5 (+3) for Friday

1. This, I believe, might be a record week with 11 (yes, 11) shoots! Can you say swamped?? I haven’t been to bed before 2:30am all week. I’m so tired that I totally slept thru the alarm clock today. Thankfully, John was working from home today and took the boys to school for me. Timmy kept sleeping too, until about 9:20am, so he was a little late to preschool. I guess we all needed the extra rest.

2. The big boys are getting so….well, so big. There are conversations started with “Well, frankly….” and “To tell you the truth…”. They started wearing deoderant this week, and let me tell you they really NEEDED it. They’ve recently moved from that “wet dog/boy” smell, to that taco chip smell to full on B.O. Ugh. They asked John if he thought a lot of kids in 4th grade wore deoderant. John’s reply was something to the effect of “not as many as your teachers would probably like”. But we are all much happier now that they have started doing a swipe each night before bed.

3. John’s leaving with the big boys, Uncle That Guy and two of his boys today for a trip up to Boston to see the Red Sox play tonight. Just one overnight, but it should be fun for them. Timmy will help me hold down the fort here and have “playdates” (read: babysitting) with Andi and Grandma/Hakka while I work tonight and tommorrow. And an actual playdate with Jack (his BFF) this morning. I thought he had school today. Apparently not.

4. Shooting the band tonight at Parkside Lounge in NYC. Here’s a few shots from a fundraiser in Oceanside last weekend that they played at. And my friend Ivy working the fundraiser. Can’t wait til her wedding next month!!! Being a guest and photographer- so excited!!

5. I’ve been walking every day to try to lose some weight and get in some kind of shape. Not enjoying it, but doing it. Have to look good for my big 40th birthday bash in September! The ipod (that I stole from John a loooong time ago) is helping. Sitting is much better still.

6. My new 50mm 1.2L lens came late yesterday. I had a shoot last night at a wedding rehearsal dinner so only got to use it for a few shots, but it will get a big workout this weekend with the 9 remaining shoots for the week. So far, LOVE it. It’s delish.

7. Some shots from Visitors Day last week. John was able to make it last minute (the boys were very happy about that) and Grandma & Hakka came along too which the boys were also thrilled about! We even all went out to lunch together.  The theme this year was Science and the 4th graders all did a “How To” project. Jack’s was an astronomy project on how to find constellations in the winter sky. Patrick’s was how to take a digital picture. And there were songs with sign language with the 1st graders (so cute).  All the 4th graders also worked on electrically wired houses that they decorated and wired themselves. The room lights really worked! Some of the other kids projects pictured below too…

8. My most favorite pasta restaurant in Long Beach (Steven’s Pasta) burned to the ground this week. I’m devastated. I’ve been going there since the late 80’s for dinner, and then it turned into John & my date night place. And now of course I’m craving it like crazy. No word that I’ve heard yet on rebuilding or relocating or anything. So sad.

Hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend. Client posts to resume on Monday (that’s the plan anyway). See you then!