Creative Conundrum

2010-05-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

Visit my new site: ChrisandLeighAnna.com
I have a blog there under "News" and also you can view my photo portfolio and Chris's design work as well. Thanks for visiting!!! Hope to see you there!

new stuff

2009-07-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

Two days in a row...don't faint!
Here are a few pics from the cutie pie I hung out with today:

Life in general

2009-07-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

So...first of all, Chris and I are going to be starting our own blog together. It will go along with our new site, still in the works, at chrisandleighanna.com. We figure with both of us talking about design, photography and whatever else strikes our fancy, we might be able to keep it current! Let me know what you think of the new design.

Chris has been in NYC all week, attending the SahreVictoreWilker Workshop at the Art Director's Club. Apparently, he has been bitten by the NY bug and is talking about possibly going there one day to live...wow. I used to never think I could get to a place like this but once I started changing my thoughts and expectations, it started happening. Anyways, he is learning lots plus getting to hang out with some really awesome folks.

I am headed out tomorrow to Johnson City, TN to photograph the Tyson family. They are some friends of ours that I have not seen in years, since they moved. I'll post a few pics here soon! After that, I am driving to Nashville to shoot for LifeWay! I am pretty thrilled about this and very thankful. It should be a really fun shoot to promote their Children's Music Series theme for next year.

Yeah, and in case you have not heard, Chris will be graduating in October! We are planning a trip to NYC for the photoexpo and his portfolio show that month. Keep your fingers crossed that an incredible opportunity will present itself to him soon!!! I will be leaving PC as well, and keep shooting and assisting...big changes ahead, it could get really exciting!

where am I going?

2009-05-15T07:52:00.001-07:00

Gosh, isn't that the million dollar question that we all ask ourselves? I have not been taking photos long enough to figure that one out yet...I have not found my "style" yet. But...I have found a person whose work I absolutely love...and I even have a bit in common with him. Norman Jean Roy Apparently he studied graphic design before finding photography...he lived in Nashville while starting his career (anyone know him by chance?) and he is only a few years older than me. I think his work is amazing and would love to be able to shoot like this. I guess me and a few thousand others... ;-)

Check out the article on PC...

2009-05-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

Taxi

If you look closely, the last ad on the page, with the girl holding the mirror...that's my shot!

published again!

2009-05-04T21:47:00.001-07:00

http://gettotallyrad.com/recipes/
Check out my pier image from Belize on the front page!
WOOO HOOO!

2nd quarter finals

2009-05-01T14:48:00.000-07:00

I kind of forgot to update this for a while....school is kicking my butt this quarter!!
Here are some final shots that I turned in from last quarter...

My right hand man

2009-05-01T14:41:00.001-07:00

Chris and I have not worked together too much in the past ten years. It is really hard to do the same thing and not argue about it. Now that I am doing something different, it seems to be going a little bit easier. Last quarter, he had to make a poster about homosexuality and signs. He decided to do a poster on the moral issues between gays and Christians. Turns out, he had a great concept that I shot and photoshopped together for him. We have heard a lot of good response from this but last week, we were shocked to find out we had both won a gold award at school and together we won Best in Show for the quarter! It sure does feel great...and I am sure glad to have someone so special to share it with. Here is the photo...

I'm gonna be published!!

2009-05-01T14:37:00.000-07:00

I got the news last week that 2 of my photos (daisy and the umbrella) have been chosen for the next issue of CMYK Magazine! WOOOHOOO!!! It will be coming out in June!

Belize

2009-04-02T07:11:00.001-07:00

it's about time

2009-02-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

I have been really lazy about updating this huh? Sorry about that.
Finished my first quarter and went on the trip...we lived out of the car basically for three weeks, it was really good to get home! As soon as we got home, 2nd quarter began. It has been going good...but much different than last quarter. I have a still life class and an art photography class, along with another illustration class and advanced photoshop and printing. I feel less challenged this quarter but that's ok, I know it will hit soon enough.
Here are my final pieces from last quarter. I got a 9.6 out of 10 overall (and that would have been higher if I had not gotten a 8.6 on my flash work!) One of the professional photographers even gave me a perfect 10. I was pretty stoked!

Sunrise/Sunset
Shaft of light:
Extra shots from the shoot:

Goggles:
Motion:
Up Close:
Vermeer Lighting (window light from one side) 1960's Bob Dylan inspired
Additional shots:
Shoot a fruit:

Road Trip

2008-12-12T03:57:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts about being in school and freelance is that we get these long breaks between quarters...3 weeks this time. Chris is in a content branding class and his group has chosen to design an Apple sponsored high school. I won't get into details but we are getting to interview some great people, Michelle Rhee, James Victore, and a professor at MIT that I cannot remember his name. So Chris, John and I are headed up to DC today for the weekend. We are staying with friends and get to do some sightseeing....exciting! Chris has never been so it should be lots of fun. On Monday, we are driving to NYC for 2 days then on to Boston! YAY! This will be our first time staying in NYC....wish us luck! We are pretty excited to be able to do this...next year Chris will be working and trips like this won't be able to happen as often. I cannot believe it is almost Christmas of 2008....where does time go?

HELP ME!!!

2008-12-09T11:04:00.000-08:00

I need your votes please! All you have to do is sign in with an email address then it will let you vote. My shot is on page 2 or 3...look for it and vote PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

CLICK HERE

Dear Santa...I want a frug.

2008-12-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

That's right...a FRUG! This little face has stolen my heart...She is a half French bulldog, half pug mix. Too bad my dogs would be way too jealous (plus they cost enough as it is!) But keep this little one in mind, one day I want one one! Check them out.

A treat for you...

2008-12-04T17:38:00.001-08:00

just in case you missed it.

1 week and counting!

2008-12-02T22:06:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it...I have one week and first quarter will be over! I am really excited and feel pretty good about my work this quarter. I have been pretty lax on writing, it has been a busy few weeks.

My first quarter at Portfolio Center has been amazing. I really feel like I am on the right path and in the right place. Just the people I have had the opportunity to meet this quarter has floored me.
1. Gregory Heisler: An amazing portrait photographer...he has shot over 70 Time covers alone. Look at his work, people like Bono, Bill Gates, Bruce Springsteen, and the list goes on and on....amazing to get to hear him speak.

2. Joyce Tenneson: Another amazing talent. Her work is so dreamy and soft...She was inspiring, she did not start doing photography full time until she was 40. At one point in her career, she was making more a day than some people do in a year. That's incredible.

3. Harry Benson: My personal fave. Can I tell you that I loved this guy? I have a sweet spot for old sweet men, I just want to hug them. He was extremely huggable! Jerry and I picked him up from the airport and took him to lunch. We got to pick his brain and he was so open and friendly about it all. He told us about shooting the Beatles, former presidents, MLK, Ashton and Demi, and many others. What a great guy who has been at the forefront of history and has been able to record it for generations to come. He was even in the room when Robert f. Kennedy was murdered. Wow. Amazing stuff.

4. Steve McCurry: Recognize the shot below? Sure you do...National Geographic, in the 80s. We got to go meet with Mr. McCurry on Monday and listen to him talk about his career and ask him anything we wanted. What a treat.

I just am in awe at the talent that has been put before us. That is not even mentioning the designers that have been in for seminars...James Victore, Steff Geissbuhler (NBC logo, anyone?) and the list goes on...I am so thankful to be able to attend a school where they value the industry so much and really try their best to make you aware of what can happen if you work hard enough...and have a little talent too.

Did you Know?

2008-12-02T04:17:00.001-08:00

The thought of all this scares me. Life is moving faster than we are...

Max is a star...

2008-11-12T13:06:00.000-08:00

Well not quite, but he sure does look cute on this package! One of the designers at Portfolio Center, Michelle Haft, is in a packaging class and needed a boxer for a dog food project. He looks good huh? Good job Michelle!

You Can Vote However You Like

2008-11-09T07:11:00.001-08:00

This is a little late but I am so impressed with these kids. If you go to youtube you can also see an interview...they are so smart and articulate. Nice to see some polite smart kids in this world!

Max Update

2008-11-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

Max went back for a 6 month checkup this week and the doctor said he looks fabulous! No sign of any cancer at all! YAY!

Just a few shots

2008-11-02T06:37:00.000-08:00

Thought you might like to see what I have been doing besides painting in school... here are a few of my favorite shots. The first few are my Bob Dylan shots. It was for a project where we had to pick a year and then set up a shot with natural lighting like the Dutch painter, Johannes Vermeer. I had it in my head that I wanted to do the 1960's and I wanted to do a musician, like Bob Dylan. I was at the Botanical Gardens and lo and behold, this guy walked right in front of me and I had to stop him and ask. He was very kind and was more than willing to help me out, the only problem was that he lived in NY and only had a few days left in town. We got it all worked out and it actually was good, I have something done for critique!

And this is one of my favorites. It was a sunrise shot, I didn't want to get up and go out in the rain but I did anyways and I caught this...good thing I had the boots!

27 dogs

2008-10-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

That was the assignment. Paint 27 dogs with acrylic and a brush, without sketching or planning them out. I have never painted before...but about halfway through, I kind of got into it. I started noticing a style that I was good at and kept going with it. I had a blast, although it did take me about 8 hours. I was not expecting any kind of praise, etc from anyone...I thought mine were just average but everyone freaked out. The teacher called me the "goddess" during class (that was embarrassing!) and she took my dogs and wouldn't let me have them back. I went into school the other day and there they were, right in the front hallway!!!! OMG! I never expected that, especially first quarter! And especially not with paintings!!!
This illustration class is really good for me. When I went to school at UTC, I wanted to be in the art department so bad but I just thought I was terrible at drawing and therefore I shouldn't even think about it. I took an art history class and I remember being so jealous of all the people in that building that got to study it all the time. I think if I had gotten into it back then, I would have never dropped out of school. This teacher, Lindy, is amazing. She makes you feel so good about your stuff, even when you don't think it is good. She sees the artistic value in everything. I wish I had met her years ago! I think I am learning that it is best to always follow your dreams no matter how good you think you are. Everyone is talented, some people just take more coaching than others.
I definitely think I am in the right place finally. It took me 14 years after UTC to get here but at least I finally got here. It is hard but it is definitely worth the work.

Where does the time go?

2008-10-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

9 years....sure does sound like a long time. Sometimes it feels like it but most of the time it doesn't. Nine years ago today Chris and I said "I do". I am so thankful that I have him by my side...even when the going gets rough. I look at marriage as a choice. Things are not always perfect but who promised perfection? I knew that going into it and I know that no matter if I am with Chris or anyone else...there will always be tough times. I think going through life with him by my side is MUCH better than being without him...We are good together and I am so glad and thankful for that.
Don't we look like babies??? Crazy.

Life is a blur

2008-10-02T19:57:00.000-07:00

It has finally happened...school started this week. I have been waiting for this for a long time but boy, I don't think I was quite prepared. I am taking four classes plus seminar...Natural Lighting, Illustration for Photographers, Flash 1, & Basic Photography. So far, everything has been great, but the natural lighting class is kicking my butt! We have to be up shooting every morning at sunrise and again at sunset. 7 days a week. Oh my gosh. I did not know how hard that would be! I am so tired and my brain has been going a mile a minute, proceeding to wake me up every morning at 3am on overdrive. I am a little sad to lose my sleep...it was so nice! Seriously, it is every single day from now until the end of the quarter...without a single day off. Wow.

Besides school, Chris and I have had a lot of freelance lately which is a super good thing, but it does add to the stress level around the house.

Here are some links to the stuff I have had to turn in the past few days, check it out. They are not masterpieces by any mean but I am slowly getting better!
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Not the job for me

2008-09-06T17:59:00.000-07:00

So, I was on craigslist today and ran across this ad...check it out:
-----------------------------------------

Producers of the cable television show Worlds Deadliest Catch are conducting a nationwide search for 3 people to be filmed falling from a ship and into the North Sea while we attempt to rescue you. Please submit a brief list of your qualifications as well as WHY this part would be right for you. This part may lead to future supporting roles. The compensation is $2000. Lodging, meals and transportation are included.
-----------------------------------------
So, I just have a few issues...first of all, they will only "attempt" to rescue you. good luck!
Second of all, you have to have qualifications for this job? (um so...yeah, I fall off of large fishing boats all the time!)
HA!
Not the job for me!

Surfer

2008-09-05T09:56:00.001-07:00

Surfer
Originally uploaded by leighthompson01

YES! I have made into my first exhibit! This photo made it into the Showcase School of Photography (where I took my class this summer) student exhibit. It will display at the school from Oct. 1-Dec. 12...
I am so excited!

I NEED YOUR VOTES!

2008-09-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

I uploaded a photo in a nighttime contest at jpg magazine...the more votes I get, the more likely I might get in the magazine! Please click and vote!
Please click here to vote for my photo!

Is it true?

2008-08-28T16:33:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow is Michael Jackson's 50th birthday. First Madonna and now MJ! I remember a time when I thought I was in LOVE with Michael...Actually, I recorded myself with my state of the art tape recorder when I was like 7, saying that I wanted to marry him...Yup, I still have the tape. Funny. Now he is 50. Wow.
We all get older, it is inevitable. When you are in your teens and 20's, it feels like it is never going to happen. Then when you hit 30, something snaps and it feels like it just goes faster and faster. And you never get younger. Too bad...I would have appreciated my youth much more had I known how fast it would go.

Lords of Loud: The Documentary (trailer)

2008-08-25T17:17:00.001-07:00

This is a follow up to the "incredible" performance at PC last week by the Lords of Loud. This week, Erick...otherwise known as Black Mountain...had to give his data blitz. This is what he did, it is hilarious. If you have not seen the other video, it is a few posts back...you have to check it out too.

my new baby

2008-08-19T18:37:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I bit the bullet. I spent a small fortune on a new camera plus a tripod, monopod and several extras that I needed to start school. I decided to purchase a Nikon D700 which is Nikon's newest addition to their arsenal. It has only been on the market for about 3 weeks so I consider myself lucky to have found one.
Hopefully, this camera will allow me to capture some incredible imagery! Wooo hoooo....only a month and a half until school starts!

Portfolio Center Data Blitz

2008-08-14T19:29:00.000-07:00

Today was the first performance of the Lords of Loud! At Portfolio Center, each student has to do a data blitz in which he or she presents anything they want. Chris decided he wanted to perform in a 80's rock band and sing...In case you missed it, check it out below...it is hilarious! (PS> ignore the second one...it is not right...)

Sleeping with the ghosts

2008-08-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was my last little get-away before I start school next month. Mom came down on Thursday and on Friday morning, we took off for Savannah, GA. Neither one of us had been before...I was amazed at how beautiful that city is. I took lots of pictures...this week was the last week of my photo class at Showcase...boo. It was a great class and got me at least a little up to speed before I start at Portfolio Center in October.
Savannah has quite a bit of history to it. It was originally the capital of Georgia and the American Revolution and the Civil War were both fought there. Many people died in Savannah, from war and yellow fever, among other things, and it has the reputation of being the most haunted city in America. We didn't do any "ghost tours" but we did stay in a haunted hotel called The Marshall House. It was a beautiful old building that was originally built as a hotel in the mid 1800's by Mary Marshall. Over the years, it served as a civil war hospital and a hospital for yellow fever patients during a major outbreak. Needless to say, there was a lot of suffering that happened at this hotel. It has been called on of the most haunted hotels in Savannah. (we did not know this when we booked it!) Anyways, we truly did not expect anything to happen.

The first night when we got ready to go eat dinner, we walked out in the hall and smelled a very old burning wood smell. It was only right outside our door. We walked down the hall and noticed some engineering employees going into a room that seemed empty. Coming back from a wonderful dinner, we passed the room again and the door slammed right as I got beside it. It scared the crap out of me and I ran all the way to our door! Later on that night, the bedside lamp turned on and off twice. I thought it was a loose connection but I checked the bulb and the cord and nothing was loose. It never happened again, the entire time we stayed there...that was the strange thing.

Our second night was quiet, no ghosts roaming around our room at least. Mom slept with a flashlight behind her head and would not get out from under the covers...she thought something was going to get her!

I'll leave you with a few more pictures from the trip...

Big News...

2008-08-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

I have been keeping a little secret. I have decided to go back to school in October...I kind of feel like I am going crazy, I mean most of my friends that are my age are having kids or have already had them. Here I am going into loads and loads of debt so that I can work my ass off for the rest of my life! No, seriously...I am excited. I will be starting at Portfolio Center on Oct. 1, in their photography program. I have decided to move away from design and concentrate on something that I think I will be much happier with in the long run. My goal at this point is to get into advertising photography similar to what Mark Delong or Tony Baker does. I have worked with both of these guys on the art direction side and they are so talented...I hope that I can be as good as they are one day...Wish me luck!

And it all came crashing down...

2008-08-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

on my butt. Yes, that's correct. I managed to bruise my entire left butt cheek this weekend. Chris and I were headed out to dinner after a huge thunderstorm. The concrete was all wet but I didn't even think too much about it. Sure enough, just as I reached the first step, my feet go flying straight out in front of me and I landed squarely on my left cheek. Thank goodness there is enough padding down there to keep me from really injuring myself! The next day, my butt turned black and blue, don't worry, I won't post any pictures of it! I think the older you get, the harder you fall...

The babies

2008-07-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some old cd's today and found these images. It is so cute, I just had to share. I have trouble remembering that Max was ever that small. Wasn't he adorable?

thoughts

2008-07-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

Life is so complicated. It seems as if society is running at a pace now that would be hard to top. Oh, I am sure it will be done...sooner than later. Chris and I have been watching Mad Men, a AMC show based on the advertising world in the early 60's. Life seemed much simpler then, with the wives staying home and the husbands bringing home the dough. Not that I want to go back to that time, it just makes me think about how far women and society have come in the past 50 years. In the show, Don Draper, a creative director for a big agency on Madison Ave. in NY, has a wife and 2 kids, 2 mistresses, and drinks and smokes like crazy. During work. In his office. That kind of stuff would never fly nowadays. The women in the show are treated like they are children, except the few independent business women that you see (the mistresses of course) Men seem to always be drawn to powerful women, even back then. I'm not sure how accurate a depiction the show is but it seems to fit with what I know about the era.

Anyways, I think about those days and I see how much culture has changed. 50 years later, we are all running at breakneck speed. Makes me wonder where we will be 50 years from now? Will the USA still be around? Will we even see each other or will we communicate solely through our computers? If you have seen Wall•e, then you know what I am talking about. Part of me longs for a simpler time when you could enjoy the simple things without getting all wrapped up in the busy details. But that other part of me doesn't want to give up the luxuries this type of culture has afforded me. Sometimes I need to remember to enjoy my journey instead of getting wrapped up.

What in the heck?

2008-07-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

So, in case you did not see it on the news today...this is the newest thing in pedicures from a spa in Washington DC. I don't care if they paid me...There is no way I would let these little fish suck off all my dead skin. Would you?

more books

2008-07-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more books that I made in Anne's class...

Now I just have to figure out what I am going to do with them!

Stay tuned, I have exciting news to share in the near future...no, I am not pregnant. You'll find out soon enough!

is there anybody out there...

2008-07-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

Ok. Quit hiding. I know you are reading this blog...and I want to hear from you! At the bottom of each post is a link that says "comments" if you click on it, you can leave a comment on that post.

Mixed news from the Vet

2008-07-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today was Max's 3 month checkup after chemo. Good news first, he is still cancer-free!!! YAY!!! Bad news is that she heard a heart murmur. Great. We are going to hold out on getting an ultrasound since she said it was very small. She was not worried or ready to put him on meds for it. So hopefully it was just a fluke and we will go back and there will be no more murmur. But back to the good news...It has been 9 months since my boy got diagnosed and almost a year since the symptoms first showed up...he is doing so great! The crucial stage of recovery is past us now. If the evil cancer ever rears its head again, we will be able to do chemo again. Thank God.

classes

2008-07-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to keep myself busy lately by learning a few new things while I have the time. Carmen and I have been taking a sewing class at Hancock's for the past 4 weeks. I have successfully made a pair of pajama pants that could fit someone twice my size! It's too bad, considering they are the most expensive pair of pajamas I own, but I digress...Our teacher is a little on the odd side, she gives me a hard time since I know how to sew already. I have decided that I do like sewing, but I am not sure I could do it for a living...but Carmen and I are going to try and keep it up and get together once a week or so to do projects. Hubby pajamas are up first on our list...If anyone wants to join us...feel free!

Another class I am taking, from an amazingly talented lady named Anne, is bookmaking. Chris got me turned on to this since he has been at PC and it is a really fun time! I will post some of the books I have made in Anne's class later, but here are my very first books that I put together:Next on my agenda is a photography class that starts next Wednesday. I am super excited about this one...after that, who knows?

Puppy Mill Video

2008-06-26T13:39:00.000-07:00

***Okay, so the spacing is all weird on this and I don't know how to fix it. Scroll down to see the video****

Such a sad sight. We visited a place similar to this when we were looking for Max. I refused to buy a dog from them and wished I had turned them in. They had the mama boxer chained to a door that was half buried in the ground and she was eating like she had not been fed in weeks. This video was actually taken in TN but I don't think it was the same place...be careful when you get a dog and make sure you get them from a reputable source...or just adopt one. Places like this need to be put out of business forever. Makes me sad.

In case you missed it...

2008-06-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

NKOTB debuted their new video on VH1 today. I am so excited!!! They are coming to Atlanta on Oct. 29 and YES, I already have my ticket! WOOHOO!!!!

Poor Samus...

2008-05-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

The Vet...Those two words are ones that we have tossed around quite a bit the past year. I guess Samus's time had come to make a visit...maybe she was getting jealous of Max getting all the attention, I don't know. We have been fighting a hematoma in her ear for the past few months. The first two times, they drained it and it went away. When we got back from Boston, it was pretty swollen again so we knew we were going to have to do something major. We took her in last week and scheduled the surgery for yesterday. During that time, her ear had almost completely swollen shut. I could not even get my pinky finger in her ear! She went in yesterday for surgery. Basically, they cut it open, drain it, then somewhat "quilt" the ear back together so that the pocket will not form again. Anyways, when I went in to pick up my girl today, I was not prepared for the amount of bandaging she has!

It looks like she has had major brain surgery!!! Poor thing has to keep these bandages on for the next 2-3 weeks and on top of that, she has to wear the awful cone the whole time too! What a pitiful sight!

staying in Cambridge

2008-05-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

We got lucky finding a place to stay when we went into downtown Boston for the conference. I found an apartment rental on Craigslist that was much cheaper than the hotels were. (see photo above...we were on the 3rd floor) Chris and I actually prefer to travel this way, it actually gives you a good feel of the city and what it would be like if we actually lived there. Our apartment was about a 3-4 minute walk from Harvard Square in Cambridge. Actually I didn't realize how lucky we were until Saturday night when we went int0 the square to walk around and get ice cream....Harvard's graduation was the same weekend we were there! It was so packed you could hardly walk but we enjoyed it anyways.

Boston has an energy that I have never felt in another city. Maybe it is because I know it fairly well, having visited there so much, but I don't know. The architecture is amazing...there are so many beautiful old buildings that just beg to be photographed...you can see a few at the end of this post. I also love all the dining patios...almost every place has them on Newbury street. It's demographic is pretty young, considering how many colleges and univ. are there, and it's public transportation is top notch. We took the bus to the conference center and rode the T (subway) all over town. We loved it. I could live right downtown and not even have a car...
Besides using public transportation, we did a lot of walking while we were there. I actually got blisters on our first day! We traveled down to South Boston for the SOWA Open Market. It was a very artsy area with lots of studios. The market was smaller than I expected but I did find some soap and a change purse to take home with me.Later on we went into downtown to Faneuil Hall and the Quincy Market. It's kind of a touristy spot but I love it nonetheless. We ate lunch at a irish pub upstairs and afterwards, Chris had to have a nap by the waterfront. Here are a few pictures from our journey...I especially love the boy scout one...they were on tour with a guy dressed up as a early Bostonian...cute.

birthdays & prom

2008-05-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh, my 12 days in Boston were great. I really, seriously, could live there in a heartbeat.

The best part about the HOW conference being in Boston is that I got to go and see my sister for a while. She moved to MA when I was 9 so I haven't gotten to really spend much time with her over the years or experience much with her family. It couldn't have been a better week for me to go, I got to be there for my nephew's 7th birthday (even got to decorate the cake!!)
And I got to go to Ben's T-ball game. Let me tell you, if you have never gone to a 7 year old's t-ball game, you need to make it a priority! It was one of the funniest things I have seen in a while! Kids were running everywhere, half of them were just throwing their gloves in the air or picking flowers...some were even rolling in the dirt for the heck of it! Here is a photo of the future baseball star himself (he's the one running in the orange shirt)
Plus I was there for my oldest niece's junior prom...where I played hair stylist for her. I loved every minute of it. She looked so beautiful!!!!! But I did learn something by living with a 14 and 16 year old for a week...I sure DO NOT miss being a teenager!

Our time together flew by. Amanda is my only sister and I sure do miss her being around. Maybe, just maybe, someone in Boston will get ahold of Chris when he graduates. That would be just super.

updates

2008-05-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

We spoke with Dale today...he is scheduled for surgery on the 15th. He is still fighting fever and thinks he either has a collapsed lung or pneumonia. That stinks. I am pretty worried about him, I guess I have never thought about him being in such bad shape and not being able to get better. Makes me want to take a little better care of myself. You only get one chance with the body God gave you.....

Some good news to report, Max had a checkup today and he is still ALL CLEAR!!!!!!!! WOOOOOHOOOOOOO! YayYAYyay!!!! makes me super happy! He is 6 weeks out from chemo and doing great!

scary situation

2008-05-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

Please keep our friend Dale Oldham in your thoughts and prayers the next few weeks...
He had surgery about 5 weeks ago...it was a VERY major surgery. He is in a wheelchair and basically his spine had started to weaken. They went in and rebuilt a major portion of his spine using rods, screws, etc. It was 14 hours and very dangerous. He was doing great.

As of this past Sunday, something happened and the hardware came loose. He has some broken vertebrae and the rods and a steel cage that was in his back has gone haywire. They can't do surgery immediately because he has been on asprin to thin his blood to lessen the chance of blood clots. He is in a lot of pain. The doctors don't really even know what to do because this is something that never happens. He is scared. He needs your prayers...

OH YEAH!!!!!!

2008-04-19T08:04:00.001-07:00

I am so excited!!! Next Thursday night, Mr. Jon Bon Jovi himself comes to Nashville and I am going. Thanks Heather, for being so diligent about getting tickets!

The future of the internet

2008-04-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

Change is good....at least that is what I tell myself! Sometimes it seems a little scary but I am sure in the long run it will be great. This article is about "The Grid" a new system that is planned to take over the internet. It will enable us to download entire movies in a matter of seconds. They say that eventually everyone will store their files online and video conferencing will use holographic images...it feels a little strange, like I am watching an episode of SciFi. I guess that is how people felt when the internet first came around.
Check out the article below:

'The Grid' Could Soon Make the Internet Obsolete

Samus Screaming

2008-04-04T08:55:00.001-07:00

Just a little Friday treat for you...check it out!

New Kids On the Block Reunion! Are you Ready?

2008-04-04T08:41:00.001-07:00

I know...you thought it would never happen. I am sure you have heard by now the news that they are back. Oh yeah. And I am going to a show whenever they come. Carmen and I are ready!!! Is it sad that watching this video gave me chills?

YAY MAX!!!

2008-04-03T14:03:00.000-07:00

Chemo is over! My little superman has made it and is doing great!!! We had a meeting with the doctor today and she said she was really surprised at how well he has done considering he was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma. Apparently that type usually does not respond well to chemo. But the important thing is that Max is still cancer free and healthy! He goes back in 6 weeks for a checkup and more x-rays. The first three months are crucial...if it comes back during those three months, they consider it to be immune to treatment and will not put him through chemo again. If it comes back after the first three months, we can put him through another round of chemo if he is healthy enough...but we are just hoping and praying it never-ever-ever comes back. Thanks to everyone who has kept our boy in their thoughts and prayers! We appreciate it and please keep it up!

Springtime!

2008-04-02T20:57:00.001-07:00

It is our first spring here in Atlanta...and it is beautiful! This week has been in the high 70's and the trees and bushes are blooming everywhere. I have a feeling I won't like summer too well if it is already this warm outside! Here are a few shots I took at the condo the other day...enjoy!

Heaven

2008-03-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

Our first time taking the dogs to the beach has been a blast! We weren't quite sure what to expect since we have never vacationed with them before...but it has been great! Cape San Blas is beautiful...sooooo quiet and peaceful. We just came back from a walk and only saw about 4 people and one other dog. Of course Samus has to act like she lives in a cave and has never seen people before but what can we do...she's uncontrollable.

At least she is sweet! Thought you might enjoy some shots from our walk this morning...

a little taste of what I do

2008-03-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

I normally don't like to show my work because I don't really feel like it represents what I see in my head. BUT, today I have been working on a freelance book cover and I was very pleased with the way the illustration turned out. This is a comp for a book that deals with the names of God and what the Hebrew originally meant. This is not the final but I thought I would post anyways...click on it and it should get bigger...tell me what you think!

We're ok

2008-03-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness, we were in Nashville last night when the tornado went through...and we barely missed some other strong storms this afternoon coming home by about 20 minutes. Thank you Lord. Our side of Atlanta was not hit but it went right through the center of the city. Right now, I can hear the wind whistling outside, the first time I have ever heard it with the windows shut.
Here are some pictures of the damage to the downtown area...
This is in the Georgia World Congress Center, across from CNN, after the storm hit. That is water cascading down the steps!

Weird thing is, I was just mentioning to someone in Nashville yesterday that I was glad that Atlanta did not get the tornadoes like Nashville does. BOY, I guess I was wrong!

World's smallest bodybuilder

2008-03-11T12:05:00.001-07:00

This is not photoshopped. Apparently this guy is the real thing. He lives in India and is a bodybuilder...how strange! He looks like a doll! I kind of think it is neat that he is so proportional.

Getting to know me, part 1

2008-03-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

My friend Bethany sent me this today and instead of emailing it back, I thought I would use it as today's blog. Deliriously happy, I know you are, to know more about me than you already do. I'll post the second part in a few days...

1. What time did you get up this morning? 9:30. I know, lazy, right? Chris and John had me up late last night helping with making books for their critique.

2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds, absolutely, anything that sparkles.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? First Sunday...this one was not my choice, nor should it be yours! The last one I saw that I liked was Cloverfield.

4. What is your favorite TV show? Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State, 30 Rock

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? I don't because I am lazy and get up so late!

6. What is your middle name? Anna

7. What food do you dislike? sushi, salmon, salad

8. What is your favorite CD at this moment? Jack Johnson and Sia

9. What kind of car do you drive? 1998 Infiniti QX4

10. Favorite sandwich? peanut butter and grape jelly or bologna on white bread with mayo

11. What characteristic do you despise? arrogance and people who are unaware of what is going on around them.

12. Favorite item of clothing? my green jacket and my polka dotted shoes

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Fiji or Greece

14. Favorite brand of clothing? don't really like clothes right now...would work better if they fit.

15. Where would you retire to? Hawaii...Hanalei Bay, Kauai specifically

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? My 30th. Chris rented out a gymnastics studio and had a surprise party for me! It was so fun...trampolines, a zip line, a swing into the foam block pit, I wanna go back!

17. Favorite sport to watch? football, but I don't love it unless it is live

18. Do you speak any foreign languages? I took 4 years of french but I don't remember much...tried to learn Japanese last year but that didn't stick either.

19. Is there a foreign language you'd like to learn? Spanish or Japanese

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? night, definitely

23. What is your shoe size? 8

24. Pets? Max and Samus, 2 of my 3 loves....

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? Chris will be done with 2nd quarter tomorrow!!!!!!

26. What did you want to be when you were little? An astronaut then a pilot. I was actually looking into colleges to be a pilot but made the mistake of going to Europe and spending 14 hours in flight with 3 plane changes and got pretty sick and thought I could never do it. Sometimes I wish I had, sometimes I dont.

27. How are you today? feeling fat. I am starting weight watchers tomorrow.

28. What is your favorite candy? reeses

29. What is your favorite flower? I don't know if I have one. I like most of them...

30. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? March 23 when we head to Cape San Blas!

Free NIN album

2008-03-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

If you like Nine Inch Nails, you can go to their site and download their newest album for free! It is completely instrumental, don't know how good it is, but it is worth a try!
http://ghosts.nin.com/main/home

Am I considered a real artist now?

2008-03-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

A tattoo such an interesting thing...my friend Bethany has been going through a bit of a journey in her personal life and to symbolize that journey...she got a tattoo this week. She was kind enough (or crazy enough!) to ask for my help illustrating a bluebird for her ankle. This is pretty close to the illustration I drew for her, isn't it pretty? I am so honored that she liked the illustration enough to put it on her body forever! Bethany, you rock! I am proud of you for withstanding the pain...in many ways! Love you!

Wow...it's March already...

2008-03-02T18:43:00.001-08:00

Can you believe it? Time goes by so fast and the older I get, the more it speeds up. Chris and I both have birthdays this month, Chris will be 33 and I will be 32. Wow. That looks even older than it sounds. Where have the past 10 years gone?

This weekend has been absolutely gorgeous here in Atlanta. 70 degrees and sunny...makes me want to live in AZ or CA where it is like this all the time! I have spring fever pretty bad!

Max is not feeling good today, so please keep him in your prayers. Last night we had company over for dinner and he had diarrhea in the middle of the floor while we were cooking! Thank goodness they are dog owners too and completely understood. We also got woken up in the middle of the night with another episode. I am so glad we have hardwoods. He seems to be somewhat better today. He has been so good for so long, no sickness at all since the beginning of Jan. Everything comes back into focus when he gets ill, makes me remember how awful last fall was and how bad it could be again. I am sure this is just some bug but I still hate it. I just love that dog sooooo much.

new site for you to check out

2008-02-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

My hubby, Chris, has finally started posting some of his school work online. Check it out here...
www.chrisoluxolog.blogspot.com

A great show...

2008-01-31T09:32:00.001-08:00

It's been a long time since I have been to a concert...I don't even remember the last one I went to. But that streak has ended and I ended it right...with a trip to see WEEN at The Tabernacle. What an amazing show! I am sure most of you have not heard of Ween, they are not your typical mainstream band. Chris turned me onto them when we got together...they are quite odd, but what a show. I was so impressed by the guitarist...Lacey and I were pretending like we were playing guitar hero...but sadly there is NO way I could ever be that good. He was amazing!

Oh yeah, we even had a brush with celebrity there...Ty Pennington (Extreme Home Makeover host) was standing about 3 feet away from us. Apparently he really loves Ween too, he was really getting into it (I think he may have had a few too many!) And yes, he is just as hot in person as he is on tv...(sorry Chris)

dang.

2008-01-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

"Fox is expected to take in a total of $225 million in advertising revenue on Super Bowl Sunday."

That is a lot of advertising money.

I have been lazy...

2008-01-26T14:39:00.000-08:00

about updating this blog...sorry. Good thing is I have been very busy with work so I will let that be my excuse! January seems to always be a hard month for me, in many ways...the anniversary of Tony's death, the anniversary of my emergency surgery last year, plus it is just so dark and dreary! I am starting to long for warm weather again...

I spent last week in Nashville, working on a CD-Rom project for LifeWay. While I was there, I let my mother perm my hair. BAD idea! I have fried my hair and I am going to have to cut it off to get it to look decent again! At first, it looked like I stepped out of 1989, it was so bad!!! I guess it is time for a new haircut anyways. I'll post some pics when I get it done!

I have decided to sign up for the half marathon in Nashville in April. I have to do something to get back into shape. I meet with a personal trainer on Monday so wish me luck!!!

Max is in the final stretch of chemo. 5 more treatments...next week he gets more scans done of his chest. Hopefully we will get the same good news we got before!

working...

2008-01-05T10:38:00.001-08:00

So I am pretty slammed with work at the moment. I have my headphones on and I am not really paying attention to my surroundings...BUT, I turned around and saw this!
How in the heck am I supposed to get anything done when everyone else looks so comfy???

Happy 2008!

2008-01-03T19:48:00.000-08:00

It's here. It feels good to get out of 2007, we had quite a few trying times to deal with. I am very glad to be starting off 2008 so well. Freelance is going great, Chris started school again yesterday, and Max and Samus are healthy.

We had a wonderful time during the holidays. We spent some lazy time in Nashville, goofing off, playing the wii and just having fun. A couple of days at the zoo with my parents and their 4 dogs, 2 birds and a cat, a few days at the in-laws and 2 days with a good old buddy, Dale, who just happened to have a 9 foot projection screen that we completely got addicted to while playing tennis on the wii. Our TV feels so tiny now!

So like I said, I am happy to have 2007 behind me, although it went by so fast. I still struggle with the fact that the older you get, the faster time goes...every new year seems to pass by in a blur. I hope to be able to enjoy this year...and I hope you enjoy 2008 as well.

I hope I DON'T get this for Christmas

2007-12-17T17:29:00.000-08:00

So, Chris and I went Christmas shopping yesterday... first time we have been able to do that together in about 3 years! We went to the Mall of Georgia which is one of the largest in the US... and it was pretty big. We got lots of stuff for everyone including ourselves (just a few things) but one thing we did NOT buy was the animatronic Elvis head. We saw this thing up close and in person and it really creeped me out! I would be scared of it if it was at my house! It really did have a realistic feel to it...his lips and eyes move...it is so creepy. Chris thinks they made it for all the women that wanted to make out with Elvis and never got the chance! HA! Anyways, if anyone out there is looking for a good time, I know where to get one, just let me know!

What a great day!!!!!

2007-12-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

Today has been wonderful. Chris had his final critique for first quarter at Portfolio Center today...I am so proud of him, he has done such hard work and really has pushed himself this quarter. He is in class with some incredibly talented folks so it makes me really happy to see him hanging in there and doing such a good job. GO CHRIS!!!!!

ALSO...today was Max's halfway point with chemotherapy. The great news is that they did new x-rays today and he is CANCER-FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YEA!!!!! That makes me sooooooooo happy! They said his x-rays looked like the chest of a normal dog that had never had cancer! He has 8 more treatments before he gets done with chemo, but now he only has to go every other week. What a happy day. I couldn't be more pleased with the way things are working out.

A new...or just resurfaced...hobby

2007-11-30T08:51:00.000-08:00

Since Chris has no time to play lately...I decided I needed to start working on some personal stuff. I have been craving time to spend doing crafty things like making purses, pillows, quilts, etc. for years it seems like. Growing up, my mom was super talented...she made all my clothes for years when I was really little, then when I was about 7 or 8 she opened her own quilt shop. I got dragged to every quilt show, shop, worked booths and in the shop, etc...for years and got tired of it! So it is funny to me that now, I want to quilt. I think I am getting old, or domesticated, probably both!

About 2 years ago, I mentioned to mom that I wanted to start sewing again (I made a few quilts when I was younger but have not touched a machine in years) and she got excited and bought me this really nice Bernina sewing machine. This thing is great! I can do all kinds of stitches...course I will stick to the straight line for now. Anyways, now that we are here and I have a little bit of room, I set up a sewing area and have started on a quilt. I will post pics once I get it a little farther along...it is really simple, just squares for now! I am so excited to finally have some time and a place to do this!

Time to catch up

2007-11-29T07:25:00.000-08:00

I know, the postings have been few and far between lately...have not had much to say. We went home for Thanksgiving which was nice, got to spend some QT with the families. I am excited about going home for Christmas since we will hopefully get to see some of our friends. We are going to be in town Dec. 19-26 at least.

I have been busy with freelance and Chris has been insane with PC work. I still cannot get over the amount of work he has accomplished this quarter. Can you believe that he will be done with his first quarter a week from Monday? It still seems a little surreal that we are here and doing this. Our lives have changed quite a bit from this time last year. It is exciting to think that we finally went for it. We finally just decided that this is what we wanted and we were going to do what it took to get us here. And it worked. I am so glad everything has worked out like it has... the job, the house, everything.

Max is doing good. Both him and Samus had a bit of a stomach virus this past week but they are both better now. It was a little chaotic at my mom's house...6 dogs, 2 birds (1 that talks constantly!) and a cat. Now you know where my love of animals comes from... Max was facinated by their bird Alex. I think he would have liked to eat him. Every time he would walk away from the cage, Alex would make a "whew" noise then tell him to "come here!" That bird is a riot. I'll try and get some video at christmas to post. He imitates my mom and dad...sounds just like them, southern accent and all!

prayer request

2007-11-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

I would like to ask all of you to keep my sister Amanda, brother-in-law Greg, and their kids Samantha, Jordan and Ben in your prayers today and this week. Greg's dad passed away last night from a massive heart attack. Out of nowhere, no warning or anything. They are absolutely heartbroken...they were very, very close to him. They have not told Ben yet, he is only 6 and very attached to Papa Louie. It's going to be a very hard day and week for them. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks guys.

TIme to go home

2007-11-17T20:20:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I am on my way back home for a week... Mom is so excited. I am ready for a little bit of time away from this place...don't get me wrong, I love it here, I just miss home. Samus gets to go play with her boyfriend, mom's german shepard, Magnus. Every time we say his name, she cocks her head sideways like she knows just what we are saying. They are so cute together, kissing all over one another! Max usually feels a little left out...

I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and be safe!

Running the race

2007-11-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been crazy busy so I have not had much time to update... BUT I did get to go out with some very good friends tonight who I miss so much! Amy and Leigh Ann came to Atlanta today for a conference so we went to dinner at this place called Six Feet Under. They have great seafood and the deck looks out over a giant cemetary, hence the name! I think the girls were a little worried when we pulled up but it was great food and great times! Good friends are the best...one of my favorite things in life.

Condo life...

2007-11-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

This is the item I got from UPS today. What is it, you ask? Well, I'd call it $100 worth of making your neighbors happy. Apparently Max has had 2 barking episodes, one on the day we moved in (of course, he was totally freaked out and really sick!) and then about a week ago. They happened when we were out and apparently continued for hours. We have a lovely (take that very sarcastically) downstairs neighbor that complained to management both times on us, instead of doing the neighborly thing and coming to talk to us about it first. Apparently she hates dogs and is a stickler for the rules (also complained that Max was peeing in the grass instead of the wood chips...gimme a break, the little guy has cancer and has to pee all the time!) But anyways... our landlord has been notified both times and first time she was ok but this time was kind of upset so we had to do something. Hence the $100 silencer that I really don't want to use at all. The lady suggested that we sedate him or get a shock collar but you know, I just don't feel right about doing either to a dog, especially a sick one. The only other solution was the noise deterrent. We tried it out already and he tucks his tail in and lays his ears down like he is in trouble. Poor guy! Maybe this will work...ahhh, the joys of condo life!

Ham & Cheese....YUM!

2007-11-07T15:24:00.000-08:00

So, I have been trying new recipes lately. Most of them have been flops but I finally hit a winner last night. It is so easy and good, I thought I would share:

Ham & Cheese Stuff & Puff
prep time: 10 min

5 eggs
1 cup milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup Sour Cream (I used reduced fat)
1 pkg frozen chopped broccoli (thawed & drained)
1 pkg (6 oz) Stove Top Stuffing for Chicken
9 oz chopped, boiled ham
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided (I used 2 cups...3/4 in the casserole and 1 1/4 cup on top)

Preheat oven to 375º. Beat eggs, milk and sour cream in a large bowl with a wire wisk until well blended. Add broccoli, ham, stuffing and cheese and mix lightly.

Pour mixture into a 2 qt. baking dish and cover lightly with tin foil.

Cook for 1 hour. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

courtesy of Kraft Foods.com

The state of things at home

2007-11-06T13:39:00.001-08:00

This picture says it all...I was on the phone and he crawled up and scrunched in between me and the couch and fell asleep. What a cutie!!!!!
By the way, Max had x-rays last week and they said the cancer is responding to the chemo like it is supposed to! YAY! He has felt a little icky this week from the chemo but it was such a strong drug that they wait two weeks until he goes again. He is feeling much better today and does not have to get chemo again for another week.

Generation Z?

2007-11-06T08:31:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share a interesting bit of info I read about today. Seems as if the marketing world is getting even crazier, with companies actually wanting to start targeting babies with brand messaging before they are even born. Being immersed in the advertising & marketing world, I have seen a lot of interesting things but I think this is almost scary. Read for yourself and see what you think...

Hauntings

2007-11-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

So I know I am a day late but I just could not resist. I got all worked up last night watching "Most Haunted Live". It was filmed at Eastern State Penitentiary, a prison that was originally built in the early 1800's and used until 1970. This place is CREEPY! Every inmate was in solitary confinement 24 hours a day and a lot of them went crazy. If you like that type of history, you should check out the website, they have a lot of the history there. Anyways, there were all kinds of crazy things going on at this place. Noises, things being moved and thrown, people scratched and touched...you may not believe in that kind of thing but I have grown up around so many people who have experienced things that it is hard to overlook.

Growing up, I had several friends who had haunted houses. You would think my childhood home would have been, considering it was built in 1804 and had been through many years of turmoil with indians and the Civil War...but it wasn't, at least I never saw anything crazy...just creepy feelings when I was alone at night. My friend, Christina's, grandmother died in her house and she swore that it was haunted. Of course, being naive 12 year olds, we would get out the ouija board and really freak ourselves out. I never saw anything, that I remember at least, but one night we were awakened around 2am by the radio (no it wasn't a alarm clock radio!) and it was on static, really loud. We couldn't move we were so terrified. It went off after about a minute or two. In the morning, we checked the station and it was on one of the regular stations we listened to, not static. It was weird.

I have another friend, Amy, whose house was built on an indian burial ground. Her mom has some crazy stories about seeing ghosts there. One night she got up to go to the bathroom and when she came back, she saw an apparition of a little girl sitting in a rocking chair on the other side of the bed. She laid back down, terrified I am sure! A few minutes later, she looked back over to see if she was still there but she was gone! I love stories like that! If you have any good ghost stories, I would love to hear them! Post them in my comments or email me!

I'm getting old...

2007-10-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

So...I have gotten to the point where I realize that fear of death has taken over the desire to have fun. Yesterday we spent the afternoon at Six Flags...thinking we would have a great time. We were wrong! I have not been so scared for my life in a long time! We rode a huge wooden coaster that was so jarring it was hard to enjoy. Then we went and stood in line for about an hour and a half for the Superman coaster.

I was fine until we got on the ride, then I started to freak out. They put you in this harness and even strap down your ankles because you get turned on your belly for the ride. Did you catch that...you ride this coaster on your belly with all your weight resting on this harness! I got in and got claustrophobic immediately. I had to make the guy let me out to take off my jacket, then I could not get locked in again which freaked me out! They kept calling out my seat number (they have sensors that tell them when a seat is not locked down) and the guy kept checking it but it was not locking! Finally they got it locked but by that time I just knew I was going to fall out and die! The entire ride I just prayed that God would let me make it through! And I did but I will not ride it again!

We then went to the Goliath, which is the largest coaster I have ever ridden...no loops but plenty of drops, and all you had to keep you on was a lap bar. I kept feeling like I was going to fall out there too. Chris got pretty freaked out on that one, said all he could think of the whole time was "what if this lap bar comes loose?" So... after about 5 hours and 3 rides, we were done. I think I will stick to Disney world next time, at least I did not fear for my life on those rides!

photos of our new place

2007-10-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

I finally have some photos of the new place... I know a few of you have been wanting to see it. Click here to go to my flickr page.

What a crazy week!

2007-10-17T16:14:00.000-07:00

I am officially self-employed! I had about all I could take at that job so Monday I wrote a letter explaining EVERYTHING I was unhappy with and walked out the door for good! There are multiple reasons...the company was not well organized, managed, owned... They had clients that were calling them, wondering where their invoices were from work that was done in FEB! They had some equip. stolen and never filed the insurance claim (for $20,000) and that was a year ago! When you can't manage things like that...how are you going to manage large clients and employees? There were numerous other things...the last straw being that they had cameras that watched all the employees and the owner could pull them up at anytime, even from home...WHAT? What the hell? That is not the way to keep good employees and that is why they have had massive turnover. They have 13 employees right now that have been there 3 months or less...And at least a few of those are ready to quit already too. I just did not want to waste my time or talents on something that was so obviously wrong for me. I am entitled to at least one walk out in my career, right?

Life has been great since Monday...I have had freelance work to do and I am actively pursuing more. I really like staying home with Chris and my puppies. I am able to take Max to the vet and make sure that he gets all his medicine on time...just be a mama to him. I LOVE IT!

Max is doing great. He had his 2nd round of chemo on Tues. and handled it like a champ! I just know that when we get another x-ray done of his chest that all this cancer is going to be GONE!

nice

2007-10-13T17:06:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been nice so far. I was off yesterday so I got plenty of time to play with the puppies and get some stuff done that we needed to. We are having company for the first time this week, Chris's class is coming over to watch a movie on Wed. night. I am trying to get all the little stuff taken care of, like hanging pictures, etc. before they come over. Chris keeps telling me not to worry about it but I think it is just a girl thing, I like everything to be perfect.

We made a trip to "The Varsity" for lunch today...I was not very impressed...but it was huge! At least now I can say that I have been there! I am trying to convince Chris that we need to go to Six flags before the season is over. I could really use a fun day of screaming! We'll see if I can get him to comply!

Max is continuing to feel great. He did not get chemo this week because his white blood cell count was very low. They started him on an antibiotic to make sure he did not get sick and we are going to try again in a few days. I am so happy that he feels good and is carrying on like himself again! I have to make him hush....he is barking and woo-wooing so much! And eating like a pig! He has gained a few pounds thank goodness and I am trying to get him about 5 lbs overweight at least so if he has another episode it won't be as bad for him to lose a few lbs. Thanks so much for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers...

Thank God it is Friday!

2007-10-05T20:55:00.000-07:00

This has been a long week! Started my new job...I like it ok, I think it will get better the more comfortable I get there. Right now there is a little weirdness just because they are growing so fast and no one really knows their place. But I think I will learn a lot and in the end, that is what matters!

Max seems to be doing good. The only side effect is diarrhea...which is ok as long as he can hold it till we get outside and he has been good so far! I am so glad to see him come back to life, it is amazing how much more like himself he has been the past few days. We are trying to put some weight on him and we are going to change his diet to a cancer diet...more protein and less carbs. I really want to do everything we can for the boy...

terrible

2007-10-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

That is how this week has been. We found out yesterday that indeed Max does have lymphoma. His cancer is located in the lymph nodes around his chest. It has not spread which is good but he is considered stage IV. It is T-cell lymphoma which is worse than the other kind. Great.

We started his chemotherapy today and he seems better than he has in a while. My Maxy-boy is back for a while at least. We decided to treat it because we are not ready to lose him and dogs apparently usually tolerate chemo very well. We should know if he is responding in a week or two. If he does and we can get it into remission, we could possibly have another year or two with him (hopefully longer!) We have pet insurance so at least the cost is not a hinderance.

This just sucks. I don't know how else to describe it. At least we know what we are dealing with and we can start fixing it. I just really pray that this works. I love that boy. He is an incredible dog.

JAPANFEST 2007

2007-09-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

What a riot! There were tons of people (last year they had over 17,000 in 2 days!) and not a lot of space!

The food was interesting, I had some kind of beef over rice and chris had udon noodles with something that looked like spam on top! We saw some martial arts demos and lots of cute little japanese people! I just love the kids, especially when they are all dressed up. I have some photos but they are not cooperating at this moment, I will post them later. Overall it was neat but way too many people and not enough space. Also they did not have nearly the amount of japanese art, decor, etc. that I thought they would. I probably will not go again.

The last day of freedom...

2007-09-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

So today is it. Our last day of being unemployed. Chris starts school tomorrow and I start my new job. Not too excited yet (Chris is!) I hate it that we are having to deal with this health issue right at the beginning of my job. Makes it really hard to concentrate. I really hope they are cool with the fact that I may be having to deal with some issues with him and not the type of place that does not understand why I care so much for my dog. We'll see!

We went to visit Max again. They said he had been eating and feeling better all day. The test for Adrenal malfunction (cushings or addison's disease) came back negative. I know it sounds crazy but we were really hoping that was it...it is the easiest and best disease he could have at this point. He is going to have to go to an internal medicine specialist tomorrow to have an ultrasound done. The vet took an xray and saw some small abnormalities around his spine and chest so we are going to check them out further. Should have the lymphoma test back tomorrow or tuesday.

2007-09-29T20:28:00.000-07:00

We went to see my boy today... they gave him a steroid shot that seemed to make him feel much better. Plus while we were there we got him to eat for the first time since Wed. morning! It was encouraging! They are running all kinds of tests so hopefully we will know something sooner than later. I am so tired of the rollercoaster. I just want my Max back.

We finally got the house in order today. It finally is liveable! YAY! I'll post pics soon!

Max is in the hospital

2007-09-28T16:31:00.000-07:00

Finally we wised up and took Max to a different vet. He was trying to throw up this morning and then started eating tons of grass so we decided to take him into the doggy emergency room. They admitted him and put him on an IV so that they could replenish his nutrients and fluids. They did more blood work and said his calcium levels so high, they did not even register. So tonight they are going to give him an injection that will flush his system and hopefully start bringing those levels down. That is what I had been trying to get the other vet to do for a week! So hopefully he will start feeling better once his calcium levels come down. They are keeping him until Sunday at least. Actually it makes me feel so much better to know that he is in their care and not laying around here just getting worse. He has lost another 5 lbs. and is down to 55lbs now. Normally he runs between 65 and 70lbs. He is almost as small as samus now...

No test results yet but this vet also was skeptical that he had lymphoma. She seemed to think he was more symptomatic of the Hyperthyroidism. So, that would be great if she is right...Chris and I have a glimmer of hope again!

Tomorrow we are going to try and get out since we don't have to care for Max and go to the Japan Fest here in Atlanta! We are so intrigued by their culture...I think it will be really fun! Hopefully we'll get some good food as well. I'll post pictures tomorrow night...

Thanks again for all your thoughts, kind words, and prayers. It means so much to all of us.

rollercoaster of emotion

2007-09-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, the feeling good Max did not last very long. He has not eaten in a day and a half, we are force feeding him liquids at this point. When we came home today, he would not even come out of his cage, he is so weak. I am so sad, I cry at the drop of a hat. We should hear some results soon but if we don't start treating something soon, I don't know if he'll make it much longer. Why us? Why such a crappy year? First a baby, then me (almost) and now max. It is just heartbreaking. I don't know any other way to describe it.
Sorry to be so down...that is just the way it is for us right now. It is hard to be joyful about anything.

a little bit of good news...

2007-09-26T08:28:00.001-07:00

Max seems to be feeling better! He has been eating (a whole pound of ground beef last night!) and I even heard a few woo-woo's out of him! It makes me feel so much better to see him acting somewhat normal again. Still do not have the test results so keep praying!!! It's working so far!

Life in Atlanta...

2007-09-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

has been fairly lazy so far. I feel like we keep working on getting our stuff put away but it just does not seem to be getting any better! I start my new job a week from yesterday. I will be an Art Director at a place called Odyssey Marketing Group in Alpharetta. I think it will be great experience for me...they want me to be very involved in the strategy behind the advertising and the branding. I am excited about that opportunity! I should learn a lot!

The only fun thing we have gotten to do is go out to eat. We just can't leave the house for long periods of time because of Max. There are a few great places to eat really close to our condo, we can walk to them...mexican, italian, wolfgang pucks! We ate at Benihana's last night which has really good japanese food...expensive though! We won't be eating there much unless our parents come and take us out...hint, hint!

Chris already has a list of supplies and a chapter to read before school starts next week. Time has just flown by, it is hard to believe that 6 months ago, we were not even thinking about Atlanta.

As for Max...it really makes it hard for us to enjoy our time off. We have been so worried that it just seems to consume us (not to mention the time it takes to take him outside all the time and hand feed him several times a day!) I feel so bad for him. He will not eat hardly anything, even the food I slaved over for him. The only think he has eaten today is some bacon, a few chicken jerky treats and some turkey and ham lunchmeat. He is getting really weak, it is hard for him to stand up sometimes. I really wish the vet would give us something to make him feel better but she does not want to mess with anything in case we have to do more tests. Poor guy has been getting worse for a week now... I hate it that these tests can not be expedited.

Keep praying for him please!!!

inconclusive

2007-09-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

So, since the first test came back as inconclusive... we have to run another test to see if he has lymphoma or not. It will take 5-7 business days for us to get the results. The other possibility is that he has hyperthyroidism. I really hope it is just his thyroid. That would be great.

He is feeling ok, a little better it seems than a few days ago. Basically he seems really worn out all the time, drinks a lot of water, goes to the bathroom a lot and he has high calcium in his blood which causes him to twitch constantly. If you know Max, you know that usually you cannot keep him from the food bowl but lately we have been having to give him turkey and eggs to make him eat. We are going to switch to a diet that is high protein that I have to cook for him (that is crazy...I don't even cook for us very much!) But I would do anything for that boy. He's my baby!

We greatly appreciate your thoughts and prayers this week and next. We are just trying to forget about it until the end of the week so that we can get some stuff done around here! We have been here since Monday and still have boxes everywhere...it's a mess!

Max

2007-09-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

Well...I am just heartbroken. The vet called today and said that he either has early lymphoma or reactive lymphoid hyperplasia which is basically where his body has some type of infection or bacteria that the lymph nodes are fighting against that causes them to create abnormal cells. More tests have to be done. We are going back tomorrow. Please continue to pray for us all...Pray that it is the reactive lymphoid hyperplasia instead of cancer.

I just can't bear the thought of losing my baby boy...

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

2007-09-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

I need your prayers badly right now. We took Max to the vet yesterday and they ran all kinds of tests and x-rays. We are waiting on a test right now that will tell us if he has lymphoma. I am crushed and am praying so hard that the test comes back negative. I don't know what I would do without my baby boy and I don't even want to think about chemo or anything like that. He is only 5...way too young for anything like this. Please pray for him and that this test result comes back negative.

I'll update on ATL later. We just got internet hooked up today.

Goodbye LifeWay friends...

2007-09-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

So, I have 2 days remaining at LW. Missey and the creative crew took me out to eat today at Amerigos. What fun that was! I hate that I just now learned who keeps a nap mat in their office...dang, I could have been napping all those times I had my door shut! And if anyone has an extra accountability checklist, Amy might need it...(love you amy!) And now that Missey knows how to text message, you guys better watch out...there is no place to hide! Or maybe that will work the other way around, now Missey can't hide from us anymore...what she really needs a personal GPS so that we know where to find her!

Anyways, I hope my next job is as great as this one has been, and I hope that the people that I work with are halfway as great as this group. I don't know how I could ever top such a great place... or people. I love you guys and will miss you dearly. Keep in touch...my place is always open!

This will be my last post until I get to the big city. If you think about it, keep Chris and I in your prayers this weekend and Monday. We are packing up the truck on Sat. morning, cleaning and turning over the house to our renters on Sunday evening, and getting up around 3 or 4 am to drive down on Monday. I am ready for a few days of doing nothing...I can see a teeny tiny light at the end of this loooonnnggggg tunnel we have been climbing through!

with mixed emotion

2007-09-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready to leave. I go through moments of excitement and sadness...mostly sadness at this point. I know that will change once we get there, it's just so hard to leave when I have it good where I am...but I know I have to look ahead.

So, I think I have eaten more in the past week than I have in a long time! We have had so many dinner and lunch dates! We went out with Brian and Meleah to Maggiano's last weekend, it was soooo good! This past Saturday, we went to Stoney River with Tony, Jennifer and Jim. I think it was the best steak I have ever had... I actually felt hungover the next day just from eating too much! By the way, if you like creme brulee, you have to try Stoney Rivers...it was incredible!

Sunday, we had to take out a candidate for Chris's position at the church so we went to brunch at Ellendale's then headed to Heather and Jeremy's for a going-away party. I sure am going to miss those guys...

Chris and I were so blessed to get such a great care group, it just hasn't been the same since! Here are some pics from the party...the ones that were acceptable at least! No, I am not going to post the ones I got in the frame from the Harts! Heather and Jeremy, you are off the hook (but they are staying in the frame, haha!) and I have no idea why Chris is flying in this pic!

To all of you who have been our friends here in Nashville, we sure are going to miss you. I think that is starting to get to me...one of the reasons I am so sad. We don't know ANYONE in Atlanta! Most of you have said you will come visit, I want to see some action behind those words! We will have the blowup bed ready and waiting anytime, just let us know.

10 days left

2007-09-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

Wow... I cannot believe that I only have 10 days left in Nashville. Part of me is really excited about the new place and part of me is really sad to leave my home and job. My boss, Missey, made me cry today in our Marketing meeting...talking about me leaving in a week. I am really going to hate leaving all the great people I work with.

So, on a happier note: I found a home for us in Atlanta! YEA! We are going to be living between Midtown and Buckhead. It is a condo, on the 5th floor of a mid-rise complex, with huge windows. It is a beautiful place, we got so lucky. The majority of what I looked at smelled, had cobwebs and looked like no one had lived in the place for ages. I don't understand how people rent those places...especially for 1200-1300 a month! I kept hearing "the best thing about this place is proximity..." you got that right!

So, our place has all the nice things (i.e. no smells, cobwebs, granite countertops, newer appliances, pool, tennis court, etc.) and it is within walking distance of mellow mushroom, 2 mexican places, an italian joint, wolfgang pucks and a kroger! AND the biggest plus...I am only 5 minutes from IKEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, for anyone who wants to come visit...we'll have the blow-up bed ready!

i feel like i am vibrating...

2007-08-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

Is this what everyone feels when they are super stressed? Or "busy" is a better word I suppose. I realized today that I have 10 working days left at my job and I have a major project due on Friday. Mom and I leave Friday night to go to ATL to look for housing. I have lots scheduled...some seem really great! I am starting to worry that it will be hard to make a decision! I also have 4—yes that is correct—4 interviews on Tuesday!!! WOO HOO! One is for a freelance gig and the rest are full time. I feel like God is going to totally bless us in this new chapter of our lives, we are definitely stepping WAY out in faith.

OH, by the way, we rented our house last night! Three 23 year old females that are moving in on Sept. 16th. YAY! We feel so comfortable with them, I am really glad it worked out.

Now, we are just trying to figure out the cheapest way to move down there. Trucks are so expensive when you are moving long distance! Any suggestions?