what to wear - my spreads!

well, i just went through our closets.  i REALLY didn't want to buy anything new for our photos, so i tried to see if i could pull something together out of what we have. 

i did!  amazing.  even out of my OWN closet! (i didn't try it on though, so i can't say for sure it fits!)

anyway, i made two spreads - now, to pick which one looks the best!  what do you think?

really, the brown scheme is for a warmer day and the orange - for cooler weather, but really, which do you like better (color wise)?  the only thing i would consider changing is holly's outfit on the orange spread.  i saw a gray dress at old navy and i think i'd rather have that on her than the orange top OR, the orange top with some sort of sweater.  just the top isn't enough, she needs something else.

anyway, here they are!

thankful thursday

today, i am thankful for all my friends who let me take pictures of them

especially, my craziest friends. like, hannah and john.
they got married at ray price harley davidson a few weeks ago.  it was fun!

and by the way, i didn't take this picture, i stole this one from the rayprice facebook page!

what i want wednesday -

dansko stormy boot in brown.  freakin' awesome.

What to Wear?

this fall, i don't want to dress up for our family portraits.  i want to be casual... and so i've been looking for a "scheme" to follow since i'm just not that good with fashion.

i found a few photos of things i like, however my pop of color, no matter what, will be TURQUOISE not pink or green like you see in some of these photos... because holly has a pair of teal boots and i have lotsa turquoise jewelry!  :)

which one do you like the most?
from http://beaconhillphotography.org/about/what-to-wear/

 from http://www.laurensandersonphotography.com/wardrobe-fall-inspiration-families-huntsville-family-photography/

 from http://naturallysweetphotography.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-to-wear-ideas-for-spring.html

 from http://naturallysweetphotography.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-to-wear-ideas-for-spring.html

 from http://illustrationsphotos.com/blog/2011/09/wisconsin-family-photographer-what-to-wear-this-fall-2/

 from http://photographyluxe.blogspot.com/2010/12/wardrobe-inspiration-austin-family.html

from http://daniellebryson.com/theblog/?p=591

Torn Calf Muscle

Suppose it is time for me to share my experience with a torn calf muscle.  I found the above picture at http://www.rehband.com/injury-guide/torn-calf-muscle/
and it is funny that when it happened, i couldn't find any pictures that showed what i felt, where it hurt.

the first time i hurt my leg, it was the spring of 2011 and i was walking, briskly, down the hall at work.  i thought i had a charlie horse in my leg (back of my left calf).  i say "charlie horse" because it was a really bad cramp and i had never had a leg cramp. i just thought that was what people called a charlie horse.  the pain intensified over the next hour or so and it took about 10 days before it went away.  i could not put weight on my leg for about 3 to 4 of those days (i had a really bad limp).  i stretched a lot, it seemed to be a natural reaction - stretching meaning flat foot and leaning into the wall, stretching my calf.

about 2 weeks later, about the time it healed, i was walking down the hall again and i felt it tighten.  i stopped, stretched, but it was too late.  it hurt.  same cramp.  again, hopped for about 3 days and in 2 weeks it was better.

the third time it happened, kendal was on my shoulders and i was running around in the living room in a circle.  not "running" more than just briskly walking.  this time, it snapped - loud.  kendal and holly heard it and asked what it was.  i nearly dropped him for wanting to drop to MY knees in pain.  it felt like someone shot me in the back of the leg.  this time, a few hours later, i went to the ER because i was worried i tore a tendon or something (i had no idea what was wrong, i just knew the pain was uber intense).

turns out - torn calf. 

the ER doctor gave me crutches and told me to stay off it.   crutches suck. the bruise came days later, just below the spot where it hurt.  i went to an orthopedic doctor and he gave me a boot to wear for 2 weeks.  next was PT.  PT involved easy exercises to increase my flexibility and slowly build my strength.  After two weeks, the exercising was ON!  they put me on the bike, and put weights on my legs... the strength building was from my hips down to my toes!  but, my calf got better.  it's been 2 months now since i finished PT and i haven't had even the slightest pain in my calf.  i'm happy about that too, because a torn calf is worse than childbirth before the epidural!  :)

A-Z of me

A. Age: 36

B. Bed Size:  Queen

C. Chore you hate: Cleaning the shower

D.  Dogs: none, but i'd love to have one (a big one) when the kids are in school and we have time to spend with one!
E.  Essential start to your day:  peeing and brushing my teeth.
F.  Favorite Color: orange.
G.  Gold or Silver: Definitely am a silver girl.
H.  Height: Somewhere around 5'3".
I.  Instruments you play: Piano, violin, mandolin, maybe a guitar and most definitely a kazoo!
J.  Job Title: Mama, Geologist, wanna-be Photographer!
K.  Kids: Kendal and Holly
L.  Live: boonies of Franklin County
M.  Mother's Name: Mrs. Dena
N.  Nicknames: mama, ana, probably some others i don't even know about and aren't worth of writing on this blog.
O.  Overnight hospital stays: just when having babies...
P.  Pet Peeves: illogic and/or whining
Q.  Quote from a Movie:  "Dyin' ain't much of a livin', boy." (Josey Wales)
R.  Right handed or Left handed:  Right
S.  Siblings: Two younger sisters!
T.  Time to wake up: which time?  11pm?  3am?  4am?  5am?  i'm usually awake all those times.  i get up at 5:30 though!
U.  Underwear: typically.
V.  Vegetables you hate: leeks.
W.  What makes you run late: Kendal! 
X.  X-rays you have: Teeth, and chest xrays for work.  I don't think I've had more than that.
Y.  Yummy food that you make: soups, stews, cookies
Z.  Zoo animals: sea lions!

Spruce Pine Camping Trip

The first photo here is entered into papermama's "Favorite photo from September" photo challenge for this week.  September in NC means a break from hot and humid summer weather and our family celebrated with a camping trip to the mountains  of coarse, it rained on us sunday night (3 to 4 inches!) but our saturDAY was perfect.

Holly could hardly wait to get to the car to eat one of the apples we bought at the orchard.  Here is a picture of Holly taking her first bite of said fresh NC apple (it was a golden delicious)!  and, i'd say from the look on her face that it's pretty tart (it was, i tasted it too - tart, but goldeny delicious!).

as for pictures from the rest of our trip... we went to mt. mitchell (the kids thought they were going to fall off the top...), to the mineral museum in spruce pine, gem mining at some cheezy touristy place, and to the orchard at altapass - there was a band playing there and holly really liked it.  she's our singer and dancer.  so, here are my favorite pics of the weekend!  (the rest aren't entered in the contest, just for my friends and family to enjoy!)

"where will my feet take me today?" (for melissa)