Still yucky....

here and yet another not so nice day to go look at houses! We're going to another house today and back to the one that we liked from yesterday. If we don't like the new house today, it's likely that we "might" be putting in an offer on the one on the river. Even though it's a hard thing to do, I've detached myself from the house. I don't want to get my heart set on it and then lose it. It's a really cute house and although it needs some work, I really think that it has a lot of potential and I know that we could make it ours with a little elbow grease. This area certainly isn't cheap, but it's worth it! Anyways, send positive vibes for the whole house thing.....whichever route we go!

Check out...

my photography blog here for some new photos! I also have a new section up on my photography site with some more photos! It's a rainy and yucky day here today.....not the greatest day to go look at houses!!! Hopefully the rain will taper off later and we won't need to bring our umbrella's. I'm just really excited to get the process started......and hopefully finished!!

Making good of the bad.....

I hate today's date, really I do! Sixteen years ago today my mom passed away. It's hard to fathom that she's been gone for more than half my life! I try to make it just like any other day and not focus on the fact that she's not here, but the fact that she was here, even if just for a short while. Me and Lillian went to the bookstore today and to the park. I wanted to pick up a book on potty training and Lillian got a Cookie Monster hand puppet (although I rather enjoy it myself as well!) We then went to our favorite lunch spot, Zoey's, and got a turkey on rye to take with us to the park. We always have a good time at the park and I'm looking forward to finally owning our own home because I won't feel the need to take her to the park each time we go outside!! I think that my mom would have been a great grandma and I do get sad that the fact that she's not here to see Lilly and Marianna......after all, they are two of the cutest little girls around!! Anyways, I think I'm going to finally put Lillian down for her nap and do a little reading......and maybe a little crying.....and then a little nap for myself!!!

I despise....

disrespectful people! I despise selfish people. I despise people who think that it's okay to play their music at levels which makes the place you're living in shake! I'm the type of person that thinks about other people before myself. Sometimes I know that I really need to think about myself more, but it's just who I am. So say, for instance, I wanted to listen to some music. Is it fun to have your music turned up a little louder.....sure! Is it fun to sing along with your music and not be able to hear your own voice.....sure! Is it respectful to play your music or your surround sound at levels which is disrespectful to your neighbors......HELL NO!!! This my friends, is one of the main reason's we're getting the heck out of here! We knew this was going to be short term....we just wanted to make sure that Dan was happy with his job before buying a home. Would we be in as much of a rush to get out if we didn't have this noise problem.....probably not but we know nothing is going to change. We're not going to rush it as in make a bad decision and just buy a house to get out of here. We'll make sure that it's the right home for us and that we're happy. I just wish that people could have a little more respect.....and seriously......is it too much to ask! I feel like an old person (turning 29 this year.....for the first time!) but I'm seriously over renting!! Anyways, that's my rant for the day.....we're all allowed one every now and then aren't we?!

Think Positive!

So I'm a firm believer in positive thinking! I know that when I think positive, good things tend to happen and when I think negative....well you get the picture!! So keeping that in mind, I'm going to start the packing process! I have to go through Lillian's clothes and get all of the stuff that she doesn't fit into anymore into boxes. So while I'm at it, I figured I might as well get a head start! I HATE PACKING!!!! So I think that packing a little each week, even though we don't even have a house yet is a good thing. It lets me know that WE WILL have our own home soon. I'm hoping that getting a head start now will help me out in the end. The attic is full o' crap and it really needs to be organized and some stuff thrown out. We'll hopefully be checking out some houses this week so we shall see. Anyways, here's a pic of Lillian at the park on Friday. Lilly has been really good for the most part when I ask her to stop something, the funny part is her reaction. When Lilly misbehaves I always slightly raise my voice and say "Lillian Grace stop".........this is her reaction......


Anyways, if you could send some positive vibes to my sister and niece tomorrow I'd appreciate it. Betsy has to go back to work and while I don't know how it feels, I imagine that tomorrow won't be an easy day for either of them.

YAY!!!!

We're on the path.......the path to home ownership!! I can't even begin to tell everyone how excited I am!!! I think that the rest of the sentences in this paragraph is just going to be a bunch of exclamation points! Anyways, we got our pre-approval rate today and lets just say that I'm happy. We've gone through this process once before when we were in Buffalo. We had the perfect house, put a bid in and it was accepted. Then we found out it had a contingency bid. Let me tell you, I was crushed!!! But, everything happens for a reason. I LOVE where we are now. It's such a beautiful area and I wouldn't trade it for the world. We've decided to focus on homes within the Arlington School District. Arlington was recently ranked in the top 8% of schools in the country which I happen to think is pretty good, particularly because it's such a small school. I like the thought of my children knowing everyone in their grade, compared to me who didn't even know half the people that walked across the stage at my graduation! So although we haven't even walked through a single house yet, I have this huge smile on my face because it feels like we'll FINALLY be real adults!!!

In other news, me and Lillian went to the park in Arlington yesterday so here's a storyboard of our day.....

For Dan....

Dan always asks me "why didn't you post that photo of me and Lilly together?" So tonight I thought I'd actually post some!

We actually need to take some family portraits, but I'd like to wait until things start to get a little warmer. Plus I'm hoping we'll be able to take some on our vacation to Maine. I'm so looking forward to our time together. I've been going back and forth on whether or not to get one of those things that they have for kids that look like a back pack with basically a leash coming out of the back. I'm just really worried about her falling off a cliff or something! We'll probably carry her in the backpack thing most of the time, but I do want her to be able to run around and what not and actually enjoy herself. One moment I'm about to buy it and the next moment I change my mind. I don't know what to do! Anyways, wish me luck tomorrow. I have to call the NY department of taxes tomorrow and I'm hoping they won't be rude.......I hate rude people! Here's another photo of Lilly on the tracks.....I used a texture on this one to give it a vintage feel!

Spring is here....

We found these flowers underneath some leaves that we raked away yesterday. I just love spring don't you?!

So, lots going on here this week. I have lots of things to cross of my never ending to-do list. One thing that I wanted to mention is that if you're from my area and know of a junior in Southern Vermont (not doing NY just yet.....will be soon!) who needs some senior portraits, be sure to shoot me an email at carrie@carrieannphotography.com! I have a senior representative program that I'll be starting shortly and I'll be sending notices to the local schools. Each representative will receive special perks which may include cash incentives for every 3 referrels sent my way as well as print discounts. It's a pretty cool gig if you ask me!!! And if you're ready for a fresh new perspective on senior portraits, I'm the chick you need to call!!! Anyways, time to get back to my list!!

Day at the park

This weekend was a pretty lazy weekend which was nice!  Today we went to the park and broke in Lillian's wagon which she thoroughly enjoyed!  We took the loop around and then finished off at the playground.  She was having a lot of fun laughing at the other kids and running around....

Fresh Air

Me and Lilly decided that we needed to get outside today so we did!!! We did a little bit of yard work and moved the rest of the leaves and we also went to the park. There is a large pond/lake down the street from us where they held the Penguin Plunge so I thought that we'd go there and maybe get some shots along the pond. Well the land along the pond wasn't as flat as I remembered it to be so we really didn't hang out there too long. We did manage to get some shots along the train tracks.....and then when I went back towards the lake to try and get some more shots I tried to take the keys away from Lillian and she began to cry.....
We'll probably do some more yardwork tomorrow if the weather is okay. Then on Saturday I'm getting all of my hair chopped off.......yeah (hopefully!)