Whoa. two weeks in a row – Crazy, right!  I know.

Here we go….

1. Two new favorite apps for my iphone– Shakeit. I mean who doesn’t like the old Polaroid pictures!  Jackson likes it too – one of his favorite new apps as well.  Second favorite is Losit. Best part is it’s free!  Check it out..

2. Nothing says Happy Anniversary like a gym membership, yeah?!  I am finally not pregnant – or recently had any kids – so theres no excuse.  (Yes, those were my excuses!) I reactivated our gym membership for our anniversary so we can get our butts in gear and get back in shape. I don’t worry so much about numbers, it’s not my style.  I worry more about how I’m feeling.  I’m happy to report the last two days were the first two days back and I hit the ground running. Literally.  I ran 2 miles the first day and 3 miles yesterday.  I couldn’t have done it without Pandora - Another reason I love my iphone. It’s made the gym WAY better.  Besides feeling a bit sore, I actually feel really good- and dare I say loved the gym? Yes, crazy. I know. Hopefully it stays this way!

3.  I am so behind I cant even believe I’m admitting it, I haven’t even imported my Christmas morning photos. ::GASP:: Seriously.  There is something wrong with me.   How do you keep up with all your photos? Photogs — How do you keep up with your personal photos as much as your business? Besides giving up sleep all together?!

4. Since adapting a new work system I am finding I’m getting  a lot more done and its really productive.  If you’re finding it difficult to balance work and family time I really recommend blocking time for both and only focusing on one.  Its crazy how much it changes things.  And why did I wait so long!

5.   Super excited about some amazing opportunities for work I’ll be participating in over the next few weeks.  I’ll be sure to report back on them and I’m just finalizing which ones I’m definitely attending – more on this soon.

6.  Molly is finally a walker.  Although she took steps a few months ago, shes wobbled around and had a little bit of a tough time with her hips.. Just in the last few days she has really taken to walking 80% of the time!  I’m so proud of her every time she falls she gets right back up and keeps going.  There is something so cute about their wobbley (yes I made that up) walking! Way to go big girl!

7.  Flip video.  LOVE IT.  The other anniversary gift for both personal and business uses but man, it is awesome!  I’m still trying to figure out how to get on my blog but once I do, I’ll be adding some clips.

8. I’d just like to report how much I still love my Grocery-go-getter.  My Loser Cruiser.  As my brother said ‘The Uterus Mobile.” I am taking care of our friends sweet baby girl two days a week and fitting the two Crazies in plus her is a piece of cake.  For as uncool as it makes this 30 year old look, I’m fine with it. I love it. I’m totally cool with it.

9. Jackson has discovered Trader Joe’s mini peanut butter cups.  His new favorite dessert when he eats his dinner.  He tries to tell us since they are little he can have more.  What can I say, that’s how I justify it too.  Although my personal favorite, dark chocolate covered blueberries.  Hey, I started the gym again – don’t hate!

10.  Faces from Haiti. Have you seen this?  It made my heart hurt to look at.  It made it hard for me to breath for these people.  I felt so broken. The thing that always strikes me when terrible disasters  like this happen are the big numbers. When they say thousands of people have died somehow it is just a number.  But looking at these powerful photographs it reminds us that each person in those thousands that have died had a story. Had a family. Had friends. Had a heart.  I think about how devistating it is to lose someone you love and care for and then I think about these hundreds of people that have been lost and how you even go on after losing so many people you loved at once.  It’s really hard for me to get my head around.  At any rate, if we can keep Haiti on our minds I just hope they get the help and aid they need months from now.  That is when they are going to need it most. …… Whoa, heavy.  Sorry about that.

So, there it is! 10 on Tuesday again!  I was hoping to get some pictures up but this naptime is running short!

Thanks for checking in!

Much Love,

I sit here tonight listening to the giggles of my 3.5 year old little man and his amazing daddy coming from a bedroom where that little man is supposed to be LONG asleep.  I sit here tonight remembering the face of the Ladybug as she wobbley (yes I made up that word!) walked her way across the room and giggled her face into her daddys chest.  I sit here tonight writing drafts of blog posts that will be coming of the changes we are making to our business together. I sit her tonight grateful for an amazing husband, father, best friend, business partner, supporter, giver.  How I got so lucky, I don’t know, but I do know I am grateful and give thanks every day I am alive. And just so I don’t forget, a few favorite moments and quotes from the day…
Jackson says to Rick as soon as they are awake this morning “Dad, why don’t girls and Mommy’s think toot toots are funny? Only boys do?”

Molly sat under the table picking up toys at Rick’s feet and whispered, “Da-da” while she handed him toys she isn’t supposed to play with.

Jackson sat on the couch after his bath and said “But Dad, my eye aren’t getting heavy yet, can we just watch another show?”

Molly climbed on our bed and did ‘the worm’ all the way to the end where Rick was blocking her and she just cracked up laughing on his face.

Jackson and Molly were in the bath and the two of them were belly laughing as they splashed as much as they could (while I was having a fit internally because water was OUT OF CONTROL!) Rick just joined their giggles and encouraged it like a awesome Daddy!

Jackson asked if he could sit between us tonight and said “Mom, Dad, I love our whole family…”

We love you and Molly too, Jackson David.

What’s a post without  a picture… One of the ladybug from a playdate the other day.. (taken with Heathers new Canon Rebel!! – Totally stole this off her facebook! Thanks Girl!)

What Mom? You don't want me to climb on the table!?...

No, you’re not seeing things, this is actually a new blog post.  Crazy I know.  This poor neglected blog has been suffering so much over the last few (read:  6-8!!!) months.  The good news is that I’m here now and there are lots and lots of things coming.. Business changes, personal changes. Good Stuff. But before we get to all that, let’s just get to the 10 on tuesday…

1.  This is day one of our new business approach.  Thanks to Dane Sanders, we have adopted a new motto — All in business or All in family.  As a wife and Mom and a small business owner, there is a constant battle between the two.  When I’m with the kids I feel like I should be doing some sort of work, but when I’m working I feel like I need to be with the kids.  (Other Mom photographers feel my pain, yes?!)  But after watching The [b] School Study Hall with Becker and Dane Sanders there was a moment of clarity.  I asked Dane about balancing his wonderful family (of a great wife and 4 great kids!) and his very successful business.  He told us he doesnt believe in balancing but rather out of balance.  He goes ‘all in business’ or ‘all in family.’  In order to make wide awake decisions in both business and family he allows one or the other to ’suffer’ a day or two while he nurtures the other.  Brilliant.  It’s like someone slapped me or gave me a breath of fresh air.   So, we have adopted Dane’s work style.  (**Sidenote; Super excited to meet up with Dane and other Fast Track Photographers at his Boston Workshop – Check it out if you haven’t already!) So, here we are, day one of ‘all in business’ and I cannot tell you how awesome it is.  (I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t dying to know what the kids are doing with Rick every second (thank God for texts!) or that I don’t want to run home and smooch their faces. But the business decisions I’m making are amazing. Clear and awake. This is the start of a super awesome wonderful thing.)

2.  Lots of changes on the horizon.  Business is up first.  Website, blog, promotions, etc. So keep an eye out.  It’s going to be good.

3.  I just bought Things to help organize the chaos of home and work.  I read about it here but had been debating it for the last few weeks. Sweet Chenin convinced me to do it.  I’ll report back with my opinions.

4.  Does anyone know if there is a way to post videos from my iphone onto the blog? or I should say the easiest way? An App maybe?

5.  Two more days until Rick and I celebrate our anniversary.  Excited to celebrate. I love celebrating holidays/special occasions. Weee..

6. I have so many things backlogged that I need to blog.  Both business and personal I hope once new business changes are made to get some of them up. For real.  I might even get my friend Heather her pictures from last Summer’s vacation. If she’s lucky.(The only downside to being friends with a photographer. It takes forever to get snapshots.. ha!)

7.  I love shooting digital. There are so many great things about it. Its still pretty amazing to think about.  BUT there is something to be said for printed photos. You know, like the whole roll of 24 or 36 images that you had to pay for and maybe 10 were worth saving?  I loved the ones that weren’t perfect.  I wonder what our kids are going to do when all they have are the ‘good ones’ when they grow up.  I need to make a point of printing more photos.  My poor kids will only be able to plug in a hard drive to see their childhood.  I want them to have the actual prints. I want actual prints. (fellow photogs, how do you keep up with printing your own family images? where do you put them?)

8.  It’s been snowing for the past few days. I generally don’t mind so much but this snow is terrible.  It’s wet, heavy and slushy.  It is no fun to shovel. Ew.

9.  Cannot even being to express how excited I am that Jack Bauer is back in action.  Totally 100% over the top but I love it.  Jack saves the day 12098987 times in 24 short hours. And he rocks a man purse.

10.  Shout out to my awesome husband.  Since he’s been home for a while he has been such a rockstar at joining forces and taking on our daily stuff.  Laundry, picking up, playing with the monkeys while I work! We are usually used to trying to fit in as much as we can with the few weeks hes home here and there but we are loving this extended time – So this is what it’s like!  Love you babe.  Can’t thank you enough for being such an awesome help. And Daddy. And husband.
Whoa. can you believe it! I made it through… Pictures to come soon. Promise.

Bonus:  Follow me on twittter.  I’ve ventured into it and plan to start using it more – and even including business promotions and specials there!
*KERI ON TWITTER – FOLLOW ME

*blogging is now schedule so posts should be more often.   thanks for sticking by me.

Yesterday I headed out the door into a downpour with slippery high heels on and Jackson’s rainbow umbrella.  I was already late but somehow I got stuck behind every slow person that was on the road, AND my gas light was on.  I was about 10 minutes away from the church when I should have been parking.  It was pouring.

Funny thing about all that was I didn’t notice like I usually do – (read::: get stressed out!)  I was wandering down ‘memory lane’ thinking back (too many!) years to our college days.  I was thinking back to the late night dance parties – the countless nights of beer pong – the zorn dining commons where very few items were ’safe’ to eat .. but most of all I was thinking back to one of the sweetest girls I ever met at Keene State College —- Kristen.   We hit it off as soon as we met and when we realized we lived only a half hour apart when we were home from school, our friendship just got stronger over breaks, weekends and holidays.

Between having to park our cars in the lot off campus and walking back together – to sitting on the grass at ‘temptation bushnell’ we were always laughing. dancing. loving. living.  Those are the things that college memories are made of. Those are the times I will never forget. Those are the times I was reliving in my head as I was delayed getting to the ceremony. So all those things that made me 2 mintues late (not bad, eh!?) were okay with me – I was enjoying those memories…

So anyways, I parked the ‘loser crusier’ and raced into the church  – I was just in time to see Kristen step onto the alter to meet her soon-to-be husband Brenden. Whew. Made it. I was so honored to be there.  I snuck in the back row and sat at the end of the pew so I could see their faces.  I was so happy to stand by them as they started their life together with Gods blessing.  To be one of their friends to life them up and say how proud I was to watch them get married. An honor. As I feel it is at every wedding I go to — even as a photographer!

After a beautiful ceremony the Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy were welcomed by all their loved ones!

It was onto the reception and since the only people I knew were the Bride and Groom and three of the bridesmaids – I was hanging out with myself for a few moments.  But one of the bridesmaids – Tiffany – another beautiful friend from college — Her soon to-be- Mother-in-Law started chatting with me during the cocktail hour and graciously took me under her wing with her husband and her daughter Heather.  We chatted about friendship, photography, family, children.  The important things in life.  It struck me as we talked how amazing it is that we are all so very different, yet the things that are important in our heart are always the same.  Love is such a blessing.  Before we knew it the reception was starting — we had a blast!  I would expect nothing less at the wedding of my girl!

It was so fun to enjoy the wedding reception – meet new awesome people – and get to snap some shots for fun!  I think its so fun to capture moments for friends that you know will mean something – especially when they think nobody is watching!  So here were a few from the reception..  (- KMM – more to come later…)

first dance..

CAKE!

that my girl! all married and stuff!!

Tiff and Jeff - (Jeff, your family is awesome!!) Tiff you look amazing!! xoox

My other amazing girl Lex and her soon to be husband too! ooouuuhhh leeexxx - hot!!!! xoxoox

oh my amy girl - we met the 1st day of freshman year - amy lived across the hall from me- from that day on she was my girl! love you am!! xoxo

<3  – Kristen and Brenden –   I am so happy for you.  I know you had some rain on your wedding day but as believed if it rain on your wedding day its supposed to be good luck because a wet knot is harder to untie!  So here is to your blessed marriage.  And here is to our blessed friendship.

P.S.  TABLE 13 – TABLE 13!!!!

Love you both!! xooxox

Oh. my. goodness.  I have been having troubles with my blog for well over a month and half now.. I tried to post things, it deleted it.  I tried to upload images, it wouldn’t do anything.  I was so frustrated AND more importantly I was sad I couldn’t figure out how to get information to my clients (and friends and family) without wanting to throw my computer away!  After about all I could take, I sent a SOS email to my sweet friend Mark. I officially owe him   Seeing as I’m terrified of losing anything I don’t dare try to update things on my own – or at least without some help.  But the idea of erasing my entire blog when updating this software (which I imagine is a possibility if you really don’t know what you’re doing!) I didn’t dare attempt it myself.

So, Mark worked on it  – doing who knows what – but he’s all computer smart and stuff!  He sent me an email last night and said everything was updated and should be good to go.. all before going out to enjoy his evening — What a guy, right!  So I opened my blog to post this morning and its TOTALLY different -I love it!   He told me to try and post and see if there was anything out of place even though I knew there wouldn’t be…. and of course its perfect! Too bad I didnt update this when I was supposed to a long time ago… Maybe this will make my blogging easier and more often now that its all where its supposed to be
Mark – You are the best.  I am so lucky to have you as a friend – sorry for you, you have me as a friend! hahaha… Thank you for doing everything you have… You rock!

On a sidenote — Check out Marks company – Take on Life – and then bookmark his Blog. He’s so inspiring. I love what he believes in. I love what he shares with us.  His story is amazing. His spirit is a gift.  Mark, you are a blessing.. I’m better to have known you. Thanks for reminding me when things seem stressful theres much bigger things to focus on.  Hopefully we can catch up soon.. Thank you 1000 times for all your help!! xoxo

Mark and Lis at the Mashpee Open Market: (yep I ‘borrowed’ this from your blog Mark!)

Much Love,