| FINALLY- Update & NEW PHOTOS! |
So I am really far behind on blogging. I have tried (and been pretty good) keeping up. But alas, here I am.
What's new- Makena is gone for 2 whole weeks! She is boating with my parents until the end of the week. Then we will meet up in Hood Canal for the weekend (all of us). Then another week with my parents and going to Vacation Bible School by my parent's house. WOW! Two whole weeks! The house seems quiet. And good timing because I'm swamped at work and plan on working 10 hour shifts M-Th this week. AND I need to fit in a work-out at the gym as well. EVERYDAY is the goal. Aside from that- this weekend was useless. (almost) I was out so- late on Friday night it affected my entire weekend. I went out Friday night w/ Tiffany, PJ, my brother and PJ's friend. I didn't get home until a quarter to 3 (yes AM!) It was a LATE night/morning. I had to work at 10am photo shoot. I set the alarm clock for 8:45. Plenty of time to clear off my memory card, take a shower etc... .. So at 3am I am coming in and Gus-Gus (the cat) is whining to see me because he's been home ALL day and night without anyone. Okay- guilt for the cat sets in and I don't put him in his own bedroom (the office/guest room) where we normally put him (because he whines in the middle of the night- he's quite talkative). So around 5am Gus-Gus is whining and wakes me up. I had a hard enough time going to sleep- he wasn't helpful by waking me up after barely 1.5-2hours of sleep. I put him away. Went back to sleep. Woke up at 6:30. WTH? I can't sleep. My head is turning w/ photographic ideas for the shoot. DAMN! Okay- so then take a shower. Start surfing the net. Surfing photography forums. KEEP ON TRACK MARY! Eat something- I'm dehydrated from my late night and feeling like I haven't felt in a long time. I'm beginning to feel 30 (GREAT! - can you sense the sarcasm?) I don't even remember feeling like this when I was younger. Soooo- I leave at 9:15, giving myself 45 minutes with bag in hand ready to shoot engagement photos trying to look awake as possible. Luckily, once I got out of the house and on my way I was pumped up. I still always get nervous before shoots. Regardless of how long I've been taking photos (off and on for 8 or 9 years). I take my work so personally I think it's fairly normal. Anyways... so this is a really- really great shoot. Mandy & Joey have hired me for their wedding and we were shooting their engagement photos. They come from a referral and were a wonderful couple to photograph. They took direction really well, they were so natural and are clearly so in love. I'm not surprised at how great their photos were. Not on my behalf, but when you have two people who care so much about each other that really comes across in their photos. Feel free to take a look at their photos: marykaiphotography.com They are filed in Mandy & Joey.
Okay- well that is it for now. Super swamped so I have to run.
LATER!! xo- M |
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| What happened? |
It's Friday??? Where did the day go? Heading out- Makena earned a movie- but I have to break it to her that Surf's Up is not playing in the theatre anymore (except in Bellevue which is a good distance from our home)
So... we'll see what happens. |
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| Makena's new friend! |
Makena has a new friend, his name is Jonathan.... he is one. He speaks in spanish and italian AND she can fully understand him. She is also the only one that can see him.
not sure what to think... but like everything else... we roll with it. |
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| 30 Days in the life of.... |
DAY #1
Okay- starting something new... it will get me to 'try' to create a photo everyday. Only rule is it has to be SOOC - straight out of the camera. No editing. Cropping okay. Starting w/ one I took today at lunch - not leaving my desk (Shocking I know). I encourage you to do the same. Let me know if you're trying too- even for every other day. I have a few friends who are and it's neat to see what everyone comes up with.
Cheers-
M
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| Busy Busy Busy! |
Friday night: MOM'S NIGHT OUT!!! WHooo- Hoo- Had about 10 girls over- drank, ate, gabbed all night. Made our way outside to the firepit- where we roasted marshmellows and made smores until the wee- hours after midnight. It was loads of fun.
Saturday morning:
Photo sitting for a wonderful family, Jessica, Val & Isabella. What a photogenic family. I had a great time taking their photos and Isabella was so- very well behaved. The sitting lasted 2 hours and ended around noon-high sun time. She didn't have a fit the entire time. Stopped for a brief snack and break and on again.
Saturday afternoon:
I enjoyed silence at home as Makena was still with my family. I learned my dad bought himself and Kena a restaurant-grade shave ice machine so she could sell shave ice instead of lemonade LOL. Of course shave ice is big in Hawaii and it takes my dad back to his childhood too- so it was a combo type purchase. PJ and I hit the movies (Ocean's 13) I slept in and out of it. I was uncomfortable at the theatre and the popcorn was stale YUCK!
Sunday:
Picked up Makena- had a snowball fight in 75 degree weather (with shave ice) since it's so fluffy. Grabbed some plants for our yard from my parents. Vegged at home, post production photo editing for my sitting from Saturday and that's pretty much it.
Monday:
Headed to work. Won American Idol Tour tickets (I'm not too- thrilled but will enjoy anything free) It'll be great though- Tiffany (from my work) is going with me. PJ was less than excited with my invitation. *Shocking I know*
HAVE A GREAT DAY! I'm headed to the gym afterwork. (greeaaatt- can you hear my enthusiasm) |
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| Seattle Sunset |
Last night it was BEAUTIFUL out. I was on the phone with my good friend Julie, and had some time to sit out on the back patio and enjoy the sunset.
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| This reminds me of a book I read as a child |
This has to be the coolest thing! And don't act like the thought had never crossed your mind as a child. How amazing this would be!!!
Man flies 193 miles in lawn chair
BEND, Oregon (AP) -- Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks -- and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons.
Destination: Idaho.
Balloons suspend Kent Couch in a lawn chair as he floats in the skies near Bend, Oregon, on Saturday.
With instruments to measure his altitude and speed, a global positioning system device in his pocket, and about four plastic bags holding five gallons of water each to act as ballast -- he could turn a spigot, release water and rise -- Couch headed into the Oregon sky.
Nearly nine hours later, the 47-year-old gas station owner came back to earth in a farmer's field near Union, short of Idaho but about 193 miles from home.
"When you're a little kid and you're holding a helium balloon, it has to cross your mind," Couch told the Bend Bulletin.
"When you're laying in the grass on a summer day, and you see the clouds, you wish you could jump on them," he said. "This is as close as you can come to jumping on them. It's just like that."
Couch is the latest American to emulate Larry Walters -- who in 1982 rose three miles above Los Angeles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons. Walters had surprised an airline pilot, who radioed the control tower that he had just passed a guy in a lawn chair. Walters paid a $1,500 penalty for violating air traffic rules.
It was Couch's second flight.
In September, he got off the ground for six hours. Like Walters, he used a BB gun to pop the balloons, but he went into a rapid descent and eventually parachuted to safety.
This time, he was better prepared. The balloons had a new configuration, so it was easier to reach up and release a bit of helium instead of simply cutting off a balloon.
He took off at 6:06 a.m. Saturday after kissing his wife, Susan, goodbye and petting his Chihuahua, Isabella. As he made about 25 miles an hour, a three-car caravan filled with friends, family and the dog followed him from below.
Couch said he could hear cattle and children and even passed through clouds.
"It was beautiful -- beautiful," he told KTVZ-TV. He described the flight as mostly peaceful and serene, with occasional turbulence, like a hot-air balloon ride sitting down.
Couch decided to stop when he was down to a gallon of water and just eight pounds of ballast. Concerned about the rugged terrain outside La Grande, including Hells Canyon, he decided it was time to land.
He popped enough balloons to set the craft down, although he suffered rope burns. But after he jumped out, the wind grabbed his chair, with his video recorder, and the remaining balloons and swept them away. He's hoping to get them back some day.
Brandon Wilcox, owner of Professional Air, which charters and maintains planes at the Bend airport, said Couch definitely did it. Wilcox said he flew a plane nearby while Couch traveled and took photos of the flying lawn chair.
Whether Couch will take a third trip is up to his wife, and Susan Couch said she's thinking about saying no. But she said she was willing to go along with last weekend's trip.
"I know he'd be thinking about it more and more, it would always be on his mind," she said. "This way, at least he's fulfilled his dream." |
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| It's awfully quiet around here |
Makena is at my parent's house. It's really weird. I miss her, but not like I do on the weekends. I'm really REALLY REALLLLLY enjoying my quiet time. I even took a nap afterwork yesterday. I joined the gym and am going to start going so I can get back into shape. The last 6 months have been bad to my body LOL. Okay- I have been bad to my body. Just cause I'm turning 30 on the 22nd, doesn't mean I need to be a total fat lazy ass. Hmph- time for a total body and look make-over.
I did go get some new clothes from Sarah Jessica Parker's new line Bitten. Cute stuff- they carry it at Steve and Barry's.
Okay- time for another day- it's TUESDAY!
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| Monday - Monday |
It's Monday- and we are WITHOUT child this week!!! WHOOO- hooo-. Don't get me wrong. As you all know - I adore Makena. But wow. WEIRD. I feel like I'm forgetting something... it's like forgetting your bra or something. It just doesn't seem right. HAHA- Anyways- lots to do. Have a great Monday! |
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| Go Aquasox!! |
GO AQUASOX!!!!
PJ surprised us yesterday afternoon and woke us up from our Saturday naps. He didn't tell us where we were going, just that we had some place to be. Bring a sweatshirt cause it's going to get colder tonight.... Okay. So off we went with no idea of where we were going. At least I didn't know. Upon the start of the car ride I found out that Makena actually knew where we were headed. LOL. She LOVES keeping secrets and could hardly wait to tell me. As we arrived in Everett I started to get an idea and PJ knew it. So he had Makena tell me. He bought us tickets to watch the Everett Aquasox play baseball. We had seats behind home plate, 3rd row. It was great! Hotdogs for dinner, peanuts and beer. They kept us entertained between innings and Makena got a free baseball give-away so we tossed the ball around. I was amazed at how well she threw-far and straight. The night ended with a fireworks show. It was a wonderful family night.
Now it's Sunday and we're lounging around. Doing laundry and cleaning the house. Packing up Makena cause she is going to go stay with my family for an entire week!!! It's going to be quiet around here. I think I'll try to catch a movie this week and work later at work since I won't have to worry about Makena and PJ will be working late.
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| New Photos |
The yard is very very bare right now. Joyce (PJ's mom) trimmed up the trees and cut back the bushes. The family that lived here before us, just threw a bunch of plants and bushes together it made NO sense at all. Everyone said it was a jumbled mess of bushes and plants. Anyways, this area here, along the back of the yard will all have fresh bark and plants. We planted some lavendar (my absolute favorite smell!) and some bulbs (lillies of course) and there were already some Iris there. We have a butterfly plant that needs to be taken out of it's pathetic pot (it came with the house). I am going to get some plants from my family this weekend. I'm very excited to get the yard in tip-top shape. We moved Makena's swingset up to the top of the yard where the previous owners had leveled out one small area. We recently killed off the growing grass there and need to burn it out. I will also be planting some bamboo and taller shrubs and trees for added privacy
We are going to remove the playhouse and keep the swingset. Along the north fence (shown below) we are going to install some tall shrubs and bushes along w/ bark.
Here is a general idea of what it will look like when we have some GREEN in the yard *yayy* I can hardly wait until it's all green like this. We will plant boxwood hedges along the back side of the retaining wall. They will be kept low but will provide a slight barrier for 'kidlets' to keep from going to close to the wall or going over (especially on Makena's Jeep).
We plan to install shutters on all the windows (including the back). On the new deck PJ is going to build a bench that opens up. Half of it will be a storage bench for Makena's outside toys(balls/bubbles etc..) and the other half will hold an ice chest. It will be built along the deck railing. The grill will go against the house on the deck. I'm thinking a couple of chaise lounges will look nice on the deck :) All of the retaining wall areas will be capped off and you won't be able to see the backs of them. 
Here is the new deck. PJ, Cory & Joyce built this on Independence Day! In the photo PJ is working on a planter box for me. There is a small area that can use a planter in that corner by where PJ is working. On the left side of the deck there will be a small bench/sitting area.  Labels: Patio |
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| Stay Tuned |
I have the photos of the backyard and other photos to post. It will be here shortly in a couple hours- stay tuned :)
M
ps. HAPPY FRIDAY! |
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| More deck |
These are from yesterday and I'm excited to see how the deck looks when I get home tonight!! :)
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| Ripping it up! |
Progression of the 'newest project' .... rippin' up the old deck. Bummer I wasn't paying attention to remind PJ to save the wood. He had meant to as we were going to use it for Makena's playhouse. Oh well, now it's firewood for the firepit. Hoping they'll finish the deck tomorrow. They have a great start on it today.
Labels: Home Projects |
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| Happy Independence Day! |
It is not the 4th, it is not the 4th of July, it is Independence Day. The 4th of July is only a date on a calendar and this day has more meaning than every single day. Today is the day in which we, the United States of America adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776 - declaring our independence from Great Britain.
This day has much meaning to us, as a military family. Our ancestors, loved ones and friends have died for the fight to maintain and continue our freedom. This day also takes me back to 2004 a year that was really rough for us as PJ was overseas. He is here with us now, but the memories that remain from that Independence Day and the celebrations and friendships that were formed on that day will always evoke a particular feeling in my heart.
God Bless you, your family and our wonderful United States of America.
-Mary |
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posted by 2Kais at 
