By the way....

Oh yeah i started a new blog just for my photography stuff to better display my work. Take a look. www.sbphotodesign.blogspot.com

Erin and Bri

I took some test shots of Erin and her daughter Bri. Erin rarely makes an appearance on camera due to the fact that she's usually the one behind it :o) So before the previous baby photo session I made them both sit for me while I tested the light. Here's the result.








And my favorite of all poses by Bri, the psychotic pirate!

Makes me laugh everytime ;o)

A complete 180

I realized a few weeks back, after my brief stint in the hospital, that I needed to make some serious changes. So I made an appointment with my doctor and the health coach. I stepped on the scale and maxed it out. They had to add extra weights on the end and i had to help the nurse figure my own weight out. And so it was I started out last month at the heaviest I've ever been: 360 lbs.

At first, It was a bit tough to deal with the fact that I had let my weight go out of control. I had quit taking my thyroid medication during my whole employer/insurance change. But I am determined to change. I managed to start making little changes; cut my portions, parked a little further out in the parking lot, eating less more often so that I wasn't hungry all the time. When i do slip up I realize it's not the end of the world. Yes i might have had something i shouldn't have but it's still better than not trying at all and I can still make the rest of my choices good ones.

To date I've lost 8 lbs in four weeks. I was waiting for calls at work and started thinking about my goal weight of 180lbs. I laughed when i realized figuratively and literally I was going to have to do a complete 180. I've decided that for a little extra support for myself I'm going to try to keep my momentum going by blogging a bit about what i have a feeling is going to be a pain in the butt, but all too worth it, struggle.

Anyhow, I'm headed to bed tonight. Check back in tomorrow.

P.S. Hopefully I can be one sassy hippo through this!

Moving.... yet again

So I'm sitting in my room about to unhook my computer. I've packed just about everything else and my friends are in my kitchen touching my beloved antique mixing bowls. If they knew i was blogging while they were packing they'd have my head (sorry Heather and Juliene)! But i just had to blog one last time before I dismantle my computer for a week. EGAD! I wasn't here very long and there was a lot of drama and bad news had in this house. But it wasn't a terrible place to be. I lost 10 lbs climbing the stairs and it broke me of my furniture buying addiction... well sort of ;o) I am glad to be moving though. As much as I hate, hate, HATE! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE the process of moving, It will be very nice to finally be settled some place for a little while with people who aren't exactly sane;o) but whom I love dearly and don't have a problem living with. I've learned a few things about moving; Always label your boxes, never pack your underwear in an unlabled box. ALWAYS pack suitcase of clothing AND hair products so that you don't show up to work looking like a homeless carrot top gone wrong. And never ever EVER move to an apt on the upstairs floor or you will truly find out who your friends are. Anyhow, I'd better get back to this packing before i lose my steam. Talk to you guys in a week.

A slightly sweaty and frazzled,

~Z~

It was just a little spark...

In all the hubbub of the last several weeks I forgot to post this little incident that happened at McFatty's. This story involves loud noises, hot guys, and a headache.... Get your minds out of the gutter!! Anyway, I was meeting Heather and her girls for lunch and maybe a little shopping. My roommate decided to call and inform me that we were having a house guest, again. Now normally this wouldn't bother me, except for the fact that this houseguest comes with a 10 month old and we have a VERY small two bedroom apartment. Anyway, I told her that I was not happy about this, especially since we had just rid ourselves of a houseguest that had stayed for almost a month.

So after a heated conversation outside of McFatty's, I hung up and walked inside. As I walked in the front doors my purse bumped the fire alarm enclosure. This set off a local alarm which was loud and a little annoying. So I do what any self respecting "firestarter" would do and walked to the counter to order my lunch and pretend I didn't do it. Now the local alarm had NOTHING on the actual Fire alarm which the manager of McFatty's proceded to set off while trying to fix my mistake. As I'm huddled in the corner, Heather is laughing hysterically and the firefighters show up.


Heather begins to snap pictures and laugh. 15 minutes of a fire alarm and my lunch is finished and we walk out of the restaurant. It seems that setting off a fire alarm in a fast food restaurant tends to set a trend for the rest of the day. At least there was a little eye candy involved ;o)

~Z~

Life.....

I used to think that life was precious. I understood that it was a delicate thing that can be gone in any moment. I've attended funerals of the old and sometimes the very young. But today I was reminded just how precious and fleeting it is. Tonight I received a call from my best friend. I couldn't make out much that she was saying. All I could make out between the gut wrenching sobs I was hearing was "I need you.... Kaiser...Emergency Room." That was all I needed. I drove 100 the whole way and prayed that nothing was wrong. That this call was just something that would work itself out. Deep down inside I knew it was different. I knew something was seriously wrong.

I pulled in located the Emergency Room. I found my friend's cousin first. I asked what was wrong. He said, "Beth is dead. She's dead." I didn't believe him. I thought it was some sick joke he was playing. Then I saw AJ's dad and realized it was no joke. I finally managed to find AJ sitting on the tailgate of her dad's truck in the parking lot, her sister next to her crying through her drunken stooper, "I want my mom I want my mom." Tragedy finds us in all states and times of our lives inconvenient or not it just is.

I didn't know what to say or do. All I could do was hug people. Words were suddenly the most insignificant thing. They pulled out. I went back into the emergency room, for what I'm not sure. I wanted to say goodbye I guess. I made it to the entrance of the room and saw her feet from under the surgical drape and realized that I couldn't go further. I turned around. That was not the last image I wanted in my head of Beth.

Beth was a beautiful woman. She was full of life despite her chronic pain and back injury. She was always happy to see you when you came in. She always missed you when you were gone. Once you walked into her home you were one of her children. That's just the way she was. She was a person who loved and took care of people as much as she could even if it meant giving you the shirt off her back. She loved her crafts and her quilts. There was much thought and care that went into her gifts and her relationships. She loved her girls VERY much and her husband even more.

After leaving the hospital I drove to AJ's house. I called my own mother to let her know what was going on and to tell her that I loved her. I arrived at the house. There were people outside and inside. Family members and dear neighbors. It was hectic at first. I ended up in the living room sitting beside AJ hugging her, getting water and tissues, and sobbing right next to her. There was even a little bit of laughter. There were some get well balloons that were promptly popped and thrown away. I sat down for a second on a sofa and grabbed a blanket. Beth's favorite blanket....

I was very blessed to have met AJ and her Mother. She treated me as one of her own from the moment in my sophomore year of Highschool when AJ brought me home to hang out. She helped me laugh through my teenage years and helped me work through things that I wasn't comfortable discussing with my own mother. Beth always understood, never judged and was always there to talk, cry with, or just to hang out and watch a movie with. I spent many hours at her kitchen table or at her bedside talking and laughing and joking. I will miss her so very, very much.

I finally left to let AJ and her family have some space and to be honest, I needed some time to myself to process. I still wanted it to be a joke. I still expect her to be there the next time I call or come by to see AJ. The hardest part is going to be going back to daily life without her there. She was one of a kind work of love who shared herself with everyone around her. I love you Beth and I miss you.


~Z~

Alisha's Fundraiser

Hi all!

Today I woke up early... well early for me anyway ;o)... and went to Straw Hat Pizzeria to keep the Hulls company during their fundraiser for Alisha. For those of you that don't know, Alisha is a very special little girl. She was born with Camellia De Lange Syndrome (CDLS). CDLS is caused by a mutation in the genes. For Alisha this meant severe digestive tract issues. For the first several years of her life doctors were trying just to get enough nutrition to stay in her little body for her to grow and be healthy. They finally realized that she also has Celiacs disease which means that she cannot have gluten (aka: wheat). Alisha's Parents and Doctors worked hard and found a routine that worked for her to keep food in her wee body. Alisha is currently on a feeding tube and carries a small backpack around with her pump in it so that she can move around. Alisha has grown so much but really does not like wearing her backpack all day long or having her pump beep in the middle of her preschool class. Alisha is finally starting to eat a few grains of rice, some small crackers, and drink water. However she is a long way off from being able to eat enough to sustain her. Alisha was accepted into clinic in New Jersey that will provide treatments for her to help her learn to eat food. Please visit her blog and donate if you can.


So where was i.... Oh yes! The fundraiser! We stood outside and held signs for people to come in and buy pizza. Straw Hat pizza agreed to donate 50% of purchases to Alisha's treatments. Even Alisha was out there yelling "Pizza!! get your pizza!!" She also threw in the occassional "CAR WASH" which they will be having on Saturday.

Even her Uncle Jared got in on the sign waving! and for him that's quite a feat itself!So many people came out and showed their support for Alisha and her family! I was so impressed by just the random people who came up and donated what they could even above and beyond the pizza purchases. It was fantastic! Even Bri showed up to show her support! well... she was kinda of tired :o)


Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that showed up and did what they could for Alisha. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Lots of hugs and love,

Zhetta