Yes, my family is headed somewhere warm tomorrow, bright and early.  I cannot tell you how excited I am about this vacation!  Although everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE what I do, at some point you just really, truly, deep down need a vacation.  This will be the first vacation in three years where I have not scheduled multiple photo sessions DURING the vacation and/or attended a photography workshop.  I'm going incommunicado. Leaving the laptop at home. Off the grid.  Okay . . . maybe still on the grid, but you get the gist.

It will be a challenge for me to leave work behind, but I am determined to try. I have been repeating to myself for the past two days as I debated whether to leave my laptop at home, "I am not a brain surgeon.  It will be okay if I take one week to respond to an e-mail."  ha ha!!

So until I rejoin society on February 2nd . . . all the best!  Have a fantastic week!!

Here on the blog I try not to be, to quote South Park, all "political and stuff," but today I just can't help it.  We are jumping for joy! Now back to your regular non-partisan blog programming. :)

Today we did the usual Sunday activities of church and brunch, but then had the pleasure of attending a ballet birthday party. What a treat to watch the room of four- and five-year-old girls (and a few boys!) dance with gusto and not one whit of self-consciousness.  It put me in mind of these two photos from last winter.  One is still and soulful, while the other seems more whimsical--I might argue entirely nonsensical.  I often wonder which side is more "me" as an artist--the deep side or the silly side? I think I'd have to vote silly and most of my friends would likely agree . . . who can resist a photo with a kitty-cat lump in it anyway? :)

: )

I know, I know!  I've been MIA.  Forces have conspired against me this week and I've been neglecting the blog and my e-mail in-box.  Thank you to my very talented California photographer friend for giving me a little poke.  More details about everything that's been going on soon, I promise, but for now just two snaps of a little one who was most pleased with her belated Christmas gift. :)