In this season of our lives where we seem to be "taking the road less traveled", I'm going to carry out the theme by doing a marathon that I'm completely not prepared for! Yes, we are going to travel to Chicago in a few weeks so that I can torture myself in the Chicago Marathon. Fun right? I'm actually excited to spend 5+ hours with thousands of other people while getting in some good aerobic activity. The view should be spectacular too as it weaves through different neighborhoods. Longest run to date? 9 miles. A week ago. And it was not easy. I'm in trouble.
I'm looking forward to the mini break as I've been a bit busy with things around here. Ciao for now!
9.30.2008
9.28.2008
9.27.2008
Mr. Eureka
According to my planner October is going to be a busy month with lots of great events and various photoshoots. With September quickly coming to a close I have a list of things I would like to get accomplished before the great month of October takes over. One of them: give Mr. Eureka some care and attention. Mr. Eureka is our hard working vacuum cleaner. He sits in a closet ever ready to be put to task. He has been with us as long as we have been married. Let me tell you about the day he entered into our family:
Last November our old vac was tragically put to rest after I realized that I was creating a huge dust storm while vacuuming. In panic, I asked for Curt's opinion. At first glance he thought the dust flying around the room was simply from the light reflecting off of air particles normally present. But that was certainly not the case! Instead of sucking, it was blowing everything out. Let me tell you...I was not having any of this! Armed with recently acquired Target Gift Cards(we just got married), we created our own trail of dust when we flew to Target. We made our choice and went with a maroon Eureka. Equipped with some helpful tools and attachments I was excited about the selection even though it didn't look as cool as the top of the line Dysons. The Dysons are spectacular because they look spacey and futuristic. I could imagine this would be the vac of choice for the Jetsons. We brought Eureka home and he has been wonderful.
Mr. Eureka came with an owner's manual which I have studied very carefully. For maximum cleaning performance there are maintenance tasks we need to regularly perform. And that is what I did this morning! Mr. Eureka is now working at 100% efficiency. I love to vacuum. Sometimes I get a bit crazy with it as Curt said this morning, "you kind of frighten me when you vacuum." The story ends here, but if you would like a guided visual of Mr. Eureka you are welcome to look on.
I make it a routine to empty the collecting cup above. I love the fact that it is clear because you can see exactly what you are sucking when you vacuum. I know it's time to do maintenance when the activity inside the cup turns from a frenzied, tornadic motion to something more like a calm breeze. I'm always checking to see that there is a violent motion in the cup.
For the first time this morning I stuck my hand in the innards of the vac to empty out the filter above. It was nasty, but vital for maximum cleaning performance.
It's a good idea to check the bristles at the bottom to clear any blockages caused from hair and other debris.
Last November our old vac was tragically put to rest after I realized that I was creating a huge dust storm while vacuuming. In panic, I asked for Curt's opinion. At first glance he thought the dust flying around the room was simply from the light reflecting off of air particles normally present. But that was certainly not the case! Instead of sucking, it was blowing everything out. Let me tell you...I was not having any of this! Armed with recently acquired Target Gift Cards(we just got married), we created our own trail of dust when we flew to Target. We made our choice and went with a maroon Eureka. Equipped with some helpful tools and attachments I was excited about the selection even though it didn't look as cool as the top of the line Dysons. The Dysons are spectacular because they look spacey and futuristic. I could imagine this would be the vac of choice for the Jetsons. We brought Eureka home and he has been wonderful.
Mr. Eureka came with an owner's manual which I have studied very carefully. For maximum cleaning performance there are maintenance tasks we need to regularly perform. And that is what I did this morning! Mr. Eureka is now working at 100% efficiency. I love to vacuum. Sometimes I get a bit crazy with it as Curt said this morning, "you kind of frighten me when you vacuum." The story ends here, but if you would like a guided visual of Mr. Eureka you are welcome to look on.
I make it a routine to empty the collecting cup above. I love the fact that it is clear because you can see exactly what you are sucking when you vacuum. I know it's time to do maintenance when the activity inside the cup turns from a frenzied, tornadic motion to something more like a calm breeze. I'm always checking to see that there is a violent motion in the cup.
For the first time this morning I stuck my hand in the innards of the vac to empty out the filter above. It was nasty, but vital for maximum cleaning performance.
It's a good idea to check the bristles at the bottom to clear any blockages caused from hair and other debris.
9.24.2008
Engaged: Dan and Sara
Meet Dan and Sara. A super sweet couple. They like doing Ironmans. I think they are nuts for liking that distance. I had a great time on this photoshoot. Next to shooting weddings I would say that shooting couples is my favorite. I pretty much swear by engagement shoots now. It's a good time to relax and have fun. We had to reschedule because the lighting at our first meeting was kind of bad. I'm glad we waited! Anyway, Dan and Sara kind of remind me of myself and Curt in a way. I'm excited to shoot their wedding next year! Can't wait!!!!
9.23.2008
Rain Down on Me
Soaking wet. Drenched. Wring out the water. Yep, I was out for a little run when it poured. I was a bit uneasy when the rain first started, but when I accepted that I lost the weather battle it became FUN. Nothing like a good soak to refresh the soul.
Could it be?!?! Curt has updated his blog! Check it out!
Could it be?!?! Curt has updated his blog! Check it out!
9.22.2008
2008 USAT Age Group Nationals
On Saturday we were at Haag Lake in Portland, OR for Curt's last tri of the season! We flew into Seattle on Thursday, bummed around, and made our way down to Portland where we stayed for 2 nights.
We had a nice time. Curt placed 2nd in his age group, but I'll let him blog about his experience. Here is my summary from our trip:
Favorite moments:
1. Taking off for our trip. We were excited.
2. Hanging out at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
3. Hanging out in our hotel in Portland. Nice place.
4. Watching all of the racers. The older athletes were most impressive. Lots of energy and a buzz in the air.
5. Seeing Curt cross the finish line first in his age group. (Now see least favorite moments.)
Least favorite moments:
1. Curt telling me at the finish, after everyone (including the announcer) thinking that he got first, that it was not good because he got a 2 minute penalty for abandoning his equipment. He accidently dropped his water bottle after going over a bump.
2. Our trip home was a bit tiring.
What we liked about our hotel:
1. The breakfast. Best omelettes ever.
2. Nightly manager's special of free wine, appetizers, and nachos. Highlight every night when we got back to the hotel. It was during this time when had nice chats about everything.
3. Nice rooms.
4. Curt likes Embassy Suites' elevators. We rode it many times.
What I would do differently:
1. Pack warmer clothes. It was a bit chilly and super cloudy.
2. Bring a backpack. I was at the tri site from 6 am to 6 pm with not a lot of comfort items (more water, food, chapstick, spare towels, etc). Our car was 10 miles away. Taking the shuttle back didn't seem appealing at the time. Well done to all of the MN triathletes who made the trek and had awesome races!
We had a nice time. Curt placed 2nd in his age group, but I'll let him blog about his experience. Here is my summary from our trip:
Favorite moments:
1. Taking off for our trip. We were excited.
2. Hanging out at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.
3. Hanging out in our hotel in Portland. Nice place.
4. Watching all of the racers. The older athletes were most impressive. Lots of energy and a buzz in the air.
5. Seeing Curt cross the finish line first in his age group. (Now see least favorite moments.)
Least favorite moments:
1. Curt telling me at the finish, after everyone (including the announcer) thinking that he got first, that it was not good because he got a 2 minute penalty for abandoning his equipment. He accidently dropped his water bottle after going over a bump.
2. Our trip home was a bit tiring.
What we liked about our hotel:
1. The breakfast. Best omelettes ever.
2. Nightly manager's special of free wine, appetizers, and nachos. Highlight every night when we got back to the hotel. It was during this time when had nice chats about everything.
3. Nice rooms.
4. Curt likes Embassy Suites' elevators. We rode it many times.
What I would do differently:
1. Pack warmer clothes. It was a bit chilly and super cloudy.
2. Bring a backpack. I was at the tri site from 6 am to 6 pm with not a lot of comfort items (more water, food, chapstick, spare towels, etc). Our car was 10 miles away. Taking the shuttle back didn't seem appealing at the time. Well done to all of the MN triathletes who made the trek and had awesome races!
9.21.2008
Safe Return to MN
We are back. We had a red eye fly out of Seattle and arrived this morning at 6:30 am. It's great to be home! The only glitch was that Northwest lost Curt's bike on the way home. Hopefully we will get it soon. I think I have lost total confidence in the airline industry. Customer service is not really their priority these days.
9.19.2008
West Coast Bound
We are currently in Portland, OR for a few days for Curt's Age Group Nationals race. It's been fun and relaxing so far. Yesterday we landed in Seattle and went to the famous Pike Market in downtown and had lunch with my college friend Jamie and his wife Sarah.
9.14.2008
Sporting a new haircut
Getting your haircut is super fun because your head always feels more free and bouncy. It's a liberating feeling. I've had different hairdos...from long layers to a short pixie all the way back to shoulders...then repeat.
For many years I relied on the great hair dresser Ande who worked at Moxie Hair Salon in Uptown, but now works at Salon Stella in NE Mpls, to help me through the transitions. She knows the quirks to my hair and how to tame them. After the 35W bridge closing it became quite burdensome to make a trip to see her. Not to mention spending $50 six times a year was getting to be too much. So I explored different salons in Chaska. Nothing seemed to compare...until I gave Great Clips a chance! I've been there twice now and I really have enjoyed the results! Of course I miss the hairdresser/client bond that I had with Ande (I vow to return to her someday), but $14 for a respectable haircut can't be beat!!!! I got a haircut today, this is what it looks like:
And here is a random, most recent portrait of my dear hubby. He makes me laugh and giggle:
For many years I relied on the great hair dresser Ande who worked at Moxie Hair Salon in Uptown, but now works at Salon Stella in NE Mpls, to help me through the transitions. She knows the quirks to my hair and how to tame them. After the 35W bridge closing it became quite burdensome to make a trip to see her. Not to mention spending $50 six times a year was getting to be too much. So I explored different salons in Chaska. Nothing seemed to compare...until I gave Great Clips a chance! I've been there twice now and I really have enjoyed the results! Of course I miss the hairdresser/client bond that I had with Ande (I vow to return to her someday), but $14 for a respectable haircut can't be beat!!!! I got a haircut today, this is what it looks like:
And here is a random, most recent portrait of my dear hubby. He makes me laugh and giggle:
Swimming and Sewing
My sister and I spent part of saturday swimming and sewing. These enjoyable activities were made even more enjoyable given that it rained off and on all day.
9.12.2008
Christine Wood Photography Seasonal Specials
I am pleased to announce the following seasonal specials:
Fall Harvest Portrait Package
$30 for a 1-hour portrait session (babies, kids, engagement) held anytime during October 20-31st and November 1-15th. The price includes a high-resolution CD with 30-50 edited images.
Winter Wonderland Wedding Package
$350 for unlimited digital coverage for a wedding occuring during January-March 2009. The price includes a high-resolution CD with your edited images along with a complimentary engagement photo session.
It's a great time for this offer with the holidays quickly approaching. You can expect a turn around time of 7-10 days for your images. Time to get your holiday cards and greetings together!
Fall Harvest Portrait Package
$30 for a 1-hour portrait session (babies, kids, engagement) held anytime during October 20-31st and November 1-15th. The price includes a high-resolution CD with 30-50 edited images.
Winter Wonderland Wedding Package
$350 for unlimited digital coverage for a wedding occuring during January-March 2009. The price includes a high-resolution CD with your edited images along with a complimentary engagement photo session.
It's a great time for this offer with the holidays quickly approaching. You can expect a turn around time of 7-10 days for your images. Time to get your holiday cards and greetings together!
Lars and the Real Girl
We watched Lars and the Real Girl last night. It was a GREAT movie. Quirky and sweet. Unbelievable and identifiable.
9.10.2008
i'm excited about...
...my new water bottle courtesy of Curt! i'm looking forward to testing it out tomorrow. when it's not filled up it has quite a comfy feel in my hand. adding water to it, which has a density of 1 g/mL, could really change things though.
9.09.2008
Meet: A very cute family
Zachary, Sydney, Miley, and Carley are all siblings. Miley and Carley are the youngest and are twins. They both have strong personalities and are uniquely individual. It really was a joy to see them assert some of their individualism. Sydney is the older sister who has tons of spunk and was a total ham for the camera. The oldest, Zach, was ever so patient with his sisters and totally loves them. When Sydney accidentally stepped on a bee and was stung you could just see the concern on Zach's face. I can just picture him being the older, protective brother someday! So here is their slideshow! It was a super fun time!
9.07.2008
Our Fall Weekend
...was fantastic despite Curt working both Saturday and Sunday. Raise your hand if you like this weather! note: i'm raising my hand :) i'm a lot more motivated to be out and about versus hiding inside where the A/C is running on max :).
fall is nostalgic for me in that I do my best running at this time of the year. on saturday after my run i came to the conclusion that running for me is 60% physical and 40% mental. also, i think both me and Curt have bodies that function more efficiently in cooler, drier weather. and mentally it's more enjoyable because i'm not dwelling on the fact that the heat is causing my brain to explode in my skull. yes, that's what it feels like for me when it's above 85 degrees (walking or sitting) or 70 degrees (running).
so yes. fall is great. we took advantage of the weekend by doing the following:
Friday: met up with my teacher friend Evan and his wife Carolyn for coffee, then me and Curt had dinner in Uptown
Saturday: went shopping with my sister at the Galleria, Ikea, and various shops at MOA, then I went to their house to check out the nursery. lookin good I must say. can't wait for Barnibus' arrival. lastly we had dinner at home and watched TV.
Sunday: We had Trent, Marcy, and Cole over for breakfast. Cole is getting quite mobile. Look out! Then we had Nate, Nikki, and Claire over for dinner. I have always had a special spot in my heart for Claire. But I must testify that she's exceptionally cute right now. You all should hang out with her because it's darn fun. we went to the playground and Claire found a really large (nasty) bug. i'm not sure what kind of bug it was, but Claire did.
Now...i'm mentally preparing for the week...more editing...woohoo. i need to do some cleaning and organizing too. yea fall!!!!!
fall is nostalgic for me in that I do my best running at this time of the year. on saturday after my run i came to the conclusion that running for me is 60% physical and 40% mental. also, i think both me and Curt have bodies that function more efficiently in cooler, drier weather. and mentally it's more enjoyable because i'm not dwelling on the fact that the heat is causing my brain to explode in my skull. yes, that's what it feels like for me when it's above 85 degrees (walking or sitting) or 70 degrees (running).
so yes. fall is great. we took advantage of the weekend by doing the following:
Friday: met up with my teacher friend Evan and his wife Carolyn for coffee, then me and Curt had dinner in Uptown
Saturday: went shopping with my sister at the Galleria, Ikea, and various shops at MOA, then I went to their house to check out the nursery. lookin good I must say. can't wait for Barnibus' arrival. lastly we had dinner at home and watched TV.
Sunday: We had Trent, Marcy, and Cole over for breakfast. Cole is getting quite mobile. Look out! Then we had Nate, Nikki, and Claire over for dinner. I have always had a special spot in my heart for Claire. But I must testify that she's exceptionally cute right now. You all should hang out with her because it's darn fun. we went to the playground and Claire found a really large (nasty) bug. i'm not sure what kind of bug it was, but Claire did.
Now...i'm mentally preparing for the week...more editing...woohoo. i need to do some cleaning and organizing too. yea fall!!!!!
9.02.2008
Lutsen Pictures
Fresh, crisp air. Lake Superior. Hilly terrain. Woodland creatures. Vacationing in Lutsen allowed the Wood clan to relax and play together. The weather was perfect for all (especially me...yeah cooler weather!). I had lots of firsts: going down the alpine slide, sven and ole's, grand marais, tobies, pretty much the entire experience at Lutsen!! Our meals were excellent too as most of our dinners were already prepared! All we needed to do was heat everything up! And Doug treated us to his gourmet pancakes and oatmeal for breakfast.
Meet: Cousins Brayden and Madeleine
The day before our Lutsen vacation I met the adorable cousins Brayden and Madeline for their photoshoot with their moms and grandma. What fun! Both babies have the sweetest personalities and gave me tons of cute faces. At the end of our photoshoot I learned how Brayden has already experienced such a courageous start to his life! He's not even eight months and has gone through two major heart surgeries!!!! Just from this meeting I can tell his mom, Emily, loves him very much. Brayden, you are very lucky to have your mom!!!!
Welcome Fall!
The last few weeks of August were a mixture of fun/relaxation and lots of photoshoots. We returned from an amazing time in Lutsen with family (photos to come). Labor Day weekend this year was especially nice because Curt had four days off from work. We were busy, but also had plenty of time to enjoy each other's company.
On Friday we had a surprise birthday dinner for Curt at the 128 Cafe in St. Paul. Thanks to everyone who came! On Saturday we went back to St. Paul for David and Hannah's grill out with a bunch of local triathlon people and other friends. On Sunday we drove to Minneapolis to do the Victory 10K Race. Nice job Heidi on a wonderful race! It was hard, but well worth it. After the race we drove to Mankato for a grill out with Curt's family! Then we drove back to Chaska where we crashed on our couch to watch the season opener of Prison Break!!!!!!! LOVE THE SHOW!!!! It's sometimes too violent for my eyes, but I try my best to watch 90% of the show.
What's happening now? I'm happy to get back into my editing and catching up on things related to the business. Curt is gearing up for the triathlon nationals in Portland. We will be leaving in 2 weeks. I'm signed up for Chicago Marathon, but am not in marathon shape. I will do the bare minimum training for Chicago Marathon.
Today is the first day of school for most kids across America. I hope things are going well for all my teacher friends out there!!! I do miss it, but I have faith that me and Curt are in a good spot for now. I'm embracing this season in our lives!
On Friday we had a surprise birthday dinner for Curt at the 128 Cafe in St. Paul. Thanks to everyone who came! On Saturday we went back to St. Paul for David and Hannah's grill out with a bunch of local triathlon people and other friends. On Sunday we drove to Minneapolis to do the Victory 10K Race. Nice job Heidi on a wonderful race! It was hard, but well worth it. After the race we drove to Mankato for a grill out with Curt's family! Then we drove back to Chaska where we crashed on our couch to watch the season opener of Prison Break!!!!!!! LOVE THE SHOW!!!! It's sometimes too violent for my eyes, but I try my best to watch 90% of the show.
What's happening now? I'm happy to get back into my editing and catching up on things related to the business. Curt is gearing up for the triathlon nationals in Portland. We will be leaving in 2 weeks. I'm signed up for Chicago Marathon, but am not in marathon shape. I will do the bare minimum training for Chicago Marathon.
Today is the first day of school for most kids across America. I hope things are going well for all my teacher friends out there!!! I do miss it, but I have faith that me and Curt are in a good spot for now. I'm embracing this season in our lives!
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