I get these crazy ideas.  These ideas that I have to do something.  I can’t wait to do whatever it is.  I need to do it and I need to do it now.  Right now.  My idea of the day on Saturday morning was to finally change the lighting in the bathrooms.  I can put in lighting.  I can touch up the paint.  It’s easy!   It only took me three hardware stores, but I bought lighting for both the bathrooms.  First light goes in, no problem.

Next one, not so easy.  After taking down the old fixture, we notice there is a huge hole in my wall.  So big it can’t be covered up with the new light.  I went to my dad’s barn and of course he had something for me to fix it with.  (Phew, didn’t want to go to the hardware store for a fourth time in day!)   Finally back home, and we start to put up the light, after fixing the hole in the wall.  Darnit! The walls are so thick and the fixture is so far back, that the screws don’t fit.  Back to the hardware store, for the fourth time.  So we’re back from the hardware store and the screws?  Still not long enough.  Fifth time back to Home Depot…and we are finally on the right track.  By this time, it’s too dark to see and the flashlight is dead.  Did you know that when I have these ideas I not only have to start them but I have to finish them…right away?!  I let myself put away the project and figured Sunday would be a better day.

So much for Sunday being the day of rest.  The lights ended up being perfectly fine once we had the proper screws.  It was my crafty creative side that got me in trouble.  This new idea I had.   The idea to paint the toilet paper holder and the towel rack.  I’m addicted to these home DIY blogs, and I had read all about this fabulous paint that actually looks like brushed nickel!  I spray it, and walk away.  When I entered the room I almost fainted.  Are you kidding me?!  It looked like straight up spray paint.  What to do now?  Shawn takes a hammer to it and I’m back at Home Depot.  Thank gosh, for Home Depot up the street.

Here is my bathroom before.  I kind of liked it.  In the show Full House, they had those lights and I always wanted my own.  It took me 15 years, but I finally had them.  Maybe a little outdated. 

You’ll notice I write a lot about Shawn but he rarely makes an appearance on the blog.  I can usually only get him in a picture if I hide and snap one really quick.  I’m so thankful that he’s pretty handy and is usually on board with most of my ideas.

The new lights have turned into…new lights, new mirrors, new towel racks, new paint, and while I’m doing all of this, we might as well caulk the showers.  It will look nice once it’s finished but I just added about 20 little projects to my already busy Spring Break!  Good thing I love stuff like this.

Would you wear this in public?  I think it’s one of those things: Girls love them.  Guys hate them.  (Kind of like the Uggs trend.)

I’m talking about my hair accessory!

I made a bunch of these over the weekend.  Today is Wednesday and I just now got brave enough to wear one.  I want to give one to every girl in my class.  I just don’t know what I’d make for the boys …and that just wouldn’t be fair!

So, would you wear one?  If so, check out this blog and make your own!  She even has a tutorial on how to make a camera strap like the one I have.  I also have to give props to Megan who made some darling little headbands too!  Like I said in a post awhile back, my Google Reader makes me happy.   I love creatives.

I’m here.  I’m alive.  I can’t wait for spring.  Fun projects, stepping away from school, working on little things that have slipped away.

Spring break is here in less than 10 days.  (Not before Parent Teacher Conferences and the First Grade Musical.)  Nonetheless.  It’s here in less than 10 days.  What am I going to do?   GO. ALL. OUT.

No, not the vacation all out.  The get-things-done all out.

1. Amanda’s Baby Shower!  My number one and most exciting thing for break!

2.  Clean my car.  All. The. Way.  Get rid of the winter salt and grime.  Hey, it’s not exciting but it needs to be done.

3.  New Lighting. Will someone pick out my lighting?  I’ll install…I just need help choosing.  Seriously.

4.  Finish my “cork” board! Wine+craft=fun.

5. Buy a “new” (used) camera?  (Maybe, it might just be my birthday present though!)

6. Enjoy the weather.  Even if it decides to snow.  It usually does on Spring Break!

7. Tan for a few times.  Just to get the happy vitamins in me.  It’s bad. I know.  I feel “BLAH” every March.  Who doesn’t?

8.  Choose a DJ, find more clocks, and maybe go dress shopping.  Wedding!

9.  Sleep in past 8:00.

10.  Walk Scarlett.  Real walks.  More than just in our neighborhood walks!

Last but not least.  A recent photo booth picture to keep it real.  To prove how white I am.  To prove how ready I am for warmer weather.  Scarlett sits on my lap at night to keep warm while I keep the condo at 67 degrees and freeze. 

This picture makes me laugh for three reasons.  1.  That’s my brother fixing something in the background.  Typical.  2.  That’s Scarlett being, well Scarlett.  3.  That’s me capturing every minute.

I had the privilege to photograph Josh and Meredith’s wedding in Springfield, Illinois.  I thought I would add a “sneak peek post” to hold them over until all the images are ready.  The weather was perfect for a February wedding.  Snow on the ground made for very pretty outdoor pictures!

This weekend I shot a wedding in Springfield, Illinois.  I rented some extra equipment and Shawn came along for the ride.  It was good to have him there when I needed things.  I could have shot the wedding by myself, but I felt good to have someone there to help me out with all the small details of the day.   He was there for support more than anything, but when he did have the camera, he  captured some great moments from the day.  I love looking at photographers blogs when they have images posted of them shooting.  How cool is it that I now have a few pictures of me shooting?  I’m excited.

I get to shoot all day tomorrow!  Yeah!!!  We’re headed up to Springfield, IL for a wedding.  Can you believe that my brain has been so programed for school, kids, IEPs, and this wedding…that I forgot about my dog? Let me repeat. I forgot about my dog.  Yes.  What a terrible doggie mother I am!  Lucky me, we’re headed to Springfield, Illinois.  The home of Shawn’s Dad.  He said Scarlett can stay at his house for the day.  Thank gosh.  This brings up a funny question that I was asked this week.  Actually, I get asked it every once in awhile.  “What do you like better, teaching or photography?”  Answer: I love both.  No lie.  There are so many nights where I can’t fall asleep at night because I’m thinking of what I can do to help this one understand time to the quarter hour… or that one understand the long e sound.  It’s true.  There are also times when I’m totally engaged in my computer with photography.  “Times” doesn’t really even begin to describe it.  I spend hours on photography forums studying how I can get better.  So when I get asked that question, I always end the conversation with, I like both and I do both because it’s who I am.  I’m both.

I can do both. I then start thinking that I might not be able to do both for my whole life.  I can now, because you can throw a small dog in the back of your car and put her in a cage when you need to.  When I have a kid, life just isn’t that simple.  When I do something, I completely do it. I completely do it the right way.  The first time.  So where has my mind been?  It’s been doing what I love.

It’s no secret how cold it’s been lately.  How snowy and bitterly cold.  There is no question as to how much everyone has been indoors…just sitting around…getting cabin fever.

Which leads me to something that I have been having a lot of thought about.  A dining room.  I’m not a dining room person. I don’t need a dining room.  (I don’t have a dining room…so who am I kidding?) Seriously though, while being cooped up in this condo all winter…I’ve dreaming of new spaces to stretch out in one day.  So..I’ve been thinking.  I’m not a dining room kinda person.  I don’t do china and because of that, I am not going to register for it.  What am I going to register for?  A sewing machine.  (I really want one!) And a hose holder.  (Isn’t that weird?)  Maybe even some tools.  (Seriously!)  Not china.  I probably won’t even have a dining room.  I will have a ME room somewhere though.  One day I will move out of my condo, and I will still make sure that I still have my very own “space”.  A me room. Just as much as a man needs a “man cave”, I will have a “lady lounge”.  One day.  That’s right.  A lady lounge.  Yes, I made it up myself.  It will be a place where I can be myself. And relax.  And create.  And be me.

I will hang my photography on large canvases.

I will have color all around me.

I will just “DO IT” how I want to do it.  Whatever “it” may be.

I will have tiny important stuff small jars.

I will have a big white chair to relax in.

I will have random things in my room that most people just won’t understand.

ONE day.

I found these pictures from all across the web throughout the past few months.  I’m sorry, I don’t have names or even links for you to follow.  Normally, I keep all that stuff for me to link and give credit to.  I literally pulled most of those off of my hard drive.  I like to save ideas so I have them when I need them!

I feel in love with my friend Megan’s wreath and I decided I had to have my own.  Megan’s is even cuter than mine so hop on over there and check hers out.

Megan has a link to the tutorial on her page for directions.  You can even google them ….there are so many cute ones out there!  I decided to just use extra fabric I had around the house from this project.  Sooo, it might match my rocking chair at school!  I also added a TON of those little flower/circles on there.  120 to be exact…and I only know that because I used pins instead of buttons…and I had 120 pins.  I also frayed the edges to give it that textured look.   It might be a little too soon for spring, but I think after Valentine’s Day, all is fair in the game of wishing for warmer weather.  Wishful thinking…I know, I know.

After I made this, I ended up making three hair pins out of the left over material.  I think I got the idea from my mom who recently made some cute flower pins.

Guess who sent these to me at school?

Shawn is so sweet.  The day before these arrived, I got a mysterious card in the mail sent from Pennsylvania.  It was a personalized card that he sent…just because.  I guess you can order them and select where you want them sent from.  He tricked me…. the inside was really sweet….and perfect.  Then the next day I got these flowers!  It wasn’t even Valentine’s Day yet!

I love snow.  If it’s going to be this cold…it might as well snow!

Today I was off for President’s Day so Scarlett and I took full advantage of the beautiful white day.  I took her for a walk in the woods so she could run around and play in the snow.   Scarlett was definitely more interested in all the smells than the snow…until she learned that you can eat the snow.  That kept her interested for a few minutes.  Then she let her nose get the best of her again.  She loves all the wild animals that she smells and she would probably find something if I let her.  She turns into a full blooded beagle when given the chance.  Except for barking…she doesn’t like to raise her voice.

Sorry to those I’m boring with Scarlett pictures!  It’s the dead of winter… I’m lucky when I get my camera out at all.  I can’t wait for Spring Photo Sessions!