I just flew in from Seattle and boy are my arms tired. The old jokes are the best aren’t they? I would predict that anyone who chuckled at my silly joke here also loves the movie Rat Race which is one of my all time favorites.

As some of my blog followers might know I’m recently back from Seattle from running (some might say jogging) the Seattle Rock-n-Roll Marathon. It was a great week off. We had perfect weather in Seattle which is nice since apparently it rained a lot here in Miami. I even saw a bald eagle along the course.

Welcome to Seattle

While I (Amy) was off running to my little hearts desire a lot was happening here in Miami. Weddings, Baptisms – and we (the fabulous Jady Team) were there.  Congratulations to the newly wed and newly Christened. Posts to follow today with your previews.

Until tomorrow – A

This is a random rambling to be sure. Today I ordered stamps from the post office online for the studio. They charge $1 for shipping which I understand and I appreciate that it’s a bargain price — but here’s the curious thing. It takes 10 days to get the stamps. The same thing is true if you order supplies – about 2 weeks. Wouldn’t you think it should be almost instant? I mean what could the hold up be? Don’t they make the stamps and deliver things every day? I’m sure there’s a reason and I’m not even complaining because I can plan ahead to accomodate this delay but I do think it’s a little curious.

Until tomorrow – A

I hope all my friends, family and of course fans had a wonderful father’s day.  We had a wonderful day at the Stone house. We started with a picnic outing to Fairchild that my daughter planned because it’s one of her father’s favorite local attractions. It was a very sweet thought and so we went ahead with it even though it’s not really the season for lolligagging in a tropical park unless your a lizard. Let’s just say it was really hot. We made it into the park selected a location and we sweated it out for about 20 minutes before we all agreed to pack it in and head to the next location on our agenda which definitely needed to be airconditioned. At one point, the lunacy of the scene gave me the giggles. There we were, sweaty, red-faced, and bug-bitten all in the attempt to have a father’s day picnic. We did fly a kite and saw a really big snapping turtle.

Next we went to the Children’s Museum which was fun and then home for a swim and a bar-b-que. A great time was had by all.

Of course, I always think of my dad on father’s day. He passed away a few years ago just before father’s day. My husband the poet wrote this inspired by the event of my dad’s passing.

Jim’s Foot

Jim’s foot stood sideways in the air, he was dead
and no more alone, thought his daughter, than before.
She stayed with the foot, avoided the balance of him.

She I.D.’d Jim by his foot, for the cop, eyes trapped.
In side view Jim’s balance unevenly draped
the bed, the sheets, which blushed, uneasy holding him.

Corner to corner, he laid, catawampus,
foot jutted, opened door, daughter framed,
spackling light cross his creases and hair.

Jim’s foot, with toe-tag ascot, pointed
at absence, said his stopped heart
used to stoke wet anger

in those nearest willing
little more than a murmur
to pump reds.

Jim was not grandly asleep, upright
in gentle chair, tableau vivant,
pillows against face, lips just apart.

Jim’s foot, cocked upward, stayed tense.
He was dead, saying to those not there
this is as high as I go, so look or not.

Until tomorrow – A

I’ve missed you guys (that comment is directed generally in the direction of all blog readers). It has been much too long since my last post. Of course, I haven’t been sitting around twiddling my thumbs.

I’ve been dragging my kiddos to swimming lessons which they love — once they get there. It’s only an hour a day but sheesh it does a number on my schedule. Also, all of my extremeties are covered with mosquito bites from sitting outdoors while they have their lessons. My munchkins go to Ann’s Swimming School and we’ve had good luck there in case anybody is curious. But we’re finished for the summer – today was graduation – quite exciting.

I’ve been battling the mosquitos all around. All this rain has filled up my bromeliads in the front yard and so it’s walk through at your own risk of being swarmed by mosquitos. Did I mention I *paid* a landscaper to plant these mosquito growing monstrocities in my front yard. Yikes. Once again my non-green thumb is out to get me. Earlier this week I went out for a morning run only to be swarmed by the hungry beasts and go fleeing back inside to spray with fully loaded cancer causing bug spray. As an unrelated rant how can we fly people to a space station wizzing around the planet and we can’t invent a spray that keeps those bugs away? When I went back out I then ran right into an enormous spider web — YUCK! Isn’t that one of the grossest feelings walking into a spiderweb? But I plodded onward and completed my run sneezing from the blooming or rotting mangos along the way. What fun we have in Miami in the summertime.

I did do something amazingly cool this week which was that I reconnected with a group of people I hadn’t seen in 10 years. Here’s the story. 10 years ago I was working for a firm and I was tapped by my bosses wife to help with a project. She had volunteered to put together a fundraising walk-a-thon for what was then called the National Alliance for Autism Reasearch (I think …) now its called Autism Speaks. So over the course of a month we put together this walk-a-thon something none of us knew anything about. We met in her living room and put together an event. We found a dj, got permits, made signs, painted feet on the park route and other random things. At the time it was the 2nd one ever and it set a fund raising record. That was my one and only time making it to the walk. But she’s coordinating the 10 year anniversary walk so she wanted to get the original team together. We met at their annual awards banquet and what was most amazing to me is how this event has exploded. This year they had 12,000 walkers and they are really doing amazing work. It was a nice feeling to know that I was a part of getting something like that started. Of course, now I’ve volunteered to help this year so you’ll hear more about it I’m sure.

Is that enough randomness for this post?

Did you know Father’s Day is around the corner? Do not buy another tie for the father in your life. Well, okay if it’s a nice tie — go ahead.

Here’s a sample of a father’s day session we did the other day here in the studio. Give us a call if you’d like to set one up for your kiddos and the father in your life. Notice the cool new blue paper — I’m reaching into new areas of color now that I have my incredibly awesome paper rack.

have iphone will do business

big brother helps lil sis put on daddy’s shirt

This might be a bit big for me

We did some others with more kiddos and I’ll preview those in a while. But that’s it for today.

Have a nice weekend. Avoid the Mosquitos. – A

I have been running around a lot lately. It’s the end of my kid’s school year which is an endless series of performances, parties and celebrations. It is wonderful but I have begun to feel like it is a great big black hole consuming all of my time since I’m very busy and yet my to do list is just getting longer and longer.

Nonetheless, here is why I love my job. As a photography student one of the “rules” was to always have your camera with you and ready to do. I don’t always do that well but today I had my camera at the ready (you’ll see why in a moment) sitting on my pasenger seat in the car when I came across one of my neighbors. I love to see the wild peacocks. My kids actually call the drive to school the peacock safari.

peacock

My school trip today was because my daughter is graduating from preschool. I know … a big day. It was mega cuteness to be sure. Here she is in her hand crafted mortar board- holding her very first diploma. Notice her fellow academics using their diplomas for spyglasses Also important to note in this image is my daughter’s hair. Two days ago she gave herself a haircut – she cut those bangs herself with her craft scissors and honestly I think she did a pretty good job. We are however in the market for a real hair cut for her. If you have recommendations let me know.

graduation

And then I was off and on the run for an assignment that took me back to my photojournalistic roots. A semi-editorial portrait assignment. I can’t preview that one here but as always I got to meet some interesting people. It took me downtown and that’s always an adventure. I only got slightly lost.

Until tomorrow – A

It’s been a crazy busy week. All in a great way. Yesterday, Jady Images participated in the Ladies Night Out event at The Falls shopping mall which was a lot of fun. If I didn’t see you there we’ll catch you at the next event. It was great to meet new people.  We were showcasing the new Diva’s Night Out parties and it got a great response. One of my favorite stories was from a wonderful woman who stopped to show me her wallet photo of her grandson (who was very cute) and right next to that image in her wallet was a picture of her when she had been Miss Miami Beach back in the day. It made me smile and I have shared it with others because it’s such a sweet story.

You might have noticed a lag in the blog posts I’ve been super busy. In part it’s because we’re closing in on wrapping up the school year so there are lot’s of things happening at preschool which always makes for a busy week.  Yesterday was the end of year ballet show and so the image I’ll share today is of my little ballerina.

Until tomorrow – A

This is something I’m sharing from a site that I found and of course, I subscribed to the email feed from it. I get a lot of email junk mail but usually it is stuff that I want to get. I’m strange like that. I think of it as market research. It used to drive my husband batty when we shared an email … now that it’s sequestered into my own account what he doesn’t know doesn’t bother him. So this is from Working Mom Lifeline.

Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.
–Unknown

Now….this is good. How many times have you given yourself permission for “ME TIME?” How many times have you planned or scheduled in time just for yourself? And how many times has someone else schedule it in for you?

The truth is that you need to make yourself a priority. Period. Just like your kids and family are priorities, just like your job (and the accompanying paycheck) is a priority, so too much YOU be a priority.

And believe us, waiting around for someone else, even the most loving spouse or  significant other in the world, to do it for you is a surefire recipe for, well, not making yourself a priority.

Keep it simple and stay consistent. Grab small chunks of time here and there. Go to a coffee place for half an hour and read your favorite magazine or the book that’s had the same bookmark on page 82 for years now. Just grab it when and where you can and constantly remind yourself that grabbing it is your priority.

Now…isn’t that better?

You can find them here.

Until tomorrow – A

This weekend we were doing the Stone family car shuffle. It all started with a new car coming home on Wednesday – that’s always fun. But don’t get too excited this is a very non-exciting car because we have an up and coming teenage driver — AACK!

Here’s the sentimental part of the story. Now we’re turning in the “w.” That’s our family nickname for the car we ended up with when my dad passed away. The lease is up and it needed to go through it’s final check or something at the dealership. Some of you already know that my dad died from heart disease almost 3 years ago. It wasn’t unexpected and in fact this car was one of his fun things he did because he knew that his days could be numbered. I remember when he called and asked if I thought it was a good idea to splurge for the car and I said — yes, absolutely if you think it will bring you joy. It did. He tracked it as it came accross the ocean on the boat and he obsessed about every detail in the car. He filled the tires with nitrogen which was a running joke with my brother. He became a hot item in the senior community where he lived with one nice lady even knocking on his door and asking if that was his convertible parked in the lot and would he call her friend (he didn’t – he was shy). He also forced my sister-in-law to ride with the top down all the way to the keys which was not so much fun for her. Turning in this car is about the last step in closing out his estate (with the obvious exception of the fact that we still have his apartment but that’s a non-starter at the moment). So, it’s a bittersweet moment. It was honestly about the least practical car we could possibly have since we have 2 kids in car seats at the moment. Although it did make good jokes when my husband and I would go out on a date and then we’d put the top down in our little roadster and there were the oh so cool car seats. Lots of smiles at the valet stand, for sure. But it did make for excellent peacock hunting on the way to preschool since we could put the top down. So, while I’m sorry to see it go — it’s time. Goodbye “w.” In the words of my late dad, “overboard!”

Here are my kids playing in the backseat after the car seats were out. My plan was to take a picture of us the ultra coolies in the convertible with the kids in the back but … my hubby was too quick for me.

Kids playing in the car

On the up side – I did get to drive the loaner over the weekend. That was awesome. New cars are great – new Bmw’s are particularly spectacular, in my opinion. We had the loaner because the family truckster made it’s third trip to have the air conditioning fixed. I’m hoping this one sticks. I’m not complaining because it’s the only repair the car has ever really had but it is a bit much that it has taken three tries.

Here’s the cute part of the message. With all this confusion and car swapping going on we didn’t get to pick up the truck until Sunday afternoon. When we pull up in the shiny new car it was as if my children during their 2 day separation from the truck had been cut off from some life source how excited they were to see the big blue family mobile. I mean this truck is more like a goldfish crumb storage unit crossed with a movie theater than a car at this point. It’s been on one too many cross country drives to really ever come clean.  And still, my daughter jumped out of the car against the protests of my husband and dashed to my side. My son (who has the disadvantage of still being in the 5 point gizmo he cannot undo himself) was in tears that he couldn’t get into the old car until his father let him hold his lemonade – which seemed to make him forget what he was unhappy about. Nice save I thought on my husband’s part. All this fuss for a whopping 3 minute ride home. It just goes to show you that new and clean just might not be better than older and comfy.

And that was my weekend. Until tomorrow – A

So, today I made a typo in my facebook status. oops. Seems like I should be able to update those 10 or so words without a typo but nope. So, instead I’ve declared my self queen of typos.

Speaking of facebook – if you’re bouncing around fb looking for something to do you can become a fan of Jady Images. I know it’s what you’ve always wanted to do.

Today I’m thinking about Cuba. I am not Cuban so I don’t have official opinions about anything but recently when we were in the airport going to Minnesota we walked by not just one but 2 flights leaving from Miami to Cuba. That was kind of cool because it’s not something I’d ever seen before.

So today’s photo is one is not one from today because I spent all morning screening assistant applicants. Did you know we’re hiring? Now you do. Instead this image is one I took a few weeks ago when I was off confering at a conference with other photographers and learning how to be even more of a rockstar than I already am

Until tomorrow – A

I’ve been gone … my avid blog followers may have noticed that there was a dip in posts. I always think I’ll be able to keep up on the posting while I’m gone and yet … it gets away from me. Strangely the same thing happens with my working out on my own … the best of intentions and then it gets away from me. Ahhh … maybe it’s me — no, couldn’t be.

So, where was I? Well first I went to a photography conference over on the west coast. That was great. I met some cool folks, learned some new tricks, laughed until I almost pee’d at a pirate. Saw in person that a 4×6 softbox is in fact much bigger than I am (duh!).

Then I did a rapid turnaround – and was off with the family to Minnesota where I visited with my brother and met his new baby. It actually snowed our second day there. It was a HUGE HIT with my sun babies. They sledded down the hill in the back yard and we had a jolly old time. It was a great trip. After 4 days in Minnesota my entire body was lacking in moisture – we all had chapped lips and statically charged hair which is always funny. There are no images unfortunately from  that trip because even though I take a camera everywhere I have not found a way to take all of my luggage and everything without being really grumpy. So, I traveled light with only the flip. If I can figure out how to post a video I’ll put it up because my neice and nephew are really cute.

Now – it’s back to work. Hmmm…where is the to do list.

A