Friday, February 27, 2009
BTW
Gavin has been walking for about 2.5 weeks! So much for keeping updated with all the major milestones. Man I am lazy. I couldn't even be bother to type out By The Way in the title of this post. I'll do better. After I take a nap.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The photo shoot that wasn't
Gavin always looks handsome to me. I should have cropped my back-side from this. Oops.
This sums up how Claire felt about the whole thing.
The only one where they are sort of both looking in the same direction.
Fake smile from me because I was mostly irritated.
We've been tossing around the idea of having someone take photos of the kids, possibly on the beach. After some consideration, we decided to scrap that idea and do a photo shoot of them ourselves. My mom has a real knack for photography and since my kids are so
perfect and well-behaved, it would be like Annie Leibowitz meets Anne Geddes meets completely free. Hmm.
We took them to Selby Gardens since we have so many beach pics already, and S.G is a lovely setting where I am sure lots of great pictures have been taken. Not so much ours. Despite the double-barreled bribe/threat approach (if this goes well, we can go to the playground/if you keep that up we won't be going to the playground. (complete with the annoying mom standard: Well, I guess you just don't want to go to the playground then...)) the children just weren't up for it. Claire did her best, but the fake smile reigned and any suggestion that it wasn't her usual smile was met with some very fierce faces indeed. Gavin couldn't keep his hands out of his mouth, to say nothing of the various leaves, berries, seeds etc he found scattered about the place. And getting them together, looking at the camera at the same time was virtually impossible. We did get a few nice shots, but not the portfolio we envisioned.
I haven't done any portraits of Gavin. I'm not really the take a portrait every month type of person, nor can I afford it, but I've had at least a couple of Claire done over her four years. I prefer natural, relaxed settings over a studio, but after this experience, maybe getting them into a small, restricted space where they will have no choice but to look perfect and adorable and will gaze into the camera, Claire's hand protectively across Gavin's shoulder, him leaning gently into her - a perfect beacon of brotherly-sisterly love, quite unlike this:
perfect and well-behaved, it would be like Annie Leibowitz meets Anne Geddes meets completely free. Hmm.
We took them to Selby Gardens since we have so many beach pics already, and S.G is a lovely setting where I am sure lots of great pictures have been taken. Not so much ours. Despite the double-barreled bribe/threat approach (if this goes well, we can go to the playground/if you keep that up we won't be going to the playground. (complete with the annoying mom standard: Well, I guess you just don't want to go to the playground then...)) the children just weren't up for it. Claire did her best, but the fake smile reigned and any suggestion that it wasn't her usual smile was met with some very fierce faces indeed. Gavin couldn't keep his hands out of his mouth, to say nothing of the various leaves, berries, seeds etc he found scattered about the place. And getting them together, looking at the camera at the same time was virtually impossible. We did get a few nice shots, but not the portfolio we envisioned.
I haven't done any portraits of Gavin. I'm not really the take a portrait every month type of person, nor can I afford it, but I've had at least a couple of Claire done over her four years. I prefer natural, relaxed settings over a studio, but after this experience, maybe getting them into a small, restricted space where they will have no choice but to look perfect and adorable and will gaze into the camera, Claire's hand protectively across Gavin's shoulder, him leaning gently into her - a perfect beacon of brotherly-sisterly love, quite unlike this:
Yes, I always have high hopes. And yes, we did go to the playground.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
25 Things Redux: Sugarluxe Artist Chandra Michaels Edition
So this thing has been around the world and back, even garnering a snarky article in Time Magazine. Whatever. I find it gratifying to know details about people, no matter how inconsequential, and enjoy the order and conciseness of lists...so different from the way I actually live my life.
I am changing things up just a little here by posting a 25 Things list about someone else, specifically Chandra Michaels, the artist behind brand Sugarluxe, and a wonderful friend. Sure, she's done her own FB list, but this one will show how she looks through my eyes.
So, here goes:
1. It's not just an act. She really is that nice.
2. It's not Photoshop. She really is that beautiful.
3. The combination of the above traits make her prey to more stalkers and crazies than I can remember.
4. She is very loyal. Having been betrayed by close "friends" before (hey, jealousy...), she is intensely devoted to those who stand by her...even if she is often too busy to be in day-to-day contact.
5. Busy though may she be, Chandra still knows how to make a little girl's whole week by coming to the big gymnastics show.
6. She has always been attracted to rock-n-roll bad boys. Even when they are 80, she will look at Bob and see him on stage with his guitar, swinging his long hair around, making the groupies swoon.
7. I watched a guy at a store actually fall over in his attempts to get a better look at Chandra as she walked by. It was damn funny, and sort of surreal. (Especially since we were in Michael's. Why was he on the prowl at a Michael's anyway?)
8. Many people have the mistaken assumption that things have always fallen into her lap. Sure, the combination of beauty and talent is a blessing, but there is a hell of a lot of hard work, more sacrifice than most people are willing to make and long, long dedicated hours behind all the "luck" she is perceived as having.
9. This may be a love fest, but I am not one of the aforementioned stalkers/crazy people.
10. The first part of her name is pronounced like chance, the last part should be easy enough. It's not Shondra. Not Chaundra. Not Shandra. It's not hard, but so many people just can't seem to get it right.
11. Chandra is not crazy about swimming, but can rock a bikini.
12. She will make an awesome mother in the as yet undetermined, but not-too-distant future.
13. Chandra has a dry and quirky sense of humor. And she thinks I am funny, so clearly she is really, really smart.
14. She sees more in people than they see in themselves. And draws it out of them.
15. She lived in Joe Walsh's house when she was out in LA, a fact belied by her questionable affinity for pop music.
16. Despite appearances, Chandra is not perfect. The next part of the list is not so pretty...
17. She should eat a healthier diet and not get so wrapped up in work that she forgets to eat at all. "Baco" Bit sandwiches are not part of any food group. Nor are packets of sauce from Chick-Fil-A.
18. She has more medical stuff happen than anyone else I have met...from the terrible to the mundane. On the plus side, I have inherited any number of cosmetic products after they turned her face bright red and splotchy.
19. She is a workaholic. At least now she is working insane amounts for her own business's success, but even back in the old days of corporate drudgery, she put in way more time and effort than those corporations deserved or appreciated.
20. Umm, I can't think of anything else in the not-so-perfect category and number 17 and 19 are not so bad since the results are thin and successful...hmmm.
21. Chandra is a really good friend. One time when I called her to tell her about some bad news I received, she was in such a rush to come support me that Bob had to tell her to slow down and put on some pants.
22. I feel so incredibly proud when I see Sugarluxe items being worn by people out and about. Also when I see Sugarluxe items for sale in national retail stores. Sure hip boutiques have more cachet, but there is something about knowing the artwork is being seen by every Tina, Diane and Harriet in one of the gazillion Bed, Bath and Beyond stores across the country that makes me puff up with pride, like I had something to do with it!
23. February 14th marks the 4th anniversary of Sugarluxe. Cheers!
24. Chandra is celebrating by offering free Sugarluxe goods throughout the month of February. Check the Sugarluxe blog to find out more.
25. After this admittedly sycophantic but, and I say this with the utter conviction of the subjective, undeniably true list, I should automatically be a recipient of some sweet Sugarluxe bounty. Alas, Chandra's high-faluting ethics will prevent her from just naming me the winner and I will just have to throw my name into the sparkly tiara and hope I score. Uh-oh! Maybe I am one of the stalker/crazies after all...
I am changing things up just a little here by posting a 25 Things list about someone else, specifically Chandra Michaels, the artist behind brand Sugarluxe, and a wonderful friend. Sure, she's done her own FB list, but this one will show how she looks through my eyes.
So, here goes:
1. It's not just an act. She really is that nice.
2. It's not Photoshop. She really is that beautiful.
3. The combination of the above traits make her prey to more stalkers and crazies than I can remember.
4. She is very loyal. Having been betrayed by close "friends" before (hey, jealousy...), she is intensely devoted to those who stand by her...even if she is often too busy to be in day-to-day contact.
5. Busy though may she be, Chandra still knows how to make a little girl's whole week by coming to the big gymnastics show.
6. She has always been attracted to rock-n-roll bad boys. Even when they are 80, she will look at Bob and see him on stage with his guitar, swinging his long hair around, making the groupies swoon.
7. I watched a guy at a store actually fall over in his attempts to get a better look at Chandra as she walked by. It was damn funny, and sort of surreal. (Especially since we were in Michael's. Why was he on the prowl at a Michael's anyway?)
8. Many people have the mistaken assumption that things have always fallen into her lap. Sure, the combination of beauty and talent is a blessing, but there is a hell of a lot of hard work, more sacrifice than most people are willing to make and long, long dedicated hours behind all the "luck" she is perceived as having.
9. This may be a love fest, but I am not one of the aforementioned stalkers/crazy people.
10. The first part of her name is pronounced like chance, the last part should be easy enough. It's not Shondra. Not Chaundra. Not Shandra. It's not hard, but so many people just can't seem to get it right.
11. Chandra is not crazy about swimming, but can rock a bikini.
12. She will make an awesome mother in the as yet undetermined, but not-too-distant future.
13. Chandra has a dry and quirky sense of humor. And she thinks I am funny, so clearly she is really, really smart.
14. She sees more in people than they see in themselves. And draws it out of them.
15. She lived in Joe Walsh's house when she was out in LA, a fact belied by her questionable affinity for pop music.
16. Despite appearances, Chandra is not perfect. The next part of the list is not so pretty...
17. She should eat a healthier diet and not get so wrapped up in work that she forgets to eat at all. "Baco" Bit sandwiches are not part of any food group. Nor are packets of sauce from Chick-Fil-A.
18. She has more medical stuff happen than anyone else I have met...from the terrible to the mundane. On the plus side, I have inherited any number of cosmetic products after they turned her face bright red and splotchy.
19. She is a workaholic. At least now she is working insane amounts for her own business's success, but even back in the old days of corporate drudgery, she put in way more time and effort than those corporations deserved or appreciated.
20. Umm, I can't think of anything else in the not-so-perfect category and number 17 and 19 are not so bad since the results are thin and successful...hmmm.
21. Chandra is a really good friend. One time when I called her to tell her about some bad news I received, she was in such a rush to come support me that Bob had to tell her to slow down and put on some pants.
22. I feel so incredibly proud when I see Sugarluxe items being worn by people out and about. Also when I see Sugarluxe items for sale in national retail stores. Sure hip boutiques have more cachet, but there is something about knowing the artwork is being seen by every Tina, Diane and Harriet in one of the gazillion Bed, Bath and Beyond stores across the country that makes me puff up with pride, like I had something to do with it!
23. February 14th marks the 4th anniversary of Sugarluxe. Cheers!
24. Chandra is celebrating by offering free Sugarluxe goods throughout the month of February. Check the Sugarluxe blog to find out more.
25. After this admittedly sycophantic but, and I say this with the utter conviction of the subjective, undeniably true list, I should automatically be a recipient of some sweet Sugarluxe bounty. Alas, Chandra's high-faluting ethics will prevent her from just naming me the winner and I will just have to throw my name into the sparkly tiara and hope I score. Uh-oh! Maybe I am one of the stalker/crazies after all...
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Clowning Around
We went to Circus Sarasota yesterday. Sarasota is rich with circus history as it was the winter headquarters for Ringling brothers for many years. Lots of Ringling this, Ringling that around town. The local high school even has circus as part of its curriculum. (To be clear, there are not a bunch of carnies running around town. That I've seen anyway.)
Circus Sarasota is an not-for-profit organization that seeks to preserve some of the city's circus legacy through an annual performance and education and outreach throughout the year. Fortunately, it's not the we-poke-animals-with-sharp-sticks circus, but rather showcases really incredible human tricks. This year's featured performer is well-known (by some) clown Bello Nock who is from an old Sarasota circus family. He has been out with the big circus for a while, but is back in Sarasota for this year's show.
We had ringside seats...front-row view of all the action. Gavin was so good throughout the performance. It held his attention for the most part, and he sat quietly on my lap. Claire was spell-bound. She ooh'ed and aah'ed, screamed and laughed. When Bello fell from the trapeze and appeared to be landing right on top of us, my protective mothering instincts took over and I covered Gavin's eyes. Because that would protect him from being squashed by a clown, right? Weird.
In the intermission, Claire got her face painted. She has always said no to getting her face painted, so this was a first. There were so many options to choose from, including lots of cats/other animals. Nope. Claire chose the one called "Showgirl". Considering she spends most of her day pretending she is a cat, or sometimes a puppy, I was really pushing for an animal but "Showgirl" it was. It turned out really well, although at a certain angle, she looked a bit like Spock. Several grandparentish folks gathered around as she was getting it done and I got compliments on how lovely she is. And here I thought I was biased...I guess not. :)
It was a wonderful afternoon and just a great performance. Nice to know that the proceeds go back into the community, so not only did we enjoy ourselves, but we are also total do-gooders.
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