{the} cusack o'hearn {blog}

Hey There

2011-02-10T16:11:00.008-05:00

It has been 18 months since my last post. I guess I haven't felt very inspired to blog. Not that my life has been boring. Not at all!
This is what I've been up to since July 2009...

I baked a bun in my oven. Another boy. This one goes by Finn. He is a Spring 2010 baby.

His big brother loves him very much.
Speaking of his brother, he's not a baby anymore. He's a big 3 years old! Looking back at these posts makes me want to cry. So much changes, in such a short time.
Our family self-portrait, Summer 2009
Our family self-portrait, Summer 2010
It was good to see you again blog. I think I'll visit again real soon.

Where Have I Been? Plus a Practice Photo Session

2009-07-27T10:45:00.002-04:00

Dear Blog,
I'm sorry I have neglected you. The thing is...it's summer on Cape Cod. I can't be blogging. We only have a few short months of warm weather. I'm sure you understand!
Love,
Liz

and now for the first post in weeks....

I did a little photo session for some friends of mine. I'm still trying to figure this photography thing out, so I beg friends to let me practice on them. They are very good to me, and very patient as I fumble my way through it!
This was a fun way to spend an hour or so. I just chased around a couple of 2 year old kids, and laughed at their cuteness.
N and A (names changed to protect the innocent!). Cousins, and all around great friends.

"A" with his Mama. She and I have been friends since high school.

and the beautiful Ms. "N"

Thanks for hanging out with me guys! Love you!

FREE Online Photography Course

2009-07-06T15:38:00.001-04:00

Anyone want to take a free online photography course? Yup...FREE! Boy do I love free!!!

Join me won't you...

www.creativetechs.com

Friday Shoot-Out {Celebrate Life}

2009-07-03T08:25:00.006-04:00

This weeks theme is Celebrate Life. A very good theme indeed!

For my take, a celebration of giving life.....

The first look at the mystery creature who had taken my body hostage. This is the day we heard "It's a boy". In a matter of seconds he had a gender, a name, and he was REAL! I was 18 weeks pregnant...

38 weeks pregnant. 2 weeks before I gave birth. Believe it or not, I actually got bigger than this! Even a Maternity XL shirt was no match for my belly!
Hello world! He came on his due date after an uneventful labor. Oh it wasn't easy, but not too bad at all. I was lucky.
Our first cuddle....no words.
and that is how I celebrate life. :) Thanks for stopping by!
I hope all my American friends have a great holiday weekend. Be safe!

RIP Kodachrome

2009-06-23T09:15:00.002-04:00

Forever an icon. Goodbye Kodachrome.

The Idan Raichel Project - Maisha Remix {AIDS awareness}

2009-06-22T15:01:00.002-04:00

Angela O'Keefe remix.

My Baby Daddy

2009-06-20T21:47:00.005-04:00

I've made some of bad choices in my life. Even more stupid choices, and a handful of good ones.
But the best choice I ever made. Hands down. Was you.
Thank you for being an amazing father to our son, and for giving me a life that looks as beautiful as this...

Happy Fathers Day baby...enjoy your "free" day!

oh and...Cullen is sending us to see Louis C.K. July 5th!

Walking Pants

2009-06-17T11:13:00.002-04:00

It has finally happened. My boy is walking!
He's still dealing with some confidence issues, and still crawling 90% of the time. But who cares! My boy can walk!!!

and it only took him 16 1/2 months!

iHeartFaces- Week 23- {Sepia Toned}

2009-06-15T13:47:00.003-04:00

Kids category: {I swear....someday I'll start taking pictures of adults too!}

I'm not much of a sepia girl. For this photo I knocked the sepia down to 60% opacity. I think it works, but since I don't like sepia anyway....who knows! :)

If you are a fan of good 'ole sepia, check out the awesome talent over at iHeartFaces!

Friday Shoot-Out {letter M}

2009-06-12T15:59:00.002-04:00

My oh my....Friday comes so fast! As a stay-at-home mom, I never know what day it is. For me, there are two types of days....Days when my husband has to go to work, and days he doesn't have to go to work. I get pretty confused Mon-Fri!

This weeks shoot-out was for things that start with M. Easy right? Nope!
I don't know if it was just because I was looking, but there were no Ms anywhere! I almost took a picture of the ground....M is for Massachusetts. :)
Anyway, here are a few I did come up with...

M is for....Morning

M is for....Monitor {that's my baby sleeping}

M is for....ME!

M is for....Monkey {I've posted this before, but hey...I like it!}

and there you have it!
M is also for Manon. I don't have a picture of her, but today is her 13th birthday!
Happy Birthday Manon!!!!

Melissa's Birthday {Favorite Photos}

2009-06-04T07:51:00.003-04:00

Gotta love shooting into the sun!

New Bike!

Birthday girl

Friday Shoot-Out {water}

2009-05-29T08:51:00.002-04:00

This weeks theme...WATER! My favorite element! I am a Pisces after all. :)

The boy in the bath. I hope he doesn't mind me posting this!

On one side of my neighborhood....A fog rolling over the marsh.

On another side...The Cape Cod Canal.

and just because my anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks...

Sesuit Beach, Dennis, MA

Aleida's Challenge

2009-05-27T19:55:00.002-04:00

A photo of me and the boy. I took this with the help of the tripod I got for Mothers Day.

Thanks Aleida.

iHeartFaces- Week 20 {Silhouettes}

2009-05-26T15:32:00.004-04:00

Check out the other entries at iHeartFaces !

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-26T14:56:00.003-04:00

We had a nice, relaxing, Memorial Day Weekend. Beach and BBQs....ahhh...summer's here!

Here's a little diptych featuring the son of friends.

and the boy having fun...

The little guy in the wagon with my boy is 10 days younger than him. His mother and I were due the same day. I was right on time. She was 10 days late. Poor thing!

and here is a little Family Portrait I took for some peeps...

How beautiful is that baby...huh?!

I hope you all had a great weekend full of family, friends, and remembrance.

Dorks+Photos=This Site

2009-05-19T20:00:00.002-04:00

If you haven't been to Awkward Family Photos...please Go! It is a celebration of all things dorky. Of course, being the massive dork that I am....I love it!

iHeartFaces- Week 19- "Blurb Photo Book Contest" {Amateurs/Beginners}

2009-05-18T10:45:00.004-04:00

My boy....and his old soul. :)
I am submitting this photo into the www.iheartfaces.com Blurb book photo contest. If chosen, I grant I ♥ Faces permission to use my photo in a printed version of a book for commercial use and possibly advertising of a photo book on both the Blurb and I ♥ Faces web sites.

Check out the other entries over at iHeartFaces!

Friday Shoot-out {alt. transportation}

2009-05-15T08:15:00.004-04:00

Well...there aren't many ways to get around this sleepy little town of mine. I actually just found out that we have some sort of bus service.
When not in our car, this is how we get around...

Our New Friend

2009-05-13T19:53:00.003-04:00

A robin has made a home in our garden. The little birdie must have heard that we didn't have any pets! My husband was planning a major pruning of that overgrown bush. He can't touch it now!

05.07.09, originally uploaded by QzakGirl.

Those are some cute little eggs.

iHeartFaces- Week 18- "Laughter"

2009-05-11T10:13:00.003-04:00

I hope all the Mamas out there had a great Mother's Day!

Here's my iHeartFaces Kid's entry for this week...
He was laughing his butt off when I took this! :)

Check out all the great photos over at iHeartFaces!

Friday Shoot-out {gardens}

2009-05-08T12:12:00.005-04:00

I was thrilled to be asked to join Friday Shoot-outs. Simply, it's a group of people from all over, who take and post photos of a certain theme. This weeks theme was gardens.
I wish I could have roamed my little town more to really capture Spring on Cape Cod, but....the boy was sick, then the husband was sick, and then it rained. A lot! My only contribution is a few shots taken around my own yard.

In Honor of Mothers Day

2009-05-06T08:52:00.002-04:00

Please take a minute to read about Aleida's Challenge.

As you do, think not only of your children. Think of your mother. Think of your grandmother. Think of your grandchildren.

I lost my maternal grandmother recently, and have been pretty devastated to realize that I have very few pictures of the two of us together. It's been equally devastating to realize that there are only a couple of her with my boy.

I take Aleida's Challenge. I hope you do to.

iHeartFaces- Week 17- "Hats"

2009-05-04T20:01:00.004-04:00

This week's theme is Hats. I really didn't have any good hat shots, so I planned on having a little photo shoot with the boy. Well...the saboteur that he is...he got sick. We actually have a perfect storm going on over here. Vaccinations, teething, and a cold. Fun, fun, fun!

Anyway....I remembered this photo I took of my niece about a month ago. Now, there are many things wrong with this shot, but one really great thing...a joyful, beautiful, birthday girl. That one thing alone made me decide to enter it.

Kids Entry:Check out all the beautiful faces, and hats, over at iHeartFaces!

Photo of the Week

2009-05-03T22:12:00.002-04:00

Sunny...and grainy....and I love it!

Photo Fatigue

2009-04-29T12:22:00.004-04:00

The Boy won't look at the camera anymore.
We went out for ice cream the other day. This was The Boy's first taste of the cold stuff, so I (of course) brought my camera along. This is all I got...I was moving all over the place, trying to get a good shot. No matter what I did, he looked the other way. Sadly, this has happened a lot lately. I think I may have to give my handsome boy a little time off.
Good thing it is spring! I'll just shoot flowers for a week. That should do it. I hope.

ps...Seriously, how cute is my kid?!

iHeartFaces- Week 16- "Reflection"

2009-04-27T07:44:00.005-04:00

This weeks theme is Reflection (image, not thought). My only model is 15 months old, and feeling very uncooperative! He didn't want his Mama to get a good shot at all. He can be a bit of a saboteur! :)
Here's my Kids Entry:Check out the super creative people over at iHeartFaces!

Photo of the Week

2009-04-26T08:19:00.003-04:00

Sweet baby Nathan.
Meeting him was the highlight of my week!

Baby Nathan

2009-04-25T14:08:00.005-04:00

I got my baby fix yesterday.

This is Nathan.He was born to my good friends, Zac and D.
He's a very lucky boy! And beautiful. Very, very beautiful!

Fix-It Friday #11 {Photoshop Elements 6}

2009-04-23T16:46:00.010-04:00

First off....can you believe this is the picture for this weeks Fix-It Friday?
After the reproductive urges I've been having lately, I just can't handle that sweet baby face. I am a goner! Anyway...whatever...let's get down to this editing business!

Edit #1:I'm a big believer in minimal editing when it comes to babies and kids. The original had a beautiful baby, with gorgeous eyes (I mean...come on!), so this was a pretty easy edit.

*First I gave the photo a crop, and tilted the image a bit.
*Next I did a levels adjustment.
*Then, I went and cloned out the little bit of baby acne. I actually wasn't going to. I like Newborn Photos pretty raw, but I was in a "pretty baby" mood.
*Adding to the pretty baby theme, I lightly softened the skin. I kept the brush opacity at 50%, on top of reducing the Soft Skin Layer to 25%. This is where I reduced the dark shadows under the eyes too.
*Next up...the fun stuff! I applied Urban and Vivid (from the Vivid 2 action) to the eyes only.
*For the rest of the image, I used Soft Color (also from Vivid 2...one of my faves).
*I bumped up the eyes with a slight Unsharp Mask. I don't think the eyes really needed it though. They are so beautiful on their own! Sometimes I just like to Uber Edit. :)
*Final step was an allover Unsharp Mask.

Edit #2-

All of the above plus a simple B&W

I heart baby faces!

Family Short Films{home movies}

2009-04-23T13:32:00.005-04:00

Over on photographer Tara Whitney's blog, she posted a home movie that was made during one of her shoots. Not only is her work inspiring (really...check her out. she makes me want to start shooting wide), but she has teamed up with a great director too. Home movie doesn't do it justice. Short Film is more like it! It's incredibly touching. I'm envious. I want one!
Go over there and check it out!

Old Soul

2009-04-23T08:29:00.005-04:00

My boy is an old soul. I could see that in him from the second he was born.

I took this photo yesterday.Enough said.

Queen of Indecisiveness

2009-04-22T09:34:00.004-04:00

I am the Queen of Indecisiveness. That is who I am.

Wanna know what's on my walls?
Yup. That's it. A framed Rolling Stone Cover featuring the cast of Star Wars. I gave it to The Husband for Christmas a few years back. He's a bit of a Star Wars nerd.

We have it hanging in the Dining Room. Every other wall, in the whole house, is bare.

How is it that a person, who takes hundreds (thousands?) of pictures a week, doesn't have any of them hanging on the wall? Easy...
I am the Queen of Indecisiveness! I can't commit to anything. The style, color, size of the frames. How big should the mat be? Should there be a mat at all?

Ugh! I'm ridiculous! My walls scream "bachelor", not happy family. I've really got to do something about this!

Photo Book Anyone?

2009-04-22T08:58:00.004-04:00

They are having a great contest, and giveaway over at iHeartFaces.
The Contest:
They are creating a photo book, and are asking for everyone to submit their best face shot. They have two categories...Professional, and Amateur. Guess which one I'm going to enter?! I wish they had a Beginner category!
Giveaway:
A book making credit to 5 lucky winners. All you have to do is comment.
I've mentioned photo books before. I love them. This contest makes me very very happy!

and just because every post deserves a picture....

Spencer

I Heart Faces, Week 15- Photo Challenge "Self-Portrait" Kids

2009-04-21T10:47:00.012-04:00

I wasn't going to enter the Kids Category in this week's challenge. I had a hard enough time getting a picture of myself, and my cranky (teething) boy wasn't in the mood for Mama's camera.
But....I was going through some photos of The Boy's 1st year, and found this. It's not going to win any challenges, but it makes me smile just the same.
This is from the old Point-and-Shoot days. Look at his face...he's already sick of Mama's camera!

Check out all the beautiful kids, and parents, at I HEART FACES!

Baby Nostaligia

2009-04-21T10:12:00.008-04:00

The Boy turned 15 months old yesterday.
This has sent me down a road of weepy nostalgia, and newborn longing. I have no idea why the 15 month mark is doing this to me. I barely blinked at 14 months.
He's just changed so much...I think a few things are happening here:

1. My biological urge to have another baby is getting pretty hard to ignore, and
2. I'm afraid I'm not soaking it in enough. This is a great time in our lives. I don't want to miss it!

The remedy:
1. Have another baby! No, that's not code for, "I'm pregnant". I'm not, but it may be time to do something about that.
2. Enjoy The Boy. Enjoy the ride. I should stop worrying about missing it, or else I will.

(Notice the drool in that last photo? He's getting his molars. It has been so much "fun"!)

I Heart Faces, Week 15- Photo Challenge "Self-Portrait"

2009-04-20T08:00:00.007-04:00

This weeks photo challenge was a self-portrait. And quite a challenge it was! I had to be holding the camera, and boy, it is not-so-easy to take your own picture with a 50mm lens!

Photo of the Week

2009-04-19T16:46:00.005-04:00

Definitely my favorite photo of the week.
"Look Ma...sand!"
We walked down to the beach the other day. The Boy discovered sand. The Boy discovered how much he likes to eat sand. It should be an interesting summer!

Free Actions for Photoshop Elements

2009-04-18T13:48:00.007-04:00

In my Fix-It Friday post, I mentioned a few resources for Photoshop Elements users. That post inspired me to compile a list of my favorite FREE Actions, generously made by those who take pity on us little 'ole Elements users.

CoffeeShop:
She has many great actions on her site. My favorites:
Vivid 2- creates 4 different color pops, with a vignette option.
Little Perk- for when you want a...little perk!
Eye Bright- This can be dangerous when used with a heavy hand. Keep the opacity low, and you get some beautiful eye sparkle.
Creamy Chocolate B&W- Name says it all. This is great on portraits. The "creamy" can be a little intense, so I either shut it off, or lower the opacity significantly.

Digital Photography for Moms:
This site just started writing actions. It should be interesting to see what she comes up with in the future.
Defog- I raved about this in my Fix-It Friday post. This is my favorite, time saving, action.

Virtual Photographer:
A wonderful group of effects.

Grants Tools:
Love this! Unlocks Curves, Channel Mixer, and Layer Mask in Elements. It allows you to play like the big kid Photoshop users!

This Edit brought to you by the Channel Mixer in Grant's Tools Action

Because of the wonderful people listed above, I have made a vow. If I ever bite the bullet, and buy full Photoshop, I will create actions for Elements users.
I hate that I can't do it right now. Personally, I think I would make some super great actions! Maybe someday.

Fix-It Friday #10- Fun with Photoshop Elements

2009-04-17T09:56:00.011-04:00

Every Friday the good people at post a photo that needs an edit. They give some pros a shot at it, and then welcome everyone else to share what they would do.
I really love this idea. Seeing the completely different interpretations of the same photograph is a lot of fun!

This is my first week participating, so here it goes....

The Original: (what a cutie!)

Edit #1:
I opened the file in RAW to start. There I adjusted the exposure a bit, brought the black slider up, and brought the clarity slider up just a little.
(looking at the photo now, I'm thinking I bumped up the exposure just a little too much)

In Photoshop Elements, I tweaked the composition a bit by cropping. I thought the original needed more balance between the subject, and the environment.

Next, I ran an action called Defog.
*one of the not so great things about PSE, is that it won't allow you to record your edits. Luckily there are a few Photoshop users that actually care about us little Elements users, and write the actions for us! The Defog action cuts my edit time in half! Love it!

To adjust the color, I used a group of actions called Vivid 2 (another huge time saver...HUGE), and chose the "Vivid" action. I really liked how it brought the warm colors out.

I then ran a slight Unsharp Mask of his eyes, to make them stand out a little more.

Edit #2:
With this edit I used the "Urban" action, instead of "Vivid". I love how the photo has a such a different feel to it.

Edit #3:
After I saved the Urban Edit, I went back and added a B&W Gradient Map Layer. I adjusted the RGB levels a bit also. This really accentuates the fact that I overexposed in RAW. Yuck!

And there you have it!
Now I'm going off to look at what other people came up with!

Getting Published Rocks!

2009-04-16T09:41:00.006-04:00

As some of you may know, my cousin Sara has a really great blog about life as a Flight Attendant. Well, she has been asked to become a contributor to an online travel magazine!
How awesome is that?!
Today is the first issue.Click here to get your free subscription!

Grammie Rooney would be so proud!
Congrats Sara!

Wow....there are a lot of exclamation points in this post!!!!

YIF Photography Project Update

2009-04-15T15:37:00.012-04:00

Here are the recent additions to the 365 project I'm calling "Year In Focus".

I have been a very good girl. Taking at least one picture every day. Downloading them onto my computer is another story all together! Ya....I'm not so good at that!

04.09.09A walk with the boy

04.10.09

My brother's 30th birthday party. Let me explain that cake....he's a Firefighter, so the child's birthday cake isn't just because he likes big trucks. Although I'm sure that was one of the things that called Brian to that particular profession!

04.11.09

The husband isn't being very cooperative lately!

04.12.09

Easter. My mother-in-law, and her doggy Spanky.

04.13.09

Back to that boys liking trucks thing. They really, really do.

04.14.09Just a beautiful face!

Still Nothing!

2009-04-15T08:13:00.004-04:00

My boy is 14 1/2 months, and he's still not walking!
I feel like he gets closer to it every day. Everyday I think....today is the day!And then...nothing.

His cousin is almost 3 months younger than him. She took her first steps two days ago.

This has to happen soon....my back hurts!

Photoshop Elements Before & After

2009-04-14T12:00:00.007-04:00

Here's a little Before & After for ya.

Before:

After:

There's nothing like a little Photoshop Elements, Curves, Clone Tool, and Texture! It makes me very happy!

Where on the map?
The entrance to the Cape Cod Canal is just over that hill.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

2009-04-14T11:10:00.002-04:00

I changed the name of the blog!
Big news, right?

It has always bugged me that the url, and title, of this blog didn't match. Bugged me a lot!

I finally fixed that. And no, it wasn't so I could make a new header! Well....maybe a little.

Address...still the same. http://cusackohearn.blogspot.com

Title...different. {the} cusack o'hearn {blog}

See how much better that is!

DIY Photo Wall Calendar

2009-04-13T15:53:00.004-04:00

How cool is this?!

The Perpetual Photo Wall Calendar found on Photojojo.I'm starting mine today. I'll let you know how it goes!

If you don't know this site, check 'em out. It'll make the crafty photographer in you all warm and fuzzy.

Photo of the Week

2009-04-11T11:30:00.004-04:00

04.08.09, originally uploaded by QzakGirl.

My niece's 1st Birthday.

I'm thinking Portrait Photography is my favorite thing in the world. Especially children photography , and baby photography! Just look at the pure joy on her face. Why don't we keep that as we get older?

30 yrs Ago Today...

2009-04-10T10:51:00.004-04:00

Today is my "little" brother's 30th birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRIAN

You're still adorable! :)

Love,
Your pain-in-the-ass sister

"Year In Focus" Photography Project

2009-04-09T11:21:00.010-04:00

Here are the first three days of my "Year In Focus" Photography Project.
I'm beginning it on April 5th because I didn't take any pictures on the 4th (I know....shocking!), and there will be no cheating!

04.05.09A trip to the playground with the boy. I didn't go there expecting to take any great pictures. It was mid-day so the shadows were killer. Still, I was pretty bummed when I saw this photograph....such potential! Oh well...

04.06.09
The boy just after waking up. This was the only picture I took that day. It's a pretty bad picture, but the project is not about good photography. It's about everyday life, and this is it. :) Anyway...I've got to get "good" before I even start thinking about a project about good photography!

04.07.09Watching Red Sox Opening Day. It's practically a holiday here in New England!

On Flickr, I have created a set dedicated to this project. I'm going to post this link on the blog...

Check it out from time to time. I mean...if you want to!

Traditional Mac and Cheese

2009-04-08T09:49:00.008-04:00

This basic recipe was inspired by my late grandmother. As a little girl, I always loved the baked Mac and Cheese she would make for me. In my adult years, I tried to make her recipe, but it never came out as good as hers. Missing that grandmother love, I guess!
I failed at her recipe a few times before I decided to build my own, using hers as a foundation.

Here it is...

*Warning: Not for those watching their calories, or fat intake!
I have no idea how many calories this dish contains. I could figure it out, but that might ruin it for me forever. Sometimes ignorance is bliss!

To make "healthier" (notice the quotation marks!), don't add the Parmesan and salt. I leave these out when I know my boy is going to have some, and it's still delicious.
*A note about cheese: I prefer New York Sharp Cheddar, but you can use any cheese you wish. Shave, or shred, the cheese before adding to the mixture. Or you can buy it shredded if you want!

Ingredients

1 box (16oz) Elbows Macaroni
16 oz New York Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/4 c Flour
2 Tbsp Butter
2 c Milk
1/4 c Parmesan Cheese (optional)
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 tsp pepper (optional)
1/4 c breadcrumbs

Serves 4-6

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Coat a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray

Prepare Macaroni according to box directions

Melt butter in a saucepan, over medium heat
Add flour, and blend with the melted butter
Pour in the Milk
Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens. (about 5 minutes)
Slowly add the cheese, and stir until blended
Add the Parmesan, salt, and pepper. (optional)

Add the cheese mixture to the cooked, and drained, pasta.

Pour into the baking dish
Top with the breadcrumbs

Place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes

The 365 Photobook

2009-04-07T15:36:00.004-04:00

I've heard that a great way to document life through pictures, is by taking a photo every day. This makes a lot of sense to me.
We all have photographs of big events, small family get togethers, and trips to the park. Yet, it is the little things, every day, that make up a persons life.
Where do you drink your coffee every morning?
What time do you put your kids to bed?
What does your front porch look like on a random Spring day?
These are the things I'm going to document in my own life. At the end of the 365 days, I'll compile them all into a photobook.
I'm going to call it, "A Year In Focus". I think. At least that's what its called today. Who knows.
Okay...
Starting...
NOW!

Copy Cat

2009-04-07T09:35:00.005-04:00

I've done a little copy catting (it's my blog...I can make up my own words if I want!).

1. I stole the idea of placing a quote under my header. This I stole from my cousin's blog...The Flying Pinto. I'm going to put up a new quote every month.

2. To remedy my need to constantly change my blog design, I've stolen an idea from Pioneer Woman. A different header every month. That should quench my need to create new headers, and keep the blog from looking like it's run by a super indecisive person. (Who...me?)

3. I was copy catted (again...my blog!) against! I've been planning on posting my Mac and Cheese recipe for about a week. The plan was to make it tonight, and post tomorrow. Well...wouldn't ya know...Pioneer Woman posted her recipe for Mac and Cheese today!
Okay...so maybe it wasn't a real copy cat situation. I mean, it's not like she can read my mind (or even knows I exist)! Besides, she gets thousands of hits a week vs. my little 'ole 100. Copy catting on her part is not needed!

I checked out her recipe, and it looks okay. Lots of unnecessary ingredients if you ask me. Sometimes I think people are afraid of basic recipes. Like the more things they add, the more they will seem like a good cook.

I will be eating mine tonight, and posting it tomorrow. It's pretty damn good too!

Photo of the Week

2009-04-05T10:02:00.003-04:00

Every week I'm going to post a favorite photo. Not necessarily the best photo I may have taken, but one that makes me happy.

This captures a nightly bonding session between father and son.
It's awesome.

Blog Design

2009-04-03T22:06:00.003-04:00

I can't stop redesigning my blog.
I'm addicted.

I just like designing blog headers. It's how I meditate.
I figure, I've got a choice...have a ton of designs sitting on my computer, or use them. So I use them!

This blog is starting to remind me of my hair in high school. Ya just never knew what color it was going to be from day to day.

Anyway...hope you don't mind my manic design tendencies!

The RAW Deal

2009-04-02T20:32:00.002-04:00

Here is reason #1367 why I'm glad I finally summoned up the courage to buy a Digital SLR....

RAW

RAW files are the actual data taken directly from a digital camera's image sensor. They have not been processed at all. This means they are the purest image file possible in digital photography, much like a negative in the olden days (HA!) .

Shooting in RAW allows almost complete control over the image in the editing process. White Balance, and Exposure, can be tweaked to perfection. There is only so much a person can do with a JPEG file (standard). For one, a JPEG file loses a little bit of data every time it is edited.

But here is the thing. Why must there always be a thing?!

RAW files are HUGE. Super duper huge! Need a stack of external hard drives HUGE. I just don't have the machine for that. Seriously...if you saw my computer you would laugh. It's old, it's sad, and definitely can't handle RAW files! It can barely handle any files at all!

So I have decided to only shoot in RAW for special occasions. For instance, my niece Katelyn is having her 1st birthday party next week. It will be indoors, at night. My 50mm f/1.8 is amazing in low light situations (thanks for that tip Kate!), but it can only do so much. No matter how much I try, I will have underexposed images. And for that...I will shoot in RAW.

I actually think RAW can become a bit of a crutch. I need to figure this exposure thing out on my own. It's probably a good thing that I'm going to shoot the majority of the time in JPEG.

I can't wait to get a new computer though....and a big fat external hard drive!

It Has Been A Long Winter

2009-03-28T15:41:00.004-04:00

This beautiful little thing is growing in the middle of my front yard. All by her lonesome.
A vibrant splash of color, in a sea of dead grass and leaves.

Spring has arrived in New England!

What They Don't Know, Helps Me

2009-03-25T15:44:00.005-04:00

"You should totally be a professional photographer"

I've been having a lot of fun since crossing over into the world of DSLR. It's in a completely different universe compared to Point-and-Shoots. Completely!

Hands down the most fun is hearing "You should totally be a professional photographer".
See...Point-and-Shoot users, who have never know the beauty of a perfectly balanced exposure, or wide open aperture, think it's ME! They don't know it's the lens! These wonderful people, making me feel really good about myself, aren't thinking about composition, lines, or exposure. They're just thinking..."I can't do that".

Oh my friends....with enough money....yes...you can.

I have to be honest about it. I just couldn't be happy being a fraud. I mean...what if I go around acting like a good photographer, and then actually run into one?! It would be quite the embarrassment! Those "real" photographers actually care about composition. Buzz kills!

A good photographer doesn't need an expensive lens, or camera, to take a great photograph. Wouldn't it be a blast to give Annie Lebowitz a Point-and-Shoot? I'm pretty sure she could make art out of anything!

Unfortunately...that's not me. I need the fancy pants DSLR. And I don't care who knows it!

They Say Love is Blind...

2009-03-23T11:03:00.006-04:00

Love is blind. It's a pretty common saying. A saying I never agreed with.

I would say...No. Lust is blind. Love sees all, but continues to love anyway.

And then I had a baby.

(This has become a pretty regular statement from me. "I would say/think/feel....and then I had a baby".)

Take a look at this picture....
I love this picture. I look at this and think....happy, silly, beyond handsome. It really captures who my boy was at that exact moment. I think...I LOVE IT! I must frame it!

I begin to make plans. What size should I print it out as? 5x7? 8x10? Where will I hang it? Somewhere special, but where exactly?

And then....the fog lifts. I first notice the crumbs on his face. Next, it's his wide open mouth. Finally....the food in his mouth!

How could I have missed that?! "They" must be right. Love is blind.

Messy face....dirty bib....mouth full of food. Ick!

And you know what I think....

It really captures who my boy was at that exact moment. I LOVE IT! I must frame it!

Hmmm....maybe I was right about that old saying after all.

Traditional Irish-American Cuisine

2009-03-17T08:07:00.005-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!
In our house, we celebrate March 17th with a tradition that is uniquely Irish-American...Corned Beef and Cabbage.

My favorite way to make this dish is in the Crock Pot. Not only is it the easiest, but it's also the tastiest.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium onion, cut into wedges
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 pound baby carrots
3 cups water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet, cut in half
1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges

Directions

Place the onion, potatoes and carrots in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine water, sugar, pepper and contents of spice packet; pour over vegetables. Top with brisket and cabbage. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

I turned the Crock Pot on 15 minutes ago, and already the scent of Irish-Americana is filling the house!

SIDE NOTE:
You know those camera strap covers I mentioned? My husband got me one for my birthday! The cover even has a little pocket for the lens cap.
I guess he does read this blog!

Etsy Love- for Photographers

2009-03-14T10:26:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE ETSY!
If you're looking for a unique gift for the photographer in your life (my birthday is tomorrow!), this is the place.

This super fun camera strap cover can be found at Silly Jilly's Boutique.
This fantastic camera bag is at XcessRize Designs.

Moving Back

2009-03-14T10:02:00.004-04:00

I've decided that having more than one blog was just silly. I just don't have that much to say!
So all my photo related posts are coming over here.

It's That Time of Year Again!

2009-03-03T13:14:00.006-05:00

Please sponser me for the Walk For Hunger!
Donate HERE
Walking For Hunger in the rain- 2008

Hi!

2009-03-01T19:37:00.002-05:00

Cullen's newest word is "hi". This is word #4, but it's the first one he's really grabbed on to. While he loves to say a mangled "What is this?", he hardly ever says his official words of "mama", "dada", or "ball". "Hi" on the other hand...he says it all day long. It's really cute. So far!

Oh Gwynie!

2009-02-26T15:54:00.002-05:00

So Gwyneth Paltrow has this website called Goop.com. Stupid name yes, but what I find really stupid....she calls it a "Lifestyle Website". Ummm.....it's a blog.
Just a blog.
Of Ms. Paltrow's favorite things.
A blog!
I guess she's too cool for blogging.

Hey Gwynie....if you want to blog about your life, fashion, yoga, whatever...have fun. That's what I do (minus the yoga). But delusions of grandeur don't suite you.

It's just a blog.

Storage Needed

2009-02-24T11:19:00.002-05:00

I love these storage solutions from IKEA.The best thing about the Trofast System is that its customizable. Size, shape, color, wall, floor....whatever you want. It's awesome!
I also love that you can buy a few pieces, and build as needed.
This is definitely our next house purchase! We need it desperately!!!

Why I Love My Camera- Part 2

2009-02-23T19:54:00.000-05:00

Adjustable exposure
I got a great tip from one of Pioneer Woman's tutorials (they're great): Expose for the sky.
I just knocked down the exposure a few notches, and boom!
Silhouette and sunset.
This makes me very happy.

Why I Love My Camera

2009-02-23T10:47:00.000-05:00

Depth of Field.Cullen and his George
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/1.8
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 200

George

2009-02-21T11:31:00.001-05:00

George, originally uploaded by qzak78.

This is George. He is Cullen's BFF.

My Funny Boy

2009-02-19T19:02:00.003-05:00

Cullen loves to high five. He thinks it is the funniest thing in the world! I swear he made me do it for 20 minutes straight. He really is a funny, funny, boy.

Still not walking though. He likes to push stuff (chairs, toys, etc) while walking behind them. I really think it's possible that he can walk, he just chooses not to! Well...he'll be 13 months tomorrow, so we'll see what this month brings.
BTW...I started a blog dedicated to my new love....The Nikon. I named the blog "My Pet Nikon" because that's what I'm starting to think it is....a pet. I may have a problem.
The link is on the right ->

$$$ Hobby

2009-02-19T18:44:00.000-05:00

I just got my camera, and already I'm making a list of "next buys".

These are my current must haves....Nikon Wide Angle AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D Autofocus Lens Camera Strap Cover. They have really cute choices on Etsy.com. I love Etsy!
I like this one too....

And owning Photoshop CS4 would be a dream. I couldn't spend that much $$$ on software though. I have to eat!

The Love Affair Begins

2009-02-18T13:11:00.000-05:00

I decided to start this blog for all my photo related mumbo jumbo. I didn't want to overwhelm my "Family Blog" with all this Nikon love.

I'll be posting photos that I like, and probably some I don't. There will be a lot of amateur mistakes I'm sure! Maybe I'll get a few pro-looking lucky breaks along the way. Mostly...I have no idea what I'm doing, and anyone who reads this can make fun (nicely please), relate, or move on!

We got our new camera last night. Nikon D80. We decided to buy the body, and a 50mm 1.8 lens, instead of going with "the kit" package. It just made more sense for what we wanted the camera for...portraits of our boy (usually trapped indoors by New England winter).
We're just learning the ins and outs of the camera right now. I already know that it wants a far higher exposure than my eye thinks is correct. I'm going with my eye...at least for now. Currently, The Nikon (his name) is full of generic "test" shots. I hope it won't be long before I can put more focus on the composition of a shot.

Stay tuned....
husband...manual...one of the first shots I took.
Cullen at the gate. SOOC (Straight-out-of-Camera) this was way over exposed. I decided to hit it up with some Hard Light in Photoshop Elements. Just for fun!

Old Skool

2009-02-17T10:23:00.001-05:00

I've always thought this was pretty funny......

Diggin' It

2009-02-17T09:16:00.003-05:00

In my next life I want to be Lady GaGa. For real!

For years I heard the great debate...who is the next Madonna? Britney? Christina?
The answer....GaGa. She's like walking performance art (much like early/mid Madonna), but with a voice Madonna wishes she had.

I L-O-V-E Her! More proof that I'm a gay man trapped in a woman's body.

Irish Laughs

2009-02-14T19:20:00.004-05:00

I was looking through some Irish Quotes to post here in March. A few made me giggle because they're so...well...true!

Inis do Mháire i gcógar é,
is inseoidh Mháire dó phóbal é.
Tell it to Mary in a whisper,
and Mary will tell it to the parish.
Irish Proverb

If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.
George Bernard Shaw

Definition of an 'Irish fact':
That which tells you not what is the case but what you want to hear.
Hugh Kenner

An Irishman will always soften bad news, so that a major coronary is no more than 'a bad turn' and a near hurricane that leaves thousands homeless is 'good drying weather'.
Hugh Leonard

From the Catholic Dictionary:
Relics: People who have been going to Mass for so long, they actually know when to sit, kneel, and stand.

and my favorite...

Have you heard about the Irish boomerang?
It doesn't come back, it just sings sad songs about how much it wants to.

Almost

2009-02-13T09:47:00.004-05:00

Almost have my camera. It should be arriving around Wednesday!
I can barely contain my excitement!!!!!!
Almost Spring. Or so I keep telling myself. This picture of Cullen pretty much sums up this Winter....I've always hated winter, but now that I'm a parent, the hatred has multiplied.

Patience is a Virtue

2009-02-10T11:38:00.002-05:00

Patience is a virtue. I say this to Cullen all the time. He has no idea what I'm talking about, but I know someday he will....so I say it.
Today I say it to myself. I'm waiting for my tax returns so that I can get a new camera. A Nikon D80 to be exact. Truth be told, I have no business spending that much money on a luxury. After all, we are a family of 3 on one (small) income. But....my beautiful husband convinced me that I deserve it. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I haven't spent money on myself in 2 years? Or that I manage to stretch that one (small) income every month? I think its just because he loves me.
My waiting has become an obsession. It's pretty much all I think about, but I'm okay with that. My camera obsession has been keeping my mind off other, sadder, things. I've learned all this technical mumbo jumbo about aperture, shutter speed, etc. Now I'm going crazy waiting to put it all into practice. I can't learn photography from a book!!! I need that stinkin' camera!!!!!
Patience Lizzy dear....patience.

Messages From The Departed

2009-02-04T17:57:00.002-05:00

Today was my grandmother's funeral. It was a beautiful day, weather wise. I started the day pretty shaky. Not sure how I was going to do. Worried about my mother. That kind of stuff.
Not to worry though! My Grammie took care of me. She took care of all of us....
First, my niece (10 months old) had to accompany us to the service. The sitter my brother had lined up had a sick child, so there went that. Well....I'm very glad she was there! Every time I felt myself getting choked up, there was Katelyn talking away. Feeling down? There was Katelyn making the funniest noises while she drank her cup. She was a riot, and put a huge smile on a lot of faces. Thanks Grammie!
Next, the priest referred to us as a big Italian family! HA! For those that don't know....we are not Italian! We're IRISH!!!! You could hear the rumble through the crowd...."did he just call us Italian"? "I think he just called us Italian"! It was pretty funny. Add to that the fact that the priest kept saying my grandmother's name with an Italian accent...ya....pretty funny. See....my grandmother's 2nd husband (her 1st, my grandfather, died in 1987) had the last name Govoni. Therefore, my grandmother's married name was Teresa Govoni. Sounds pretty Italian. Her given name though....Rooney. Teresa Eileen Rooney. Sounds pretty Irish...because it is!
That little doozy had us cracking up all day! Thanks Grammie!
There was another gift from my "Italian" grandmother. I won't go into it here because the gift was not for me. I will say this....she continues to love, and care for, her children and grandchildren. Thanks Grammie.
Maybe I read too much into these things. Maybe none of that was her doing. I don't know though....I feel messages from the departed all the time, and today was definitely Teresa Eileen Rooney's day for messages.
Thanks Grammie.

Goodbye

2009-01-31T19:05:00.008-05:00

My Grandmother passed away last night.

Mother of 7, Grandmother of 10, Great-Grandmother of 7.
Sister, friend, the greatest storyteller I have ever known.
The best Grandmother a girl could ever ask for.

I will miss her every day of my life.

Cullen and Great-Grammie

2009-01-28T17:55:00.002-05:00

And so it goes....

2009-01-24T14:22:00.003-05:00

We have some pretty sad stuff going on right now. My grandmother is sick. Very sick. Unfortunately it's the kind you don't recover from. Needless to say, this is pretty hard on everyone.

I think this Blog will be neglected for a little bit. I'll stop by from time to time, but my thoughts are wrapped up in my Grammie for now.

Stay tuned for Cullen's First Steps. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say about that!

Great Day

2009-01-20T08:21:00.003-05:00

01.20.09
A day to remember.
The world is rejoicing today.
We say goodbye to George Bush. A man who will, I'm sure, go into the history books as one of the worst presidents this country has ever seen.
We say hello to Barack Obama. A man who will, I hope, go down as one of the best. At least I'm sure he'll be an improvement over the man who has led our country for the past 8 years.
We say Happy Birthday to Cullen! Our little man is 1 today. Cullen's agenda for the day- watch the Inauguration, and be smothered with Birthday Kisses. What more could a boy want?

In Honor of Today...and Tomorrow

2009-01-19T15:43:00.000-05:00

Random

2009-01-14T13:34:00.002-05:00

I think it's pretty funny that most Cape Codders don't know where the Cape begins. I'm pretty sure that they don't want to hear this South Shore girl tell 'em either! But I will...

Cape Cod, as a region, existed before the Canal was built. The Canal was not built on the dividing line, nor was it meant to become a dividing line.

The Cape begins at Plymouth's border. There....I said it.

Bourne, Sagamore Beach, Onset, etc.....all Cape Cod. I mean, geez, Bourne has the Canal running through it for goodness sake. Are people from Bourne only half Cape Codders?

Also....
As a Plymouthian, I'm a little sick of hearing that we want to be from the Cape, or say we're from the Cape. Rich bugs me about this all the time. It drives me crazy! Truth be told, I had only been on Cape a few times before Rich and I met. Like all South Shore towns, Plymouth families are transplants from Boston (for the most part). We identify as Bostonians far more than we would ever identify as Cape Codders.

Please Cape Codders, don't take offence. You have yourself a really beautiful piece of the world, but try not to be so snobby about it!

Peace & Quiet(er)

2009-01-10T10:07:00.002-05:00

Wow....it's unbelievable how quiet life is right now. I didn't realize how chaotic it had been. Prepping for the move, the actual move, the Holidays....all a jumble of confusion, planning, snowstorms, rainstorms, mattresses through car windows, teething, and getting used to a new environment.
The peace is nice. I can definitely get used to this, and as long as nothing unexpected happens (knock wood), I think I'll be able to do that. All we have coming up is Cullen's birthday, and that is pretty stress free. We are planning a low key affair of snacks and cupcakes. He's only 1 (!) after all. How much does he really need?
*sigh* Life is good. (knock wood)

Passing It Along

2009-01-06T11:20:00.001-05:00

This is our girl Angela, and a friend of hers. Just gorgeous!

Back to Reality

2008-12-29T08:47:00.013-05:00

Well...it's over. Christmas has come and gone. We had a great one this year, but I can't wait until Cullen actually gets the whole "Santa" thing.
Here are some shots from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Thanks to my Mom and Kate!
Christmas Eve
Christmas Morning
Christmas Brunch
I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Weekend Update

2008-12-22T08:55:00.004-05:00

This weekend didn't exactly go as planned. Saturday, we did make it up to Medway for the DeNapoli Christmas Party. The roads were pretty bad, and despite the fact that the snowstorm was supposed to end, it never did. It was a good time though. The food there is always pretty awesome!Sunday we were supposed to go to the Rooney Christmas Party, but it got canceled because of the weather. Although I always look forward to seeing my family, and showing off Cullen, I wasn't that disappointed. We have a lot of things to take care of before Christmas, so I was happy to have the day to do that. Best of all...Rich had already picked up the ingredients for the chili he was going to make for the party. That meant we got to have it all!
And then Cullen got sick. Temperature of 102.
So here I am....2 days before Christmas...tons to do....home with a sick baby. Figures.

A Tale of Three Kitties

2008-12-19T09:09:00.005-05:00

As some of you may know, I used to have 3 cats.
Reagan- I got him on Christmas Eve 1996. My friend Jen had a Mama Kitty. That poor cat would get pregnant every couple of months. Jen kept trying to get her fixed, but every time she would bring her to the vet, that poor thing was already knocked up! Reagan was one of her many kittens. I named him after the Cat-love-of-my-life, Ronald Reagan.Freddy- named for his evil claws. Freddy was ferrel. He was born under a porch, and had been abandoned by his mother. We took him in, thinking he was young enough to be domesticated. That was in the Spring of 2003 (?). He let me touch him a few times, but that was as far as he was willing to take our relationship. Basically we just fed him, and cleaned his litter box.
Pepe- as in La Pew. He came bouncing into our yard a few months after we took in Freddy. He had a collar, so we put an ad out looking for his owner. I loved him instantly, but I wasn't looking for another mouth to feed. He was so sweet, and I just knew someone was missing him. His owner never called though, so we became a 3 cat household.Fast forward to January 2008. The birth of our beautiful baby boy. Cleaning up after 3 indoor cats became increasingly difficult. Come spring we made the decision to let them outside. Things were great for awhile. The three of them loved being outdoors, and with the exception of Freddy, would come in to be fed, or to hang out a little. Freddy never came in again. We had to leave his food out on the porch.
In July Pepe disappeared. I couldn't believe it. I kept waiting for him to come home, but he never did. We posted some ads on Craigslist, I checked the Old Colony, but nothing. I have hope that he ended up with another family. The way he ended up with us. He just bounced into someones yard, and became theirs.
In September it was Reagan. My poor Reagan. Gone. He had been with me almost 12 years. I hope he's okay, but I don't know. I just can't think about it.
Around the same time Reagan dissappeared, Freddy stopped coming home to eat. I would see him in the neighbors yard, and sometimes he'd walk past our door. He never came home though. He must have been getting fed somewhere else. I would see him every 2 weeks or so. We left him when we moved. I know I didn't abandon him. He abandoned me, but my mother raised me to be a good pet owner. To respect my animals as part of the family. Freddy made his choice, but I can't help but feel like a horrible person.

So there you are. The story of my kitties. If you ask me where they are, and I give you a short answer, or seem like I don't really care, it's because I can't think about it. When I do, it just breaks my heart.

Just stuff

2008-12-16T19:44:00.006-05:00

I'm happy to announce that Rich and I are done Christmas shopping. Personally, I've never been done this early. I like it...I think I'll try to do this every year!
Santa is only bringing Cullen a few things. He's a little strapped for cash. I heard he moved into a new place Dec. 1st, and moving is expensive. Cullen won't know the difference anyway.
I'm super excited about a couple of gifts this year. I won't mention them, in case any of the recipients of these gifts is reading this. It feels so good when you think of the perfect gift, for the perfect person. That's not something that happens a lot. At least not for me!
We have a busy weekend coming up. We have the DeNapoli Christmas Party (Rich's family) on Saturday, and the Rooney Christmas Party (my family) on Sunday. With all that's going on, I'm a little worried about getting this house cleaned up in time for Christmas. We're hosting Christmas Brunch, and lets just say...it doesn't exactly look like we moved in 2 weeks ago. More like 2 days ago! Ugh. It'll get done. Even if I'm running around like a maniac on Christmas Eve Day...it will get done.
Oh crap...I just realized that I have to make a main dish, and side dish, for Sunday! Hmmm....I'll make Rich do it!

Sorry if that was just a ramble of random thoughts. I guess that's just who I am today.

Surprise, Surprise

2008-12-13T19:26:00.002-05:00

We took Cullen to meet Santa today, and to our surprise he didn't cry! I mean, he sure thought we were nuts when we made him sit on the strange man's lap. Not a tear though! Here's a picture....

Babies, Babies, Everywhere

2008-12-10T10:01:00.005-05:00

Now that Cullen is approaching his 1st Birthday, I'm finding my urge for another baby getting pretty intense. Truth be told, I started getting the urge right around the time Cullen started sleeping through the night. As if the 8 hours of sleep I'm now getting, is some sort of signal to my body that it is now ready to do it all again.
As of now, I'm fighting the urge. Before Cullen was born we had planned on trying when he turned 1. We have rethought the spacing, and now we want our kids to be about 2 years apart. So....Spring, or early Summer. Maybe. Or maybe the next baby will make that decision for us. Just like her/his brother did!
So I wait. Until the time is right, I'll just enjoy the one I've got, and think of boy names. Already have the girl name!

Newborn Cullen....

Fa La La La La

2008-12-08T10:57:00.005-05:00

While we are still swimming in a sea of boxes, we have hung our stockings, and decorated our tree. Here are a few pics....
Our New House...ain't it cute!

Cullen's stocking

Showing Cullen the tree
Christmas Lights

Some Cheer

2008-12-05T12:03:00.003-05:00

I feel as though my last post was too negative. To balance this little blog out a bit, I'm posting something about Christmas Cheer....

Wednesday we went to Kate's for pizza and tree decorating. We happily ate the pizza, and lazily watched the decorating! Cullen really loves his older cousins. He thinks they are a riot, and they are!
Now that I've seen Kate's decorated house, I'm impatient about decorating our own. I'll completely ignore the fact that nothing is put away, and only think about the tree we'll get on Sunday, the wreath we'll put on the door, putting up Cullen's stocking, and getting a "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament.

I'm excited!

Moving-Gate

2008-12-05T09:41:00.002-05:00

Rich and I were talking about how ridiculous it is that every political scandal, semi-scandal, or juicy piece of gossip, has to have "gate" at the end of its name. Ya we get it...Watergate was a big deal. It was/is also a hotel. Hence the name of the scandal that originated there...Watergate. Anyway...in celebration of this stupid habit of the media, we've decided to call every dramatic event in out lives "****gate". We are currently in the middle of Moving-gate.
I really don't know where to start. I'll just say that every good intention we had (orginazation, babysitter, schedule) was fouled up. First, we had planned to do some major packing on Saturday. Instead we were dealing with getting rid of the Toyota and Ghia. That pretty much took up Rich's whole day.
Second, we had Cullen with us the whole day Sunday (moving day). He was supposed to go to Kate and Ian's, but Ian was sick. Seeing that Cullen's toys were all packed, and the apartment was cluttered with dangerous things, he spent the whole day on my hip. Which meant I couldn't do anything. Luckily my Mom was there to help.
Third, the weather. Around 11am on Sunday it started to hail. Yup...I said hail!
Fourth, Rich's shattered back window. Not shattered by a chair leg, or a bedpost. Shattered by a crib mattress. Wonderful. Kate lent us her car to finish the move.
Fifth, the basement. That horrible basement. It was filled to the brim with my Mom and Brian's stuff. Mostly Brian's. The thing is...I don't think either one of them realized how bad it was. Rich and Sean-from-upstairs spent 2 nights cleaning it out. It is done though. Brian owes them a huge thank you.
So here we are....officially moved in. I've got boxes everywhere, and I'm getting very little done during the day. Cullen has been miserable this week. I know he's teething (does it ever end?!), so I think that, in combination with the move, has just sent him over the edge. And he's slowly taking me with him!
And that is Moving-Gate.

Oh...did I mention that I like my house? I do.

Happy Holidays

2008-11-19T17:43:00.003-05:00

When we are little kids, the holidays are so exciting. Then there is that lull from 16 to when we have kids of our own. For me the lull was 16-29. This is my 30th Christmas, and it feels really good to be excited again!
I can't wait to get Cullen dressed up for Thanksgiving. I can't wait to get a tree. I can't wait to pick out his holiday outfit. I can't wait to play Santa. I can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!!!!!

Grateful for a Sleeping Cullen

2008-11-13T15:30:00.002-05:00

Rich had to go to Pennsylvania for a couple of days. He left early Thursday, and will be back very late on Friday. Not too bad.
It does make me even more grateful for Cullen's new sleep habits though. The few other times he has been away for the night, I was super stressed out because I was left alone with a baby who only slept a couple of hours at a time. I was in mom mode 24-7.
Not now! My beautiful sleeping baby gives me a rest 10-12 hours a night. Ahhhh....freedom!

I will say that I'm glad that my first baby was such a bad sleeper. This way I won't be shocked if my next one is, and if he/she is a good sleeper I'll appreciate it more. Take my brother Brian, and SIL Beth....their daughter is a sleep champ. Always has been. Now, they know they're lucky, but....they don't really know. And all you moms out there, who've had months of sleep deprivation, know what I'm talking about!

So ya...I'm grateful!

Grrr

2008-11-13T14:06:00.003-05:00

"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression."

- Thomas Jefferson

The rights of the minority should never be determined by the majority. If my rights as a woman had been voted on by the general public, I would not have those rights today. I say to 90% of the country...you wouldn't even have the right to vote if "land owning white men" had anything to do with it. Think about that next time you're arrogant enough to vote your fellow citizens rights away! Read a book before making a choice that will destroy families. Bigots!

Not About Politics

2008-11-06T19:46:00.003-05:00

This blog is not turning into a Political Blog. I assure you, it's still about our family. The past few posts have been political because...well...that's what we've been up to! Now that the election is over (thank goodness...you betcha), there will be fewer posts on the subject.

This post is about Cullen's sleep.....

He now knows how to put himself to sleep!!!! Unfortunately, there were a few tears involved in learning this great lesson, but we did not "Cry It Out". Rather, we combined a small amount of crying with the things learned in "The No-Cry Solution". Honestly...not crying was just not going to happen. Not with Cullen's temperament. But it really was minimal, and we were there comforting him the whole time. We actually kept referring to it as "Cry It Out", until we realized that every CIO expert would yell at us if they saw what we were doing!

So there. He sleeps. We sleep. Most of all...we are very proud of how we handled the problem. Our first great test of parenthood. Now for that little thing called discipline....ugh!

Because It's His Country Too

2008-11-05T08:46:00.006-05:00

As parents, Rich and I believe that it is never too early to teach civic responsibility, and participation. I hope Cullen gets a kick out of these when he's older....

Vote!

2008-11-03T10:43:00.001-05:00

Don't forget to get out and vote tomorrow. Especially those of you in swing states!

Halloween

2008-11-01T16:23:00.005-04:00

Cullen had a great 1st Halloween. He went Trick-Or-Treating with his cousins Owen, Gavin, and Melissa. Well...he fell asleep in the stroller while they went Trick-Or-Treating anyway!
Really, I just needed an excuse to put him in a costume!
He was a bat, and didn't like his costume very much.