• children & families,  occassions & parties,  personal

    jack’s pack

    A really quick post for today. Fell asleep on the couch last night at like 8:45pm, woke up at 4:15am and went upstairs to bed until 7. Think I was a little tired?

    Off for a field trip with Timmy’s class this morning so not going to be getting much work done now either. Whatever.

    Timmy’s BFF was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenille Diabetes about 18 months ago. It’s been a really long and hard road for him and his family but if you met them today you would never know that. They have never let Jack feel different than everyone else and always made sure that everyone around him was only supportive and caring. I’m overwhelmed with love for this family- we’ve become such close friends and they are so good to us. Timmy and Jack are pretty much inseperable (in fact, they were at the same table in the same Kindergarten class, but they did have to get separated because they talked. All day long.) They are all so brave and strong and continue to amaze me every day with how they have handled and moved forward with Jack’s diagnosis.

    This is Jack’s nurse, Jen. She’s so fantastic and with him all day at school. All the kids in the class looooove her. She draws pictures of Pokemon guys for Jack and Timmy every day. You know she’s in for life. Timmy cannot STAND the sight of blood. Which makes it difficult when your BFF is diabetic and needs his sugar checked multiple times a day. He’s learned to just look away, but really? Get over it dude. Being lions like at the front of the NYC Library. And sleepy lions too.Everyone loved the cupcakes. A lot. Olivia(Timmy’s other BFF) especially loves Jen. She’s always around her and wants to hold her hand. She’s even made friends with her daughter. Love Brady. My girls!! Jen’s even taught me how to check Jack and use the pump to add insulin or calculate what to feed him when he’s low so I can have Jack over or take him out. Being that he and Timmy are always together I really HAVE to know how. Look out for a special fundraiser for JDRF from bsquared photography coming up soon. 

  • bsquared business,  personal,  travel

    our trip to jamaica

    Ok, so this should give you some indication of how really, really far behind I am on editing personal pictures. We went to Jamaica in May. 5 months ago. Well, here they are nonetheless.

    We were in Jamaica because of the wedding of Tim & Caren, I was there to photograph their fantastic wedding weekend. Brought the boys and John with me and we made a little vacation out of it. We stayed at Beaches Sandy Bay which was nice (but next time- if there ever is a next time we’d stay at the other bigger Beaches. It was definitely way nicer).

    Some various shots from the trip.

    Patrick star. For reals.
    The water was so warm and calm and we spent hours in the ocean. The lazy river at the other Beaches.And waterslides. By the way- do you know how hard it is to get this shot with the point and shoot camera? I’m so used to the speed of the 5d and so uncoordinated with the lag on the p&s. Frustrating!! But I did get it. Sorta. Can you see the pouring rain in the photo on the right? It rained every single day we were there. Except one. Poor Caren & Tim even had to wait a few extra hrs for their wedding to get started because of a storm. We went kayaking in the ocean every single day. That was SO fun!! Even with Timmy at the front of the boat turning around to me and yelling- ROW, SLAVE. NO BREAKS!So the boys and I got a lift back from the big Sandals to our Sandals via Jet Ski. We all loved that too. Timmy used to LOVE Sesame Street but now won’t have one thing to do with them. But the boys were good sports, posing with Elmo and Cookie. Elmo would be found walking by our room every now and then. The view from our balcony. It didn’t suck. Back to client sessions tomorrow. Have a great Sunday! We’re booked with birthday parties and a backyard BBQ. I’m sure there will be pictures to follow- but maybe not until February or so….

  • bsquared business,  personal,  school

    30 for Thursday

    Yeah, you read it right. Thirty. 3-0. Going to give it a try. I’m figuring with the lack of 10 for Tuesdays or 6 for Saturdays or 7 for Sundays this would kinda make up for a few weeks worth, since all I’m posting is client sessions. And if you don’t feel like reading everything, just look at the pretty pictures and watch the videos.

    1. Got some new pictures of me taken while I was working away. My friend Marilyn who is also a photographer just starting out in the business wanted to tag along one day to see what photographing little kids would be like. I think I freaked her out by total and absolute immersion. She really got to see it all – the good, the bad, and the ugly cry, the smilers and the reluctants as she came on a day full of mini sessions, so a new client came along every 45 minutes. I know I watermarked the pictures with my logo, but the credit really goes to Marilyn (the watermarks are just there so people aren’t stealing things they shouldn’t. And why the would want pictures of me, I don’t know, but rather safe than sorry.)

    2. Timmy had his first ever soccer game this past weekend which was of course both hysterical and adorable. Some pictures from that. I think they are all pretty self explanatory- just love the one of him showing his muscles to the opposing team- you know, to psych them out.

    Gooooooooooaaaaaalllllllll! 3. Been photographing some tween and teen boys lately with the longish, bieberish hair. I think this entire generation is going to end up with either whiplash or some other spinal/neck permanent problems with all the head/hair flipping that is going on.

    4. I read somewhere (may have been FB and if so, it was from a friend but I don’t remember who so I apologize) that when the GPS in the car gives you an estimated time of arrival they take it as a dare. I love that and totally agree! My theory on driving since I do so much of it to get to shoots is to drive as fast as I can for as long as I can cause there’s always traffic. Not sure how the police feel about my theory, but so far I haven’t had to explain it to them. Lets hope it stays that way.

    5. Working on my 2011 packages and pricing but haven’t been able to get enough time to figure everything out. If you are interested in booking a shoot for 2011, just email me and I can pencil you in on the date you had in mind.

    6. Which leads me to Communions for 2011– which people are already booking! I don’t have the official calendar up for it yet, nor do I have the pricing available, but…. if you have a date/time in mind that you’d like me to shoot your communion, please email me at bbeyrer1@optonline.net and let me know. I will pencil you in on the calendar and you will have right of first refusal for your date and time (if it’s still available).

    7. This whole bullying to death/tween-teen suicide is really upsetting and it seems like there is a new one every day. My heart hurts so much for both the victims and their poor parents and families who are left behind to deal with it all. I’m trying so hard to push all the boys to stand up for themselves if bothered by a bully (or several), trying to get them to stay innocent, caring, sensitive and happy while at the same time hoping that they are tough and worldwise enough to handle situations that may arise and stay out of any situations that would make it easy for a bully to target them. That is like….impossible. They’ve already shown such great and tremendous character by standing up for bullying victims to the bullies themselves. That takes guts I’m not sure I had at their age. I’m really proud of them, but worry all the time. Sometimes being a parent sucks. This is one of those times.

    8. In 2011 I’m planning on doing at least one day (probably more like 3-4) of full sessions in Central Park, NYC. The shoots I just did there this past weekend were fabulous (as were all the sessions I’ve done there in the past). It’s beautiful, with multiple locations you can get to all in one shoot, and it’s free to shoot there!! Well, other than getting into NYC and parking. Stay tuned for details and dates. I’m figuring on one full day each season (spring, summer and probably two days in the fall) with full sessions (1hr) only. I’ll keep you posted, but I think they will go super fast so make sure you book as soon as you see the dates announced.

    A few from last year’s session with the hus family, and the violinist/view of the lake from this past weekend.

    9. New guilty pleasure on TV (guilty and yucky)? Billy the Exterminator.

    10. Thinking about a new car for sometime in the nearish future (like within the next year) and right now it’s either a Suburban or a Yukon XL. Yes, I know – not particularly environmentally friendly but I’m so SO done with the minivan route and they are the only other things that will have enough room between the ever growing boys, their ever growing friends and all of their ever growing equipment and STUFF. I’ve had a minivan (not the same one, but a minivan nonetheless) for about 10 years now. That’s quite enough.

    11. Are you still with me? Bored yet?

    12. Currently reading Cutting for Stone on the Kindle and really loving it. Great story so far and I’m recommending it to all of you. If that changes over the course of the book, I’ll let you know.

    13. Other books I’ve recently read or downloaded to be read: Room, The Disappearance, The Long Walk, A Special Place: The Heart of A Dark Matter, Less than Zero, The Glass CAstle, The Postcard Killers, I’d Know you Anywhere, The Passage and One Good Turn. I’m hoping to find sometime to read but it’ll most likely have to wait until Florida in December. I’ll post a recap of all my 2010 reads at the end of the year, here’s 2009’s list if you are interested.

    14. bsquared Holiday Cards are available for order with your photos from our shoot at any time. Don’t wait until the last minute! You can find the card templates here and here.

    15. Going to be attending the PhotoPlus Expo at Javits in October and I am so excited!! Going to be taking two classes, one of which is taught by one of my favorite photographers (wedding), the amazing Jasmine Star!! I’m psyched to go see and play with all the new products and equipment and looking forward to finding out more about incorporating my business.

    16. Halfway there. Ok, this is cheating a little but you go ahead and come up with 30 things to write about.

    17. Looking forward to heading out to the East House for our annual pumpkin picking, dining, visiting vineyards, and relaxing weekend. After a Little League game and a shoot, of course. Can’t forget the peepee tree or the stinking milk. Lets hope the stinking milk is not there though. And, of course, seeing MY truck.

    18. This getting up at 7am to get the boys off to school and cooking dinner every night (well, not every night but at least 3 nights a week which is a HUGE improvement from the summer not cooking. At all.) is so, so annoying and so NOT what I want to be doing. At all. And on rainy days it’s worse cause I have to wake Timmy up when I drive the boys to school. Neither of us is very happy with that either.

    19. Timmy asked me if he could stay home from school yesterday. I told him that he could and that I would go to school instead. But, he then had to do everything that I would have done if I was home. Once I gave him the list (make the beds, move and fold and put away laundry, change the fish tank, deflate and put away the aerobed, edit a shoot, go to Pilates, go to the stupidmarket, put away all the groceries, get gas, pick up the big boys at school, answer emails, upload pictures, pick me up at school, help everyone with homework and projects, cook dinner, read stories) he decided that going to school was the better deal. Dude, he totally has that right. I would much rather learn about the letter B, sing songs, color, have stories read to me, have lunch with my friends than do all that other stuff.

    20. So excited Mallowmars are back in season!

    21. So, is 41 years old too old to go to a concert? Specifically a Kings of Leon concert? I loooooove their new song “radioactive” and I love all of their old stuff too. They are coming back to NY in November and I’m kinda dying to go. Will I be the oldest one there? Do I not really care cause I just want to see them?

    22. Speaking of good music, I’m loving Florence + The Machine. Ever since seeing her on the VMA’s, she’s my new favorite. Damn, that girl can sing!! This is the video for “dog days are over” which is my most favorite, but I love her cover of You’ve Got the Love, and her song from Eclipse ‘Heavy in Your Arms”. The video is somewhat odd/disturbing, but the song is so great. And no, not because it’s from Eclipse.

    23. So now that my most fabulous IT guy, Matt Cushing, has fixed up my stats page on my blog, I’m finding that am I not only getting like 5x the amount of visitors to the blog than last year at this time, but that we have visitors from all over the world. Germany, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, S Korea, Mexico, Sweden, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, Norway and the US of course. I’d love to hear from you to find out who you are (my lovely blog stalkers whom I adore). So if you are feeling like leaving me a nice comment, please do. I’d love to hear from you.

    24. As I’m getting older I’m really seeing that in life it’s not so much what you know, but who you know. Which really isn’t so fair.

    25. Some various sporting events that never made it to the blog. All with the point n shoot, so please forgive the picture quality. A yankees game, a Brooklyn Cyclones game for Timmy and his BFF (where they played video games the whole time) and a Giants pre-season game. I actually went to the Giants game. It was fun (football is so much better than baseball!!)

    26. I’m still missing LOST on Wednesdays terribly. And while on the subject of missing cancelled or past TV shows, I’m adding Carnivale, Sex and the City, and The Sopranos too. I still hate HBO for cancelling Carnivale in the middle of it’s run and I still want to know what happened in the rest of the story. But here is my favorite scene from the finale of LOST. I still cry every time I watch it! And I love Dominic Monaghan as Charlie. Or in Eminem’s Love the Way You Lie video.

    27. Both Jack & Patrick were recommended by their band teacher for All-County Band for drums. So, they still have to “make it” in to All County, but I’m so proud of both of them for getting recommended! And they are both doing amazing in Middle School so far grade wise.

    28. We’ve done some painting (just refreshing- same colors= DownPour Blue by Benjamin Moore in the den) around the house the last few weeks. More photos to come as rooms are done, but we did the most work in the den. (Finally!!) got a 21st century TV in the den (55″ flat screen) along with a new sectional sofa (Ethan Allen) and a fabulous new media cabinet (Restoration Hardware). The media cabinet (I think it’s really a side board or a library) is my favorite piece in the room. It’s REAL furniture. Baskets are from Target, little chalkboards from Pottery Barn Kids. Took a few quick pictures to show you. Oh, and the old couches on the way out. Sad- we’ve had them for 10 years(from IKEA)  and they held up so well until the end until the bottoms fell out. Literally.

    29. Also missed posting the big boys birthday in August. So here you go with that. Just had the family over for ice cream cake. But it was a pretty cool birthday. It was 8(august) 9 (ninth) 10 (2010) and they were turning 11.

    They were trick candles. Mean, I know. But it was pretty funny.  30. Wow, I made it! Hope you made it till the end too. I’m not sure how many of my blog readers will- I’m really not that interesting.

  • personal

    7 for Sunday

    Haven’t done one of these in a while (again) so thought I’d throw one together for your viewing/reading pleasure. At least I hope it’s pleasurable. There will be a definite lull in personal posts over the next few months, but then there will probably be a completely nauseating amount of personal posts in the slow months of Dec-March. Ok, and please note that the pictures in this post have pretty much nothing to do with the post.

    1. Everyone is doing GREAT at school- big boys at Middle School, Timmy in Kindergarten. Everyone is so happy with their teachers, friends in their classes, the big boys have the whole middle school navigation and locker thing down, Timmy’s having a blast with his BFF’s in class everyday (maybe too much fun- I’ve heard they had to seperate them a few times already for talking too much!)  And while I’m missing them so much during the day (especially Timmy cause I’m so used to having him around all the time) I am plowing thru editing all of my shoots and not staying up until 3am.

    2. The big boys got custom Oakley’s for their birthday. So cool. But so annoyed by the camera.

    3. When we went to the Giants game a few weeks ago (yeah, I know…pictures on that coming too) when we were leaving the parking lot and passing the Izod Center, they had Justin Beiber dates on the calendar. So John starts screaming in the highest and loudest voice he can manage “OMG JUSTIN BEEEEEEEEEEIBER”. To say the boys were unpleased would be slightly understating it. It was truly awesome.
    4. Being sick just sucks. Especially with 7 shoots this weekend. Pushing thru with help from Motrin. And help from my very, very, VERY nice friends Suzanne who picked me up sushi after I whined about being sick and wanting it for dinner on Facebook, and to Beth for picking me up Carvel. Still felt like crap, but at least was happy and loved!5. Closed down the beach locker yesterday. That sucks too. So hard to admit that summer is over but that pretty much covers it. 6. One of the college football ‘experts’ or whatever you call them is saying maybe it’ll be Miami vs. Florida at the Orange Bowl. For which we already have tickets. That? That would NOT suck. Well, it wouldn’t suck if Miami won. Keeping fingers crossed for that. And Robin promised she’d fly down to go with us if Miami is playing. Go ‘Canes!!!7. After watching the VMA’s last weekend, I have a new favorite. Florence + the Machine. Damn, the girl can sing. And it was painfully obvious that most of the ‘performers’ on the VMA’s really cannot sing. At all. I did a lot of cringing that night but can say that the dancing was awesome.  Ok, off to a zillion shoots today. Wish me luck and tissues.

  • birthdays,  personal

    a carnival? for my birthday?

    Not exactly. But I wanted to post something cheery on this otherwise dismal anniversary of 9/11. Which also happens to be my birthday.

    Some shots from the annual carnival at our beach club.

    Wheeeeeeeeee!Grace in motion, this one.He wouldn’t smile. Cause the horses “stink bad, mommy”.  The boys and John are flying back from Toronto later today and I’ll be working most of the day. Which is good if only to keep my mind off of the flying part. Hope everyone has a good day today and takes a minute or two to remember all of those who lost their lives 9 years ago today. I’ll be remembering.