Luxotica

Yesterday I found Monkey Pants rummaging through Shane's bed side table. I started putting everything back and came upon a glasses case. I opened it up to find a pair of glasses clearly not from the last 10 years by the style. Beth was over and when I realized what they were and told her we almost wet our pants. They were Shane's glasses from the 3rd grade that I thought he had gotten rid of approximately 3 years ago. But here they were safely in his night stand. Is he serious?

You see Shane is a bit of a pack rat, but a very very organized one. So every once in a while I come across something hilarious carefully put in its perfect little place. The first year we were married I went looking through the file cabinet for something. In a file marked birth certificates I found, and I am not making this up, a cabbage patch birth certificate for his old doll. Do we have the doll? No, but thank goodness we have that document.

So, last night when Shane got home from class he found me reading in bed wearing his glasses. We both had a good laugh and then I asked him why why why did he still have them. His answer just reminded me of why I do love this guy. "Because I keep meaning to donate them to the Shriners. The collect glasses for people who need them."

This morning we made a deal. I would make his lunch if I could take some photos of him in his glasses. Handsome huh? He looks like Clark Kent to me. The best part, ok maybe not the best part, but I was looking at the inside of the frames and it has the model name, Luxotica. Like a cross between luxurious and exotica. Oh yeah, that is exactly what I thought when I first saw them.
Come back later today because I have an announcement to post. No, I'm not pregnant.

Miss Maggie

Little Miss Maggie and her parents came over for a photo shoot on Saturday. We spent some time in the studio playing a little. Look at this face...


Then we took the child's chair and headed over to the park to get some more of Maggie and a few of the whole family.



When Maggie got tired of our antics it was time to call it quits. Such a cute family!


Today has been unpredictably productive so far. Nug is napping, Marlie is really happy today. Not that she is usually unhappy, but it is 10:00 and she hasn't hung on my leg once. Thats big people. I have a lot to do during nap time and I have to go to the grocery store. I am always in a fight with the grocery store. Why is it so stinking cold in there? And I have an aversion to plastic bags, its the crinkling sound I think. And its so dang expensive! I put it off as long as I possibly could but I think Shane may have taken Marlie's toy food to work for lunch today so its time. Hope you have a productive day, or even better, a totally unproductive fun one.

my weekend

We had ourselves a weekend of relaxing and fun and somehow managed to squeeze some house projects in there somewhere.

Friday night was the Tour of Lafayette Square bike race. Shane is a into biking so he worked one of the corners and Monkey and I went to watch some of the action.

Some of the racers making a turn

A tiny racer.


I think this person had the right idea.


Next year maybe Monkey Pants can ride in the kids race.

I had a photo shoot Saturday morning with a cute cute family. I'll post some of those tomorrow. Then Breakfast outside on Sunday with these two topped off the weekend. I love an outside breakfast.


Hope your weekend was great!

lesson learned

Today I learned that I must not go anywhere without a camera. Even if its just my little dinky point and shoot. I must not go anywhere without a camera because I might miss something that needs to be documented. Like today when Monkey Pants and I headed over to the park to play on the playground. When we got there we were greeted by a man riding around on a child sized ATV, with no shirt on, smoking a cigarette. He was having a grand old time looping in and out and under all of the playground equipment. And dangit I didn’t bring a camera. I’ m not sure what he would have thought about an impromptu photo shoot but it would have been nice to capture. We stuck to the swings for a while and when he started popping wheelies we got the heck outta there because I could just hear the news report…”A little girl was hurt at a local playground today when a large man on a tiny ATV popped a wheely and ran her over. When interviewed the man was mostly concerned about the cigarette he lost in the accident.”

Anywhosits. Today was a nice day. I had Mista Nug in the morning, Terri came over for lunch and I got to see an ATV show this afternoon. Tonight I have a bunch of editing to do. Scholl family you are up. Here is a sneak peek. Little Grace was not too excited about me taking her photo this day, but we got some good ones.

Monkey at the gardens

On Sunday we headed to the Botanical Gardens for some family time and a little photo shoot. Here are Shane and Marlie feeding the huge fish. She loved it.



I wanted to get some shots of Monkey Pants in a new cute dress that my MIL got her. Here are some of my favorites…










Man she is cute.

Havreflarn

Friday morning at the butt crack of dawn my friend Amy and I loaded up for a long day’s trip to Ikea in Schaumburg, Illinois.I have had my eye on a white couch there for my studio space for a long time. When does it make sense to drive 5 hours
to Ikea to buy a couch? When your brother in law gets you a sweet deal on an empty cargo van and you have a friend who splits the cost with you and you do it all in one day so you don’t have to pay for a hotel room, that’s when. So, we were off!

It was a long drive and then finally we could see the building in the distance.



If you have never been to Ikea it is an experience. This place is stinkin huge. We spent one hour just one the 3rd floor! They have everything and the prices are amazing. Here is Amy with one of our carts full of loot.



What is really funny is that most of the furniture you pick up in the self serve area. Self serve couches. They have a little photo showing you how to put it on your cart. Here is me trying to get my couch. A nice little Ikea man helped us when it was clear this wasn’t going to work.



Did you know Ikea has food? Mmmm havreflarn. Before we left we had to get an ice cream cone. Actually a fat free frozen yogurt cone. Put fat free in front of anything and I’m in.







Then it was back on the road again. Poor Shane had to help carry my couch in at 1:00 am. But look, it was worth it. I need some throw pillows to jazz it up, but isn’t it the most glorious Ektorp you ever saw?

Tuscaloosa

I got back late last night from Tuscaloosa. A few old friends and I drove down for the services for Noah. Needless to say it was a very emotional trip. I am so glad that we went. It was good to be with Deb and Josh and grieve with them for their loss and celebrate with them that Noah is now completely healed.

I was so humbled and touched by their faith in strength and it was amazing to see and meet some of the people in their new home town that Noah’s life has deeply touched.

Josh spoke at the funeral and the message was clear. He spoke about how they are just a normal couple who had an extraordinary little boy. And how the reason they can celebrate during this more than difficult time is not because they are incredible people, but because they know and believe in an incredible God.

We sang this song during the service. The words are powerful and speak volumes about Deb and Josh’s view on their journey with Noah.

Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman
- - -
Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name


It feels a little odd to be back home and getting back in the swing of things. But here I am and here we go. Tomorrow I am off to Ikea with a friend. Yep, I’ll take photos and explain later. +