DOG TALK

Why was your dog brought into your life? What are the biggest lessons that you are learning or not learning;) Imagine me going into a bookstore and buying a book called, The Power of Now. Then imagine them handing me the book and a 90 pound puppy that comes as the free tool to practice the book. This is exactly what God did! She has brought so much into our lives...Love, living in the now, forgiveness, and patience. She continues to try our patience and tests our ability to stay stress free. She isn't easy by any means, but she is right where she is suppose to be, as if God himself left her bundles in a while sheet and dropped off on our porch with a sign around her neck that read..."Hi, name me what you would like, I am here to teach you a million lessons, but for now lets just be in this moment together:) Here she is below getting lots of love from the boys after her surgery to be spayed. It was my first experience with actually missing her being up my butt at all minutes of the day.
I love that she brings so much joy to most of our guests...at least the dog lovers. She is a bit over bearing for most (including me at times). I definitely missed her hanging out with me as I get ready in the morning. I have my girlfriend that will hang out with me as I go through the morning routine that can be a little lonely at times. And this is beautiful Penny, that came to visit. Keeta thought she was the coolest play toy and Penny learned how to be extremely assertive towards really annoying large breeds that don't know their own strength. I don't think Keeta has a clue that her paw upside the head feels like a brick coming down on a tiny dog such as this.
This was a brilliant idea of my cousin Lisa to show the two extremes. We actually had to feed them at different times so that Keeta would mistake Penny as part of her raw meal:)

Unveiling!

O.K. imagine these so much brighter!!! Thanks for still sucking Blogger, and I will pat myself on the back for dragging my feet on starting my new blog. I'm on it:) This project was so much more about the feelings of accomplishment, bravery, anticipation, and so many other emotions more then just surprising my hubby or having fun with friends. I will forever hold this weekend in my heart as a reminder to keep things spiced up and to always go looking to put the butterflies in my own stomach. To go do something that you are so proud and excited about that you quite possibly are the most contagious person in that moment. I took more than a baby step with this project and the accomplishment is bleeding into so many other avenues in my life, I can hardly stand it. What energy are you carrying with you today? What are you saying to yourself over and over? I have said that I am not a do'er, that I am a procrastinator....yada, yada. Well, when I "do", I am amazing. And when I am determined it is liberating. Thank you again to Amy and Aaron, and thank you all for your excitement you shared with me. You will have to come over to experience the true vibrant colors and amazing energy in our love nest in person. Or I could just keep it all to myself and tell you to go do your own;) Here's to doing!

The headboard is a work in progress. We plan on putting some ridiculously, amazing pictures up there soon.
This is a print that I made using Session beer caps with Rock, Paper, Scissors and the words above are "Managing our Love". That is exactly how Jake and I decide who does the not-so-fun, jobs in our lives (usually entailing cleaning up poop of all kinds;)Me+Him=Love! I also have one more on another wall that has us together in it.
This is the love note board. I want to be able to leave sticky notes of love on here every so often.
This is me being totally happy and beyond excited to show Jake. I think this is right before he got home.
These are the beautiful flowers that Brittney gave me that made the room smell like Hawaii. And I this was a new table from Target that I glues record coast to so that I could match my record wall downstairs.A love note to Daddy from his little girl:)

Mr. Make me Laugh a lot!

Here's to the man that the world knows as the sweetest, most handsome, amazing man on the planet:) I know I speak for the kids as well when I say, thank you for the most important gift of all...laughter. You put smiles on our faces everyday and you are the glue to our happiness. I love you and thank you for going above and beyond everyday for us. For being the only kind of Dad that comes natural to you...one that loves fully and wears the title like a second skin. You might want to give me the sweet photoshoot I am looking for next time or all you posts are going to continue to make the cyber-world laugh.




O.K. one sweet one....you have no clue of your beauty and blinding Ora. I will continue to reflect it back to you. You make me want to be ME and your kids will always see you as a hero. I think that Tré summed it up quite beautifully in his card he made when he said, "I think you are the best Dad in the whole universe and planets. Also, I just can't stop thinking about you in school and I love you." I can't stop thinking about you either:)

Old Room

First a picture of the old room and a few words on Father's Day(about my Dad, Jake later today, he has to have his own post:). This was the last time that my Dad was able to come to our neck of the woods. We get to see him quite often in Seattle when he is there for medical. His health is the same and we are all learning to just be thankful for everyday that we have together. With the new room all bright and shiny, it will represent change and new life.
I didn't have to study Freudian theories to know that I would always look to my father for his approval. I know a lot of you might be thinking that you don't fall into this way of thinking...then why do you want your significant other's constant praise and approval? Or do you go outside your marriage to be noticed by males to feel cute or sexy (we all like approval, validation). I don't mean to let this come across in a negative way. My Dad is very proud of me and I adore every part of him. I am very conscious of the scars I received from self-affliction. For searching out a lifetime, thus far, of validation from anyone but myself.
When I met Jake, I discovered my safe place. I know and trust fully in this place and I am able to embark on a journey that I never knew I needed to go on. Allowing me for the first time, to explore myself. I am shedding so many old layers of my ego to open up the wounds and heal them myself, and trying to understand the person underneath. P.S. I am really starting to love that person all naked and stripped down;)
To my parents...thank you for being my safe place for years. I am ready to give this thing called life, a try on my own. To my Dad on this special day...I know your life was extremely busy because you worked so hard to give us all a charmed life. Thank you! Thank you also for noticing me in your little ways, subtle as they are. I admire you...adore you...respect you... and LOVE you. I hope that you can drop the worry and the guilt that we build up as parents and enjoy your 7 amazing successes that will be calling just to hear your strong voice of approval and proudness. Happy Father's Day...Love, Baby Duck (no one can use that one on me besides him, so don't try it;)
And to Jude...Jake always wishes you a Happy Father's Day because you were and continue to be his everything. Happy Day to you for raising one of the most exceptional children ever to grace this Earth:)To Willie...I know you are looking down on Jake with the most admiring, longing eyes. I am sorry that you didn't get to truly know one of the most beautiful pieces of you. God gave him to you just in time to wash out some of the guilt with knowing pure love. We were blessed to have you in the short time that we got you, and I we are thankful for that. For year's Father's Day was just a reminder that there was a Dad somewhere out there that was missing out on a miraculous life. Today I see Jake's eyes lit up and his soul on fire because he is the Father that he never had. He embarked on his independent journey much earlier than I, and I will continue to pull right up next to his path and learn all that I can.

More Nonesense

A room wouldn't be complete without a trip to Target for the finishing touches and more fun.
This is the project that I decided to take on the same day that Jake was coming home. I had to paint 3 of these. Thank goodness Aaron was in on this one as well.
The crew! Notice the sweet girl on the end. Our story goes a little something like this. Out of nowhere she e-mails after finding my site from a musician's site. She says to me..."To start, I came across your site by combing through Keegan Smith’s photos…..which then led me to your blog.....I’ve taken this past week, as time has allowed, to read through your archives and let me just say Ms. Carlisle - you have, truly, lit a fire in my soul….

The reason you have stood out to me in such a profound way is how transparent you are. It seems, to me, there is a lot of hocus pocus in this world – so many different illusions to work through – yet, I found you – and with all that I have in me, without ever meeting you, without knowing the sound of your voice or whether or not you life truffle salt (which is a personal favorite of mine ;) ) I feel your magic is the truest and rawest there is – the kind that comes from the soul – I feel your work….and anyone that comes across your path, I am confident, does as well. I don’t even have to ask how you do it – it’s as simple as you do it just by being you….and that is beautiful." Oh and there was a lot more of this dilishesness, can you even stand it. Of course I had to have her over. And wouldn't you know she came bearing gifts and jumped right in on the project. I heart you Brittney...you definitely ROCKED my soul!
Off for a break to our favorite place!
Now, here is a little treat that Aaron caught for you all. This might seem like a little much facial serenade until you realize that I am singing from my fav. movie, Moulin Rouge. When I found out that my two friends had never seen it, I broke up with them and had to finish the room with my new BFF (Brittney, because she loves the movie as well). I will only hang out with you other two again when you have seen the movie. Please understand that I am doing this for your own good;)

Can you feel it! This just sums up the feelings in my heart after accomplishing such a weekend! I know I am going to get more mad comments wanting to see the room, but I have to make sure I get the whole story....Sing it with me..."All you need is love"

While you were out!

This amazing story is going to have to take up a couple of posts because it is so full of moments that I never want to forget! Let me set the stage....Jake and I have always dreamed of a serene, perfectly, perfect grown up bedroom since we have been married. Why then, has it been at the bottom of the priority list? Well, he went away last weekend to Canada for B-Ball. I started to think about our room while he was gone the first night and I didn't like it at all. I will try to dig up a picture. Well, I decided to call my friend Amy just to tell her that I was thinking of doing a "While you were out" surprise for Jake and after my conversation with her we decided to do just that. I tried to talk myself out of it because I didn't feel capable or inspired. Well, inspiration was just what I go when Aaron and Amy came over to work on project "Love Nest"! I am not even going to try to put into words what this weekend meant to me! I will attempt it in the next post.

1st stop, Home Depot for supplies for designing on a dime.

You can tell how much fun we are already having at stop #1 from her cheeser smile:)Stop #2..our second tea of the day. I wanted to sneak up on the two when they came out of Starbuck's, paparazzi-style. First I had to set up the shot...BOO! Is that you Aaron Galeotii and Amy Seeley?!!!!!I am pretty sure that if Aaron's hands weren't so full that I would have lost all my teeth to a flying judo kick! LOL Are you dying over his scared face. This was so worth it for this one picture right here. We pretty much didn't stop laughing from this point on. Step 3..Take a picture of us, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed before we begin on Sat. at 5pm.Eager Beavers ready to go!Step 4...Bring in the helpers. Amy got Jamie.Aaron got Tré and Jalena.How did I get the short end of the stick and get this A-Hole?Let me just tell you a thing or two that I learned about this girl last weekend. She is even more amazing then I ever thought she was (which I thought to be impossible). Sometimes I overthink things until a I paralyze myself or get in my own way. I was trying to talk myself out of this project all the way up until after getting the supplies. Amy stepped up to the plate and started taking outlet covers off and taping and it felt like she was taking layers of fear off of me and mending my heart. It's just as I spoke about before when I talked about friends coming into your life and help you take the babysteps. I depend on Jake to do just that for me everyday and now I am trying to find the courage within. The "I can do it" attitude. Thank goodness I have friends as training wheels:) I have so much more to write on this and pictures to show. Just a teaser for now;)

Stolen Moments

This is why I want to teach parents how to take better pictures. (Patients...my shit still isn't together:) The way I see it, you can hire me or any other photographer for an few hours, even a day, but there are just some moments that are saved for the most intimate moments. These memories are packed with the strongest emotions, and the most detailed senses. They are the moments that stop a mom or dad in their tracks and make the head tilt, the nose burn, and then the happy tears start to flow. They are the moments that we cry about because we have all been too busy to see and life is so much in fast forward we wish that we could pause it for these moments. Why wouldn't I want every one of my friends to be able to capture these moments I speak of:) Get out your cameras and just keep clicking. It doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a tool to capture what you feel in your heart at that moment. Something years from now that you can look at that sparks a beautiful story that will be told to your grandchildren. This is one of those moments below. I was on my way to DC and went in to kiss them good-bye. They were having a slumber party and this is the dog pile that I stumbled upon at 5 in the morning.

Jalena reading Jamie a book. Jamie loves to play with her hair. So sweet!

This is the concentration of a perfectionist. He went on his sister's fieldtrip and you couldn't tell that he was the only preschool kid because he was such a good listener:) Too bad this memory was tied to the fish hatchery. Remember the stong senses...well this one reaks like fish. lol
This one is going to bring back the emotions of sheer bliss and excitement of going to the zoo together. This is one of their favorite places and they always have the tightest bond when they are there together. "Come on Jamie, let's go to the sea lions!" and Little Miss Independent is leading the way.
This is them trying not to smile. Jamie apparently wanted the picture to be serious and he said "wait, I need to get into character"....can you believe that clown. The kids still think he is the funniest kid on their planet.
Today...and everyday for that matter..I am thankful for the camera. I didn't know what I was doing when I first started and here's a little secret (most days I and many of my "professional" photographer friends, feel like fish out of water with our shoots still). My goal was never to master the technical side of photography and thank goodness, because I would be a complete failure;) Here's to the most amazing tool in the world and for being able to capture my life around me. The things that make me think, the moments that make me happy, the people that make me think and all the beauty that I get too out of the NOW to see.