Tuesday, November 13, 2007

My oh so lovely fall pics










I decided to take advantage of the last bit of nice weather here last weekend and take some fall pics of the kids. I spent 2 hours washing and straightening hair, ironing clothes and making sure their shoes were spotless. Why I cared about the shoes god only knows. lol

Matt asks if I want him to go with me and I said this will only take a few minutes so don't worry about it. I mean... how long can it take to line 3 kids up and take a nice picture.

We headed over to the Englewood Dam and I drove around to find the perfect spot for our pics. I go to get Drew out of the carseat only to find he must've swiped a tootsie roll on the way out the door. He's covered in chocolate! But always prepared I wipe him off and am thankful that's he's not wearing white... the chocolate all over his sleeves won't show up much. We head out into this pretty meadow covered in leaves. I brought a blanket for them to sit on because it was still a little damp out. Lay the blanket out and Brooke and Drew proceed to start rolling and jumping all over it. Damn! Now Brooke's hair is a mess. So I trek back to the car to get the hairbrush. Okay no big deal... hair is fixed. I try to pose them in a variety of ways and they're just rolling all over each other, throwing leaves at each other and the blanket is now covereds in mud. Okay plan B. Obviously taking a nice shot sitting down is not going to work so let's find another spot. We walk a little bit and find a big tree. Perfect! I can stand them by the tree and I'll nice shots. I line them up and run back to take the picture. In that split second Brooke has decided to push Hannah into the tree and Drew is flinging mud with his feet! I'm thankful that the park is empty so I can have the opportunity to yell at them for being little shits. I compose myself ( and them) all over again and proceed to take a series of really bad shots with really shitty grins, half opened eyes and kids moving everywhere. Okay plan C now!! I will give up on a group shot and take some nice individual shots. Can't be that hard to take a quick shot of them individually right? I start with Drew because he's quickly losing patience and wants to run everywhere. I stand him next to the tree and he decides he wants to sit instead. Fine! So I now have a shot of him scrunched up next to the tree, covered in mud and chocolate. Oh well... he's 2 and that's how it is with 2 year olds. The girls will be much easier. So onto Brooke. I stand her next to the tree and she proceeds to start climbing the damn thing. Now damnit... just stand still so I can ge a quick shot of you. She's gives me a little smirk and off she goes to play in the mud with Drew. Oh well.... Hannah's next and she'll be easy. I decide to take my time with Hannah ( since the other 2 are quite content at rolling in the mud and leaves anyways). I try getting her to pose in a variety of ways and with each pose she decided to adapt it how she sees fit. I tell her to lean this way... and she tells me that looks stupid. I tell her to turn her head that way... and she tells me that looks stupid. Fine this miss smarty pants... stand there however the hell you please and just smile ( and by the way I can hear what you are calling me under your breath!) I get a couple decent shots of her and then she proceeds to tell me she's done and stomps off to the car. Just lovely! I round up the other 2 hoodlums and we stomp off behind her.

We drive home in complete silence with the exception of them asking me if we can get McDonalds for lunch. I calmly told them that I will not be feeding them today because they are rotten!

Next time I will leave the photography to Bob!

Friday, November 2, 2007

Giving up soda

Well I've finally taken the plunge at giving up my drug of choice.... soda! I need to have diet mountain dew like a crack addict needs crack. I've been drinking waaay too much of it lately. First thing in the morning I pop open a can, then finish another by lunch, then another by afternoon and easily 2 or 3 by bedtime. I think it's making my reflux flare up and I don't even want to begin to think of what all that aspertame is doing to the 3 brain cells I have left.

This is especially hard for me because I don't drink milk, juice, lemonade, ice tea. etc. I do like wine but I think trading soda for alcohol kind of defeats the purpose. =P So I'm stuck drinking water and that's about it. And I hate water like I hate winter so this is gonne be tough. And I won't save a dime because our water here I swear is like sewer water so I'm just going to have to buy bottled water instead.


So I quit cold turkey on Monday. By Tuesday morning I could hardly keep my eyes open due to the major lack of caffeine. By Wednesday morning my head was pounding and I felt like I had a major hangover. By Thursday just hearing the kids talk was enough to make me want to lock myself in a closet. I think it would've been easier had I just entered myself into the nearest rehab center. Atleast there I could've had a lovely support group to talk me through kicking my addiction. But instead I had the girls popping open a can every day after school, the refreshing Pepsi ads on tv and the 20 or so cans I have left of my drug calling me in my sleep saying "you know you want me" lol

But here it is on Friday.... day 5 of my drug free life. I have drank more water then I have in the last 5 years. I haven't had any issues with my refulx all week. I'm falling asleep a little easier. Used to take me easily 2 hours to fall asleep... wonder if that had anything to do with the whole can I would drink right before going to bed. =P I'm still craving the sweetness of my soda.... but no worries there... .I have enough Halloween candy to take care of that for the next year. lol

So I think I can truly kick this addiction permanently. But you bet your ass if my reflux comes back and my headaches don't go away I'll be right back at it. :)