My Sanity is at Steak Here!!

Why Blog?  Simply put, it is cheaper than therapy!!  Ha!  Ha!!  No, I'm not kidding here!  It really does help me keep my sanity even if I don't tell you all the bad stuff that happens around here!!  The name of the blog does NOT describe life in general trust me!!  If the name reflected life, I might call it:  Life from the Crapper, or This Bucket of Crud Called Life but who wants to hear all that stuff?  Not me, so I will just say that my life is far from perfect and I have very little family around here who care because they are too busy with their own lives!  Wow, did I say that out loud?

There have been several times this past week that I have been tempted to check myself into the psych ward at the local hospital just for a stinkin' vacation!  I have a friend who is a nurse out there and she promised to fluff my pillow and make sure that I had all the reading material and junk food I could handle!  She even said I could sleep in!  What in the world is that??  It is unheard of around here unless you are the Knight or the Moody Teen, both of whom could help alleviate some stress from my life if they would just pitch in a little!  I just need a 24 hour period (to start) where I do not have to care for anyone!  I need to be able to leave the house without my conjoined at the hip preschooler and go see a big girl movie (one that I pick out that does not involve the mob, alien creatures, military weaponry, princesses or talking chipmunks)!  I mean really is that too much to ask?  And date night?  Fugettaboutit!  That is non-existent around here!!  The Knights idea of a date is a movie on cable (one that I don't care for usually) and ordering in!  The last time he took us (the Diva included) to a nice dinner was at the end of May for my birthday!  Sigh..........I told him I was going to put an add in the paper for him!!  Here is how it would read:

One slightly tarnished husband.  May come clean with a good

polishing.  Not into date nights or letting you have time to 

yourself!  Dinner by 5, laundry put in drawers, lots of 

snacks needed for late night feeding frenzies!  Likes to 

ride his motorcycle (no room for you), spend time at his shop,

look at car & cycle mags!  Very little conversation unless

it is about stuff he is interested in!  Very reasonably priced

if you are into indentured servitude!

I have even tried to convince that Knight to let me take the Diva to daycare ONE day a week!  It could be perfect!!  I would let the Moody Teen take her on his way to school and he could pick her up on his way home!  I would not even have to leave the house unless I wanted to!  Of course, there would be sunny (what is that?), warm days that I would want to go to lunch with a friend, roam the mall or just grab my camera and drive until I saw something that caught my eye and then spend the day taking pictures!  That would be perfect but for now I will have to settle for blogging!!  Ha!  Ha!

***NOTE:  this was typed yesterday and set to publish this morning!  I only check email from my iPhone on the weekend and rarely turn my computer on unless there is photo editing to be done!!

I Was Not Born to Track

I like nature and wildlife but I cannot look at a set of tracks and tell you it was made by a bear or a deer or anything else for that matter!  So when I saw this in the new fallen snow this morning I was curious what creature could have made these tracks.

 

I thought the "steps" looked pretty uniform for the most part!  Could it be a cat or a squirrel or a bird?  I had no clue!  Can you tell what made the tracks?  I thought not!  Oh, not that you are not a good tracker but this creature is only native to my corner of the world!  He doesn't travel far from home and he likes to give me a good "mystery" to solve!  Figured it out yet?  OK, I will show you the creature that made these tracks.

Yup, it was the Moody teen trying to be funny as he took out the trash yesterday morning!  The mystery is solved!  LOL!

I Hit 500!!

This is actually post #501!!  I cannot believe that I have done this whole blog thing long enough to make it this far!!  I think I am totally addicted!  No, I tell you what I am addicted to and that is texture!!  Really, I have spent the last few days dreaming of, searching for and creating textures to use on photos!  Then, of course, I have to dream up new photos to add texture to!  It is a vicious cycle for me!

I am also addicted to my new blog design and I cannot stop looking at it!  I love it so much, I just want to keep it up all the time so I can look at it!

So, since I am addicted to textures I have added yet another texture to a photo of the Diva and to the photo of the Moody Teen!  I know I am using the same photos over again but these are two of my favs and I just want to see what the different textures do to a photo! 

I am getting back to work soon and will have some shoots coming up and then there is the matter of the Diva's three year photos which I dread look forward to!!  Ha!  Ha!  March, April and May are super booked with Portraits in the Park fundraiser and Senior Rep photos!  I have an amazing group of guys and gals who will represent me well!!  I am so excited and the Reps will be competing for a great cash prize!!

OK, I am done for now!  I hope your week is going great!!

Free Textures in Honor of My New Look!

I have been so into textures lately that while I was doing laundry, I happened to notice two of our basement windows that have frosted glass!  I dropped the laundry and ran up to get my camera!  Here are some photos that I processed using my newly created textures.

 

 

OK, think you get the idea so here are a few tips for using textures for you that have never used them before!  All you do is open your photo and your texture in your favorite editing program.  Next, you copy and past your texture on top of the photo and then lower the opacity so you can see your photo below!  Next, you will erase (using the eraser tool) where you do not want texture, like, a face or skin.  Adjust your final opacity to taste and flatten your image and viola, texture!!  So here are my freebies all you have to do is right click and save the image to your computer!  If you use it just come back let me know so I can see your art!!

By the way, a HUGE thanks going out to Diana at Custom Blog Designs for giving me the blog of my dreams again!!  She did the first design over a year ago when I won a blog makeover!!  I am proud to call her friend!  Diana, you rock my world with your creativeness!!

Here are the freebies:  Enjoy!!

 

 

i ♥ faces - Texture

When I heard that this week was texture week at i ♥ faces, I got kind of excited because textures have become my thing as of late!  I love to create and play with textures and have tons of photos that I have added texture to!  Some were great and some ended up not so great!

Anyway, I had added several textures to this photo before I found the absolute PERFECT texture for this photo of the Diva!  I call this "Tiny Dancer"!  The texture I used is called Amber by Alphabet Soup Studio and can be found for free here!  I also found another great fee site called CG Textures that has everything you can imagine!

Dance on over to i ♥ faces and join in on the fun or just check out the other great entries!  There should be tons of great texture ideas!

A Friday Shoot

Happy Friday everyone!  I am finding myself just a tad down because I have not seen the sun in so long and it may be a while before I see it again!  Sigh!!  I did get my hair cut today which made me feel a little better!

I thought I would clean and organize my camera equipment today so I started that process but was interrupted for an impromptu photo shoot!  I heard the Barbie phone ringing and when I answered, it was the Diva on the other end asking me to do a shoot for a cute little family and their dog.  They moved in at Christmas time so I thought it was only neighborly to oblige!  The Diva brought them right over!!  Are they not adorable?

 

OK, I am done!! LOL! On a cool note, I will be singing at a fundraiser for Haiti at our local coffee house on February 6th! So if you are in the area drop in for a cup for a good cause and some rockin' entertainment!! Have a great weekend everyone!

Breaking the Co-Sleeping Habit!

Before I start, let me say that this is not a debate!  There will be no right or wrong and all derogatory comments will be deleted!  Having said that, yes, we were co-sleepers!  The key word here is WERE! 

It started innocently enough with the Diva staying in our bed following a late night or early morning feeding and just kind of morphed into a full time thing by accidental design!  I say accidental design because it was more the Knight wanting her in our bed than me!   Don't get me wrong, it was easy for me to give in because I did not have to interrupt my sleep too much and I was comfortable with her snuggled up next to me!  I did have to purchase a bed rail so she would not fall out but that was minimal!  No, I did not (and still do not) trust the Knight to sleep beside her because I have been the victim of many a elbow in the ear incidents!

Anyway, when she was weaned, I considered putting her in her own bed but again the Knight intervened and
said he could not sleep with her anywhere else!  Again, I gave in!  Then I finally got tired of all the aches and pains from sleeping between them and then there is the issue of the heat the two of them put off!  I would wake up and be sweating to death!!  I hated it!

For the last 2 months, I am happy to say that I have more room in the bed!!  She has been booted!  OK, so it wasn't that harsh!  She got a toddler bed with Princess sheets and loved it but would not start out in her own bed!  She would start in ours and we would sing and talk until she was good and tired and then we would put her in her bed!  Oh, she would fuss at first but we made a huge deal out of her being a BIG girl!  Now, however, we can put her in her bed and she is just fine!!  Can I get woot woot?

She sleeps better, I sleep better and life is good!!  Now if I could just find someplace else for the Knight to sleep!!  Just kidding!!

I Have Gone .Com!

Just a note to let you know that I have gone .com on you all!  My new blog address is simply www.lifesperfectpictures.com but don't worry blogger will redirect you automatically so you don't get left behind!

Changes are a comin'!

In the coming weeks, the old blog will undergo a makeover of the extreme variety.  I love the purple but I am tired of the dark look!  I am wanting something light, airy and easy to navigate.  Something easier for older eyes to read (Sis) and just a cleaner overall look!  I am happy to say that the master behind the makeover will again be Diana at Custom Blog Designs!  She knows her stuff and her work speaks for itself!!  So visit me often if you are a fan of the purple but be ready for the big reveal, it will be worth the wait.

Another change that is coming is the fact that I am going to take a weekend vacation very soon ALONE with no family!!  My BFFs from High School (all 3 of them) and I are planning a weekend in Nashville to get reacquainted!  We have not been together in many years and it will be soooooo good to get away and enjoy each other the way we used to!  This will be a test for the Knight because he will have to care for the Diva ALONE!!

On another happy note, my friend Kristina is getting to pick up her daughter in FL!!  She has been in an orphanage in Haiti and Kristina was working through the adoption system but it was taking FOREVER!!  Since the earth quake all 26 kids who were being adopted have been given their traveling papers and should be in the US as you read this!!  Kristina and her husband managed to find a private plane in Evansville, IN to take them and several other families to FL to get their kids to their forever homes!  God is so good even in the midst of trial!!  Please pray for safe travel for all of them!!  UPDATE:  THE FAMILY WILL BE BACK IN INDIANA TODAY!  FOG PREVENTED THEM FROM FLYING HOME LAST NIGHT BUT THEY HAVE THEIR BEAUTIFUL ELLIE IN THEIR ARMS AND THEIR FAMILY IS COMPLETE!!

Anyway, that's whats going on in my neck of the woods!  Hope you are all well!

I ♥ Faces - We Are Family

This is a great family! I had the opportunity to photography them recently and they just exude the word family! I am proud to call them friends!

Now check out all the other family entries at I ♥ Faces!

Random Thoughts Thursday

I am just using this post to clear out the things that are cluttering my brain these days so hang in there as I ramble a bit!

First, Haiti!  I am saddened by this human crisis and the suffering that has been made worse by the latest tragedy to hit the area!  I am in prayer for my friend Kristina and her family who are in pain becuase they are in the adoption process and the little girl they are adopting is in the middle of all the chaos!  Ellie and the others from the orphanage were unharmed but there has to be a way to get these kids to their forever families sooner!  Our government is getting involved with the kids issue so hopefully they will get refugee status to come to the states to get them out of the danger zone!  We also donated via text from each of our cell phones, it was the least we could do!!  Text "Haiti" to 90999 and a $10 donation will go to the American Red Cross and will appear on your cell phone bill!  Easy way to help!

Second, our temps are warmer and the snow is melting!  It feels like a heat wave here right now and for that I am thankful!  Hopefully this will aid investigators who are working on dertermining a cause for the fire that gutted Villa Pizza (our fav)!  Praying for a speedy rebuilding process and for the 40 employees who are now without a job!

Third, I am ready to get back to work!  The bookings are starting to roll in and there will be lots going on in the coming months but I am ready now!  Perhaps it is just cabin fever that has taken its toll on me!  Who knows but this also ties in with the fact that I want to go to Colorado to see family and need to get some cashflow going again to be able to do that!  Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Colorado?

Fourth, things are going good with the kiddos!  The Moody Teen missed the Honor Roll by a very small margin but is doing well keeping up with school and work and all of his other activities!  The Diva is, well, still very Divaish!  She keeps me on my toes and I never know what to expect from her because she is a live wire!  Today is the Knight's Birthday so we are making dinner and baking brownies for him!  She loves to help out and keeping her occupied keeps her out of trouble!!  Ha!

As for me, I a have been feeling out of sorts lately!  I have always had a seasonal depression type thing at this time of year and this year is no different!  I know that I just need to work through it and soon Spring will be here with more sunshine and time to be outside!

Well, I think that just about clears out the cobwebs from my brain!  I hope you all are having a wonderful week!

i ♥ faces - Week 2 - Best Face Photo

I was WORKING hard for a face photo for this week and none of them were turning out as I had planned thanks to a certain little model who did not want to model!  I had given up totally and then he happened!  This little dude was at a skate party Sunday evening and he was just watching all the people skate looking as if he wished he could be out there too!  I call him Skater Baby!  He caught my eye and my heart in one fell swoop!

Better late than never for me!  Now, if you can stop looking at this handsome little guy, head on over to check out the tons of great entries at i ♥ faces!

Skate Night 2010

Last year at this time the Diva got to go roller skating for the very first time! She had a blast and when she heard that our church was doing it again this year, forget about it! That is all she could talk about!

So last night we bundled up and I packed the camera bag for a night of fun on wheels! The Diva did great on the carpet but was not so impressed with the hardwood so she spent most of the evening on the carpet by our table with daddy supervising! She "skated" and danced her little booty off! It really was cute to watch!

I made two laps and then took off the skates to break out the camera and enjoy my own brand of fun! I love "people watching" and this was the perfect location to catch people letting loose and just having fun!

This little cheerleader pose was the Diva preparing to do the YMCA with everyone else! It was too funny to see this almost 3 year old dancing to a song that was popular when I was a kid!

When we got home the Moody Teen was home from work and the Diva immediately bombarded him with her adventures in skating and asked him to buy her skates for her Birthday in February!  She wants them now and does not understand that her Birthday is over a month away at this point!  I keep trying to tell her that daddy's Birthday is first (this Thursday) but she thinks that we need to skip his and go right on to hers!  Ha!

Hope you all had a great weekend and that Monday is starting off on the "right" foot for you!

Is This Thing On?

Tap tap tap.........anyone here? I know I have been MIA for a few days but I have a super good reason! It all started Tuesday when the Knight came down with a stomach virus and ended up in bed for about 32 hours straight unless he was running for the bathroom! The Diva and I steered clear as best we could and was disinfecting everything he touched right after he touched it! It was awful!

I really thought I had dodged the bullet when I came down with it Wednesday night and I spent the next 24 hours in bed until the Diva started in on Thursday night! When I came out of our room to help the Knight take care of her, I took note of the state of my house and it was not pretty! Now I feel like I have been hit by a Mack truck and I see the living room in shambles and the kitchen in a wreck with dishes piled high and the garbage overflowing! Sigh!! I finally make it to the bathroom to see my little baby sitting on the toilet covered in puke (sorry TMI) and the Knight is gagging! I have to clean her up and clean the bathroom as well all while praying that death comes swiftly! That is how bad I felt!!

Fast forward to today (Saturday) and I am finally starting to feel human again! I spent the better part of yesterday doing nasty laundry, washing dishes and disinfecting everything I could with all the Clorox products in my house! The house looks and smells better but it took me most of the day to get it done because I had to rest often! I am still drained and I have lost some weight (the hard way)! I am still afraid of food (not a bad thing) and I just want to snuggle under a blanket and watch a good chick flick!

On a sad note: Our favorite pizza place burned down the other night after 35 years in the same location! They had the best thin crust pizza around and it was our Friday night dinner forever!! They say they are going to rebuild and I pray they do!

Life Upsidedown!

As the title says, that is what you get when you switch from ISP provided email to web based email! Since February of 2007, we have had the same Internet address and it is tied to everything that we do online!

I spent the better part of the day switching accounts around to reflect the new email address and I think I got everyone! In case YOU missed it here they are:

personal: brazzells4@gmail.com
photography: pictureperfectbyjo4@gmail.com

I have sent emails, logged into accounts around the web too numerous to mention and got everything back in order (I hope)! I just don't want to have to do this again if I switch ISPs again! By the way, the reason for the switch is to save about $130 or so on Internet, cable and phone! Gotta watch that budget you know!! OK, maybe I am just cheap! I have to admit that I feel better now that all of the stuff has been taken care of and I will save money! I am, however, waiting for the calls that will come from our old ISP in a feeble attempt to lure us back to them! Ain't gonna do it!! I am standing my ground and going back to our original ISP, where I should have stayed in the first place!! Sorry Mediacom, you lose!

i ♥ Faces Week 1 - Happy BDay i ♥ Faces

Sucked in again! I know, I know, I say I am not doin' it again and them somehow I find myself editing photos for the party at I ♥ Faces! Let's start off slow with my new Facebook profile photo!

Now we move up to someone a whole lot cuter than me! Here is one from the Diva at Christmas time! I always thought her hand should have had something in it and now I had a reason to do just that! Ha!

And then I decided to get a little creative with the Diva and my sunglasses! Notice all of the static in her hair! I would say I need to get the humidifier out! LOL!

And finally, the best for last! My own little
big, four-legged i ♥ anything dog! It actually cracks me up that I did not think of her until I saw her on the couch (where she should not be) snoozing! Thanks Zoe girl!

“I am submitting this photo into the I Heart Faces logo photo contest. By entering, I am granting I Heart Faces LLC permission to consider my photo for use in the marketing and promotion of this website.”

Hope & Peace

I rang in 2010 in peaceful slumber! It was cold so the neighbors did not have the annual fireworks at midnight which made for a full night of sleep! Even the Diva cooperated by sleeping until 9 this morning so I finally know what it is like to sleep in! Ha!

While I was putting away Christmas decorations the other day I saw two of my new ornaments that I could not bring myself to tuck away for next year so I decided to integrate them into the decor of my home and they fit perfectly!


I bought these for a buck a piece at Dollar General on Thanksgiving day! I fell in love with them and would have bought tons to cover my entire tree but the kids would have been upset that their ornaments were not on the tree! Anywho, I just could not put it way only to be seen a few weeks out of the year!

Hope is what we all have for our future and the futures of our children! Hope for a better tomorrow and hope for a prosperous future!



And then there is peace, something we all pray for! Peace between nations, peace in our own family and a peace that only comes from God! I pray that you have both hope and peace in 2010!