Taking care of business..

Today I won a small victory in a large war..I paid off my highest interest student loan today! It was 9.75%..eek!

Although I have completely been overworked the past few months, I have been saving a great deal. (I probably should have made higher payments to those loans..but I liked seeing the $$!) The ONE benefit of running a business while working full time! I have three main accounts, a personal account where my $ from my job goes, a business account, and a savings account. Money gets put into the savings account each month and when we purchase a house (soooooon!!!) I will use that money for all the furniture, decor, paint, floors, and other things we may need to get to make it our home. The savings account is important to me because I want those nice things- I could pay off another student loan (or two!) if it weren't there, but then I would have no savings...and I like watching that go up every month. Now..don't go looking at that money tree up there and think I've got one..because I don't. I don't save everything that I could, and in fact I need to be MUCH better about budgeting but I am really thankful to have kicked that one student loan to the curb. The interest rates are just RIDICULOUS! I cringe when I think about how much more I've got left..but this was a definite start!

Naked (not me!)

David & I went to the mall recently to get my bracelet (that he bought for our anniversary!) resized. While we were there I stumbled over to the Sephora store, where I always look but hardly ever purchase anything (and instead rack up a TON of Covergirl/Avon/Mary Kay-type makeup that I don't use all of before I purchase something else! Good thinking, I know!) I was on the path of needing an intervention, especially with eye shadow..until I found this:

Now I can throw out ALL my other eye shadow products! I wish they had a better name for it, but it does catch your eye. The set is $44 in store (and apparently goes VERY quickly when in stock, there were only 2 left, and retails for $90 online--ebay/amazon-type of sites) This is by far the BEST eye shadow i've ever come across. All the colors look amazing and that little bottle of eyeshadow primer "potion" is sent from Heaven. The shadow stays on all day and looks fabulous! I am refraining from going back and checking out other Urban Decay products!

(not paid for this post in any way- although I wish I had been to save myself $44!)

Couch + Baby = Awesome

A few weeks ago my brother, sister in law & niece came in for a visit! They were here for almost two weeks and I was happy I had no weddings the weekend they were in so I could go to my parents house & visit. Thankfully my parents only live an hour and forty-five minutes away although I do not make the trip nearly as much as I should.

Before I left on Sunday afternoon I spent a few minutes with them for a little "mini" session! And the super cute little couch? Free! I. Love. It. I may have to get a bigger car now because it will not fit in my Mazda.. :-)

Today is Abbi's half-birthday..happy 6 months sweet baby!

You're mine!

As a little birthday (Aug. 23rd) present to MYSELF I bought this guy today. I've had my eye on him since they came out and I cannot wait to get my hands on it! My 5D has video, but 1. I haven't used it and 2. who wants to lug that around? No one, except I do, for 8 hour weddings and portrait sessions. I also got a nifty underwater case because my husband is quite the fish and thought it would be fun to so some silly underwater videos.

I am really trying to get back in the blogging world here and so there is a chance you may see one of our videos next week :-)

Making Effort

Sadie is not allowed on our bed. We love her dearly and if my husband had his way she would snuggle up next to me at night (and I don't like to snuggle at night!) but Sadie always manages to find her way to me and maybe it's because her Daddy is all muscle and her Momma's got a few comfy curves. Sadie sheds..a lot.. and THAT is the main reason she is not allowed on the bed- I don't like waking up with a blanket (dog hair) on me!

Recently as I am getting into bed and about to say my prayers I am distracted by the amount of hair on the bed. How can this be? She is not allowed on the bed! Our rotten little girl is sneaking up on the bed during the day and taking herself a nice nap. How do I know this? I came home the other day and she was sleeping (on the bed!!) so soundly that I didn't wake her up when I came in the door, shut the door, or dropped the groceries on the floor. I even got to take a picture before she decided to wake up. What a stinker!!A few weeks ago we went to my in-laws for a cook out before my BIL went back to Afghanistan. This is the first time I've been IN a picture in a LONG time! David & I have a session scheduled with a friend next week so when we get those pictures back I will have a reason to blog and will be sure to post some! I cannot wait for the session! That's one of the best things about being a photographer, swapping sessions!!

Our nieces & nephews with their water balloons & guns.. How fun is this picture? :) I want to put it on a canvas and place it above the fireplace.

...until next time!

New Orleans

Last month I went to New Orleans/Biloxi for a business trip.

I am not a good flyer- So on the way down I took some pills [Nerve Tonic- CVS!] that worked WONDERS and I wasn't a mess at all. [they also do NOT make you sleepy! Just...calm] However, the day we were leaving to fly back I did not feel anxious and decided I didn't NEED the pills. Big.Mistake. Halfway through the first flight I was throwing up and decided I couldn't take the 2nd connecting flight (only 30 minutes!) home so I instead paid $300, rented a car, and drove 4 hours home. What a trip. Next time I'll KNOW better than to try and play it cool. Just take the meds, Meg.

I wasn't going to lug around my big camera so I purchased a Nikon Coolpix (and i'm a CANON shooter! Gasp!) to snap a few pictures while I was there. When I got there I honestly wanted a break from shooting so I hardly pulled out my camera, however--there were a few times that I remembered this was my first time in the area and it should be documented and this is what I got:

As soon as I decide on sizes & placement I will be blowing up a few of these for the walls at home!

Listen to yourself

Those that follow me on Twitter or Facebook know that for quite a while now I have been dealing with migraines. My first one was in June of last year. I went to the doctor the next day because I had never experienced such pain. I started a new birth control, the Nuva Ring in May and had a check up sometime early July to discuss how it was going and if I had experienced any side effects. I told the Doctor (obgyn) about the migraine and the constant headaches, but he assured me it would have happened sooner if it were linked to the Nuva Ring. Over the next 9 months the migraines would become more frequent and I would have many tests done to see exactly why the migraines were always in the same spot. In March I had 2-3 a week with the final one lasting 4 days. I took every medicine I was prescribed and nothing would knock that migraine. It would go away for a little, but the pressure was still there, and I honestly didn't know how I would live my life with such constant headaches. It was very frustrating because I just wanted to know why I was getting them and even keeping a food & headache journal provided no insight on pattern.

After the 4-day migraine I had the mentality that "I don't care what you say (Neurologist, OBGYN, or Family Doctor!) it has GOT to be the birth control!" so I stopped taking it. I had a one withdrawal migraine and haven't had even the slightest headache since. I've gone headache free for a little over a month and it.is.glorious.

Now, this could all be a big coincidence and I could get more migraines in the future, but for now I'm just thankful that I decided to take action against something and for now it as worked. I've had issues with every sort of birth control I've ever taken (mostly just break through bleeding) so at this point, we're just being careful :)

(p.s. I really enjoyed the Nuva Ring, besides the whole idratherdiemigraines. Medicine effects everyone differently, i'm not saying they should ban the Nuva Ring, it just didn't work for me.)