Where the Black Mold Grows.....

Yesterday I went to put The Baby down for her nap in my room. Usually at naptime I lay her on my bed, I put her inside the playpen and she fell right to sleep. About 30 minutes later I heard what I thought was a garbage bag tip over out on the back steps. Kindof odd but it could happen. A few minutes after that The baby starts fussing so I go into my room to get her and find.....



Now for those of you who can't tell. There seems to be a garbage bag hanging from my ceiling and a bucket on my now soaked bed. Hmm...I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I called the landlord and told her I had a hole in my ceiling and kept on investigating. I took Madilynn to my aunts and came back with a real camera, the above pic was taken with my phone. Getting up into the ceiling I see....




So as you can see there are 2 buckets sitting inside my ceiling. Odd I agree apparently they were sitting up there, along with the 3rd which is now on my bed, on some 2x4s with some garbage bags under them to hide a leak. Since it has been raining non stop for the last like 3days I guess the bucket got to full and tipped crashing through my ceiling! By the way the other 2 buckets that you see are still full of water. The landlord asked me to climb up a ladder and empty them. I told her no she could find someone to do it. My uncle came over to get up in there and take some better pictures and look what we found.....


Do you see that? The big black spot? Yep Black mold. Awesome huh? I am so ticked. I thought The Baby just had a runny nose cause she is teething and the other 2 had coughs cause the weathers been so crazy, but now I'm willing to bet that has something to do with it. UGH! Oh wait it gets better. I went upstairs, the apt above me is empty, and looked out at the roof over my bedroom and noticed a puddle of water on the roof underneath a piece of gutter that had been duct taped. WTH! I can't get the pic to upload so I will have to show you all later. But yeah I am a little stressed. Looks like I will be having to move again....I don't wanna! :( Oh well I suppose it will be for the best. I will keep you all updated as to what happens next.

Kids Eat Free...kindof

My friends and I have found that the best ways to go out to eat, are to go on "kids eat free" nights. We have figured out which restaurants have what and on what night. Usually we just go to 2 and we don't go every week but sometimes you just have to eat out and those of you with kids know that it sometimes, ok most of the time, isn't worth it to buy a full meal for a picky eater. A couple weeks ago we went to Denny's being a mother of three Tuesdays and Saturdays "kids eat free" was perfect for me. It was 2 kids free per 1 paying adult. Much to my surprise they have changed this rule to 1 kid per 1 paying adult so it isn't exactly saving me a whole lot of money what a whole like 4 bucks, woohoo! really worth it wouldn't you say. ugh! Tonight was another attempt at a kids eat free, tonight it was at Godfathers. All you can eat pizza buffet, and Mondays is "kids eat free" Again though they changed the rule to 1 kid per paying adult any others are .50 x their age. Not too bad. So we sit down and get ready to fill our plates. We get to the buffet and there is very slim pickins' I was a little disappointed. The kids were fine with mac and cheese and some sausage pizza though. Every time they brought out more pizza though, there was this HUGE party that would swarm the buffet and leave virtually nothing for the rest of the people waiting. Each person taking 2,3,4 or even 5 pieces each! It was rather irritating the lack of courtesy these people had. Their kids were jumping off chairs, it was just crazy. We sat there for about an hour and a half in which time we probably had maybe like 3 slices each. And some dessert pizza. . I just really couldn't believe those people, it was like feeding time at the zoo the way they swarmed, I was half expecting some body slamming to start. lol. I guess I shouldn't complain so much I mean all 5 of us did eat for about $15. Which is pretty cheap to feed all of us if you ask me.
How about any of you? Have you ever had an experience like this at a buffet or anywhere else?

You know being a photographer I have to say we get the craziest people and they sometimes come in saying the craziest things and want weird looking stuff too! The customer is always right so I usually have to smile and nod and say "yeah that looks great!" when I am using every ounce of strength I have to resist saying "that is maybe the dumbest thing I have ever seen" People want a sheet with 3 different poses on it with 3 totally different backgrounds. Sometimes it can look ok if they are at least a similar color. But really a Huge white pic then 2 small black ones with a blue background...ouch! Or yesterday! A bright orange background with a green vingette. ouch eyesore! If you like it though then whatever.
Oh and I love the parents who come in with the screaming 1 or 2 year old who say "he is such a great smiler! I don't understand why he is so upset" really??? You just threw a kid into an unfamiliar surrounding with strangers. I'd be a little upset too. so please...for our sake please dress in something that matches your kids so that maybe it will be easier to get them used to us with you in a picture. It really does work!
OH and we are photographers, not your babysitter, so PLEASE do not let your child climb our backgrounds pound on our computer keys, throw toys at our heads or kick us or spit on us...you know make them behave. You would do it if you were at the grocery store or the mall or wherever.
I also understand that your 2 week old probably gives you the most beautiful smiles at home.....chances are we are not going to catch it in the 20 minutes we get to spend with her.
Another thing that you probably need to know are that sometimes we crop pictures a particular way for a dramatic effect. Such as.....An extreme close up of the face, the emphasis is going to be on the eyes. So, We will, ok not sure about EVERYONE but most of the photographers I know, crop real tight and cut off the pic at the forehead, It looks awesome don't tell us we don't know how to do our job.
If you think you can do it then please keep your screaming nonsmiling, child who kicks me at home and do it yourself. Most of us do not get paid enough to listen.
I guess it sounds like I dont like my job. I really do. I am even looking into making a career of it I have to look into cameras and save up first though. I love being able to give you the memories of your loved ones to cherish for years and for generations to come.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings today I am in an odd kind of mood on this very rainy Sunday. :)