PLEASE UPDATE YOUR WEB ADDRESS BOOK! WE HAVE A NEW PRETTY BLOG!

http://www.sandrakraussphotography.com/blog

No more posts will be put on here!! Please stop by and enjoy the beautiful new blog!!!!!!

Thought I'd give people heads up. The blog is going to be heading for a MAJOR change, including a new web address, in about 2 weeks (I hope). I can't wait to get it up and running and hope you guys will all love it as much as I do. I am SO excited!!!!!!!!!!!

1 - Soooooooooooooooo I had a FABULOUS weekend. I had an amazing opportunity to assist the SUPER talented Susan Stripling at a wedding in PA. It was SO much fun and I really can't wait to help her out again in the future. I learned SO much...so so so much.

2 - Cameron's imagination is running wild anymore. He is absolutely convinced that Swiper from Dora is gonna take his stuff or come get him. He even dreams about it and in the middle of the night you can hear him say "No swiper no no!" I keep explaining that swiper isn't real, but that doesn't matter, he is still 100% convinced.

3 - Today was Pajama day at daycare. Cameron couldn't understand why I would take him to daycare with PJ's still on. He looked at me as if I had screws loose. It was very funny.

4 - Vocabulary has grown SO much. The sentences he is talking now are big. I went to pick him up yesterday from daycare and he ran to me and said "Oh Mommy! I so glad you found me! Oh my goodness!"

5 - I'm thinkin' of going to WPPI this year but trying to find good deals on hotels since that is the only thing that is killing me. Anyone have any good deals they want to let me in on lol?

6 - So I made chili on Sunday for dinner. Usually Cameron won't touch the stuff. So I did what every other mother does (I think lol), I bribed him...I told him that if he took a bite of rice and chili, I would give him a cookie...I'll be damned if the kid ate almost a WHOLE BOWL of the chili and than demanded the cookie :)

7 -

8 - So I just got a phone call from daycare. Cameron apparently just fell on his face and scraped up his forehead. No bumps/bruises, just lots of scrapes. Man oh man do I have a boy.

9 - Cameron gets to spend the night over mommom & poppop's this weekend...he has informed me that they have M&M's and he NEEDS them :)

10 - November 4th (Election Day) can't come quick enough. I am sick sick sick of all the phone calls, tv commercials, radio commercials and flyer's in my mailbox. I had 4...yes 4 phone calls in 2 hours last night about the elections all the way up to 8:45pm last night. I'm just ready for it to be OVER. O-V-E-R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets see if I can really do this haha.



1 - Like the new header? I just love watching those 2 walk together. Cameron gets this little manly strut. It cracks me up. It really makes me realize just how big Cameron is getting.



2 - We are having major issues with Cameron talking back. He gets this major attitude and talks to me like I am the 2 year old. While humorous, its frustrating. We keep trying to tell him to talk nice, and in turn, we get "No YOU talk nice! You no mean to me mommy!"



3 - Note to self...I MUST MUST MUST take pictures for my Christmas card this month. MUST. No excuses!!!!



4 - So last week Cameron had pimples. Weird huh? I wouldn't have thought anything about it...that is until he had like 5! There was NO way my kid was going through puberty yet :) THAN, the week before...the skin on his fingers was peeling. It was just totally weird. Mommy instincts told me to call the Dr. We took him in...I'll be damned if the kid had Impetigo AND Strep! Did you know peeling of the fingers and feet are signs of strep on children!? Who knew! We are now feeling 100% back to normal and have no signs of early puberty :)



5 - We love to sleep with our bath towel on...and wake up with the most amazing hair style as a result...see example below from 10pm one night last week...



6 - I have a SUPER exciting weekend ahead of me...I will totally blog about it after it happens. It is sooooooooooooooo exciting to me...I don't know how many people will think it's cool...but for the photographer on me...It's just amazing.


7 - Congratulations Ernie and Stephanie (Sister's best friend's) on their new little baby boy. I can't wait to meet him and get lots and lots of pictures :) SOOOOOOOOOOO can't wait to see him :)


8 -I am already running out of things to talk about...


9 - I am in need of more kiddos to fill my portfolio up...Check out my website and let me know...Pass it on...Help me out :)


10 - Okay...last one....Cameron was eating dinner the other night (spaghetti and meatballs). They were home made meatballs and sauce (sauce thanks to Ger's wonderful family's recipe) and Cameron, of course, gets SO excited to eat dinner, because we all know NOONOO's are Cam's FAVORITE. We are all sitting at the table, Cameron takes a bite, and I get a nice "Mommy...dis is dee-wish-usss mmmMMMmmm". Wow...he really made me feel like a good cook haha...because I am FAR from that haha.

Oh the squeals of excitement. Cameron LOVES to go to the playground. Added benefit is that it absolutely wipes him out since the kid has SO much energy. We took Cameron to the playground a few times this week. We are starting to get more bold too...we now go down the sliding board on our belly!!!

We LOOOOOOOVE to sing, and dance, and play piano :) Cameron LOOOOOOVES to play Rock Band on PS3 with Ger too. He actually sat for close to an hour playing this game with Ger. They both had their own microphone, and Cam sang along. It was the cutest thing ever.

1 - The other day, Gerry, Cameron and I were driving home from the store. I kept telling Ger that I wanted Cameron to be a Disney character, like Buzz Light Year, since we now like Toy Story, but since I have picked the last 2 years, Ger picked Batman. So Ger asked Cameron what he wanted to be for Halloween....Cameron's response...."SUPER BUNNY!"

2 - Conversation with Cameron the other day at nap time...

Cameron: GASP!
Mommy: What!? What's wrong
Cameron: Deres a booby trwap...
Mommy: A what?
Cameron: A booby trwap...
Mommy: Where?
Cameron: Dere Mommy...be wreally careful...

I felt like I was talking to the kid from the goonies movie...

3 - Happy Belated Anniversary to Gerry's parents, My parents, & My sister...Tons of Love to you guys!

4 - Can I just say how happy I am that fall TV is back...I really missed my shows...it's almost as if my life is complete again haha :)

5 - I am proud to say that I have made my first full chicken this past weekend. A little stressful, but all in all, it turned out wonderful, no one died, much easier than I originally thought, and will definitely be doing it again :)

6 - I had to show Cameron's dinosaur/dragon toy who is boss. Cameron was very convinced that it was going to get him. So I firmly told him to be nice to Cameron and than tickled his plastic feet...Cameron got a kick out of it...I think it helped :)

okay so I know I usually do 10...but I have honestly ran out of things to talk about right now. 6 is better than nothing right? Stay tuned this week for a pic of Cam and Ger playing Rock Band :)

We have the best family ever. Truly, we do. Ger's Aunt Ruthie just sent another wonderful present to Cameron in the mail yesterday. Sydney the Spider hat, which glows in the dark. He LOVES it, he put it on the moment he saw it and refused to take it off. Slept with it on which was adorable and led to an interesting hair style this morning since we went to bed with damp hair from tubby. Thank you Aunt Ruthie! Cameron LOVES it!

obviously, he wasn't amused with my picture taking....

And the little dude couldn't be more excited. Ger was away for pretty much the whole summer...we did get to go down to FL to go see him in between this whole thing, but the last part of the trip and not seeing him equaled to 1 whole month. The reaction to seeing his daddy walk through the door on Thursday night was priceless. I kept Cameron up extra late so he could see him come home. This picture doesn't even show 1/4 of the excitement Cameron had when he saw him for the first time. He ran right up to his daddy and hugged and kissed him over and over again. Really brought tears to our eyes. We are just so happy to be together again after that long time.

1 - Anyone see Spike the ULTRA DINOSAUR by fisher price? Yeah...it's on it's way for Christmas...I have a feeling that it will be VERY popular...I don't know who will play with it more, Ger or Cameron...heck...I'm thinkin' this mommy will have fun too :)

2 - We now have a fear of the dark. I don't know where it started, but if a room is dark, we run away and cling onto my leg and I hear "Its really gark in dere mommy!"

3 - Speaking of being scared of the dark...yesterday morning I went to wake up Cameron to get ready for the day and he wakes up in a panic screaming "Its gark in here!". I calm him down and than he freaks out and screams again "My my my my eyes are broken mommy! Its gark in here" I felt so bad for him but I just couldn't stop laughing at the whole "my eyes are broken" comment.

4 - T-minus 3 days till all is well in the house.

5 - Oh and as if being scared of the dark can't get any better...I walk into Cameron's room last night and noticed the fan was off, I thought it was odd but just though maybe I hit the light switch. Nope...light and fan...dead...I have no idea...I'm really clueless as to why. Ger has a job when he gets home.

6 - Da Da Da Happy Birthday Michael!!! My little cousin is 21!!! We love you buddy!

7 - One big thing on my to do list this weekend...take a few NICE pictures of Cameron...especially for that new Gap Casting Call that is out again!!!

8 - Anyone see the SNL Palin/Clinton skit?? Hilarious!

9 - Sunday, my sister and I got together with the kiddos at her house. Cameron and Madeline were playing oddly quiet and we checked on them a few times and all was well. A few minutes later, Madeline comes down the steps and says "Buddy's naked!". Bonnie and I look at each other puzzled and there comes Cameron walking in stark naked. Not one article of clothing on, not even a sock. Completely puzzled, we asked what happened and of course no explanation came from a 2.5 and a 3 year old. But Cameron did manage to tell us that he pooped. Horrified to go see what Madeline's room looked like, Bonnie made her way up to find Cameron's old baby tub out with a dirty diaper in it and little brown marks on Madeline's comforter. Needless to say, both kids got a big talking to and after all was cleaned up, we got a good laugh.

10 - I read a rumour that Canon is having a press conference coming up soon...could it be...a NEW 5d upgrade finally?!?! I know this is nothing exciting to some of you guys, but it's just another thing for me to lust and drool over. I can't wait!

Cameron:  Mommy Mommy...Cake my cicture!

• I AM …shocked...my toddler talks to me in sign language now?!?
• I WANT…Gerry's trip to be cancelled and to come home NOW!
• I HAVE …more gummy bears than I know what to do with...Target only had the HUGE bag...but they were looking soooooooooooo yummy :-)
• I HATE …making decisions.
• I FEAR …bugs...no matter how big or small....eeek
• I DON’T THINK …I know enough about politics to decide who to vote for yet...hmmmm
• I REGRET …never going to school full time...but than I see what I have now and realize how lucky I am :-)
• I LOVE …Gerry and my crazy wild toddler.
• I AM NOT …happy with the DoD and Ger's trip...grrrrrrrrrr
• I DANCE …to blues clues, backyardigans, and Laurie Berkner with Cameron
• I SING …when I'm allowed to...Cameron took my singing privileges away.
• I NEVER …touch left overs in the fridge...it's Ger's job :-)
• I RARELY …refuse a piece of cake
• I CRY WHEN I WATCH …Wizard of Oz, My Fair Lady, and Anne of Green Gables
• I AM NOT ALWAYS …willing to share my candy.
• I HATE THAT …summer is almost over...I will miss my flip flops.
• I’M CONFUSED ABOUT …Politics
• I NEED …a day to my self please.
• I SHOULD …be taking more pictures of Cameron for Ger while he is away.

Okay so I missed last week...but I was on vaca...so don't hate me too much. I really plan on blogging a lot more...just been SUPER busy with Ger's travel.


So...................10 on Tuesday...


1 - Cameron has been talking with FULL sentences. It's crazy listening to him. Kinda makes you stop and think "Woah...Did he really just say that?!" He's super clear too now. Yesterday I asked him for a reason on why he did something...He started his answer with BECAUSE...because?!?! When did he learn that word? Cameron also now likes to ask if you are "Escited" (excited) about something. "Mommy, you escited?!" "Oh Mommy...I escited yay!" He's really picking up SO Much.



2 - Cameron did great on the flights back and forth to Florida. Bless the poor woman sitting next to Cam on the airplane ride home. He wanted her to play with him the entire time. She just sat there with a smirk while her eyes were closed and he kept touching her to see if she was "wake" and when she would look at him, he'd gasp in excitement and say "mommy, shes awake! Wook!" Cute...



3 - 2 words...SUPER CAM!





4 - So Ger has been working on this thing called a Shock Trial...its very cool. Navy.mil posted a picture of the ship he was working on and the test they did...how cool is this?! And yes...Ger was ON the ship when this explosion went off!!!!!!!!!! (I take no credit for this awesome photo...it's some really nifty neato navy photographer)

5 - I am thinking about doing holiday mini-sessions...but not sure of the interest anyone would have. If you are interested or know anyone that would be, drop me a line...you can contact me through my website or the contact me area on the side bar.

6 - Anyone wanna explain why kids shoes cost as much as my shoes? Seriously...$50 stride rite shoes...it's driving me batty...especially since my kiddo has wide feet and those shoes are hard to come by unless you shop at stride rite. I missed the local buy one get one 50% off sale. I think I will venture to the outlets to see if I can find a pair for the fall.

7 - I asked Cameron what he wanted to be for Halloween...thinking he had NO idea what it was...what did he say "PIDERMAN!" I was hoping for maybe a pirate, something Disney like, I don't know...but the kid kept screaming about spiderman. Looks like I'm gonna have a spiderman for Halloween this year.

8 - I took Cameron to the beach while we were in Florida. Talk about euphoria! Giant sand box and pool. NO FEAR...seriously...just ran right into the water...a little too far for my liking too. He LOVED jumping the waves. I am super impressed how well he has been with the water this year.

9 - I am again bored with Cameron's selection of bedtime stories. We read every night and I'm really starting to get sick of Llama Llama Red Pajama, Goodnight Moon, If you give a mouse a cookie, and Pigeon wants a Puppy. Anyone have any other good suggestions? We have TONS of books...but I'm bored. If I'm gonna do all the reading, I should be able to stay entertained too right?

10 - So I have a goal...at the end of the summer, I am going to take all the pictures I took THIS SUMMER and make them into a nice hardback book. Than I will continue to do the same thing in the Fall, than the Winter, than the spring, and so on and so forth. I can never remember to get prints made and than when I do, they just sit around the house. This way they are all made into a nice book and complied nicely. Now the test...do I follow through with this??? I'll let you know when I get it printed lol.

Cameron will be the next Olympic star haha. Little dude LOVES to swim. He does SO well swimming too. Jumps right in all by him self, swims from deep end to shallow end with JUST the bubble arms on, and now knows to keep his mouth closed when doggy paddling. He could swim allllll day if you let him. Definitely gets him nice and tired for nap or bed time :) He had SO Much fun swimming down in Florida and now of course in Nan and Poppop's pool. So cool to see how much he has learned (swimming wise) this summer. He went from being the kid who was scared to be let go, to jumping in on his own.

Hello!!!!!!!!  We are here!  Just got back from a mini vacation.  Lots of sun and fun in Florida with Family :)  I'll post more stories later, but for now...my view during the flight...

All is well now at the Krauss House.  Daddy is home.  We surprised Cameron when we picked him up early at daycare.  Ger waited in the backseat of the car while I grabbed Cameron from daycare (which by the way...when I went to go pick him up...He was wearing a bright pink and gold tu-tu from daycare...they said they have a picture and Im dying to get it from them)...I open the back door of the car and Cameron was just in shock about daddy being back there...it was just the best reaction from Cam ever.  "Daddy!  You in the car!  Daddy in the car!  Daddy, you in the car!!!"  Just the best.

T minus 12 hours till we are all in the same state and one little happy family :)  It's been 2 LONG weeks without Ger.  We are really ready for him to come home.  It's his turn to change the diapers :)  Cameron misses his Daddy and is ready to lay a big silly kiss on his Daddy :)

the little dude that is.  he only got a 30 min nap from daycare, than went swimming over our friend Cathryn's and went to bed 30 mins later than we usually do.  I just layed him down and he was OUT FOR THE COUNT.  Ahhhhh nice and quiet.

So I'm gonna try something here. One of my favorite photographer/mommy friend Lyndsay (of Life In Motion Photography - if your in Austin...Check her out!), does this cute thing called 10 on Tuesday...just random 10 things going on in her house. So to fill up some blog space...I'm gonna try this out. Let me know what ya think ;-)

So here we go...my first 10 on Tuesday...

1. Cameron has really subsided with tantrums (for now) and is all about helping. Seriously...if you want ANYTHING done by him, just say the word "Help" and he's the man. Even if he starts a fit...All I have to say is "Cameron, Please help mommy and calm down and sit with me" BAM done! I don't know why this works, it just does...for now.

2. My nephew Mason is getting so big. He has this new facial expression that I am dying to get captured on camera. You blow a little in his face and he just scrunches up with this huge smile and squinty eyes. Its addicting to watch and do to him hehe.

3. My niece Madeline told me I was her best friend. Totally made me melt, that is, until she told Cam that he was her best friend. I wonder how many best friends she has. She is so much fun really. She has such a BIG imagination anymore. A few weeks back, she sat down next to me, sighed and said "Sasa...I usually fly here but forgot my wings" wha?!?! She cracks me up. Crazy kiddo.

4. My sister Bonnie has totally been rocking her camera and I am so proud of her...check out her blog and leave her some love :)

5. Cameron has really really really been attached to Gerry's red baseball cap that he got from Rome on our honeymoon. He wears it ALL THE TIME. Very cute. Daycare has been great about letting him wear the hat too.

6. So with Ger being away, I have figured out a whole new way to cooking I think. On Sunday when I went food shopping, I purchased my dinners for the week and PLANNED. Tonight is left overs BUT when Cameron goes to bed, I'm making meatloaf for tomorrows dinner. Less time running around the house with a crazy 2 year old asking for crackers, juice, this, that, so on so forth. Just reheat and serve. If this works out good, I think I will actually stick with it.

7. Anyone else is shock about the prices of groceries any more? Seriously?! I usually buy shredded cracker barrel cheese for my home made mac-n-cheese. It used to be like 2/$6 at the store. I went on Sunday...they wanted almost $6.00 for ONE bag. ONE BAG! I about died. I come home with a fewer groceries but almost spent more. Crazy I tell ya!

8. Cameron is addicted to the Muppet's and Elmo's Potty Time DVD. I am all about the Muppets but If I have to hear Elmo's dad sing about poo poo in the potty again, I think I' gonna loose it.

9. Speaking of potty...Cameron is still trying. I think I figured out how to get him to aim better...Just tell him to stick his belly out and a perfect aim is achieved. Less mess for me to clean :)

10. Yo Gabba Gabba...what is that show? I was flipping through TV the other day with Cameron and he screamed for me to stop on it. I did for a minute and it was like he froze and started doing this funky dance to some "Party in my Tummy" song and now asks for it all the time. It's weird and I'm trying my hardest to not give in to it. Its just weird. Almost like crack for kids or something. Noooooo thank you.

Whew! I did it!

Thats all he wants to do is help..."I help...poppop"  "I help Mommy"  "I help B"  etc. etc. etc.

We spent most of Sunday at Nan and Poppop's.  Nothing too much happend today actually other than just the usual Cam and Maddie fight-a-thon (SO like my sister and I...it's kinda funny actually...they have such a love-hate relationship...more Love than hate though).  Anyway...While Cameron was napping, Madeline took a dip in the pool and started to look like a water feature floating in there :)  Mason was looking cool sporting his mommies sunglasses, and Cam was being like Daddy wearing his Daddy Hat.  Other than that...it was a quiet Sunday :)

Okay, so its not GORGAN...it's Jordan's 5th birthday...but if you ask Cameron who we saw today...its Gorgan, McKenna, Brian, and Steph!  It was such a cool birthday party.  Carnival Theme :)  Fried Oreos, Funnel Cake, Chocolate Covered..EVERYTHING, MOONBOUNCE, Talent acts, Balloon animals, popcorn, cotton candy, you name it, they had it :)  What did Cameron eat...oh just about everything...I honestly don't know if he actually had dinner tonight.  He was addicted to uncle Brian's popcorn machine and the unlimited "box juices" they had available for the kids.  Boy did the lil dude crash hard tonight haha!  

Cameron was VERY proud with how he decorated Gorgan's card :)

Mmmmm...just sinful...fried oreos

Fun on the swing

The man, the myth, the legend...Brian...Gorgan's daddy :)

Hope this brightens your day hun...Click the picture to start :)

So Friday afternoon, I came home to a package in the mail.  I know I didn't order anything, but heck, who doesn't love surprises in the mail?!?  I know I do.  Anyway.  I help run a photography board and there is a really wonderful girl on there by the name of Mary.  She runs a custom stationary studio called Paper & Ink Studio and designs the most beautiful stationary every.  So what was in the package was this beautiful stationary that she made for me.  I was so taken back by how beautiful it was.  I've never owned personalized stationary, but let me tell you, I will for now on :)  I can't highly recommend Mary enough.  Please stop by her website and check out her etsy shop.

My goodness are we ever attached to daddy right now.  He is absolutely the funniest and most fun man on earth...thats if you ask Cameron :)  We just can not get enough of him right now.  Daddy bought Cameron a little 10x30 pool for the backyard for them to play in and Cam has SUCH a blast.  It's great for really wearing Cameron out.  Only problem with the pool...I can't get too close with the camera because SOME people like to splash a little too much for my liking.

So Saturday we decided to try and potty train Cameron. He did GREAT on Saturday. LOVED the whole concept and even only had 3 accidents! Our potty downstairs decided to go out of commission on Saturday afternoon so that put a kink in everything too. Sunday...not so great. He went a few times on the potty, had a few accidents and than the second half of the day was spent outside playing in the baby pool with the girls next door. We sent him to daycare with Pull-Ups today in hopes that he will do good but told them to call me if he's totally resistant like he was with me this morning. He may not be 100% ready yet, and that's okay, at least we tried and started it, hes only 28 months old, so pretty young for a boy really when you think about it. We will keep letting him try but if he doesn't like it, I have plenty of diapers to get rid of still :-) Lets just pray we can get him to do this.

Anyway...We blew up our mini pool in the backyard yesterday and Ger and Cam had a blast pouring water on each other. We have also finally figured out how to swing on the swing set on our belly, thanks to the "Ladies" next door. Oh Keri...scroll down...there is a Kait pic that I just LOVE.

Leave it to Cameron to take yard work safety to a whole new level...

Must wear helmet when using the blower :-)  Never know when a leaf might hit ya.

So night 2 & 3 still were no problems.  Even naps are great.  I've been blessed.  No problems at all and its such a relief to know I don't have a constant bedtime fight on my hands.  The only thing we wish we could get him to do now is to quietly play independently in his room till Mommy and Daddy wake up.  We even put some Little People and Building Blocks and TONS of books in his room.  Instead he goes right for the door and screams till someone opens it for him (which he KNOWS how to open).  All in good time I suppose :)

First....HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE!

Yesterday we decided to take Cameron to the Zoo.  Oh the pure excitement.  Loved it doesn't even describe it at all.  He LOVED the monkeys, got to ride a horse with daddy, and got to ride the choochoo with mommy.  We had an absolute blast.