Photography

Those that know me, know that I love photography. I always have. My uncle gave me my first camera when I was 8 years old. As I was growing up, I would always have a camera with me. I took photography in high school and learned to develop and print my own film. Little did I know that I wouldn't ever need those mad skillz because of the digital age. Anyway, I never pursued that hobby, despite my love for photography. But, I love wasting time on the internets looking at photography. Because of this, I stumbled upon a photographer that is professional, classic and timeless. Her name is Nichole Hill Gerulat and I love her blog and her work and even decided to take a class from her last month. It was a crash course which was all day long and totally fun but, not nearly enough time and too much information for my tiny brain to handle. So, I hope to take more of her classes when they go online or when she comes to Utah again. What I learned most from her is that I need to step back and take a look at what I'm photographing and decide the story I'm trying to tell. Is it true? Is it true to who I am and what I want to represent? Is it timeless? She gave me a lot of food for thought. So, even though I like a lot of the trendy stuff that is being done nowadays, I really need to find what defines me and be true to who I am and make sure it's not just a passing fad.

Whatever the hell that means!!!!

Just kidding :)

*Pic of me with my first camera (circa 1979-ish)

Too many freaks...not enough circuses!

Ok...dating sucks! There are just a bunch of freaks out there.  There are SOME good ones but MOST of them are big fat liars and are just not who they say they are!  And, I'm just getting started in this arena.  I finally decided to join the ranks of online daters.  I had three friends that had a lot of luck with online dating, so I decided to give it a try.  Huge mistake! Or, maybe the mistake lies in the site I used.  I dunno...but either way, it still stinks.  You get all sorts out there.  The guys who aren't divorced yet, the guys who can't spell or use proper grammar (the "we was-ers"), or the cussers, the LDS social drinkers, the psychos or just plain 'ole creepos.  

So, here's what happened in just a few short weeks:

I have a bunch of people who say they want to hook me up, but nothing seems to come from that.  I have a couple guys I already know that SAY they want to go out but, when you actually tell them you are willing...they don't ASK.  What's up with that? I know, I know....he's just not that into you! I watch the movie once a month to avoid becoming THAT girl.  

Then, there's the guys that you're not totally interested in, but you're willing to give it a try in case you have a little chemistry upon meeting that seems to be lacking on the internet.  Then, you meet or talk on the phone and BAM...nothing...no chemistry whatsoever on your end. But, they are feeling it BIG TIME on their end.  So, what now? It's time to kick 'em to the curb and that is oh.so.not.fun!

I had one guy tell me I had Barbie feet with amazing arches! CrEePy!!!

 

Within one week I had these two experiences:

1.  Guy emails me.  He's cute enough, educated, employed, writes well, LDS, not a social drinker, etc.  So, the next day, I decide to respond to his email.  I look at his profile picture and the dude has changed all his pictures to pictures of some chick! Then, he's changed all his "about me" crap to stuff like this: "Oh Camille,  I love you so much.  I can't believe I let you go. I can't believe I waited too long and forced you to leave me before I could realize how much I truly love you.  I've met the woman I want to spend my life with and I need help finding her." And on and on and on. Can you believe this dirt bag? Emailing girls the night before he obsessively changes his profile.  And, just a little FYI...this hasn't happened to any of my other friends before.  It's apparently some freak thing I get to experience.  Yay me!

2.  Guy emails me.  Guy looks oddly familiar.  Now, I should say that I am really good with names and usually faces too.  This guy tells me his first name and he lives around my neck of the woods.  He's younger, so I don't know him personally but I realize who he is.  A long time ago, I saw this guy who was a friend of a friend on facebook.   I was looking through his pictures and he was a big show off.  Pictures of his big house, boat, ATVs, motorcycles, motorhome, etc. Huge bragger! The reason I was looking at him is because I recognized his name from a business transaction that took place years ago.  The dude refused to pay his bill and I kept trying and trying to contact him until I finally sent him to collections.  So, the guy is a huge credit bandit! He keeps emailing me and has no clue that I know he is a big fat loser! Yuck! 

So, what this made me realize is, that I know absolutely nothing about these guys.  They are all big fat liars and fakes.  And, what if I had gotten involved with either of them before I found out what freaks they were?

I know all of my professional dater friends are laughing at me and saying I told you so...but come on. Seriously?!?  Is this what it's really like out there...or do I have issues?  I'm not sure I'm cut out for this.  I think I'll just become crazy cat lady.  

And why is it that cat woman is considered HAWT, but cat lady is just CRAZY?!? That's for another post.

First campout alone with the kiddos...

Our tent!

Mikaela and Baby! Mistake taking a white dog camping?

Possibly...but it's not my dog or my mistake so...

and we made it out alive! Unfortunately, it rained some Friday and then dumped on us Saturday morning. So all we basically did was drive a while, pitch a tent, eat some yummy dutch oven dinner, roast s'mores, stay up really late, worry about the bears, sleep in a tent, eat breakfast in the cold rain by a campfire and pile everything in the car all wet and muddy and race home! Nick was so sweet because when he woke up to rain on Saturday back in town, he knew we had to be getting pounded on while up the canyon. He told Suzanne to try and find us so he could help me load everything up. I didn't have service up there so I didn't find all this out until I was almost home. But, it was still so sweet that he worried about us. So, I got a text from him that said he wanted to help me break down camp and then one that told me Patrick Swayze died. That guy is all kinds of helpful.

I joined a single moms group on facebook and met some new friends through that group. This was an annual camping trip that they planned and it was so great. They usually do a lot of fun things like ATV's, dirt bikes, air-soft guns, hiking, fishing, etc. We didn't get the chance to do any of that, but it was still fun. It was fun to be alone but, not completely. To do something you didn't think you would or could do. It was something I needed to do. It was a step I needed to take. I'm happy I can now cross that off my bucket list.

We'll try for a better trip next year.

One without rain, mud and bears...please

Happy Birthday Dalton!

It was Dalton's 7th birthday during our family reunion. He had been literally counting down the days for the last month. Every day without fail, he knew how many more days till his birthday. He also knew one of the presents he was getting. Suzanne took him shopping and let him pick out his own gift. It was a power miners lego set and it was a huge one! He was like a kid on Christmas day...except he was a kid on his birthday, which is pretty much the same thing. Anyhoo, I finally let him open some presents on Sunday because that was the day that everyone is usually there. Plus, the kid couldn't wait any longer and he was bugging A LOT.

Instead of a party Dalton just wanted to go to Sweet Tomatoes with his friend Clint. Totally works for me. He's a pretty easy kid. Love that boy. So, Dalton, Hudson, Clint, Clint's mom Diane and myself headed to Sweet Tomatoes to celebrate Dalton's birthday. There's only one tiny little problem with this.....ready for it? It's a good one...yep... Mother of the Year award here! We did the lunch when the boys were off-track in.....OCTOBER! Yep, three whole months AFTER his big day. Poor kid with the summertime birthday. No real celebration at school, no going down to the Principal's office for a special pencil, always having a birthday over our family reunion, then having the day get lost amongst the 24th of July and vacations, and on and on and on. Ya...I totally blew it. But, he didn't mind so much. Like I said, he's an easy going kid. Gotta love him!

Here's a picture of the boys at the belated birthday lunch:

So, Happy Birthday to my baby...sniff, sniff.

Here's last year's post and pictures.

Family Reunion

Our annual family reunion was held July 18-21. We camped around grandma Rose's house, had a potluck dinner at the bowery, went swimming in Malad, ladies night out, and boating at Deep Creek. We also celebrated Dalton's 7th birthday there. He was so anxious to open his presents, that I let him open them on Sunday and we had a cake for him at the potluck dinner since that is when most people are at the reunion. It was a cute little sponge bob cake that he picked out. Here are some photos of the reunion:

Mikaela and Ben

Froggy

Mom and gram going for a ride!

Me

Summer

D-rock

Britt and Bree

Dalton sat here on the dock for 45 minutes waiting for another boat ride!

That is one patient kid.

Grandma throwing gang signs!

Dalton waiting for a boat ride...

Mikaela and me about to go tubing

Cody and Mikaela

The lane where Grandma and Grandpa met!

Fourth of July!!!

The 4th of July was spent running the family fun run again.  Mikaela just came along and took photos for us.  I encouraged Paige to run the 10k and she encouraged Marcus to also run it.  Paige had been training for Ragnar but Marcus hadn't run in like a month.  But, they both did awesome! I ran the fun run with Dalton and Hudson raced the fun run to win.  He ended up getting 7th place overall and 1st place for his age group! Yay Hudson! He was pretty excited. After the race, we went to the chuckwagon breakfast.  Last year dad and Derrek joined us and I was hoping they would join us again but, I found out after we headed home, that dad, Derrek, Summer, Spew and Laura all met up to eat chuckwagon breakfast and we just missed em! Dang!

The day ended at Sugarhouse park for fireworks with the group.  We had Nick and Suzanne, Spew and Laura, Summer and Jake, Derrek and Melissa, Mabel, Rex and Bella, and Alicia.  It was a lot of fun and a great show.  We thought it would be fun to head up there in case it was actually their last year doing fireworks (cuz that was the rumor). Here are some photos from the day:

Hudson finishing the race!

Dalton at the finish!

Me and my baby!

Me, Marcus and Paige

Summer and Jake

Spew and Laura

Laura and Me

The group

Hudson, Red-neck Nick, Mikaela

Bella, Suzanne, and Dalton

Mikaela's cake - so cute!

Rex, Bella, Mabel and Nick

Mikaela's cool hair

Happy 4th of July!!!