Living Life...Loving Life

For the past year my presence on this blog, in my little corner of the web, has been sporadic at best.  The last year we have experienced many things…some good, some bad and heart wrenching and some amazing:

Caleb started kindergarten, played soccer, took swimming lessons and went to Disneyland. We made new friends, lost friends through death and attrition and lost a man near and dear to us…my father-in-law Ken. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthdays all were experienced and enjoyed to the fullest. Getting the devastating news of my mother being diagnosed with terminal colon cancer and her first visit to see us in almost 5 years.  Day trips to play in the snow, holiday parties with friends, girl’s night’s out with my amazing neighbors, and photo shoots. I joined a non-profit and have since been appointed as co-chair of the Media Relations committee. My husband was promoted at work and my photography business has boomed. We enjoyed movie nights at home and campouts in the living room. Enjoying BBQs, picnics and pool parties with friends. Connecting and being inspired by other photographers, upgrading my camera gear and finding my “place” within the industry. Board games have been played, books read, and poems written.

The time has been filled with surprises, heartache, hugs, sadness, love and togetherness.  It has been a year of soul searching, learning about life and how to live it to the fullest. I learned more about who I am and what I want out of life…I learned how important family & friends are, along with how important giving back and helping others is. Through this time,  people I thought were friends turned out not to be, while others showed how amazing, thoughtful and supportive they were. The saying is definitely true that when the chips are down, people show their true colors. AND they did...and I am thankful for it, because while just a few are no longer a part of our lives, many, many more are and my life is richer today because of them. 

So, while I have been away...life has kept going. I have been living it and enjoying and, more than anything, I am thankful for it. 

All grown up

It's been a big week around the Schell house...drum roll please....

We've got a ourselves a KINDERGARTNER!!!

It seems like just yesterday that my baby boy was just that...a baby. But today he is in elementary school. His first day of school was yesterday and using the word "excited" would be an understatement! It's all he's been talking about for the last couple of weeks...he's gotten new school clothes (courtesy of his amazing grandma) a new backpack and his school supplies. We even made sure to go and get him a fresh new haircut the day before he started.

Yesterday morning, he helped me pack up his backpack and we headed off for his first morning. (After a quick photo shoot in the backyard of course!) When we got to school we headed over to the kinder's section of the school and found his teacher and waited for the bell to ring...when it did he got into line to get ready to head into his classroom. BUT not before quickly running out of line to mommy for one last hug. He made me so proud...he was such a big boy, no tears...just a HUGE smile as he walked into school! (I made it to my car before letting any tears spill!)

When I picked him up and asked him about his day he told me about how awesome school was...he went on to say that his favorite parts of the day was getting to go to recess 2 times, getting to drink chocolate milk with lunch and that there was a "real library AT SCHOOL!" It's the little things folks...the little things that make the world go 'round!!

ps. I think our next BIG thing is going to be his first lost tooth! He came home from school and informed me that he has his first loose tooth! Maybe the tooth fairy will be visiting us before the end of the week!!

Hope For Ava

Below is a blog post that I also have put up on my Photography Business website:

Have you ever had the chance to meet someone that changes how you view life and the way that you live it? Earlier this year, I had the chance to meet someone that did just that...Cynthia Dawson. She is a mother, a wife, a daughter and a budding photographer...all of that along with being an amazingly strong, wonderful, inspiring woman. The kind of woman that I strive to be each and every day.

A snapshot that I took of Ava & Cynthia from this past weekend. We met up and took Ava & Caleb to paint pottery...the kiddos had a blast, as  you can tell from the HUGE smile on Ava's sweet face!

I met Cynthia in an online Facebook forum for photographers. She put up a post one day asking if anyone in the group lived in the Phoenix area. Me...well, being me...I piped up and replied to her post, friend requested her and pm'd her that night! Within a couple of weeks plans were made to meet at a local restaurant in person and when we did finally meet, we began talking about everything in our lives...our families, our husbands, her move to Arizona and about photography.

This is when I learned about WHY she had moved from Texas to Arizona...she and her family came here so that her daughter Ava could participate in a clinical trial at Phoenix Children's Hospital. You see, Ava was diagnosed early last December with a brain tumor...and not just any brain tumor, a special one called DIPG. This is a very rare and aggressive tumor. It can't be removed because of it's location, and while radiation is the standard method of treatment, the tumor will grow back and nothing can be done at that point except to make the child comfortable. 90% of children diagnosed with DIPG die within one year and the remaining children die within 3 years. (Source: Hope for Ava)

Ava is a fun-loving, sweet little 5 year old girl. She is just like any other 5 year old...she loves her mommy, daddy and little sister; she loves Scooby Doo and even named her own doggie Scooby; she loves anything pink & girlie, has tons of stuffed animals and loves to play with her Barbies and her Barbie Dream House; she loves art and coloring; and she is adorable and quick to smile.

At the end of June, because her disease has progressed, Ava and her family were given the devastating news that they were out of the clinical trial here in Arizona. They will be moving back home to Texas soon...but in the short time that I have known them, both Ava and Cynthia made an imprint on my heart.

Cynthia and Ava have changed me. Knowing them has made me slow down and take in the little moments and treasure them. Cynthia's strength and ability to smile in the midst of one the hardest trials that life could send her makes me strive for more...She makes me a better mother and a better wife and friend. She has inspired me to be more giving and less selfish. (Check out this blog post on giving back that she wrote.) I can honestly say that my life is better for knowing them and I thank God everyday that he brought them into my life.

To learn more about Ava and how you can help her and her family, please check out the blog DIPG - Hope for Ava. Cynthia is using this as a way to keep everyone updated on Ava, her disease and treatment, along with sharing special moments from their life. You can help them out by making a donation, leaving a kind word on a post or praying for their family. (You can also check out Ava's Facebook page here too!)

ps. I am participating in an online auction hosted by Morgan Kervin that went live this morning! All money raised in the auction will go directly to the Dawson family to help with the expenses of fighting Ava's brain tumor. I have donated a free mini-session, along with over 50 others that have donated items from across the United States. Please make sure to check it out and help out by bidding on an item if you can! 

Progress Report

It’s been 4 weeks since I started making changes to my diet and being more active. I have to be honest…it hasn’t always been easy but I really feel so much better. I feel better about myself, my body and my health. I have more energy. AND the big drumroll….I’ve lost just over 14 pounds!! That number is definitely an incentive for me to keep going.

I’ve been faithfully logging my food intake and exercise for the past 30 days by using My Fitness Pal (both online and my iPhone App) and it has really, really helped. It has made me more aware of what I am putting into my body and it has helped me to make the calories that I do consume more worthwhile. If I can have some grilled chicken, steamed vegetables and brown rice and have it cost me the same amount of calories as a piece of cake. I will definitely have the chicken meal…especially because it doesn’t leave me hungry 1 hour later, unlike the empty calories that come from the cake or chips or ice cream.

And I started exercising. I dipped into our savings and invested in working with a personal trainer for 4 weeks. I am starting my third week with him tonight and I have already learned so much. I am learning about nutrition, correct form and the right combination of exercises and strength/weight training for maximum burn. I am so glad that I invested in this…if not I probably only would have been doing cardio and no weight training and wouldn’t have known any better. Weight training is key to weight loss and helping to maintain any weight loss. It is my goal to workout at the gym 4-5 days a week...and while I don't always make that goal, I have averaged 3 days a week. (Which is a HUGE improvement over my never, ever excising for the past 6 months or so!!)

So my promise as of today is that I will post at least once a week about my progress. I need help to stay more accountable to myself and to others…and I need any encouragement that you can give me! I really want to be healthy and I want to stay motivated! Will you help me?

The start of a GREAT summer...

The last week has been a full one and I am just now able to catch up on it! Whew...first week of summer break around here and we have already had some fun! 

First off was the long holiday weekend...3 days of fun (and a little work for me!) We worked a little in the backyard and in my little garden.

Or should I say my not-so-little-anymore garden. He's the munchkin with our first bounty of the season! Some jalapeños, strawberries and a big zucchini. Next up we hit up the park for some fun...

On Sunday we relaxed a little and took an early nap...or at least Roxy did!

I had to work a little on Sunday...

Ok, Ok...so it wasn't so much "work" as it was spending time cuddling with this adorable little 11 day old newbie, Jaxson! I just love it when I get to photograph newborns...they are just so sweet and cuddly and boy oh boy did I start to get baby fever after spending time with this sweetie! (just don't tell my hubby!)
On Monday I did a little grocery shopping, a little napping, a little swimming and we went to a a BBQ with some awesome friends! (Love me some Hatch's & Delorio's!)
As I mentioned in an earlier post Caleb is attending summer camp this year while on summer break and he is having so much fun so far! He gets to go on field trips 3 times a week and they have fun activities planned for the other 2. This week was a short one with Memorial day on Monday, so he only went on 2 field trips...first to the batting cages on Tuesday and then to the movies on Thursday. Needless to say...the boy is super excited to get to go everyday! 
So I think we've started out Summer out right, don't you? I can't wait for everything else this summer will bring...we've got some fun friends coming in this weekend and through the middle of next week (Holla Harding clan!) then my high school Bestest Bestie in the World Suzie and her family are coming for their yearly visit later in the month. (Check out the post from their visit last year...I want to top it this year. Think we can do it?) I think we may make a quick trip to Vegas or the PNW and definitely a trip up to the high country to get away from the ever-present 110+ heat. This summer is going to be one for the books I tell ya...yes it will be!!

Edit Me Challenge

So,  from some prodding and reminding from my online friend Branson I remembered to enter the Edit Me Challenge this week....and I am so glad that I did! The subject matter of the image is one of my favorite things to take photographs of, an old barn. (My other fave's are old windows, doors and hardware!!) This week's image is provided by Sarah from the Stiles Files...thanks for the amazing image Sarah!
Here's my edit...what do you think?

This week I just went with a clean, color pop edit. I love the image as it is...just with a little photoshop pop!
1) I started off with cloning out the two power lines that were going through the middle of the image. 
2) Next up I sharpened the image.
3) Then I did a couple of curves layers to bring out the red on the barn, the green in the field and the blue in the sky.
4) I then added a little haze & tint to the image and did a little burning around the edges to add more focus to the barn in the middle.
ps. Head on over to the Edit Me Challenge to see all of the other amazing edits from this week!!
pps. Did I tell y'all that I won the last Edit Me Challenge that I entered?!? How awesome is that...I was so excited and I just got my prize in the mail yesterday and I LOVE it! I think that I will be buying something else from the shop for my office...Head on over to Etched & Sketched to check out their awesome prints!

This summer is going to be hard on me...

I am struggling more now than ever before with having to be a working mom. My son is out of school for summer…and all that I want to do is be home with him. Having fun with him. Enjoying time with him while he still wants to do things with his old mom.

I’ve never had these feelings so bad before. I really, really want to be home. But it’s not in the cards for me right now. I have to work or the bills don’t get paid. I have to work or there will be no groceries to make dinner with. I have to work and all that I want to do is be home with my baby.

But I know that he is having fun this summer…he’s in a great summer camp program that has 3 field trips each week. He will get to go to the aquarium, the movies, the batting cages and the zoo. He will have fun…probably way more fun that staying home with me! And while that does make the feelings a little less strong, it doesn’t make them go away.

So, to all of the working mom’s I have a couple of questions for you…How do you handle the school breaks with your kiddo? Do you use family or enroll them in summer camp? Do you ever feel down when you see all the photos posted up on facebook & twitter by the other moms/dads showing all the fun that they are having?