Halloween:(

As I lay here watching the Halloween Fest on television I think of how sad Halloween is for kids today. Sitting here reminiscing about my child hood and how much fun my cousins and I had. None of us had costumes nor did we care. One of my Aunts or Uncles would go and buy a scary mask to play around with us and try to scare the living daylights out us, but that was it.

I grew up in the hood Zion City to be exact, and on Halloween night me, my brothers, and a wholeeeee bunch of my cousins would go trick or treating.  No one was worried about someone bothering us because everybody in the hood knew who we were. If we were doing something we had no business they would call and let my grandmother know about it.

We didn't have any money, but Halloween was so much more fun for us than it is for my children.  Although it seems if they really enjoy it, but to me it's horrible. There is no more walking the neighborhood and knocking on doors for candy. Who wants to be in a carpool line going through the neighborhood trick or treating GOOOSH!

I remember one year my grandmother and my aunts gave us a Halloween party I mean we had fun. Bobbing for apple, dancing, my uncles with that same scary mask that he had several years prior trying to scare us with it, playing all kinds of games, and just having tons of fun not really realizing that, that event would be something to remember OMG fun, fun!
 
I think next year I think next year I will recreate that event for my kids. I even remember walking through Zion City trick or treating and for those of you who don't know you could cover a lot of ground in two hours. My grandmother lived on Ford St. in the middle by Beach Grove Church  and we would leave at exactly 6:00 and by the time it was time to come home we would have been all in the projects and through Glen Oaks getting candy while still being back before 8:00. Man those were the days. Boy do I wish being a kid SOMETIMES.

I wish the world wasn't so twisted, because the kids are missing out on sooooo much.  Parents take a minute and go back to your child hood so that you could see all the things that you have taken away from your children for whatever the reason may be and allow them to be kids in the safest way possible.

I think they deserve to look back on their child hood and reminisce about some of things you allowed them to do as they were growing up.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Thank you Lord for the wonderful weather!

Today was a beautiful fall day, the sun shining bright, the clear blue sky and the wonderful temperature that allowed me to be outside shooting a wonderful couple without getting hot and sweaty from all the movement.

Dennis and Delacer chose the best day for a photo shoot. Although the sun was shining bright it allowed me to practice my manual settings with the different light of the day. AWESOME, I was able to twirk it with no problem. I almost felt like I had been shooting with a Canon for quite some time, however it has only been a month since I upgraded my equipment. I think I am getting the hang of shooting with a full frame quite well. I LOVE MY CAMERA.

The shoot was great and the couple was AWESOME  Thank you Dennis and Delacer for allowing me to shoot you, you could have chose many more photographers over me and I am grateful for your business.

Wonderful evening for opening night:)

Last night my husband and I took our kids to opening night at the state fair, it was AWESOME. Evey year it normally rains or it's raining and cold or maybe it's misting and cold however last night was Perfect!

The weather was amazing, not to cold but cool enough for a lite jacket if you're cold natured. The day was a beautiful Autumn Day, nice and windy, the sun glistening in the sky not burning us to death, and as it set the sky was a beautiful purplish and orange color.  We were there longer than we planned on being there, cause you know it was a school night right.

We arrived before the gates opened and were some of the first ones to get in. Yep for those of you who know me, you know that I am always on time and have to beat the traffic so if that means being early oh well. The early bird gets the worm, LOL.  There was a nice crowd not a lot but enough to enjoy the rides with.  No standing in lines, so my kids were able to ride all the rides they wanted to with no problem a plus for me.  They were so tired and full, because you know we had to eat at the fair right. Love the chicken on the stick, alligator on the stick, cheese fries, corn dogs, lemonade and the Italian Ice oh my. We ate so much we didn't know what to do.

Of course this was the twins first year being able to enjoy having fun at the fair as they are only four years old and I think they had the most fun.  My twin girl said to me as we were leaving, "mom can we please ride just one more time".  I said to her no you have school tomorrow and she says with her arms folded but mom just one more ride Pleaseeeeeeeee! I hated to say no again, but if I would have let her ride the ride she wanted then the other three were going tostart whining and wanting to ride another ride to. The cycle starts all over again.

Shouts out to my customers that was there and spoke to me last night. Ya'll made me feel so important WOW!

Productive Day!!

Whooo Hoooo:)  I have completed my first business seminar, and I am excited about the information that I have received.  It was very informative even though much of what was said didn't apply to me. I didn't know there was so many avenues (Free Avenues at that) for small business owners to get help with starting and growing their business.

I did do a little networking, gave away a few cards and asked a few questions.  Very informative and I feel like I've learned a lot.

Very Productive Day !!!  Now I gotta go make some money photo shoot in a few min.

Making Strides:)

Tomorrow will be the first day of my venture, I will be attending my first business owner seminar at the Baton Rouge River Center. Excited and can't wait to see what I will learn,  I am sooooo looking forward to it the networking, the meeting new people and hopefully meeting  a new friend are two.  I have many ideas in my head as to where I would like my business to be or go.

I have always had high standards and I have really high standards for my business, this makes me think, well Tasha; what are you going to do to get where you want to be? I am a researcher and a reader, I also love talking with others and listening to their ideas. I love constructive criticism along with positive reinforcement. I guess you can say I'm like a child the teacher in me says never criticize with out uplifting. As a teacher I saw many kids that was uplifted by the constructive criticism I gave them, however I saw how disappointed they were when I only gave them negative feedback.  I know that we are all human and want to help but remember the person's feelings when trying to help them. We are all learning because none of us are perfect. You had to learn how to do what you do and I have to learn about the things that I want to do. We all learn in different ways, but I am always willing to help others as well as willing to receive help from others to make me better at what I do.  None of us can say that we have made thus far on our own!

So now that I have said that, let me apologize to anyone that I may have come in contact with over the past few weeks and you may have asked my opinion about something and I only gave you the negative side of the answer without reinforcing the positive side about the question or the advice.

Friends

I have some of the most thoughtful friends a girl could ask for. Yesterday one of them came by and brought me an antique bike, someone had given it to her daughter but her daughter was to big for it. She knew that I LOVE LOVE antiques, and she thought enough of me to bring it by and surprise me with it. Thanks Dee, I love it.

 Friends are those that we can count on no matter what! They don't look for anything in return, they cheer for you when you need an audience, they support you with constructive criticism, they build you up when you are down, they are their when you need to talk, and most of all they don't do something for you and turn around and talk about what they have done.


Thank you to all of my friends, Terri Hollins, Shalida Anderson, Keisha Oliver, Jalisha Anderson, Delacer Sylvester and my best friend of all My husband Earnest James Jr.

I thank you all, because without you standing behind me and supporting me I probably would not be where I am. I love you for cheering for me in the background, giving me the constructive criticism without having a hidden agenda behind it, and being there when I need someone to talk to. Ya'll are the best.

I just thought I would share this with the world. I hope I am as good a friend to you as you are to me. Thanks for being you.

Homework!!! Cleaning!!!!!! Children!!!!! It Never Ends OMG!!!!!!

I decided that I would put on my Superwoman cape and get in gear.  I have slipped and let the duties of everyday life consume me. Things that I am slacking on;

#1 School, no matter what I do and how many times I sit in front of my laptop, homework is not on my to do list. I am now in gear and  almost done. Thank you God for giving me the strength to get it together and complete my assignments. Thesis almost complete chapters 1-2 done.

#2 Cleaning my house. Now I don't care how many times I wash clothes completely, fold them nicely, and put them away.  Every time I go into my laundry room there is a million clothes there for me to start the process all over again. YES, I love my kids but I didn't say I like cleaning up behind them.

You would think that I never cleaned around here because every time I go into the kitchen there is dishes to be washed, the floor needs to be swept, or the bathrooms need to be re-cleaned  Whoooooooooo!


#3 I haven't combed my hair since Saturday it needs washing sooooo bad but my beautician was unavailable for 2 WEEKS and yes I am putting you on  blast, because I have class tomorrow and my appt. is not until Tuesday!

Ya'll since I  put my cape on I have been  in homework mode, determined to get all of what I needed done done.  I have and you should see my house the kids and my husband have destroyed it as if I wasn't even here. Yes him to. He has been in front of the television watching football all day and the kids were able to do whatever they wanted, yep whatever they wanted. No I didn't say anything because it would have been a distraction for me and I would have gotten up and started cleaning then there goes my goal to complete my homework once again.

OK, I would take a picture and post it; but I think I'll pass this time to embarrassed OMG!!!!!

I CAN'T WAIT TILL TOMORROW WHEN THEY ALL LEAVE.

My Kids

Another wonderful day, I am pleased to say.  My son and daughter had a football game, which was amazing although the team lost. Hey, we can't win them all!  My husband had to work so I was all alone on this one.

My son is maturing so, he will be turning 13 soon. Oh  my, a teenager. What am I going to do, hormones raging, girls, high school. Whooosh  I just hope he continues to be as mannerable as he currently is.  As I took his football picture for his trader cards I thought to myself, Wow look how big my baby is.  Oh and how handsome he has turned out to be, don't get me wrong he has always been a handsome little boy, but he is turning into a young man and soon he will be gone off to college.

I can't leave my mini me out. Her birthday is around the corner, and she usually starts talking about what she wants in January. We would normally have this big to do for her birthday, the party would be a sleepover with about 25 little girls. They would stay up as late as they could doing little craft activities, dancing and singing. This year we decided we would take them to Disney World and that would be considered her birthday gift since we would be leaving around the time of her birthday.

As my kids get older, I am constantly reminded that I am getting OLDER too. (LOL) ha but I am not that old still in my early early thirties so early that I just got into the thirties. Thank you, Lord for sending me my husband when I was very young.

What a week:]

My first wedding, a portrait shoot and a piano recital. Wow, I was really busy this weekend past and not to mention ripping and running back and forth with the kids. Soccer, football, cheerleading, and piano. Thursday was the Soccer Banquet for the twins and it was held at Chuckee Cheeses and the kids had a blast.

Today was Ms. Heather's Pumpkin Patch and that was AWESOME!!!!   I even had a good time. The twins went with their school and it was two other parents that went along on the trip so it was two teachers and three parents, We all had four kids to take around the patch. There was so many things for the kids to do there and so much more fun than her strawberry patch.

 When we got back to the school they were having an award ceremony, where as my middle daughter was receiving awards.  After taking pictures of her I hurried home so that I could dive off into the bed because those kids had worn me out. I needed a nap to before they were to return home. 

It takes me back to the best part of it all, being able to move around freely without having to request time off from a 7-3:00(school teacher) job.

I love being a stay at home mom, because it allows me to be the mother I have always dreamed of:) Photography adds the icing to the cake, because now I can be a stay at home mom and still work while doing what I enjoy most.  I took lots of pictures of the kids, so that I may get better at what I do. I know I will never be perfect, however there is nothing wrong with trying.

Goals

Today was another wonderful day that the Lord has made, and again I would like to thank him for the many blessings he has poured upon my life.  As I sit and continue to edit my photographs from this past weekend I decided that I would set some goals for 2011.

Goal Number 1:   I will try to make it to as many bridal shows as possible.

Goal Number 2:  While attending the bridal shows I would like to network with new and old photographers. I am open to working to other photographers and I will even do it for free.

Goal Number 3:  I plan to buy 4 new lens  a  24-70 2.8, 100mm 2.8, a 70-200 2.8, and a 16-35 2.8

Goal Number 4:  I would like to shoot x amount of weddings next year. ( Yep I have a number in mind but I think I will keep that to myself )

Goal Number 5:  To make x amount of dollars next year. ( Yes I do know what I want x to be, but I think I'll keep that part to myself  too) Lol;)

I will keep the list short and simple, I like to be realistic about things.  I know people tell you to reach for stars, however I never could understand that saying because when I look up into to the sky that  just seems so impossible to do. So I'll just take another approach, because I actually want to touch the star eventually.

I'll keep you posted as to how many of these goals I'll actually reach.  As for those numbers I did tell a few of my close friends what they are, because they keep me grounded and focused without having a hidden agenda.  So as I reach them I will be blogging about it and striking it off my list.

If I am able to accomplish all of my goals by the end of the year of 2011 I think I'll treat my husband to a cruise or something. He deserves it, after all he stood by my side through all of my years in school and helping fund my start up cost of my photography business.  So as Porky the Pig says "That's All for Now Folks"  Stay tuned.

Accomplishments and an abundance of blessings!!!

I had been praying and asking God to take my business in a new direction by helping me to step onto a new a playing field.  He answered my prayer and sent one of my church members my way. She had heard that I started a photography business and she was in need of a wedding photographer. Although I didn't consider myself a wedding photographer, cause hey I only shoot portraits but  I was delighted to take the job, because after all this is what I had been asking God for.  Now don't get me wrong there was all kinds of emotions going through my mind as to whether or not I was ready. I prayed to God I asked him to guide my hand and help me produce the best images I could.  I accepted the job.

The wedding was Saturday October 16, 2010 I prepared myself as I do for any other portrait shoot. Nothing serious. I meet with the bride whom by the way was beautiful inside and out, she and her husband had LOVE written all over their faces. It seemed to me that they didn't just love each other it was more than that, he was their to support her, he helped take away any uneasiness she was feeling, to me she had found her rock. This was something that I saw in them that made remember back when I married my husband. The two of them were so committed to each other and it seemed as if they were mountains that had some how fused together and could not be broken apart.

I graciously shoot this wedding and hoped that I did as well as many of my constituents that I follow daily.  I have come to the conclusion that I really enjoyed being in the wedding environment and that I was not out of my league and as I have said before " I am ready and willing to go where ever this journey takes me, while putting all of my fears aside".

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to shoot your wedding Mr. & Mrs. Daigre the two of you will always hold a special place in my heart. Congratulations and I wish you many blessed years of marriage.

To New Beginnings in your marriage and in my business, because I am now ready for the next one.

Thanking God for all that he has done, I am truly blessed!

As I look back on were I am in October 2010 I realize that I have come along way. I have accomplished so much although to me it seems so little, I have to thank God for all that he has done for me and all of the obstacles he has seen me through. I pray he continues to bless me, watch over me, and teach me. I know that sometimes things happen and whether it be good or bad we want to question why, but for now  I will not question why, I'll hope that I make the right decision, do my best and learn from my mistakes. "Life is an ongoing classroom where you are always learning, and if you are not learning you are not living". (author unknown) Happy Shooting:)