Bad Blogger!

I really, really try to remember to write more than once a week but it just never seems to happen that way. But, what are you going to do? Here are some long awaited pics (less than a week old!) from the festivities of the weekend!

Let's start with Jordin... vote for her for Cutest Baby! (I'll post the link at the end)


A nod to my Marching Band heritage!


Who doesn't love the drums?!


This was just really cool!


And of course, no post would be complete without a photo of Aaron!

Here's how to vote for Jordin... got to my facebook pictures and click on the link provided in the album "Jordin's Shoot."

Frustration

Wold you like to know how to spell frustration? O-L-D C-A-R. Actually C-A-R spells frustration. A few weeks ago, my car did this no starting thing. We put a new battery in it. Then two weeks ago, the car did the no starting thing again. This time we took it to the mechanic and he couldn't find the problem. Was it the starter? The alternator? He didn't want to put one in and have me spend $400 and have it turn out to be the other. That's why I like my mechanic. Not trying to fix things just to fix them. Right, next on the bum car list. Then, on Monday, I was tooling down the turnpike when the tread on my tire popped off, causing me to swerve and have to pull over. Again, my dad came to rescue me. He changed the tire and we took it to the shop to get new tires. Ok, no problem right? Oh, you would think that. Last night, Wilma Louise did the no starting thing again. So, we decided to park her at my parent's house while I drive my dad's car (name: Nessie, because she is big and green like the Loch Ness Monster) and look for a new car.
Anybody want to help me get the down payment for a car? Or give me a car?
Anyone? AnyONE?!

Firing up for the 4th

Oops, I think it has now been a week since I have blogged anything. So much for every other day. Well, in my defense, I really have been pretty busy since then. And by busy, I mean I worked out, babysat, worked out some more, and laid in the sun reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult. (I tried to hyperlink back to her site, but apparently, you can't. So you'll have to go there yourself, if you want to.) But, wow! It was amazing and sad and unexpected all at the same time. You should read it.
But I digress.
This week is a holiday week, which means that I get to enjoy our wonderful Mayberry parade. If you have never been to the Glenside parade, you really should. I mean, who doesn't love 15 dance groups, a band of motorcycles, 25 marching bands (ok, maybe 10), and hundreds of fire trucks? I love going because it's a huge event that happens every year, without fail, that I have marched in, and that my church family piles onto the front yard of the church to enjoy together. And it is a great time to take advantage of the crowd and practice my photography. The people, the americana, the firetrucks. It's great!
Now, don't you want to go and check it out? Saturday, July 4th at 4 PM. All this from a girl who is so NOT patriotic.

Contemplating

Recently I have been thinking a lot about predestination. I know, that's quite a heady subject for 7:45 in the morning. Here's what I've been thinking; in Ephesians 1 Paul speaks an awful lot on the subject of predestination and I just am not sure I fully understand it. I know God calls us and has plans for us, i.e., Jeremiah 29:11, but where does free will step in? If God foreknew everything that I would do, say all the way down to the fact that I don't tie my shoes, then how is free will involved? God knew that I wouldn't like to tie my shoes, God knew that I would go to Eastern, God knew that I would fall madly in love with photography. God knows if there is a spouse and children in my future. My question is, if God is Sovereign over all things and He has called us each to a certain purpose, and He is in control of my whole life, where does sin step in? If God knew we were going to sin, why doesn't He stop us? I guess that's where the whole free will thing gets involved. It also begs the question, why do bad things happen to good people?
Again, like I said before this is heady stuff to be contemplating even before I've finished my first cup of coffee. But, it's been on my mind and I am curious as to what others think on the matter...
Thoughts, comments, bible verses, or books to read are most welcome.

Introducing

Aaron Edward Walker! My mom and I took a visit down to the hospital to visit Nana and to visit the new little one. What a handsome little guy.

It's a ...

BOY!! Aaron Edward Walker graced the world with his presence on June 19, 2009, a little before noon. He weighed in at 7 lbs, 4 oz, and was 21.5 inches long! Mama and baby are doing great! I hope to get in to meet him very soon and, of course, will be posting pictures! Stay tuned...

Aaahhh!

NanaSue will have a brand new baby at some point in the next 24 hours! Holy cow, it's so exciting. Her little boy, Andrew, is the picture in the banner of this blog and he is one of my favorite subjects to photograph. Now, there will be two for me to play around with! Look for new baby pictures coming at some point in the future. I figure, I should wait at least a couple weeks before I storm the house with my trusty D40...

A Rose is a Rose

Especially when you take a million pictures of the same flower. Does anyone else do that? Find one subject and take mulitple shots over a long period of time?

Girl's Photo Shoot

I had the amazing opportunity to photograph three best girlfriends who have been inseparable since infancy. Ok, so they are only 3 years old, but hey, that's a lifetime's friendship to them. Now, I haven't had the chance to edit all of the pictures, but I wanted to get some posted before time got away from me. And wait until you see these kids. Adorable doesn't even begin to describe them. We were running around the Arboretum just trying to keep up with them. Let's just say, they really wore me out!

AnnaLee

Singing Together

Peering through the bridge

Dancing Princesses

Taylor

Monday's Thought Process

So, every Monday night, I think, "Don't forget to blog your Ten on Tuesday." Every Monday night. And what happens when Tuesday rolls around? I forget. Or rather, I start of the day with good intentions, but between work, Shredding, running, and church functions, Tuesday usually disappears on a cloud. Or something like that. I just wanted you all to know that, while I think blogging ten things every Tuesday is a great idea, my follow through is severely lacking. Do I get an "E" for effort?

A Picture from the Shower

I wanted to post at least one picture from Kelli's shower yesterday while had the chance. Don't worry, I will be posting more later plus, today is Photoshoot Day(provided the weather holds up!), so I will be posting those as well. Soon. I promise.

All of Kelli's roomies that were present!

Bridal Party... aren't we classy?

Quick Update

Phew! This is day two of a super busy weekend. Last night was dinner at P.F. Chang's with the girls from Goddard. Hanging out with them makes me miss seeing hem everyday and wish that I could keep my pay rate but work with the kidd-o's again. But I have to remind myself that it's not all sunshine and daisies. That I was stressed on a continuing basis and that it just wasn't where I was supposed to be anymore... Still sad, though. But, I had so much fun with them last night! Being with the ladies makes me laugh till I tear up.
Today is Kelli's shower. I'm not going to let any of the planning stuff stress me out. The shower will be lovely, we will have fun, and we will be celebrating Kelli. that's the way it should be. My only concern is the actual paying for it part. I have no money until my paycheck goes through on Tuesday. And I have 50 bucks. That's it. Until Tuesday. Ok, no more thinking about cashflow. It's going to be alovely day and I will take the pictures to show you later!
Tomorrow is my first big photoshoot. Well, it will be as long as the weather cooperates. I will be taking pictures of 3 lovely little girls who are best friends. They are so fun and cute and funny. it has the promise of being an amazin day. After that, I will take family portraits of the girls with their families. That is my one source of stress. I take pictures of kids all the time. Whole families? Not so much. But they are all great families, so I'm sure it will be great! I will also post photos from that when they are done!
So, look for new photos coming in the next few days!
(Ok, so maybe that wasn't as "quick" as I promised! Oh well!)

It's really Wednesday...

but I'm going to do my Ten for Tuesday today, since I didn't have time/forgot to do it yesterday.
Here goes:
1) I'm doing the Shred dvd and it is hard core. But then I transform into an idiot and go running with the walking group at church. (Maybe twice the exercise= twice the results?)
2) I am re-reading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince before the movie comes out. And I'm not gonna lie, I still tear up when I get to the part where Dumbledore dies. And I still get angry at Snape, even though I know the ending.
3)It took me 5 alarms to get up this morning. I wish I could be one of those people who hops out of bed the minute the alarm goes off. Maybe I'll see if I can't train myself to do that.
4)My friends have so generously responded to my message about photographing their children for my portfolio. I love it! I get to practice taking pictures of kids and they get a free shoot where the only thing they have to pay for is any pictures that they want.
5)I have discovered that I am obsessed with the exclamation point! I use it more often than I should! I just happen to think that everything that I say deserves exclamation!
6)I have recently had to cut back on my coffee consumption which, if you know me, is horrible. But I would rather drink less coffee than have my heart racing after 2 cups. So, I stop at 1 1/2 for now. And so far, I haven't killed anyone.
7)I feel like every muscle in body is screaming. But in the best possible way.
8)My cousin is graduating high school next week and leaving for college the following week for 6 weeks. She's like my sister and I will be so sad that she is 2 1/2 hours away at Bloomsburg but I am so excited for her to enjoy every minute of college.
9) I looked at my calendar and every single weekend is taken from here until K&C's wedding. Will I ever get down the shore?
10)I have to be at work early today, which means I will get to leave early today, so I have to go get ready.
Have a great day!

Lazy Chick's Post

Ok, so I am totally cheating with this post but, there you have it, it is what it is, and all those other cliche's about, basically, taking the easy way out. I get home at night after having been on the computer all day at work, and I just can't sit and blog. I really want to, honest I do. Because you all know how much I love having everyone know as much about me as possible! Maybe my goal should be weekend blogging. Although, with this photography "thing" I should be posting more anyway!


I have a proposition for my friends that have young children/toddlers, babies, or newborns. I am really trying to break into the photography niche of children. I would love it if you gave me the opportunity to come photograph your child. This would serve a few purposes. 1) I would be able to hone my skills of portrait shooting, 2) you would get a very low cost (only the cost of the photos) photo shoot and 3) I would have photos to add to my portfolio. If you have any interest at all, please comment on this note or send me a fb message and we can talk from there.
Remember, if you want to preserve your child's early years through photographs, please contact me.
Thank you so much!

*Note~ This offer is good for friends and family through the end of July with photos having to be taken some time this summer.

Oops...

I am so embarrassed... I almost wrote a super sappy, TMI post about fulfillment and loneliness and how we define what makes us happy.
Phew. Dodged a bullet on that one. I can NOT do that to myself today, or any other day.
Tell me, have you ever started to write a post and then had second thoughts about the direction it was taking?
For your troubles, you get a flower.
Don't say I never give you anything.

Ten Things Tuesday

I can't believe it's already time for another installment! I am totally with Mauby and Brookiellen.
Also, it makes it go a little faster when you post your Tuesday post on Friday... ;)
1) I had a fab time at the photo shoot with Brooke and Cash. He was adorable and fun and super photogenic! And it helps that Brooke has an Etsy shop and understands the kind of pictures that need to be taken for a site! (thanks Brooke!)
2) I am going to kill my computer... It keeps acting up and doing weird stuff. And it doesn't help a photographer when photoshop doesn't agree with the computer. It makes it almost impossible to edit pics!
3) I decided that I want to go back to school for photography. I LOVE it and I can't get enough of it. I'm thinking of starting classes at Bucks County in the photography certificate program in the fall.
4) I am almost ready to buy a new car. Either this week or in the next two, I will have (hopefully) picked something out. I am being extremely picky in this process because it's a big decision and I want this car to fulfill my current and future needs.
5)I had the best weekend I have had in a reeeeallly long time. Friday night with Nana and some cool high school girls, Saturday dress shopping with the girls for Kelli's wedding, photo shoot on Sunday, and hanging out with my super cool, college bound cousin on Monday. Phew. So much fun!
6) We picked out dresses and they are HOT!!! But you have to see them on to fully understand the amazing hotness of the dress. (Stay tuned for pictures in July.)
7) I am up waay past my bedtime but I was waiting up to watch the season finale of My Boys. Remember, funniest show. Ever.
8)I will confess. I took pictures of a giant hershey kiss and played around with the lighting. I even tried using the tinfoil it came wrapped in to act as a reflector. (I'm such a nerd.)
9)I spent all day thinking about how I was going to come home and read a book tonight. Did I? Unfortunately not. Maybe tomorrow?
10) I haven't posted a picture in awhile, so I will leave with one of my newest faves.
*Well, when my computer starts acting right, I'll put up pics!
Thanks Karen, for the advice on the rose!

Fun Fact Friday?

Ok, so I was reminded that I never followed through with my Ten Thing Tuesday.
That's my fact number 1... I have really good intentions but I have a hard time following through with them.
2. I like my job but sometimes I wonder if I should go into photography as a career.
3. I went car shopping last night and felt utterly frustrated. What I want, what I can afford, and what I am willing to pay all come out to three different numbers.
4. I really want to live by myself... and I would love to have my own place... until the right guy came along. I want to experience living alone before I deal with living with a spouse and children.
5. I cry whenever I go to the beach. The first time the smell of brine hits my nose and I see those waves crashing on the sand, I tear up and need a moment to myself.
6. I am a slob. That's right people. I have very good intentions and I really like a clean room, but it's the follow through I lack (see number 1).
7. I lost 60 lbs 2 years ago but I still feel like the "fat girl" and I'm not sure if I'll ever shake that.
8. I miss my kids from school. And my friends from school. But not the paperwork. Or the pay. Or the headaches, pee, and things that I will not mention here.
9. Ok, so this isn't something new. I am obsessed/addicted to coffee. And everyone at work has learned that and has offered to get me counseling.
10. I am going bridesmaid shopping tomorrow. And I am super excited to try on dresses and can't wait till K&C's wedding.

Ten on Tuesday

I forgot that I was going to write ten things on Tuesday as a way to keep up with my blog as learned of from Mauby's and The Blue Door as a way to keep a consistent update of my blog. But two things happened tonight.
One- I came up with a topic on my own.
Two- I was lazy and didn't feel like putting in the effort to come up with 10 fascinating points for the day.
So, hopefully, I will remember and do it next week. And the reason is simple. I absoLUTEly love making lists.
Check back soon!

How much is too much?

I was watching My Boys tonight (which I highly recommend, it's hilarious) and they were talking about Facebook and virtual friendships. One of the characters, "Kenny," updated his status when he went to the bathroom and then again when he was finished. It made me wonder, how much information is too much? I could extol the virtues of social networking by claiming that I get to keep more in touch with friends that I might not very well see often. Which is true. But what about when I am working and tweeting or updating my status about doing laundry? Do people really find all of that interesting?
I could also say that it helps me get my photography out there. Which is also true. But where do you draw the line? When do you say "enough is enough."
Any thoughts on virtual oversharing from the virtual world?

Heather and Eric: Engagement Photos

I had a wonderful time taking the e-pics of my friend Heather and her fiance Eric. This was the first time I had done an e-session, so I was a little nervous. But I didn't have to worry because they were such a blast to work with. I took almost 600 pictures all afternoon and can't wait until I edit them. (Well, not all of them but a good bit!)
Anyway, enough of the chatter... let's see some pictures!

Blogging?

I don't know how regular bloggers always come up with something to say every time they write... What do people find interesting? What keeps them coming back for more? I guess I could write about the amazing dinner that I made that has me licking the bowl clean. Or perhaps, I will write about how I spent time sitting in traffic. What about how I spilled my coffee? What brings people coming back for the next installment? Let me know so I have a direction to follow...

Arboretum

I had a blast today! I spent over two hours, taking over 300 pictures at the Morris Arboretum. I loved it so much that I got a membership so that I can go back as often as I want. I loved walking around and seeing all the different plants and sculptures and I can't wait to get back and see it when everything is blooming. I passed one lovely, older gentleman who commented, "It's spring!" My response, "I'm so excited!!" Him, "I can tell by your camera!" To which I laughed in response. When I saw him later, he winked and chuckled along with me. I am so excited about how the pictures turned out and it made realize that I was indeed working towards my goal... and that couldn't have made me happier!

Photography

I just saw someone's photography blog and it made me feel frustrated that I haven't actively sought out people to learn from and also that I haven't posted any pictures in a while...
So here are a couple that I took for my friends of their adorable son!

And so it goes

And goes and goes without ever stopping. Life. It moves on and we have the choice to either sit back and watch it fly by, ignorant and unaware of what we are missing, or we can pull up our big girl panties and dive in to live life to the fullest. I think for the last few years I have been living with the former as my attitude. It's not the most exciting way to be but it is, at it's most basic, being. But I don't want to live that way anymore. I want to indulge in all that life has to offer. I want to take chances and look foolish. I want to take risks and succeed. Why so contemplative this morning? I was reading over people's Tweets (thing you do on Twitter) and I was looking at friend's blogs and it made me realize something. That I have been content to watch from the sidelines. Well, no more. I am determined to take action. To celebrate life. To be brave and accept challenges as they come my way.
Keep my accountable. Help me to not sit idly by, content o watch others live. Encourage me to take action.
I'll keep you posted!

Time may change me...

It has finally happened, my friends. I have finally found the moxie, and the new job, to get me to leave my current job. My last day at school will be February 13th and I know it is going to be a very sad, emotional day for me. I have become such good friends with some of my co-workers, that I can't imagine going a day without seeing and talking to them. I really was blessed with such great friendships and I hope that they will continue to grow long after leaving. I gave my notice yesterday and just cried and cried all day. I know I complained often about how I wasn't where I wanted to be, but now that the time has come, I am so sad and so scared. Scared of the unknown, of the new and different.
But I am excited for the new opportunities and experiences that will be presented to me. For the doors that will be open to me. What is this new opportunity, you ask? Well, I will be the personal/executive assistant to the Executive Vice President of a christian counseling center. Mostly office work, organizing, filing, phone, email... typical assistant stuff. But I will also be responsible for marketing letters and typing up contracts. Wow. Big. Exciting. Overwhelming.
No more snack time at 10 and 3. No more 2 hour down time when the kids are sleeping. No more hugs and kisses and "I love you, miss Susie." I'm going to miss that the most. When the kids come in with a picture they drew just for me. When they come running up to me with hugs because they missed me even though I was only gone for 30 minutes. Laughing with my friends. Helping a child solve a problem. Meeting developmental and emotional goals. Okay, so I won't miss the diapers, the crying, the peeing on the floor, the overwhelming number of kids. But I will count my time there as one of the best experiences of my life. It is time to move and move on I will.
I could stay there for a long time and be safe and comfortable and marginally happy. But I would not be obedient to God's will who has called me to move on and rise to a new challenge. So, if it's a choice between obedience and disobedience, the choice is clear. It just so much harder.
Sorry for the really long blog but apparently I had a lot to clear out of my mind. Thanks for taking the time to read, to listen to me babble and to support me.

I've been told the holidays...

I've been told the holidays have a tendency to make a person lonely and slightly miserable. Not by any one person but by society and the media. But if I have to go to one more family or church function by myself and go home by myself, I might go crazy. And it's not when I am in the midst of the celebrations, it's after. After I've gone home or after everyone has left and I am left to clean up. Okay, now that I sound sufficiently whiny and slightly off-kilter... and a little embarassed, I'm gonna go.

Happy Thanksgiving

Here are some things that I think of on Thanksgiving... How thankful I am for my family, but how I wish it weren't just the five people in my family... it's like the same old dinner at my mom's but transported to my house with a turkey.
I hope that maybe one year it will be my brothers and I, plus spouses and children.
We shall see.
And, since when did my brother have to be entertained? Why do we have to bend over backwards to make Thanksgiving a day when he isn't "bored?" I mean, can someone tell me what Thanksgiving is supposed to be about?
Anybody?

Has it really been that long?

I just looked at my blog and realized I haven't updated it in 2 months!!! That's ludicrous. That's insane. That means that absolutely nothing has happened in that time. That's depressing. Two months go by and all I can say is...?

Now, in my life, nothing may be happening but in the world around me, it's some crazy times. The election is days away, the economy is in the toilet, the Phillies won the World Series... I'm not going to start proseletizing about which candidate to vote for because by now, if you aren't sure who you are voting for, nothing I say will help you determine your vote. If the mass phone calls, emails, mailings and tv ads haven't helped you make up your mind... you've been living under a rock. Seriously, I am only going to say one more thing about politics: vote. Do not miss your chance on Tuesday to vote for a new leader and to change the direction this country is headed. Political rant over.

Last week, I had someone tell that I should give online dating a try. WHAT!? No, thank you. I may not be perfectly happy being single but I am perfectly happy waiting for the right time, the right person and as corny as it may sound to some, I am perfectly happy waiting on God's timing. Does this mean that online dating is out? Not really, but is out for now? Yes. But, you may ask, where will I meet someone? I have no idea. Does that bother me? Sometimes. Most times I have a hard enough time taking care of myself, plus I like being a little selfish with my time. Okay, I vowed never to turn this blog into Single Girl Seeking While Ranting About Being Single, so I'm going to move on.

How's the job search? Not so hot. There is nothing and I mean nothing open at this time. People are being laid off and many companies have put into effect a hiring freeze. I guess I just have to stick it out a little longer.

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to end this post, so here's a picture...

Huh?

I just posted some pictures to my newly created Flickr page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/susiegirl) and as I was looking over them, I saw this..."Uploaded on September 1, 2008." Who can tell me, where did summer go? Why is it already September 1? and why does time just keep flying by? I feel like the older I get, the quicker time flies, and I am NOT a happy camper. What happened to the lazy days of sleeping in, of spending oodles of time at the beach, of doing absolutely nothing? Oh, right, it's called adulthood and I do not like it at all. I have decided to resign from growing up and revert to my childhood again... sigh. If only I could.

On the Lakeside

As promised, here are some trips from my New York trip!

These two are my favorite!

Whirlwind Month

Phew! I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted! For those of you who didn't know, my computer was out of service for three weeks and I just got it back a few days ago. And while I may not have had my computer, that doesn't mean I didn't stop take pictures! Oh no, my friends... I went crazy. I took a week off from work to volunteer at my old camp, so I have a ton of pictures from that (I LOVE taking pictures of kids!) and then I spent a few days with my good friends in upstate New York. Thanks Carly and Brian for letting me invade your home for a few days and take pictures of your adorable child!


Is there an update on the job front, you ask? Absolutely not. It is so hard to look for a job without a computer, so hopefully now, I will be able to jump in where I left off. If anyone knows of how to get into photography as more than just a hobby, let me know! Short of working for Sears or Picture People, I haven't a clue how to get started!

Anyway, on to what you are all looking for... Pictures!











Stay tuned for pictures from my weekend with the Nodine's!

Some new pictures

I was trying to be artistic...

Celebrations

I have to take a moment to thank everyone that was involved in my birthday celebrations yesterday. For those of you who didn't know, yesterday was my birthday and I showed up to work in a most celebratory outfit. At my job, you can wear jeans on your birthday, so there I was, in jeans and this fun t-shirt that I bought near Valentine's Day at Target. It's a cute white shirt with a cupcake that says "sweet cake." Sounds fun, right? Well, to top it off, I added this ridiculously large, gold, sparkly tiara to the mix. What's a birthday without a birthday crown, right? I was in full party mode all day, brownies and cookies for me and the kids in my class for snack and at lunch time, a wonderful surprise. My mom came to my work with a tray of cupcakes! I loved the cupcakes because she is an amazing baker but I loved the fact that she came to my job even better. My mom is totally awesome and I couldn't have asked for a better surprise. Then, that night we had our Young Adult picnic at Nana's house and when I got there, they had set up balloons and a Happy Birthday sign. I was showered with love and very thoughtful gifts that mean so much to me. You can tell that my friends really know me and that touches my heart than any present ever could. Of course, a whole day celebrating me meant that today there was a little bit of birthday withdraw, but I quickly bounced back and am now ready to enjoy this next phase of my life. God has something amazing for me and I am ready to embrace it!

Where to Go

So, some of you may be wondering why this blog's url is where2go... some of you may not notice but I digress. Here is a little insight into why I picked this particular one. I thrive on trying new things, going new places and exploring new sensations. When I created this blog back in college, I was searching for what to do after graduation... which never turned out to be what I expected. After a few years of mindless drudgery at my current place of employment (which I'm not allowed to use the name by request of the main corporate office) I found myself wanting to change the website and name it something else. I had become complacent and stuck in my situation. But now, I find myself in that same situation, all over again. I have fianlly realized that staying in a mind-numbing job with no variable of change is slowly (or quickly?) sucking the life out of me. God did not create me to be stuck in the day in and day out. I was created to constantly change and grow and experience. By staying in one unchanging environment for so long, I have been going against who God created me to be, hence, the misery of my life. So, you may be asking, "What does this all mean?" What it means, my friends, is that I am on the cusp of change, a new beginning of sorts. Where am I going? I have no idea, but I have faith in the One who created me to move me beyond my situation and into the next chapter of my life. Scary? Very. But I am ready. God has been preparing me my entire life for this particular time and I am ready. Now, do I know where this search is going to take me? Absolutely not. It could be an adminstrative assistant in an office, front desk worker for a photography studio or something that I hadn't even considered. And I am embracing the uncertainty with open arms and a faith in a certain and unchanging God.