Lindsay + Richard: Married in Omaha, NE

I always say that one of the best things about being a photographer is that I have the opportunity to make new friends along the way. I typically spend quite a bit of time with my clients, especially my wedding couples, giving us the opportunity to develop a relationship which often goes beyond the day the prints are delivered.

Such is the case with Richard and Lindsay.

I first met them over a year ago, when Lindsay contacted me about doing their engagement photos in San Antonio. That session was one of the best I'd ever done and the reason was crystal clear-they allowed me free reign to do what I wished. They set aside plenty of time to go from location to location, brought several clothing changes, allowed me to choose their outfits, and followed direction like nobody's business.

By the end of the day I was dying to shoot their wedding, but didn't think it likely since it would take place in Omaha, NE. Little did I know, Lindsay wanted me to shoot it just as much. So we planned, emailed, lunched and schemed. I think it took some time to convince her dad of the necessity of flying someone in, but eventually he agreed and things were set.

So last weekend I, along with my friend and second-shooter Gina, flew to Nebraska to capture the moments, details and emotions of Lindsay and Richard's beautiful day. As is their modus operandi, I was given complete freedom to shoot exactly what I wanted. I arrived on Friday night to photograph their intimate rehearsal dinner with family and friends, then woke the next morning to capture the bride and her attendants getting their hair and make-up done, then continued shooting as Richard saw his bride for the first time during an emotional and beautiful First Look. Next, I carried my camera through the rain as we ran through the streets of downtown Omaha doing portraits (yes, this was ON their wedding day, BEFORE the wedding), then photographed the family pictures, the ceremony and finally the beautiful and detailed reception.

But we still weren't finished.

The next morning, just after dawn, Lindsay donned her gown once more, woke Richard and the three of us set out together, along with her father at the wheel, toward the rolling hills and picturesque barns of Iowa, to capture still more amazing images in a slammin' Rock the Frock session.

I am completly aware that by now you simply want to see the images of their day, so without any further delay, here they are:

The weekend began with the rehearsal and dinner, which Jerry, the father of the bride, hosted on the backyard patio of his fabulous home in Council Bluffs, IA. He incorporated the best of Iowa into the soiree, with a catered BBQ'd pork dinner, pumpkins and gourds in baskets, a warm fire pit and plenty of friends and family:



The highlight of the evening was when Jerry presented Lindsay and Richard with custom made cowboy boots for each of them, along with a story detailing the signifigance of each carefully chosen symbol; the date of their wedding in Roman Numerals, a pin-up girl to represent Lindsays days as a USO girl, a Harley Davidson mortorcycle because that is Richard's passion, plus countless others.





The ceremony and reception were held at the majestic Magnolia Hotel, near the historic district of Omaha.



The details and colors were exquisite:








Lindsay, you are beautiful.


Richard and Lindsay chose to do a First Look session, something I always recommend. It was a sweet moment, one that I believe they will cherish for the rest of their lives:






Because they chose to see each other before the ceremony, we had plenty of time to roam the streets of Omaha, with Lindsay and Richard looking fabulous every step of the way:







Almost as soon as we started shooting, it began to rain.

Lindsay, however, was undeterred. Directly across the street was Blue, her #1 sushi spot. Dashing across the cobblestone street, we ducked inside and took advantage of the colorful, contemporary decor:





Exploring every corner of the restaurant, we ventured upstairs, where we were delighted to find a Buda set against an amazing brick wall and next to a light-filled window.




As the hour for the ceremony approached, family and guests waited inside the hotel as the rain continued to fall:








With only a few minutes to go the rain stopped, allowing the hotel staff to quickly dry the seats.




Then, in a moment that only happens in movies, the sun began to shine moments before Lindsay made her appearance on the arm of her father:














The reception was stunning, every detail a testament to Lindsays exquisite taste:












And now my favorite part of the entire weekend--Lindsay's Rock the Frock session. Richard is an absolute doll for agreeing to this. I think they both rocked the hell out of these images:


Richard adores Lindsay, you can see it and feel it each time he looks at her:



Rawr:







I am so happy to know both of you, and honored to have been there to capture your day. Keep me posted on your new lives in Georgia!

To see a slideshow of images, click here.

Sneak Peak

I spent an amazing weekend with my best friend/second shooter Gina, shooting a fabulous wedding in Omaha, NE. I am busy editing the files, but I have two ready that I can share. I'll post the entire gallery along with the story of their day as soon as I can.

Herrera Lifestyle Photography Session-San Antonio, TX

I did a handful of shoots last week while in San Antonio. Here is one of them:



More to come!

Ben Stein's Final Column

My husband sent this to me today in an email, and I want to share it with you.




For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column called 'Monday Night At Morton's.' (Morton's is a famous chain of Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from around the globe.) Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your time.

Ben Stein's Last Column...

How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?

As I begin to write this, I 'slug' it, as we writers say, which means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is 'eonline FINAL,' and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started... I loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never end.

It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the world's change have overtaken it... On a small scale, Morton's, while better than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton's is not the star galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.

Beyond that, a bigger change has happened..? I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.

How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane luxury really be a star in today's world, if by a 'star' we mean someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails..

They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any longer. A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit , Iraq He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.

A real star is the U.S. soldier who was sent to disarm a bomb next to a road north of Baghdad . He approached it, and the bomb went off and killed him..

A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a piece of unexploded ordnance on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and threw himself on it just as it exploded. He left a family desolate in California and a little girl alive in Baghdad

The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists.

We put couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our magazines... The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but stand on guard in Afghanistan and Iraq and on ships and in submarines and near the Arctic Circle are anonymous as they live and die.

I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton's is a big subject.

There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament...the policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive; the orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery; the teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children; the kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.

Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the World Trade Center as the towers began to collapse. Now you have my idea of a real hero.

I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a comic as Steve Martin or Martin Mull or Fred Willard--or as good an economist as Samuelson or Friedman or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even remotely close to any of them.

But, I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all, a good son to the parents who had done so much for me. This came to be my main task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife and well indeed with my parents (with my sister's help). I cared for and paid attention to them in their declining years. I stayed with my father as he got sick, went into extremis and then into a coma and then entered immortality with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.

This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in Iraq or the firefighters in New York I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help others He has placed in my path. This is my highest and best use as a human

Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.


By Ben Stein




We truly take a lot for granted.

Forget the Hollywood 'stars' and the sports 'heroes' ......and pass this on=

Phoenix Lifestyle Photography Contest Winner!

Or should I say...WINNERS!!!

I apologize from the bottom of my heart for taking so long to announce the outcome of the contest. The thing is, I was stumped for days. Two of the submissions were very similar, but the first one was submitted by "anonymous" so I got hung up on that. Then, I had a late submission that I LOVED, but since it was late I couldn't decide if it should count or not. I mean after all, there might have been others who didn't enter at all because the deadline had passed. But on the other hand, that person (the late submitter) had submitted one on time, she just didn't really read the rules and so decided to edit it. So what to do, what to do...

Shoot all three, thats what!!! Yes, I'm going to do all of them. Well, if I ever find out who "anonymous" is, I will.

I loved all three ideas. So, if you are one of the three people who sent in a contest entry, congratulations! Just call or email me so that we can set up a date for your Lifestyle Shoot.

See you soon!!

Mesquite High School Homecoming '09

My daughter, D, went to her first dance at her new high school here in AZ tonight, in fact she is there now as I sit here waiting for her to get home. She looked fabulous, I must say, even though I'm her mom and obviously a bit partial. Ah, but I have proof-

Is this not a gorgeous girl?



Her date, RJ, was gorgeous as well. But more about him later, here are a few more of my girl:




OK, back to RJ. I thought he looked fantastic:


How can you NOT return that smile? I bet his mother just melts when he flashes it at her:






Here are all the girls:




And the boys:


And the paparazzi parents:





And here is the whole group:


My youngest daughter M wanted a picture with her Sissy:


I couldn't let her go without getting a picture of the two of us, and as you can see G snuck into the shot:


Only 30 minutes until she gets home, and then we'll stay up for an hour as I listen to the details and dramas of the evening. I hope she is having fun, and I hope she is staying safe.

To see the entire gallery of images, click here, then on Mesquite Homecoming.

One Week Only-Fall Sessions in San Antonio!

I am thrilled to announce that I'll be in San Antonio for one week to do as many fall sessions as I can for my dear clients back home.

When: Oct. 11-16, morning and afternoon sessions are available.
Where: You chose the place-the park, your home, a pumpkin patch. As long as I can drive there within an hour from San Antonio, its all good.
What you get: A family lifestyle session and a CD of your final images. Plus your images are posted online to share with friends and family.
How much? This is the best part! I am offering a discount of $100 off my usual fee of $300. So not only am I coming halfway across the country for you, I'm doing it for less than ever before.

Lets get some images of your family in time to get those Christmas cards out this year. We can do it!

For more information or to secure your slot, call me at 210-602-1490 or email Leah@EverAfterbyLeah.com I am hoping to see as many San Antonio faces as I can during my short week home.

Ever After Contest!

I love a good contest, so its time to host one for my new Arizona friends. The prize-a FREE Ever After Lifestyle Family Session! To enter, put your session suggestion in the comment section of this post. I'm looking for the most interesting session-for example:

"We want pictures of our family while we fish together from our backyard" (if you happen to live on a lake).

or

"We would like you to photograph us during the Halloween season while the kids pick out pumpkins at the Pumpkin patch."

or

"I'd love to have photographs of my daughter at one of her soccer games."

The key to a successful Lifestyle shoot is that your family needs to be engaged in an activity together, it can be something exciting and fun, or relaxed, but the thing I'm not looking for is posed pictures at a park or in your home (although of course we'll get some of those, too). The activity needs to take place within 25 miles of Gilbert ,and can occur anytime within the next six weeks. You will get a free session and a CD of all final images, to print anywhere that you choose. This is a $300 value!

But wait, there's more...everyone who enters qualifies for an automatic 50% discount if you book the session that you describe.

This contest was super popular last year-I recieved dozens of entries and had an incredibly difficult time choosing the winner. Check out last years winning entry:

"We love Gruene, Texas. Prior to having kids, Jonah and I spent many weekends there listenting to live music and staying at the Gruene Mansion Inn for a mini-getaway. It is still a place we love to take the boys on Friday afternoons to listen to the sound checks at Gruene Hall or have a frosty beverage at the Grist Mill while the boys play in the open field. The kids love to get a scoop of ice cream or a candy stick from the General Store. So, I thought it would be fun to have a "Tour of Gruene" session, with pictures doing our favorite things there: dipping our toes in the river, eating ice cream on the stools at the General Store, playing pool with the boys and listening/dancing to music at the Gruene Hall, spinning under the stars in the open field by the Grist Mill, etc. I think it would be fun to celebrate our Texas roots with pictures with the boys in Gruene. "

And here is the slideshow from Marilyn's ultra-fab shoot:




The contest will run for one week, so get your Lifestyle Session suggestion to me by Monday, Sept. 27, 2009.

Good luck!

How to find what you want on Craigslist

I've been asked four times now how I find things on Craigslist. I admit, it was a bit intimidating at first because of how many items there are and how often things get posted, but now I've kinda got it down to a science. Keep reading if you are interested in scoring some fabulous finds for next-to-nothin'.

First, it helps to know exactly what you are looking for, otherwise you will be completly overwhelmed by the amount of items that are listed each day. One of my best purchases in recent months was the dining table and chairs that I am in the process of recovering and painting. When I logged onto the Craigslist site to begin my search, I already knew that I was looking for a sturdy dining set with at least 6 chairs for $200 or less. Here is how I did it:

Once on the site, I go straight to "Furniture" and then enter my parameters in the seach box at the top of the page. I make sure to look under "Furniture-by owner" and not "by dealer", because the dealer items are usually just put there to get you into their store, where they will typically tell you the item has been sold, but they have others for just a bit more $$. I don't have time to weed through all that foolishness, so "by owner" works for me. Next, under "search for" I enter "dining set," then I put $200 in the max price field, and finally check the "has image" box.

Now every post with "dining set" in the title or body of the post will be listed, and they will all have a picture (some better than others!) and all will be less than $200. I don't usually find what I'm looking for the first time or two, so I check back every day (or several times a day, LOL) until I see something that will work.

I then call the person who listed the item, and arrange a time to see it. Many times it has been sold by the time I call, in which case I go back and start again.

I've used Craigslist to buy a coffee table, an end table, a dryer, a dining set and a rug. I've sold a dining table, a dryer and given away boxes and paper after our move. I think it is the ultimate recycling venue and most certainly worth the time it takes to use. If you enjoy garage sales and flea-markets, you will love Craigslist. Try it and let me know how it goes.

Tutu Cute-Part Two

This morning, as I waited for my daughter M to finish up her pre-school class at the community center here in Gilbert, I saw a few adorable little girlie-girls skip out of their ballet class, pink slippers in hand. My heart squeezed at the sight of them-I adore ballerinas.

My first thought was that I wished I had my camera. I'd capture them walking hand-in-hand with their mommies, a little "slice-of-life" shot in black and white. But even if I had it with me, I couldn't get away with photographing the children of strangers.

So my second thought was a good one-it's time for another TuTu Cute Mini Session! It was a huge hit back in San Antonio, and now that the weather is starting to cool off I think Phoenix is ready.





Each Tutu Cute Mini-Session will last about one hour, giving us plenty of time to get a full range of fun, touching, and creative images.




The cost is $200, which includes the session fee and a CD of approximately 50 images which you can use to print, email, digitally enhance and share online with friends and family. As a mini-session client, you will also get a 10% discount off of the items in your personally designed Artisan Collection.




The session date has not yet been set, but I will only have four slots available so please don't hesitate to contact me for more information. Beacuse I am still new to the area, I'd love to hear from anyone who has a location suggestion! I can be reached at 210-602-1490 or email Leah@EverAfterbyLeah.com. Hope to hear from you soon!

White Painted Table-Part One

Oh my-its been a looong time since my last blog post. I don't know if its because I have too much to say, or not enough.

So far, I am loving everything about Arizona. I never thought I'd find another city with people as friendly as those in my hometown of San Antonio, but Gilbert seems to be the winner. We've made friends so quickly! I've gone to lunch twice with new friends, started walking every morning at 6 AM with one of them, and Heather, the mom of one of the cutest boys I've ever met, took M for the entire day on Friday so that I could have a day to myself. Is that awesome or WHAT!!!

So, what did I do all day long? I painted a dining table! I bought it just before we left Texas, along with 6 chairs that I plan to recover. The table was just the right size for our family, the chairs were sturdy and gorgeous, and the entire set was a steal at $200.

I have wanted a white dining set for ages. Check out some of my inspiration photos:

The chairs are pretty similar to these, except mine have a rattan back instead of fabric:

I love the detailing on this table, but it's a little too fussy for how we live:

This Pottery Barn table is fabulous:

Can you tell that I love pedestal based tables?

This table is the one I am trying to copy. It's a closeup of the Pottery Barn table above, but without the leaf. Note the creamy finish and the darker colored detailing. I really hope I can pull this off:

Here is my table:

You can't tell, but it has a double pedestal base:


A close look reveals the water damage:


And the stained fabric on the chairs:


I really believe I can fix those problems, and get the dining set of my dreams for under $300.

My first step was to sand the bad spots, then prime.


It wasn't necessary to sand the entire table, because the primer that I used, Zinnser's BullsEye 1-2-3, covers glossy surfaces. I did two thin coats, applied with a foam roller on the table top and a brush on the sides and legs.



So far, so good! Now that the table is primed, I'll let it cure for a week before painting with my color of choice-Valspar's Off White in a satin finish. Its a creamy and dreamy white, the color of melted vanilla ice-cream. When that's done, I'll post part two. Until then, we'll be eating our meals outside. Hopefully it doesn't rain at dinner time this week!

The Weather is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful

In response to those of you who have been asking for pics of our new life, here are a few that I managed to get. I'm still beating myself up over all the shots I've missed-the kids first day of school, G's birthday, D's new friends. Sometimes I'm too busy living life to bother capturing it, and others I'm too busy capturing it to live. Where is the balance I'm seeking?

So, here we go-
This is Sandy, our 11 year old Lab:
Chip and M hanging out at our pool. I love having a pool.

Sandy has been in the pool more than I have:

She gets tired easily:
Love the hair, G:

T finally learned to jump from the diving board:

We have ducks that come up to the edge of our property:
This is K, feeding the ducks. Her mom Gina is my best friend, and they came for a visit last week:





J and K:

It is so peacefull here. I don't think I ever want to leave.

Dinner time!




My kids are quite slow when it comes to losing teeth. G is in 2nd grade and has only lost two, until last night.
Here is G trying to pull out his own tooth, with no success:


Morgan thought she could do it:


She tried again, a bit harder:


"That tooth is weally stuck in there!"


T, looking cute. T always looks cute, but hates it if you say that:


Success! Now is that an adorable smile, or WHAT? And you should hear him talk. I keep asking him questions, just to listen to him mispronounce his TH's and S's. "Garrett, what day did we go to Walmart?" "I sink it was ssssaturday."


So the tooth fairy flew in last night, and in a surprising and bold move, left SIX dollars under his pillow (she was obligated to, considering that is the amount she left just last week when K lost her tooth while staying here). G, however, said he would rather have his tooth back, and so tonight we are hoping she'll swap back. I kinda think she will, considering the amount she paid for it. She is probably suffering from buyers remorse.

So there you have it, some images from our first few weeks of life in AZ. I'll get some of D soon, as soon as I see her for more than 5 minutes.

Lifestyle Session: Baby L

I wasn't sure I'd be in San Antonio long enough to do this session, but luck was on my side. My next door neighbors Ashley and Curtis gave birth to their second daughter, and I was able to do a quick session just a day or two before we moved out, my last one in SA.

When I last saw her, "L" was only a few days old, but already proving to be a quiet and easy-going baby. I always say that if you have two kids, you get one of each, once quiet and reserved, and one NOT. It looks like that is the case here as well, because her older sister is a spunky and sassy little thing, who I just adore.

Ashley, I know you have been waiting WEEKS for these images, so I won't make you wait any longer. I'm sure she has changed already-here is a peek of her first few days:

This is how she looked as soon as I arrived, in an adorable bonnet (her not me!).

Getting a smooch from big sis.

These monkeys caught my eye:

Getting changed by mom:

A quick bottle:

And its off to dreamland for this little one:
Once she finally fell asleep, I don't think anything could wake her:



My fav:



I'm so glad that I had the chance to meet her before we left, and I'm sad to know that she'll be much bigger the next time I see her. Take good care of your girls, Ashley, and hopefully we will see you sometime soon!

Sweet Home Arizona

Well, we are here! The past few weeks have been exhausting, even though we had a moving company to do most of the heavy stuff. Our house is wonderful, the neighbors are fantastic and so far we are loving it.

The kids started school this morning, and can you believe I forgot my camera again? Every year I seem to be the only mom without one. What a dunce. I'll take it with me tomorrow, the pictures actually might look better anyway because this morning the kids all looked like they were going to throw up from the anxiety of a new school. At least no one cried.

I wish I had some pictures to post of the house, but photography and blogging have been WAAAY down at the bottom of my list. That should change here very soon, but first I have to prepare for our very first guests to our new home. Last week I was informed by Gina, my BFF, that she and her ENTIRE FAMILY will be here TOMORROW. She said that she doesn't mind if the boxes are still out, but there is no way on earth that I'm going to let her see the house the way it is at this moment. In fact, I really wish I could buy the new furniture that's on my wish list NOW, like today. But I'll do my best to focus on the joy of spending time together, and I promise not to stress over what still needs to be done as far as decorating. Hard, but I think I can do it!

BitterSweet

I just tucked my three little ones in bed for what is the last time in the only home they have ever known. The movers will be here on Thursday morning, and early next week we fly to Phoenix. I guess I'm feeling a little sad.

We moved into this house exactly nine years ago, in July of 2000. It was the biggest house that I had ever lived in, the first two-story, the first home that I owned, and almost too good to be true. Even so, it was supposed to be a temporary home, a two year pitstop, while we built our "real" home on some land that we had purchased in Bulverde. But while we were busy making those plans real life happened, and the dream house was set aside. The land was sold. The house plan books put away and forgotten.

Our "roomy house for three" became "comfortable for four," when G was born. T followed a year later, making it a bit tight, and finally M came along. Our house is now bursting at the seams with all of us. It is, after all, only a 3 bedroom home. And do I have to spell it out? There are SIX of us! We really need to get out of here.

I've been dreaming of getting out of this house for eons, but for the last few days, as I've packed and organized for the move, I'm feeling nostalgic. My oldest daughter has gone to school with the same kids since 1st grade. The other three have never lived anywhere else. And my youngest child was born right here, in my bedroom, with an amazing midwife and my best friend Carrie at my side. I think that single event has tied me to this house more than any other. Weird, considering I have absolutely no similar feelings for the hospitals where my other children were born.

This is turning out to be harder than I planned. What if I don't like Phoenix? What if I can't make any friends, or if the kids can't? What if there are bugs or snakes or scorpions or some other gawd-awful creatures in our new house? I worry that I won't have a neighbor to borrow things from, like I have in my next-door-neighbor Cindy. Or someone to call to watch my kids for a few minutes, like I have in Ashley, Judy, or Cindy. What if there aren't any kids on our new street, and the neighbors don't like for my kids to play outside on their bikes? What if...

I have worse fears, but I can't voice them (knock on wood for even thinking them).

Change is just so scary. But at the bottom of everything, I know that this is a good move for us, for our family. I'm super excited about our new house, and looking forward to cutting a new path in my jello.

And of course I know that we can always come back home if we don't like it there.

The pictures below are random images from the past few years. I'm looking forward to getting more, during the next few.

I ♥ Feet

The image below is my entry for the I ♥ Faces contest, which this week is focused on feet!



Yes, you've seen this one before, but its one of my favorites, and I thought it might do for the contest. I encourage everyone to check out I ♥ Faces , and start entering images. You don't have to be a pro, ya know!

Love this!

My friend April sent this to me tonight in an email. I almost forwarded it to my friends, but the list got too long so I'm sharing it here:

45 lessons life taught me (Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio)

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written." "My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Happy Independance Day!

We had an All-American kinda day yesterday, starting with a Red, White and Blue parade, then swimming and a backyard BBQ, and ending with watermellon and sparklers. Perfect in every way.






How was yours?

we found THE HOUSE

I'm in love...our new home in Phoenix has everything I was looking for-lots of open space, interesting architecture, wood floors, a huge swimming pool and spa, and IT SITS RIGHT ON A LAKE WHICH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN! Can you imagine? I've been humming the song "Ocean Front Property in Arizona" for days now.

The neighborhood is called The Islands, and it is a gorgeous little piece of paradise in Gilbert, a suburb (I think) of Phoenix.

We found out today that our offer was accepted, and so we are planning to move in two weeks. Can you hear the smile behind my words? I am looking forward to this more than I can say.

I got a few images from the internet of the neighborhood and our house. I hope this isn't the most boring blog post of all time, but I can't wait to show these to everyone:
This is the neighborhood entrance. Very beachy.



This image is of the lake, from a public road:


And here is our house:


The view from the front door:


This is the cozy family room. Well, it will be cozy by the time I'm finished with it!


This image was taken from the house across the water from ours. Our backyard is the one on the right:


A gorgeous image of the Arizona sunset:


As I said, I didn't take any of these pictures so I don't think I'll leave this post here for long-I just wanted to share. Hopefully I'll have some images of my own to post pretty soon!

Charts and Checks- an update on our move.

In case anyone is wondering, I am STILL in San Antonio. Nope, we haven't moved yet, and although I've been saying this for four months now, we expect to move in about a month-at this time it looks like it will be sometime around the 15th of July.

I've become completly obsessed with house hunting. As anyone who knows me for even an hour can tell you, I am ready to get out of this house that we outgrew 3 kids ago, and the reality of finally getting a new home is HUGE to me. So I spend hour after hour researching our new destination of Phoenix AZ. Phoenix is enormous, and when I first started my search I had no idea of where to look. Where are the desirable areas? Which schools should we avoid? What are the neighborhoods like? I have so many questions!

Luckily, I have a couple of friends to steer me in the right direction, as well as the fabulous internet. Suzi, one of my high school classmates, lives there and she has been key in helping me narrow down the search. She also hooked me up with a great realtor named Jeff Duncan. I haven't met him face to face yet, but so far he has been incredibly personable and helpful, and I can tell that he is committed to helping us find the house that will be our home.

I'll be going on a house hunting trip very soon, with the intention of securing a house in only two days. Oh my gosh I'm so excited! I'm the kind of person who house hunts for no reason-I drive neighborhoods, stop in at open-houses, and generally window shop even when we have no plans to move. The idea of actually looking to find one is like going to Disney World for me, and I am 100% prepared. I have charts and maps, color-coded and organized to perfection:







So far, there hasn't been a single house that is perfect in every way. If it has all the features we want, it is out of our price range. Of those we can afford, we will have to give something up, something important like the number of bedrooms or bathrooms (critical with a family of 6), or the distance Chip will have to drive to work, or grass in the backyard (can you believe many houses don't have ANY? It's the desert, ya know).

And now I'm terrified that one of my top picks will be taken before I can get there. Terrified is not too strong a word, either, as evidenced by my obsessive computer checks every hour to make sure they are all still activly listed. We just lost one yesterday. I mourned the loss of my possible home. There is, however, a silver lining-new houses get added every day as well.

In fact, I think I'll check in now...because you never know!