"" it all ends.... ""

yes, its 9:45am.
yes, i didn't go to bed until 2:30am.
yes, i even made it to work early today....

whats wrong with me you might ask? well, i can do a midnight show like a rockstar!

last night - or rather - this morning at 12:01 i was sitting in a theater waiting to watch the very last ever Harry Potter film. its a bittersweet time because i don't want them to end - ever! but i've been waiting for this final movie for months and months!!



i came away just a tiny bit disappointed. i think the hype of the movie ruined the thrill for us. i don't think i was expecting more per-say, but i didn't come away totally blown away like i thought i would.

that being said, i DID love it!! like all the films, it was amazing! i love all the characters. i feel like i've watched them all grow up and like i know them somehow! (of course i don't and i'm not crazy like that...)

the battles were great! seeing it play out just like i'd read it so many times is always a thrill!


Snape is one of my favorite villans/heros. not only because of his character in the series, but because Alan Rickman is a great actor! i've liked him for years and he always seems to play that super slick villain part to a T!



and as for the main cast. they are just awesome! i can't say enough good things about them! they have such great chemistry between the 3 of them! and i've always thought that they were perfect picks for the characters, and that they played the characters perfectly!! i'm really going to miss a new HP movie coming out every year!! but i hope they go on to make more movies!

Ethan has taken a liking to Harry Potter. he hasn't yet gotten to watch the last 3 movies. and he pry won't for a long time. they are a little too graphic for a 4 year old. but he loves watching the first few when they are on tv, and even asks to watch the movies once in awhile!! so i'm excited for the day when he is old enough to be able to read the books! he is his mothers son and just eats that stuff up!!


if you are a Harry Potter fan, you will love this last movie. as always, there are pieces that are changed from the book. things that didn't happen in the right place, or that they just added into the movie. sometimes they just have to do that to make the movie work right. AND, if JK Rowling says its okay, then its okay with me!!


i hope everyone enjoys it!

"" how do i. simplify.... ""

doing: taking a much deserved break from editing/retouching/creating craze that has become life here at DI.
listening to: Breaking Benjamin (my love) on jango radio!
feeling: sore.

so i haven't been here for awhile. a lot has happened but at the same time not so much. since Seattle we have been a busy family. summer seems to open up all sorts of new and exciting things! Ethan has been going to many many I-Cubs games with his grandparents and cousins. every Thursday to be exact. he's been in heaven. he loves hanging out with his cousins!

Matt has been a little slower at work, and so gives him more time to take off and mess around with power tools in the garage. he recently made a birdhouse that he's very proud of!

as for me. i wish our lives would go on hold for awhile and we could go back to Seattle! that was the best vacation i've had in a very long time! and i'd love for Ethan to be there with us next time! it was so relaxing, nothing to do, nothing planned, nowhere to be! SO NICE!

but back to reality we came.

our Senior season is in full swing! we are booking appointments daily -which is awesome! and Jeff, as of last week, has 2 appointments most every day from now until forever...or August.
i just finished up our Kids Contest. So i had about 2 solid weeks of photographing sweet little kiddos! it was awesome!! now i'm back behind the computer for awhile working on editing Seniors and weddings and all that other computer stuff i do!

Matt gave me some good news last week. we have been working for about 3 years + now to get out of our short term debt (credit cards and loans). and he said he figured it all up and we are right about a year away from having most all of it wiped away!! that was right on track to what we'd been told originally, so its good to know we've been budgeting tight for 3 years for a good thing!
i'm so excited to be out of debt! it will be so much easier to live month to month when $400 of our money isn't going to stupid credit cards.... that i can't even use anymore!! haha!
it'll be nice to actually have money to use for the house, or a new car, or to save!!
yeah yeah, everyone has told us "that how we lived for a long time" but really-did anyone ever think that YOU would have to live like that?! because when your parents say something most of the time you don't believe them!!

so that's a good thing. good to finally see the light at the end of this stupid debt tunnel.

other than that we've been enjoying the weather and our family and friends. we took Ethan to see Cars 2 last week as our "family date night". we all had a great time too! next weekend we will be going to Kansas City with my rents. they bought a stay at a water park hotel so we'll go do that and then stay a night with my aunt and uncle that live there! and in September we promised Ethan we would save up and take him to the Omaha Zoo! so we still have a lot to get done this summer which is exciting!

"" please don't allow your voice to fade..."

Glacial Lake is in between Port Angeles and Forks. the water is amazingly blue and clear! we really just stood there in awe!
the drive past the lake is at 35mph for about 20 minutes and it doesn't even bother you when you have this to look out your window at!!




Cannon Beach is where we ended our trip down the 101 highway, and where we should have started and stayed all week! it was the most beautiful place i've ever been. honestly. i could live there and be perfectly happy for the rest of my life! this is the sunset over the pacific. we started a bon fire that night and drank a few coronas!



i got up early for the sun rise. even though i couldn't see it because of the mountains, it was so calm and perfect out! i think i shot 100 images that morning!

"" what if it was paradise...""

doing: sitting on our hotel balcony looking over the ocean!
feeling: SO RELAXED!!!
listening to: the ocean and whatever music is about to play on my phone.

today is May 20th, 2011. I am nearing the end of the best week i've had this year. we decided about 2 months ago that we were going to fly to Seattle and visit Mike. Matt, Roby and i flew out on monday night and arrived in Seattle Monday around midnight. since Tuesday we've done tons of stuff! since ths is the first time i've had to blog i'll wait to post some pictures to get into more details.

Mike took us to the Space Needle! (of course!) we went to walk around Pike Place Market. we took in the aquarium thats right on the Sound. we touched starfish and coral that came right out of the Sound, we watched otters play and saw boats on the water. we ate that night at the Cheesecake factory... where i got the most amazing mojito i've ever had!

we woke up Wednesday - late - gathered all our belongings and headed north to the Forks area. for anyone reading who doesn't already know Forks is the town where the Twilight series was based on! i made the guys promise me a long time ago that we'd go there... and they HAPPILY(sarcasm) took me! we actually drove around a lake, Cresent Lake, that was BEAUTIFUL!! that made the trip totally worth it!!
we did Forks, which honestly didn't take very long. but i got lots of pictures a tee shirt from the Dazzled by Twilight store along with a shot glass! ;) i could have easily spend $100 in that store. they literally sold everything!! including lion and lamb beanie babies! "and so the lion fell in love with the lamb." - Edward.

after Forks we headed down Hwy 101 - destination ??. we ended up in a little town called Ocean Shores. we stayed at a hotel that looked out over the Pacific Ocean. it was an amazing view! we spent lots of times on the balcony of our hotel just sitting and looking!

the next morning our destination was Cannon Beach. we were about 2 hours away and, again, the drive in parts is breathtaking! when we arrived in Cannon Beach we knew we HAD to stay in an ocean view room! and we got one!! this view tops any other one i've seen. ever. (possibly not Italy...but thats like another continent!)
we walked along the beach. ordered pizza. and went back to the beach for sunset and a fire!

and that brings us to Friday morning. i got up early to catch the sun rising and it was amazing! i was sad the boys were too lazy to get up with me... but they'll see the pictures i guess!

we just went and had a great breakfast and all went to get some lattes at a cute little shop down the street! we all need to shower and get packed up again. we are going to go walk around down by the little shops downtown and then go hike a little on a trail that Mike knows of!

i'm so happy we came on this vacation! i don't want it to end, but i know it has to. plus i miss my little man just a little bit!! i'm ready for some snuggles!!

"" hope i start talking crazy before you understand me! "

doing: taking a break from making the grad card. i can't get it how i like it and its starting to make me mad!!
feeling: ok. just ok.
listening to: Collective Soul on MB20 radio!

April is like halfway over! when did that happen?! i feel like it just started and now i'm already having to plan for Easter! i haven't even gotten our decorations out!!!

we've been busy. both as a family and at the studio. our little family is still just trucking along. we're trying harder to get Ethan to actually EAT food with us... and to sit at the dinner table for longer than 3 minutes. oohh to be 4 and have endless energy.

he's so very happy that he can now go play outside! i think we all are actually! we grilled out the other night and it was fabulous! it was the first night we could actually grill and eat outside without blowing away or half freezing!

one of the things that we have been trying harder to do since February is 1. have a date night just the two of us and 2. have a family night where we all go do something together! we've been doing really good at it and i really think it's helping us be the close family we want to be!
we have also been trying harder to go do fun things one on one with Ethan. the other night Matt and him rented Toy Story 3 the video game and ordered pizza! what a boy night! i've been trying to find fun places around Knoxville to take Ethan. once this stinking weather finally gets warm and stays there i would like to take him out to the lake more. walk the trails and things.

if you couldn't tell this was a 2 day post.. so if it doesn't sound like it flows together its because it doesn't! sorry!!!

today is actually Monday. last day of tax season!! woot woot!! i'm as happy as matt is i think. he'll be off work early enough to pick up Ethan. he will get longer lunches.. which to him means more time to watch Judge Alex....
and best of all its much less stressful at the office! i think this year has been decent., but its always long and always lots of work! so we are all happy to see it come to an end!!

so have a beer and toast all the accountants you know! because they worked hard every year and this year had to work an extra day (thanks for nothing Washington...)
happy end of tax season everyone!! ;)



Ethan and I went to check out the Red Rock Visitors Center one Saturday


this is what happens when a little boy doesn't want to clean his room... he just moves everything around and SAYS its clean.


Ethan's always trying to make his shadow get mine.. so we did a shadow picture!

"" i guess nothing could last forever... ""

man alive.
what a week.

i don't like to throw pity parties for myself but if i did i'd sure be throwing one today!

ever have one of those days or weeks where its just like everything is on you at once? and people just keep picking at you and you just keep getting grouchier about it all?

thats me.

i'm trying really hard to try to be more positive and to do things that help with stress... really i am. but its just not working. not this week.




so here's to, hopefully, getting a green beer tonight. to tomorrow being Friday. and to a better weekend than the last.

"" I leave it up to Jane Fonda.... ""

doing: moving and deleting files on our computers and drives. organization!!!
feeling: good, sore and tired.

i'm excited that i've finally gotten into the swing of this working out business! this week i've been to the rec center 3 times and worked out at home once. okay, on Sunday i went and did Zumba with 2 of my friends and it literally killed me! i was SO sore on Monday that i hardly moved from the couch... and when i did i walked like an old woman because my legs hurt so very terribly badly! however, Zumba was awesome!! i'm hoping to go again on Sunday! and also hoping that i won't fall apart as bad this time!

aside from that, i've gone to swim and this morning went to do the elliptical! i feel like i have some more energy, even though i'm sleepy today. and i just feel all over better! the last few weeks have been yucky, both outside and with being sick and being gone. its been a whirlwind! but now i feel like i'm trying to get back on track!

i'm trying really hard to make exercise part of my daily routine as well as starting to eat a little better.

i don't really have a set goal. i dont really need to loose weight or anything, i just want to be in shape again! i guess i would like my abs back! haha! that pry wont ever happen... but i can work on it and see!

"" healing rain, is coming down...""

i just read this poem on one of my baby forums and wanted to share it. its beautiful, and for anyone who had sadly been through a miscarriage it really speaks to the heart! and for those who haven't its still lovely and will fill your heart with love for your own child!


Angel of my Tears
How do you love a person
who never got to be,
or try to envision a face
you never got to see?
How do you mourn the death of one
who never got to live.
When there's nothing to feel good about
and nothing to forgive?
I love you, my little baby,
my companion of the night.
Wandering through my lonely hours,
beautiful and bright.
What does it mean to die before
you ever were born,
to live the lovely night of life
and never see the dawn?
Ah! My little baby,
you lived like anyone!
Life's a burst of joy and pain.
And then like yours, it's done.
I love you, my little baby,
just as if you'd lived for years.
No more, no less, I think of you,
the Angel of my tears.
~Author Unknown.

"" so happy being me ""

doing: just got to work, so finishing up the usual morning work things.
feeling: ... to put it bluntly - shitty.
listening to: nothing. i haven't decided what music fits my mood just yet.

today we had a fight. not unlike any other one we've had in the past. but a fight none the less. and really, no body likes to fight. our fights are about normal things, usually money. but not this time. looking back it seems silly. its something that should just come naturally, but somehow we've lost sight of how to get ourselves back to that. i've vented and i've cried and now i guess i just need to start doing. take some sort of action that will make me feel like this will all work out. i dont want us to be miserable forever!


on top of thinking about the fight we had i was told to think about what makes me happy. i can't think of 5 things off the top of my head. sure, my family-friends-ect hit the list. but what about little things? its the little things in life right? so why can't i come up with little things right away?!

so i'm going to. it will take me longer than 10 minutes for this list, but i want a list.

this is a list of little things that make me happy:
(in no particular order)

*the smell of fresh cut grass
*a light snow, the kind that sticks to the trees and makes everything white
*music - the right song at just the right time to match exactly how i'm feeling
*road trips - going somewhere, or nowhere, with people that you can just laugh with
*concerts
*singing extra loud to your favorite song when you know no one is listening. OR singing extra loud with a friend that doesn't care how crappy your voice is!
*editing pictures and finding that ONE that you just KNEW you'd captured and that your client will absolutely love
*taking pictures
*taking pictures for me. of something random that just sparks my interest
*weddings - seeing that small moment between the bride and groom that tells you how truly in love they really are
*my tv shows on hulu.com
*ice cold lemonade on a hot hot day
*the acoustic guitar-especially when my friends play
*chex mix
*my moms zucchini bread
*finding a perfect pair of shoes, even if its only online shopping and they are WAY too expensive
*Lego video games-playing for hours!
*daisys and lilies
*seeing my garden grow. actually seeing proof that i didn't kill everything i planted!
*cookie dough
*my heated blanket


okay, it wasn't as hard as i thought it would be!

""and we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne...""

doing: just got up. sadly my child doesn't know the meaning of sleeping in.
listening to: Ethan watching Toy Story. "somebody's poisoned the water hole!"
feeling: less than good but i think i'll be okay.

well its a new year. finally! 2011. a fresh start, a new beginning. i'm ready for it. 2010 basically sucked all around. sure there were some good parts, some memories i'll carry with me. but overall it was a crappy year and i am so ready to be done with it!

i don't make new years resolutions anymore, mostly because i never have good ones, and i can't ever keep them. but this year i'm doing the working out/getting in shape thing - so cliche i know. with some of my Christmas bonus from work i went and bought a pass to the rec center, i'll start on monday. i want to swim! i feel like i can only get a really good workout when i swim. but they also have the elliptical machine that i like to use, especially when i only have 10 or 20 minutes free. but swimming, i'm really going to make myself get up in the moring and go. and hopefully, soon, i'll be in good enough shape to get a really decent workout in!

my second "goal" is to have a baby. i know you can't just make youself get up and do that... not like working out. but it is a goal for me, for us, that we want this year. in order to do that we are going to take good care of ourselves. i want us to eat just a little better, take vitamins, workout, basically get our bodies ready - and the added bonus is we'll be healthier!

this isn't a new years goal, its just one of me and matt's that we have ongoing. we got a little extra money from our parents for Christmas so we are going to put that towards our house. since this is now going on the third spring we've had our house on the market we basically give up. we decided that we should give in and just start putting some work into the house. this won't only help it sell better later, it will help us out right now. plaster walls? who's bright idea was that?? we basically have zero installation left in them either. Matt says its newspaper and its pry all at the floor by now. so thats our start. in our bedroom we are going to re-do the walls and ceiling and put in installation. a warm house is something we've never had!!



a little backtrack now to Christmas. i think this could possibly be the least stressfull Christmas we've had since having Ethan. i feel like we got our shopping done in a good amount of time, we didn't have too much rushing around. and while there was still some stress, i didn't feel like it was as much.

however, as a 4 year old boy who wants Santa to bring him every single thing under the sun.... going somewhere and NOT having 20 presents to open led to tears beyond measure. Ethan might have had some stress!

Ethan got everything he had asked for though! Matt and i are pretty happy that we decided(at the last minute, literally) to get him a Thomas the Train track set. he can't stop playing with it. he got legos of all kinds, books, colors, movies and more!


tearing into his Thomas the Train Misty Island set!


The Polar Express. He loved the book and watches the movie all the time now!


i LOVE this one! he got Wall-E, which is absolutley loves! he was so happy!


Ethan and his Construction Duplos


Greg and Ben got me sweet necklaces for Christmas (a 'winner' medal and a $ sign) so i shared and we had to get a shot of all of us with them!

besides Ethan, Matt and i also got a lot of things we wanted this year! i got 2 new pairs of shoes, a Kindle, 2 Lego video games and Mom and Dad C got us a trip to the Omaha Zoo!
all in all i think the Russell family made out pretty darn well this Christmas!


i hope you all had a great holiday season and pray that 2011 brings you blessings and joy all year long!