Santas Getting close...

Have you been good?

He's been watching you know.

I wanted to take the time to wish everyone a joyous Christmas season. Remember that this is the time of year to spend with family and friends, to share the love you have and they give. Never take anything for granted or it's gone. One day you will wake up and realize that this is where you are suppose to be in life. I know because this Christmas is a tough one for me.  I 'm thankful for the family and friends that I have to share it with and even more thankful that I have a life to celebrate.

Updates on the house stuff - I've almost got everything unpacked. Now it's time to get this place looking like something. I will post pictures soon. It's tough when you move from 1700 sq. ft home 

into a 1370 sq.ft.home means a lot of downsizing.

The next big project won't be until Spring when I go back to the old place and get my flowers and yard decorations. Then I can spruce it up even more. Soon the bottom will look as good as the top picture :) Give me a little time.

Merry Christmas everyone! Hug your family, they deserve it

Big Change

I will never understand the way that relationships end or the reasons. First you get told one thing that seems to put the blame on yourself then a big slap in the face and you find out the truth. I'm sure some of the reasons we get have truth but come on, if they can't look you in the face you should see right there that something is going on. It's not always what you think but when you're down, you always think the worst. This is a bummer because I am one of those people. I like the truth in everything. In relationships there should be honesty at all times. People need to be open about everything and take the time to talk and work things out. Keeping stuff bottled up inside is not a good answer. I have been hurt before in life but this has got to top it. When the one you love tells you to go you feel as you have lost everything. I know that I have plenty of love with my family and friends and I will get through it. I'm a strong person on the outside but inside I hurt.

I've moved in to a small rental house and will get it looking like a home soon. It's not going to be as easy as the house I lived in since I had that one looking pretty darn good. I have to get busy and try to focus on things. It was in the country and now I'm in the city. Lots of changes here but in the long term of things maybe all will come out okay.

Someday I will look back and see that this was all for a reason. I have learned a few things -

• people will never be happy if they aren't happy with themselves.
• sad things make us stronger.

and one of the best lines I've heard in a while ......

• Everything happens to you for a reason. Hard or easy, good or bad, your job is to embrace the experience, learn and grow from it.

Not only did I lose the love of my life, I lost my best friend!

Brain packed weekend!

Dear Blog,

I have neglected you so much in the past few weeks. Believe it or not I have been busy. ( seriously, I have) Work has been crazy with year end and 2010 budgeting and then I packed a photography workshop into it too. Work- not exciting so I will move on to the next subject- WORKSHOP!!  It was a blast, I learned a lot ( hey Lori do you like that ) and I made several new friends.The workshop was hosted by Wendi and Devan ( two great photographers) We met up on Friday afternoon for 4 hours, back on Saturday for the day and wrapped it up on Sunday. I came home and Rick asked me did I learn anything, my answer......."Of course!" I did learn that to be a legal business I have a lot of stuff to take care of and that is already in the works! I learned a lot about lightning and some OCF ( off camera flash) that was a biggie for me!! Now I just have to buy more "toys" and a back up camera. I'm actually looking at the Canon 50D ( save, save, save) Maybe Santa will bring me the winning lottery ticket!! I'm looking at reformatting my blog to go back to just one. It takes me too much time to focus on posting for 2 blogs. The whole purpose of this was to get my personal and business side of life separate. BUT after the workshop and chatting with a few of the photogs, they got me to thinking....people may like to see the crazy side of me too. The reason when I asked why is that it makes the clients feel that they know you better when they meet up with you....hmmm, I think it sounds legit!

Bonnie, I still haven't made those muffins, but I will surprise you one day when you aren't expecting it. BTW - did you ever tell Jess that I helped you make your mind up to get her that Halloween/Iowa decoration?  ( bet not, you wanted all the credit, huh? )
Denny- Sorry no more posting about Rick, he is getting to be way to personal ☺ I have to live with him ya know, you only have to be with him for 10 hours a day. Guess he wins! You will have to ask him whats going on daily ☺
Maryann- I hope you find the pan you are looking for! It was great to hear that voice mail- Rick and Shawn cracked up when they heard it! See you in Vegas ( wink,wink)

OK- I have led myself off track- back to the workshop. We had models on Saturday and Sunday a couple then a family of 5. What a great time!! Here are some pictures from the workshop.
Oh yeah, I meant to mention, we actually are forming a group that will meet the 1st Sunday of each month. Our group name.......Click ! Check us out! 

Here are some of the links to see the other photographers work
http://www.amytobiasphotography.com/
http://memoriesbybrandi.blogspot.com/
http://www.foreverphotographybykelly.com/
http://www.bellarosephotography.org/

Bye-bye to October and hello to November

Whew this has been quite the busy month. Several photo sessions, "B" time at work (budget), Halloween, company at the house and the list goes on......

I did get the "ME" time in a couple weeks ago. I drove around taking beautiful pictures of the Fall leaves. It's a good thing I went when I did 'cause they are gone now! We have had rain and wind like crazy here in the glorious Mid-West.

I spent the last week of October doing a photo challenge. I had to take a self portrait each day with a Halloween theme. These pictures may not be for the weak stomached ones ☺!

                                  

That's it til next year. Vernon, my brother has been staying with us while he's working down in this area. He was my "victim " for the one shot. Gotta love family!
Rick has been putting out tree stands all over the place, getting ready for Shawn's visit and the big hunt.
Me, well I've just been busy as usual, getting ready for a photo shoot as I type. Steph just called to let me know they're on the way. Be sure to check out my business blog for that post later in the week.

                               Have a great November and try to stay warm!

Time For ME

Once again an extremely busy weekend. I had 2 photo sessions, cleaned the house, winterized the pool and yard, hung all the gourds,

cooked all weekend

and now I'm ready for a little ME time.   Hummmm, I'm not sure I know what that is anymore. Next weekend I plan on spending the entire weekend on the road. I want to see lots of fall colors and visit Kathy's Pumpkin Patch. Speaking of pumpkins, Bonnie, no pumpkin mini cakes on Monday, maybe one day this week. Time to hit the couch and watch The Proposal.

Yummmy!!

I have figured out why stores place magazine racks at the checkout lane. Who could resist a cover like this!

Don't those muffins look yummy! I will be making these over the weekend. ( Bonnie I hope you like pumpkin, 'cause you will have one Monday morning!)

If you see this in the store, pick it up! It's packed with tons of great recipes and decorating ideas for the Fall season.

 Mini Pumpkin Cakes

Yield


Makes 8 pumpkins

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Caramel-Rum Glaze*

Or Vanilla Glaze

Caramel Stems, Leaves, and Vines (optional, instructions below)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla.
2. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Spoon batter into 2 lightly greased pumpkin-shaped muffin pans, filling three-fourths full.
3. Bake at 350° for 24 to 26 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. Cut rounded tops off muffins to make them flat. Invert top muffins onto bottom muffins, forming pumpkins. Drizzle Caramel-Rum Glaze over pumpkins. Decorate with Caramel Stems, Leaves, and Vines, if desired.

*Vanilla Glaze may be substituted.
CARAMEL STEM: Press 1 caramel between fingers, lengthening to 1 1/2 to 2 inches to form a stem. Curl stem gently.
CARAMEL LEAVES: Roll caramels into 2-inch squares on a flat surface, using a rolling pin. Cut into leaves, using a paring knife. Gently press tips of leaves to flatten, if desired. Score leaves, using a paring knife. Pinch bottoms of leaves together.
CARAMEL VINES: Cut 1 caramel into 3 equal pieces. Squeeze each piece gently to flatten, and roll between hands or on a flat surface into a long thin rope. Twist ends to curl

Fall or Winter?

I have completely finished my Fall decorating. The neighbor gave me a bale of old hay (for a dozen chocolate chip cookies) and with a few cans of spray paint ....walla...it's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown! Check out the stem on top!

I moved all my outdoor plants in yesterday and finally have my botanical garden complete inside. They say plants are healthy to have indoors so we should be in good shape!

After finishing my pumpkin I came back inside to warm up in the garden when I looked out and saw it snowing. What is this crap!! I just got done decorating for Fall and the Winter is here. I'm about ready to pack up and head South. Maybe when we retire we can be snowbirds!

Help me decide what to do!

Well, I have to start on my new addition to my dining room- does anyone have any crafty ideas? If so I would love  to hear them!!

My Morning Visit with Jack

Jack Frost that is! It is way to early for that stuff. I'm definitely not ready for cold weather and here in Iowa, it gets pretty darn cold! So when I woke up at 5:00 this morning there was a nice coating of frost in the field. Once the sun came up there were a few does roaming on the frost.

Brr, don't that just send shivers up your spine!

Now mentioning deer, they seem to send shivers up Rick's spine. I came home from work the other day looking for him when all of a sudden I noticed him up in the tree. He's getting ready to take the big buck down, I just know it!

The porch is done with decorating for the season. Here's the final addition.

Tomorrow I will be getting one more thing, it's for the yard 'cause it's way to big to fit on the porch. I will post it tomorrow night, considering I get it finished. It will cost me 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies but will be well worth it. So are you curious?

Well, I'm outta here for the day. Taking off for some Fall foliage pictures. I have to hurry before the rain, wind and Jack takes them all off the trees.

This waether map explains it all!

Porch is ready for Fall

Well, almost. I worked on my porch this weekend and have almost finished. After seeing Jess' porch I couldn't wait any longer to share my craftiness. With a little article called  pumpkins with pizazz from an old issue of Souther Living magazine I was able to get a great idea. I have one more crafty thing up my sleeve to put up tomorrow. Have to wait on the glue to dry! (dang glue)
Drum roll please..................

and now for a night shot .........................................................

and now for a look at the whole front porch........................

now don't be looking at the picket fence locking thing on the left, it's history tomorrow night when I get my new decor up.

BTW- what's up with eblogger- I love the new way of posting pictures! Finally I don't have to drag them all over the page!

Well, it's time for a cup of hot cocoa and a little Drop Dead Diva followed by Army Wives! I will post a complete front porch view tomorrow.

Crafting with Martha Stewart along with a little BHG

I sat on the porch this morning noticing how quick our summer has ended.With the leaves hitting the ground, heavy dew in the rising sun and cool breeze blowing throw my tousled hair, I sat pondering for a plan for the day. I had a photo shoot scheduled at noon with my 4 nieces for school pictures but that was pretty much it. What the heck I thought, this would be a good day to shop for some mums and pumpkins to decorate up my wagon since Rick had modified it for me yesterday. That's all it took to get me on a roll. Rick went to the neighbors for some straw so I headed to Ft. Madison. I only found 3 small mums and big pumpkins. This will do for now, I thought, keeping in the back of my head that I would hit Wal-Mart tomorrow after work! When I got home I placed my decorations in spot, grabbed out the camera, snap....Boo...tiful! I think this wagon is going to get a new decoration each season. Hmmmm, Santa would look good sitting in there. (smiling as the light bulb goes off in my head) Speaking of Santa, I also decided I was going to tackle an early Christmas craft I had seen at Hobby Lobby.



One side is painted with chalkboard paint! (thanks Jess, for getting me turned on to this paint)

OK, back to Fall, let's not rush it.
Rick and I took a 4-wheeler ride in the back forty to get some hedge balls. Not only to help rid the spiders of my home but for more decorations. (as seen in the Oct. issue of BHG magazine) I have to get some small winter squash first, then I will post a picture tomorrow evening.

Needless to say we found the mother load. There are tons of these behind our house.

In the meantime I did get one more decoration complete. A corn husk wrapped votive candle. While hedge ball hunting a grabbed a few ears of corn ☺to use for this project.

Martha's version -

My finished product. I used twine to wrap around and then stuck in a small bunch of berries that I robbed from a floral arrangement I have.

That's enough for today. I was inspired by Jess' porch so tomorrow evening I think I will work on mine. Now time to make out the Wal-Mart list:

small winter squash
mini pumpkins
spray paint (for my gourds)
Indian corn

Happy decorating!! Oh yeah, did you notice the ghoulish glass in the first picture. Scroll back up!

Starnes sets out to raise tallest corn in Iowa

This was the headlines in the Bee Star. (local paper serving the Donnellson & West Point Area) Hey dad and Mary Ann, your copy is in the mail. ☺ To read the article you should be able to click the picture for a larger version.

Who would have ever thunk it, me raising corn! Well, I did and it turned out pretty darn good.
I was so excited to see that I was on the front page!! This is a small community paper but hey, it's fame right. (wink) The contest officially ends Oct. 1st so I'm excited to see the next issue of Our Iowa magazine to see the final results.

Now my next adventure will be taking a plane ride to capture Fall from the sky. Rick and I are going to charter a plane for a trip around the area. Hmmmm, that sounds like we are living the lifestyles of the rich and famous but it is actually very inexpensive. $35.00 for a 1/2 hour. What FUN!! I will be posting that soon. Come on leaves turn them pretty colors and rain, well, you need to stay away since you have the tendency to wash the leaves off the branches.

Sparks A Flyin'

We went to the State Line Rally in Keosaqua over the weekend. Loads of fun as usual. We ran into some friends Janet & Mike and discovered that "fearless Mike" was a "Ghost Rider" for the parade. Every year at the rally we ride through town at 7:00PM Friday & Saturday night. Well, this year I got a video of Mike's performance. The crowd goes wild !!

I have uploaded the video on my You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPTJ-Q3Vdxo

Now upon getting back from the rally I have been somewhat of a couch potato and watched 2 good movies - Traitor & Last House On The Left. I decided to get off the couch and catch up on household stuff so I can resume my position for Drop Dead Diva and Army Wives.

I will be doing some crafting during the week and trying a few new recipes that I found in the Oct. issue of Rachel Rays magazine. I will post mid week and let you know how that's going!

Time To Decorate

Autumn will officially be here next week so I have started preparing. While on vacation Mary Ann and I went to a craft show and I was inspired with some of the Fall decor. Next was a trip to Big Lots and a walk in her back yard. Walla- this is what I came up with. I filled the center pillar holder with a pumpkin spice scented candle. Next year I will have a dried hornets nest with tree branch attached IF those little boogers don't get my in the act. We noticed this huge hornets nest last week when we got back from NY. I told Rick I want to try and save it for a decoration.Now we just have to wait until winter, when all the little buzzers move out and hope the weather doesn't ruin it.

Finally a large piece of decor for my yard as well as a great prop for a photo session. The man that farms the land around us bought this wagon at an antique auction and came to us to see if we wanted it. Of course I said yes! We will be modifying it a bit and filling it with hay, pumpkins, gourds ( since I have tons), mums and a few smiling faces. Blogging about that soon! For now here's a peak at the wagon.
I'm headed out for a shopping trip to Hobby Lobby this afternoon to see what else I can find.

Corn is Down! 167"

Being a subscriber to the Our Iowa magazine I was excited to see that they were doing a corn contest. I planted my seeds in late May and began watering and watching. A month later in had only grew about 6". I was getting bummed out. I started dousing it with Miracle Gro and away it went. By the 4th of July it was well past knee high and by mid August I couldn't reach the top. I was really getting excited so I called Edward Jones since they are the offical measurers. I spoke with Rich Mueller from the Mount Pleasant office and he told me to call him back when it was 13". We went on vacation over Labor Day and came back to a taller stalk. I put in a call to Rich and he came out with his daughter Gabrianna to measure it. Once it was cut down I was astounded, it measured 13' 9" from roots to tassle. Rumor is that someone up North has 15' so I wil have to wait and see. The winner of the contest is awarded $200 worth of pork, $200 worth of beef and a $100 ethanol gas card. All I can do is sit back and wait.