

I was really hoping to sleep until at least 7am this morning. But of course on the last day of my '4-day holiday' I'm awake at 5:45 as normal (I technically worked on Friday since the early bird shopping was for door prizes for my work Christmas party and since I had to rise from bed at 2:45 to do that shopping - it's definitely considered 'work').

I convinced myself to lay still in bed thinking maybe I'd fall back asleep - NOPE. My mind started to run through everything I'd like to accomplish today so I gave in and got up. Here it is almost seven now and I'm on my second cup of coffee, I have Photoshop open with pictures up and ready to be edited, and I'm almost done with my farming chores!

Go DAWGS!!

I had photo sessions yesterday and didn't get to attend the first round Saluki playoff game, but Dad and Johnathon went. Of course since the Dawgs won and will be playing at home again next weekend Johnathon is pretty sure he needs to go to that game also - we'll see! Dad's having carpel tunnel surgery on his hand on Thursday, but he's pretty sure he'll be okay to go to the game also.

Nothing much new to report, I've had 7 photo sessions this week. Feast or Famine - although I can't say that I've had a week since oh say March that I haven't had at least 3-4 things to do for either photography or decorating (which isn't a bad thing)!

Many people have decided to do pictures for Christmas this year and with Christmas quickly approaching, it's not like I'm on a deadline to get edits done or anything. I have two sessions this afternoon which are both primarily inside sessions - I don't have the room to keep a backdrop set up and practice with the lighting so inside shoots make me nervous. The bad thing with Christmas sessions is that most people want them to be gifts/surprises for family members so it'll be after the holidays before I can even post them on my website. I'd hate to be the one to spoil the surprise for someone!

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving and survived the madness of Black Friday (Arielle and I did!). I have most of my Christmas purchased now, actually purchased most of it online before the official holiday shopping season even started. Well I need another cup of coffee and those edits aren't going to happen without me.

Edits Edits and more Edits!

Amy & Heather - Hawaiian Luau 2006

I've been sitting at the computer literally all day long working on spreadsheets for work that I have to have done by 9am Monday morning and editing pictures. I've tried to go back and forth between the two as to not fry my brain on either at any one given point. In case you missed it I did say ALL day, yes my rear is officially flat!

I have determined that I take way too many pictures at one setting. For instance at the basketball game Thursday night I put in an empty 4gb flash card and when I walked out of the gym I had a whooping 18 pictures left on the card - that means I took well over 300 pictures at the game! Now multiply that by 25-30 games......I'll let you do the math, I've shut down my spreadsheets for the night. I just know it's too many pictures to keep up with edits on a timely basis. Now if I didn't have to work, those edits would be a breeze.

On a good note my cousin called and I heard my phone ringing and was able to answer and talk which ended our two week long phone tag! HOORAY! I had a great chat with her tonight, well talking on the phone for over an hour isn't really just a chat but you get the point. I soooooo wish she lived closer to me. She actually understands my frustrations, sarcasm and warped sense of humor. We have similar likes and dislikes which makes our complaints and gossip that much more fun. If I didn't know better I'd think we're related :) I haven't got to see her recently, hopefully she'll get to come for a visit soon. If not I may have to make a trip to VA, hey when is your next wedding shoot - that would just be too much fun!!

Well since it's after midnight I guess I'd better give the computer a rest and get some sleep. I need to continue working on the edits from a wedding & start the edits from a family session tomorrow along with finishing up the spreadsheets for work, edit the basketball pics and I'm taking pics of a Sesser senior in the early afternoon. Piece of Cake!

Check out Dreanna

Be sure to check out Dreanna's pictures on my photography blog!

My other blogs

Be sure to check out my photography blog and decorating blog.
I was able to get a few new posts up today!

Here's a sneak peak at the photography blog!

Congrats to Cousins

Very special congratulations to Jeff and Mary on the arrival of their son

Benjamin Martin Patchett

I stole the pic below from their blog.....he sure looks a lot like his father but we won't hold that against him, he's still a cutie! He entered the world on Easter morning.

Another cousin has started a blog (YAHHHHH) and got her first post up today.

Check out Heather's blog and show some love. She's starting a photography business in Virginia, I'm thinking PF Photography needs to branch out to other states....then when she moves back to SoIL she won't have to change her business name and we can kick some major photo butt together. We already have the same camera and can share equipment/lenses, I think the flamingo founder would get a real kick out of that.

I posted a few pictures from Lindsey's bridal shower today on my decorating blog. It was upstairs in the Sesser Opera House and catered by Dyel's catering (delicious of course). My only job was to decorate the tables.

I gave her a thin canvas print from their engagement photo session last weekend. Love the thin canvas prints. They're only about 1/4 inch wide and have foam blocks on the back for mounting them to a wall which makes it stand out about an inch from the wall.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way they look hung.

I just watched Desperate Housewife's and got a little teary eyed at the end. I somewhat knew what was going to happen but it still got me a little choked up. Now I'm watching In Plain Sight, super excited it's finally back on. Caught up with an old friend from the McDonald's day a few minutes ago on FaceBook - be sure to look me up if you have an account.