My Family

Guys.... I have the best lookin family in town! Hands down!!! There are so many new little kidos in my family and they are all so dang cute!!!! I don't think there is an ugly one in the bunch....

This weekend Billy and Lydia did Miss Syd's 4yr old birthday party, complete with scooby doo bounce house w/slide and a snowcone machine!!!! Oh to be 4 again.....

Here's a peak at a pretty normal family get together :)

The birthday girl





My Aunt Nina (she'll be proud I didn't use her family nick name, lol)


check it out... Wes looks happy!!! lol


Little Nick :)


that's the mystery machine in the background... this HUGE bounce house with a slide in the middle.... there was even a waterhose hook up to make it a waterslide!!!!! Wes and I are thinking to rent it just for kicks! hahaha





Little Will.... he's by far the cooooooolest baby I've ever met....


My Cousin Billy.... Growing up all my friends had a crush on Billy.... he's a little chubbier now that he's all married and settled and father of two.... still weird to think of him that way. I mean he so graciously taught me what a wedgie was!!!!


I really wish I could remember what it was like to be 4yrs old!!!


and finally, we ended the day with..... fresh snowcones.....


Not an ugly one in the buch!!!! lol

I can't believe I'm blogging this

Labor Day 2009 was also the 5th annual Krystal square off......... yes..... seriously....

Wes and I struggle with finding new things to do. As I'm sure most couples do (right, please comment and confirm we are not alone in this!!!!) So somehow, Wes comes across this event at the landing. We are each at our computers when we have this conversation: (via loud voices down the hall way, this is how all couples inneract right?? again are we alone?)

Wes - "Honey?!?!"

Jess - "yeah?"

Wes - "You know how we're always looking for something different to do n stuff right?"

Jess - "uhhhh yeah"

Wes - "well, there is a pro eating cometition at the landing on labor day"

Jess - "ummm ok, we can check that out.... definately different!"

that was it, that was the converstation and we had just made our plans for Labor Day!!!!! (please tell me there are people rolling around on their floors now histarically laughing at us, cause honestly YOU SHOULD BE!)

So yesterday we head down to The Landing for the 5th Annual Krystal Square Off with my brother, his cousin, Wes' buddy from work and his new wife (welcome to Jax Laura!!!! LOL) We decided early that we were just going to keep our spots in the Landing balcony and watch the action from there. We learn that this is a sanctioned event, the winner will get like $50k in the finals for dowing some Krystals!!!! This event was however only a semi-final the winner would go onto to the Final in TN later in teh year for the chance at the $50k. They pulled names from the crowd, you know to give an every day Joe the opportunity to go onto the next round, and had a couple of um pros I guess they can be called.... one being Hall Hoover Hunt down home boy from Jacksonville who was also the 2008 record holder of 60 Krystals in 8mins! (are you still laughing, please God tell me you're still laughing it's hard for me to keep a straight face typing this!)

So yes, Florida record holder eating 60 of those little gut bombs in 8 mins!!!!!

This is like a serious thing, it's a "growing" sport in our contry and everything.... I just can't believe people are making that much money eating!!!!!

Ok I'll let the photos to tell the rest of the story.....

The stage was set.....


A pretty good crowd had come down to the landing on Labor Day..... and there were kids playing at downtown's only beach... (still not 100% sure what was up with that, I guess I missed something earlier in the summer about this cause it was def different to see the landing covered in sand)


There's the trophy! well not him.... but I couldn't resist.......


Some of the onlookers





the "eh I'm good up here" crowd (like us)


The guy with the face paint.... anyone remember the hangman from pro wrestling years and years ago (here I go dating myself, lovely) ummmm that would be him there in the black hand with the red white and blue face!


This guy was PSYCHED when his name was called to be a contestant.....


psyched I tell you


and he loved his new, ever supportive, cheering crowd


Competitive Eating is the fastest growing new sport in our country.... so proud


Annnnnnd their off!!!!!


you'll see the newly excited competor on the left having a hard time, maybe this sport isn't as easy as it looks... while our champ in the blue hat to the right is powering down the tiny slider sandwiches with little to no effort at all!!!!


In the end, Hall "Hoover" Hunt not only won the competition but beat his own Florida record of 60 Krystal hamburgers by eating 65 Krystals and he is onto the next round and could win FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!! Good luck Hoover!!!!!! I hope you bring home the big bucks!!!!!



From the landing we were off to find something else to occupy our time, so we decided to go see Inglourious BasterdsIf you're easily offended by curse words (and since I'm married to a Sailor I obviously am not) then I'd suggest that you not see the movie, but Brad Pitt does a really really great job with his part, and I actually thought it was pretty good, but then again I'm a fan of Tarentino's work.....
We then finished our day with..... ummm.... a hamburger at the loop.... :)

Images for a Cure

I've joined with Images for a Cure to raise funds, to help find a cure for Breast Cancer.

As many of you know a while back my grandmother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer so, this issue is near and dear to my heart.


I will be donating 100% of my session fees to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The event will take place on October 11th and I'm going accepting a maximum of 10 sessions :) Each session will be 45mins to 1hr and I'm likely to do them in Memorial Park just to make things easier for everyone. I'm not limiting the sessions to couples, seniors, models or anything like that. If you'd like to get your family together or small groups of friends together and split the cost for a photo shoot please feel free. My session fee for October 11th will be $100 if you are interested in scheduling a session please visit the Images for a Cure website and make your donation, to schedule your session. (link attached)

I will also be giving all participants 15% off their purchase of a CD, prints or albums for the first two weeks following your session proofing online :)

Thank you all in advance for participation in this charity event, I hope we can help Images for a Cure reach their goal :)

Ladies, I've got some bad news....

Wes' little brother Brent is getting hitched. Yep he's tying the knot, takin on the ole ball & chain, signin his life way....... well you get the picture.... but in about two months time he'll be officially and legally off the market... I know that a few members of my family that will be very sad to hear this news, I think every younger cousin I have fell in love with him at my wedding...

BUT! On the upside, I finally get him to pose for some dang photos for me!!!!! LOL

He's asked me to photograph his wedding, and they are not giving anyone much time to plan for it either! Oh to be young and in love.... So until the engagement shots here's a picture of Brent that I took a little while back...

Enjoy....

Family Spring Event

So, when I want to try out new things, or things that I don't typically do... I use my family as guinea pigs... LOL

I don't really do children's photography, or baby photos but when I want to try it out (and ultimately remind myself why I'm not a children's photographer) I use my family! :D

This Spring was no exception, the weekend after we got back from Georgia I set up for a nice spring/Easter event with the family. And since everyone here knows I love Miss Sydney like she was my own... I of course have a photo or her and her precious baby brother Will to show off...

First we have...... the classic baby crying photo!!! I'm not sure why but I typically get more of a kick out of these than I do the sweet photos of babies... (which again is why children's photography is not my specialty)


And this has to be one of my fav photos of Syd ever! I know I likely say that about each and every one I show of her... but you have to admit... this is sooo classically girly!!!

Overall, I think everything turned out really well and I really appreciate my family letting me try my hand at studio(ish) work..... emphasis on the ISH...... :D

Jess MIA

I feel like I've been missing in action for the last week.... it's definately been a trying week. Last Tuesday, 3-17 Wes called me from work very upset and asked how quickly I could get a house sitter together, I wasn't sure what was going on but said I would call my sister and see what she could do and I asked him what was going on. He simply said "my grandfather is in the hospital and he's going to die"

Eden pulled through for me yet again on very short notice to stay here at the house and watch the dogs and we packed up and headed out to Augusta, GA where his grandfather was in the hospital.

I won't get into the issues at the hospital and what all happened because well, that's his family's business and personal. But on Friday the 20th we were told that his grandfather was inproving enough to come off of his ventilator. I think everyone wanted to believe it because no one wants to lose a family member but deep down they all knew that it was only the machine making him do better.

Wes and I not knowing what else to do headed back to FL on Saturday the 21st, we had been in town only hours when his cell phone rang and his stepfather telling us his grandfather had meerly hours left. We hadn't even made it back to the house yet, and had told everyone we were heading home, but after hearing the news I decided that it wouldn't make much sence to go home for a night and turn right around in the AM might as well go back to GA right way. So, we did we arrived at the hospital around 11:30 and his grandfather passed at 12:05 on the 22nd

I did my best to keep my family and friends updated via facebook and myspace when I could and when there was something to tell. Everyone left such sweet comments and my family is so sweet to Wes offering support and prayers. Afterall, it wasn't long ago that we lost loved ones in the same way.

Wes' grandfather was 80yrs old and lived a very full life, his memorial service was very sweet. He was retired army so he received the 21gun salute and the whole nine yards which was very hard for my husband as he's military as well. One of the cool things from the service came from one of his cousins he went outside and collected the bullet casings from the salute and gave one to all the children and grandchildren. I believe Wes intends to have it placed on his keychain.

Last year Wes went up to GA alone, my schedule wouldn't allow me a weekend off to travel up there. His grandparents wanted photos since they knew that time was getting close... So Wes took all the old lighting equipment up there (the large pannels and all that crazy stuff.. Tara and Jenny will remember what I'm talking about) and he did some photos of his grandparents... some of them even got used in his memorial slideshow... in fact the slideshow ended with the photos that Wes did... it was really a beautiful memorial service....

I'd like to thank everyone again for all their prayers and support. Wes is doing well, he is sad and misses his grandfather but that is to be expected. It's never easy losing someone you love. Here is the closing photo from the slideshow and unquestinably our favorite of his grandparents together.

The Photo Galz....

This past Saturday I got together with a couple of other local girl photographers Tara of course, Lyndsay, Stephanie, Ginger, and Adrienne. Now these other girls have managed to post their stuff ahead of me (cause I'm behind on my sessions) so I knew I'd be last... but here are my favs from the day :)



I love that you can totally see her eyes through the glasses....




















Got to love auto focus :( I'm sad that this one is out of focus cause I love this photo!!!


Yeah, this one too... totally out of focus but it was a test shot that I just adore!!!














The ladies didn't manage to really get any of me, thank goodness!!!! I have to psyche myself up for a photo shoot... I love my life behind the camera, I don't like being in front of it very much....

Goals for 2009

Note, not resolutions... these are goals I want to meet...

1. Follow my diet so I can get healthy, not super skinny or anything like that just healthy. I'd like to have a much better health report by December of this year. (see if it were a resolution I'd want to be in a bathing suit by my birthday which is in June, but I know myself and that's so not going to happen)

2. I never again want to go through this nightmare I'm having with Quick Books. It's my goal in 2009 to be a meticulous book keeper.

3. To keep my office tidy, clean is a stretch cause again, I know myself... so tidy will work much better

4. Organize myself and my business (kinda ties in one two and three)

5. Spend more time out of my office

So those are really the top 5... I don't want to overload myself with goals for the year... LOL I'm sure there are others but these are the big things!

Worlds Apart....

So, today hasn't been a wonderful day, let me just start with that... it wasn't bad until I realized that I had left my brief case in Wes' car after my last consultation and that I needed to go by the base to get it, and then head to Orange Park... I get on base and turn into Wes' work and go down the wrong way in the parking lot, I got angry with the guys going the right way cause they didn't want to scooch over to give me room to pass them and get to where I could correct my mistake, all while my husband is calling me to rib me about being an idget.

I get my briefcase and had about 15mins to make it to the consultation on time, speeding down 17 I see a cop with his radar out... THANK GOODNESS he didn't get me, or he did and let me go I was only going like 5 over... I get to the light to turn into my destination for my consult and I get a call from the person saying they have to cancel and right before I could ask if they needed to reschedule she says "we got another photographer, I was hoping to catch you in time, before you got there"

Oh what a day... and it was only ONE in the afternoon!!!

I bitterly drove back towards my house and towards the post office box hoping I had better news in the mail... It wasn't that I had a last min cancellation Lord knows that happens often, or that they had found another photographer it was everything prior that just made that a not so nice cake topper...

Anyway, I let my iPod play while I went inside the bank to make a deposit, still a little disgruntled about my day, and came out to my car started it and playing was one of my favorite Jars of Clay songs, from way back in my high school days... The part I came in on was also my favorite part of the song. I immediately started to cry, such a trival things to be upset about. Going the wrong way in a parking lot, calling the guy going the right way a few choice words, things that were all pretty much my fault just irritated me to pieces today!!! I played the song over twice on my way home (I live maaaybe a mile from my bank and post office box) I turned it up loud, so it would drown out my severely out of tune, and sobbing self.

This is the part that was playing when I got in the car:

I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
and wipe away the crimson stains
"dull the nails that still remain"
More and more I need you now,
I owe you more each passing hour
the battle between grace and pride
I gave up not so long ago
So steal my heart and take the pain
and wash the feet and cleanse my pride
take the selfish, take the weak,
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
the sin-soaked heart and make it yours
take my world all apart
take it now, take it now
and serve the ones that I despise
speak the words I can't deny
watch the world I used to love
fall to dust and thrown away
I look beyond the empty cross
forgetting what my life has cost
so wipe away the crimson stains
"dull the nails that still remains"
so steal my heart and take the pain
take the selfish, take the weak
and all the things I cannot hide
take the beauty, take my tears
take my world apart, take my world apart
I pray, I pray, I pray
take my world apart

So amazing! Not that I feel like my day is going much better, I'm home and going to get a jump start on tomorrow's project of cleaning my office before Liz gets here Friday... but, my perspective is different....

Merry Christmas To Me!!!!!

OH!!! I have the best husband!!!!

Honestly I do!!!!

Tonight I got my gifts early... mainly cause he didn't want to wait tomorrow, and Christmas Day is ALWAYS busy for me getting around to all the family n stuff... Anyway, here is what I got...

I got a BTCup, LOL funny I know. It allows me to listen to my iPod in the car (which is something I've been wanting the ability to do) AND it syncs to the bluetooth in my phone so I can have hands free converstaions over my car speakers!!!! so super cool I can't wait to install it Friday!!!!

Oh, first I got two books I've been dying to read. I got those for the trip though so I'd have something to keep me busy and to keep me from looking over the cliffs in the mountains and freaking out! :D

Then, I got some extra large bath towels... which I love cause they wrap ALL the way around... always a plus!

Ok, next I got a really sweet desktop charger for my blackberry... it plugs into the wall and sits on the desk and cradels the blackberry so it's super cool!!!

And lastly! My final and bestest gift!!!! the ENTIRE set of FRIENDS!!!!!!!!! I can't tell you all how obsessed with this show I am and how much I love it... Every time we go to walmart or Target, or anywhere that has the set I stand there and long for it!!! And FINALLY I've got it!!!! I'm soooo super stoked!!!!! I think I screamed when I opened it up!!!!!

I had to share... I just opened everything like 20mins ago and I couldn't wait to tell everyone!!!!

I hope everyone's holiday is AWESOME and you all get what you want for Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

Ready to be home!

So, I didn't update my blog about what's been going on the last couple of weeks... I simply forgot and have been so busy getting ready for my trip, and on my trip that I've forgotten to blog...

On December 2nd Wes and I left the warm sunny beautiful state of FL for PA... no we aren't crazy... 6 yrs ago my mom, sister and stepfather moved there for work and I've been up there once since they moved... Obviously my Florida blood can't stand beeing in such cold! but other than that reason it's been financially impossible to get up there more than that one time. Until last week, a woman that my mother used to work with is on my myspace friends list and asked me if I'd photograph her daughters wedding... of course this wedding is in DECEMBER in one of the COLDEST states in the union! but I offered her an exchange, wedding photography for the cost of my trip and she agreed, so we packed up the Jeep and headed north.

My darling little sister and most amazing employee ever Eden and Tara have been watching my house and my babies for the past 8 days now and they have about 4 more left until we come home but boy oh boy am I ready to be home!

Wes and I have been sleeping all cuddled up like a newlywed couple again but we are ready to be in our own bed with the sea of pooches between us like usual, lol!

Yesterday I left a state 6 states away from Florida and it was 17 degrees outside, we packed our Jeep in the snow and ice wore sweatshirts and fuzzy socks in the Jeep and battled slippery mountains all going down hill. Lastnight we arrvied in South Carolina 1 state away from home. I actually winced when I saw the 95 south sign cause I knew it would be a few more days still before we could get there.

Our trip has consisted of 4 days with my mom and one wedding, and now 4 days with Wes' mom since she's on the way home... I'm looking forward to getting some photos of downtown Charleston, it's beautiful like Savannah so that'll be nice I have both my meduim format film cameras and like 7 rolls of film so that'll be nice... I feel like this is our actual vacation part of the trip. Not that being with my mom is a chore! Lord that might sound bad! I loved spending time with my family, playing cards and watching movies on a lazy sunday afternoon there isn't much better than that! But it was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cold there we didn't want to get out and do anything... it's 40 degerees warmer here, in a beautiful southern city so I know Wes and I will get out more and see some sights and it'll be like a little honeymoon which is nice...

OK enough rambling I suppose sorry for boring y0u... I'll have some photos to post later... I did post a few photos to my personal myspace if you are friends with me there check it out if not then add me and then check it out! LOL

See you all soon back in FL!!! Sneak Peaks of the PA wedding on the photography myspace...

**Also this post is my 150th post and if you're a loyal follower you'll know I promised to something super cool as a contest for it... I haven't decided what it is yet... but be on the look out for the 151st post and I'll announce what it is!!!! Got to get to thinkin! :D

Love It!

Liz JUST posted this on myspace and it's so true... and funny... I wanted to share it with everyone!



Dear Money,

I don't like this game of hide and seek we keep playing... First you're in my wallet, then you're in my coin purse... then you're in the cup holder in my car and now you've completely disappeared. I understand all the moving around bothers you and you'd rather stay in a cold dark vault in the bank, but it cant always be this way.


Oh, and will you and Mrs. Money please start having kids because if you don't soon, you will become extinct.


Thank you.


Me

2008 Election

I'm glad the election is over... if I'm honest. And while I'm being honest, I stood in my little booth yesterday staring at the president category for over five minuets... I think it was a tough choice and a tight race (as far as the popular vote goes, and last time I checked) I watched the concession and acceptance speeches on youtube this morning, and WOW that was a powerful speech! Obama sure has a way with words and carisma. He says some very inspiring things and I hope that for the sake of our country that what he says is truly his heart and will be the direction he takes the country in his term as president.

Yesterday as I stood in the booth running my pen above all the bubbles I knew that the outcome had been decided long before I walked into the building to cast my vote, I've paid attention to the polls afterall... I prayed in my booth held up my finger and asked God to guide it... You know like you do in school before you christmas tree your exams... Figured it was worth a shot, lol. I really did do it but that admission was thrown in for humor sake... I made an informed decision, I believe I voted for a good man, win or lose...

I don't discuss politics and who I voted for or didn't vote for, I'm not here to debate...

I really really hope that Obama is the man the country thinks he is. Either way... I really hope that this works out well... I hope that the country does change and grow in a good way. I've seen posts this morning about people crying their eyes out in Joy lastnight, and people basically bowing down to the oh powerful Obama... and well frankly folks, that scares me a bit, I don't think that it's alltogether healthy for there to be a cult like following after the man. Singing songs of his praise, and things of that nature... He's just a man for goodness sake, and no man is perfect in the least!!

I suppose that now only time will tell how things will unfold. I'm excited to be part of history. I read in a blog today "isn't it weird to think we are alive in a time that children of the future will read about in their history books" or something of that nature. And it is exciting, I happen to really like change and I think this country needs one big time! (and no matter who was elected, we need to heal what has been broken)

However, there were record amounts of people out there voting! Which is good, that means people are being proactive about their futures!

Get out there and vote!

I voted this AM... did you??

I hope everyone exercises their right to vote today... I could care less if you vote Red, Blue, Purple, Green or wrote in Miss Piggie for President as long as you got out and voted!

So It's Halloween

I have no plans for tonight, I don't enjoy Halloween parties, and dressing up... I may hit up a fall festival. I live down the road from my childhood church so maybe I'll talk Wes into going there so I can snap some photos...

Tara posted on her myspace page a while back a photo of her dressed up for Halloween and I think she was like 5 or 6... I unfortunately have a similar photo, mine made it all the way into the school yearbook, which is where I had to scan it from cause I couldn't find the hard copy... So forgive the distortion of the photo...


Got to love childhood memories... I'm not sure why Lisa (then stepmother) put me in this... I do know that even my beloved babydoll was dressed like and indian as well...

I've made a discovery...

I love photography.... shocker huh...

There are some things that I however, do not love.... such as the politics of "networking" and getting ahead and other business owner jargon that I have NO interest in. I left corporate America to get away from all this, lately I've been working on a lot of projects and as my close buddies know I'm kinda pulling away from anything and everything main stream....

This Sunday morning I brought Shelly (UNF, BFA, Photography major and close pal) to my grandmother's house. (Same place I shot Jenny's trash the dress) and I followed her around as she used her medium format DLR to do some shots for one of her film classes.

Since I started taking photos I've wanted to learn more about film I have very very limited experience in film photography, I had a little film camera way back in the day when my interest in photography was peeked, but it was just a little Kodak 35mm.

Shortly after I met Shelly and Tara they made me want to learn more, Wes got me a Holga for my birthday and until lastnight it has been in it's box! Well after Sunday with Shelly I decided it was time to get some film for the Holga and start shooting.

More interesting (at least to me) last November my friend (who's also an art teacher) Rachel gave me an old Minolta Autocord in exhance for snapping a few shots at her wedding. Shelly gave me a roll of black and white film and for almost a year now I've thought the camera was broken... well yesterday I whipped out the maual I had printed from the internet, did a little reading and figured out that I'm just an idget and nothing is wrong with the camera... SO today I went in the back yard and shot my first 12 images onto some 120 film... I can't wait to get them developed... I want to either have Shelly do it or watch her do it if she can sneak me into the lab!

I'm really excited!!! I should get my film in the mail next week or so and I've already told Shelly that we'll have to make a day of making art... I have 10 rolls on the way 5 color 5 black and white... I also customized my Holga today!!! LOL

Dragonfly stuff to match my computer!!!!

And my Autocord.... PS (will work for old cameras and cake!)

sorry for the horrible quality of the photos... this was a very spur of the moment blog... :D