So we’re going to play a little game. I’m keeping it simple. Everyone who guesses the Dude’s correct birthday, will get a FREE $50 gift certificate to use with Karyn Kelbaugh Photography, good toward a regular portrait session and/or any products until the Dude’s 1st birthday. =) All you have to do (and the only way to enter) is leave a comment on THIS post ON THE BLOG with the date you think he will be born. Leaving a comment on Facebook will NOT enter you. You have to comment on the blog (silly Facebook rules).

Here is some information that may help you with your guess. My super official due date is April 28th, 2011. When I visited the doctor on April 19th, she told me that she believes he would be born in less than a week. I have not had any contractions as of the posting of this blog post. =)

Why am I doing this? Because I’m afraid to guess myself, but I think it’s fun to guess and prizes for guessing are always fun. =)

And just because I know this will show up on the Facebook feed…I’m putting in this stuff.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You are providing your information to Karyn Kelbaugh Photography and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for contacting you about winning and getting your prize.

Obviously, I’ll be letting you all know when he arrives, when he arrives…so stay tuned. I’ll be contacting the winners…when I get around to it. =) But definitely before June. Don’t worry, I’ll know who you are!

This quilt actually belongs to John. He got it when he was born, and his Mom sent it to us, along with some other wonderful blankets. I LOVE the sailboats.

Pooh has a very important job around here. He is our product tester and he’s holding down the fort (and the car seat) until the Dude is ready to take over. =)

Ah, the wall decals. I love these animal alphabet letters. They were easy to put up, even on our textured walls.

As many of you know I’m not really a theme-y match-y kind of person… And this room certainly reflects that. =)

His animal friends are all waiting…

Some of them came all the way from London.

So excited about this mobile! Thank you Rita!!

And there you have it. For now at least. There will be more cuteness to come, and maybe someday I’ll post a pic of the whole room all at once!

Until next time…

He built me a new mantle, just like I wanted, from scratch!  The mantle that was here when we bought our house could not have been more…..bleh.  It was tiny, didn’t go with the rest of the house (especially the dark wood beams in the ceiling) and it tilted forward, so putting valuable things on it was not an option.

John made me this big wonderful mantle that goes perfectly with everything, is big enough to hold lots of wonderful things (that I now need to put up there) and it even has a little raised edge so nothing slides off. Not that it would anyway. This thing is crazy level. He REALLY likes things to be level. =)

So thank you wonderful husband for making this for me. You are awesome and I love you!!

Now…if we can just do something about our gold fireplace cover…

My friend Jenny over at Diapers and Dog Fur posted today about being pregnant and achy and then remembering how easy we have it compared to those who have come before us who managed to carry and deliver babies all while doing a whole lot more physical work than we do today.

Her post reminded me of one of the many poems and sweet letters that my Grandmother has sent me over the years.  This poem I keep on our fridge right where I can see it while working in the kitchen.  Every time I catch a glimpse of it, I am reminded of how fortunate and blessed I am to have all these luxuries that allow us to cook easily and take care of our home with minimal effort.  I’m sure many of you have seen this poem, seeing as it’s been around since at least the 1920′s or something.

Perfect Day

Grandmother, on a winter’s day,
Milked the cows and fed them hay;
Slopped the hogs, harnessed the mule,
And got the children off to school.

Did a washing, mopped the floors,
Washed the windows and did some chores,
Cooked a dish of home-dried fruit,
And pressed her husband’s Sunday suit.

Swept the parlor, made the beds,
Baked a dozen loaves of bread,
Split the firewood, lugged some in,
(enough to fill the kitchen bin.)

Churned the butter, baked a cake,
And then exclaimed, “For goodness sake,
Those darned calves are out again!”
Went and chased them into the pen.

Gathered the eggs, locked the stable,
Back to the house to set the table;
Cooked a supper that was delicious,
Afterward washed up all the dishes.

Fed the cat, sprinkled the clothes,
Mended a basket full of hose,
Then opened the organ and began to play
“When You Come to the End of a Perfect Day!”
- By Author Unknown

When I read this poem, I always picture my Grandmother, helping her mother in the kitchen, making supper for her father and 5 brothers.  Growing up on a farm, I can at least remember or imagine having to do all of these things at one point or another, especially the cows getting out part.  Wow, I can only imagine chasing cows in my current state. Ha. I’m sure my mom knows what that is like.

I’m sure on some of these ‘perfect days’ that the hypothetical grandma was also likely to fall asleep in the chair while mending hose, or say “Thank you Lord that today is over. I’m going to bed”.  The lesson that I try to get out of this poem is not that I should be doing more, but that I should be thankful and content with what I have and my abilities.  It makes me think of the daily Billy Graham calendar page that I have permanently up on my kitchen shelf:

In the last essay he wrote before he died, the great Christian apologist C.S. Lewis said, “We have no right to happiness; only an obligation to do our duty.” It is only in our duty that happiness comes.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  -2 Corinthians 4:17

It’s all about finding the joy in the mundane.  Yes, my back hurts and my belly is getting heavier from this growing baby, but that means that he is growing well and getting stronger every day.  Yes, household chores are tedious, and sometimes I just don’t FEEL like doing them right now, but when the work is done I feel satisfied  – even though I know it will be there again tomorrow.

Thanks Jenny for inspiring me today to be thankful through my aches, which I have been quite whiny about the last few days.  Have a wonderful and ‘perfect’ day everyone. =)

That is my word for 2011.

Focus.

To direct toward a particular point or purpose.

To adjust one’s vision so as to render a clear, distinct image.

To concentrate attention or energy.

2011 is going to be a big year. A year of big changes. In my efforts and planning thus far I’ve been referring to it as THE YEAR OF THE BABY. In all caps, every time.  Since I have these wee few months before “the (most likely) dude” arrives, I want to do everything I can to make the rest of this year as easy on my poor brain as possible.  It may be part nesting, and part control freaking, but the main point is that I want to look at all the things I want to do or thought I wanted to do this coming year and FOCUS on the ones that actually matter. If you don’t know this about me, I have a tendency to go off on tangents. Work related and non-work related alike.  If it sounds fun and creative and requires 100 times more energy than will be produced in benefit, you can bet that I will drop everything important and go spend hours…or days…working on it.

I know that I DON’T REALLY know what it’s going to be like having a new little baby in our lives. However, I have suspicions   So I’m going to do the best I can with the free time I have left to set myself up for the least amount of insanity possible.  I can’t control what happens to us this year, or what little curve balls life may throw our way.  But I CAN narrow my focus in my photography and what I want to accomplish, I CAN be deliberate in planning ahead for my evaluation work so they things don’t sneak up on me, and I CAN at least discard useless things and plans that just weigh me down and distract me from living well. And I CAN certainly pray a lot. A LOT.

So, I have no idea what that’s all really going to look like, but it’s at least a start.

Oh, and the cat has no idea what’s he’s in for.

So, we started taking the obligatory weekly pregnancy pics a couple weeks ago (this is last week’s pic).  I feel like I should do something a little more creative with them, but more importantly, I want to do something with at least some decent lighting.  I mean, it’s basically the ‘Watch Me Slowly Turn Into a Whale” show, so I should at least have something going for me.  Thankfully, I have the perfect inspiration from Pacing the Panic Room (scroll down the page to see all the weekly posts).  Now she is the cutest pregnant woman ever, so please don’t compare too much.  I just liked the idea of well lit pics with little messages on them.  They’ll all be ready and worthy to go in the baby book when I get around to making it =)  I can’t promise I’ll post them all here.  I’m still trying to decide on that one.   Honestly it’s more of a will-i-remember-to-get-that-done-every-week thing than an oh-no-please-don’t-look-at-me thing.  But really, what could look sillier than a grown woman chowing down on fried chicken.  Maybe eventually I will do that shot and balance the plate on my belly

So I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving week! We’ll be doing lots of cooking and getting ready for LETS-FRY-A-WHOLE-BIRD version 2, and walking this year’s Turkey Trot.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I realize this is not a belly profile shot, but seriously – who takes a picture of a person eating chicken from the side.

I tried something new.  Not new to photography, just new to me.  We set up a photo booth at the wedding I just photographed.  No actual booth.  It’s a simple background, some lovely light, AWESOME people ready to have a good time, and me with my camera. The bride and groom were so psyched about having it – which of course made the experience that much more awesome.  I got to do another one this week at a completely different type of event, and it went great!   Just thought I would share some of the hilarious images from K + J’s booth.  You guys rock!!

I’m planning on offering the photo booth as an additional service, so if you or someone you know is looking to add some AWESOME to a holiday party, give me a call =)

I know, I know, it’s been MORE than 2 weeks since I posted.   Did I mention that October has basically slapped me in the face with busy (yes, this is what it looks like to get slapped by a month).  I’m getting through, it’s not that bad.  I’m just juggling many completely different things and this blog post thing just hasn’t happened.  Anyhow, it’s been a crazy end of summer and start of fall all around.  I’ve been working on some big projects in the evaluation (non-photo) area that have been taking up most of my time lately.  Good projects but they all seem to happen at once.  On the photo front things are starting to get busy again with quite a few fall sessions coming up and a big fun wedding coming up this weekend!!  I shoot very few weddings per year, so when they come around they are extra special and exciting.

What else, oh I made my first batch of caramel popcorn this year and we carved pumpkins and made apple cider slushies the other weekend.    There is some good food being made these days.  One of my friends made Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins! and another friend actually made REAL hostess chocolate cupcakes, with the filling and little loops on top and everything! They were all delicious.  The cat is, well, the cat.  His new obsession is sitting in the open window for hours at a time, now that we have new working windows with screens and he gets to pretend he’s a worldly outside cat.

I made a couple trips home to see family and friends, as I’ve mentioned.  It was great to see everyone and celebrate a wedding and I have soo many photos still to post from the trips.

We were originally going to take a vacation and go somewhere this fall, but that has morphed into taking a staycation (yes, I totally just used that word) and going crazy on the house.  The Big Hairy To-Do list doesn’t stand a chance.  We are going to be PAINTING FOOLS.  The entire living room is getting painted (ceiling included), as well as the outside wood parts of the house.   We have to rent scaffolding.  Um, this should be interesting.  Also – J is busy building me a brand new shiny (well, not shiny) mantle for the living room to replace the one-that-had-no-business-being-put-in-this-house-and-isn’t-even-level-and-doesn’t-match-ANYTHING.  I am very excited about the new mantle, can you tell?  Possibly happening soon (if not right away) will be the actual doing something about our plan to expand the back porch area.  Somehow.  It changes a little every time we talk about it

So, in addition to a million little other things, that’s what’s up.   Sorry for the silence.  I’ll try to at least post some photos up even if I don’t have time to write in the near future.  I DO still have plans for many more SheRocks posts and lots of stuff.   Just working through all the stuff as fast as I can, and still trying to have a bit of a life. =)

Happy Day!!   =)

credit: thanks Catie for taking the photo =)

Being home, playing on the piano with my nieces and nephews…and sister, renews my need for a piano of some sort in this house.  Now, I’m sure at some point I’ll manage to get a good keyboard at least.  Someday, should we happen upon a handy estate sale or auction or something with a cheapo piano for sale, I am all over that.   And yes, it’s one of those things that unless you are diligently practicing for some recital type thing  – you aren’t likely to play all the time.  But it’s there when you need it.  When you feel like teaching your niece Axel F and spending 30 minutes just hanging out at the piano together – it’s there.  When your friends come over and you want to play them the 3 songs you still have memorized, it’s there.  When you want to learn how to play the piano part for that Ingrid Michaelson song, it’s there.  When you sit down with your sister and start a Heart and Soul jam session that amazes her kids, despite that out of tune low C that Mom refuses to fix, it’s there. =)

Anyhow…. back to my question – do you remember your first, or even just your favorite song that you learned on the piano? And if you get the chance – do you still sit down and play some chopsticks?

Ah! I knew I forgot to teach them one! Next time. =)

The best thing about this cake story was that Grandma says that I insisted that we had to make blue icing for the cake.  And we did.  She even wrote it in the family cookbook. =)

And because everyone loves recipes, I shall share the Krazy Kake recipe with you – but you are welcome to make any color of icing that you so desire.   This is a great recipe to make with your kids!  Share the fun!

Don’t ya just love that hair. And I love the old 7up bottle on the counter.  I miss glass bottled pop.

*******

Recipe for Krazy Kake!!!

(courtesy of Betty)

Sift together the following:

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. soda (baking)

3 T cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

Put in 9 inch square baking pan.  Make 3 holes and put one of the following in each hole:

1 T vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

5 T salad oil

Add 1 cup water over all and stir.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Can be doubled for a 9×13 pan.

Enjoy and it’s good with or without icing!