New Name and New Look

If you get a chance, take a look at the new website that Ted and I (with some help from Mark and Sharon) put together this weekend. My official new business name is Beth Cardwell Photography. I am keeping Just Be. as my slogan. Things are going well, I am already booked for June and have a couple of bookings in July. Thanks to everyone who has supported me with this-it really means a lot to me!

Red Rose Run is in FOUR Days!!

I am ready. Looking to do solid 13 minute miles. Looking to beat my last RRR time of 1:18 minutes. Bottom line-Looking to finish anyway I can.

I am just a LOST junkie trying to get a fix.

I have just a few hours to go until the season finale of LOST. I love this show so much, every character, every flashback and every plot. Yes, its true-I go look up spoilers on line and lurk on ABC's message boards to find out stuff. Really I can't help it-the show is sooo addicting. It is my guilty little pleasure...well that and Chipwich sandwiches. I am already counting the days to September when Season 3 will start.

For anyone who wanted to know...

I have had so many people ask me why I use a 4 heart celtic knot as my business logo. Here is a picture why. This is my first tattoo (yes I have more than one) that I got at Penn State in May 1997, a couple of months before I got married. Ted designed my wedding band because of the knots border. My Mom created a stained glass replica of this tattoo and gave it to me as a housewarming gift. So to say that this tattoo is very meaningful me is an understatement, it was only natural that I use it as part of my business. To me the tattoo symbolizes 2 things, a bond of love that can not be broken and the four seasons that keep looping together to create the cycle of life. I dig it. By the way I took this picture myself and I am not naked (for all the prudes and pervs out there :)

Lame in the month of May.

Gotta admit I have not kept up to well with the blog this month. Now those who are dedicated readers of this blog know the word "busy" would not ever be used in the same sentence with the words "I am". However, with added responsibility at work, training for the Red Rose Run, trying to market Just Be. Photography by Beth Cardwell with no budget, getting ready for actual CD production and most importantly being there for my husband and kids; I have found I have little time left over to blog. I think about blogging a lot and have great topics in my head, but they have not come to frutation. Couple of things that are looking up, blog wise, in June:
1.) Lost, Survivor and Prison Break are done for the summer. 2.) There is more daylight and I feel so much more awake at 8pm. 3.) Going to be on the computer a lot getting my website updated so I will use blogging as a much needed break. There you have it. To those of you who actually read this thing. I really did not think it would be around this long, so thanks for taking the time to read it and leave comments-they make my day!

Meet our new pet.

His name is Burrito. He came home with us about three weeks ago from the pet store to live in a water lilly vase we have in the kitchen. As we are driving home from the store, I asked the kids what his name should be and Alex shouts out "Burrito!". After a heated debate (Ben wanted to name him Taco Man) we took a vote and the name Burrito won. Not quite sure where the mexican food name references came from-but Burrito seems to like the name (and us) enough to stay alive for more than a week.

Ode to my Mom
I wrote a poem in High School (I think I was 15) that I found the other day and thought it would be perfect to post on my blog for Mother's Day. So Mom, Thank you for everything you have done (and still do) for me. I get it now. I know what a Mom has to do to make sure her kids are safe, healthy, happy and good decision makers. Sometimes it is not easy or fun. I appreciate your sacrifices and I love you very much.

My Mother:
My Mother is a person who is hard to understand
Sometimes she's my friend
Sometimes she's hard to stand
I wonder if her madness will ever end
And then, just like that she is my friend again
I know she loves me, but sometimes I wonder
Why she gets mad at my teenage plunders
Its a question unanswered, but maybe someday
When I'm old enough I'll be like her in everyway.

Mothers Day Gift-
This is what Ted and the kids gave me for Mother's Day. I love it!! I had hinted that this would make a great birthday gift back in March. Ted being Ted, made it a surprise by getting it here by Mother's Day. The very talented Liz Eaton made this necklace and you can see her work at Hello Again

Old hobbies revisited...
Last week I went to Penn State for a conference. I was a presenter for one of the sessions on Working with Female Offenders. I took it that I did a good job when one of the audience members came up to me afterwards and told me I am working on another "plane" and I would be rewarded for my good work later on. Cool- I could use the points. Plus, I was invited to present at another program in another county. Overall, it was a great conference: informative, interesting and thought provoking. Now for the old habits part. Before I took up scrapbooking and photography I used to say my hobbies were drinking beer and smoking cigarettes. Never to extreme excess, but I did smoke regularly and I was a weekend warrior. Things really changed for me once Ben was born and I totally stopped going to bars and quit smoking. Well, lets just say in Penn State I threw back a couple and smoked a few (3 to be exact). It was nice to go out and have a good time. Of course I felt like crap the next day so I do not plan go on a binge. The flashback to my college days was a fun short trip. I am glad to be home again.