Photo dreams ...

One of the most difficult aspects in business for me is prioritizing. There are *so many* things I want to do. *So many* pieces of equipment, etc I want to get ... but what is at the top of the list?

For the last few years, going to the annual WPPI convention/tradeshow. There's so much "buzz" about it ... and I'm just itching to go, but life keeps getting in the way. The last few years, I've had a full time job that was not conducive to leaving for a week-ish. Now ... we'll see. Erik and I have *talked* about going to Vegas, and I'd love to even go to a day of the activities ... we'll just have to see.

The above video is one in a series to "pump us up" ahead of the main event. :-) It's long, so if you wanna watch, get comfy. It's a reality episode about a bunch of photogs trying to make a short film in 24 hours. I frequently stalk a lot of their blogs, so it's amusing to see them act/interact with others. On some, I think "oh, I would have pictured their voice differently" or some such silliness.

Here's hoping for Vegas this year .... ;-)

Working on the 101 list — Braised Brussels Sprouts + Pork Chops with a creamy herbed sauce.

Friday night, my parents swung through town with some friends. They suggested we go out to eat, but I *insisted* they come over. Why? Because I had one more day to make a new recipe. I'm a dork like that. :-)

So I had 8 extra people in our house to eat 2 recipes I've NEVER made before. What brave buddies!

It's been 7 years since I cooked chops myself ... but it was quite yummie!

CLICK HERE for the Chops recipe. And CLICK HERE for the Sprouts recipe. :-)

Of course, here's the list of the new recipes I've tried so far:
Dec. 21 — Peanut Butter Pancakes
Dec. 31 — Calzones
Jan. 9 — Braised Brussell Sprouts + Pork Chops with a creamy herbed sauce.

Grrrrrrrr ... Quickbooks me no likey

*warning, I'm going to rant and whine*

UUUUUUUUUGH. I have NO LOVE for Quickbooks. Yes, I should have gotten my backside into gear and gotten it at the beginning of 2008. BUT ... I am a Mac girl (GO APPLE!) and they only had old versions (2007). The new version just came out. Yay!

BUT in the meantime, they released an online version. I think this is the solution to all of my worldly problems ... until I go online this morning and it tells me I need to be running on Explorer. UGH. Seriously? I have to use a buggy PC browser to use your product? Could you be any more UNFRIENDLY?!??!?!?

As if I wasn't irritated before, I'm irate now. :-(

Oh, and to add to things, the only "tax work" I've done is to throw receipts into the box with the "I'll do it with the new program."

What a fool I was.

Jamaica — snorkeling

During our time in Jamaica, Erik and I went snorkeling. I've gone once or twice ... but it was Erik's first time.


In fact, it was such a good time that we went 3 times!


Getting the two of us under water, plus the person taking the picture ... well, it wasn't easy.




(I can't believe I'm actually showing pix of me nearly full-body in my swimming suit .... but whatever!)


I hope Erik still talks to me after seeing this entire post. ;-)

Closet progress ...

Ok, I get the feeling some people (ahem, joelisaac, ahem) think I'm totally obsessed with our closet.

Truly, the project has been going on for MUCH longer than I'd like ... but isn't that life?

I don't have any "before" pix right now, so you'll just have to see it at another date. Sorry y'all.

Just today, I put up the vertical shelf (on the left side) this afternoon. :-)


The built in (right side) has been repainted, and I am just *adoring* the white trim. Erik painted all of the baseboards while I was gone! YAY E!

There will be another shelf/rod under the ones already hung. Yippe!!!!! We're going to more than double our hanging space in that closet!


Because the baseboards are all painted, we opted to move in the dressers. :-) On the left side of the wall, we will be putting in a taller rod for dresses and other long tiems that can't go on the dual system on the two walls.

Oh, and we're aware we need blinds to keep the clothes all pristine.

But I'm all sorts of *in love* with the tan wall color and white trim!

This closet is MASSIVE!!!!! I'm NOT a clothes horse, but it's just a jewel of a space!

Portrait session in Charity Auction!

Ok, Friday night there's a benefit for a family who is very dear to my heart, the Rzihas. Without going into too much detail, Shannon, the wife of my buddy Wayne, has cancer. She's going through Chemo right now ...

In addition to being a wife, Shannon is the mother of 3 little bundles of energy.

To help offset medical bills, one of Wayne's sisters is hosting a benefit party Friday night.

Host: Rzihas and Fr. Bernard
Date: Friday, January 9, 2009
Time: 6:30pm - 11:00pm
Location: Clonmel Community Building
Street: 18630 W 71st St
City/Town: Clonmel, KS

A $10 suggested donation is being accepted.

Also at the event will be an auction (I don't know many details ... I think it will be a silent auction, but Fr. Bernie has also done auctioneering, so it's anyone's guess!). Wayne and his entire family have been a massive blessing in my life, and I've decided to donate a Heartland Lifestyle Portrait session to the auction.


Auction item details:

Portrait session with Karen Bonar, Heartland Photography. Session includes 1 hour of on-location time (your home, park, favorite outing) and can be used for family, infant, child or senior portraits. Session value: $150.

These photos are of Amy and her little girl, Chloe, from our lifestyle baby session this weekend.


I know we have quite a few blog readers, and if you can attend this Friday's benefit, please do so! If you've been wanting to have a Heartland Lifestyle session, this is an excellent way to get one! Help out the Rzihas, and get some beautiful, artistic images of your family at the same time.

My plan vs. God's plan

From time to time, God thumps me on the head. Almost as if to say "I'm here, are you aware of me?"

Last night was one of those nights.

I'd been up late the last week or so doing different projects, etc. The bridal fair was complete and I.just.needed.sleep.NOW. But ... as life goes, I was distracted. Puttering around for no good reason.

My Facebook status went as follows:

8:38 p.m. : Karen is resting after an awesome bridal show today!
10:17 p.m. : Karen is going to sleep ... I mean it this time!
10:25 p.m. : Karen is REALLY going to bed this time. I MEAN IT NOW!!!!!
10:27 p.m. : Karen should give up and admit she's too distracted to sleep
10:42 p.m. : Karen is wasting perfectly good sleeping time. WHY AM I STILL UP PUTZING AROUND ON THE COMPUTER?!!!?

The answer to that last question came a few minutes later ... when I wandered out into the living room to ... well, I don't know why I did, but I did. And there was dad, having a less than wonderful low bloodsugar. :-( Mom was asleep and I was the only person around. Thankfully, some juice did the trick and all was well in the Mikols house ...

I certainly hope my family doesn't mind me sharing this. I don't do so to embarras anyone. It's just part of life and happens from time to time. This time was my turn to pitch in, and I'm glad to do so.

And it was God's chance to tap me on the shoulder and say "Hey you, you have a purpose. You have a meaning. Even when things aren't going according to YOUR plan, *I* have a plan. And know what? It's way better than anything you could come up with, Karen."

So, I share the same with you, blog readers.

YOU have a purpose
GOD has a plan.
It's probably not your plan, but know what? It's *far better* than anything you could ever come up with.

Have a glorious Monday and Blessed New Year.

# 30 — Have a Heartland booth in a bridal show

... CHECK!


One show down, two to go this month. :-)

I spent today at The Cotillion in a Bridal Fair hosted by Kansas Wedding Plan Magazine. What a blast! I'm exhausted, but it was super fun to have time to chat with brides one-on-one.

This has not been the easiest of my 101 in 1001 items to complete. The people at the "big" Wichita fair won't return a phone call or e-mail. It's been frustrating, so we opted for a booth in a smaller fair. But wow! It was fantastic ... we had time to visit with every single bride, which was fantastic. At the big fair, it's like a cattle drive (and I've actually BEEN to a cattle drive, so that's experience speaking, folks!). There are just *so many people* it's difficult to get any quality time with one bride/couple/family.

And my favorite bride, Robin, came along to pimp us and talk about her wedding photography experience. :-)



Peace out, yo. I gotta get some SLEEP!

ps-21 items checked off the list! And several more are in the works! I'm not sure they'll *all* get done before Oct. 18, but I'm giving it my best shot.

Jamaica — Honeymooners part I

Ok, I'd originally intended to do all these at once, but life is INSANE right now, and so I'll share the first batch of photos of E and I in Jamaica.

Hopefully next week, I'll have some quality time to clear my head and get the rest of these edited. Hopefully ....


They had "sunset photo sessions" for a rediculious fee ... plus, they were using on camera strobe. Heck, I figured we could do the same thing w/ my little camera .... and the couples were awesome. Many were like "we'll trade photos with you. We'll take yours if you take ours." How awesome/friendly!





And, of course, some individuals:


This is the swim-up bar. It is my friend. :-)


TOTALLY love this photo (above)!


Being a dork:


Now, for the cynics out there who might think I won't show an unflattering photo of me ... Erik took these as I napped after an afternoon on the beach. Look at him grin like an imp:







• • • 
Closet update: A closet shelf fell on my face during instillation, eating my glasses. One of the shelves also cut my finger, drawing blood.

Closet: 2
Karen: 0

There is, however, one FULL shelf that's up ... the bar, too! So progress is being made, and a few clothes are back in the closet.

Maybe the score should now read:

Closet: 2
Karen: 1

I also hope to finish this bear of a project next week.

Working on the 101 list — Calzones

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Ok, so I'm exhausted.

For the first time in my LIFE I didn't make plans for New Year's Eve. I didn't go to a party. I didn't hang w/ my family. I didn't even make plans w/ E. If I was awake when he got home, he'd see me .... otherwise, I'd be catching up on MUCH NEEDED sleep.

But yesterday, I made Calzones for dinner. :-)

Yes, it's on my 101 in 1001 list!

Ok, ok, ok, so you're saying "Karen, it's been 10 days since you made something ... you're a cheater! That's not w/in a week." WELL smarty pants, I have decided to count a week from Sunday to Saturday. Dec. 21 was a Sunday, so I hit the start of that week. This week, I opted to do it on Wednesday. So there!

I was sort of grousing about it to myself, but it's truly nice to have an excuse to try a recipe I've cut out and stuck in my folder ...

Anyhow, for those of you interested, please CLICK HERE to view the recipe. I used the Ricotta and Ham variation, which was interesting. Also interesting was that there were potatoes in the calzone. I've never heard of/had that before, but it wasn't bad at all.

Of course, here's the list of the new recipes:
Dec. 21 — Peanut Butter Pancakes
Dec. 31 — Calzones

• • •
Also going on in my life ... I opened the box of the closet system, and in an extremely tired state, tried to figure out and measure the best option to putting those bad boys up. Photos to come when it's all spiffed up.