No more eyeglasses!!!!

I can't imagine myslef without glasses!!!!

I was born with a corneal dystrophy in my eyes. As the years have progressed, my eyes have changed. In the last few years there have been some changes in my eyesight. I have been putting off going to a specialist because my dad has had 2 corneal transplants in one eye and I was so afraid I would have to get the same thing done. I really don't want a transplant. I've been told for years that I would need one by the time I was in my 40's which is less than 10 years away.

Lately I have HATED - LOATHED the sun. I hate the sun. I would rather it be cloudy and rainy every day because my eyes are always in pain from sunlight and always watery. I have sunglasses but even on the sunniest days - it still irritates me. I stay indoors because going outside is awful. I'd rather sit in the dark.

Well my husband is a licensed optician and he started talking to Dr. Jaros about my eyes and Dr. Jaros asked me to come by so he could look at my eyes. Well we got to talking & he said he'd do some more research into my particular corneal dystrophy which is in the stroma of the eye. Well Dr. Jaros found a cornea specialist here in LR that has done some new surgeries for those with my eye disease. I have an appointment this Friday to see if I can have this surgery. Dr. Jaros is very sure I will be able to get the procedure done. So I get to go in and be looked at and hopefully schedule the surgery!

From what I understand I will have great vision after this. I won't need a transplant - thank goodness for advancements in medicine!!! I won't have to wear eye glasses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG! I can't re-call what it's like not to wear them. AND.....while they are doing this surgery for me, they are going to do lasik at the same time.

I cannot imagine life without glasses. I can't imagine knowing I won't need a transplant in my 40's. I just can't imagine the cool advancements in eye surgeries.....

Wedding on the air force base

I photographed Lorie and Justin's wedding at the AFB in Jacksonville. I worked this wedding through Janet-Hudson Shcroeder Photography. I do quite a few weddings thru her company each year. I really enjoy working for her. She's so sweet!

Lorie and Justin were an awesome couple. Lorie's mom, Debbie rocks out! Best mom of bride ever! I could have taken her home and called her mom. Don't get me wrong - I LOVE my mom but Debbie could be a 2nd mom! HA! I can't re-call laughing this much at a wedding and having such an awesome time. Thank you Debbie for the flowers and cake. I'm still eating it over here....I told ya I'd probably gain 10 lbs from it - but that's ok - it's GOOD cake!!!

Estate sales are addictive

This fairy dress came from an estate sale! Too cool!

I have come to realize that Little Rock has one thing that Fayetteville doesn't really have....estate sales!!! OH MY! I'm addicted. I usually hit up 2-4 estate sales on Fridays & Saturdays around my neighborhood. Today I stopped at one and it was kind of sad :-( It was this huge HUGE house full of everything you could imagine. All the kids stuff, everything. The owner must have loved Nikon cameras because he had TONS of them and tons of lenses. They might have been shop-a-holics because they had a lot of stuff. A lot of items still had new tags on them. The lady of the house must have been very concerned with appearances - most of her clothes were Armani. I can only imagine these folks were trying to keep up appearances and bit off more than they could chew. I've gone to several of these kinds of estate sales lately. Lots of younger folks having to sell off the house and everything inside. I've been to a few of the "folks croaked over and everything for sale" kind of estate sale but it's mostly big fancy houses with modern items.
Today I scored a crazy feather hat, a crocheted tablecloth that I will use for vintage photos and a really cool mosquito netting -- all name brand of course! I can't wait until next week's estate sales!

Cool Video

http://vimeo.com/1569305

I thought this was pretty cool.

Camera on a kite!!

Wedding with Kimberlea Bass

Kimberlea Bass in Fayetteville, AR hires me to 2nd shoot at a lot of weddings. I love to be the 2nd shooter because I'm always looking for something the main shooter is not getting. They main shooter is usually busy with the "must have" shots. Here's some images from August 31st. Wedding was at Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista. Flowers by Shirley's Flowers in Rogers.

Little Rock

I haven't posted a blog since August 1st! I have moved to Little Rock, AR and it has been quite the change. It has put me behind on quite a few things. I'm just now catching up. We finally got the internet up & running. Life can get kind of strange without the internet and phone. It was kind of a nice break, though! Little Rock is pretty danged cool. I already have tickets to see Les Miserables. I am also going to Treasure Island and Junie B. Jones at the children's theater. I'm also going to Lear's daughters at UALR as well as some other cool theatrical performances. There's some really neat productions coming to Memphis that I really would love to see. And Sweeney Todd at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville - OMG! I will have to look into that! I can't wait to take Amelia to the museum, river market and the diamond fields in Murfreesboro.
I've already made some belly dance friends. I am going to this huge hafla in Hot Springs in October. Little Rock has so much more to offer as far as things to do and see!

Amelia is in school. She loves it. I really like the school. Amelia is testing for the Alpha program (gifted/talented). She wants to be in it bad. I think she's kind of bored with her grade level.

I am in school for 9 hours. I didn't have enough classes to choose from since we moved so I took what I could get. This time around I am in theater classes (my minor which could be my 2nd major) and I'm also in anthropology which is way interesting!

So much to do.....but just wanted to let my friends know that I'm here in Little Rock!

Salon ENVE

Amanda hired me to do some photos for her brand new salon called ENVE. It's located at 2009 N. Green Acres Road in Fayetteville. She is having a new site built - www.salonenve.com.....Here are a few photos I did for their site. There were a bunch but I thought I'd post up a few previews!

Feel the burn.

I'm working thru pictures and albums - almost complete everyone! YAY!

I worked out today with Sara. We felt the burn today. This is our 3rd week of working out. I have a personal trainer helping me tomorrow. I'm really excited. So far I've lost 5 lbs. which I didn't really want to lose. But I can already tell a difference in my arms! I have little "mini" muscle beans. HA! Working out is the best. This is my newest addiction! Feel the burn!!!

My Family!

These were taken by Joe Klingaman. Thanks Joe! They are so cute. This is my family!

Chicago.

I have a lot of catching up to do! I'm about to create Josie & Jeff's wedding pages on my site. I've been working on an album for another gal as well. Double photoshop duties! Whew! lol! I have neglected the blog for awhile but I swear I will catch up with posting images!

Here's just a few from Chicago....

So much going on!

I haven't blogged in awhile! Life has happened and just gets to be so hectic! When I have time, I will post photos but in the meantime...things going on....and I'll elaborate more in a few weeks.

Published in a book! yay!
Virginia with Sara. Washington DC and the sculpture garden! WOW!
Chicago. Pizza. Do I need to say more? he he
15 year high school reunion. OMG. that was an experience!
Doug's momma coming for a visit!
New kitten! Meow!
Che hanging out over the weekend.
Seeing my lost Christina Angel...I just love her!
Working out at the HPER and hiring a personal trainer. Buffmother here I come!
Catching up on albums, weddings, boudoir photos.
Child care photos - big order. Yay!
Little Rock. Visiting.
Future Helena trip with Janet.
Possible road trip to Chicago. Need more pizza. Uh yes, I'm for reals. I would drive there for a pizza.
Shimmyfest coming up in 2 weeks.
Spending time with my boo. I am the luckiest girl to have Doug. He's all mine ladies....but he does have an identical twin brother. he he he
August 4th can't get here soon enough.
Money for school has arrived....now I wait for the nice fat check.

Ya know......I'm really content. And happy. I will blog more this week.

Family & kids!

This is another cutie patootie I just photographed this past weekend! CUTE!








This is my aunty and her family. They hired me to do some really fun and relaxed photos of them and their kiddos. Nothing formal. Just laid back and being themselves.

And of course Amelia had to jump in on the action! I had to test my lights and gels and always need a subject to "test"