a new, old friend.

this past weekend, i had the privilege of attending tim park's next photography workshop.  i also had the privilege of hosting a new friend who flew out from new jersey just for this workshop.  i met kelly at tim's first workshop a couple of years ago and we've been online friends ever since.  so when she told me she was coming again, i rashly invited her to stay at our house while she was out here.  i say "rashly" because i didn't stop to think about how i was offering her a ghetto air mattress in our ghetto downstairs room with the ghetto door that doesn't close all the way.  i'm told that some people don't like ghetto.

she graciously accepted my offer and went so far as to say that she hoped i wouldn't regret inviting her.

huh?  it should really be the other way around-- that i hoped she wouldn't regret accepting my offer.  cuz did i mention the ghetto factor?

anyway, i got the house (somewhat) ready and nervously awaited her arrival on friday evening.

and wouldn't you know it?  kelly turned out to be one of those rare people who you've really only just met but almost instantly feels like a friend you've known forever.  i love those kind of people.  but they are rare.  at least in my world.

so saturday morning, off we went to the workshop together.

six concentrated hours of time talking only about photography.  could there possibly be anything better to do on a saturday?  i think not.

that's kelly observing as tim demonstrated an outdoor shot.

that's tim talking about the harsh mid-day light.  and that's sam in the red shirt.  funny story- sam called me that morning to say he was running late and to ask if i could save him a seat.  kelly and i were almost there with ten minutes to spare so i assured him that yes! i'd save him a seat.  no worries.  but then...  we (kelly and i) decide to stop first and get starbucks cuz we figure we'd need the boost to make it through the six hours.  which then uses up the spare ten minutes and then some.  so uh, we end up being the last ones to arrive with sam outside the door calling me to ask where in tarnation was i?  so, so sorry for being a lame-o, sam!  so anyway, that's sam in the red shirt.  looking kinda disgruntled.  probably about the seat i never saved for him.  sorry, sam!

and that's kelly letting me try out bounce flash on her.

after the workshop, we returned home, said goodbye to the grandparents (who awesomely drove all the way down to stay with the kids so i could go to this workshop), and kelly treated us to dinner!

phil and his iphone were at an all-day conference but happily, kelly very kindly let the kiddos play with hers.  and that sealed her status as the best auntie-houseguest ever.

 

see this girl eating cheerios?  i didn't give them to her.  she very shamelessly asked the people next to her for some.  and she asked for seconds and thirds!  and then started in on their ritz crackers!

and she sees no problem whatsoever with this.  i, on the other hand, about died.

this is kelly noticing that i appear to be taking a picture.

and this is kelly laughingly telling me this better not end up on my blog.  and to let her eat her mushroom soup in peace.

luckily for kelly (and me since now i could distract lauren away from mooching more snacks from our neighbors), the chef arrived to cook our dinners.  he made this cool onion ring volcano and mikey's been calling him the 'volcano man' ever since.  and mikey mentions him often.

mmm.  delectable.

this is kelly realizing i caught her again.  and plotting her revenge.

and this is kelly telling lauren that she has her own revenge pictures of me on her camera.  oh, wait...

ok, ok, here's a posed picture of auntie kelly with my random children.

and to be fair, here's me with my random children.  lauren couldn't be bothered to look up from her game just then.

 

the next morning, the kids woke up and wanted to know if auntie kelly was still here.  they were sad when i told them that she had to leave very early to catch her plane back home.  :(  allie sat down and said she wanted to draw her a picture.  when she was finished she held it up and said, "this is auntie kelly picking a blueberry from a blueberry apple tree."  i believe she's using artistic license here in making the blueberries red instead.

in any case, we all miss you, auntie kelly!

after a great weekend hosting an awesome houseguest/wonderful new friend, i went downstairs and found this!  very, very sweet and very, very dangerous.  in fact, i think i'll go eat another one right now.  dangerous, i tell ya!