Giving Thanks

 We headed to Long Grove to celebrate Thanksgiving. It was a well needed low key family affair. Mom  McGinty cooked up a spectacular traditional thanksgiving meal, we sat around the fire, talked and just relaxed.

We have had a crazy few weeks. Tim's company got bought out so he was in Phily, not to mention the craziness a buyout comes with...working non-freakin stop.

I just love my family and I am so thankful for them everyday..Everyday!

         Callahan must always dismantle and fix something, today was the slot machine. 

TJ kept the fire roaring all night long. He deserved a much need night off. In the last week he spent 2 days at SIU, filmed a music video "Warriors" for MTV and filmed an episode of "Chicago PD" in addition to going to school

"Chicago PD"

This morning TJ was booked on "Chicago PD" it's a spin off of Chicago Fire premiering in January on NBC. I dropped him off early, snapped some picture and when I got home I realized I didn't have a SD card in my camera. I shot these sad pictures when I picked TJ up. Oh Well..

The lot where he filmed is huge with multiple warehouses that film 2 other Chicago filmed drama's. Thats all I know of, they may film more. Parts of Divergent were filmed here too.

It's so freaking cool that TJ is working every week lately : )

 

"Warriors " MTV Music Video

Danielle above is a model (in case you needed to be told) aqlso filming the video and she became fast friends with TJ

Yesterday TJ shot a music video for Ashley Lauren new song Warriors . She was about the nicest person I have met in a long time. We met at a restaurant downtown and then Ashley whisked the actors to a street location in a limo. It was really cold, but TJ had a ball. A handful of people recognized him from Family Values and walked up to him with a "OMG. your TJ from FV"  It was weird for him but a really cool feeling...OK, he loved it. He was told to get use to it becuase once it hits TV that may be his new life.

TJ has never been one to shy away from attention

TJ running to the limo so I couldn't take his picture...he likes to taunt me. The video premiers on Christmas Eve on MTV.com You tube and WCIU

Tomorrow my boy TJ will be filming the new series "Chicago PD" a spin off of "Chicago Fire"

A future Saluki?

TJ was invited to an open house and reception for The honors and Scholars program at Southern IL University in Carbondale IL Friday night.

We left early Friday morning and drove 6 hrs south. We got there in time to check into our hotel and relax before heading to the reception

We checked in at the reception and TJ met with the Assistant Dean of the Science Dept. TJ is pursuing a career in Computer Science. The dean opened TJ's eyes to many different ways to use his programming degree. One idea that was programming bionic limbs as SIU is a Nationally ranked research University

This is the first time TJ's showed any enthusiasm for college. He loved everything about it.

It is a big old beautiful school and campus

 On Saturday we took a Tim guided tour of the school as he is an Alumni of SIU 

 The student rec center above is amazing, has the pool of course and a indoor basketball court, soccer, track, gym, racquetball courts, MMA gym..everything you could imagine.

 The student center below has different restaurants, a bowling ally and shops

next door is the Giant City State Park  which is just stunning. This is late Nov, I cant imagine the Spring, summer and Fall.

We still have other schools that TJ has been accepted to, to check out. They really need to be something special because my TJ was pretty impressed with SIU.

I loved it too, could do without the 6 hrs away but would be thrilled if TJ chose his dads school

Officially discharged

tj with is screen mom waiting for hair and make-up last weekend.

Friday TJ had his follow up appt with the Neurologist. A few months ago TJ was throwing up in the morning...just in the morning and then he was fine. The doc put him back on his migraine medicine for a couple weeks. TJ had Cyclic Migraines which causes you to throw up in the morning and then be fine. Its somehow associated with regular migraines. TJ took the meds a couple times then stopped. That medication really knocks you out. Thankfully he was fine and the vomiting stopped.

So, we went for our follow up. I was taken back when the doctor said  "Well, I am officially discharging you" that simple statement just took me by surprise. We have been going to the Neurologist for 2 years. I had tears of happiness in my eyes. We have come so far and I guess I never expected it end. Of course if anything changes we go right back.

After 25 months TJ is living a pretty normal life again. He still struggles with headaches every time it rains or is threatening to rain . The extreme heat and humidity bothers him too.He still has light sensitivity.

TJ is back hanging with friends on the weekends, has a 4.12 GPA (that's with no honors classes, but he does have AP Computer Science with a perfect score) TJ has a smile on his face and a spark back in his eyes. Once again my TJ is sweet, happy and witty. Tj also works every weekend

Another thing, TJ reads non-stop now. He downloads book after book onto his phone and is constantly reading. I love it!

This cracks me up, of course TJ and his dang food issues has craft services always buying him specialty food. Chicken, muffins and goldfish are pretty much a staple on the set for him.  The rest of the cast and crew eat hot catered meals. I honestly think the boy will starve when he goes to college

It sure is nice to put this ordeal behind us as much as we can

Beautiful Baby M

A few months a ago my girlfriend asked if she could buy a photography session as a baby shower gift for her cousin

Why sure!

The session was scheduled for last Saturday. Family Values was filming at out house in the morning and my shoot was scheduled for the afternoon. I was coming off a hectic week. I drove an hour south and my worst nightmare came true, I had my camera bag but no camera. I had left the camera on my couch.  OMG! I was so humiliated I could of died.

We rescheduled for yesterday morning. I was kinda nervous because it was cloudy and I was shooting indoor. I was concerned about light.

Well, this was one of the most enjoyable shoots I've done. The baby was amazing, cute, happy and could hold her head up.

I also bought a new lens this week an 85 mm which lets in so much light that my shots are fantastic! A must have for any photographer! I am building a nice collection as I now have 5 different lenses. 

Look at the crispness and pop in the eyes. It also creates a stronger blur in the background. I shot in front of sliding glass doors and no silhouette 

This review put tears in my eyes

Nicole M

I can't begin to explain how wonderful Mary is as a photographer!! In July I received a gift certificate for a 

in home photo shoot for my baby shower. I never met Mary didn't even know her work. The people that 

gave it to me said they loved her work, so I took their word for it. So yesterday (Saturday 11/17/13) my 

husband, our daughter and I met Mary. She was kind, sweet, creative and so much more with our 

daughter. We were thrilled with how well the photo shoot went. The next day Mary emailed me some

 sample shots and my husband started to cry on how beautiful the pictures were. He couldn't believe how 

Mary captured the littlest movements...that moment was priceless to me and it was all because of Mary.

 From this day forward we our happy to say Mary will watch our daughter grow cause we will be hiring 

her 

to do her pictures from this day forward...

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Look at the eyelashes 

She put her little feet up by herself