Literally, I was sitting in front of my computer, minding my own business, when suddenly . . .

GAH!

Paris (my stinker-dog who earned her name) let out several silent-but-deadly farts.  I’m not just talking one SBD here folks, I’m talking CONTINUOUS.

She can clear a room I tell you!

Since I was editing images from a product shoot last night (can’t wait to share the pics with you after the product is launched!)  I pulled up a picture I took of Paris last night (after the product shoot) and put a caption on the image and emailed it to David who was in the other room.  (We chat online and email from room to room like it’s totally normal.)

I wanted him to know EXACTLY how the downstairs family room smelled:

I looked over at Paris, who was resting on her pillow in bliss and said, “Must you ruin my quiet solitude with your insane farts?!”

EWE.

Let’s move on to something cute now . . .

Hannah is always such a big helper during my shoots.  She will run any errand, sit where I tell her to, and chat to anyone who will listen.  After finishing a product shoot last night, Hannah really, really, REALLY wanted to photograph something.  I told her to hurry and find what she wanted to photograph because she was waaay past bedtime.  She came back with a few select toys and photographed this:

This last image was completely styled and photographed by Hannah.  She even used my remote trigger to ensure no movement on the tripod!

I’m raising the next Ansel Adams.  I’m sure.  :)

Too much actually.

We had a fabulous weekend listening to conference, eating great food,  and spending time together.

While I collect my thoughts today, I thought I’d post some totally unrelated pictures I took this weekend white experimenting with “umbrella light.”

This is my father-in-law.  He was making himself a nice sandwich for lunch when I asked him if he would sit in for some test shots while I tested out my lighting.

And this is Paris who obediently sat still for one second while a treat was dangled above her head.

I love this stinker-dog sooooo much.

Now, I’m going to take a nap.  Weekends are exhausting!

I’d like to say, “It sure was a lot of fun!”

David is a fourth year medical student,

Which means, with his time, he is quite prudent!

I’m a photography student and stay-at-home mom.

I’ve tried to manage everything and stay calm!

In Utah, we started the year.

We lived by family, it was nice to be near.

In February, we made our first move of the year . . . Kansas City!

It was beautiful and really, really pretty!

Living in Kansas, we felt so blessed.

I still can’t believe we moved to the Midwest!

We  enjoyed living in Kansas, it’s full of nice folks.

To our surprise, we learned we’d be moving to New York.

Shocked, we thought, “Is this a joke?”

We loaded our car with our kids, Paris, and other good things that we needed.

Pulled a little U-haul and off to New York we proceeded.

The kids traveled well.  Paris was fine.

There were only a few times I thought I would lose my mind!

We visited some Saba friends on the way in Ohio.

We ate so much food and had so much fun, Oh my!  Oh!

We loved living in Rochester. We loved it so much!

Seven short weeks was not long enough!

On our move back to Kansas, we heard some bad news.

We had to move again.  We didn’t get to choose!

School regulations made it impossible to stay,

So we packed up the house much to our dismay.

We found ourselves in Utah once again this time,

David went to North Carolina, oh my!  Does this even rhyme?

We are all together as a family as we speak,

Which is great for us because we love to kiss our kids’ cheeks!

Who knows what the future holds for us now.

I just know there are more moves for us, HOLY COW!

All things considered we are doing quite well.

In fact, I think my heart might swell.

Aside from the moves that have made us nomads and gypsy’s,

Other exciting things have happened that made us quite tipsy!

First, Dallin calmed down A LOT.

No more a screaming baby, who’d have thought?

Hannah sings, dances, and entertains.

She’s already worn out her first pair of ballet shoes and has a lot of brains.

David is busy, school is crazy.

Bummer for him, there’s no time to be lazy.

I started school at the Academy of Art.

Mastering photography, I’ve learned a few things to impart.

Paris has done a mighty fine job as our only family pet,

We’re not looking for another dog, at least not yet.

2009 was full of surprises,

Four cross country moves, I said a lot of “goodbyes.”

I say, “Bring on the New Year!”

Heck, I’ll even say it with good cheer!

In 2010 I just ask for one thing,

Please don’t tell me we’re moving to Beijing!

Just for the record, you are one spunky old lady.

Nine years ago, you entered this world with zest.

Nine years later, you’re still running, jumping, and stealing everyone’s food.

You’re quite well traveled for a dog.  (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Florida, Indiana, The Four Corners, and The Caribbean, just in the last few years.)  In fact, if I didn’t know better, I would think you belonged to some spoiled kids that traveled anywhere and everywhere on a whim.  (But we know the truth . . . medical school did this to us.)

Everywhere we take you, heads turn and people ask lots of questions.  If it weren’t for you and Hannah and Dallin, I wouldn’t have any “conversations starters.”

Guess what?

The next adventure (meaning our next major move before our final major move in June) is in a few months.

We’re going to take you to all 50 states before you know it.

It doesn’t take much to persuade this dog.  A little hand fed food or snacks falling from your eating space will do it. Give her spit out leftovers and she will forever follow you from room to room, sit on your lap, and generally, be everywhere you are.

Food is the way into Paris’ heart.

That’s one smart boy we have. 

Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

While dreams of new ways to torture Paris danced in their heads.

When out in the sky there rose such a clatter,

I sprang from my computer to see what was the matter!

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Ripped open the door and almost dropped some cash!

But what to my wondering eyes should appear,

Large hot air balloons, so near!

We  pulled Hannah from her bed so fast,

We wanted her to see this, we knew it would not last.

The balloons were so colorful, so large, and so close,

Hannah pointed to all of them and said, “I like that one the most!”

Where are they going?  Why are they here?

Hannah yelled, “They’re going to the North Pole to visit Santa and his reindeer!”

There you have it.  This is exactly why hot air balloons were flying over our neighborhood in Kansas right around the 4th of July.  TO GET TO THE NORTH POLE OBVIOUSLY.

Really, we should all start thinking about Christmas in July.

Rung my doorbell?

Been greeted by the crew?

Have you ever been given  a royal welcome?

No?

Then you need to come.

I promise, my greeters won’t disappoint.

This scene might be lurking behind the door, waiting for you.  (The leggings, tutu and ballet slippers are considered “everyday wear” around here.)

But honestly, this is not a realistic scene.  Paris is WAY too curious to hold still that long.

I like to think of Paris like a sentinel.  Watching over our house.  Day and night.

But come on, who am I kidding?  The dog bolts at the first sign of trouble.  (Trouble meaning another dog barking at her.)

This is actually what happens when the doorbell rings.  If you’re new, (0r not) Paris has an unrestrained instinct to run toward you at full speed, jump up and kiss your face, and give you a through “sniff test.”

Makes you just want to come on over A.S.A.P. doesn’t it?

Our neighbor has the same camera we do, but different lenses.

I borrowed the Nikkor 50mm.

I think I want it.

Ahem . . .

I think I need it.

It’s great for portrait shots with a shallow depth of field.

It’s great at blurring the foreground and background and leaving your subject in focus.  It’s also great for low light setting because it has a quick shutter speed.

I shot some newly knitted hats with it.

I may have gone a little crazy making hats . . .  (I only photographed a small portion of what I’ve made.  David kind of makes fun of me for knitting so many hats, and I kind of pretend I can’t hear him when he tells me I’ve gone overboard.)

And shooting hats . . .

And when my knitting and photography hobbies collide, this is what you get.

Any other hobby suggestions?

Not regular needs if you catch my drift.

He works long hours, and never has a chance to eat.

Ever.

(Okay, well, sometimes he has five seconds here or there to eat something so I may have exaggerated a bit.)  He comes home starving after a long day in surgery with the most interesting stories.  Stories that make me gasp, (WHAT? YOU CUT OFF A GUYS LEG?) cover my mouth, (YOU CUT OUT A GROWTH HOW BIG?) and sometimes make me throw up a little bit in my mouth (YOU GIVE SHOTS IN THE KNEES?  EWE!).

He leaves early in the morning before the kids get up, (those of you who have kids know this is early because kids rise and shine early) and often returns home after they’ve gone to bed.

We miss him and love to share what little time he has.

After a “normal” day for him, (a day that would make most of us have post traumatic stress) he comes home to watch Hannah jump her little heart out, chat it up with the neighbors, and watch Paris run around the backyard.

(Hannah was jumping with all her might screaming, “Mommy!  I’m jumping CRAZY!”  She was so satisfied.)

(look at her tongue that is too big for her mouth!)

He even carves out a little time to shoot the breeze with me while watching our dog sleep.

I’m so glad he’s not going into surgery.

Killer hours.

Killer diet.

Killer for the family.

If David is looking for Paris or me, he knows that when he finds one, he’ll find the other.

This doesn’t bother me.  In fact, I love it.  It’s no secret that I’m her favorite.

We found this description of a Whippet on a website:

Whippets usually form a close bond with one person in the home.  This doesn’t mean that they don’t love everyone – they do – they just form a special attachment to one person.  They will follow this person everywhere – the bathroom, the shower, the kitchen, etc. – and look lovingly at them all the while.  Some find this behavior charming, others find it clingy and “needy.”  If you don’t want a shadow and/or a bony 30 pound lap dog, a Whippet is not a good choice for you.

This pretty much sums up my life.