August 22nd, 2009 by Heidi

Two months ago I made a point to say that I was going to blog more. I did for a couple days and then I seemed to have fallen off the planet. In reality, I’m still here! Thank goodness for that. Life gets busy – which is good. That means we’ve had an enjoyable summer and work has been good to me. But sadly my blog has nothing to show for it. I’ve taken the pictures, they’re still just stuck in folders unedited. I think I have a very large project when the weather turns frigid and the business slows down.

We’re 4 days from the start of a new school year. It’s so hard to imagine my baby girl going to her first year in highschool. And now my boys will be in 1st and 2nd grades. My babies are not babies any more. This leaves me feeling a bit wary for the return of school but at the same time I am the one anxiously counting down the days!

Today is the Fargo AirSho. I love this! I love the sound of those jets flying just feet over the top of our house. I love that it rattles things around in here and rumbles my guts. I think it’s all just so cool.

This afternoon Hannah is having 4 of her besties over for a sleepover. First, I’m photographing them downtown for some best friend fun and ‘back to school’ pictures. This should be great fun – I can’t wait to share! What a fun way to spend the last weekend before they go back to school.

James is home. I missed him for 3 very long weeks. We’ve had an excellent week just being together. I do not look forward to Monday morning though.

So here’s me, I blogged! I will find some pictures to add in soon. I’m sure tomorrow will come with much more to talk about – as long as I’ve survived the sleepover of friends.

June 12th, 2009 by Heidi

I’m seriously slacking. I’m frustrated with myself for not following through with my blogging vision. A year ago I started this blog as a place to just write, a place to keep my big ole family updated on the things that go on around here, a place to share about myself and my kids and my photography. And lately, I’ve just let it all go. Even sadder, I’ve not blogged or journaled much of anything in months. And I’m feeling a little left out from myself. I feel like I’ve cheated myself and my kids out a lot of details throughout the year that are now undocumented. That was exactly waht I didn’t want to happen. I need to keep doing this, to keep writing down the litlte thing, sharing the pictures and keeping a record for my family.

If you’re a reader of my blog, and you see me skipping too many days of writing, will you please kick me? Leave me a comment, send me an email, give me a call. I need that little push sometimes. I get caught up with the other 50 trillion things going on day to day and forget or don’t take the time to write. I’m doing myself an injustice. Keep me in line!

May 10th, 2009 by Heidi

I’m certainly not doing a good job of using my blog the way I wanted and intended. I can’t believe it’s already been a month and a half since I last updated. I need to make a much better effort here. People still visit every day and I’m thankful for that, though you have to be crazy dedicated to keep coming back with no new info being posted.

Random: Green Day is playing on VH1 right now and I’m reminded that I just think they are really super awesome. I’m excited fro the new album to be released in just a few days.

Just for updating sake, I’ll make a bullet list of anything I can think of with any relevance about what’s been going on around here since I last updated.

• We survived the flood – no water in our house and Fargo was not overtaken by the Red.
• It’s spring – finally! Buds are popping out on the trees and the grass in green and I see flowers. I’m so happy.
• Hannah is running track – hurdles even – and really enjoys it.
• Connor and Dillan are back to playing soccer and having a blast.
• Photography has been slow for me all winter but is picking up and I’m so excited about that!
• I’m in the process of bulding an office in the house. My kitchen table needs to return to just a table.
• The kids are almost done with school for the year, wow that went fast!
• Dillan turned 6. What a bad mom I am for neglecting a blog post just for his day. Insert guilt here.
• I didn’t blog about my dad’s birthday visit. More guilt.
• James has been home pretty frequently which I love.
• The Zoo is as cute as ever and despite leaving behind 10 tons of hair daily, they are such a joy around here.

Wow, I thought the list would be longer – maybe life isn’t so exciting around here. Sadly, there are a lot of little things that I wish I would have taken the time to write about. Someone please kick me and make me update at least once a week but preferably much more.

March 26th, 2009 by Heidi

To say things are a little chaotic around here is being mild. The city is in a major state of emergency. The river levels are rising so quickly.

I haven’t been able to keep up with updating several blogs so I’ve chosen to keep up the biz blog with updates since it has RSS feeds in a few places. I’m writing here now to direct anyone to that blog and other info.

Follow what’s going on with us at www.heidismithphotography.com/blog

Helpful city links with flood info:

Newspaper: www.inforum.com

Flood Levels: www.ndsu.nodak.edu/fargoflood/

Valley Flood Watch: www.valleyfloodwatch.com/

Currently, I’m trying not to have a freakout. We live far enough from the river that we shouldn’t be effected. But the river is going to surpass record levels and nobody is certain how the dikes will hold up. We are optomistic and hopeful but we are taking precautions anyway. Today we will be getting things out of the basement and gathering important things and preparing for evacuation if need be. Gosh I hope that is not necessary but we need to be prepared. Having a zoo within our house will leave very little room for taking anything with us. me, 3 kids, 4 cats, 2 dogs. Talk about chaos. But I think as long as things are upstairs that we shouldn’t have to worry about personal belongings and all of us creatures will be ok. And that’s the extreme, I don’t imagine that we will have to do that but I’m getting our ducks in a row. No need to fret, we’ll deal with what comes our way. We’re just hoping nothing comes our way.

Thank you everyone who has called or emailed or commented to check and see how we’re doing. We appreciate  your support and prayers and well wishes. Fargo is in great need of volunteers. With schools being closed, the numbers are harder to get as there are childcare issues. I hope everyone that can go out, goes out.

So please follow my photography blog for more updates for the time being. When things mellow out some I’ll get back to posting here. Thanks so much!

January 4th, 2009 by Heidi

It’s 2009 already? How did that happen? It’s no joke, time really does go faster as we get older.

It was an uneventful ringing in the new year here. I was exhausted and went to bed at 10pm. James stayed up and watched some TV. We still have Rockin’ Eve on the DVR and have yet to watch it. Same with the Rose Parade from New Years Day. Yeah, I’m into it. I have good intentions anyway.

All the hoopla surrounding New Years doesn’t excite me. I like looking forward to a new year and new things and renewed attitude. But starting it off with an exhausting hangover is so not my thing. I’d rather be cozy at home.

We’ve lounged around and gone sledding and have been eating ourselves silly since then. Just the way things should be on winter break.

Tomorrow school is back in session and I need to get back to the gym. I’m feeling like a sloth. It’s nice to be lazy but I have to get back into the groove.

I’m feeling really excited about photography right now. I’ve been using my new camera some and really loving it. The snow reflections make for some nice bright winter light. I’m looking forward to spring but I also enjoy frozen photography. We’ve gotten plenty of snow but not too much frozen. In most cases that’s a good thing!

I decided to take on Project 365 again this year. I will be taking and posting a photo a day for the whole year. Last year I got off the wagon in August when things got just too busy. I hope to make it all year this time! I was going to post every image here but I started another blog for my photography clients and friends to also see. I don’t want to double up on posting [or server space] so I’m just going to add a link in my side bar for PROJECT 365 in 2009. Here is the direct link: http://www.heidismithphotography.com/blog_p365_09/. Check it out from time to time – there will be some cool stuff there!

So what else do I have in store for 2009? A booming business, much love and fun with the kids, a happier, healthier, better me. I’m not a resolution maker, I just aim every year to be better than the one before and for me to be a better me – however that might be.

Best wishes to everyone in the new year!

Some pictures coming soon –  I have some to upload.

September 23rd, 2008 by Heidi

I got this in my email [Thanks Angie!] and since I’ve not done this email in quite some time, I thought I’d add it here for all the world to see. Feel free to post to your own blog and comment here to let me know you did! Or if you want to leave your answers in my comments – that’s awesome too!

Welcome to the new 2008 edition of getting to know your family and friends.

1. What is your occupation right now? I’m a photographer and a mama.

2. What color are your socks right now? My toes are free – happy bare feet.

3. What are you listening to right now? The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Casey sleeping.

4. What was the last thing you ate? I just had an apple. I’m not sure why I get these late night cravings lately. I opted for healthy when I really wanted chocolate.

5. Can you drive a stick shift? yep – but I haven’t driven one in years.

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My sister.

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? For sure!

8. How old are you today? 34.

9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Equestrian.

10. What is your favorite drink? Hot Cocoa or Ruby Relaxer or Pepsi …. hmm toss up. But I try to drink mostly water.

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? I just did today – and I love it!

12. Favorite food? I don’t even know where to start – I love so many foods.

13. Last movie that you watched? Kids were watching Chicken Little earlier but I think the last thing I watched for me was Reign Over Me. Oh, but KPAX was on the other night, too.

14. Favorite day of the year? Thanksgiving. YUMMY!!!

15. How do you vent anger? I cry, or get loud, or type to my friends. Depends what I’m angry about.

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? Puzzles.

17. What is your favorite season? Spring – though in North Dakota we rarely get much of that.

18. cherries or blueberries? mmm, cherries.

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Of course.

20. Who is the most likely to respond? Nobody. Most people are tired of these questions games.

21. Who is least likely to respond? Everyone! [prove me wrong]

22. Living arrangements? I love my house!

23. When was the last time you cried? I cry a little every day at some point. I’m that emotional. Not usually a sobbing cry – sometimes a happy cry.

24. What is on the floor of your closet? a ton of crap. It’s a disaster in there!

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending to? I’m not sending this to anyone – just sharing with the world – but Melissa is my longest friend – 24 years!

26. What did you do last night? Processed some awesome senior images and then went to bed.

27. What are you most afraid of? Losing my children.

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese. Everything needs cheese.

29. Favorite dog breed? Corgis, of course!

30. Favorite day of the week? Saturday I think. I don’t really have a favorite.

31. How many states have you lived in? 5 – Indiana, Michigan, Colorado, North Dakota and Minnesota.

32. Diamonds or pearls? I think I like them equally.

33. What is your favorite flower? Red roses.

September 19th, 2008 by Heidi

I don’t know!

So fitting, considering I have to be the worst joke teller ever! I can never remember the storyline and/or the punch line and it never, ever, comes off funny.

But really – I want to know who’s out there – who’s reading – who pops in for a quick looksie. Let me know at any time, share your thoughts on entires or images, or commiserate with my craziness!

See down there in the bottom right corner of every entry – where it either says “no comments” or “# comments”? That’s where you leave whatever you have to say, even if it’s just a ‘Hello!’.

I moderate comments so all of the ads for ways to improve my sex life do not automatically appear. Seriously – spam is so annoying, isn’t it? So you do need to enter your name – that will show in your comment. Your email address too, though that won’t show in your comment. Website is optional.

Once I’ve approved your first comment, all you other comments will be added without moderation. [so don't spam me!!]

It’s easy! share away! And if you have a blog too – leave me a link, I’ll check it out and add you to my blogroll list.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world.