My readers have had it with me..

Yes.. I know.. I can hardly call myself a blogger. I think to be a blogger, yo aactually have to blog something.

What the hell has happened here you say... Well.. I like to blame it on the rain . (It's Milli Vanilli's) fault.

But to be perfectly honest, I am currently working morning noon and d night t.

Trying to keep up with my little photo career which is no longer little, and trying to maintain my Mr.Mom status, has proven very difficult.

Lately I have been trying to find ways to cut things from my life that are not a) moving my career forward, and b) taking time aaway from my little Jade.

Mom already works insane hours, so I figure I better be careful not to do the same thing.

Which leads us here. Don't I have a thousand stories to tell? You know.. I probably ddo but they end up being thought about at 2am.

Just last week, I said to myself, I think its time to shut down the Mr.Mom blog. I can't have it if I don't contribute. So either it will start winding down, or I will do what I should be doing...Smaller posts...more often... maybe that will work.


The current Jade story of the week, is she decided to put a dagger in my heart again. (this kid is good at that). SHe has a habit of talking...non stop

for hours on end.

And coming home in the car last week during a rarather stressfull day., I finally s say. WOULD YOU PULEASE STOP TALKING

She comes back...

with a tear in her eye...

"I talk to you Daddy because I love you"


So after I took her home, I drove to the tallest bridge I could find, and got out and was ready to jump...but then I rrealized...

If I end it now... I'll miss all the other great guilt trips she has planned for me in the future...

So I got down...drove home...and gave her a hug that lasted 2 hours.


Until next time...

(There Denise...now shut the hell up. I've got work to do). haha

Wow how times have changed..

It is kind of strange.. I used to find this blog as my release..my place of sanctuary.. Now I feel guilty everytime I look at it.

I know i should be updating it with all the new stories that the Puke provides for me, yet with all my time being dedicated to my new world of photography.. I just can't find the 10 minutes a day to update it. I do apologize for that.

So i'm hoping the posts I do make are better ones rather than "guess what she broke today"



This week I am starting to understand the frustrations of working at home. I always thought that being a Mr.Mom would be the toughest job in the world. I'm finding that Being a Mr.Mom AND trying to establish a business is the hardest job in the world.


It is damn near impossible to take the time it needs to get your business going, while stopping every five seconds to fix things for certain 5 year olds.. and ensure that she is not being neglected.


They seem to go through stages, where they don't need you..then they really need you. The latter seems to be now. Maybe that is because she can sense how busy I am, and is worried that I'll leave her alone for too long.


So I'm trying to find ways that she can "play" where I'm working. and we will see how that goes.


But right now, she just spilled a bottle of perfume on a blanket here in my edit room.. and I can hardly breath...


So.. how do you focus on work, when your room smells like bloody womans magazine.


Until next time

Godspeed Aime...

Today my grandfather passed away. Somehow your body and mind just knows it when a family member leaves this place. The phone rang as I was in the middle of making the kid some pancakes, and you just instantly know.

We were blessed to be able to share his 90th birthday party with him in February. Its almost like his body and mind were just waiting for that big party, to share with everyone, and then it was time to move on.

He was always a symbol of strength to me.. And this probably happened just as he wanted it to... Hard to say.


I will be flying in and out for the funeral whenever it happens this week. There is something theraputic (sp) about spending 7 hours traveling. I think it will be good for me actually.

As his passing was somewhat expected over the last month, you never are really prepared for that call. But strangely, it seems "right" He had an amazing life, traveled the world, and got to see his grandkids have kids...

I'm not sure we can ask for more in life.


As a great new friend in my life said to me last week... walking to the light isn't really a bad thing.

Thanks Lani.

Family overload..

wow.. 10 days in Canada, now my parents followed me home for three weeks. It's so awesome that Jade gets to connect with everyone.

You learn as the kid gets older, connection to family seems to get more and more important.

Leaving Canada, the little one cried like i've never seen before..(pretty much the entire plane trip).

Its strange watching emotional development as well as physical in these little creatures. It also can tear your heartstrings out.

So she is having a great time bonding with both sets of grandparents, and connecting to her roots.


I do worry about all the "grandma/buni" habits i'll have to "unteach her" haha

Hockey Morning in Canada

If you want to "taste" Canada... don't have Poutine, or Tim Hortorn's coffee... Get up early and go to a minor league hockey game.

You see the dedication to family. You smell the coffee and bad hot chocolate. You hear the screams of parents when their little number 99 steps on the ice...

You witness how character is built, not bought.


Although i must say, I was dismayed to see all the players had hockey bags with wheels on them.

WHEELS?


Whats next, football helmets with little starbucks coffee machines built into them?


Cheers Spence, you were awesome out there !

Ahhh Canada...how I missed you...

Okay sarcastic joke finished.. yes..it was cold, yes it was blustery, yes when I stepped off the plane I wondered, why the hell would you come here in winter.

Well, because at the end of the day, nothing fills your coffee cup soul faster than seeing family.

Highlights... many of them. and none of them the materialistic crap that society puts so much value on.


Watching Spencer score a goal in his hockey game and giving me the heart pump and point after he poked one in the net.

Feeling the "crunch" of the frozen snow under my feet as i walked on ice at lockport with my brother and father.

Watching my grandfathers eyes light up when he saw Jade at his surprise 90th birthday party.

Hearing the screams of joy from Buni when she saw the little puke for the first time in a year.

Watching Bunu play with her like no one else on earth can.

Listening to the laughter coming from the loft as Nana and Jade played cards.


Watching Jade's reaction when 3 year old cousin Reece called her his girlfriend. haha


Playing foosball in my brothers new "man room" (basement), while everyone around had a smile on their face.


Watching Jade, actually hearing jade go tobogganing for the first time. I'm pretty sure the screams could be heard in the Philipines.


While only a snapshot, these trips remind you that at the end of the day.. family is incredibly important in your life.


I find it strange how you can be away from them for a year, but as soon as you walk into a room, it's like you never left.


While its cold outsite, the heart never feels a chill.


Except when I sleep at my sisters house.. cause they don't have a heater it appears.




Until next time.

Travelling with a 5 year old...

Note to Mr.Mom readers... In case you missed it, I'm moving the Photo stuff to the new website. www.lebleuphoto.com. I've started a second blog over there to deal with the photo side of my world.

So you'll probably see much less photo work here, and more getting back to what this blog was always about. Raising the lil puke, and watching a guy who never should have taken the job. hahah

This switch is probably long overdue, but I kinda just roll with the way life takes me..so I guess its been a bit of a transition...

Enough about me.. on to the kid...

I've learned a few things this trip, and one of them is that a 5 year old has a hard time staying in one place for 5 hours.

I know..it sounds crazy.. You are wondering "did you just figure that out now?"

In a word?

Yes...


We did the usual load up the backpack with books, music, snacks, toys and the like, and figured we are good to go. Andrea did her usual sack out and sleep. (Planes are the only time she seems to have time to sleep)

And I thought, hey..she has tons of things to play with, I can catch up on my work, and watch a few podcast training videos.

So on the plane we all settle in to the normal "airplane routine" attempt to get her strapped in. (note to self, 5 year olds do not like to be strapped into anything.)

As Jade tried to do her best to run around the plane while strapped in, we found that a good seat belt actually works to hold her down..

I've already got plans to install them all over the house.

On the couch... toilet seat... bed...

I think i'll make millions with it.




More later...

Off To the Great White North for a week..

time to get my freeze on !

LeBleu Photo website is up

feel free to poke around, email me if you find mistakes/problems with browsers etc...


www.lebleuphoto.com

Its Winter, must be time for visits

The more the temperature drops in Canada, the ratio of visits increases. And we love it. There is nothing cooler than having people drop by and visit.

This week my Unca G and Auntie D are touring through Florida and are hoping to make a stop this weekend.

Next week, we return the favour, and head to Canada for 10 days. Then 2 days later my mommy and daddy are coming. (why is it when you havent seen your parents in awhile you revert to an 8 year old when you speak.

Today should be fun, I have a bday party shoot at 11, My uncle arrives somewhere in there, then we have jade's classmate bday party at 3, then we are gonna go out for dinner. Should be a whirlwind today.


OHHHHHH How could I forget. Jade got her her first report card this week. With fear and trepidation I opened the envelope expecting to read "Your child has been advised to go to the "special school" with rubber walls, and quiet surroundings.

But.. she came through instead with ALL A's !!

Now as a former teacher, my B.S. radar went off. There is no such thing as ALL A's.

But then I calmed down, and realized, while maybe this was a computer generated "make kid feel good" report. haha

Seriously though, I am so proud and happy that Jade got her mom's brains..and looks.. I think she may do well in school which is all I ever dreamed of.

She already knows more about math than me. This morning she ran into my room screaming "I did it I did it.."


Did what jade?


I figured out the last 2 numbers in Pi !!


smart kid.



Here are a couple of things i've been working on. The silly vanity vair cover is trying to emulate last months cover with Indiana Jones. The post processing work is quite difficult.. I got the jacket dead on, but need to work on skin tones..

The tryptic is a print I will be selling at some local children stores.. Hope it does well.

Winter in Florida...

Too much work..you get silly.

U23D

I now know the definition of Busy..

My inbox is overflowing into my outbox, so now I am finishing things before I even start them haha


Working like a dog to get LeBleuphoto.com ready for an early February launch. My present for all this hard work?

I GET TO GO TO CANADA IN THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY!.. I can't wait...


as the sarcasm drips.. Of course its my home and I love it, but mid Feb, was THE REASON we moved here.. haha

We are going up to take care of some family health issues, and get our passports renewed, but can't wait to see all my family. (Unca Craig will be there too, which is kinda like all the planets aligning.) very rare.

And its my sisters Bday, and my grandfathers birthday too !..So it will be wonderful to see everyone.

On Andrea's side, Jade's buni has not seen here in wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to long, so I'm pretty sure the entire 10 days for jade will be one lonnnngggg hug.

That is of course, if she can keep My parents away long enough to hang on. hahah

I dont think Jade realizes how cold "REAL cold" is.. so I guess she will learn.


***Open call to my cdn friends.. I'm going to to take a day to do some photo shoots up there. I already have 3 or 4 people signed up, so if you are interested, please email me. I'll save you a spot. If you are looking to do some modeling,portrait work I'll try to fit you in.

I'll be shooting somewhere INDOORS, and warm.. Email me for details.. ken@lebleuphoto.com



Okay..back to work.. its only been a 9 hour work day so far.. gotta fill up the rest of the evening


Until next time.

Trying to catch up you all...

Okay here is a bunch from this month.. You get a variety of shots here..Some natural.. Some portrait... A slew of pics to keep you busy for about 2 mins of viewing. haha

Thanks Shaune' Christie and her mom (YES THAT'S HER MOM !! haha) for letting me post your beautiful faces here.. haha

The crazy ones are from a a local fair that was put on here.. good times..

#2 Jan 08

#3 pics Jan 08

Continued...

Whats up with the fricking blog?

haha.. How is that for an email I get.

Well..let me see..why have I been neglecting the blog.. I suppose its a good thing, I've been more busy than a beaver at a tree cutting competition.

You all have caught me at the perfect storm of life changes. With the new house, Work authorization, and setting up all the background stuff of running a photography business, instead of a photography hobby.. has me working 26/9 ... because 24/7 isnt enough time.

I guess for some strange reason, people are stoked about my photographs, so I'm getting a ton of enquiries and shoots. Which is awesome of course, but a little difficult getting all the background stuff running.

Things are much tougher when the immigration department holds your future in its hands.. You have to wait till they say you can work, and you have to ensure that you follow all rules to the letter.

So I'm taking baby steps, when my brain is taking the long jump. I'm like a caged animal wanting to burst out on to the scene with everything ready, but I have to make sure all background crap is done correctly.

Its the whole "business" part of the photography business that eats up your time.

And to be brutally honest, the only reason i'm blogging tonight is because I got yelled at AGAIN tonight for not blogging. So i'm taking the time out from 3 edits, and 24 pages of Tax forms to make sure that my blog audience doesnt get mad at me.. haha

Now of course, if Christie or Shaune' are reading this.. I'm going to get an email asking me why I'm wasting time blogging, instead of working on their photoshoots ! hahah



So yes.. The blog has lost its way a bit here.. But stay with me people.. I'll be back, and bigger and better than ever in a few weeks.

LEBLEU PHOTO will be arriving hardcore onto the world Feb 1st, 2008. (so says the accountant)

I'll try to post some of the recent shoots I've been doing maybe tonight.

Oh..and I'm also publishing a book of some awesome photographers I know as well, so that has me jumping from email to email every 5 seconds.



So that is my world.. I'll update Jade's world soon too ! What kind of Mr.Mom am I and I don't even talk about that anymore..

I suck.. haha


Quick story.. I took the puke roller skating with her best bud Issabella last night.. I havent been on roller skates since Mr.Mister was in the Ghetto Blaster.

...why did we call them ghetto blaster's by the way...


anyways... I gotta get back to work.. I'll leave you with this.. Probably the ONLY self portrait you'll ever see of me..


(easy to see why...what an ugly duck that guy is).

More fun this week..

Okay..back in action..

Had a billion problems posting to the blog this week. Everytime I tried something, it either hung up, or didnt accept the post. Looks like they fixed me up.


So here is the late xmas stuff. We had a pretty quiet xmas this year. Both Jade and I caught a nasty cold, so it kinda put a downer on the festivities, but it was alright.


It does go to show, that you really do need your family around ya during the holidays. Its always tough when its just us down here. We did get to spend xmas day with some good friends, and started a new holiday xmas tradition of Stone/Snow crab for dinner. they were yummy.


Jade was quite freaked out to find that santa left her a letter, and ate her cookies. Although, she was very interested to know why Santa had the same wrapping paper for presents as Mommy. (nice job Andrea)


It took some smooth talking by Daddy to convince her that Santa likes to do that so you never know who the presents come from.


Been playing alot in my new studio as my lights came in this month. Lighting is actually more of an art that a science... I really never wanted to get too far into studio photographay, but I suppose its pretty important for portrait work that comes my way.

Here are a few xmas shots, and experiments in the studio.


Merry xmas everyone, and all the best in 08 !