Let's Celebrate, It's All Right!

This past week is just a blur. We had Haille Rae from Sunday evening to yesterday afternoon... and I was the one that took care of her most of the time. And even when my aunt WAS here she wasn't really and so I was saddled with the responsibility. Which is fine, but I would have liked a little ME time, ya know?

Anyway Haille and I baked cookies, played, watching Snow White several times each day (my fault, we did a Princess movie marathon and she fell in love with Snow White above all the others because she loves "the Witch" lol) and had a pretty good time. Poor baby had a cold so we didn't get to do anything that I promised her we would (like go to the zoo and play outside in the snow) but she didn't seem to mind. She LOVED helping to roll out the dough and cut the cookies... and the frosting was even more fun. Yuka had pink fur at one point. It was pretty interesting.

Mostly, though, we just watched Mickey Mouse and Snow White because she was sick and didn't want to do a whole lot. She also sat with her little vtech laptop next to me while I was working on mine ha ha! She is so stinking cute that it isn't funny!

Christmas Eve had EVERYONE over here. And I do mean everyone. My parents and Brother got here around 5, and then everyone started showing up. G'ma, G'pa... Jim Louisa & their two kids AND two dogs. Jeff and Lindsay and Lindsay's dog Mazel plus Jeff brought Willie even after Gpa said not to lol. We had EIGHT DOGS in the house... we sent the more rambuncious ones outside and so we ended up with SIX in the living room. INSANITY. But it was good times. The kids got to open the presents we had on hand here as well as the adults that we planned on giving. Haille got to open ONE of her gifts... and it just happened to be the one from my parents (actually I gave her one box but it wasn't as big as the boxes that Trinity and Dimitri got so I had to go digging around for one that was the same basic size lol) My mom made her a Princess blanket that had the three classics on it. Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. You would have thought the child had a golden ticket the way she flipped out. She was over the moon in love with that thing because it had SNOW WHITE on it. It was so cute!

I had a heck of a time finding where I'd put Trinity's gift, but she loved hers too. It's a Hannah Montana Varisty style Jacket and it has her name on it. She was so in awe of it having her name on it. She didn't take it off the rest of the night!

Christmas morning we opened all of our gifts and I had to say that it was probably one of the nicest we've had in a while. Even with the fact that we were all on a smaller budget everyone was so thankful and I think the budget had something to do with it. Instead of getting a bunch of things that maybe seem like what would be good... we had to THINK about that one or two special gifts for that person. My parents did something I wasn't expecting at all they got me a Studio Light set up. Two lamps complete with everything from umprellas to stands to extra bulbs... I was just not expecting that at all. I know how much those cost! They got it direct from B&H too. So it weren't cheap! And it wasn't a 'whole family' pitch in project either like my camera was. I was just floored.

Gaylord also got me camera stuff... a very nice monopod (I've always wanted one) and a filter that works with digital cameras... now I just have to remember how to use filters lol.

I got a few other things, mainly $$ for my upcoming trip (almost $200 worth lol) but I was just enjoying being with my family. I miss my mom and dad... 'specially dad. We had a great time.

We went to the g'parents' for dinner and had a great time... dad was telling stories about when I was little and Haille was hanging with my cousin's kids... she was totally in love with Dimitri who is about 2 years older than she is lol she calls him "The boy" it was so cute. He was teaching her how to play a game on his new Nintendo DS system. Surprisingly she was catching on pretty dang quick. I was impressed. She told Judy that she wanted one for Christmas next year ha ha!

Well, I am uploading songs to my ipod (which my awesome best friend got for me for Christmas even though she wasn't supposed to get me ANYTHING, the buttface) on Judy's computer since my laptop won't talk to my ipod (and vice versa...) so I best get back to that. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and long weekend!

...I'm hiding out in my room because I'm so sick of Judy pretending that she thinks I'm good enough as a photographer. She's now not sure if she wants me or Gaylord to take Haille's Christmas pictures because "he's had more practice." Yeah, well, the kid doesn't like him - so we'll see how THAT goes. That and she said it'd be nice if he could get in on the Alaska Wedding Fair because it'd be nice to have a decent wedding photog in the area.

Gee. Thanks.

I mentioned Tasha Grossl as being one of the best in S. Central AK and she said I was biased. Um, yeah, chick gets called to all over and is one of the most expensive AND sought after photogs in teh state. But yeah, I'm biased.

Judy's still ticked that I've already said I don't want Gaylord to be on 'retainer' for whenver I get married. I'd like to have SOME say in who gets to be part of my day. If it's not Tasha it'd be Casey Chappel (because she'd either fly up here on my dime to do it, or I'd for whatever reason be getting hitched outside of Alaska - fat chance, but still...). For whatever reason that discussion still bothers Judy. Because it proves I don't accept Gaylord. Um, no, I've seen his wedding photography and if I wanted crappy run of the mill non-photojournalistic prison wedding photos I'd call him. It's not that he isn't good, he's just so straight up and down traditional and I'd rather not do that.

He also said that my work would be better if I tried to be more traditional (ie, no creative angles.. no 'fun shots' other than sunglasses for the guys and the girls showing some leg and the 'traditional' fun shots... the boring stuff). Quite frankly that's not me so if I ever find a guy and get married Gaylord is not the photog that fits me.

Not only that but I'd have to get a second eye because there ain't no way I'm letting a guy into the girls dressing room. Why do that when there are female photogs able to do just as much and more than he can?

BLAH!

That really wasn't what I was going to write about in here lol. We just got into it for the millionth time and I'm just so tired of it.

Anyway I applied with the local Census Bureau office here in Anchorage to be one of those annoying people that comes to your house and knocks on your door and counts you for the 2010 consensus. Hooray for me! Monday at 5pm I have to go into their testing area (Church of Christ close by) and do an interview, paperwork, and take a test (they want to make sure that I can read a map according to the guy I talked to). Haille will be here starting Sunday so I have to take her over to Judy's work before I go over for testing... The guy told me that I would be there for about an hour and a half ot two hours. I'm a bit nervous but hopefully it works out. It's a great hourly rate (17 bucks and change) plus milage! So that's pretty stinkin awesome. It's also parttime so I can still work on photography (hopefully).

I just hope that the Disney World trip won't make me inelligible as you have to committ to at least 20 hours a week. But I wouldn't think it'd be that big a problem, right?


Speaking of Miss Rae - I'm trying very hard to make cookies she can eat, but it's very difficult when the ingredients she can have are no where to be found! UGH! All I need is goat's milk BUTTER... but does anyone up here carry it? nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! BLAH! Poor kid needs Christmas cookies, ok?

there was something else I was going to talk about but I can't remember what it is... so after staring at this screen for fifteen minutes trying to figure it out I'm going to just sign off. ta!