Detroit like you've never seen it.

Yves Marchand & Romain Meffre Photography. Amazing stuff, you should totally check out the link and have a look...

"Ruins are the visible symbols and landmarks of our societies 

and their changes, small pieces of history in suspension.

The state of ruin is essentially a temporary situation that happens at 

some point, the volatile result of change of era and the fall of empires.

This fragility, the time elapsed but even so running fast, lead us to watch them one very last time : 

being dismayed, or admire, making us wondering about the permanence of things.

Photography appeared to us as a modest way 

to keep a little bit of this ephemeral state."

The sunsets down here do kick ass...

And here's a gratuitous photo of my furchild...

Happy Birthday Swiss!

That man with the sand dollar is mine, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

Here's wishing the most amazing person I know a wonderful Birthday... I promise there will be cake and food not stored in a tin and presents and all the trappings of a proper Birthday celebration when you get home.

And let's hope this is the last of your Birthdays we have to spend apart...

Happy Birthday Baby! I LOVE YOU!

DC!

DC Collage, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

Okay, I know this wee blog of mine just got really photo heavy really fast. But alas, there's lots to share!

So, DC was 78 shades of awesome. The company was wonderful (LAW, Army Wife Life & Never Apart in Heart - you ladies are amazing!), the sights were fantastic and I may or may not have fallen in love with the city. And can I just say how flat out great it was to be with other MilSpouses who just get it? Who are going through the same things as me? Who just understand all the lingo, BS and STUFF that goes along with this life of ours? It was delightful.

I will write more about it all later, but heres the lowdown on the photos in the collage:
(L to R, Top to Bottom) Me and the White House, Vietnam War Memorial, Statue at the Vietnam War Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Me and Mr. Colbert in the Smithsonian American History Museum, the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, the Washington Monument, Me and some mighty tasty beer, the ladies on the mall, the Korean War Memorial, US Marines Memorial (aka: Iwo Jima), the National Cathedral, the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, and lastly serious on-post housing envy at Fort Belvoir.

BOOYAH!

SOLD!, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

Splat.

Splat, originally uploaded by jptshawn.

Between my job running me into the ground like some poor horse on the Pony Express and the broken washing machine (the motherboard, of course, $300+ to fix, natch), the malfunctioning A/C post inspection (Midwest! August! Humidity! Fun!), having a total meltdown on the phone with Swiss last night and Fletch spilling his completely full water bowl all over the kitchen this morning... I am feeling decidedly like the bug.

I'm off to DC for the weekend to visit some really amazing Ladies... there will be sight seeing, wine/beer drinking, kvetching, knitting and Colin Firth watching.

I am hoping to return feeling much more like the windshield.

Have an excellent weekend everyone! See you on Monday...

Exhausted.

Fetcher, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

This is totally how I feel. I would love nothing more than to pass out on the floor and sleep, with my ACU clad hubby next to me. Le sigh. Not to be...

Between work running me ragged, the stress of the house selling/3 hour inspection/etc, the general deployment malaise and the late hours I've been putting in (blame the knitting!) I am running on fumes. So blame all that stuff for my lack of posting... I just don't have the gumption to put thoughts to screen, nor do I have a strong enough opinion on anything to warrant a post. Sorry. I think this weekend in DC will be rejuvenating and good for my general being. Let's hope, because this in no way to get through a week.

On Sundays and sanity.

So, good news? I am no longer paranoid or stressed or worried about the deal on the house. If you add up all the tax returns we got because of it, we easily cover the kitchen remodel AND the $1,000 out of pocket. And the peace of mind having this done is totally worth it. So, you know, SQUEE!

This weekend has been great, absolutely nothing on the schedule (other than an outing today to see Julie & Julia with some friends). I knitted, I wrote, I talked to and saw Swiss (YAY web cam dates!), drank my body weight in coffee and took Fletch to the puppy park. Apparently the puppy park is the answer to all things Fletcher. He was mellow as all get out last night, even curling up with me on the sofa which he usually doesn't do because he doesn't really

like the TV. Even better? He slept until 0815 this morning. I would have gone back to bed, but honestly, I was afraid he was dead. Nope, just plum tuckered out. Only now with 10x more energy! I think another trip to the puppy park is in order this morning... yes, God Bless the Puppy Park.

But anyway, I got to take a lot of photos of Fletch at the Park, which was awesome and I even got a bit of a tan. Oh yeah, Swiss got to see Fletch for the first time yesterday too. And it is finally acting like a true Midwestern summer here, 90+ degrees and off the charts humidity. Sweet, right?

This week brings a big presentation at work on Monday, the start of Fletcher's Obedience Classes and packing for the trip to DC... I am beyond stoked to actually meet up with some of my ladies (Army Wife, Neverapartinheart and LAW) and spend some time with a few kick ass MilSpouses. Woo hoo! Okay, I am off to drink more coffee, knit, let the dog in and out of the house 50 more times (we are SO getting a doggie door in our next house!) and hang out with some peeps later. I hope y'all have an awesome Sunday! Thanks for all your support, kind words and general awesomenss this past week! Lurve you all!

SWISS!!!

Shutthefrontdoor!!! SWISS! That is SWISS!!!! ZOMFG!!!! This is the first photo I have seen of him in 6 months. He surprised me with 10 minutes on the webcam. I don't have one yet, but I got to see him. SEE! Not just hear! Oh Lawdy I love that man! He looks so great and the webcam is awesome (now must find an old iCam or whatever for my old iMac... or, you know, buy a MacBook) and I am beyond grateful to have gotten to actually SEE him! WITH MY OWN TWO EYES! LIVE!!! Squeeeeee!!!!

When it first came up, dude I will not lie, I BAWLED. Happy bawling mind you, but bawled big fattie tears. I got to see him smile! IT WAS FABULOUS!!! Sorry if I am totally geeking out right now, but seriously, this was beyond words. I am such a happy girl right now! God Bless teh Interwebz!!! I LOVE YOU SWISS!!!

Awwww yeah!

Half Way, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

Photograph.*

*Note: You must sing this like you were at a Def Leppard concert, though no spandex is required.

So I realized that I "talk" A LOT on this blog. I am one wordy girl. Which I suppose is the point, I mean, how much fun would this blog be to read (assuming that it is fun to read) if I never wrote anything? But for today, I just thought I would pipe down, sort of, and post some photos. So here ye go!

Our house, up for sale. Squee! Ain't she cute? I'm going to be sad to leave her, but if the price is right, I'm guessing I'll get over it! ;)

Noble Sir Fletcher Colbert Schnitzellicker. He looks so handsome here! Don't be fooled!!!

Me... KNITTING! Seriously, I get how to cast on now... that is huge! I suspect the wine had something to do with it. Isn't the color of the yarn purrty? It's Peruvian... ooooh!

4th of July fireworks, as seen from our back porch. The tripod Swiss's parents got me for Christmas did wonders in getting this photo...

My Mom (in the brown) and her best friend playing Guitar Hero. Awesome.

Okay, that's all I have. I hope y'all have a wonderful Saturday and guess what? We are almost half way done with this deployment. HOOAH! :)

Happy Fourth of July!

Eighth Avenue Patriot, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

Enjoy the day and remember what it is about, and remember those fighting to keep it that way...

Because we all need more baby gorillas.

There. Those should have made you sufficiently mushy and gooey inside. And unless you are cold and heartless, you should be smiling. Nom nom nom.... baby gorilla. Seriously, how stinking cute is this little guy? And he just got a new surrogate mom... which is good because otherwise I would have tried to adopt him and then there would literally, one day, be an 800lb gorilla in the room. Awkward.

Okay, Carry On! Happy Wednesday all! Thanks for humoring my gratuitous baby animal post, it's my inner Jane Goodall coming through... (Oh, and don't forget to vote on my new studio name thingy in yesterday's post!)

The newish gig. Sorta.

So most of you already know that I am trying to start up a photography business... yeah, I know, me and everyone else. But I am hoping that this is something I can do for actual money and still get to flex my creative muscles, espeically when we are down at Fort X and I will be gainfully UNemployed. The plan? Family, baby and senior portraits. I love weddings, but don't want to go that route just yet... no real good reason other than I like my weekends to myself. Selfish Only Child Alert!!!

So the first gig is on Thursday, it is for a good friend at work and her beautiful family. I'm only charging, so far, for a sitting and time spent editing. No printing, they will just get a DVD with the photos (or CD if it is small enough) and they can choose their own images. At least that is the plan for now. But I digress.

The real issue at hand is this: What the heck do I call this thing?

I know I have asked this, sort of, before... but here are some options I am mulling around... I need your input. Which one sounds sufficiently creative and quirky without sounding flighty or dumb/nonsensical?

Here are my thoughts so far: (mind you, most of these came from song names, poems, etc... and the Studios/Photography part is interchangeable in all cases)

Lovebird Studio

Goodnight Elisabeth Studio

Blackbird Photography

Violet Hill Studio

Lost & Found Photography

What do y'all think? Ideas? Thoughts? Favorites? Let me know what you think folks, because apparently I am incapable of making decisions!

Meet Swiss.

The hubs, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

So Swiss and I were talking just last night about my little blog and he asked me why there weren't more photos of him... I was all... um, well isn't that an OPSEC thing? He said not likely, unless he was in uniform with all this snazzy patches and ranks and names and blood types and so on. So, here I go introducing you all to Swiss.

This is the guy who writes me poetry, then goes and kills a deer so we have venison in the freezer. He is the man who once brought me flowers that were attached to a pint of Ben & Jerry's Crem Brulee ice cream and 2 spoons. He is the guy who wants to go on a hunting trip as much as he wants to go to Barcelona to sip wine and people watch. I could go on and on about how awesome he is, how amazed I am by him, and how funny and clever and sweet and sexy he is, but you all don't need to hear all of that right now. All you need to know is that he is my Happily Ever After. swoon! I love you Sweetheart!

Someday I will tell you how we got our nicknames of Tucker and Swiss... but for now I will just wish you all a Happy Friday! Cheers!

Fletcher

Fletcher, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

I share this picture because it is the ONLY one I have where he doesn't a) look insane or b) appear as a white & black blur. He actually looks quite distinguished and stately.

Don't be fooled though, in reality he is much more like a toddler on meth, a la Coco.

Teh randomness.

Yeah, so I went AWOL this weekend from the blog-o-sphere. Sorry.
I’ve been in a sort of quasi funk… not that things aren’t good, because they are… just that Ugh, are we done yet?
(HA HAHAHA Ha hahahahahhaaaha AHAHAHAHAH! NO. We are not.)

I coached the U12 girls in a tournament this weekend. We were 1-3. But somehow we still got 2nd place in the “Bronze” Bracket. Also known as the LOSER bracket (and I say this with utter confidence as we lost both qualifying games). I love how we are sugar coating everything for kids now days. Anyway, this coaching gig has been an interesting observation and study in the results of parenting methods… and I totally made 2 girls cry. One told me she didn’t like the position we put her at so I said if she didn’t like it she could sit on the bench. Tears. The other told me she wasn’t cheering for her teammates because she was bored, to which I said, if you are bored then go home. Tears. Heh… I sound like such a hard-ass. The thing that blows my mind is how some of these 11 & 12 year old girls have no idea what the word respect means. They don’t come out of the womb like that, right? Someone made them that way. And those parents? I want to kick them in the shins and whip them the bird. Mature, I know.

But I digress. Fletcher and I have reached a happy compromise that involves him sleeping in his kennel in the basement so that I am no longer awakened at 5:09 am and grumpy as all get out. It is good! Plus I think Fletch is waaaaay cuter at 6 am than he is at 5. Everyone wins!

And in other super exciting news, I just booked my first paying job as a photographer. (ahwehewyeysrusdiufydsiuhg!!!!) It will be a family photo shoot combined with 9 month baby pictures. The baby girl? She is adorable! This family? They are beautiful. And we are doing it in their garden, which is more like a botanical park. I can’t wait! I think this means I might need to come up with a logo or something. Hmm. Should I stick with Tucker & Swiss as a name or branch out? Do I go with my real name? Make something random up? What do you all think????

Fletcher learns to eat an apple.

Fletcher learns to eat an apple., originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

What else is there to say? My dog eats apples and it is hilarious. The end.

Spring is in the air.

Honeybee, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

Despite the overcast days and freezing misty rain (and dropping temperatures too) it is Spring here in the upper Midwest. It is good.

I have started my Spring cleaning and am anxiously awaiting what grass is left in the backyard (thanks Fletch) to turn green. I also made up some Spring resolutions (I've never been one for the New Year's kind): I am going to learn how to knit. I am taking a figure & portrait drawing class. And I hope to help coach a U12 fastpicth softball team (I've played ball since I was in first grade and played all though college- and no, none of the softball stereotypes fit me). I am going to get this kitchen project done. And I am going to try to find Swiss a Literary Agent.

That's a good list to start with I think. I'm hoping the busy-bee mentality will help these days go by faster and faster because it is going to be another 6 months until we get some R&R time. Wow. It will be fall by then...

Round up.

Love, originally uploaded by Tucker&Swiss.

I am missing Swiss so very, very much today so just because I can I'm giving him so blog Love. This was taken on our visit to Duluth last summer and that is Lake Superior in the background. Oh, how I miss him... it creeps its way into every part of my day, even my dreams. At least we are close to another week down. Is this thing over with yet???

I am generally swamped today and don't have much mojo so I will post the kitchen choices this weekend. I'm really excited and all of your input has been tons of help! (And Hooray for keeping the dark counters!)

Here's wishing all of you a super weekend and enjoy the Spring weather!