©MaryMcgintyPhotography

©MaryMcGintyPhotography

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All photos on this blog are the property of Mary McGinty Photography (unless noted otherwise) photos may not be used or copied without my permission




Jun 15, 2013

Us against the wild


Holy Cow! Actually a cow would be better. We have a family of 3 Raccoons that live close.
My guess is somewhere under our deck, it's hard to tell due to the massive size of our deck 600sf. There is also lattice that covers the lower perimieter so we cant see under the whole thing.
Callahan and friends were in the garage sitting at "the table" in the dark , candles lit with soda's and chips late one night. A giant Oppossum jumped out of a box and growled at them.
I would have given anything to see 5 teens scrambling to get out of the garage at midnight via the side door.
OMG, to hear Callahan tell the story made me bust out laughing.
Cal said the tail was a good 2 inches in diameter and it was the size of a medium dog. It also had 1 baby with it.
We also have a skunk that has to be close. Once or sometines twice a week it blows, usually while Tim and I are in bed with the windows open. We are on the 3rd floor and our windows overlook the driveway. The smell is so strong that our eyes water. Im not sure where he takes up residence.
The Raccoons are so bold. They would walk across the deck rail and look in our kitchen window while we sta at kitchen table. At night we can hear them going in and out of cans.
Now the squirrels have chewed large holes in the lids.
Now that summer is hear and kids are outside it has become a safety issue.
A) I need new cans
                  B) I hang ammonia soaked rags
      C) I sprinkle red pepper

I have put Mouse poison little bricks all around 
(not for mice, because we have none)
I do have the fear of the animals eating the poison and just becoming insane


We never had this problem when our dear Patrick was alive
If none of this work it's time to call the professionals
I haven't seen or heard from any of them since the ammonia, but Im not convinved yet. 
I also hear mint garbage bags help.
# 1 is cut off food supply




Jun 12, 2013

a day downtown


 Had a nice drive downtown with the TJ, top down with the wind in our hair.
TJ's had a good month
Life is good!


Black and White or color?
answer?
Both

Jun 9, 2013

Big Weekend for Karrick

all these pics were shot with my cell phone...so against my principals

 Friday, Karrick had a huge movie audition. There has been a national seach for a little boy to star in a new movie adapted from a popular childrens book to be shot in LA this Fall.
I'm not holding my breath. 
He marched in there and gave it his all....like I have time to go to LA?!
Of course I do! ;p


Clair Simon Casting collected supplies for Oklahoma and the little actors help load the truck. Clair Simon wanted a picture for her facebook page of all the kids in the truck





Saturday my budding actor/model had his 1st editorial photoshoot shot by 
They shot for 3 hours! We couldn't watch, but I sat with my kids manager and all the moms of the kids he manages. It was super cool, I have been spending time with these moms lately.
The teen editorial shoot is coming up, which TJ and Madie will be in


there was probably 8-10 kids and I cant wait to see these shots. Karrick was the only boy for the 1st half. Isn't that every boys dream to be surrounded by a mass a girl models?
In the car he told me the 11 year old was "pretty cute" Arrgh!
God help me with this one

 Below, Karrick kept everyone amused with his magic tricks. Um, I'm talking about the adults. The kid is too much.
 TJ's girlfriend Madie bought Karrick a little magic set.
Scott, their manager is sitting across from Karrick and he was highly amused.
I'm telling you Karrick is a piece of work



His and Hers


A month and a half ago both of our cars drowned in the Great Flood of 2013...not to be confused with the great flood of '09 or '11.
We never lost our cars before. Water was at least a foot higher this time. We found out the hard way that only my car (damn cute little Audi A4 Convertable- RIP) had rental car coverage.
Whatever...we played pioneer once again and shared 1 car. I drove Tim to the Metra in the am and picked him up from the choo choo after work.
About 10 days after State Farm towed my car away, they declared it totaled and gave me a quote . You then get 7 days more on the rental car once you are quoted..thats bullshit!
We kept the rental and Tim started to work his magic
My Tim has an incredible gift when it comes to fixing and knowing how things work...this also applies to the auto industry.
Tim found our recently deceased cars online. He knows every cars worth. He spends 1-3 months searching everywhere for an old car that looks and runs like new for rediculously low prices. That allows us to have great cars wothout payments
He could not find my same Audi, but did find me a  beautiful BMW 330 CI Convertible for less than what SF gave me for my Audi. Holy smokes my car is fast! Not that I need that in a car, but I spend most of my week driving on the highway. With the convertible I don't feel like I live in traffic...Pop in a CD, but down the top and soak up the sun.
Tim wanted the same car that he had, now he got that for a steal so we knew we'd have to pay up. Insurance gave him $1900 more than what he paid for his other car.
After a solid month of searching day in and day out he found the beauty above in Milwaukee...it came from Texas, so no snow or salt.
He took the Amtrak from downtown to WI and drove her home.
We both have new BMW's...a fine automobile and we again have ZERO payments!
We did have to go check out some cars and didn't get them for whatever reason...My worst nightmare I might add. Tim can look and test drive a car and know whats wrong....people can be shady.
It helps that Tim can do the majority of maintenance on the cars himself...saves us a ton of money
Both our new cars are 2001's



We are recovering from the flood. The lower level is cleaned. We are leaving the laundry room gutted, may slap paneling up, but no insulation or drywal/cemant board. The bottom 4 feet of the family room is gutted, Tim will slap up paneling (bottom have of room only)...cheep and easy to pull off and toss next time we flood.  The air, hot water heater, and washer came back on. We bought a new dryer and are dragging our heals on having someone come out to quote the furnace (I think just the computer panel needs to be replaced)
This time we didn't lose as many personal items, because we brought a lot of stuff up prior to the rain



Not a bad way to earn your driving hours (I just hopped out to take picture) TJ will get his licence in November

Jun 4, 2013

Fashion wars

This past Sunday Karrick was booked as a model for Fashion Wars. The event was help at Dave and Busters downtown. There was food, photographers and venders. Channel 5 news was even there. The money raised is for the charity RAINN It was fun and cute. The kids were adorable and really had a good time












Jun 3, 2013

Callahan and Katie's 8th grade photo shoot

Friday I had the day off, so we had a photshoot. These are the outfits that Callahan and Katie wore to their 8th grade dance on the "Spirit of chicago". I love how they are color coordinated.
I just love the above picture, it is genuine and sweet.
The chemistry these 2 have is fantastic and they are very comfortable together.

I shot at Babcock's Grove Cemetery and Terrace View Park both very close to our home. These two were so easy we were done in no time.
Im having picture withdrawls, been so busy that I've only done a handful of photoshoots lately






 

May 31, 2013

My sweet Callahan is officially a high schooler

CALLAHAN'S GRADUATION WEEK !


 These two are just perfect, like a prince and a princess.
 The 2 of them are wise and mature beyond their years. They bring the best out in each other, Cal is wickedly funny and somewhat reserved. Katie is all personality, quick, clever and not to mention as darling as they come. They ARE the 8th grade couple. Met in Italy where they spent 10 days together (under the watchful eye of Tim and Katie's mom, Deanna)
Soon to be celebrating 1 year together

What a great week couple of weeks in the McGinty house.

My sweet beautiful intellegent Callahan graduated from Glenn Westlake Middle School last night. The ceremony was head at Glenbard East High School.
Tuesday was the 8th grade dance on the Spirit of Chicago downtown
 My photo of them in their dancing clothes has been postponed due to weather and life.
I am hoping to shoot them today.
I could not be more pround of Callahan if I tried. 
Forget being rediculouly smart (scored above average on the SAT's 4 years early)
He is kind, thoughtful and caring. Cal is the kid that will get up at a restaurant to go hold the door open for a senior citizen. He is very open with his emotions. I can glance at him and see him gently putting Katie's hair behind her ear.
Callahan can fix anything...ANYTHING! he took apart a car at age 12, fixed it,  sand blasted it and repainted it. He has fix computers, garbage disposals, doors, cars, lawn mowers, bikes to name a few. 
I was laying in bed the other night and heard powers tools in the garage. The next morning he said he was bored so he built a table. (he had friends over in the garage last weekend and felt bad that one of the fathers had to drop off a long table for them to sit at while hanging and listening to music)
My hope is that callahan has the most amazing summer before entering high school. He is spending a week overnight at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora where he is taking a summer  Energy/physics camp. He will get a taste of dorm life as he has wanted to go to HS there since 3rd grade when he walked out of his 1st IMSA camp saying

 "I love it, I am finally with kids that are just like me"



Older brother build character!

Look at my guys, Love them!
 Missing my Karrick in this picture, he was off chatting with the graduated girls



Callahan has just an amazing group of friends, together and tight  since 1st grade. These friend are one of the main reasons I didn't have Callahan moved up a grade early on
On the morning of the Dance, Gayle got all the boys and us moms together at 7:15 am for pictures. These are the pictures I shot
 We have watched these boys grow and mature into fine young men. I cant belive they will all be starting freshman year together...they were just babies yesterday







 330 kids graduated from GWMS
 We are all so proud of Callahan, a kind, thoughtful and caring young man. You are the real deal and we love you to pieces
Callahan is destine make a difference in this world!

You are an original

May 15, 2013

Happy Birthday mom



Today is my mom's 76th Birthday
 9 years ago today she had emergency brain surgery.
In exactly 2 weeks it will be 9 years ago that she left us

My close friends know how I struggled with her death, I don't think my family or my husband even knew, by no fault of their own
It took 3 solid years before I could mention her without crying. 
I was angry and sad and mad
I drank a lot that first year
Today is my 8  year  anniversay of being sober, on my moms birthday.
My brother Jim posted this video, I have never seen or heard this before (I get that I live in a music closet)


Thank Jim for sharing this
video



It made me cry, but a different cry. Of course there is a sadness, but somehow a happy cry. so much of my mom lives on through us kids. The older I get the more I realize how many lives she touched. Just the comments on facebook from all her friends, ours cousins and our friends growing up while spending time in our home.
She was a part of their lives too....everyone's lives
Thats a Blessing, she was a blessing and I am blessed because she was my mom




Karrick's Christening May 5th 2004
3 weeks before my mom died