tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314783172024-03-12T19:20:41.894-05:00My So-Called Life LessonsAmyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.comBlogger432125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-37016076483503450692014-01-27T16:13:00.002-06:002014-01-27T16:13:35.252-06:00Week ThreeSick. Stayed home from work on Monday. Lost one shoot but corresponded about three new ones. Told the co-workers I am pregnant. Told Yvonne I am pregnant. Let my mom tell Facebook I am pregnant. Worked 11 hours on Friday and feel asleep on the couch at 10:30. Woke up on Saturday and made pancakes. Had a discussion with Mike about houses. Agreed we are both burnt out on the process already. Took promo photos of my gift certificates and albums available through Amy Sayre Photography.<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-85645931680260581382014-01-18T12:23:00.001-06:002014-01-18T12:23:08.258-06:00Week TwoDrove back from Michigan even though I-94 was closed in Indiana. Suffered through the Polar Vortex and highs of -15 on Monday and -3 on Tuesday. Came down with a cold. Made my first lasagna. Saw two houses. Decided not to put a bid on either. Photographed the annual Project Rescue Freezing for a Reason event. Told Kelsa I'm having a baby. Walked with Mike and T on the Sauganash trail since the temps finally reached a balmy 20 degrees.<br />
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<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-32904932603720803472014-01-13T09:41:00.001-06:002014-01-13T09:41:19.229-06:00Week One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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New Years Eve with the St. Aubins at 90 Miles Cuban Cafe. Home to Michigan for my birthday. Let everyone one know we are having a baby. A fierce winter storm blew in. We got stuck in Michigan and stayed the night at Lakeside Inn in room 2. We played ball with Taylor in the great room and scrounged the kitchen for silverware to eat our dinner. We are tuna salad with plastic knives.<br />
Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-59862018895980664722014-01-12T13:31:00.000-06:002014-01-12T13:31:20.530-06:002013 Year in ReviewI am amazed that I still have the login information to this blog saved. It's been pretty much a year since I wrote anything here. I have still been writing on a blog. Well posting photos more than writing. You can find those photos <a href="http://www.amysayre.com/blog" target="_blank">here</a>. Over the past year though, I could not shake the feeling that I missed writing in a place. It was the thing I used to do before I took photos. I dreamed one day that I'd make my living as a freelance travel writer. I no longer have those delusions. but I still do miss penning and typing my thoughts.<br />
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I refuse to make any public declarations in this space, but I would like to make this my own personal space for sharing my thoughts. And since I didn't do any of that last year, how about a quick summary of my 2013 via <a href="http://www.sundrymourning.com/2011/12/29/yearly-recap-2011/" target="_blank">this very popular internet survey</a>:<br />
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<b>1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?</b><br />
Rode a horse in California. Went to and enjoyed going to a golfing range. Made more than $7,000 in my photography business. Fostered dogs (five total!). marched in the Chicago Gay Pride Parade. Got pregnant. <br />
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<b>2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? </b><br />
I always make 5 resolutions/goals with <a href="http://vivianelle.blogspot.com/2012/01/goals.html" target="_blank">my friend Jenny</a>. For the most part, I did. I never keep them all every year, but some years I fare better than others. This year was not so bad.<br />
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<b>3. Did anyone close to you give birth? </b><br />
Yes, I am at the baby stage of my life. Carly gave birth to her son Xander, Amber gave birth to her son Brecon<b>, </b>Shannon gave birth to her son Thomas and Nicole gave birth to her son Charlie. My friends had a lot of boys this year. Oh, and Julie had twin girls, so I guess not all boys.<br />
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<b>4. Did anyone close to you die?</b>
<br />
Thankfully, no. But my sister and Josh have decided to divorce, so that transition has been the biggest loss I have felt this year.<br />
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<b>5. What countries did you visit?</b><br />
None. My most memorable trips were the week Mike and I spent in California, Yvonne's wedding weekend in Atlanta, Labor Day weekend in small town Wisconsin and the extended weekend Mike and I spent at my parents lake house in Michigan. Hardly exotic, but still fun.<br />
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<b>6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?</b>
<br />
A baby. Oh wait. Already happening. Also, just kidding. Probably a new car or a new house. Or both. <br />
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<b>7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?</b><br />
Oct. 12 - the day Yvonne got married, and I unknowingly got pregnant. And then Nov. 9, the day I found out I was pregnant. <br />
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<b>8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? </b>
<br />
Watching my photography business grow. I put so much work into it, and it's paying off. And that payback felt so amazing. Also, finally registering Amy Sayre Photography as the legal business entity felt really, really good.<br />
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<b>9. What was your biggest failure?</b><br />
Getting to the gym more than three times. I had no excuse for my lack of working out this year, yet I certain did not work out. Also, Mike and I were so good about controlling our diet in 2012 and we backslid tremendously in 2013. There was a lot more eating out that I would have liked. <br />
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<b>10. Did you suffer illness or injury?</b><br />
No. My streak continues! I am continually lucky that my health has never been an issue. Also, my lack of morning sickness throughout my first trimester has been the most surprising.<b> </b><br />
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<b>11. What was the best thing you bought?</b><br />
A new couch!<br />
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<b>12. Where did most of your money go?</b><br />
My God I do not know. Well, actually I do, but I refuse to believe it. Mike and I spent a decent amount of money on restaurants, groceries and our greedy, no good pets. I should have so much more in savings than I do now.<br />
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<b>13. What did you get really excited about?</b><br />
Buying a house. Three times. None of those houses panned out.<br />
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<b>14. What song will always remind you of 2013?</b><br />
No idea. <br />
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<b> </b><b>15. Compared to this time last year, are you: </b><br />
<b>– happier or sadder?</b> Happier<br />
<b>– thinner or fatter?</b> Fatter. Baby weight? So not baby weight, but my doc told me on my last appointment that he wants to see me gain a pound or two by my next appointment, so I am clearly not obese. <br />
<b>– richer or poorer? </b>Slightly richer. Not as much as I'd like to be.<br />
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<b>16. What do you wish you’d done more of? </b><br />
Save money, journal, exercise and travel.<br />
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<b>17. What do you wish you’d done less of? </b><br />
Worry about cleaning. Walk through snow in March and April. (I had a bit of a break down in mid-March when it felt like I hadn't seen the sun for months.)<br />
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<b>18. How did you spend Christmas?</b><br />
At home. Mike and I had the most mellow Christmas I'd probably had in years. He worked Christmas Eve, and we both worked the day after Christmas. No family came to visit and I sent out no cards. I just wasn't feeling Christmas this year, and I am 100% OK with that.<b> </b><br />
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<b>19. What was your favorite TV program?</b><br />
Parks and Rec, with Modern Family being a close second. (The exact same answer as last year.) I also binge watched Orange is the New Black pretty quickly.<br />
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<b>20. What were your favorite books of the year?</b><br />
I really should keep a list of all the books I read. But that should be easier next year. Mike bought me a Kindle for our first anniversary. I do know that I LOVED The Fault in Our Stars and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. Goodreads also tells me I liked Room and Wild. I agree with Goodreads.<br />
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<b>21. What was your favorite music from this year? </b><br />
I never have a good answer for this. I want to be hip to music, but I'm just not.I think the Pandora station I listened to most was the Of Monsters and Men station I created. So I guess I'll say them.<br />
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<b>22. What were your favorite films of the year?</b>
<br />
Um, I could probably give an answer to this if I thought
about it for a while, but I don't really want to. I don't see a lot of
movies and usually when I do I'm a year behind. So I'll save myself the
embarrassment and not answer this question.<i><br /></i><br />
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<b>23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?</b><br />
I turned 32. I had drinks with Maria on Friday. On Saturday morning, I photographed the Project Rescue Freezing for a Reason event. My parents came into town and met me there. We all went out to dinner and then I fell asleep on the couch at 9:30. It was pretty lame as far as birthdays go. Mine usually are.<br />
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<b>24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?</b><br />
More sunlight and exercise. This was not the year of taking care of myself, even though I have no reason for that. I had time to take care of myself, but I did not make it a priority.<br />
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<b>25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?</b><br />
Skinny jeans, tall boots, cardigans and sweaters for cooler weather. Anything that didn't make me sweat this summer. We had more than 30 consecutive days of 90+ degree temps this summer, and it was MISERABLE.<br />
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<b>26. What kept you sane?</b><br />
My mantra- "Good enough is better than perfect." This was one of my goals for 2013 and it helped me in so many ways.<br />
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<b>27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.</b><br />
<b> </b>The just because you are over the age of 30 and have been on birth control for years, do not believe that you will not get pregnant quickly. Lord, I thought getting knocked up would take a lot longer than it did. For the record, it took no time.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-11688629139883579732013-01-13T21:52:00.003-06:002013-03-04T09:53:48.514-06:00EveFor about two weeks, Mike and I opened up our home to a foster dog - a 40 lb, black lab pittie mix whom we named Eve.<br />
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It was an adventure having her in our house. Mike and I have always thought of Taylor as a very high energy dog, but he was no match for Eve's one year old activity level. She spent a lot of time in our house wrestling with Taylor and biting his neck fluff. Luckily he didn't mind too much.<br />
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And when she wasn't wrestling with Taylor she was curled up next to Mike or I. Eve was a champion snuggler. And I will never understand exactly how she could stretch her small frame to take over our entire king size bed but she managed to every single night.<br />
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It was bittersweet to say good bye to Eve. We brought her into our home not knowing anything about her. By the time she left I felt like we knew her and came to appreciate a lot of her little quirks. No, I probably will not miss her hogging the bed, but there are a lot of things I will.<br />
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It's a strange thing to foster a dog. You love them, you nurse them back to health and then once you start to understand and get them comfortable with living in a home and being around people you send them off to live with someone else. Ultimately though, i can't help but feel anything but happy that we were able to get her out of a shelter and into a home. I really hope she's enjoying her second night with her new family.We realy enjoyed having her be part of ours for a little while. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-btCxrGL2O8A/UPN-b2hpk_I/AAAAAAAAD68/7iXlct7RJZ0/s1600/EVE-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-btCxrGL2O8A/UPN-b2hpk_I/AAAAAAAAD68/7iXlct7RJZ0/s640/EVE-11.jpg" width="640" /></a>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-22305625650702853602013-01-06T21:08:00.002-06:002013-01-06T21:10:32.141-06:00On Turning 32I turned 32 this weekend. It was for the most part a pretty unremarkable event. There is no real numerical significance to the number 32 as far as I know. About the most exciting thing about turning 32 was that my birthday fell on a Friday.<br />
<br />
I used the date to my advantage. I met up with a friend whose birthday is just a few days after mine. Well her and a whole gaggle of her female friends. We drank a lot of red wine, and they ordered me a slice of coconut cake with a candle in it.<br />
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I woke up on Saturday to <a href="http://amysayre.zenfolio.com/blog/2013/1/freezin-for-a-reason" target="_blank">photograph a charity fundraiser</a> for Project Rescue, and then my parents came into town. We all headed out to an early dinner that night at a local creole joint. And I mean it was early. We originally had a reservation at 8, but decided to move that to 6 since we were all so hungry. Thank goodness we did because I was a lot more tired than I thought. I was on the couch and dozing off to football by 9 p.m. So please don't ask my parents if I am a great host. I am not. But I was so excited to go to bed that night because my and Mike's bed finally had a proper headboard and was on a bed frame, not the floor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qOSNUOGqf3I/UOo7K6AB-rI/AAAAAAAAD4g/fV74i5gEZWU/s1600/2013-01-05+16.17.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qOSNUOGqf3I/UOo7K6AB-rI/AAAAAAAAD4g/fV74i5gEZWU/s400/2013-01-05+16.17.17.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks Mike and Dad!</td></tr>
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So I guess if I can say anything about 32, it's that I am glad I have a nice bed now because apparently 32-year-olds need their sleep. Also, dogs that spend all weekend wrestling with each other.<br />
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-69059309013857535062013-01-01T19:49:00.002-06:002013-01-02T16:36:34.706-06:00The Post You are Supposed to Do on Dec. 31So 2012, yeah, it was a year. It was memorable, frustrating, wonderful, exhausting, chaotic, and so many other things. It is hard to sum up an entire year in one blog post, which totally negates one of the reasons I have this blog. This blog is supposed to serve as a catalog of my year's highlights, however, I haven't been so great at filling up this space with those everyday moments.<br />
<br />
As my photography business grew, it kind of took over this blog and became the space I used to showcase the photos I was taking. I love sharing those photos here because I am immensely proud of my photography. Putting my photography on my blog serves as a reminder to myself and my readers that I do this, and I've even gotten kind of good at it. I need that reminder, but I've decided this is not the place for it.<br />
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The past couple of months I've slowly been building up posts on a different blog, one that is linked directly to my <a href="http://amysayre.zenfolio.com/" target="_blank">Amy Sayre Photography website</a>. It makes more sense there, and it's actually easier to post photos there than here. It was such a logical move, so I've moved. You can find my new blog <a href="http://amysayre.zenfolio.com/blog" target="_blank">here</a>. I even posted a new blog post there today just to entice you to check it out.<br />
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I am not giving up on this space though. I really still want to use this blog as a way to document my personal, not business, life. I want it to be a reminder of my day-to-day activities, how I spend time with my husband, my dog, my friends and my family, not how I spend it building my business. That will be for my other blog. If I do that, hopefully writing this year end review blog post won't be such a daunting task.<br />
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So back to 2012. How about some highlights? Yes. Let's do highlights via <a href="http://www.sundrymourning.com/2011/12/29/yearly-recap-2011/" target="_blank">this very popular internet survey</a>:<br />
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<b>1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?</b><br />
Get married.<br />
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<b>2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? </b><br />
For the most part, a big fat no, I did not keep my resolutions. And yes, I always make 5 resolutions/goals with <a href="http://vivianelle.blogspot.com/2012/01/goals.html" target="_blank">my friend Jenny</a>. <br />
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<b>3. Did anyone close to you give birth? </b><br />
Yes, my friend Kristin gave birth to her daughter Autumn in March. <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2012/05/season-of-autumn.html" target="_blank">I took photos of her in May</a>. She is adorable.<br />
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<b>4. Did anyone close to you die?</b>
<br />
Mike and I lost our two cats Leroy and Itchy. They were 18 and 19-years-old respectively, and we miss them every day. <br />
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<b>5. What countries did you visit?</b><br />
Panama, and I know NYC does not count as a different country, but I took a very memorable trip there in January to see my friend Sean sing at The Met.<br />
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<b>6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?</b>
<br />
More free time. The fact that I'm not planning a wedding this year should help with that. <br />
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<b>7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?</b><br />
Oct. 6, 2012 - the day I got married, because, duh, I got married.<br />
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<b>8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? </b>
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Losing 15 lbs and sticking to a diet with Mike. (He lost 40!) We did it simply by making smart choices and being committed to feeling better about ourselves and our health. <br />
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<b>9. What was your biggest failure?</b><br />
Letting the stress of planning a wedding, holding a full time job and running a part time business get the best of me and taking out my frustrations on Mike. Sorry Mike. You put up with a lot in 2012, and I promise I'll be nicer to you in 2013.<br />
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<b>10. Did you suffer illness or injury?</b><br />
No injuries, but I suffered a couple of colds I could have done without. <b> </b><br />
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<b>11. What was the best thing you bought?</b><br />
A king sized memory foam mattress with wedding money. I have never slept so good.<br />
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<b>12. Where did most of your money go?</b><br />
My wedding. I hate that that is my answer. <br />
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<b>13. What did you get really excited about?</b><br />
Going on my honeymoon, and with good reason. It was awesome.<br />
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<b>14. What song will always remind you of 2012?</b><br />
<b></b>Into the Mystic by Van Morrison. It was my and Mike's first dance.<br />
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<b> </b><b>15. Compared to this time last year, are you: </b><br />
<b>– happier or sadder?</b> Happier<br />
<b>– thinner or fatter?</b> Thinner <br />
<b>– richer or poorer? </b>Probably poorer since my wedding savings is gone. But I still have no debt, so I'm doing pretty good.<br />
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<b>16. What do you wish you’d done more of? </b><br />
Travel, but that wasn't really possible in the year that I took off two weeks to get married and go on a honeymoon. But I still did go to NYC and Panama, so really, I should just shut up. <br />
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<b>17. What do you wish you’d done less of? </b><br />
Worry about my wedding. Everything turned out fine. All of that lost sleep was totally worthless. <br />
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<b>18. How did you spend Christmas?</b><br />
At home. Mike and I welcomed 12 of his family members into our home on the Eve of Christmas Eve, and it was a complete success. <b> </b><br />
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<b>19. What was your favorite TV program?</b><br />
Parks and Rec, with Modern Family being a close second. <br />
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<b>20. What were your favorite books of the year?</b><br />
I plowed through A Visit From the Good Squad. I also loved The Poisonwood Bible, and Loving Frank had me staying up way too late to finish it. To that, I will add A Year in Provence, which made me want to live in and eat everything in France. Oh and Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me by Mindy Kailing. I read it on my honeymoon and it made me want to be Mindy's best friend. <br />
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<b>21. What was your favorite music from this year? </b><br />
I know it's totally lame to admit this, but I have to say Pink Floyd. Yes, they have been around longer than I have, but I never really listened to their music until Mike and I attended "The Wall" tour at Wrigley Field this summer. Then I became obsessed.<br />
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<b>22. What were your favorite films of the year?</b>
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<i></i>Um, I could probably give an answer to this if I thought about it for a while, but I don't really want to. I don't see a lot of movies and usually when I do I'm a year behind. So I'll save myself the embarrassment and not answer this question.<i><br /></i><br />
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<b>23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?</b><br />
I turned 31 and held a small gathering at my house. It also served as a psudeo housewarming party because Mike and I never had one when we moved into our house in 2011.<br />
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<b>24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?</b><br />
Getting a king sized bed sooner. <br />
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<b>25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?</b><br />
Layers and accessories, tall boots and scarfs. Basically, I want to wear this every day.<br />
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<b>26. What kept you sane?</b><br />
Sleep and my dog.<br />
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<b>27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012. </b><br />
To stop waiting on perfection. I realized while wedding planning that I was having a really hard time committing to a venue because nothing seemed perfect. And then I realized I do this a lot. I stall decisions. I hold off on doing things, on calling people, on sending birthday cards, on buying a pair of shoes, on talking to Mike, on speaking my mind because the moment that presents itself isn't "perfect." I use this idea of perfection as a crutch and an excuse to say no to a lot. So I've committed to stop waiting for perfection in 2013. <br />
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So that is it. My 2012 in a nutshell. I am sure I left out or forgot some things, but in a nod to my last answer, I am going to publish this now and not wait for the perfect answers to come to me.<br />
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-66943683568832779832012-11-11T16:04:00.000-06:002012-11-11T16:06:27.163-06:00No Upgrade NecessaryOn Friday afternoon, I called a local camera store to see if they had the new Nikon I wanted in stock. I had been eyeing this new camera for months and decided I really, really wanted it. It's a great camera, one is different from and better than my other two cameras for a few reasons, and by Friday afternoon I decided those reasons were enough to pull the trigger and make the purchase. I was certain I'd have it before the weekend was over.<br />
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However, yesterday I had a shoot and did something I haven't done since the early days of my photography business. I used only one camera and one lens. Typically, during a shoot, I'll use both cameras and interchange any one of three lenses depending on the shot I am trying to get. But yesterday, I used only my Nikon D300s and a 50mm/1.4G lens. I didn't set out to do this. It just kind of happened, but I am glad it did. This reenforced something I've heard time and time again: Better equipment does not make you a better photographer.<br />
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I am pretty proud to say that with limited equipment, I was still able to capture all of the images below. It didn't hurt that I had Nicole, Steve and Maddie in front of my lens either. This family is just the best. And such good friends to boot.<br />
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So will I get this new camera? Yes, probably sometime next year. But yesterday's shoot made me step back and realize that it's not an immediate need. I can do just fine with the equipment I have and the skills I have learned over the past three-and-a-half years. Confidence is so much better than a new camera.<br />
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To Nicole, Steve and Maddie, thanks for a fun afternoon. I can't wait to do this all again with baby number two!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-79576354241929509412012-11-03T17:13:00.000-05:002012-11-03T17:15:40.792-05:00AbsentI thought that once the wedding was over, I'd have so much time I wouldn't know what to do with myself. That has not been the case. As is the year of 2012, these past two months have flown by. Hence, no posting since early September. But all these wonderful things have happened since then. Great wonderful things that all deserve posts of their own. Some several.<br />
<br />
Like getting married.<br />
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Like going to Panama for my honeymoon.<br />
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Like how we <a href="http://dog-shaming.com/post/34136047584/i-eat-presents-my-parents-buy-for-their-friends-i" target="_blank">Dog Shamed</a> Taylor for eating a present we brought back for some friends. <br />
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Like this photo shoot on one of the most gorgeous fall weekends I can remember.<br />
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Like redecorating this bedroom and getting a new king size bed.<br />
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Like our sweet old cat Itchy who sadly passed away right before the wedding.<br />
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Like how cute my dog is.<br />
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Ok, that last one not so much. I've talked about that a lot, so maybe it doesn't warrant it's own post, but he's too cute to not post a picture.<br />
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So anyway, a lot going on in these parts right now and in the months to come. Here's hoping I get back to posting some more things here before the New Year. <br />
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-794729549819594662012-09-08T17:02:00.001-05:002012-09-08T17:14:24.380-05:00Dancing In the WavesThis morning, I was was very fortunate to hang out with a family I've photographed a couple times before. I so look forward to seeing them, camera in hand or not. They are the kind of people who will always greet you with a warm cup of coffee or a glass of wine. And those are my kind of people.<br />
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In this family is a little girl by the name of Elizabeth. I've photographed Elizabeth before, and at times she's been a little unsure of the presence of my camera. But today, this little girl was on fire. We started off at her home and then moved to a beach not too far away. We were all running around but at one moment, I looked over and saw Elizabeth having the time of her life splashing alone in the water. It was as if she was dancing with the waves. <br />
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<br />
This series of photos kills me. I feel like this is what childhood looks like. Or should look like. It also kills me because as much as Elizabeth is a blond-haired, blue-eyed little 4-year-old girl, some of these photos (especially the third from the end) give a glimpse of the girl she's growing into. But boy, does she ever make me long for the days of being a 4-year-old dancing with the waves. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-30041549981946734942012-09-03T17:17:00.000-05:002012-09-03T17:38:06.864-05:00A Little Perspective On A Little MomentThere are 33 days until my wedding. At least that is what The Knot tells me. Every time I sign in, there's a reminder in the upper right hand corner of the countdown to my wedding date. It's one of the main reasons I no longer visit The Knot. That and the fact that I've determined bridal message boards are by far one of the worst corners of the Internet. <br />
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You see I don't need The Knot to let me know how many more days there are. Oct. 6 is a date that has been front and center in my mind for over a year now. Ever since Mike and I selected that as our wedding date, it cannot escape my mind. Whenever anybody mentions to me something going on in their life, be it the due date of their first born, their own anniversary, a significant birthday, I can't help but think how that date for that person relates to my own big date. And I hate myself for doing this. Long before I ever got engaged I swore I would not be the type of bride that insisted the world revolved around her own special day. I hated those brides. I mean, it's just one day. Come on. Get a grip. Somewhere though in this 20-month engagement, my mental state shifted.<br />
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It's no secret that I do not enjoy wedding planning. I will be the first to tell you it has been a process, and if I were not so cheap, I would have hired a wedding planner long ago. In fact, some of the first words out of my mouth after Mike proposed were, "Fuck. Now I have to plan a wedding."<br />
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But I have. In 19 months time, I have crossed off a significant number of items from my To Do List. And in the process, I have created a multi-layered, multi-faceted spreadsheet that would make the most anal retentive person squeal with delight. So even though I have dreaded the wedding planning process, I have put a lot of time into it because I am the type of girl where if I am going to do something, I'm going to do it right. <br />
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The unfortunate side effect of all this planning though is that at times I fear I've lost sight of the end goal. The goal is not at the end of the day that everyone has had a good time. The goal is that at the end of the day I get to call Mike my husband. This fact, this wonderful, gloriously small fact at times surfaces to the forefront of my mind, and when it does instantly my eyes well up with tears.<br />
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A month ago, Mike and I sat down with our pastor to go over the details of the ceremony. We were reading through the order of things, discussing scripture passages and then we got to the end. The end, the part where the pastor says my favorite words, where he blesses Mike and I and everyone in attendance and then pronounces us man and wife. That part. Right there. I know it's going to happen. I know it is part of the timeline of the day. But that part right there is magical. That part is what everything is about. So when our pastor said the words he's going to say on Oct. 6, and I mentally placed myself in that moment, it was overwhelming in the most wonderful way possible. That moment is a beautiful thing. It is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.<br />
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We get so few of those once-in-a-lifetime moments in our lives. When Mike proposed he claims there was a long silence before I said yes. I think that moment may have seemed a little longer to one of us than the other. I will agree though that I hesitated. Not because I was weighing my options. There were no options. There never has been. It has always been Mike, and no one else. I am as sure of that as I am the sky is blue. When he asked me to marry him, I did pause, but I paused because I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. That was my moment to be asked that question, and I drank it in slowly - a little too slowly for Mike's taste. <br />
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These moments, these precious, fleeting, life-altering moments don't happen all that often. And when they do, sometimes they pass without notice. Other times, they have been in the works for the better part of two years. So this moment, the one that will happen on Oct. 6, is the reason I have created my behemoth of a spreadsheet. It is why I have spent possibly far too much time focused on the details. Because once that moment happens, I'll want to do nothing more than celebrate it. And the 20 months of planning that have lead up to it, I hope will be worth it. And I am hoping, if I have used those 20 months wisely, I'll be able to relax and enjoy knowing the details have all be taken care of. <br />
<br />Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-47864872457130365492012-08-26T21:53:00.000-05:002012-08-26T21:54:45.211-05:00Available LightNot working out of a photography studio means not ever knowing what my shooting conditions will be until I arrive. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised with big windows and south facing views. Other times, garden units with dim overhead lighting await me.<br />
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Given that my photography lives and dies on the light that is present, I am instantly analyzing available light the second I walk into most rooms, assessing how I'd conduct a shoot if it had to happen right there in that moment. It's my own form of training. If I had my way, I would make every shoot be at sunset on the lake shore during summer. Since that unfortunately cannot happen, I try to be ready for any and everything.<br />
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I was heading to my shoot this Saturday morning, looking at the harsh shadows the light was casting on the cement, and I just knew I would be limited. The neighborhood I was heading into didn't have much in the way of mature trees, and it was way too bright outside to stand anywhere but in the shade. I was hoping for a patch of shade or a room with good light. And that's just what I got. It wasn't much to work with, but it was more than enough. Especially since my subjects were beyond adorable.<br />
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We did what we had to do. We worked it out in the living room and in the front yard. And I am incredibly happy with what I was able to get. <br />
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Just goes to show me that all I need are cute subjects, a room with windows and a patch of shade. Oh and a bubble blower helps too. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-19262225567674240902012-08-19T21:47:00.001-05:002012-08-19T21:48:23.738-05:00SmileyI hope your weekend was full of smiles this good. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZaUF_HP-Eww/UDGkzLrT3xI/AAAAAAAADqE/c218AIyOL1c/s1600/_DSC1233%28W%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZaUF_HP-Eww/UDGkzLrT3xI/AAAAAAAADqE/c218AIyOL1c/s640/_DSC1233%28W%29.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken during my Saturday morning shoot.</td></tr>
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Mine was. Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-73864216652926078592012-08-12T17:12:00.000-05:002012-08-12T17:13:22.484-05:00Instagramming: JulyIf I had to put July in the fun or lame column, it would be so far in the fun column that it couldn't even seem lame. It was that good.<br />
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I got to hang out with my favorite people in the whole wide world during the month of July and got to see a lot of my fair city. My fair city was also my hot city, as Chicago baked under 90+ degree temperatures for most of July. I complained about the heat, but not too much because there was too much fun to be had.<br />
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Here is a little of the fun I had in July. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-25aJnA53Rv8/UCgnUuxwCJI/AAAAAAAADoo/1zfAZWXKDfE/s1600/July+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-25aJnA53Rv8/UCgnUuxwCJI/AAAAAAAADoo/1zfAZWXKDfE/s640/July+11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-46--WefkrP4/UCgnVZYLOuI/AAAAAAAADow/wrvXZysI9y8/s1600/July+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-46--WefkrP4/UCgnVZYLOuI/AAAAAAAADow/wrvXZysI9y8/s640/July+2.jpg" width="640" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uiBShWjANtA/UCgnV7mKLFI/AAAAAAAADo4/s0Sq4Ze2n8E/s1600/July+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uiBShWjANtA/UCgnV7mKLFI/AAAAAAAADo4/s0Sq4Ze2n8E/s640/July+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvNWUml5o5w/UCgnXS-dw9I/AAAAAAAADpQ/nx4gvJp7mzY/s1600/July+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DvNWUml5o5w/UCgnXS-dw9I/AAAAAAAADpQ/nx4gvJp7mzY/s640/July+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t2n7nYmGSWo/UCgnX7agGiI/AAAAAAAADpY/5zpm58GCCTA/s1600/July+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t2n7nYmGSWo/UCgnX7agGiI/AAAAAAAADpY/5zpm58GCCTA/s640/July+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xn0l6HFhrss/UCgnYVIhQ5I/AAAAAAAADpg/3_ehzTpJ9vM/s1600/July+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xn0l6HFhrss/UCgnYVIhQ5I/AAAAAAAADpg/3_ehzTpJ9vM/s640/July+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gsZSpooRuew/UCgnZdAOxSI/AAAAAAAADpo/elZKfRV4gk0/s1600/July+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gsZSpooRuew/UCgnZdAOxSI/AAAAAAAADpo/elZKfRV4gk0/s640/July+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b> July </b></div>
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<i>- the heat, my God the heat - MY BACHELORETTE PARTY - Chicago architecture cruise - </i></div>
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<i>spending a lunch hour in Millennium park with my sister and nephews - watching my garden grow - drinking on my back porch - a photo shoot in Lincoln Park - sending out my wedding invitations and getting some responses back - a weekend in Michigan at my parents lake house - ordering wedding decorations - getting my passport renewal in order so I can go to Panama(!!!) - a Sunday concert in my hood with Mike - charity dog wash - hanging up artwork on my walls</i></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-90076143930949320152012-07-15T17:09:00.000-05:002012-07-15T17:09:23.539-05:00Instagramming - JuneI know, I know, I know. It's already half way through July. But it's been a busy summer so far. Fun, but busy. <br />
<br />
Here is some of what kept me busy in June.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vpyGCuWQj2w/UAM9TT4ng6I/AAAAAAAADnU/qRQIWIx77QI/s1600/June+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vpyGCuWQj2w/UAM9TT4ng6I/AAAAAAAADnU/qRQIWIx77QI/s640/June+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BD8cj3wC_Qw/UAM9UC_WGmI/AAAAAAAADnc/5jqdWYkOYEc/s1600/June+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BD8cj3wC_Qw/UAM9UC_WGmI/AAAAAAAADnc/5jqdWYkOYEc/s640/June+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nAE9l0UUvdE/UAM9U0z4r1I/AAAAAAAADnk/_o9gSoI5lO8/s1600/June+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nAE9l0UUvdE/UAM9U0z4r1I/AAAAAAAADnk/_o9gSoI5lO8/s640/June+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>June</b></div>
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<i>- Bonding with Taylor at his favorite dog park - the best homemade banana split ever - watching the flowers bloom in our backyard - Wisconsin for a weekend - lots of time spent on my back patio - supervising playdates with Taylor's girlfriend - lunch hours spent wandering downtown - seeing Roger Waters play The Wall at Wrigley - tasting the first fruits of my garden - getting my two week vacation for the honeymoon and wedding approved (!) - mole removal - reading "Love in the Time of Cholera" - my firm's annual summer outing on a steamy rooftop downtown </i>- </div>
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Here's hoping I post all about my July sometime before September.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-12687639098984703962012-07-01T11:03:00.000-05:002012-07-01T11:07:24.773-05:00Full Circle<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476395358/" title="_DSC9641W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9641W" height="425" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8003/7476395358_1488a8c34d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
You may remember these faces. <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2011/10/three-years-of-wonderful-memories.html" target="_blank">They weren't supposed to be featured on this blog again</a>. So you can imagine how excited I was when Kathleen reached out to me and asked if I could take one last round of photos. The reason? <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476398880/" title="DSC_0439bwW by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0439bwW" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8150/7476398880_04b3f29968_c.jpg" width="535" /></a></div>
You may remember that the first shoot I ever had with Kathleen and Paul, she was pregnant with their son - their first child - Jack. Jack is no longer a baby. He's all little boy, wanting to run and jump and kick a soccer ball and explore things. He's also pretty darn excited to be a big brother. And as for this baby, I can think of no luckier kid than the one being born into this family. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476394234/" title="Jack 9 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 9" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7139/7476394234_4e59be7528_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476395566/" title="_DSC9659bwW by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9659bwW" height="425" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7476395566_543b354556_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476399678/" title="Jack 1 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 1" height="294" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7112/7476399678_ed12cc3937_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476395770/" title="_DSC9706W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9706W" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7278/7476395770_b83171b97f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476394618/" title="_DSC9684W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9684W" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7476394618_b61887c553_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7479864912/" title="Jack 11 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 11" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8023/7479864912_09afa035b0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476398218/" title="DSC_0391W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0391W" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7476398218_53cea4036c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476398972/" title="Jack 7 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 7" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7476398972_ed779ac2d6_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476399550/" title="Jack 2 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 2" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8150/7476399550_9a2649531e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476398524/" title="DSC_0404W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0404W" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8147/7476398524_01df4577f4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476399176/" title="Jack 6 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 6" height="294" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7476399176_aba2933fc0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476399240/" title="Jack 5 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 5" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7476399240_8aa7ec5482_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476396108/" title="_DSC9793bwW by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9793bwW" height="425" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8168/7476396108_9bf42a471f_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476395112/" title="_DSC0057W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC0057W" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7476395112_fb4b99c3d5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476394360/" title="Jack 8 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 8" height="294" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7140/7476394360_ba698ab155_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476394892/" title="_DSC0025W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC0025W" height="425" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7476394892_ba3970f43b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476396368/" title="_DSC9870W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9870W" height="425" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7476396368_652c668b54_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476399448/" title="Jack 3 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 3" height="294" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8144/7476399448_89405e83b3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476399308/" title="Jack 4 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Jack 4" height="480" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7476399308_7bdc02a308_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476396610/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="_DSC9892W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9892W" height="640" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8167/7476396610_e1456c88bf_z.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476397020/" title="_DSC9943W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9943W" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7253/7476397020_6832b2c7ab_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Last time I thought it was their last shoot in Chicago. They had plans to move out to the burbs before they moved to Virginia this summer. They did decide to stick around Chicago just a little bit longer, but I am pretty sure this will be our last shoot for a while. A few days after I took these photos, they hopped in a moving truck and began their trek south.<br />
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So now, here's hoping for a reunion either here or in Virginia. I know I'm already crossing my fingers.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7476397444/" title="_DSC9946W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9946W" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7476397444_6e93981650_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-70056719522130590822012-06-26T22:18:00.002-05:002012-06-26T22:19:28.730-05:00ImperfectI often strive for perfection. That unattainable goal that only crazy people think is attainable. It makes me delay things like purchasing clothes, sending birthday presents, having conversations, sharing photos and publishing blog posts. <br />
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This post isn't perfect, and neither are the photos I am about to share. But in this case, I don't have a perfect version. I have what I have, and it's so much better than good enough.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWgg2CfOQ2o/T-p42XldkbI/AAAAAAAADmM/aWgib3GoN8g/s1600/_DSC0179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWgg2CfOQ2o/T-p42XldkbI/AAAAAAAADmM/aWgib3GoN8g/s640/_DSC0179.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Mike, Taylor and I spent this past weekend in Wisconsin at his sister's house - the sister that lives <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2011/10/weekend-snaps.html" target="_blank">here</a>. As I've said before, it's relaxing to us city dwellers and a place we can go to unplug. I don't even get cell phone reception.<br />
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The house has a really long dirt driveway surrounded by cornfields - in fact, the whole house is surrounded by cornfields at the moment. We let Taylor run free and off leash the entire time we're there because the cornfields serve as a pretty nice buffer and pseudo fence. On Saturday evening, we were taking turns taking the bikes for a spin up and down the driveway. And every time Mike or I would hop on a bike, Taylor would race us full speed ahead up and down the driveway - totally reminding me of why we are not running buddies. Dude is way too fast for me. He beat me every time.<br />
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He loved it. We loved it. I don't know who had the bigger grin on their face while sprinting down the driveway - Taylor or us. It's a moment we can't have in the city. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn4_zvRF6Z8/T-p6eXRX8FI/AAAAAAAADmU/JWOduXEOXCM/s1600/_DSC0180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wn4_zvRF6Z8/T-p6eXRX8FI/AAAAAAAADmU/JWOduXEOXCM/s640/_DSC0180.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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These photos aren't perfect. The lighting is a bit off, nothing is in focus and Taylor is but a big blur. But in my mind, it imperfectly captures that little moment - all the while somehow capturing it perfectly.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-29395236494984798472012-06-16T20:27:00.001-05:002012-06-16T20:27:18.078-05:00Just OneIt is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This one only needs one:<br />
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BAM!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7383184960/" title="_DSC9614(w) by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC9614(w)" height="800" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7383184960_a0c2a56c0c_c.jpg" width="531" /></a></div>
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I literally just got back from this shoot. I haven't even gone through these photos yet, but I knew when I saw this one on my camera's screen that it was a good one. Feeling so lucky that I got to shoot this family for a fifth (not final?) time.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-87878683502574500192012-06-04T21:29:00.000-05:002012-06-04T21:29:27.364-05:00It's About TimeI am editing photos tonight. They are from a shoot <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2012/04/so-much-cuter-than-uncle-sam.html" target="_blank">I shared a little of</a> about a month ago. I never got around to writing a full post, which is a shame. As I was going through these photos again tonight, I forgot how much I absolutely love some of these images of sweet little Maddie. <br />
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This series in particular makes me smile.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7154707421/" title="_DSC8373 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8373" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7154707421_8e0b271d41_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7154707619/" title="_DSC8375 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8375" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7213/7154707619_6b24e6648d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7339911908/" title="_DSC8377 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8377" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7211/7339911908_b2a9aae9d0_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And these make me laugh.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7339932858/" title="Maddie Moo by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Maddie Moo" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7339932858_042e943c45_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And this one, well this one just stops me dead in my tracks. It will be going on <a href="http://www.amysayre.com/" target="_blank">my website</a> for sure. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7339933012/" title="DSC_0079 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0079" height="640" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7098/7339933012_d1d2354ee0_z.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-59074352687195600102012-05-27T12:15:00.003-05:002012-05-27T12:18:49.389-05:00Insta-reflecting: MayI have totally jumped on the Instagram bandwagon. It's a bandwagon that is hardly new. iPhone users everywhere had been snapping photos with it for years by the time I downloaded the app. Being that I am an Android, not iPhone user, I was blocked out of the Instagram fun for quite some time. However, as soon as the app became available, I downloaded it.<br />
<br />
I've been playing around with it since April - April 9 to be exact. That day also is the day that Instagram announced it was being bought out by Facebook. Coincidence? I think not. You are welcome Instagram.<br />
<br />
While I still ultimately prefer my fancy Nikon DSLRs, they are a little cumbersome to carry with me at all times. My phone, however, is always by my side. As a result, in the short time I've had this app, I've fallen in love with it's ease of use and the ability to turn ordinary phone snapshots into something a little more unique. It's become a great way for me to document my everyday life, and now also, a great way to share my everyday life via my blog. I present to you, my first installment of Insta-Reflecting: May Edition.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280336352/" title="May Instagram 2 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 2" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7230/7280336352_47e2249373_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280335656/" title="May Instagram 7 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 7" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7099/7280335656_8e2227bcb1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280335222/" title="May Instagram 10 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 10" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7082/7280335222_4b37f37201_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280335596/" title="May Instagram 8 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 8" height="319" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7280335596_2eda3e8d8a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280335382/" title="May Instagram 9 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 9" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7091/7280335382_f836dc995b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280335798/" title="May Instagram 6 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 6" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7085/7280335798_52b2ba9f8e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280335954/" title="May Instagram 5 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 5" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7092/7280335954_17791befe1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280336118/" title="May Instagram 4 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 4" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7080/7280336118_90deace592_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280336488/" title="May Instagram 1 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 1" height="319" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7095/7280336488_a8743e143b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280336238/" title="May Instagram 3 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 3" height="319" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8150/7280336238_87cb32bb25_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7280386532/" title="May Instagram 11 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="May Instagram 11" height="319" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8149/7280386532_12742ffd44_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>- May -</b> </i><br />
<i>- Haircut - Taylor gets a pool and a pretty steady girlfriend, Chloe - Spotted a baby deer while on a walk in the Cook County Forest Preserve - NATO Summit - Memorial Day BBQs with pasta salad and margaritas - Hail storm - Graffiti on the El - Beautiful days and wandering downtown on my lunch hour - PRC Art Show (My print hangs in a gallery!) - Our roses bloomed - </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">That last photo I admit did not make it onto Instagram, but I love it so much that I had to share it. I took it on my way home one night after hanging out with my co-workers for an extended Happy Hour. I've said it many times, but I still believe I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Thankfully, Instagram and I are capturing more of it nowadays.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you'd like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me @amysayre. </div></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-14904969449504880462012-05-21T21:11:00.000-05:002012-05-21T21:11:42.113-05:00The Season of Autumn<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238546488/" title="DSC_0232W by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0232W" height="428" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8155/7238546488_aa555eb4f8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
This is Autumn.<br />
<br />
It's a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl. Autumn is named for her mother's favorite season, which coincided with the time during her pregnancy that Autumn's mom felt the most at ease. I was so excited to meet Autumn because her mom <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2010/10/kristin-and-galens-wedding-part-end.html" target="_blank">is a dear friend of mine</a>. I would have driven to the end of the earth and back to meet Autumn. Luckily though, all I needed to do was take a day trip to Michigan to meet this California-born little lady.<br />
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This was Autumn's first photo shoot, but I am hoping it was the first of many. She, like her parents, is a delight.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238509178/" title="Autumn 6 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 6" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7243/7238509178_9ed34fa3c9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238509374/" title="Autumn 4 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 4" height="294" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7238509374_315844b83d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238511442/" title="_DSC8777w by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8777w" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7241/7238511442_27ee80595b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238511026/" title="_DSC8779w by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8779w" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7238511026_da1f5948d5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238509750/" title="Autumn 1 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 1" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7088/7238509750_710bc3cdd1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238509286/" title="Autumn 5 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 5" height="294" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7074/7238509286_7f98287b29_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238510810/" title="_DSC8794w by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8794w" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7071/7238510810_f76943a808_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238509640/" title="Autumn 2 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 2" height="294" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5333/7238509640_3bf56bc7b8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238510594/" title="_DSC8812w by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8812w" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7212/7238510594_bf30dbc713_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238509532/" title="Autumn 3 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 3" height="321" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8164/7238509532_36b80cf7ef_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238508734/" title="Autumn 9 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 9" height="294" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8002/7238508734_0fefa98bf9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238510312/" title="_DSC8838w by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8838w" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7090/7238510312_25358f1371_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238508652/" title="Autumn 10 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 10" height="480" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/7238508652_dfe0a3bf66_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238508830/" title="Autumn 8 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 8" height="294" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7238508830_1276cfe692_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238509074/" title="Autumn 7 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="Autumn 7" height="480" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5443/7238509074_73e5ce788a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238510004/" title="_DSC8853w by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8853w" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7231/7238510004_ea845b13b7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And then we let her get some rest. It was a pretty big day for a two-month old. </div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7238511812/" title="_DSC8744w by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8744w" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/7238511812_059b3e1dcf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-73019529738786696512012-05-17T21:25:00.001-05:002012-05-22T15:32:04.034-05:00Baddest Cat In the Whole Damn Town<div>
Leroy Brown came into Mike's life 18 years ago. He was a tiny, two-week-old kitten when Mike brought him home from his sister's Wisconsin farm. This week, Mike and I said good bye to Leroy. It's been a tough week.<br />
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I wrote about Leroy <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2009/06/if-only-id-had-my-superpower.html" target="_blank">a few times</a> <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2009/08/sleeping-quarters.html" target="_blank">on this blog</a>, but now it doesn't seem nearly sufficient. I could have written novels about him. Leroy was an average size cat with a big personality. His personality was so large it's hard to capture in words and sentences. Leroy was a cat you had to experience.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nuw3Ql2eRcU/T7WpHJshXQI/AAAAAAAADlM/_PRX6tbPRac/s1600/DSC_0653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nuw3Ql2eRcU/T7WpHJshXQI/AAAAAAAADlM/_PRX6tbPRac/s400/DSC_0653.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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He was loud. I have always said that Leroy is a cat who gets the last word because he was. If he meowed at you, and if you made a sound back, he wouldn't stop until after you did. And he didn't have a sweet little meow. He had a loud, raspy meow that sounded as if he were a pack-a-day smoker. It was never louder than when he wanted food or milk. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dTbhg1uMjfM/T7WpDrEQKJI/AAAAAAAADks/Xr0LaWsB7RI/s1600/DSC_0473.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dTbhg1uMjfM/T7WpDrEQKJI/AAAAAAAADks/Xr0LaWsB7RI/s400/DSC_0473.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
My nickname for Leroy was O.D.B. for Old Dirty Bastard. His favorite move, one that I like to imagine Mike taught him, was sauntering up to me on the couch and headbutting my boobs. He loved boobs, so much so that he wasn't above pawing at them or nuzzling in them whenever they were present and available. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gz3EN-VQ1Ow/T7WpGjWvy3I/AAAAAAAADlE/ee00Wbnev1I/s1600/DSC_0525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gz3EN-VQ1Ow/T7WpGjWvy3I/AAAAAAAADlE/ee00Wbnev1I/s400/DSC_0525.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Leroy had a crazy spot. It was a little cat perch that was tucked in a corner. If we patted it, Leroy would almost always jump up on it and start meowing and rolling around. It was then our job to rough him up. I truly think he was never happier than when Mike was playing with him in that spot.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-60w_r-GNpXs/T7WqFWzec5I/AAAAAAAADlc/RDmFUjcK3ss/s1600/IMG_1596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-60w_r-GNpXs/T7WqFWzec5I/AAAAAAAADlc/RDmFUjcK3ss/s400/IMG_1596.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
But he was a cat after all, so he did enjoy his naps. And he most often enjoyed his naps in Mike's laundry. Dirty or clean, it didn't matter.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8brhnD78n1c/T7WpHkjCgpI/AAAAAAAADlU/3LLa33zpOU8/s1600/IMG_0226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8brhnD78n1c/T7WpHkjCgpI/AAAAAAAADlU/3LLa33zpOU8/s400/IMG_0226.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
In the past few months, Leroy wasn't really Leroy any longer. The things that made him so him had slowly diminished with his health. He slept a lot. He started having trouble getting around and he never went to his crazy spot. It was all of these things that signaled that it was time to let Leroy go. His essence had already left him.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ruxrQKOXRDQ/T7WpEBzmbwI/AAAAAAAADk0/vI0kGt5O25o/s1600/DSC_0514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ruxrQKOXRDQ/T7WpEBzmbwI/AAAAAAAADk0/vI0kGt5O25o/s400/DSC_0514.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Leroy was an amazing cat. He was crazy. He was truly unique. He was Mike's wing man for 18 years. He was our cat for 6 years. He was Leroy Brown - the baddest cat in the whole damn town. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jc2DHuQ4Fp0/T7WpCx-CfvI/AAAAAAAADkk/JPwe7jc0zlo/s1600/DSC_0421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jc2DHuQ4Fp0/T7WpCx-CfvI/AAAAAAAADkk/JPwe7jc0zlo/s400/DSC_0421.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Leroy, I loved you very much. You were one-of-a-kind. I will miss you nuzzling against my neck, head butting my boobs and roughhousing on your crazy spot. I will miss the way you hugged me and did not let go. Your presence in our home was huge, and you are missed terribly already. <br />
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And because I prefer to remember him at his happiest, here is Leroy doing what he did best - going crazy in his crazy spot. <br />
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<br /></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-33771909119854953932012-05-08T22:12:00.002-05:002012-05-08T22:51:58.167-05:00Sleepy Head<div>It's been a pretty long couple of weeks in my household. Mike and my schedules haven't exactly been meshing - with him working late and me spending most of last week sick.<br />
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This week is going a little more smoothly, but we're also spending this week getting ready for company staying at our place this weekend. And we've got an art show on Friday to benefit Taylor's rescue organization. I just do not see any time in the near future where I'll be able to catch my breath. I'm a little tired. Tired like Miss Autumn here.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7162387918/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="_DSC8793 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8793" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7090/7162387918_0fe368dc4d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This photo was taken this past Sunday along with a whole host of others that I hope to post soon. For now though, I'm going to bed. Autumn is making me sleepy.</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-58532571990036733092012-04-29T22:13:00.000-05:002012-04-29T22:15:07.031-05:00Mary May Quite ContraryI can't remember having a more productive weekend than the one I just had. Sometimes on my train ride home on Friday afternoons, I make a list of things I hope to get done over the weekend. This weekend's list was long, but I managed to cross off most of it. I cannot adequately explain to you how much I love crossing stuff off my to do list. (Also, posting a blog, now is totally crossed off.)<br />
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This weekend was a mix of fun things and not so fun, but oh so necessary things. For example, in the fun column was dinner with friends and Skyping with two ladies on opposite coasts that I don't see as much as I'd like. In the necessary column was mailing our rent check, cleaning and taking photos of our old condo for a rental listing.<br />
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For the past few months I have slowly been putting our office together. It's the first room in the house that I've really redone. This weekend Mike and I hung some shelves and a white board. Putting those things up felt like one of the last things we needed to do in this room.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hjjx4Yj-rTI/T535WRYAQOI/AAAAAAAADjM/lE2kj89TiU4/s1600/_DSC8506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Hjjx4Yj-rTI/T535WRYAQOI/AAAAAAAADjM/lE2kj89TiU4/s640/_DSC8506.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sneak peak! More to come of this before and after. It's quite a change. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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This weekend we also checked off one big to do item that we'd been working for a few weeks.<br />
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When we moved into the house it already had a vegetable garden, but it wasn't full of the kinds of vegetables we wanted. It yielded some cucumbers, and a few tomatoes but it was mostly filled with flavorless banana peppers.<br />
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This year we decided to start from scratch. We tore out any existing roots, removed and relaid the pavers, tilled the soil and laid an entire new fresh bed of dirt for all our carefully chosen fruits and veggies. It was a decent amount of work and we spread it over three weekends. Last weekend we picked out a bunch of veggies and herbs from a local market, but as we were driving home I got a frost advisory on my phone for that night. It didn't seem like the best time to plant. So we, and our plants, waited.<br />
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Today and the coming week, however, presented much better weather. It's not going to freeze. In fact it's supposed to be rainy and hotter than average. So hopefully our little veggies will start taking root.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the strawberries. We also have cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce.</td></tr>
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Aside from planting, we also put up a fence. We have bunnies and squirrels occasionally scurrying through our yard. It's not them that we were worried about though. We have a much bigger pest on our hands.<br />
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Why our dog likes to wallow in the mud so much, I'll never know. But boy does he ever. By cutting off his access to dirt, it will hopefully keep him cleaner and increase our plants chances of survival. <br />
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As you can see, the fence is already doing it's job.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He wants in so bad.</td></tr>
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So overall I definitely put this weekend in the win column. However, the next weekend is also shaping up to be pretty awesome. I'm scheduled for a cut and color with my favorite stylist next Saturday, and on Sunday I'll be driving to Michigan to see <a href="http://mysocalledlifelessons.blogspot.com/2010/10/kristin-and-galens-wedding-part-end.html" target="_blank">these friends</a> and meet their new daughter. My cameras will of course be in tow, and I cannot wait to take pictures of them all because, one, they are so photogenic and I love them, and two, I ordered a new camera lens on Friday. It should arrive in a couple days.<br />
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Wow. Next weekend cannot come fast enough.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31478317.post-58929833717774360462012-04-15T21:28:00.000-05:002012-04-16T15:11:56.316-05:00So Much Cuter Than Uncle SamI just finished paying Uncle Sam my 2011 taxes. That one hurt a little bit, so I am in need of something to brighten my mood. Perhaps you are too? If so, let's delight in just a handful of photos I took of sweet little Maddie earlier today.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7082429957/" title="_DSC8001 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8001" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7238/7082429957_2dd98668d3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/6936355496/" title="DSC_0038 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0038" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7208/6936355496_f96898578a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7082435243/" title="DSC_0041 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0041" height="428" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7235/7082435243_fe1a816882_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7082429499/" title="_DSC8233 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8233" height="439" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7046/7082429499_fb054f7d91_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/6936355094/" title="_DSC8150 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8150" height="425" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7102/6936355094_ae836b0c00_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/7082429595/" title="_DSC8391 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="_DSC8391" height="448" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/7082429595_89b5fcf79e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mysocalledlifelessons/6936355598/" title="DSC_0171-2 by Amy Sayre, on Flickr"><img alt="DSC_0171-2" height="428" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5155/6936355598_269c1ae020_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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I took so many photos of Maddie this afternoon, so I have plenty more to share. These though, I couldn't wait to share. <br />
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And now I feel better. I hope you do too.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03455847417537236682noreply@blogger.com4