Dreaming Through Life

Do you ever feel like your day isn't really a day, but rather an odd dream that drags on forever and leaves you feeling like you can't distinguish reality. No? Huh- I suspected it was probably just me. If you can relate I'd love to not feel so alone in this. I have had several examples of this throughout my life- where memories and dreams seem to collide. My earliest memory that left me with that feeling was when I was a little girl. My stepfather at that time and I saw a meteorite falling out of the sky. We followed it and found a glowing giant jack in someones front yard. I'm certain this was dream...but it is such a vivid memory.

More recently when Jared and I were diving in Hawaii I was momentarily separated from the group and Jared. I had stopped and turned to look into the vast blue nothingness to find a huge fish-(maybe a dolphin-it was BIG) just suspended in 40 ft of water 100 yard from where I was, just watching me. I wanted to swim towards it, to get a better look but knew I could easily become disoriented, find myself deeper than I should be and be further behind the group. I of course swam ahead to find Jared. My sense of survival always takes precedence over curiosity. That experience was so dream like-but I know it was real, unless I was hallucinating due to bad oxygen...

Well Friday morning began with an odd dream of my maternal grandparents. I won't go into details-but it was really nice to see them again. I miss them. The morning caught me full of emotion-crying over the American Girl series, Hannah and Noah's love for reading, the synopsis of Girl from the Limberlost, everything was getting me misty. After running a few errands (which included checking out a tripod from the photo lab and being visually assaulted by pictures of older women's bosoms), I met Jared for lunch. He took me to this little Mexican Cafe where I had to choke back tears every time this older woman came by and called me hun or sweetie and affectionately squeezed my shoulder. I'm so glad she didn't call me mi hija or I would have just lost it. I had a reception shoot later that afternoon and I just kept thinking I have got to get my emotions under control. Agh! I had a good hormonal cry on the way home while I used all self restraint to not drink the pint of salsa that I had bought from the cafe. The cry seemed to fix me right up. Amazing how that physical release is like an emotional reset button.

So the afternoon came and as dusk approached I was off to take pictures at a reception. From 5-9 I took pictures, enough to burn through 4GB of memory. I came home fell asleep on the couch with Jared and woke up this morning wondering if yesterday had really happened at all.

Yep, I have the pictures to prove it...

Clever

Maybe you all have already gone to this blog and your already over it. I found it about a month ago, and still think it's hilarious. There are also several links to clever businesses that amaze me with brilliant marketing, and simple ingenuity. Wow! Who knew there were so many funny clever people in Utah.

http://seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/

http://myhomegrownfamily.typepad.com/line_upon_line/ Really funny cards.

Mom, are you feeling okay? You seem kinda lazy...

Noah asked me this Saturday night as I was laying down reading a book. Now part of me thought-well I'm glad he notices it's not like me to lay around. The other part felt totally defensive as I gave him a long list of all I had done throughout the week, not to mention that day-and yes I am a little more tired now than usual.

Pregnancy is an interesting thing... I am 13 weeks along, and am happy to say I no longer pass out at 7:30pm- I'm totally awake until 10:00 and up by 6:00,(most mornings), and my middle of the night potty run has moved from 2:30 am to 3:30am. I have been able to exercise again without feeling totally wiped out and slowly but surely I'm getting my appetite back. Which brings me to my next point- Foods and smells that completely disgust me and foods I love.





Me: Noah-ugh-is that you? Do you need to go to the bathroom? Your making me sick....

Noah: No-I didn't do anything.

Hannah: Mom, Noah toots all the time and says he doesn't....

Jared: Nodding his head...

Noah: I didn't do anything!

Me: UGH- it smells like pastrami- what is that awful smell! Oops, it's the Chinese take out. Sorry Noah....



Poor guy, he was reading to me on the couch when Jared came in with dinner and I just about lost it.





So on my list of absolutely disgusting we have: Steak, Roast Beef, Hamburger, (all red meat), cooked spinach, Chinese food (besides the rice), Eegees veggie sandwich.



On my list of yummy: peaches, nectarines, oranges, bananas, cranberry juice, ice cream; veggie sandwiches from Schlotsky deli, Bison Witches and Subway;veggie burritos, salsa, jalapeno cheese; spicy chicken sandwiches; tomato, vegetable and chicken noodle soups.



So,the dilemma-what do I feed my family when all that sounds good is fruit, sandwiches and soup.

Answer: I feed them soup, sandwiches and fruit, and the occasional burrito and quesadilla.


Last week was really mellow-so mellow I almost felt guilty. In fact I even skipped out on my class because I just wasn't in the mood to go. That's probably why I was slightly defensive about the lazy comment.



This week is crazy. My photo assignment is due, I have a wedding reception to shoot and today I spent two hours taking pictures for a dental office and teaching the receptionist how to manage picture files of all their patients. Now that I write it out it really isn't that big of a deal. What a pregnant pansy I am...



Here are some of my shallow depth of field shots of my not so stinky boy.

Oh yeah, we found this cool snake tonight- A Western Shovel Nose, they are nocturnal and eat spiders and scorpions and other arthropods. After I convinced the kids it wasn't a coral snake (you know...red and yellow kill a fellow) they were pretty excited to have a new "outdoor" pet. We had fun comparing images of the Coral, Kingsnake and Shovel Nose. Welcome home Mr. Shovel Nose, welcome home...

Cute Boots

I'm a shoe person... Now I know most of you wouldn't know that because my everyday shoe wearing is pretty boring. Flip Flops are my everyday choice. BUT- I really love shoes. Kinda like clothes-pretty boring most of the time but that doesn't mean a girl can't and doesn't drool and wish for a total loss of self control and end up with a fabulous wardrobe. I've been looking and wanting the perfect pair of riding boots for years now. Yesterday I received a catalog from my favorite eye candy store Anthropologie, and these beauties have been staring at me ever since. They are a bit pricey... my heart is yearning... I actually sent a link to Jared mentioning what an AMAZING Christmas present they would be. I keep visualizing oversized sweater dresses cute tights and these amazing boots. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh. I can smell the leather...........

Fire Weeds, Caterpillars, and My Beautiful Girl

In one more month my baby girl is turning eight,(and yes I actually still call her baby girl...like yesterday- "Baby girl come rinse your hair"... I'm glad she doesn't mind yet.) She is very excited about turning eight, and having the opportunity to get baptized. I wanted to take some pictures of her for a baptism announcement and had this idea of a meadow. So up we went bright and early Monday morning to Sonoita. Sonoita is very pretty. In fact if you ever want to explore the area there is a fantastic bakery and cafe run my a very friendly German couple.

We were all wearing sandals so the fire weeds were slightly painful to deal with- but we found these really cool caterpillars and at least ten different varieties of grasshoppers. I can only imagine what an amazing place it is during butterfly season. Hannah and Noah were thrilled.

About half of my vision came to life, but boy do I need work. I can't wait until I get to a point where my picture taking ability meets up with my vision... But we had a wonderful time on our little adventure and had so much fun playing with my family in Vail for the rest of the day.