Proud As Punch

As a parent, we sometimes watch as our kids make mistakes.  But I feel fortunate to be able to say that I've had the opportunity to watch my kids make more good choices than bad ones.  Time and time again they have shown me how smart, creative, funny, and talented they really are.  And their ability to do whatever they put their minds to amazes me and makes me swell with pride!  I would like to be able to take full credit for creating these successful human beings, but the truth is I married well!

Recently my daughter decided she would try her hand at photography.  She's played around taking pictures for quite awhile now, but it's only been in the last 6 months that she has really decided that she might want to pursue this as more than just a hobby.

When her close friend B got engaged recently to her boyfriend T my daughter asked if she could take a few engagement pictures of the happy couple, just to practice photographing people for a change instead of things.  My daughter is a lot like me in that regard and had never really photographed people, except for the usual college Facebook shots, so she was both excited and nervous at the prospect.

The pressure was actually off a little since she knew that B & T would have other engagement photos done by the same photographer who will be shooting their wedding this summer, but she still wanted to do a good job.

And what a good job she did!!!  I was frankly taken aback when she sent them to me.  And although I know I'm biased, being her mother and all, I think they are really good!  Not just good, but actually pretty darn great!

She shot these on a cold day at midday, which is never ideal for good lighting, but it was the only time B & T were available so she made the best of it and still managed to capture the beauty of a young couple in love.  

I hope she is able to see the gift she has for this sort of thing and that she will follow her passion and find a way to make a career out of it.  Doing something creative is what she was born to do, and I know she will find her way, with Mr. Tide and me behind her cheering every step of the way!  After all, we are proud as punch of both of our children!

And to B & T, I hope you have a lifetime of love and happiness together!

Dream

When you close your eyes and dream of what you could do, what you want to do, what you might do, how big is that dream?  Is it big enough to fill up the room you're sitting in, or do you let that little voice in your head convince you that your dream is silly, so you back it down a notch and try and create realistic goals and dreams?

Realism can be good, all you have to do is watch an episode of the American Idol auditions to figure that out. But how often do you substitute realism for excuses?  How often do all of us convince ourselves that we've failed even before we've entered the race?

My hat is off to those who stand up there on American Idol and truly believe with all their heart that they could be a finalist.  I don't even watch the show, and I'm clearly not talking about the folks that are looking to have their 15 minutes of fame and those who make for good TV.  I'm talking about the others who never make it onto the show, because clearly you know there are hundreds if not thousands who are told no besides those who have a temper tantrum or act so ridiculous that they make it into the final cut of the audition shows.

You see, the shear fact that those people went, with hope in their hearts, and still don't make it makes them far superior to someone sitting on their couch critiquing the ones who do, or worse yet, laughing at those who don't...at least in my mind.  Those people who went had the courage to try, and the strength to fail...both traits I admire.

These are traits I could use more of in myself.  When I dream I will often convince myself, or let others convince me that my dream may be a little too big.  Mostly it comes from within, that nagging little voice saying "who do you think you are to dream such a big dream?!"  And so I go on, knowing that by not trying I've already failed miserably, and then I'm left to console myself by reminding the boastful 'me' that I shouldn't have dared to dream something so big in the first place.

Fortunately for me, Mr. Tide doesn't see those same limitations.  When he listens to my dreams, or chooses to dream for me, there is no fear of failure and there are no such things as limits.  He is a cheerleader of sorts and a very good one at that, which is why I love him so.  I'm learning to dream big, and to take those chances and even fail from time to time.  But to never try seems a far worse fate than to have to brush yourself off and keep climbing the hill I think.  

I hope that from now on you'll all join me.  That you'll let go of insecurities, fears, and negative thoughts and dare to Dream BIG!

Through Rose Colored Glasses

The photo shoot last weekend was a huge success!  I hope to share a few pictures of it very soon!

After the shoot on Friday, we headed out to help our daughter move into her new apartment.  She had arranged for the moving company and had everything packed up and ready to go by the time we arrived.  It's an amazing thing to see your children all grown up and making great choices and decisions for themselves, and I know she will be very happy in her new place!

Aside from a dead battery which caused us to get home very late, it was a wonderfully productive weekend.  We even squeezed in a trip to Ikea and some shopping at Whole Foods...two of my favorite places on the planet! 

Yesterday, I even took one of the chairs in my living room to my friend Sheryl of Slipcover Cottage to have a slipcover made.  I picked a fabric that has a completely different look than what I would normally choose, and I'm so excited to see it all come together...pics coming soon!

On Sunday, Mr. Tide did a bit of yard work to get ready for the winter.  He planted a few tender perennials and we are keeping our fingers crossed that they might actually come back next spring.  He has also taken up the habit of snipping a few roses to bring inside each time he does some gardening.  Usually we put them in a wall mounted vase I have in the living room, but yesterday I asked him to cut a few extra to put in one of my favorite small white pitchers.

It rained all day today, a gentle reminder that cooler temps and less than ideal weather are just around the corner.  Even with the dreary weather outside today, it's hard to be down when you have a pitcher filled with fresh cut roses to look at and smell.  And I even had fun taking a few pictures and messing around with Photoshop Elements a little to give the photos a soft, wispy feel, so for now I am looking at life through rose colored glasses and loving every minute of it!

Don't forget that there is still time to register to win my latest Giveaway...You could win $65 from CSN Stores to find your own special something to make your world a little more rosey! 

A special thank you to everyone who has already entered to win, tweeted, posted, and facebooked about the giveaway!!!