pets — Minneapolis Wedding, Event and Portrait Photography by Austin Images

Thursdays with Owen

March 28, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Apparently, Owen decided that he needed to come
and see me for a haircut yesterday so I squeezed
him in! He is becoming quite the talker…I mean
this guy can talk you into a coma and it’s like
being in a trance. You just listen so carefully
and next thing you know…he’s told you all about
something that either he has already done or is
going to do. Sometimes he tells you stuff that
he did a month ago. It’s really pretty funny.

Anyway, here’s Owen 3 days before he turns 3!

The hat is from his dad (my brother, Mike).
He went to UMD and his broomball team is also
the Bulldogs!

Today’s Minnesota Miracle at the Hilton is going
to be an early one. The family is taking the bus
down due to the fact that their car is apparently
not reliable enough to make the trip so Bob
is going to pick them up at the bus station and
then Cheryl, Mike LeSage & I will greet them back
at the Hilton around 11:30 for a Noon check in.
Shawn Anderson (resident miracle worker and sales
manager at the Airport MOA Hilton) is making
certain that they are able to check in early!
Today’s guest is a 4 year old boy…I don’t know
what type of cancer he has but I can’t help but
transfer that to like my nephew, Owen or my
friend’s son, Will. How sad for a 4 year old
to be going through all this.
It’s why the MOMF started the Minnesota Miracle
weekends with the Hilton. I’m so proud to be a
part of it. I count my blessings everyday!

If you are unfamiliar with what the MOMF or MM
does, please go to their link under “check these out”.

Meeting with Cory later today regarding my web site.
Which also means I get to see
Gerty

& Alice!

Maybe even Bob!

TGIF!

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: cat fun, Family, pets

Kittens

March 20, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

Popped over to Anne’s to see Spice’s kittens.
OMG! I don’t quite know what to make of them
yet. They are still sort of in that “rat” looking
phase. But the personalities are coming through
already. June (Nicki’s mum), you would just love’em!

One is pure white and the other will be a richer
taupe color. The teeny tiny “meow” that comes
from these two is just nearly edible. That’s
right, I said edible!

Here’s the proud mama…

here’s the all white one…

I think the smaller darker one looks like Yoda!

Mama feeding the babies and resting.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: cat fun, kittens, pets

Welcome Jet.

March 16, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Jet (Jet-son..or son of Jet) arrived on a flight
from Portland on Thursday.

Grieving the loss of a four legged friend is just
too tough. When Scott & Jacquie made the decision
to put Lucius down in December the devastation
just continued day after day after day.
I knew that they were in contact with Lucius’
breeder but to my surprise when Gary picked us
all up at the airport Thursday evening he said,
“Scott & Jacquie got a puppy!” I was sooo
excited for them! Scott has just been miserable.
This is just what they needed. I stopped over
yesterday to meet the gorgeous little guy.
His name is Jet.

My mom pointed out to me yesterday that I never
gave the reason for perhaps not returning to Cabo.
Sorry…I meant to. Well, there’s really no big
answer, it’s just that most of the time Gary and
I like to stay at little placed right on the beach.
I get so sick and tired of people waking up at
5am just to lay 15 towels out on all the best
chairs at the pool. I go to Mexico to sit my *ss
in the sand! The water was colder, the sand was
hot, a bucket of beer on the beach at the Mimi is
10 bucks…here, 25. I don’t know, It’s not that
I hated being there or anything like that it’s just
different. I must say that the photography opportunities
here were amazing…even National Geographic was
there shooting…

There was a steady flow of peddlers on the beach
each and everyday…that gets annoying.
I mean, sure, I bought some stuff from them but
every day they come right up to you and stand
there in hopes that you’ll cave in and decide
that you actually NEED a turtle whistle necklace!
I taught Ben the Spanish phrase for “go away!”
I’ve never had to actually use it before, but I
used it 2 or 3 times on this trip. Ben thought
it was hilarius!

So to sum up, It was beautiful there, pure blue
sky everyday, tons to do day and night, great
food, God knows I love the language, days got
to be about 80 degrees, nights about 60,
diving was awesome, fishing was incredible,
the villa was impeccable…the perfect trip
for families. Gary and I will do that sort of
thing once in a while, but we prefer to go and
do nothing and hang in the local haunts.
Who knows, maybe he and I will go to Cabo to
together sometime soon.

Make no mistake, I would not trade this tip
for anything. I had a FABulous time!
Thank you Anne and Pete for considering me
to come along. It really was a memory maker!

Check this out…REDRUM. This is the deep sea
fishing outfit that we used in Cabo.
It’s also the exact yacht we were on.

The diving group that Pete, Ben and I used
was Underwater Diversions.
Lars was our Dive Master and just the 4 of us
went out. We first went to Pelican Rock and
then to Neptune’s Finger.
Pete has all of those photos on his camera.
I’ll put those up when I get them from Pete.

I have a huge couple of weeks in front of me so
I must make an attempt to get back into my
reality zone.

I’m missing WPPI due to these
vacations but next year I WILL be attending!

Enjoy today!

Filed Under: Vacation Tagged With: cool opportunities, fun companies, pets

The Kittens are Coming!!!

February 26, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

(We leave early this morning so this’ll be a short one)

Anne called me around noon yesterday to tell me
that the kittens were on their way and that
she was freaking out, so I rushed right over!

Much excitement, as you can imagine and my mom
even got in on the action and picked Emily &
Amanda up from school early so they could witness
the birth.

I got there at 12:30 and the first one came
at 1:28. Then, the boredom set in.
I left around 3 to go gas up my mom’s car and
put air in her tires and Anne called…
“Where are you?” and I’m like, “getting mom gas,
did she have another one the minute I left???”..yep.
DANG it!!! Oh well….

Here’s the first one…

Anne called yesterday around 5 and gave me the
very sad news that the 2nd one did not make it.
Oh, I just HATE that!! She did everything she could
but it was just too weak.

I won’t get to see the other beauties in person
until I get home, but if you want…we can all go
to her blog (it’s listed under “check these out”)
over the next few days and check in.

Oh, and FYI, Anne had a beautiful basket all set
up perfect for Spice and at the last second she
hopped out and into the cardboard box she went.
And that’s where she stayed…like a homeless,
unwed mother on the streets having babies. :\

Adios amigos. Hasta Luego.
I’m off to my happy place!

The Kittens are Coming!!!

February 26, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

(We leave early this morning so this’ll be a short one)

Anne called me around noon yesterday to tell me
that the kittens were on their way and that
she was freaking out, so I rushed right over!

Much excitement, as you can imagine and my mom
even got in on the action and picked Emily &
Amanda up from school early so they could witness
the birth.

Here’s the first one…

Anne called yesterday around 5 and gave me the
very sad news that the 2nd one did not make it.
Oh, I just HATE that!! She did everything she could
but it was just too weak.

I won’t get to see the other beauties in person
until I get home, but if you want…we can all go
to her blog (it’s listed under “check these out”)
over the next few days and check in.

Adios amigos. Hasta Luego.
I’m off to my happy place!

colder than a meat locker!

February 20, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

Well, actually, MUCH, MUCH colder than a meat locker!
Woke up to not only 12 below outside but inside,
once I crawled out from under the electric mattress pad
set to chernobyl, I discovered that the house was
down to 62! That’s cold! That’s with the heat ON!
The door to the porch was open (4 season apparently
doesn’t include February!). I can’t even keep my coffee
hot in my mug. It’s cold!

Yesterday, Pete’s mom came over to get her hair done.
I love Carol. She is such a gentle soul. I perm her
hair about 3 times a year. She’s the only one I perm.
So when I do, the house get a little stinky but it
doesn’t last long and Carol is alway sooo grateful.
She always says..”I hope you never stop doing hair.”
AAAARRRRG! (as Charlie Brown would say)…the pressure!
Anne came to pick her up and asked if I’d take Carol’s
photo. So I did!

Anne also brought over the x-ray of Spice’s kitties!
We can see 5 sculls & 5 spines…WOW, 5 kittens due
in about 5-6 days. Birmans. Know anyone in the market?
I can put you in touch with Anne.
I hope she delivers before Gary and I leave for Mexico.

This is Spice when we picked her up in Iowa

Met with Laura last night. She works at our Vet.
She is going to stay with Hobie & Katie while we are
away. Hobie is a “special needs” cat now with his
meds and we are thrilled (so are Anne, Jacquie & Scott)
that she was available to house/pet sit for us!
Thanks Laura. If you are ever in need of a pet sitter
give me a shout and I’ll put you in touch with her!

Take time to call your travel agent today

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: Family, Maternity Corner, pets, weather~worthy

Disappearing act…

January 27, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

I’m not sure what exactly happens to images on my blog.
From time to time an entire post of photos just plain
disappears! All I can really do is go back in and re-
place them. Cut & paste is of no use. It’s really a
downer. The shots from the House of Fun & Fur were so
much fun that I’ve just decided to put a couple up on
today’s entry instead of fixing yesterday’s…you know,
‘push forward’ let the past go!

So, here goes…

This is the very handsome, Ringo…and oh,
yea, he’s not real excited about the pink collar.

But he loves me. He kept running and jumping into
my tripod bag…it was pretty funny…like it was his
safe place.

Here is the newest addition to the house, Daisy…

And the hostess with the very, very mostess, Jane..

Gary and I are going to spend the afternoon together.
We have decided that we will go see Juno finally and
then hit an early dinner.

Supposed to almost it 40 today and tomorrow.
So much for the ice sculpture contest at the St. Paul
Winter Carnival!

Filed Under: Portraits Tagged With: cat fun, pets, Portraits

Return to the House of Fun & Fur…

January 26, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

Hi everyone!
I was requested to return to Jane’s home and shoot
images for her upcoming Valentine’s Day greeting card
and party invites. WOW! this was no ordinary shoot.

Missing in action was one of my favorite cats, Betty.
This was not her bag. Here she is from a previous session.

Never a dull moment at the House of Fun & Fur!!

Lois, Thank you for sending me the Cat book!
The one you sent me is signed to you, however.
I’m wondering if you sent me yours by mistake?
I love it! It’s FABulous!!!

Tonight I am going to a party of hairdressers!
These are always fun and it’s been so long since
I’be been a member of this particular group that
I’m just chompin’ at the bit to get there!
Mark, my friend and colleague of many years in the
hair industry, has sold his salon (Metropolis Salon & Spa)
to one of the guys that rents there..Paul. Great guy!
I helped start that salon almost 16 years ago!
But when I moved my clientele to my home almost 10
years ago, I never looked back. I miss the hustle
& bustle every once in a while but I wouldn’t trade
it for what I am doing now.
Working from my home has allowed me to foster my
love and passion for and grow my photography business.
It’s just been FABulous!!

I’ll be bringing the Mark 3 along and shoot the
party for Mark & his wife, Tristin.

Filed Under: Portraits Tagged With: cool opportunities, pets, Portraits

DEEPER FREEZE!

January 17, 2008 By Susan Leave a Comment

WoW! Could it get any colder? YUCK!

Now I know what your thinking…
“Sure Sue, you work out of your home,
and rarely get outside.”
(That’s totally true!) but that doesn’t
change the fact that it is just insanely
cold out!

I got a response back regarding my blast
about my e-mail woes from my uncle Mike
and his wife Peggy yesterday. That was so
fun! I hope that they check my blog from
now on to see what everyone is up to!
Growing up, once my youngest brother Mike
was born, we referred to my uncle as
“Big Mike” and my brother, of course, was
“Little Mike”…we were so clever back then!
Uncle Mike was the middle son in my dad’s
family and I’m the middle in mine. a good bond.

I JUST got word that Scott & Jacquie, late
last night, made a horrificly selfless
decision to put Lucius down. I could not
even speak the words to tell Gary when he
walked in this morning (he had an early
morning PT appointment-his first one).
Please pray for my friends as they grieve
the loss of their beautiful doberman, Lucius.

We will all miss him.

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: Family, pets, prayer requests

wedding hairdo…

January 3, 2008 By Susan 1 Comment

this morning i’m meeting with mandy.
she and mark are getting married next
saturday here in the twin cities.
i did their engagement photos almost
a YEAR ago!! wow!!

i’m giving her the foil of her life
today! (no pressure!) i will not be
creating her wedding hairdo the day
of the wedding but i’ll be at the salon
where she’s having it done. it looks
pretty cool!

jason, of staja studios, will be joining
me in exchange for assisting them in
northfield a couple of weeks ago.
i really think it’s cool when photographers
get together and pitch in when you need a hand.

moving on…i’ve gotten many calls and
e-mails regarding gary in the past 2 hours…
he goes in for his “stand up” mri today
at about 2, from there we wait to see his
surgeon tomorrow morning for his recommendation.
going forward we ask for some devine healing.
anytime you feel the urge, pray for gary’s
spine, C5 and his spirits, as he’s been awful
down. perhaps even pray that he can get some
rest…he has not been ABLE to sleep much due
to the location of the pain.

he’s decided that he needed an outing so he
got in the car and went to target to get
more meds…big outing!

we’ll know more tomorrow sometime.

thanks for your prayers and well wishes.

oh, p.s. my good friend jacquie and her family
just got bad news about lucius..their doberman.
he has cardio myopathy…terminal.

we all know what it’s like to lose a family
pet and how devastating that is..please keep
them in your prayers as well.

love all people.

Filed Under: Weddings Tagged With: gary, o.p. (other photographers), pets, prayer requests