Logistics

Moving across the country is a big deal.

Big.

HUGE.

the bathroom is bigger than the Blue Banana!

Sorry.

That's me being carried away again. 

After much searching I found a moving company. 

They load and drive and unload for us.

All we do is pack.

And they are well within our budget.

I am waiting for the paperwork on a Townhouse. 

A rental community.

With 5 pools.

And a movie theater.

And a Lazy River!

A Lazy River people!  

I think Elena is going to drive Daddy crazy with her requests to laze down said river.

Poor child is about to get a real good handle on disappointment.

The going away party is Friday night.

I hope you all can come.

We go to Mexico next weekend.

I'm terrified to leave the girls for a whole weekend,

but I am leaving them in perfectly capable hands.

Thanks, Mom.

My stress level is at an all-time high.

I might be cracking.

I can't be sure.

But I'll keep you posted.

In the meantime...

Enjoy photos of my little tree-hugger.

Cheers,
A

New Baby Smell: Kaia Jensen

I was blessed and honored today to take photos of Kari & Aaron's new baby girl.

I mean brand new.

Stinky reeky intoxicatingly new.

Their St. Paul cottage-esque home was dazzling.

And it desperately made me wish my home had style.

My house gets picked on by the other houses at the lunch table.

It gets "kick me" signs stuck to its back.

It asks for extra credit...

...even though it gets straight A's.

But I digress.

Kaia is precious.

My camera loved her.

It'll ask her out when she's old enough. 

Take her to a movie.

The roller rink.

But again, I digress.

There was so much light flooding the bedroom that I literally pointed and shot.

And I got to play with full manual! 

(yay)

I barely did any post production on these shots.

I used some PW Actions on a couple.

And did some cropping.

Kari & Aaron (and Uncle Courtney)....

enjoy your preview.

And finally..

The Best Photo of the day.

Are you ready for this???

Are you sure??

Cheers,

A

Unofficially Official.

Yesterday afternoon my soon-to-be new boss, Kristan, walked into my cubicle here at the EMPIre.

"Pending final approval, I wanted you to know that the job is yours."

I'm stilling waiting on that "final approval."

But I wanted to share with you,
my lovely, faithful, without-you-I'd-be-nothing
very quiet
5.7 readers
that it looks as if TFP will be moving.

Just look at the Capitol building.
Ain't it purty?


Legal Dislcaimer:
Due to the unofficial nature of this job offer, I cannot tell you the name of the job, for which company, or what city/state this Capitol building is in.
But..you are all very, very, extremely smart individuals.
And you can probably figure it out.
 
Cheers,
A

Moi.

{This is me}

Dear readers,

My patience is wearing thin.

I have no news on the TX job as of yet.

I'm worried that the news, when it does arrive, will not be good.

I feel as if good news would have travelled faster.

I am trying to stay postive, but am bracing myself for a less than awesome outcome.
Ever the optomist, I am reminded that life, right now, is pretty okay.
I have no reason for complaint.

And that is good.

Still crossing my fingers,
A

Vingt-Neuf

I am 29 years old today.
(Or 13, if you ask Elena.)
And this is what I know for sure.

*True friendships last forever. No matter what. Time. Distance. Differences of opinion. Mall Bangs. Pinned Girbauds. Nothing will shake their foundations. 

*I really really like to sew. I can sit at my sewing machine and I'm happy. The stress is gone. The fatigue is gone. I love to create.

*Dear knitting needles: I still love you, too. It's just not hat season, anymore. Please fear not. I will return to you when the frost kisses the last leaves of autumn.

*My friend Rebecca's chocolate cake is one of life's greatest pleasures.  I will miss it, and her, when we live farther apart than we do now. But...perhaps we can start our own quilting bee.  Which will at least somewhat makeup for the lack of cake.

*My aunt's Peanut Butter Pie is also very very very ridiculously good.  For real. Stick-to-your-hips-and-sit there-forever good.

*No matter what happens with the TX job, I love my life. And feel remarkably blessed.

*My daughters are amazing.  I love them both so very much. And I can't wait to get home from work every day to smiling faces, open arms, and a whirlwind of stories describing the day.  (Not so much from Stella..but we're working on getting her talking.)

*I have the world's best husband. Partner. Friend.  We met when I was 15 years old. When I was 21 we started dating, and the rest, as they say, is history.  I am honored to be his wife.  And happy that he is so willing to be my husband. I am certain the job is not easy.

*30 isn't going to be so bad.  And for those of you who are of the female variety: there will be a blowout in Vegas next year to commemorate.  Take the weekend off now. Start saving. Find a babysitter. It's going to be my first time in Sin City, and a weekend for the record books. 

Happy Birthday.
(to me).
A

BFF

Audrey Weber was born December 1st 2007.

Six weeks (to the day) after Elena.

They have been BFF's ever since.

Well, okay, fine.

They have been BFF's since they became old enough to ask to see one another.

And laugh together.

Just look at how happy they are:

Dorks.

Audrey was over playing with Elena again last night.
I am certain that Elena will miss Audrey when we move away.
I know I will miss her.
And her parents, too.

I guess the girls will just have to learn to write so that they can become
pen pals.
Right now, Elena can only draw a semi-straight line.
We've got our work cut out for us.

And...
Just because Stella is just so damn cute, too
here is a shot of her.

Moments before she fell asleep.
Seconds.
Nano-seconds, really.

Milli-seconds.

Shhhhhhh.

Happy Easter.

Oh.
yes, I did have my trip to Austin.
more on that later.

Cheers,
A