Amber Ludlow Photo & Design

Is anybody out there?

Like most things in my life, when I get busy some things have to get put on the back burner..There is no possible way to do everything. And unfortunately this blog has taken the back burner. I truly missing blogging and jotting down the everyday details of my little life. While doing the ‘Photographing Everyday’ classes and a Photography business to run as well things have been quite hectic. Especially in the last month or so. During the week I spend quite a bit of time working on all the little projects I have going on, spending time with the kids, and my newest stress reliever working in my gardens.

The weekends have been crazy as well..We celebrated my grandparents 50^th Wedding Anniversary on May 5^th. They truly have walked the walk, and talked the talk. They are such a great example to our family and I really look up to them and everything that they have accomplished in life. My husband put together a slide show of photographs from their fifty years spent together. It was truly an amazing thing to watch their whole lives come together in bits and pieces. My grandma cried, as well as my mom, aunt, and myself..So proud of them, and I hope that they celebrate many more!

My mother-in-law/father-in-law also hosted an engagement party for my sister-in-law who is getting married in July. That was also a lot of fun. Now this weekend my mom and I are throwing my sister a baby shower! See, I told you things have been crazy!

I am going to try really, really hard and post a couple of times a week on my blog. I think that even if I don’t have time to convey any major thoughts, that I will just post a picture and a quick thought! :)

I seem to be having trouble posting pictures here on typepad. So I opened up a Flickr account so that I can share some photos that way. Here is the link to my photos..Link: My Photos

Until next time... :)

Our next Photographing the Everyday class will begin May 7^th. This most likely will be the last time I offer this class until sometime in August or September. There are a few spots left! Look to the right ----> of your screen under Class Information for more details! You can also e-mail me at amberludlowphotodesigns@hotmail.com 

Oh my goodness..I am the world’s worst blogger. I think I reached a point where I wanted to blog about what’s going on in my life but it had been so long and so many things have been happening that I didn’t know where to even begin. Then I think naturally you begin to question if having a blog is really worth it, you pay to have it up each month and what is really the point if you are not even using it. And on and on...

So here I am, for today at least. I hope that I can keep up with this a bit better. We shall see..We had a great time on vacation. It was actually really hard for me to relax. My husband laughs at that because he knows me so well. Not you he says..haha

It was really hard...I swear. I think I forgot what it is like to just sit, and be. I am always on the go, running around a hundred miles an hour. If I am not working on projects or the classes then I am doing something else. I need to always be doing something or cleaning, or chasing the kids etc. The kids had a great time..they loved, and I mean triple loved the beach. I think they would have picked up and moved the ocean and all the sand with their bare hands if they could have. It was pure joy watching them.

Jackson made lots of friends on the beach ‘my social butterfly’..Maddie is more content playing by herself or with me. She is a lot like I was as a child. She is a hoot, and our friends & family can tell you that she has the best facial expressions ever. I can not even begin to count how many she has, so funny. I will have to start posting some videos on here, that would be fun.. :)

My husband drove down and surprised us on Wednesday. It was such a nice surprise. I missed him, the kids missed him. When he first walked in we were seated at the breakfast table and Maddie of course had the best look on her face. She kept saying ‘Is it really you daddy’? So cute..

Well I have lots to say, but little time. I hope to post some more over the next few days..I have lots of pictures to share..

-Amber

Spent today doing laundry and started to pack for our trip..I love packing, it's fun getting everything organized, and checking things off my to do list.  I believe it is the un-packing that I hate..I am known to have clothes still in suitcases weeks after arriving home..hehe..Lastnight we took the kids to the store to let them pick out their own suitcases, they got the biggest kick out of doing that. We have had lots of trouble here lately trying to keep Maddie in the cart at the store. 

I know she is 3 1/2 and is old enough to walk around the store, but my goodness she is a runner, just takes off, no cares. And I have noticed lately that when we do let her down to walk that she will almost run into anything right in front of her. It's like she is in her own little world and as soon as you say 'MADDIE, watch out', she snaps back.  Need to have chat with her eye doctor..Anyways, she was doing so good sitting in the cart lastnight helping me with my list, until we got to the suitcases and then it was all over from there.  She wanted to get down and wheel her suitcase around the store.  So after that it was a race to get everything and get out of there as soon as possible!! I almost always dread going to the stores now..

Looking forward to Easter this weekend, we always do a lunch at my mom/step-dad's and that is followed by our traditional Easter egg hunt.  It is such a vivid memory of my childhood and hope that it will be with my children as well. It is going to continue to be chilly through the weekend here. It was 80 degrees on Tuesday, and snow flakes today..(Singing to myself "I am leaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again"...) :) :)

 

Being aware..

Up late tonight, it seems like as soon as my head hits the pillow my mind starts racing. I start to think about what I did not get done, or things that I want to talk about on my blog. When in fact I should be snoozing and getting myself ready to face the next new day ahead. I guess I need to get a little notebook and pen to keep on my bedside table, so that I can jot down what comes to mind.

This evening I was sitting on the couch returning e-mails and all of that fun stuff and I turned to look out the window for a second, and saw the most amazing light outside. I quickly grabbed my camera and headed out the front door and started snapping away. I am so glad that I took that moment to be aware of what was around me. The light only lasted for five minutes, but in those five minutes I saw some of the most amazing light I had ever seen! Make sure that you take time to be aware, you never know what you will miss.

(The first photo I shot through the window of our SUV sitting in the driveway, it had just sprinkled for a few seconds, but the sun was still slowly sinking into the horizon. In the second photo I could not resist taking this photo of my tulips that just bloomed this morning, I loved the warm colors from the other flowers as well as the warm glow that the sun was giving off against that dark stormy sky.)

This week is going to prove to be yet another crazy one for me..You think I would be use to this by now! Haha.. :) I am not sure if you can ever get use to chaos. Jackson starts Spring soccer this week, (two days a week). I need to get him registered for school, make appointments, work on classes, go to the store, finish making my grandparents fiftieth anniversary invitations, and pack.

Yes that’s right I said pack! My mom and I and the kids are flying down to Florida next Monday to visit my grandparents! I am so excited! I am really looking forward to spending lots and lots of time with my kids, playing with them, and just sitting back and watching them! It seems like lately I have not been able to do that as much as I would like..I only wish that my husband could tag a long! This will be the longest time him and I, and the kids have ever spent apart! So that will be hard, but I am really excited about taking a week to un-wind, and not be attached to everything that I am attached to on a day to day basis! I so need this!!

So this week I need to get down to business and get everything organized so that the week I am gone runs smoothly!! I have lots of to-do list going. Four in fact, with about ten different things or more on each of them..Crossing my fingers that I can get most of it done!

One last thing, and then I promise I will stop rambling.. :) I ran across this link the other day, and I think it is so important to share with the rest of you. They are photographs that Jayel Aheram a solider who is now serving in Iraq has taken. I found the link to his photographs last week and I spent an entire three hours looking at each one. They each tell their own story in their own way. They are captivating, beautiful and inspiring. Here is a bit about Jayel (taken from his blog).

"A tale in photographs. Jayel Aheram presents a photo set of things seen, experienced, and lived while serving (and still serving) in the harsh deserts of Iraq. A unique view of things rarely seen in the nightly newscast, a point-of-view of one troop in a war zone, and a glimpse of a vastly different and sometimes beautiful Iraq."

Here is the link to his photographs: Jayel Aheram

Have a great Monday everyone! :)

I added a Class Information Link to the side bar on the right. March is now full.  I will start taking names for a new class, no date is set just yet. But most likely will take place at the end of April or the start of May. :)

My boy..a.k.a Jacks. The asker of a million questions, he doesn't want those run around answers either. The kind that you try to think of an answer for what seems like forty minutes.  He knows when you are doing this.  He wants a straight forward, honest answer.  The truth..Some truths are easier to tell then others..Like what kind of tree is that, or why are we having pizza again? It's a maple, and because mommy is lazy.  Others, like why do we have to die? And why do we have to grow up and be adults? Those are compleceted..and take some time..But it is important to take the time..and for me to teach by example..

He is such a deep kid, and has so many different sides to him. I love that he is so well rounded, and not in a braggy way.  He is funny, smart, and just one of those kids that everyone enjoys being around..Ask him what his favorite bird is, and he will tell you a 'Blue Jay'..Happy Monday!

Rain, rain go a way...Come again another day..

It's a cool, damp, Spring day here today..I am feeling more focused, and have been able to work quite a bit today.  It feels really good.  Sometimes you just have to force yourself to sit down and work until something is complete.  There is no other way! In the end you will feel so much better about what you were able to get done.  Love that feeling! 

Oh, and I know some of you are probably wondering and asking yourself 'Doesn't she have two kids?' and 'Where are the photos of Jackson?' Why, yes I do have two kids! hehehe.. :)  Jackson is at that stage where is off doing his own thing, having ole' mom take photos of him is not that appealing to him anymore.  He has better things to do with his time! :) :) I promise that I will tie him down and get some photos of him posted soon.  In fact, Maddie doesn't really enjoy having me take her photograph anymore either..Geez, you would think that their entire lives that they have had a camera shoved in there face or something!  I would never do such a thing..haha :)

Thank you for your comments on my lady bug photo, I really love that one as well.  It was just one of those things, where I ran and got my camera real quickly, shot off three pictures and that was it!  Now all I need to do is start getting my photos printed again! I use to be really good about changing the photos in and out on my walls..Yeah, not so much anymore! It's pretty bad when you have people over and they comment 'No, new photos, huh?' Putting it on my to-do list!  Check! 

I hope that you are having a happy, productive, Spring day as well! :)

Jackson has had lots of fun trying to capture these little ladybugs. The warmer it gets outside the more of these little creatures there are to catch. I think he believes that it is his duty to set them free outside, back into their environment where they belong. Spring is still just right around the corner, the signs are all around us. The grass is getting greener, my lilies are starting to pop out of the ground a bit, and the frogs are singing at night! Love it...

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything on my plate right now. I think the more overwhelmed I start to feel the harder it is to actually sit down and focus on what I need to focus on. I know it will soon pass, and I will get back on track. I think a bit of it has to do with the time change. Even though it is just an hour, man it is messing with me! I am still trying to adjust.

If any of you are signed up for my March Class, and have not received an invoice yet could you please e-mail me! It looks like some of my e-mails were deleted and I am trying to figure out which ones they were! My e-mail is amberludlowphotodesigns@hotmail.com Thanks!!

Happy Tuesday! :)

How was your weekend? We had a great weekend, great but busy! Earlier today we took Maddie up to Indianapolis to see the Doodlebops Live. She had a great time, and loved every single moment of it. I chose not to take my camera in with me. There is a part of me that wishes that I did, but I think there are times when it’s best to just sit back and just experience things in life. Not every single moment needs to be captured, and there are some moments that are better off captured with our hearts.

But who is to say that you cannot take pictures from your car window? I love living out in the country, but there is just something about a city that is so full of life, color, and atmosphere that I love as well. I defiantly want to get up there again, when it is a bit warmer to walk around and just take some photos of the sights and sounds. I triple love taking still photos..It is really becoming more about capturing the everyday moments for me..Those moments that we often don’t give a second thought too..Here’s to giving those moments a second thought..

Have a great week!!