Liberty Adventure

Happy  5th....I would say Happy Fourth but that was 16 minutes ago.  Our day included sleeping in, going to bio life to donate, being rejected to donate because it would have been our 3rd donation within 7 days (we can go tomorrow though), going to the river to hang out with some church family, heading over to Michelle's to grill my famous steaks...they were a hit.  After that we cruised on over to the Johnson's to shoot off some fireworks.  

This is where the adventure took place.  The night was so much fun.  I had bought a whole bunch of morning glories from a firework warehouse on our way back from the TN trip last year, so I was glad to see some kids having fun with them finally.  It had been drizzling a little. We were graced by a beautiful rainbow and a hot pink sky before nightfall.  

The kids were lighting bees and blooming flowers and I had some fun tanks and a chicken that pooped out an egg.  

Mr. Matt is a little kid when it comes to fireworks.  He has made this contraption out of pipes and carefully places each mortar thing in with fuses going from pipe to pipe.  It was all quite fascinating actually and brilliant.    It's a system.  He goes to light, sparks start, and he runs away with this big grin on his face.  So, with no limbs lost, I was thinking everything was going quite well.  

Until...towards the end.  Somehow as he was lighting the first fuse, the mortar ball came out and and all I see is Mr. Matt running away with no grin.  I was already bent down lighting something else and see Parker in front of me approx. 15 feet from the ball.  It happened so fast but in slow motion at the same time.  Has that every happened to you?  My first inclination was to get him out of the way.  These are the bigger fireworks mind you.  So as everyone else is ducking and running, I run into a beautiful blue cloud of sparks to shelter my kid.  Parker was crying with no injuries, but I was impaled at my hairline by one of the blue beauties.  Thank goodness my hair didn't catch on fire.  I was a little singed but mostly shaken.  It wasn't anyone's fault...just an accident that happened when my kid decided to be too close.  If anything, I probably should have been watching him closer...

Other than that little scare we had a blast.  We continued on and Parker sat in Mrs. Jolene's lap for the remainder of the night.   We laugh at it now, but I am so thanking God for His angels who watched out for my little boy.  I think next year we're gonna make the kids sit down farther back and not let them run around.  

We now are going to watch some Season One Heroes and intend on sleeping in tomorrow too :)

DavLee-licious!

No, I'm not being unprofessional with a client, just proclaiming how hot I think my husband is. 

I highlighted Dave's hair about 4 days ago.  Dave's hair was virgin...no chemicals had ever touched his silky strands.  So, I had to make sure, sure, sure that he wanted to do it...no pun intended.  Anyway, I got the kit that I always do.  The Revlon Frost&Glow Kit my mamma always tortured me with when I was a little girl (she always wanted to be a hairdresser - love you Mamma).  I put the cap on his head and Ashton immediately was concerned for his daddy.  He looked worried, as if I was going to suck Daddy's brain out and replace it with the left over noodles we had the other night.  Daddy quickly assured Ash that this was simply his Power Ranger hat.  Wheew!  Relief!  So, I pulled the strands through...went way faster than when I pull mine...but I must say he was being a baby about it.  Flinching every time I poked the hook through the holes.  

After mixing the blue goo and applying, I had so much left over.  I usually have to use 2 boxes to cover my mane!  Being the "never-waste-anything" person I am, I generously applied the left overs to my own head.  Cap you ask?  No.  I just attempted to separate some strands...so when we washed our hair out, he had this gorgeous sun kissed melon and I had goldy-locks just on the top of my head.  No worries, I will have roots in no time :-)

Anyway, all that to say that Dave's mother requested some pictures of his new bay watch babe do and around town running errands today, I decided it would be fun to snap some "professional" pictures of Dave.  We would be driving and I would say. "STOP!!!!"  He would then precede to slam on the brakes, get out, and I would do my thing.  4 hours of editing later, I present to you

DAVE LEE-LICIOUS!!!   My amazingly wonderful hubby and his sweet head of hair...

  

I'll let you in on a little secret....this hottie wants to be my second shooter :)

The culprit...

I spent the last hour and a half dusting my furniture, sweeping the whole downstairs (1400 sqft of hard floors) and mopping.  I have a headache from fumes, and a sweaty sore back.  I try to keep a clean house...truly I do...but with husband working 60 hour weeks, dirty summer kids and a 150 pound mastiff, it's hard to keep up.  So, I normally don't do all that in a day.  On a normal day I would vacuum...(I do vacuum just about every day - I think it's one of those OCD things) clean the dishes and if I'm feeling ambitious, do a load of laundry.  Why would I go beyond the norm  you ask?  Because IT is stinking my house up.  I don't exactly know what IT is, but I am determined to find IT.  Every day for the past week I have stepped into my home with a whiff of "Ughhh" in my face.  Could it be my massive mucky mastiff?  Or the remains of a sweaty child on my couch?  Perhaps a dirty diaper that lost it's way from bum to bin...I don't know.   So, I've dusted, swept, mopped, cleaned kitty box, bathed kids, and Sam is next for a bath.  I am burning approximately 241 candles to get rid of the stench.  I have an older home...over 100 years old.  I love my home and I worked so hard to get the "old people" smell out of it.  So, who knows what or who the culprit is...but I will find you...and smother you with the aroma of a Bath and Body Spice oil in no time flat...

Oh, and I had to show you some faves of my last few sessions I did...if you've already seen these on the website...sorry...I'd like to hear some feedback on how you like my site.  Also, did you notice that I made a nifty new banner for the blog???

Skin babies, Fur babies, & Feather babies, oh my....

This last Saturday I didn't have any sessions so Dave and I took the kids to the theater.  We have been waiting impatiently for Wall-E to come out so that is what we saw.  The kids got free watches with their movie tickets and earlier last month Grandma Brown had sent them Wall-E T-shirts.  All decked out in Robot attire, we saw the show.  It was so good.  It was cute, funny, and had a great underlying theme...

Which brings me to my largeness.  I don't know if it's because of my photography stuff, but I have not been working out like I need to.  It seems that when Dave goes to work at night and I get the kids to bed, I get right to my editing.  So I start around 8:30 and end when Dave gets home and tells me I need to get to bed.   Usually that is almost 1 am.  Either I get done with the proofs or I have to finish them the next morning before my day job.  

So, I'm thinking that it's in my best interest to block out some time where I can run a couple miles and dance or something.  Just take some time to move and get my heart pumpin'.  

I made a baby step today...I got my workout clothes on.  I don't intend on sweating in them today however...but at least I got them on right?  So, I'll have to keep ya posted on how I'm progressing.  Maybe I'll get my clothes AND sneakers on tomorrow.  

On a more pensive note I am sad that I haven't kept my running up.  I was up to 4 miles and just quit cold turkey after I went to Canada for my sister's wedding.  THAT'S IT...It's all Whitty's fault for getting married.  

Anyway, thought I'd post some photos of the kids in there Wall-E gear.  They were so happy about finally getting to see the movie...

 

Showing off his new watch

This is Parker's "mom I'm tire of the camera" pose

I love my skin babies...

...And fur babies (I need to get a good picture of Sophie - my kitty)...

...And feather babies...

...yes, these are my "girls" diggin' for worms.  They are so funny.  The only good picture I can get of them is their butts because they're always pecking away at the soil...

He said "Aleee"....

and it melted my heart.  There's just something that happens to me when a 2 year old I barely know says my name with excitement :-)  With rounded knuckles, he clenched his hot wheels

for most of the session...but it was SO cute!!!

This little guy put up with me for the whole 2 hours...he did awesome!

This was a newer photography session for him.  He was used to a stuffy studio setting before and today he was able to run and sit on trucks and play barefooted in a stream.  

I hope ya'll had as much fun as I did...

It's alive!!!

My website that is...so if you wanna check it out (because it's totally awesome) my website is:

alibrownphotography.com

I am so tired from all the website stuff last night.  Or should I say this morning.  To be honest I didn't remember all that I did to it until today.  I admit...I've been looking at it quite a bit.  

Thank you bludomain for everything!  You guys rock! 

On a different note, I have been thinking alot lately about my day job.  For any new peeps that didn't know, I'm a Certified Pharmacy Technician by day...Monday, Tuesday and Fridays to be exact.  So that leaves me with the evenings, Wednesday,Thursday and Saturdays to pursue the fun job.  

My photography.  

But while I would LOVE to "quit my day job" and focus fully on my business (and have more time with my kids), I can't.  I have to help out a little.  

My poor husband also has two jobs...but way more physically demanding (he works construction by day and freight team by night)...while during the day I am mentally and emotionally exhausted from work, David is physically tired.  He goes to work at 7:45 in the morning, picks up the kids from Daycare around 5.  Then he does a couple "honey-do's" and after a quick shower, a quick bite to eat and maybe 30 minutes of veg time, he precedes onto the next job of lifting huge crates to dangerous heights...until he finally gets home a little after midnight.  Then  7 hours later...repeat the cycle.  Monday through Friday.  

Thank goodness we have our weekends together.  I feel like I never see him until mid Saturday rolls around.  

Dave has expressed a sincere excitement for wanting to be my second shooter.  I don't know if he's just following the footsteps of many other women photographer's spouses, but I actually love the idea.  What we need to happen first though is a way for both of us to quit one of our  two jobs.  How do we do this?  Oh I'm so glad you asked...

 

You see, Dave has wanted an apprenticeship to a heating/plumbing/air shop for awhile.  He love's working with his hands and he does an excellent job at anything.  In fact, he is almost done with the chicken coop he made for my girls (chickens) and it looks good enough for me to camp in.  It has roof shingles and everything!

If he got this dream job, he would work less hours, get paid more AND his GI Bill would kick in.  The government would pay him to learn his trade.  What does this equate for me...I then could quit my day job and focus on my photography.  So it's a win win....win (as Michael Scott would say) situation.  

So, if you ever think about us, would you say a prayer...that we would walk in God's perfect will for our lives.  We both are so tired and are ready for a change for the better.  But in everything (even the yucky times) I know there is a reason why we go through the things we do.  So we can learn to be content in EVERY situation..."I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me."  

Love you all!!!

We're movin' right along...

"dooby doo, dooby dum."  Do any of you remember that muppet movie with this song in it?  I loved that movie as a kid.  That pretty much sums up what's been going on for my business lately.  I must take this chance to say "THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!"  to anyone who has referred me.  You are what makes this thing roll.  

I know I'm probably gonna have bloodshot eyes before this girl's night is over *large thumbs pointing at me* I am stretching to get most of my website done tonight.  My mamma invested in my business by getting me a website.  "Thank you mamma!  Yer da bomb!"  So, I'm stinkin' excited about getting it launched.  

In the meantime I had the opportunity to shoot a cute little family last night.  I just wish I had the energy that this little girl had.  I would get so many things done if I did :-)  Anyhoo, it was a beautiful day and I just cracked up at all the expressions this little one would make for me.

She was a ham!  She'll have to teach her new sister (still percolating in mom) all those funny faces.  

Thanks for letting me capture some of those moments for you...it made the night very entertaining...