HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME AND MINE!

RANDY & JAMI

NOVEMBER 29, 1985 was the day we married! Today my husband and I were married 23 years ago. It was the day after Thanksgiving. We pick that date because his cousin, Mike, had recently joined the Army. I think it was his first time home after enlisting. Now it seems all our major special dates happen at the same time. November 12th is Cameron's B'day and the 29th our anniversary and 10 minutes into December of 1992 Cari was born (12:10 a.m.--12.01.92). So Thanksgiving, our kids b'days, our anniversary and then Christmas all seem to run together.

The two images were photographed about four years ago. I would like to scan and post images from 23 years ago...I am not sure you would recognize us, but being so limited for time, I found these. These were the easiest digital files to find since they were part of a family session that I did of my own family December 2004. Cameron (my son) actually captured these...I must say that both my children and even my daughter-in-law also have a great eye for photography too. I was new to digital and photo shop then and as I look at these image, I see they could use some more photo shop adjustments...oh well. I need to make this do for now. We are leaving here in a bit to have a birthday supper for Cari since her b'day this year is on a Monday. It has been a family tradition to have b'day supper at any restaurant (their choice) since my kids were young. Cari chose Little Dagos for this one. I still remember when she chose Burger King. Cameron was old enough think she was cheating herself out of a great b'day dinner by choosing Burger King, but that was okay with us!

I COULD PROBABLY WRITE A BOOK ON THIS SUBJECT (OUR MARRIAGE AND OUR FAMILY), BUT FOR NOW I JUST WANT TO WISH HAPPY ANNIVERARY TO MY LOVING HUSBAND...WHO CAN BE OFTEN IRRITATING, BUT MORE OFTEN THE MOST GENEROUS AND LOVING PERSON I KNOW. I AM VERY LUCKY TO HAVE FOUND HIM OR DID HE FIND ME! EITHER WAY I AM BLESSED.

HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT THANKSGIVING

Two days later and we are back home. I am very tired, but I enjoyed the last two days. It was nice to get away from the computer and away from my camera. Now I love what I do, but everyone needs a break. When I was packing up, I decided to leave my camera home. I did take a few from Cari's camera that I will probably just post on NATALIE'S WORLD because the only time I used the camera, it had something to do with here.

While chilling at my mom's...looking over sale ads, etc., I also went over the list I started on THANKSGIVNG ABC'S...I got this idea from Amanda from a post she made on her blog the other day. I decided to change mine up a bit and make do it with a personality twist. Of course, I am so thankful for the obvious things in life...God, family and friends, and the necessities of food, clothing and shelter...and not just the basics: good food (too much quite often), nice clothes (at least they seem that way the first time you wear them no matter where you get them...there's just something about wearing a new outfit, top or just anything for the first time...) and a nice home (quite often unorganized and even dirty), but warm and functionally (a mansion to someone homeless). So not make little of the real important things in life because of I am so thankful for these. GOD has blessed me and family more than words can express.

So here is my quirky personality ABC'S of THANKSGIVNG that I am thankful for...

• A is for Actions. Okay, I said it was quirky unless you are a photographer, you may not know what actions are, but they are pre-recorded steps done in photo shop for editing and manipulation of images. They make my job so much easier, but saving me many steps.
• B is for Babies. I have always loved babies. I love baby things from clothes to toys and of course, not props. I love photographing them. I love how they remind me of my babies when they were that age.
• C is for Chocolate. I have always loved chocolate, but older I get the more in love with chocloate I have become. I heard a news report that said that chocolate is a stress reliever. No wonder I love it so much!
• D is for Diet Coke. My most favorite beverage...I know, I know I really shouldn't because of the aspartame or whatever. I will quite one day...I am just not ready yet. LOL
• E is for email. What would I do w/o email! By far one of the best means of communication in the modern world.
• F is for Fast Food. How would the busy mom survive w/o it!
• G is for Gymboree. I love, love shopping for Gymboree for my little sweetheart and I think she actually loves wearing it almost as much as I love shopping for it!
• H is for Hats. I love buying outfits from Gymboree, The Children's Place or any where with cute matching hats for Natalie. I also love using Hats for babies and children for studio props too!
• I is for Ice cream. I don't eat tons of it, but I love it and it is one of the foods on top of my list for comfort foods. I how I love comfort foods!
• J is for Jesus. Without Jesus there would be no hope for me or anyone. I am so thankful for Jesus came to save our lives from sin and give this world hope!
• K is for Kettlecorn. My 2nd favorite popcorn (Carmel is my first favorite)!
• L is for Little Girls. Little girls are such fun to dress, photograph and to play pretend with. I loved playing dress up with my babies...you know dressing them in cute little baby clothes...it makes you feel like a little girl again playing with your baby dolls, but dressing up your little girl (or your "grand" little girl), is like playing Barbie dolls again. AND I LOVED MY BABIES WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL!
• M is for Memories. I love capturing images in my life and my children's thus documenting our memories for life. I don't think I would have become a photograph, if I did not cherish memories as much as I do.
• N is for Natalie...need I say more. If you really want more, read NATALIE'S WORLD.
• O is for Ornaments. I love Christmas ornaments and I love collecting personality ornaments for my family. I now how have a Christmas tree full of ornaments that depict the little stories (memories of our lives).
• P is for photo shop. I used to think I was pretty good photographer and then I discovered photo shop. Now I don't like my images very much until they have been edited in photo shop.
• Q is for Quincy. Quincy is my baby brother. I was almost 15 when he was born. He was the first real baby that I "played" mommy with. I remember loving him so much and thinking how I could not love my own as much I loved him. I was wrong. But I am thankful of my experience of helping take care of him as a baby.
• R is for Red. I love the color red. I especially love to wear read around the holidays.
• S is for Soup. Soup is another one of my favorite comfort foods. There's nothing like a nice warm bowl of soup on a cold day or when you're sick...oh so comforting.
• T is for Tutu. My new favorite prop. I have plans to purchase more of these and do a tutu/ballerina baby promotion.
• U is for Uterus. Okay, I guess this is the strangest sounding one yet, I am thankful that I have a uterus. I love that two beautiful babies grew in there. The first one was born 20 years and 3 weeks ago. And in about 30 hours and 10 minutes and my second child celebrates 16 years that she made her debut into this world. And I also love other people's babies who were recently in their mommy's uterus. Who doesn't love a newborn baby?
• W is for WORLD WIDE WEB. I love surfing the Internet, I love blogging and reading others, shopping, researching and I get so much from the web for my business that I can't even begin to list it all at this time.
• X is for Xylophone. I love the music that a baby, a toddler or a child can play on a toy xylophone. I even love playing it with them.
• Y is for Yahoo. I don't use yahoo that much. But I am thankful yahoo accounts. I would not have 1/2 the email addresses that I have if there was no yahoo.
• Z is for Zebra Print. Zebras are neat, but I love Zebra print clothing, purses...just about anything.

Now that was just a little fun and required a little thinking and even a little input from my daughter and daughter-in-law (that title still sounds strange to say). But they helped me come up with a few that are so ME! I know it is a little late, but I challenge others to come up with a personalized ABC THANKSGIVING list.

~~ja~~

SOOOO BEHIND

You know you are behind on blogging when you're even behind on reading your favories (besides your own...my three...which may be one reason I am always behind on blogging is because I am trying to keep up three different ones!). I have a few other blogs that I keep up with...meaning I check daily (usually), read updates as they post them and often post comments. As a blogger too, WE REALLY LOVE TO READ THE COMMENTS. PLEASE COMMENT!

Tomorrow is Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve. I am still a bit overwhelmed and trying to re-cover from all the computer problems and re-covering things like downloaded software and such that I use on a regular basis. I have a portrait session tomorrow to do for a family (one of my blogging friends) who is originally from this area and after that I hope to get 3 days work done tomorrow since I haven't gotten too much done the last few days...Natalie has been here, Cari has had company...well...Cari always has something going on. I have several things I would like to post about her too. But for now....a little venting.

This evening Cari and I went to Wal-mart to buy food for her and her daddy to cook for Thanksgiving. I am thankful for them and that they love to cook or we would just provide the paper plates, napkins and such. I am looking forward to few days off (Thanksgiving Day and the weekend).

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

The Nutcraker Ballet

Tonight I had the most fun at the ballet...I've never enjoyed watching a ballet more (other than when my own child was performing). We took Natalie to the Nutcracker Ballet. It was her first time ever. We intended for her to start dance in Baton Rouge. I was going to pay for it, but with so much going...her parents schedules, Hurricane Gustav, and more...we decided to wait until next year.

Cari's friend Alexa was performing and this was the only night that Cari could really watch. She volunteered to work the lights. She alternated this job with someone else. This was her only night that she would be able to watch w/o her "job".

It was my most delightful pleasure introducing the Nutcracker story to Natalie through the ballet. I only wished we had read the story before going so that she would understand the story more. I tried to explain what was happening as much as I could explain to a 3 year and as much as I could remember...it has been a while since I have read the story to a little girl. I am looking forward to doing so as part of the special moments we will share this holiday season.

One of the things I think she loved so much was watching the girls in all the different tutu. I recently purchased her first tutu as part her costume for Pumpkin Day (Halloween). I have purchased some others for props and I am looking forward to photographing Natalie in some of them soon. I think she is going to always love tutu. I did ask her if she wanted to be a ballerina like Alexa and of course, her answer was yes...WHAT LITTLE GIRL DOESN'T WANT TO BE A BALLERINA. After all the do have the "coolest" costumes!

Again it is so awesome to view life through the eyes of a child, with such child-like wonder! This wasn't something I had even planned to do until a few days ago. I am so glad I did. I took a few photos...I am not sure they won't be too great (no flash), but I will share what I think is decent here as soon as I can. I know I am posting a little out of order, but often I loose my enthusiasm of a particular event before I have the time to post the images. So I wanted to share this now before the my initial reaction fades away with the day-to-day duties and obligations of life and work.

How sweet it is to be Natalie's Mimi!

WHY WE ATE PIZZA LAST NIGHT...

Last night my husband, daughter and I had pizza for supper to commemorate Cameron's actual b'day. For twenty years now, I have heard the story (in a joking manner) of how my family (who came from out of town) ate all of my husband's pizza that was left at hour home the night that I went in labor. Randy and I did the it all for our first child...child birth classes, lots of reading in bed together...we stayed in tuned to his development at each stage of the pregnancy. We even bought a nurses stethoscope to listen to his heartbeat. I still remember I was yellow a tee shirt this first time he had hiccups while I was pregnant. I enjoyed being pregnant with him so much! We both did! It was such a special time in our lives...memories that I will cherish forever.

Back to the pizza. It was ginning season toward the end of my pregnancy thus we took our child birth classes early in the pregnancy than they normally recommend because of the upcoming season. Because of these classes, we knew once labor started that I was supposed to eat. We had just picked up our supper (pizza from Pizza Hut) and had just got back into the car and was our way home to eat our supper. My water broke just as I sat in my seat. Randy being the sweet husband he was didn't eat because I couldn't eat...looking back now...I am sure he was probably so excited and too nervous to eat either. But through it all, and being I was the one in labor, I don't remember exactly what happened, but at some point my family who came (from out town) stopped at our house, at the pizza. I am sure they want to eat it be before it ruined. The story has grown (by Randy) over the years, but he says he had not ate because of was busy ginning...I kept him right by side the whole 12 hours of labor (almost the whole time) so he didn't get a chance to eat his pizza. I don't remember when he did get to eat, but I have heard the story at least once a year now about how he had no pizza to eat when he got home!

Okay, I didn't mean to spend so much time on this post. This was supposed to be called my baby is 20, but I will do that one later. I had to change the title to match the topic, huh?

~~ja~~

CASEY'S POST

Many of you probably follow Casey's post too, but those who don't please read this.

THE DREAM COMES TRUE

I had so random thoughts from time to time about the election on what going on in our world, but it seems between, family, Natalie (and Natalie's World) and Jami Ainsworth Portraits that I can't seem to find the time to elaborate on many of these things. But my friend, Casey, tell it just like I thought it. Read the comment also. Because many of them word it well too...I just read them as I was getting the link and I was thinking how so many of them read my mind too. I am not racist. I just listened to views. I admit that I have never been very political...I still now, but this election from the git-go make my eyes and ears open up and listen. I knew the Republican campaign represented more of my personal convictions, but after listening to all the polls after Hillary lost out of the Democrat thing...I sort of gave up...that is until the day I heard the annoucement of Sarah Palin. I still remember it vividly. I thought we (the republican party ) now have a chance. During the hurricane, when we had no air, but while we were still watching our bedroom TV using our generator (the big TV was too much for it), we watch the Republican convention the night they made the formal announcement. I love her!

Often I feel like many people, don't listen to the issues. They just go by the color of the skin of the candidate. I forgot that I mentioned this to my husband until he told me that he repeated this to his employees, but I continually thought this...I almost wished both candidates had been black so that everyone would listen to the issues and vote according to that. As I said read the comments, as I read them it seemed like some of them had read my mind as well.

I don't think Obama is bad and I think he does have our country's best interest at heart. I pray that God leads him and I pray for our country all it it's leaders. I think he's wife is beautiful and I love her style and look forward to what she has to offer for our country. I feel for his daughters growing up in the middle of the media. I heard on the news how Jackie O told Hillary that she suggested to Hillary to keep her Chelsey out of the media. And they showed how they were pretty successfully with that. I just hope the media will respect this again for these two sweet little girls growing in history making time of their lives as well as the whole country (the history making part). Sure we won't to see a few shots of them and the new little puppy, but I hope they will respect their privacy. After all they are just innocent little girls, who did not ask for this position.

I am proud for our blacks in our country and if I offend anyone by say black (my daughter recently told me they prefer to be called African-American...in that case, I guess we are Caucasian), I apologize. I am not racist. I try to judge people according to who they are and they stand for. My heart did cry bitter-sweet tears in celebration for Obama's race especially for the older generations who have suffered much more than today's generation...no one should not be allowed sit a certain place or go to a certain place because of the color of their skin.

Okay, that's all I will say on this.

~~ja~~

Did you vote yesterday?

I have had so much that I have wanted to post on this subject. But I think some of my blog friends have put it better than I ever could. Nicki actually got hers from someone esle, but it was so good I am adding a link to it...it's a must read:

link

Then while I was blog hopping (something I do when I am stressed about other things in life--right now it is my major computer problems), I ran across this one.

So to confirm what I got out this, let's pray for our country...let's pray for them without ceasing. I know for many of you (like me) it didn't seem to go our way...maybe that's was so we will pray harder and not feel to comfortable. Sometimes when things seem okay, we tend think let things go and not pray for them....at least that's the message that I got out of all this.

~~ja~~