Fun in the South Part II

Sitting here listening to the rain I am reminiscing about FLORIDA. I want to go back!!
This is part two of our vacation to the sunny-ish south. And this portion was a BIG trip down memory lane. My parents, brother and I use to go to Florida almost every year. My grandparents were snow birds and spend most of October - May in Florida each year.
In my life, we maybe spend 6-7 weeks in Florida total - but I can remember pieces like they were yesterday. After we landed, the very next day we took off to New Smyrna Beach where my grandparents lived. Below is their home that they rented. So many memories in that little house. There was never a garage, it was always what we called a car port - there was like a fold out couch in there - it was a spare spare room. I remember that there use to be "alligators" in there - I think they were anolies - but we always called them alligators, and there was also a side door in that room that had an outside shower to wash the beach sand off.
The kitchen looked out to a lemon tree in the backyard - I didn't see the tree when we were there....the new owners must of cut it down.
I remember being on the front porch - and my grandparents had those cheap plastic chairs - white - sitting on the porch. I remember my grandfather sitting in his chair - probably smoking a cigarette - and all of a sudden the chair collapses - splits in half and he lands on his butt.
Those are just a few of the memories of the house.

THE BEACH - you can drive on this beach!! But I remember crossing the busy highway to get to the beach most often. I remember piling into nana and papa's GIANT grand marquis cars and driving to the beach - we would pile out of the car, set up the chairs, get the umbrellas out and then enjoy the beach.

Of course we swam in the ocean. You can feel the undertow too - that sucking feeling of the ocean. Well my grandmother was always afraid of us getting sucked out, cause she saw it on the news one night. Well as I was standing in the ocean, feeling the undertow I could hear her voice...
"JUDY! YOU GET THOSE KIDS BACK HERE! THEY ARE OUT TOO FAR!"
Just like it was yesterday.


Ok - I hate the "hold the camera out and take a picture of yourself picture" BUT we didn't have a photographer with us, so we had to resort to that.
Brandi and I on the beach!

And Finally -
I got my toes in the sand. It was so nice to just relax on the beach. I finally got the chance to catch up on my photography magazines! Both Rangefinder and PPA - got so many great ideas - and it didn't hurt that I got both of the wedding issues not long before we left on vacation.

LOVE IT!

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of Burgers and Beer


I am a blogging machine lately - and still have plenty more to share.

Brandi and I set aside some time tonight for a quick working date. We actually cooked a meal, turned off the TV (even though we have SO much DVR to catch up on), cleaned off the dining room table and SAT there - and talked - and planned - and wrote lists of things we wanted to be and things we wanted to accomplish for OUR business!

YES OUR BUSINESS!

We are going to make some changes in our business model. We should probably start with a business model. Or even a plan on paper. Sometimes I have to laugh, I have been to business school - have two degrees in business and have written countless business plans for other businesses but do not have one for ours. <----------- is that Irony? Doncha think?

Well anyway, we started our lists, bonding over a turkey burger and a packaged falafel. We topped it off with our favorite beer - Yuengling - WHICH is not available in the state of Maine. Go figure. We have to "import" it from the mid-Atlantic region ---- maybe there is even an air of smuggling --- but whatever you call it --- we got it, so if the Yuengling people are out there reading this blog ----- START SHIPPING TO MAINE!!!

Anyway - back to my point - we are going to try to do this more often. I am going to make time this summer between all the weddings, and editing and dog walking, and DVR watching to sit across from my love - eat a burger and drink a beer and talk about our dreams and plans. Best of all - Brandi got to make a list --- actually 2 lists. And she started a list of other lists she needs to make. Yes - my Brandi is a List-er & I love her for that.

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The Love has been Spread...

Yes - it's 11:30pm and I have been up since 6am --- running late as a matter of fact.
But I could not possibly go to bed until I shared with everyone who follows this blog what an amazing experience that Brandi and I just had. We finally - after much waiting - met Justin & Mary. We have been following their blog for over a year now and we were able to get them to bring their Spread the Love tour to Maine. After meeting them I absolutely love them more if that is possible. It may be the first PHO-Mance - and I am not ashamed to say that.
They completely opened our eyes to everything we have been doing wrong, everything we have been doing right and what we could do better for ourselves, our business and more importantly our clients.
This was a 6 hour workshop/conference - and it felt like 15 minutes. I could of listened for another 6 hours. I took around 8 years of Business school and these two captivated me more then any doctor, lawyer or professor I have ever listened too.
I think the best part of the whole day was not only spending it with Brandi, but also talking with her on the ride home. Again, that 2 hour ride felt like 15 minutes. We laughed, we cried, we talked and we planned. We planned what we wanted to do with our business right now, what we wanted to do with our business next year and what we wanted to see out of our business in the future. We also talked and planned about what we wanted to see for our lives in that time frame too. And we already are taking J&M's advice --- we are sitting down tomorrow night over dinner with a pen and paper and writing our goals for our business and where we want to take it and what we want it to be.
Really - I have not done this seminar justice. I have so many positive great things to say about Justin and Mary that I am literally overwhelmed - and Mary promised us that would happen.
I wanted to end this blog with a picture of course - Brandi and I in the oldest city in the US - St. Augustine. She is the love of my life - my life partner - and my business partner.

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Fun in the South Part I

So you may have noticed a lack of activity on Facebook for Brandi and I the past week or so. We have not gone into hiding, we were on vacation. This was our first REAL - get on a plane and go somewhere that isn't the next state over - VACATION!
We just flew in today and are already back at it returning phone calls and answering e-mails from our great friends and clients. We are happy to be back, but it was also great to be away from phones and computers for a while.
I have to say, this was just an amazing vacation for me. We stayed with my Aunt and Uncle in a condo right on the beach. This was real Florida. I know all Florida is real Florida, but this was the Florida that I remember growing up. Now there isn't anything wrong with a great Disney vacation - cause we went there too - but there is something about the miles of sandy beaches that you can walk and drive on, and sticking your feet in the salty Atlantic and having to wash the salt spray off your car windows before you go anywhere. That is real Florida.
There is also nothing wrong with eating a couple Krispy Kremes and drinking Diet Coke on the balcony in the morning with THIS VIEW:
Now this is something that we Love.
This is just a quick peek of our trip. There will be more blogs and more pictures from our trip. I am trying to stretch out the blogging and be much more dedicated to the blog overall. Keep me honest, if you don't see a blog post for a while - ask me. I plan to get a little more personal and let you see our personalities and our life together!

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Life is not a race, but indeed a journey. Be honest. Work hard. Be choosy. Say 'Thank you', 'I love you', and 'Great job' to someone each day. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper. Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you aspire to. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them. Some of the best things really are free. Take time for yourself - plan for longivity.











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