Mothers Day on the Farm

Mothers Day was celebrated in Long Grove. The weather was amazing! I sat outside and jsut sshot candids of the kids playing

 My Three Sons

Karrick needs only his imagination

 

real life fairy garden

Just a fun looking photo

I have been so busy that I haven't taken a lot of pictures lately and certainly nonefor just the fun of it. I did 2 professional shoots in April, but thats it. Today was a fantastic picture taking day in Long Grove. The sun was shinning and the grounds were bursting with color. I love this shot becasue it has a watercolor/fairytale look to it and I caught Karrick smack dab as he ran through the sunlight. I did add some upper left sunlight, but other than that it's SOOC

Shot with Canon zoom 75-300

My Mother

My mom was the most incredible lady. She was smart, funny, elegant and full of grace. Everybody loved Joanne...everybody!

She raised 5 children while my dad worked 2 jobs. A Chicago Fireman and a sign painter. My dad would do a 24 hr shift at the firehouse and sometimes go straight to his second job. My mother did it all and was always home and there for us growing up. She always told me that I would make it in life no matter what (probably told my siblings the same thing) I believed her.

She had a bridge club and a mahjong club (high school friends) . Her and my father went out every  Saturday night. She would get all dressed up and put on her Chanel #5 and leave us monsters with a babysitter that we tormented, I mean tormented.

My mom and dad were the pretty people, the people everyone wanted to hang with. They walked in the room and people noticed them. They met in HS, dated and got married 5 years after graduation. My mom worked for Leo Burnett (pre-kids) and dad CFD. While with Leo Burnett my mother was asked to be the Marboro woman in their cigarette commercial.  We have the commercial on VHS somewhere is it awesome, my mom writing a letter to her boyfriend in the army, she pauses lights up a cigarette, takes a drag and blows out the smoke while gazing at the photo of her serviceman. I should try and dig it up

 My mom was Ms Mercy of Mercy High School 1955, the senior chosen that had all the qualities. Her picture graced a full page in the front of the yearbook

Grandma loved her grandchildren and she would keep them overnight all the time. She loved to have them sleep on her shoulder. Sadly she passed away 2 months after Karrick was born. It will be 9 years this month.

I talked to my mom almost everyday and still feel a void after all this time.

She was a great one and I am super lucky to have had her as a mother

Happy Mother's Day Mom, I love and miss you!

Good things, good things

Today TJ and I ordered our passports for Costa Rica. We had to move the date back a week because TJ booked a feature film....YES, he is going to light up the big screen. As my luck would have it, it films during the week we were to be gone...no biggie as we still have to purchase our tickets. TJ had to sign a NDA (non disclosure agreement) to work on the film, so I have to keep everyone in the dark. It's big and it's cool. He had his fitting yesterday and got paid for it...Love it!

Just saying, out of the 3 people being fitted at that time, only 1 was gushed over about how "Perfect" he looked in costume. Guess who? Yep- the TJ-ster!

Needless to say TJ is stoked! He has the cool law firm internship and a major motion picture to keep him busy all summer! The boy will be earning his own cash.

He worked so hard for the last couple years audtioning and auditioning, he got call backs but didn't get booked. He never got down, never complained and most of all Never gave up!

His perseverance has paid off!

Now to the above picture 

I am starting this tomorrow...it is similar to stuff we do in bootcamp, but we use weights while doing excercises. I will do both, I can't always make bootcamp, Im averaging once a week....(it is 3x a week) I have noticed a difference in my body, clothes fit better, but I haven't really lost any weight...maybe 4 lbs.

I will horrify myself by posting my results

Karricks Communion and Cals SAT

Saturday was one busy day. Karrick made his First Holy Communion at Sacred Heart Church. Tim dropped us off early(we still only have 1 car and it is a rental) at Lilacia Park which is across the street from the Church. Tim had to go pick up Callahan from Glenbard West HS where he took the SAT's for the 1st time. He said the math was easy, reading was boring and some of the vocabulary was hard. Considering he is only in the 8th grade, sounds like he did okay.

Lilcia Park is just beginning to bloom....the weather was fantastic for a few shots.

My little Karrick looks so cute in his Shaun White skinny black pants . He may be a peanut but he is all legs...just like his mama!

Some new friends came to pick up TJ and brought Karrick some homemade cupcakes. So very sweet and thoughtful. The rose one was just for me

 Below is my SAT shot of Glenbard West HS. Cal had to be there no later than 7:45 am. At 7 30 we had to turn around because we forgot the sciencetific calulator, then we had to search for batteries. At 7:37 we flew to Glen Ellyn. It is actually faster to get to GWHS than it is to Glenbard East as both school are less than 3 miles away.

baby steps

This week brought us nicer weather so we could start the clean up process. I have posted the before and after shots. I called the village and they came out and power washer my walkway and lawn...a regular hose wasn't powerful enough. 

filming day 3

 Our 3rd day of filming brought us to Highland Park on the lake front. It was cold but super fun. I only stayed for half the day. Below is TJ with the Director.

I know I am his mom, but I think TJ is just adorable. I did receive the same feedback from just about everyone on set

the extra's above

 TJ does the 50's well

This is Emilie with an "ie" she was hired to do hair and makeup for TJ. When Karrick introduced himself as "Karrick with a K" she responded emilie with an ie"

She was super cool and fun. she is also a jazz singer downtown

the boy can work it

Karrick booked a fashion runway show. Tonight was the fitting and photoshoot. This little boy worked it like nothing I've seen before. He was so stinkin cute that I had to sneak shots and then OMG! I got caught and in trouble. K was so sweet while busting me that I felt horrible. I hid in the hallway while Karrick changed into his street clothes. I then heard K tell the rest of the parents "no pictures"  OUCH!

Everyone was sneaking pictures with their cell phones, I whipped out my Canon. The actual shots will blow mine away, I kept my flash off and the photographer's camera was hooked into the umbrella lights

I cant wait to see them