Thursday, March 15, 2012

Camera Class

I talked a friend of mine at work into the same camera I have. She bought hers at Dodd, and therefore got a free 2 hour camera class on how to work her camera. She was able to bring a guest and she asked me! Our class was last night and I have to say, I learned a lot! It also was nice to have confirmed just how much I have learned on my own since having my camera. I also learned the lense I really need is a $2,500 one. Which considering that falls on the cheaper side, I am ok with that. I also want to get a good macro lense, and my photography bases should be covered. I also want a good tripod and a better bag and I should be set :)

Anyway, I was inspired...

A few pictures from last night..

Playing around in class. The lights were out,that's why it's a little blurry. That is my friend Tiffany :)

Venus and Jupiter. I love the stars and have always wanted a camera that can do night shots and do them well..


My guy :) I was trying out different points of focus in a portrait

Different point of focus, and black and white shooting

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

It's Wednesday already

We had a great weekend, and getting ready to start another one here
shortly. Wow. Time flies. Anyway, Isabella came out to visit up last
weekend and it was a whirlwind of a weekend that started everyday at
6:58am with a high pitched shriek. Ah, two year olds. Finding their
voice. And shattering my good china. Just kidding, I don't own any
good china. Or bad china for that matter.

I loved having her there (and it's so much better when it's not 32
degrees and raining like the end of the world and I am nursing a
REALLY bad hangover like in October when she came out) and Bee is so
adorable with her. We could totally handle having a wee one. Though, I
will be honest, nothing was more relaxing than when she was safely in
her daddy's arms. I got to watch (and take pictures of) Bee's hockey
game, talk with grandma bee, and eat a meal and enjoy it. Ha!

C's very last travel basketball tournament starts tonight in Chardon.
I will be at a camera class though. However, I will be front and
center on Friday. It will be so weird hanging out in the cafeteria
before/after the game knowing three young people lost their lives
right there not 3 weeks ago :( How very sad. I am so very proud of my
Chardon though. They are showing outstanding unity in adversity. I am
also excited to see that they won the "Rock your Prom" contest from
the local radio station!!! They get to have their prom at the House of
Blues venue and I think nationally known acts are going to perform!
Woo!

And finally, I have decided on a second career. Well, I am 98.98897 %
decided. I am meeting with my friend T on Saturday to let her push me
over the fence into the 100% decided arena. She sells Gold Canyon
Candles and does a pretty good racket. She has been trying to recruit
me, hard, for the last 3 months. She says it's easy, they sell
themselves, whatever, whatever. All I know is that she kept her family
going with that little business for a whole year while out of work.
She also got to go on fun trips all expenses paid, and she really
didn't put much "work" into it. So, a little push from me, and I can
get an east $100- $200 extra a month? I'm down. That will pay for
vacations I so badly want to take, my wedding (if and when Bee asks),
and bills and stuff. Also, I have been to every home party there is
(except pure romance...and I soooo want to go to one!) and really,
while I am not a HUGE candle person, and I am cheap as the day is
long, I would rather buy a Gold Canyon candle than it's half priced
counterpart at Walmart. That statement alone is why T has been on me
to sell. Ha!

So that's what I got. What about you?

Friday, March 9, 2012

Friday, Once again.

Woo hoo! This weekend is going to be a fun one!

I am leaving work early to go get my buddle of love! My little niece,
Isabella! She is going to hang out with us this weekend in order to
give mommy and daddy a free weekend to breathe, relax, and maybe
celebrate daddy's birthday :) Isabella is always a fun time, and I
snap up every opportunity to have a wee one in the house. Bee and I
are used to his kids, who are older. We need to be reminded of what it
is like to have a little one about! :)

Tonight we are going to a basketball game. Eastlake North is playing
Willoughby South. It is a HUGE rivalry game. We wouldn't normally go
because we don't live or are from, any of those two places, but they
are taking donations at the door for Chardon. Then, Panini's down the
street will donate 100% of your bill to Chardon as well if you stop
out after the game :)

Saturday, we are going to play, and play, and play! Then, we are going
to watch Bee play some Hockey! After that, there will probably be more
playing, and then LOTS of sleeping ;) Sunday we will play some more
(hopefully outside!) and then take her back home before Bee's second
Hockey game. I can't wait! It will be so much fun! :)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Springy Spring!

It's beautiful in Ohio right now. For realsies. I have 20+ pictures
just like this because I am obsessed with sky pictures right now.
hmmm... anyway...

I want to clean up my yard from...well...last year. Ha! It was never
properly prepared for winter last year, and last spring is rained
1000+ days (I keed...but really...) and then the jungle took over.
Bee and I just barely put a dent in it in AUGUST, and then let it go
into this mild winter. It's looking a little..eh...I just don't know
how/where/have the right tools to start. I want to hire someone to
just do THAT part. However, Bee is vehemently against that idea. He
"put his foot down", end of discussion. Not sure WHY he is so
violently against it. I get thinking it's a waste of money, but he was
like, on FIRE he was so against it. Whateves. As long as it gets done,
I don't care who does it. I also want to start seeds again. Someday
I'd like to have a garden, but we shall see if that will be a reality
this year.

In other news, the ex is acting like she is going to start major shit
in the coming weeks. We had a little incident two weeks ago with her
calling (I am not ok with her calling my house on my house phone that
I pay for at ALL, but Bee finally conceded in November to allow her
TEN minutes every Sunday only. Period. If we are here, fine, if not?
Better luck next week. Meanwhile, she has called THREE Times) on a
Monday. Bee was at a football meeting, the kids were at the park
playing baseball, and I just got home and was walking the dog when she
called. J answered and politely (which is surprising with the level of
HATE she has for the ex) told her the kids weren't there, but she
would check next door. She met me at the door when I told her they
were at the park. She went to tell her the kids were not home and at
the park when the ex interrupted her, called her a "fucking liar" and
a "loser" and how "I see nothing has changed with you". That started
it off. J told her off, and the ex hung up and called right back. *I*
answered (first time I have EVER talked to her) and told her I didn't
appreciate her calling MY house and harassing MY family. One, it's NOT
Sunday, TWO, the kids AREN'T home and to STOP calling. Wait till
SUNDAY and try again. Well, I was cussed out and *I* hung up. She
called back, we told her to stop calling and harassing us. She kept
calling. We finally stopped answering. She called 52 times in 10
minutes. Our police friend told us to start the paper trail and file a
police report. We did.

It caused a big to-do with us and her parents too (because she called
them crying) who we were actually getting along nicely with and they
"punished" us (as in Bee and I) by not coming to the kids' basketball
games. Yeah, wonderful grandparents, I know. Missed little guy's big
moment (he got his 2nd place trophy). Sigh. Anyway, the ex hasn't
really talked about it, like I thought she would. She did mention it a
little bit, but she keeps writing the kids about the vacations (both
out of state and country...including her wedding to her prison
boyfriend whom she has never met) letting the kids choose to live with
them in PA, and as of recently, her being able to call whenever she
wants but she will tell them more about that when they see her next.
They have a lot to talk about!

Uhhh...

1) Bee has custody. FULL custody. She doesn't even have visitation.
Her letters? Her limited talk time both at our house and the
Grandparents house? Her visits with them? All GIFTS from Bee. NOT for
her, but for the kids.

2) When she gets out, the #1 on this list will still hold true. ANY
visitation she is given will be a GIFT and it will be with a court
appointed liaison.

3) Those kids will not leave this CITY with her, let alone the state,
or Country.

And, I have one of the best lawyers in the state who will make that
happen. Woot. Thanks to my little friend I work with. Dude is
SERIOUSLY connected to all the right people.


Moving along.

It's going to be 60 Degrees today. I can get used to that :)

Monday, March 5, 2012

If only the weekend could be longer..

I was *this* close to playing hooky today. Alas, my reasonable side
prevailed. I get 20 days a year. I have used 5 already due to my
uncle's funeral. I want to save my time for summer and next Christmas.

Anywho, we had a busy weekend. Friday I rushed home, only to run right
back out. I needed to get my nails done STAT. Bee likes a nice set of
manicured nails. I told him that wasn't my style. They are expensive.
He said he would pay for it because I should have some time to myself
and feel pretty at the same time. So, I have been going twice a month
since October. Anyway, we had busy and it had been awhile and they
were hurting/coming off (acrylic nails), and Friday was my only window
of time for the next several days. I got to the nail place and it was
PACKED. Eventually, they got me in, and I got them done. They look
nice :) Then, I rushed to the bank and then to WallyWorld for a baby
shower gift, and then back home.

We promised the kids they could do cosmic bowling Friday and bring
friends, so as soon as I got home, we loaded up and headed out to the
bowling alley. The kids had a BLAST. They bowled, they ran around,
they bowled some more, then they even got a game or two of laser tag
in. We ended up staying until midnight, even though we said 11:00pm
would be the latest we would stay because I had to be up at 6:30am the
next day. I ended up making it to bed around 1am, but it was ok. They
had a blast.

Saturday, I was up and ready to leave by 8am. I had to be to Grandma
Bee's house by 8:30 so we could get on the road to the baby shower
which was in PA. I had Bee tell me an alternate route because Grandma
Bee lives in Chardon about 800 feet from the town square, which is
where everyone was meeting, at 8:30, to line the streets to show the
family of Danny Parmertor support and to shield them for any
protesters (Westboro "Baptist Church" said they were going to protest,
but thankfully they did not show). There was going to be over 2,000
people there. I didn't want to have to get stuck in traffic.

Luckily, I had no problem with traffic, but I will tell you just how
emotional it was to see the scene that was the square. News trucks
everywhere with their giant antenna's in the air, thousands of people
walking around. Sea of Red and Black. Many with signs of love and
support. Red Ribbons everywhere. Strangers linking arms and singing.
Holding candles, hugging, crying...so sad.

We got on the road, drove past the high school and saw the flowers and
signs and candles against the sign. We left town and spent the next 3
and a half hours laughing, giggling, talking, and having a blast. I
love Grandma Bee and Miss Ashley. :) We made it to the baby shower
which was decorated BEAUTIFULY! So cute! Her theme was woodland
animals (owls, deer, squirrels etc) I took lots of pictures and I
think they were happy with the ones I got :) We ate, opened presents,
and chit-chatted a bit, then jumped back in the car and headed home. I
got home at about 9:30. About and hour and a half later, Bee came home
from the charity dinner we both were supposed to be at, and then we
went to bed.

Sunday, we got up and rested for a few before grabbing the kids and
heading up to the high school to see our friend's son in his last
theatre production as a high school student. :) He had one of the
leads (Marius) in Les Miserables. He did a WONDERFUL job. It was kind
of sad seeing him and the other lead (his best friend Jacob) in their
last production. I've watched these two since they were Freshman.
Jacob even confessed to a small crush on me and that he "loved" me.
Heehee :) I was a little worried the kids wouldn't like/understand it
because it was all singing and a little over their heads, but they
enjoyed it too. If anything, to be out as a family doing something. J
even was able to bring her new boyfriend! (He's a nice boy..)

After the play, we grabbed some taco bell, and headed home. Bee and I
watched some "Rescue Me" while he got a little Xbox time in before his
hockey game. We all loaded back up in the car and went to the Hockey
Game. I walked around and took lots of pictures of the guys playing
with my fancy camera and the other guys from the other teams were
jealous because "hey! How did THEY get a team photographer?!" haha!
Bee's team all came up to me after asking me if I got there awesome
play on film?! I told them to give me a day or so, and check the
photobucket site and they will all be up. They are already texting Bee
to see how they turned out. Haha! Silly boys...

We came home and watched the rest of the episode of Rescue Me that we
ended with, and then went to bed, but it was still past midnight. And
I have more laundry to do already. And my house still needs to be
cleaned. And C has basketball this week. Ugh! I need TWO days off. One
to sleep. One to clean!

Friday, March 2, 2012

A Friday List!

- Today is my lovely Niece Isabella's Second Birthday! Happy Birthday, Big girl!

- I am excited about my little trip this weekend with the Lovely Miss.
Ashley and Grandma Bee! I also can't wait to take pictures of the baby
shower and my adventure!

- Today, my heart and prayers are with Chardon (they have been all
week). Today is the day that classes resume. They painted the
cafeteria, and spiffed things up a bit for the kids. Something new to
help forget the bad.

- March 9th, two HUGE rival schools are having a charity basketball
game in honor of the familes of the vicitms in Chardon. All donations
will be given to the Chardon fund. Then, Panini's is inviting everone
down after the game and 100% of your bill will be donated. That is
Awesome, in my book.

- I am feeling a little overwhelmed by my yard. It got away from me
last spring, do to all the rain. It never did get properly weeded or
"winterized". Now everthing looks a little on the wild side. I also
see no time to actually go out there and get 'er done. hmmm....How
much is yard service again???

- My niece is coming over for the weekend in two weeks. This excites
me. However, it also reminds me how much time a toddler consumes :)

- I am still loving my kureg. Can't wait to buy all the different
flavors for it!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

I'm going on a little trip!

This weekend, Bee's niece (I guess she will be mine too, someday
soon...hopefully soon lol) is expecting in just a few short months!

Her husband and her are in the same boat as Bee and I. He was married
before, had two children, got snipped, got divorced, met a younger
woman who wants babies, and they had to get creative :) They used a
donor and she has had a wonderful pregnancy thus far! However, it's
almost time for baby Eli!

So, Saturday Grandma Bee, myself, and The lovely Miss Ashley (Bee's
and my sister in law) will be heading out to PA! What's even better,
is his sweet sister (the Grandma to be) asked me, since I take such
wonderful pictures, could I please bring my camera and take pictures
of the shower for them! (her words, not mine) I am so honored :) My
firs gig, haha! She offered to pay me, but I refused. I am just happy
to do it!