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11 December 2007

Happy Holidays...

I'm going to start this off by saying I am not a holiday person. Christmas break is such a highly anticipated and much needed break from school, but ends up being crazy and stressful because of Christmas. That said, I must admit that having Max at an age where he can interact makes me look forward to this Christmas for once. And I do participate in the holiday season even if I don't always enjoy it. So, here are some questions that are going around that I figure will give everyone some insight into my view of the holidays.


1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper, most definitely. To me gift bags are so anti-climatic.

2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL. It's not a Christmas tree if it doesn't make the room smell.

3. When do you put up the tree? Well, if we do put one up it's whenever we get around to getting one, but ideally the first weekend in December.

4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day. I don't care what people say, Christmas is officially over when the new year starts.

5. Do you like egg nog? No way, but Rob LOVES it and starts stocking up as soon as stores start selling it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My mom gave me a Sweetheart tin full of buttons- the buttons have been lost over the years but I still have the tin

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No, i haven't found one I liked enough to buy and I haven't had time to make one yet.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My father-in-law.

9. Easiest person to buy for? My sisters- they like all kinds of stuff.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, if we do them- I never thought about emailing them until this year when we got one.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Um, I don't really remember getting something really bad, but I guess as a kid I always hated getting clothes.

12. Favorite Christmas movie? A Christmas Story

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? December, when I realize I have to do it soon if it's going to get done, but every year I always dream that I'll start early.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope, if I don't like it it goes to Goodwill.

15. Favorite thing to eat at
Christmas? My grandmothers rib roast with au jus and yorkshire pudding. I am salivating as I write it.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? I have chili pepper lights and the big opaque colored ones. The tackier, the better.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Carol of the Bells by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. LOVE the electric guitar.

18. Travel at
Christmas or stay home? Travel. We're all over the place for holidays.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star.

21. Open the presents
Christmas Eve or morning? Both- and usually the day after Christmas too.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? People. I always shop right before stores close so people don't get in my way, but during the holiday season they're unavoidable.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? No, anything goes.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Same as the food above- my grandmother's cooking.

25. What do you want for
Christmas this year? You know, I don't really know. Usually there's at least one thing I really want, but not this year, I just can't figure out what would really make me excited.

I think my biggest issue with the holiday season is how commercial it now is. The whole purpose of the holiday is vanishing more and more each year. All the hype is for the wrong reason. I even have a hard time buying lots of gifts- I try to make as many as I can, but unfortunately time never seems to be on my side. I should try starting in July, then I may actually finish gifts on time. But, I am not always so negative- thinking about Max opening his gifts does get me excited and I really can't wait to eat Christmas dinner!

20 November 2007

I offer you my services...

After Shelley's comment on my last post I realized I haven't really let people know what I'm planning on doing after I graduate. Jax Harmon Photography will officially open for business this summer, but in the meantime I am constantly on the lookout for photo opportunities. So, what I am proposing is the in view of the upcoming season, and the fact that I'm sure people other than me like to have family photos taken around this time, I am offering my photographer's services for free (you'll get a cd of the pictures) to whoever is interested (as long as I know you). Now, this may seem like I'm throwing away a lot of money, but there is a catch: you have to blab about me to everyone you know. I do portraits, weddings, scenic, anything that you need a camera for. And not only do I get free advertising, I get to beef up my portfolio. So, if you are interested you can let me know on here or email me and we'll work put the details from there. Now, just so you know, I have a photo-journalistic style, which means that I work better when you do your thing and I take photos. Now, that doesn't mean I won't put you in some poses or give you direction, it just means that it's ok if you talk or move. And finally, I'm putting on a video of my work so you can see if it appeals to you at all. I made it with imovie and it's a great program, but tends to give poor image quality- I assure that the originals are crisp and the colors accurate.

17 November 2007

Pathetic

This is the HUGE pile of laundry I had waiting for me once the exhibit was over. It's pathetic, I know. You should see the rest of the house- it's a disaster area. A point in my defense, though- it's hard to keep up with housework when you get home after 10pm if you make it home at all, only to get up and out the door before 9am. But it is a greatly diminished pile now, and the house is slowly coming together (very slowly). And last Wednesday I skipped class to go to the park- pathetic, I know, but it was a gorgeous day and Max and I needed some time together. I'm glad we went even if I skipped class- the next day the temperature dropped drastically.
Max and I with the beautiful foliage.


We fed the geese and ducks - it's amazing how close they get!



Then we swung on the swings- Max's favorite! He is such a little daredevil- a gentle push is not enough for him, he wants his stomach to flip flop.







Then he climbed on the jungle gym and had a blast. At one point he was blocked by another little girl and started crying 'cause he couldn't get his way, and after that the other parents wouldn't let their kids near Max. It was really weird- one mom started yelling at her daughter 'cause she was too close, so we left not long after that so we wouldn't cause any more drama.





My little cutie. It was wonderful to spend some time, just mom and Max. It makes me really look forward to when I can be a stay at home mom for real. The other day I went to school to get some stuff and I realized that I don't miss that place one iota (we aren't meeting as a class again until after Thanksgiving). Thank goodness I have less than a year left- I don't think I could make it any longer than that. I really miss not being there for every little thing.

11 November 2007

Close to Home

As many of you know, I have been MIA for the past couple of months. I've been designing an exhibit with my studio class at school and while it was a ton of fun, I'm so glad it's over. But it is up in the gallery in the Maud Gatewood studio arts building at UNCG if anyone is interested in seeing it. It'll be up through November, so if you want to go make sure you do it before then. The exhibit is titled Close to Home: Edward Loewenstein and modernism in Greensboro and is about Edward Loewenstein the architect and the impact he made on Greensboro in the 50s and 60s.

Max is our studio mascot- he's been there for almost every meeting or work day. Luckily, everyone loves him so there were no issues.



Loewenstein taught at UNCG (then Woman's College) a couple of years- the class he taught was a combined art and home economic majors and they designed and built a house. Here is the class in front of the 1965 commencement house (there were 3 built, and they were called commencement houses because the juniors and seniors built them).


My class went to Wellspring retirement community to interview people who lived in Loewenstein houses or knew him, and afterward we took this picture with Jane Levy, Loewenstein's daughter.


A few of us at Elon University School of law where another part of the exhibit is. The building it's in is the old Greensboro public library- a building designed by Edward Loewenstein and Gregory Ivy. We had just finished installing and are pretty happy with ourselves.


Me and Ashley at the opening event at Elon- it was a pretty fancy coktail party.


Max being grumpy at the opening event at Gatewood.


Max and I talking at the Gatewood opening- Max in his suit jacket and me in my vintage garb.


Rob and I in front of the exhibit- not the best picture of Rob, I think he was just ready to go at this point.


The class posing for one more group photo at the opening- this time our professor Patrick is in with us.


The exhibit at Gatewood- we designed and built everything you see except the benches.

11 October 2007

Gogol Bordello: Wonderlust King

This is Rob's favorite song by his favorite band.

06 October 2007

And another favorite...

This is Kent- an awesome Swedish band that I also happen to love. I'm sorry this is just a picture of the band while the song plays- a video for this song doesn't seem to exist, although they do have videos of their other songs... the significance of this song, however, is that this is the song Max danced to in the womb, and remained the only song he would. So he loves it too. And I'm sure you guys think I have bizarre taste in music, but I can't help it.

04 October 2007

This is cool...

Noah takes a photo of himself every day for 6 years. This guy is dedicated, and the result is awesome.

03 October 2007

And my all-time FAVORITE Mika song

I finally found a version I could post! This is my favorite... what do you think?

02 October 2007

More Mika!!

I can't get enough of him... pay special attention to the onlookers.

29 September 2007

Happy Birthday to Max!

September 23rd 2006 at 2:30am Maximillian Wesley Harmon forced his way into the world and life for the Harmon family has never been the same. So in celebration of the one year anniversary of that grand event, we had a Pirate birthday party for him last Saturday, and then on Sunday celebrated with family.

His skull and crossbones cake- yummy!


Chasing balloons with Clara


The Birthday boy himself


Showing Aunt Paige which way to go during the treasure hunt


Cora found the treasure!


Opening his presents


Opening presents at Nonna's house


Trying to escape opening presents


Eagerly anticipating his cake (he wouldn't touch the cake at the party)


Having some juice in his adorable new jammies


All birthday'd out

And now some video of his birthday....


14 September 2007

fun with photo booth

While waiting for Rob to get off work, Max and I played with his computer....