Wish i could say more about that.
Anyway...i met and hung out with some of the most amazing and talented photographers in the country and caught up with old friends.
I learned a new trick that goes something like this (clik for biggah):
Last week i spent 5 crazy days in New Orleans, 3 of which were spent shooting photos (see the photog blog). I went a day early and stayed a day late to have time to hang out with some friends i made in Portland in September. We had a BLAST! Bourbon Street didn't know what hit it.
And the FOOD! There's no place like Nawlins for food. I ate jambalaya with RABBIT and sausage, SEAFOOD CHEESECAKE (my favorite from the week), crabcakes to die for, and decent gumbo (it was the least exciting of my food adventures, but still pretty good). I found the BEST PRALINES at Laura's and brought home a dozen for the fam. And i somehow still managed to lose 2.5 lbs while there. (We are soooo busy with photography at After Dark).
It's good to be home. Now, just to get over this nasty cold. We have a crazy busy weekend coming up!
So I board my flight from Phoenix to Houston and was two rows behind a dude who had just signed a record deal (as he and his dad had loudly celebrated at their departing huggy wuggy time). It was apparent that Rock Star Dude was one hot mess.
As I took my seat and buckled up, dude got up and staggered down the aisle. He could hardly hold his eyes open as he loudly announced he'd been out drinking 151 all night. When he loudly demanded a stripper, 3 flighties surrounded him and escorted him off the plane. At least he didn't resist.
After takeoff, I watched My Sister's Keeper. At arrival in Houston I disembarked with streaky makeup and a snotty nose. Note to self: no heartwrenching movies on next flight!
I hate flying. People who know i was in the USAF think this is funny, but come on, people! Not everyone in the Air Force has an airborne job. I was "okay" on the flight to VA in June. I was NOT okay on the flight back. And it wasn't a psychological thing about coming back to Brown Dirt. No, it was a psychological thing about being 30,000 feet in the AIR and how WRONG that is and how it would SUCK ASS REALLY BIG if we fell from the sky. I had a full-on panic attack and had a sudden and intense urge to get the hell off that plane. Instead, i went into the bathroom and forced myself to calm down. I said i would never--NOT EVER--fly again.
So, i just bought a ticket for me and myself alone to go to Portland (OR) in September. I'm sick about it already. Panic attacks at 30,000 feet pointedly suck, but they suck much worse amongst strangers. I have less than 2 months to psych myself up for this.
I'm whimpering.
might just have to fire airtran! for realzes, the plane that was supposed to take us from RIC to ATL was late enough to make us miss our connection to PHX, so we stayed in Richmond last night...and had to pay for the hotel ourselves. AirTran can suck it. that's all i'm saying. i was so looking forward to being snuggled up to Todd in our own cozy bed last night. i was pret-T pizzizzled at having to stay, but after a short tantrum, decided to make the best of it. the kids and i went out to eat and partied like rock stars. now i'm wifi-ing and getting ready to workout in the fitness room. oh, and i'm so looking forward to that free apple for breakfast. whoo hoo!
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Yes, i made it into the 19%'s of body fat and I ROCK. Ha!
Saturday we leave for the amazing and beautiful Commonwealth of Virginia and I cannot wait to see GREENness everywhere...lush, rich colors, rolling hills, soft wildflowers (things in the desert tend to be hard or prickly and not given to being rolled around in or run carefree through), beds of cushiony moss and pastel-tinted lichen on rough brown tree bark. I'm going home. I'm going home!
Bryce will meet his Granny (my mom) for the first time. She's so excited she can hardly contain herself. He's so excited, he can't stop talking about all the things we'll do and see at Granny's house. Rides on the mower, feeding the deer in the backyard, catching fireflies, studying beetles and spiders, eating treats, celebrating Bryce's birthday (again) and Easter (my mom loves to do that; I'm surprised we're not doing Christmas, too).
Parties, photo sessions, Girls' Nights Out (Angie, have you confirmed yet?!), a trip to the beach, hiking in the Blue Ridge...ahhh, Virginia. See you soon!
I love Greer, AZ. It's so dang pretty...gorgeous, really! God's country and all that. We went up there Thursday to stay in the Anderson family cabin (my bil's family's) and came back Sunday. I really didn't want to come back! It was 52 degrees Sunday afternoon when we left. When we got back home to the desert floor, it was 111! Yeeeee haw! Anyhow, here's a few pics:
A & Z arrived home Saturday afternoon. I was on pins and needles waiting at the gate for their plane to land. It arrived a few minutes early and as it pulled up to the walkway thingie (what do you call that, anyway?) I went to the door and scanned the faces coming up the walk. As usual, because they fly UM (Unaccompanied Minor), they were last off the plane. I saw Allie first and burst into tears. She came RUNNING to me and I squeezed her so tight. Then, I reached for Zane, but the flight attendant said, "Not until you sign the release." She was KIDDING but Zane (like me) is so literal minded, that Zane backed away from me. LOL! The FA told him she was kidding, so he came and hugged me. His hair is soooo long! And Allie looks even more grown up than ever. Six weeks sounds like just a short time, but things do change.
Bryce wouldn't let Zane put him down for anything! He clung to Z fiercely and wouldn't even let Todd take him. Now he follows him around the house. Today, Zane was a minute or two late coming out of Church, and the rest of us were already waiting in the car. Bryce pointed to Zane's seat and asked, "Where's Zane?" He was so concerned. CUTE!
Allie's friend Cayli came with us; I think she missed Al this summer! The girls hung out most of Saturday. They even let me hang with them a bit ;o) I recorded A playing a few of the songs she learned this summer on her guitar (her aunt Chris bought her one in Virginia). I'll have those videos up soon...maybe tomorrow. Right now, I'm sick with a nasty cold and quite miserable. Couldn't resist putting up a couple pix, though!
