For A Moment Photography

Tick Tock on the Summer Clock

I think she likes the etch a sketch

Sleeping at the beach

How can it be that July is almost over?!  I am so sad to see the weeks slipping away and I have yet to do many of the things I imagined.  Not to say we haven't had an amazing summer!  Presley has had more ice cream and done more swimming this summer then ever before.  The ice cream wasn't my idea but it's sort of a evening routine around here...

I have avoided looking at a calendar because I didn't want to see how close it was to our time being up in NY.  But now I have to so I can make sure to plan out the rest of our summer so we get those last activities in.  I just hope it's not too late to go pick berries...

 

Something old, something new...

Psst, not her real name.

Something blue.

 

Today on Slim Point (Skinny Beach) there was a wedding.  I couldn't help myself once I found out about it and asked  if I could snap a few photos.  Generously they said I may, even though it was already being filmed and photographed...

I didn't stick around too long, it was a beautifully intimate day/service and I didn't want to get in the way.  The bride and I have spoke and may try to do a few photos at a later date.  With this location I really wanted to take the photo of the dress hanging in a tree or on a porch.  She was a little nervous to do that before the wedding...  Congrats to Mr. & Mrs. B. 

 

 

Last of The Mohicans Location

Uncas Cliff

Uncas Falls

 

Today I had a friend take me on a short hike to these two beautiful locations in New York.  The cliff had been made recently famous in the film, The Last of the Mohicans.  There's a beautifully tragic scene with Uncas and Alice, this is that depicted location.  On the Cliff photo I did not get a photo of the rock edge (and drop off).  It didn't photograph well since trees and other bushes have grown.  But the Hollywood version is pretty amazing so you get the picture! 

This is just one of many hikes is this area.  I plan on doing some more hikes as the summer rolls on and I'm sure the locations beauty will not disappoint.  

 

The Family Tub

The camp my new (but old) tub's former home.

The lovely family members that help put it in my car.

So I'm always looking for fun new photography props!  So when I came upon this 100 plus year old porcelain tub I had to get it.  I don't have a good photo of it yet and don't imagine I will before I get to Arizona (it's very heavy).  

The camp (as they call the lake house out east) is the Penfield cottage.  The family has owned the home for 100 years.  The tub is original to the cottage, its somewhere over a 100 plus years old.  It's a working tub but just a bit small for modern standards.  I had to tell each of the family members I ran into (there were 103 of them in town) how excited I was to be the proud new owner of this tub.  They were very excite to see it go to a good home and shocked that I planned on moving it to Arizona!  It's 350 lbs., I don't think my gas mileage will be as good as my trip out here.  

I'm still not sure how it will work as a prop, sometime you never know till you try.  All I know it that most likely it will need to find a permanent spot due to the weight of it.  If nothing else it will make a great alternative to an ice chest for parties on the patio. 

Best 4th in The North

Our new beach blanket.

The reverberation on the water  (from the mountains) makes the fireworks display unlike any other I have ever seen.

All those light out there are boats.  It's like a small town moves in to see the fireworks.

 

 

Wow, I hope all my American friends had a great 4th of July weekend.  We had such a great time and the summer just keeps getting better!  Presley was able to check marching off of her summer bucket list.  She was in the shortest 4th in The North Parade, it's about 50 yards.  The parade was right on the grounds we are staying on so we hung out got ice cream.  Then as a part of the family program we tie dyed a new beach blanket (flat sheet to be exact).  It was  a lot of fun and might be a new hobby for us...

Then Presley took an afternoon nap and spent the rest of the day in the lake with lots of friends.  The ended the day with fireworks!   

 

Paleo Vacation

Anyone that talked to me before I left for the summer would probably know I was super nervous about my eating habits, workouts while away.  Core Crossfit has not only been my home gym it's been a place where I get support, paleo recipes and just overall surrounded with like minded people.  I didn't know how I was going to do it with all those people around me...

An update.  I don't want to say I'm still eating paleo, because I would have to add that I cheat regularly.  But the good news is my eating habits haven't changed much.  In the morning I have a protein shake (with h2O) and maybe a few bites of fruit, lunch and dinner I eat salad with either fish or beef.  Sounds pretty good right?  

Well the problem with portable beach food is it's usually carbs.  Since being here Presley has had some sort of cracker as a snack during the day.  Which usually means I've grab a few here and there, a lot of times with out even thinking about it- they are right there!  But I'm happy to say I've only had ice cream twice and it has been on weekends, usually my cheat days.  Presley has ice cream once a day.

I'm overall much more relaxed about my diet and so far haven't went off the deep end either. My biggest fear was all the work I had put in over the last 10 months would go down the drain.  I do plan to start tightening up my eating habits a get back on a strict paleo diet, but I'm not going to fixate on it.

Oh and I'm in a Pepsi area so I was thinking of giving up Coke Cola after the summer...  That might happen sooner then later, Mountain Dew isn't cutting it.

 

 

 

Summer Changes

Looking at horse books.

We are having such an amazing summer and it's only just begun.  Presley is having so much fun and doing well considering all the changes this trip has made in her life.  That isn't to say we are without problems or better said, worry free...

I knew coming here Presley would not be going to bed at her normal bedtime, the sun is out until 9 at least.  There are so many activities and people it's just hard to stay on a bedtime routine.  Well for all you Moms you know kids thrive in routine!  My sweet baby has adjusted better then I thought , but she has had several enormous meltdowns that are not common for her.

Ugh, they have been awful!  She has thrown herself down screamed at the top of her lungs and she even took her coat off, "I quit!".  Thank goodness for that, it made the whole thing laughable.  Yes, these meltdowns have happened several times, oh and did I mention in public!  Yup, I was one of those Moms other Mom's look at and want to say (or at least I do), "Looks like your turn today, I am so sorry".

 This line from a movie coming out made me laugh, "they (children) are like  living with mini little drug addicts they are laughing one minute crying the next then they are trying to kill themselves in your bathroom for no good reason.  They are very mean and selfish, they burn through your money...  They break stuff..."  It made me laugh, because Presley will be crying over something (more butter) then- literally- giggling the next (if I am successful at redirecting her attention)...   

I have tried to not worried about my ego, "People must think I'm a bad Mom, or I don't know how to handle her"...  Which isn't as hard as wanting to explain to any and everyone that she's really tired and not usually like this and she really is a great kid!  Fighting that urge is harder to do...

So as much fun as we are having this summer it is not without a few bumps in the road.  I'm hoping it's just an adjustment period and we can do eliminate the breakdowns.