Free June Calendar Download

For you, a free download.  Right click on the picture and select Save Image As.  

I totally stole this idea from another photographer, but this picture is mine :D

Hope you like it!

Please leave me a comment if you download it.

Memorial Day

No complaining about the weather today!  It is Memorial Day Weekend and the weather could not be better at the Jersey Shore!

I took this picture a few years ago at Wall Township Speedway.

While you are staying home or heading to your favorite summer location, please take a moment and remember those that have fought for our country!

And NO drinking and driving, got that.  It is NON-NEGOTIABLE.

The weather

The weather in NJ recently has SUCKED.  And sucked hard.  We had about 10 days straight of rain. 

Do you know what it does to a beach writer to not be able to get to the beach & fill orders?  It's very very frustrating. 


And then FINALLY this past Saturday the weather was PERFECT.  It was foggy when I got up, so I wasn't able to head down to the beach for sunrise pictures. However, by 9ish, the fog had burned off and a beautiful day stretched out over NJ.  I grabbed my orders and my camera and took off for the beach.

Then the unthinkable happened.  Oh ok it wasn't unthinkable but it was bad.... amateurish would be a better word... my battery died in my camera.  It was 2/3rds full when I got to the beach... but I was not able to get my orders completed.  Thankfully I did get the oldest ones done and the one that the person needed by this Wednesday. 

Yes, I do have a backup battery... somewhere... I'm sure someone put it somewhere safe....  arg.

So I charged the battery.  But alas, by then it was high tide and no beach writings could be done. 

I just looked at the 5 day forecast... doesn't look horrible, but doesn't look great either.  I'd love to have a few days of a clear sunrise, that is my favorite time to be at the beach (5:30 am) but at this point, I don't even set my alarm.

I can't wait until we have a good stretch of beautiful weather and I can go to the beach every morning.

Want to come with me?

Woo hoo!

See that picture in the white frame on the wall?  That's one of my custom beach writings!!  The guy in the white shirt is NJ Governor Christie! I feel so special!  


Edited to add what the picture looks like up close. (no web address on theirs)

Odie the meowing dog

I know I blogged already today, but I caught this video today of my Jack Russell and can't wait to share it.

Back story.  Earlier today the smoke detector started going off.  I tried everything I could to get it to shut off but no go.  Since I don't have anything safe to stand on upstairs, I need to go downstairs and get a chair.

Only I can't.  No, not because of smoke or fire, but because I am laughing so hard at my dog's reaction to the smoke detector!

I ended up getting new batteries for it tonight and recorded this short clip because it was just too funny not to!

Father's Day is coming!

Let's face it....  for the most part dad's have it easy.  Mom's take care of everything.  We help with homework, we schedule appointments, arrange play dates, make sure they have clean clothes to wear.  We shuttle the children to various activities, make sure they brush their teeth, provide a kind ear when they need us and give them space when they don't think they need us. 

But dad's have it hard too.  They have to be role models for the sons and great examples for us daughters. And that's pretty hard. Take a look at your husband.  I bet if you thought about it hard enough, he's more like your dad then you may be willing to admit! LOL 

In some families, the dad does the things I said that mom's do, due to divorce or other circumstances and since I don't believe men are built to mulit-task, they have to work harder at it. 

So this June 19th, 2011, we celebrate Dads every where for the awesome job they do!

In honor of Father's Day I have added a few things to my Etsy shop with men in mind.  So wander on over there

My Etsy Shop

and take a look around.  Whether it's one of the pictures I have listed, or if you want something specific written in the sand, it's all there for you!

Hope to see you there!

(Note to Dad's if you forgot to get your wife/mom something for mother's day, I have things for mom's too!)

Family Portrait

Groupon had a coupon for Canvasondemand.com a few months back.  I bought it and had a family portrait printed on canvas.  

I love CanvasonDemand.com  They did an AMAZING job and even upgraded my picture to a bigger size because it did not look right on the size I ordered, and they did it for free!

THEN they contacted me about showcasing my picture on their website.  

Check it out here!

Canvas On Demand

Aren't we cute?

Get your own family portrait at

NamesontheJerseyShore

The Breakfast Club

Last night we came across the movie The Breakfast Club playing on one of the movie channels.  I LOVE this movie, but I can't tell you the last time I watched.   We caught it about 10-15 minutes into the movie, so they're already in the Library.

I'm not one of those people that analyzes movies or pick up on too much stuff.   Someone would say to me "did you notice that every movie "X" does, there's always a scene with "Y" going on?"  I don't notice stuff like that.  

But I realized something last night.  

A. I quote this movie way too often

"Did I stutter?"

"It's a banner year at the Bender house"

"Smoke up, Johnny"

and B.  it's more then just a funny movie, it's actually a GREAT movie and Judd Nelson does an amazing job at being Bender. 

Watching his face as the teacher is giving him detention after detention, you can see the struggle of a teenager who is torn between wanting to be cool in front of the other kids and wanting to cry. 

And then the teacher when he walks out.  It was almost a visual example of "this is going to hurt you more then it's going to hurt me"  It didn't seem like it was something he really wanted to do, know what I mean. 

Or when the teacher locks Bender in the closet, the fear in Bender's face when the teacher is taunting Bender to "just one hit right here."

I love Ally's character and Emilio it's just great.  I have soft spot for Anthony Michael Hall, because my younger son looks like him LOL His portrayal was great too. 

I was riveted to my seat.  The movie flew by and I was sad it was over.

If I had to align my high school self with one of the characters, I would be torn between Ally's & Judd's character.  I hung out with the burnouts, but was shy. 

There were a couple of things Mike & I talked about afterwards.

What would happen today if a teacher locked a kid in the closet.

and 

How quickly would a kid be Expelled if he brought a starter gun to school? 

Oh the times have changed.   

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope your day is as wonderful as you!

Live Laugh Love

Just wanted to tell you that today is your day.  You can whatever you want with it.

So make sure you Live, Laugh & Love today!

My Shop

Why Clothes Shopping takes ALL DAY

I do not love clothes shopping.  I know that is just cause for me to lose my woman's card, but I'm just not a fan of clothes shopping.  I refuse to go clothes shopping with anyone else. I just do not have the patience. 

However, since I have lost 61lbs over the last 2 years, combined with the fact that I have not been this thin in 11 years, I need new clothes.

So occasionally I will hit the stores and buy 1 or 2 new things.

Even though I am still overweight, I look a lot better so I care about how things fit now, this requires a trip to the dressing room each and every time I buy something new.

And it's not so much I don't know what size I am, it's more about the issue of Vanity Sizing.

Vanity sizing, also known as size inflation is used to refer to the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming larger over time.

I understand why companies feel like vanity sizing is a good thing, but honestly it just sucks.  A person that can buy a shirt at one store in an XL or a shirt in another store that is a M, will pick the M ever freaking time.  Hence Vanity Sizing.

But it is out of control.  

For example...  This shirt, that I got at Old Navy, is a medium (10/12)

It fits well.  I have just started back exercising so I still have a muffin top (my husband HATES that phrase) no matter what  I wear.  I have bought several shirts at this point that are Mediums that fit perfectly.  

But then I have this shirt, 

As you can see, it's a Large.  If anything, it's more snug then the Medium.

From when I was at my heaviest, I bought this shirt to wear when I work out.

*Side note, when I first bought this shirt, I used to wear a very tight shirt underneath to smooth out my stomach rolls.  Love seeing how it hangs on me now*

As you can see, it's a 2X.  

But, so is this one I got from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame almost 2 years ago. 

Can you understand now why I hate clothes shopping??

So then next time the woman you love is gone at the mall all day long, don't think she's just sitting around drinking overpriced latte's.  She standing in a dressing room, looking at her reflection wondering WHY she can buy a medium in one store, but the medium in this store makes her look like she's trying on toddler clothes!

Now what do I do?

I took a few days off after completing the A to Z blogging challenge for April because I'm at a loss of what to do next.  I really enjoyed the rules of the challenge.  And I enjoyed my own self imposed challenge of making each post relate to Jersey or the beach or even just me.


While Stumbling the other night (you need to stumble, it's a GREAT time waster) I can across this list of questions.

62 Power Questions

You Should Ask to Reconnect with Yourself

Courtesy of www.LifeLiteracyLabs.com

1. What is that thing that no one, not even your partner, your mother or your best friend, knows about you?
2. What would make you feel embarrassed in public?
3. What do you think is your biggest flaw? What have you done about it?
4. What is your biggest strength? How did you develop it?
5. If you could change your name, what would your new name be?
6. If you could change your appearance, how would you decide to look?
7. What color dominates your wardrobe? How do you feel when you wear that color? Why?
8. Which song do you sing only when you’re alone? What memory does it bring back?
9. Whom do you secretly envy? Why?
10. What do you really want? But really…
11. What do you have to put up with in your life? How long have you been tolerating it?
12. In which way do you often sabotage yourself?
13. Who would you like to please the most?
14. What do you think a stranger’s first impression of you would be?
15. What recurring dream do you have? What do you think is the message your subconscious is sending you through that dream?
16. What would you try now if you were sure you wouldn’t fail?
17. What was that thing you never tried because you were afraid of failure?
18. What was your greatest disappointment in life?
19. As a kid, what did you dream of becoming when you grew up?
20. What are you really good at?
21. What can you do better?
22. What worries you the most when you think about your future?
23. What really sucks in your life? Who has the power to change it?
24. What is your life really about? What is your purpose in life?
25. What fear could wake you in the middle of the night?
26. What joy could wake you in the middle of the night?
27. What are you grateful for?
28. What time of the day do you feel the most energetic? And what do you usually do in those moments?
29. If you knew you had only one week to live, how and with whom would you spend it?
30. Why do you think your most favorite film touches you so deeply?
31. If you could be a fictional character from a movie or a novel, who would you want to be? Why?
32. What are you really bad at?
33. Who would you like to forgive and forget?
34. Do you often hear your inner voice? What does it usually tell you?
35. When was the last time you cried without anyone seeing you? And why?
36. What do you want people you meet for the first time to think about you?
37. What’s your most striking physical attribute? Do you like it?
38. If you had the opportunity to go back in time and make a change, would you still want to have the same parents?
39. If you could go back in time and change things, how would you alter the last ten years?
40. If you could get rid of one of your responsibilities today, what would that be?
41. What is the biggest lie you tell yourself?
42. What do you think is missing in your life?
43. What do you think is the biggest injustice that was ever done to you?
44. What type of person angers you the most?
45. Who never fails to make you feel good about yourself?
46. If you could start all over again, what would you want to study?
47. Which type of intelligence do you wish you had: kinetic, visual, interpersonal, linguistic or mathematical?
48. What is your biggest pet peeve?
49. What was the one opportunity you always believed you’ve missed out on?
50. What do you like about yourself the most?
51. What do you regret the most?
52. What is the most hurtful thing you’ve ever witnessed? Why did it affect you?
53. What would you like most to be acknowledged for in your life?
54. What is the first thought that usually crosses your mind the second you open your eyes in the morning?
55. What is that thing about yourself you’re sick and tired of?
56. Who really depends on you? Why?
57. What was the main factor that played a role in your biggest mistake?
58. What was the main factor that played a role in your biggest success?
59. What childhood memory sizzles your heart?
60. What was the most frustrating period in your creative life?
61. Do you love yourself?
62. If you were your own coach, how would you guide yourself?

I PROMISE I will not spend the next 62 days answering each of these questions. I'm definitely not that interesting! Instead, I will use it to when I need some inspiration.  Feel free to use it too!

OH Yeah!

Ding Dong the BASTARD is dead!

Rot in hell Bin Laden!