OM | Emotion

Our kids have the misfortune of being born to two overly emotional people. In keeping with family tradition, Jack is an unstable ball of emotion. He gets angry when he’s nervous and tearful when he’s scared. The fear and anxiety of the first day of school can be a lethal combination.

Monday was Jack’s first day of school. I woke early to mentally prepare for the morning ahead. The night before he had asked to sleep with a pan in case he needed to throw up during the night. Anticipating the worst, I woke him gently. Instead of lashing out, crying, or melting down he opened his eyes, smiled and said, “Mommy, I’m nervous about second grade.” There were no tears, no misguided anger, no meltdowns. Just a simple statement. He identified his emotion, acknowledged it and marched through his day with unexpected maturity.

I’m tearing up just thinking about it.

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For more real life moments and details about the weekly OM meetup,
please visit Linda on her blog, A La Mode Stuff.

Reno Revealed | Burning Man

As I write this, a booming city of 50,000 is thriving in the Black Rock Desert north of Reno. Burning Man, an annual, participant driven arts and culture festival comes alive for one week every September, then its citizens vanish, leaving no trace. I have never been, but have heard many tales told by family and friends. Art, community, desert. A dream for a Nevada girl with a camera.

If you’d like a taste of Burning Man, you can live vicariously through the internet. Read more about what it is, view art installations, browse amazing photos and watch a webcast live from the playa. The Man burns September 4th. You can watch it live on the webcam feed below.

The Meetup | September

Woo hoo! September is here and I am ready to take on the world. Kind of. After a fantastic summer, I am feeling refreshed and confident. My oldest is back in school and my little one begins kindergarten next week (2.5 hours a day – sheesh). It’s going to be a hectic school year. I know staying on top of activities and maintaining a thriving business will be a challenge.

My plan: Get organized and set boundaries.

In the past, I have been a sucker for a rush order. I’ve worked until the wee hours of the night and sacrificed many weekends to meet rushed deadlines. While clients are always grateful, it can leave me stressed and exhausted and my family feeling forgotten. Instead, I will be setting daylight office hours during the traditional work week. Having been a RN and being married to a man with an untraditional work schedule, this is a very foreign concept for me. It will take practice and discipline, but I believe it will pay off in the long run.

September’s goals will focus on creating a work schedule, balancing family, business and general well being, and streamlining tasks I tend to make more tedious than necessary. I’m feeling positive about my new approach and look forward to a rewarding pre-holiday season.

{September Goals}

1. Establish office hours and stick to them.
2. No more work on the weekends or into the wee hours of the morning
3. Simplify and streamline blogging process – no more elaborate text/drop shadows
4. Complete holiday prep
5. Finalize advertising plan for the pre holiday season

Extra Credit:

1. Continue exercise regimen (so far, so good)
2. De-clutter house. For Sept: Laundry Room + Garage

The Meetup happens on the first of every month. It’s hosted by the fabulous Liz of Athena Dreams.

Project365 | Week 34

It’s week 34 of my Project365 on Flickr and the end of my family’s summer vacation. It was a wonderful summer filled with lots of play and a little work. While I’m looking forward to the kids returning to school, living on a schedule and the anticipation of fall, I will miss our easy breezy summer days.

This photo is one of my favorites of the summer. For me, it reminds me of the freedom and joy of a summer well spent. Do you have a photo that sums up your summer? One that evokes a feeling or memory you want to return to? If so, please leave a link to it in the comments. I’d love see!

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What’s a Project365? It’s a personal commitment to make photography an everyday event. Essentially it’s a photo a day for a year, forcing me to slow down, learn my camera and see the world with an artistic eye.

Stationery Line | Dinosaurs

Throughout the summer I’ve been revamping and adding stationery lines based on our best selling note card sets. This week: Dinosaurs. I offer personalized note cards and thank you note sets, and new this week, photo birth announcements and shower and party invitations.

Dinosaur designs are available through our website and our Etsy Shop. I welcome requests for customization. Please contact me anytime.

Photojournalism Challenge

i heart faces is hosting a Photojournalism photo challenge.
These images are from the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival.
It was a hilarious play and a great night.

OM | March Whatever

I have fallen behind on everything. I was getting down about it when I looked up to see the kids enjoying every last bit of summer. On their to do list: gazing at clouds and listening for frogs.

Next winter, when March whatever rolls around, when skiing has lost its luster, when shoveling invokes cursing, when winter seems immortal, I will long for this moment. A perfect summer evening.

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For more real life moments and details about the weekly OM meetup,
please visit Linda on her blog, A La Mode Stuff.

Project365 | Week 33

Week 33 of my Project365 on Flickr has come and gone. It was a bit schizophrenic due to our busy schedule. Lots of last second images. Some good, some so-so. It got me thinking about personal style and consistency despite time limitations or variations in location. I’ve discussed this with other photogs and found it’s a universal concern. For me, I’d like my images to:

Be clear + crisp

Have natural skin tones

Be vibrant but not over saturated

While attaining these goals is hit and miss for me, they are a great guide each time I pick up my camera. The images above were taken on three different days during the last two weeks. I didn’t edit them together, so I’m pleased with the consistency of exposure and skin tone. The third image doesn’t quite fit in (too red, too contrast-y). I realize I overdid the clarity trying to emphasize her reflection. I never would have noticed had I not compared the three photos. Something to keep in mind for future shoots and edits. Always learning…

What is your personal style? How do you keep it consistent? What are your stumbling blocks?

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What’s a Project365? It’s a personal commitment to make photography an everyday event. Essentially it’s a photo a day for a year, forcing me to slow down, learn my camera and see the world with an artistic eye.

Beach Fun

i heart faces is hosting a Beach Fun photo challenge.
Last week Kate and I were recognized in Amy + Angie’s favorites (yeah!),
so we thought we’d give it another whirl!

OM | Endless Summer

This is a belated post. Why? Because I’ve been overwhelmed by summer, work, kids and life in general. We are down to the last few weeks of summer vacation and frankly, I’m ready to drop kick the kids back to school. They are cute and all, but I’m longing for the structure of the school year.

Yesterday, I’d officially had my fill. I was on the verge of running naked through the streets, waving my arms in the air, yelling profanities when a friend invited us to spend the day swimming, playing ping pong and enjoying the beautiful Sierras. It was a perfect day – one for the record books. The kids were a joy, the dads were happy and chatty, and I enjoyed a day with my family free of whining, crying and fighting.

My moment: Remembering, I DO love being with this pack of monkeys who follow me everywhere. I DO think they are funny, creative, thoughtful and silly. I’m happy to report, I may make it to the end of the summer without eating my young.

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For more real life moments and details about the weekly OM meetup,
please visit Linda on her blog, A La Mode Stuff.