35, day 37 Happy New Year

Happy New Year. Welcome 2011.
I rung in the new year with my Ellenburg Babes and Super-Duper Husband, Mike. Stayed in together on a this rainy Holiday night.




Made everyone wear a goofy hat, had a few cocktails and rung in the new year with sparkling Grape Juice with my babes minus "needs her beauty rest Madison." Kids will toast to anything. Mike toasts to 2011, Prosperity, full pockets and full bellies.

The boys toasted to World Peace, the Groundhog, Speedy internet downloads and Less Homework. Mike told the boys that it's bad luck to toast with an empty glass. Jackson quickly drank all his juice so he could bail out on the endless toasting by Grant. I quickly refilled his glass. It was a fun early early morning.
Old Wise tail says that how you spend today is how you will spend the entire year. That's kind of scary. In fact, that brings on the new year pressures. The more I thought about it, the more I planned for it. I cleaned my house, washed every dish and piece of clothes on 12/31 - why chance it? I thought about all the things I hate to do and did them yesterday. I went to the grocery store, donated somethings from the attic Mike says will fall on our heads if I continue to fill it, hung some drapes and took out the garbage.
If this holds true for the bad, then there are some things I should do today... Drink 8 glasses of water, take some vitamins, run a mile, count my carbs and hold my tongue at least every 3rd time. But What do I want to do? I want to snap some photos and edit them. I want to cuddle up with my little family and watch the Tide Roll through the bowl game. I want to take a nap. I want to watch a movie. I want to paint my nails. I want to stay home all day. Simple things are the best things, the most relaxing. I'd like to enjoy the things I've worked so hard for in 2011 instead of working so hard for the next thing. Hoping for a slower more relaxing year for the Ellenburgs filled with the Good Health, Prosperity and full pockets and bellies. Hoping the same for you. Much good health, prosperity and blessings to all.

35, Day 36 - Catch up

A lot can happen in 15 days...so here it goes, with photos for the 1000 word effect.

Bought this mask for Mike for Christmas (Model=Jackson)- it was a hit.
We moved all the work out equipment out of my NEW studio.

I finally picked a color for the room - I went with "Cinnamon Bun", and hated it. Repainted it "Banana Nut" and LOVE it.

This is me in my NEW studio, I'm very happy. :-)

My tiny dog was in a dog fight, developed a terrible expensive untreatable infection and died. It is very sad for our family. RIP Nick, the best dog ever.

I had a great shoot at my favorite track.

Christmas was a HIT followed by Madison's day after Christmas Birthday Extravaganza.

My wonderful Husband, Mike, Christmased in some GREAT furniture into the new studio. Loving it - not to mention my new matching 2nd MAC monitor. Love Love Love it.

We watched a lot of Movies in Mike's cave.

Bought new Carpet for the Cave. Might put it in the room and stairs in mid-January.

Bought a new reflector kit. Madison calls it the Moon.

Had a great Family shoot in Biloxi.

Spent the rest of the morning enjoying the coast & hanging out with the Lighthouses.

Had a great lunch with my Hubby. Yum.

That wraps up the last 15 days and brings a close to 2010. 2010 was a GREAT year, I've got some pretty big expectations for 2011, considering I've got to pack it all in this year with 2012 around the corner.

35, day 21

well...
Since I started this on December 16th and it is now December 31st. That is just shameful. Blogging every day is hard.
Will catch you up on the month later today.

35, day 20 - Randomness

well...
This daily blog business is tough work. My day is filled with a lot of random thoughts, I'm sure your day it too. However it does seem like they are piling up as another year comes to a close.
1. Holiday Runners - I see you guys, out there taunting me. I'm super jealous. But what I really need to be is an early riser, like one of those 5am gals. If I don't get a run in first thing in the morning, I can kiss it good-bye because I live out in the country and when it gets dark here, it's real dark - and I'm not going out jogging in the night never to be seen again (or at least those are the night terrors I have when I'm out jogging with the lightning bugs of Creola.) Considering early rise for Friday.
2. Car Antlers, why? - I was thinking just this week while driving, how pleasant it was not to see all the very weird Car Wreaths...and the same day I saw a heard of Car Antlers. Why? The wreath I can even justify that it could make sense to maybe truck drivers who spend a lot of time in their vehicle, but there is no way your car could ever been a reindeer. If you're one of Santa's helpers, wear a hat, maybe. Car Antlers. I will never purchase them, and I'll be surprised if the makers of Car Antlers survive the economic fate we are swirling in.
3. Holiday letters - I love them. Confession: I am so giddy when I open a Christmas card that has a gooey family filled holiday letter. Most people are pretty well acquainted with the people that send them Christmas Cards, new friends, old friends, dear friends - I miss those guys. It's so nice to get photos of their babies growing and hear about the yearly adventures. I've sent a Christmas letter out for years.

35, day 19 - ELF

"I'm in love! I'm in love! And I don't care who knows it!!"
Tonight's Ellenburg 11th day of Christmas movie was a family favorite - ELF

We all snuggled up and watched it together, with the exception of Madison, who would rather watch Toy Story 1, 2 or 3 instead. She's a tough crowd.
I love this movie. I received this movie as a birthday gift from my cousin forever ago and we've watched it several times since. I've got a ton of favorite lines -
"Hello, this is Buddy the Elf, What's your favorite color?"
"The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear"
Do you have a favorite?
Hope you are spending the next 11 days of Christmas with those you love.

35, day 18 - And dance by the light of the Moon

Today starts the Ellenburg 12 days of Christmas Movies - usually we start with some kiddie favorite, there were many votes for Elf...but tonight we enjoyed "It's a Wonderful Life" - hands down the greatest holiday movie. How can anything ever look bad ever after watching Jimmie and Donna run around in the snow?

Love Love Love it! It makes me feel all Christmasy. We usually save this movie for last, but I think having it first was a really great idea. We always finish the movie with saying - "It really is a wonderful life"...because it is. Snuggled up with my Forever guy, surrounded by sleeping children who can never seem to make it to the end of this movie. Everyday feels like Christmas.

35, Day 17

Just a Beautiful Sunday! Slept in, relaxed, did a little shopping, cooked a good meal and spent time with my family. Just what everyone should do on Sunday.

Shopping with Mike & Madison, we bought some sheet rock (Sheet Rock is Heavy - seriously heavy) & a gorgeous ceiling fan for my studio. Mike is installing the fan right now. I love love love that guy. He really makes my life so super!
My new blog header is nice - I'm working on the length because it's a little off & I really like the black background on my Ellenburg Photography Blog - But I think it looks pretty great.

35, Day 16

I could have sat here and ordered my bedding accessories online, but I would have missed out on the adventure of shopping with my Mother & my baby girl - we hit the town looking for the most perfect matching red velvet and winter white combos. It was a lot of fun!

I found excellent Velvet throw pillows and some super awesome Euro shams. Confession: Euro shams are an addiction. I LOVE them. I gave up hunting for the perfect dust ruffle - Mom is going to just make it for me. She rocks.
Madison was extra fun today. She brought Jessie with us every where we went and wore her new cowgirl t-shirt. She really loves to go shopping, but wants to buy nothing. The perfect shopping partner.

It is rumored that Mike and I will be clearing out the work out room & moving it downstairs tomorrow - that means I'm getting closer to my studio dreams.
Oh boy, oh boy!

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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35, day 15

Hooray! It's here!! My amazing garnet velvet quilt has arrived. So, it was delivered to my neighbor, who gets a lot of my cool stuff first, but I did get it same day - hooray.
This is what I was going for...

Right now I'm all garnet...I need / want some off white I think to go with it, or Khaki. Hmmm. I'm taking my sham out and about with me tomorrow.
Is it so cheesy that I was just in LOVE with putting this quilt on my bed today? It looks so Christmasy in my room now. I love it.

35, day 14

Had a case of the Blahs today. All day. I just couldn't get excited about anything. I even took a trip to my favorite park. It's completely decked out in Holiday festivities...but It just wasn't enough.

I spent most of the day second guessing myself. Playing the what if and if only game. That game stinks. And to top it off, the squirrels were extra creepy today.

Ah, I think I figured it out. Tomorrow makes 10 years since Dad passed away. It's always sad for me the days before because I don't feel like a can mope around because Mom lives with me and I know she will be sad and well, we both can't be sad. I miss him. Dad was my biggest fan. He always believed I could do anything, no matter what it was and he was always so proud. He never talked about the pros and cons, he just knew I could do it. Everyone should have that kind of fan. He always had his head in the clouds. Maybe too much. Mom is the worrier, still worrying for us all. Dad would have been so proud of me starting my own business. I wish he could have been here to see it or to meet all my babies and Michael. He'd have loved Grant and Madison as much as he loved Jackson. I miss you Dad and think about you often.

35, day 13

My Christmas spirit is in over-drive...couldn't get this song out of my head today.

A Marshmallow World
It's a marshmallow world in the winter,
When the snow comes to cover the ground,
It's the time for play, it's a whipped cream day,
I wait for it all year round.

Those are marshmallow clouds being friendly,
In the arms of the evergreen trees,
And the sun is red like a pumpkin head,
It's shining so your nose won't freeze.

The world is your snowball, see how it grows,
That's how it goes, whenever it snows,
The world is your snowball just for a song,
Get out and roll it along.

It's a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts,
Take a walk with your favourite girl,
It's a sugar date, what if spring is late,
In winter, it's a marshmallow world.


The world is your snowball, see how it grows,
That's how it goes, whenever it snows,
The world is your snowball just for a song,
Get out and roll it along.

It's a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts,
Take a walk with your favourite girl,
It's a sugar date, what if spring is late,
In winter, it's a marshmallow world,
In winter, it's a marshmallow world,
In winter, it's a marshmallow world

Still seeking the greatest Christmas gift ever for my most wonderful Husband! I'm pretty sure he leaves these clues to my Christmas gifts to toss me off my gifting game. It's working, very sneaky. He's really raising the bar this year. And he wants nothing, seriously? Nothing.

Jessie's Girl, 35 day 12

Toy Story 2 is alive and well in my house. Madison is completely enveloped inside a cocoon of Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl.

It's so nice. I got to go into the attic and pull down all the Toy Story toys from the boys. I had a lot of great stuff up there, even a Jessie. Madison takes her everywhere. I usually keep Toy Story 2 on in my living room before dinner, and tonight I watched Madison sitting on the sofa with Jessie. They were watching the part where Jessie remembers her little girl growing up and Madison, told her Jessie, "I'll always love you" I teared up. She is such a great little girl - that's a great song too.
"When She Loved Me" - Written by Randy Newman, Performed by Sarah McLachlan
(nominated for Best Song Oscar, 1999)

When somebody loved me,
Everything was beautiful
Every hour we spent together lives within my heart
And when she was sad,
I was there to dry her tears
And when she was happy,
So was I
When she loved me

Through the summer and the fall
We had each other, that was all
Just she and I together,
Like it was meant to be

And when she was lonely,
I was there to comfort her
And I knew that she loved me

So the years went by
I stayed the same
But she began to drift away
I was left alone
Still I waited for the day
When she'd say I will always love you

Lonely and forgotten,
I'd never thought she'd look my way
And she smiled at me and held me just like she used to do
Like she loved me
When she loved me

When somebody loved me
Everything was beautiful
Every hour we spent together lives within my heart

When she loved me

The kitchen is a mess. No dishes were done, but I cuddled on the couch with my baby girl and a hideous penguin blanket and watched all of Toy Story 2. After I tucked her into bed, I asked my oldest, Jackson, "What ever happened to that duck Ming Ming?" He said, " They stopped making new episodes." So matter of fact. So practical. So Jackson. Tuesdays are looking up.

More Toy Story, Less Dishes.

35, day 12

Wow, am I ever in the holiday spirit! I can't stop humming "Baby, it's cold outside" - partially because it was 29 degrees when I woke up this morning, but not entirely. My Big Christmas gifts are rolling in - I heart Amazon.com - it's nice, everyday I leave and when I come back there are more things for me to wrap. It's so tempting to never shop anywhere ever again, just send everything home.
I went grocery shopping. I hate grocery shopping. I raced today and was almost out in under 30 minutes. I typically grocery shop on Monday afternoons, mostly because I hate to grocery shop with the masses on the weekend or a Friday (that's the worst) - the boys usually help me bring everything in, but it was in the 30's and they were in the PJ's - but Madison wanted to help me pick things up.

Well, until she found the sprite I bought. She picked up the 2 liter bottle and held it like a baby and said, "Sprite! Mom, thank you for bringing this home with you" I just want to bring home Sprite with me everyday. Those kids, they wrap you around their finger so early. It's nice.


Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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35, day 11

Sleepy Sunday. I stayed in all day. Believe it or not, staying in all day is my favorite thing to do on Sunday.
Spent the first part of my day endless cleaning. There is so much clutter left over at the end of every week - yuck. Mike finished the stucco on on his addition masterpiece. It looks great. Watched the Saints game. I took a nap - loved it. Then I tackled the Christmas lights with Mike and the boys.

I tried to explain to the boys that hanging the Christmas lights looks more fun than it is, it is a bit stressful and tempers will be short. Knowing this, they did GREAT. Those knuckleheads make excellent helpers. Madison watched from the windows with her mug of hot cocoa. She had the right idea, it was cold outside tonight.

My frozen assistant, Jackson. Grant was Mike's assistant. The lights are up. Hooray. Please note my super high energy efficient bulbs.

Magical Mike re-networked my fancy-pants printer and I finally got my printer kicking out my Christmas letter. I've got the first batch ready to go out in the mail in the morning. And in an effort to work on #5 - I made a list of everyone I sent my card to with the current address for an easy guide for next year.

After sealing over half, I was reminded of that episode of Seinfeld, you know the one where George's fiance licks all those envelopes for her wedding invitations and then dies because the glue is poison. Oddly, I think of this every year at the Christmas Card half way point, but never before - always in the middle. Maybe next year I'll remember at the beginning. Doubtful, but possible.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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35, day 10

Today, was a GREAT day. I slept in. Mike almost finished the stucco on my addition to the house. I did a little shopping, watched a little football and edited some photos. I Love Love Love Saturday!!! More Saturdays should be like this one.
Enjoy these pics from the Santa visits yesterday.













Santa told my boys that it's important to read everyday, to get along with your brother & sister, listen to your parents and to remember to be good all year. I love Santa.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

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Mike's Birthday, 35 day 9

The list of things to do today was HUGE. I stared early. Once my boys were off to school, I turned up the holiday music on Satellite Radio, poured myself a glass of Nog and wrote a fantastic Christmas letter. Easily the best one yet.
To Celebrate my unblocked writers block, I traveled across the bay to the Pottery Barn. Sometimes I just like to wander through Pottery Barn to be inspired, but this time, I'm looking for a new comforter and a desk. No desk, but I did like these guys.
and
I'm leaning toward the red velvet quilt - hmmmm. Do I want to spend $325 on one quilt Plus accessories?
Had a Parent/Teacher Conference with Grant's 2nd Grade Teacher. She told me that she would tell me all the things every parent wants to hear, that my child is wonderful in all subjects, and then she did. It is so nice to hear those things about my baby. Thank you Grant. It's so nice that he loves school & Mrs. Douville. We are big fans too!

Michael wanted to take the kids to visit Santa on his birthday, so we did. I love that they are so eager for Christmas Morning. When Santa came out, Madison said "I love Santa!" Santa is a rock star.

Then we took Mike to dinner at the Original Oyster House - it was a really fun night. I always enjoy when we all go out together. The Caples joined us. It was a great time.

I took some great pics of our Santa outing - will work on them tomorrow.

Daphne Ellenburg is the proud owner of Ellenburg Photography. Ellenburg Photography specializes in Wedding Photography and Family Portraiture. We are located just north of Mobile Alabama. We proudly serve all of Alabama, and Gulfcoast Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Ellenburg Photography Home
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