It all started in a dream that I was dancing at a club to the song “Bust a Move” with Cassidy, my friend and my friend’s husband.
I told my friend this dream the next afternoon, and she told me that she had a dream in which her husband hired me to do vinyl siding on their house. I’m still laughing at the chances for these things to happen. They did hire me, actually, to take photos of their family and not to do vinyl siding on their house. It was a much better move, I said. “If you want it, baby, you got it,”
“Just bust a move.”
If I just got that song in your head, you’re welcome. I then brought the dream conversation into twitter and dragged Janine and Lanaya into it. I think we all agree that we’d love to go out together and bust a move. Too bad distance isn’t on our side. Yet.
It’s been a strange re-entry into western Mass life after our four days in Truro. The weather has been my least favorite – muggy and rainy, but we haven’t really noticed as we’ve been getting back to family time, and having last attempts at summer fun.
Scarlet and I found a weird puppet in the basement that we had never seen before. There was a boring explanation involving a box of hand-me-downs that Cassidy hadn’t told us about yet, but the rainy day blues ended right there with a puppet show.
(Are you scared yet? Merlin is actually pretty nice.)
This is how Des felt about the puppet:
This is how Scarlet felt about the puppet:
The next day (Sunday), the weather somewhat cleared and we hit the Three County Fair. Cassidy wasn’t feeling well and Des was napping, so I took Scarlet. She wore a princess dress under a rain jacket. I had found out about the passing of a family friend and I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to humidity, but we made it happen. When I say I wasn’t my best, I wasn’t even halfway there.
By the end of the fair, I had actually lost it. Completely. Crimes included sitting down in the grass and pouring water over myself when talking with friends. Wimping out on the roller coaster and letting Scarlet’s friend’s awesome dad take her. Ignoring a booger from Scarlet’s nose that was so huge, it was going into her mouth. Her other friend’s awesome dad wiped it.
I was excused, luckily, and made it up to friends with dinner/dessert/drinks. It wasn’t my best move. She still had fun.
Scarlet even learned that she can fly. She made the weight minimum on this ride by.. a negative ounce or two. It was close.
It’s often better with friends, isn’t it? Boy, am I learning that more as an adult.
And for a last minute share before my next post (Cape Cod recap!), here are some photos from the family who hired me for photography and NOT for vinyl siding.
Your loss, my friends. My vinyl siding skills are unmatched. (but I like this better)
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Your turn. What are some moves you’re busting right now?
“Some frustration first inclination
Is to become a monk and leave the situation
But every dark tunnel has a light of hope
So don’t hang yourself, with a celibate rope” — Young MC in Bust a Move
I have had too many strange dreams myself the last few weeks and a few I have remembered and others just knew I had dreamt, but couldn’t remember exactly what. Those to me are the worst, because you know you have dreamed, but can’t remember them. And looks like a great weekend was had even had a few moments that you might have wished you could have done over. I think we all have had those from time to time. The weather this weekend here though was also not the best humid.muggy, but patches of rain, too. Just would like a few more nice, sunny days before the summer is truly behind us. And one last thing, you can include me on any awesome Twitter conversations, because seriously Saturday night was a ton of fun and truly a great way to end after having to deal with a bit of craziness with the in-laws!!
I think most of my awesome twitter conversations include you and Lanaya! And then the other night when we were joined by the other awesomes.
I think we'll have some nice, warm, non-humid days coming, followed by some crisp, cool, non-humid days. And we'll commiserate during the winter together. We didn't have each other last winter! Sad.
You are SO RIGHT … distance is not on our side, YET! But I am making it my mission to hang out at some point with you two girls and we will be busting that move!
I hope you had a phenomenal ladies night {without us – boo :(}
I love Scarlet's reaction to the new puppet … she embraces everything doesn't she. And Des, too precious. His look is pure awesome. He knows that he'll check it out for now but if that puppet gets out of line he's going to take it out stat!
Heart you.
¤´¨)
¸.•*´
(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
Raising-Reagan.com
I heart you! I do realize you probably won't move to the east coast (not with this current humidity – YIKES) but I say we meet you out west one day. To bust a move.
And yes, Des will definitely take care of that puppet getting out of line! He's a bruiser!
We all have off days, weeks, sometimes months. Then we dust ourselves off and move on. Boogers are harmless, just gross.
I'm also finding that friends are needed as we get older. Especially now. Once the children become adults themselves then you still need something, someone to talk to and share times with. The kids have lives of their own so now it's time for me to have one too.
Isn't it interesting how friendships evolve over time? There are the ones starting at childhood, and then the new and magical ones that are there for the taking throughout life.
Tamara, I think that it is obvious in all the pictures from the carnival that Scarlet had an incredible time and at the end of the day it was because you took her – so what if you had some help from friends, that is part of life and we all need it!!!
And those shots of your friend and her family are awesome!!! Now, when would you like to come to KS and do some pictures for us?!
I would love to KS and take pictures for you!! Jordan will wear all white, right? I'm sure there are some scenic backdrops in and outside your new business. Yes, I can see this happening!
You had me at the booger story! (I bet Carol is getting a chuckle about that, wherever she roams) Your photos are magnificent and I have dibs on next roller coaster ride with Scarlet ONLY if it's a pre-school type of coaster!
I think this one was pretty pre-school! And still I wouldn't go on. WUSS. You got dibs!
Very beautiful like all your pictures and I like to see happy people and children <3
Thanks! Happy kids at a fair. What could be better?
That photo of the little girl in yellow is incredible- what a beauty! I can't wait to read your Cape recap- Truro is on my wish list of places to visit… soon!
Meet me there! No seriously if you do go, let me know and I’ll tell you the can’t miss things. So many special places.
Wow, you had to hold a whole lot of stuff, like the death of a family friend, being on vacation with small children, and humidity at the same time! No crimes were committed– you passed off your daughter to a loving friend for a short period of time so you could take care of yourself. Awesome! And unfortunately, there will be plenty, plenty more boogers for you to wipe! 🙂
Yes, just today there were so many boogers. And you know what? I stepped up and wiped them all. But friends, ah, the handing off babies and kids to loved ones is part of what makes parenting work.
ok Tamara, you totally have that song stuck in my head now. 🙂 I'm happy you got to relax, well almost relax on your vacation. I'm with Des on that puppet. I'm not sure what to think about Merlin as yet. Those photos are phenomenal as usual and yeah I can't picture you doing vinyl siding either. Hope you're enjoying your labor day! ((hugs for Des and Scarlet from Madison))
Hugs back to Madison, and a wet kiss from Des. That song is totally on and off in my head all day. And the puppet? Yeah…he’s somewhat forgotten about today. I guess that’s good! Not sure I’m awake enough for him right now.
I'm not busting many moves lately; I'm watching the hectic pace of back to school but I'm feeling like I'm in slow motion. Lots of things on my "want to do list" but the motivation isn't quite there yet. I'm sad that summer is ending, but I'm that autumn will help me bust out of my lethargy. Can't wait to see your vacation pics!
Oh, I bet it will! It's hard to fight the lethargy in this gross humidity. School is over a week away for us still…
I wish I was bustin' some moves this weekend! Instead I'm conquering the mountain of laundry that came back with us from Maine, trying to control the dust bunnies that have taken over my house, and praying that I don't get the nasty cold & cough that my girls picked up while we were traveling. Of course, it's only a matter of time. I can't avoid the open mouth kisses and boogers smeared on my shirt by the wee one!
Oh no! Zinc and echinacea? Sleep. (I guess that one’s hard) Mountains of laundry aren’t quite the same as mountains of Maine, huh? Still so glad you’re back. I’m selfish, what can I say.
So much to say: First, I wish could hire you to be my family photographer. Perhaps one day I'll drag my family down your way just for an awesome photo shoot with you! Secondly, that puppet. I'm undecided. Cute? Creepy? I feel like Des. Uncertain. You'll have to make him appear more often on your blog for me to decide. Third, glad you got out and had some family time despite the terrible weather. I wish it had been nicer for you:(( Finally, for my 35th bday, I had a karaoke party. I was single and had a great group of girlfriends who sang their hearts out all night (their boyfriends and husbands participated too – a bit). One of my girlfriends wanted to sing Bust a move – but there was no music/words for it. Whhhhaaatt??? That didn't stop her. She got in front of everyone and proceeded to sing the entire song – from memory – in front of us all. Didn't miss a beat. Danced around too. Best performance all night.
Leah, this is the best comment ever. Can you imagine if I just occasionally put a tiny photo of that puppet hidden in my blog for someone to find? Maybe I should host a giveaway and a prize to the first person to spot it. Maybe we’d all have nightmares.
I would LOVE to do family photos for you guys. On a beach. Just being your awesome selves.
And that story about your friend is amazing. There are very interesting lyrics! I had to Google them to put a verse in this post. I am so impressed and humbled by her knowing every word.
1. I would love to bust a move with you – but I don't think we'll be doing that here any time soon! If you are allergic to humidity, you would not like it here in the summer! 2. I love your photo session photos and not to sound insulting, I think you may be better suited for photography than vinyl siding. 3. That odd looking puppet that magically appeared in your basement is bound to give me a nightmare or two tonight just because. I'll let you know!
The busting a move with you will happen.
And the humidity is something I can handle in smaller doses than four hours without enough food and drink! I should have known better. I have really nice friends, apparently.
And the vinyl siding thing? Maybe a side business. (yeah right!)
Please update me on your nightmare status. I hope against hope that you don't have bad dreams tonight!
omg, what a wonderful post, tamara! yeah happy kids at a fair-what could be better? their eyes and their smile can change your life forever.
loved all of your photos. simply amazing!!
these happy little faces made me smile. that photo of the little girl in yellow is breathtaking-so expressive!
have a great week ahead~
big hugs!
Thank you! Her parents really preferred photos of her smiling, but I’m totally a sucker for this one.
eeeee! Bust a move! Thanks! Now it's gonna be stuck in my head…lol. great story & of course beautiful photographs 🙂
haha, thanks! Can't get it out of my head either.
Yup. Now that song's in my head. Those photos are gorgeous, especially the one of the girl in yellow. Amazing! And we've all had our bad days. Thank goodness for friends who wipe boogers off our kids' noses!
Thank you. I was just telling Betty that her parents loved all of her photos and think she’s gorgeous, but they liked smiling ones better. Luckily I got some of those, but this one is unbelievable!
I usually don't dream, but the last few nights I have had some REALLY strange ones. The weirdest one was that I went to the lake, and accidentally dropped my change of clothes in the water. The whole dream was my ordeal of trying to get my clothes out of the water.
Ack, did you ever get them out??
All I can say is thank goodness for good friends. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without them sometimes. And I have wierd dreams a lot, but not in the last couple weeks. Of course I have barely slept in the last week so maybe that's why. Your pics are amazing…I wish you could take my family!
I wish too! Next time!
II love Merlin the puppet! I was imagining all sorts of stories fearuring Merlin and the Monkey (that was beside him.) Such sweet rainy day fun.
Sorry about thw loss of your friend, Tamara. I am glad you had friends there to help you through the day.
That's one vote for Merlin! He never seemed creepy to me until I saw the pictures and remembered that we found him in our basement and didn't really question it at first.
And thanks for your words.
I am so sick of this East Coast humidity. Looks like you made the best of it though. So sorry to hear that you had to get sad news when you were out with one of the littles. Your friends are definitely better off hiring you for photos instead of vinyl siding – such a gorgeous family!
This humidity has been on a mean streak and I know it will pass but it’s been making me a bit ill!
Thanks for stopping in!
Your post had me cracking up! First of all, that is one of my husband's favorite songs. Which is weird because he's more of a heavy metal/classic rock kinda guy. Secondly, I have the weirdest dreams all the time!! Once I dreamt that my family & I went camping with Eminem. In my dream, I said, "He's such a nice person – just misunderstood."- LOL! I also once dreamt that I was really good friends with all of the guys in 'NSYNC. Yep. Told you they were weird.
That is HILARIOUS! I was just remembering a very vivid dream I had about Tyler Florence once. I dreamed he was my high school boyfriend. And he's nine years older than me in real life so that wouldn't have happened. Now every time I see him on Food Network, I admit I get a (very) tiny heart flutter for him.
First, you did an AMAZING job shooting the family. I am in love with that baby girl.
Second, Scarlet looks like she had a blast–and she is way braver than I am!
third: Bust a move is one of my favorite songs ever. I actually have weird dreams all the time, but thank goodness it stops at weird never really scary.
Thank you! She is just the cutest ever in real life. So much personality. I think Des should ask her out one day.
I think you need to make a video to Bust a Move!! I'd pay for it.
OMG your friend’s family is SO LUCKY that you live there and can be hired to take photos (even tho maybe it sounds like you need to add siding-adding to your resume?). I vote that even though you were stuck on the grass pouring water over your head, that being there, and taking pics, was totally Busting A Move. You busted the move, baby.
Nicest compliment ever. If we lived near each other, it would already be booked. Heck, it would have already happened and you'd have my photos framed on your wall. And then we'd take to twitter to discuss photo size and resolution.
Even though we'd live next door to each other, we'd still talk on twitter.
Dude, when we have the reunion, it needs to happen where it's en route to HERE ME HERE, so that you can get a photo of Tucker like that one with the eyes in um. All of yours. I bought an expensive camera. But. I still suck.
I LOVE the puppet!
Another vote for the puppet! Yay!
Looks like fun at the fair. She is brave doing that bouncy thing. My kids never wanted to do one of those.
Honestly, I had never even seen it before at a fair!
OMG I love the quote from the song at the end!!! Hilarious!!!
Many amazing pics, of course!
Right? It was so hard to pick out applicable lyrics from that crazy song. I felt like this one verse seemed inspiring..sorta.
The song is in my head now. I just might have to play it on my phone and dance around a bit!
I am trying to bust a lot of moves right now, killing time waiting for Allison to come home from preschool.
That will be us next week! I may actually be dancing during the wait..
Well, guess I’m also trying to bust through the humidity. My dishwasher won’t closet because the wood panel has swollen so I’m busting into that to make it work. Great levity in this post, and with your characteristically captivating photos!
Oh no! I always wonder how badly humidity makes all of our food go stale. It's bad news!
ha ha-I was just saying, Now, I've got that song in my head, right before I read that line. Thanks, Tamara. : )
I have strange dreams like that as well. I dreamt that I was in a Real Housewives episode, and they were all mad at me because I didn't have the right purse.
Oh brother…
I so wish we had a fair like that around here. It looked so fun!! Cute photos too-you are so talented!
ha! I definitely don't have the right purse. Mine has kid clues all over it.
And thank you. You are very talented too!
THANK YOU! As soon as I figured your were talking about that, in my head it was like ‘Uh uh, yeah, yeah, yeah”, lol! Dreams are hilarious! I would hire you to take every photo imaginable if we were in the same area. These were great. I was afraid of the ShowBiz Kids, so I wouldn’t have been here for that little puppet show. I didn’t like stuff like that one bit. Imagine that!!! Cheating to get on a swing ride tho…that’s my girl 😉
Well you already have some sweet pro photos of yourself, but I'd be happy to do more!! Yeah, the puppet…not winning by popular vote.
And now that song is embedded in my head for the day. At least it's a good song..
I wish you were in my area! You take such beautiful pictures.
Yes, it is a good song! Oh, I so wish I had some sort of portability contraption or private jet. I'd be doing so many good portraits!
If you are in Portland, Oregon, they have an ongoing contest for Best Photographer, I would vote for you in a second!
I do have dreams that happened same thing, or even just thoughts that I also assumed it will really happen and it does. You are talented, install vinyl, write, take photos…
You made my day!! I wish I lived in Portland, for a variety of reasons.
Your comment rocks.
totally have that song in my head now! Lol! Love those precious pictures….and they did good by hiring you for the photos and not the siding 🙂
I've had it in my head for days! It will never leave, until the next earworm.
And thanks!
Awesome puppet!
We're going to our state fair this month. Can't wait!
Yes, Merlin rules!
I can't wait to hear about the fair! Will Natalie be wearing a princess dress there?
You definitely got 'Bust A Move' in my head now, lol! I love it though! The puppet show was a cute way to end a rainy day! I love the kid's expressions to the puppet show, lol! It finally stopped raining down south for the time being.
I'm glad! We're getting better weather this week too. It was a bad run!
Puppet shows are great for rainy days 🙂
I always thought so!
Welcome back! The weather was pretty miserable on the eastern side of the state as well, but I somehow made it through my two-day show. That puppet is pretty incredible (and must be huge!), and sometimes boogers are just meant to be ignored 🙂
So glad you made it through the show! Sometimes summer is harder when pregnant.
Glad we have another vote for the puppet being cool!
Amazing photos!
The puppet is pretty cute.
I hope you're better too. 🙂
*totally have bust a move in my head*
haha, I just got it out of my head. I got a Phish song in my head instead. Feeling better here, thanks!
I've totally been there when I've lost it and committed lots of crimes including watching the big snot headed for the mouth and was so over it.lol. It's always better to go to fairs with friends. Scarlet looks like she had a blast.
That song makes me wanna bust a move for real.lol
Me too! I've been on the verge of dancing for days.
What a great puppet! And a great story about making the best of any situation you are confronted with! Good for you! 🙂
Thank you! It really helped the day!
The only “bustin” we did over the weekend happened when my 11 year old tripped on the concrete pool deck and literally BUSTED! It was pretty. However, those photo are gorgeous! Glad you had a good weekend!
Oh no!! Hope she’s ok. And thank you!
I did a HUGE LOL with your caption of how Des felt about the wizard puppet! Bwahahahahaha! That family was so wise to have you photograph them. The photos are absolutely beautiful!! I will not comment on your ability to do good siding. –Lisa
PS. I've very sorry about your family friend. It's so nice to have good friends who step in and help us when we're feeling low. I'm glad you have that. 🙂
Right? He looks pretty freaked out! That’s how I felt, I think.
And thank you for your words. Friends are just amazing. I know you know that!
JDaniel would have loved the fair you visited. What a wonderful pictures you were able to capture of your visit to it.
Thank you! I hope JDaniel is having a good week at school!
Yes, thank you, I have that song in my head now! It played the entire time I was reading your post lol. Oh I've been there too, totally given up in life on those hot, dreary days. It's okay, we all deserve a free pass every now and then. And wow, that puppet is huge! He looked so small on the couch until I saw him next to Scarlet. Very cool find!
Love the photos as usual!
yep, that song is officially stuck in my cranium, Tamara! I love the quote "It’s often better with friends, isn’t it? Boy, am I learning that more as an adult." Some real truth there.
But… I'm here with good news: I nominated you for a Liebster Award! Go to http://learntoembracethestruggle.com/liebster-awa… for details and next steps. I do hope you’ll accept your nomination; I truly believe you deserve it, Tamara!
OK seriously? That song will be stuck in my head. It is often better with friends and thank goodness for friends to be there to support us. I love your photos of Scarlett at the fair and her expression and smile.