Station fire Southern California...

The Station fire started on Wednesday 8/26 is still burning strong today at only 5% containment! So far, 35,000 acres have burned for a total of 50 square miles! It started in the hills of La Canada and has reached as far as Acton, where my mom lives. Thousands of homes have been evacuated, including several people we know!

We are safe where we are, yet people 5 minutes from us up and down the foothills of the mountain have been evacuated. Our air quality is bad, so we've been inside with the A/C on for days! They fear they won't have full containment until 9/8.

Eric had to go to his friends parents house last night and help them hose down the house to try to protect it. He was there until after 3am when they got evacuated. They are still there trying to protect the house! They and ALL effected are deep in my thoughts and heart!

There's so much I could say, but I'll let my pictures do that! These were all taken from my front/back yard and on the sidewalk across the street! All were taken with either my EF 24-70mm 2.8L or my EF 70-200mm 2.8L IS. All images here are from the fire in Big Tujunga Canyon, not La Canada, although it is still considered the Station fire! They have also evacuated Riverwood Ranch and Oro Vista! Man...THAT is close!!!!!

For those of you who do not know, the yellow house with the green roof is our house!

More wild fires for So Cal...

I think wild fires are becoming more common in So Cal than Earthquakes!

There are 4 burning in So Cal right now. One of those is in a town about 10 minutes from us. Although the fire itself is back in the Angeles Forrest. So there is no threat to us and thankfully so far, nobody else. No mandatory evacs and no homes damaged. But boy is it smokey. So we may have to reschedule Avyree's party for next weekend (I will keep everyone updated on the party). The air is BAD and the ash is every where. It looks like it's snowing lightly at times. Here are a few pics I took just about 30 minutes ago above our house...





Last year TOO many people lost their homes and some ALL of their belongings. I hope with all of my heart this year is not a repeat! My thoughts are with EVERYONE in So Cal dealing with wild fires and for the poor wildlife that live where they are burning. You are ALL in my heart and my thoughts that you, your family, pets and belongings are SAFE!

Santa Monica Pier...

Here is what I saw when I looked through the lens...

















I will have several new posts coming up in the next 2 weeks. I have about 8 folders to edit, so be on the lookout! Hope everyone is doing great!

Photobucket went DELETE HAPPY on me....

WARNING...this will be long and VERY negative! Ha! just warnin ya!

I've been having issues with photobucket deleting certain pics of mine! Some are of Avyree in her panties or just without a shirt on! This violates their TOS apparently! A 2 year old in just her diaper or panties! Ummm...okay! Then they deleted photos that were NOT of her nakey just with no top on! Yet, leaving some of her in JUST her panties! So I emailed them about the issue. They said they do not allow CHILD NUDITY on their site EVEN IF YOUR ACCOUNT IS SET TO PRIVATE! And they WILL delete them as THEY see fit! So I wrote back expressing my frustration and the INCONSISTENT way in which they delete photos from my account. Deleting some that are NOT against their TOS, deleting others that are just MY 2 year old with no shirt on yet leaving ones of her in just her panties and felt that their selection process was not very professional nor consistent! And that I did not appreciate no warning and just having the pics of MY children disappear that THEIR discretion! I told them I would no longer be using photobucket to host my images but unfortunately would not be able to delete my account due to MANY tuts on different boards/blogs over the past 2 years!

So for kicks about an hour or so later I went back into my account and...THIS is what I saw...



Nice huh? Basically they went through my account with a FINE TOOTH COMB and deleted pretty much EVERY pic that has Avyree with no shirt on! It's hard to keep clothes on the kid! Haha! Even pics of her in her highchair covered in chocolate ice cream. I took some while we were camping in the desert in our 5th wheel and Avyree was in the BACKGROUND with no shirt on and THEY DELETED it! So since I was an UNhappy customer and talked to customer service about why I was unhappy, they did a photo raid on me! VERY VERY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOBUCKET! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND FINE FINE CUSTOMER SERVICE! I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO YOUR CUSTOMERS! TOP NOTCH SERVICE!

So needless to say I AM DONE WITH PHOTOBUCKET & will NEVER EVER use them!

Last time I checked...I was 33 with 2 kids! Not only are they MY images, and MY kids, I guess I was under the SAD impression that business' worked for the good of people...NOT revenge! So glad to be set straight! Point taken...on photobucket your images are NOT REALLY YOURS and you will be treated like a child and have your toys taken away without warning or care if your teeny tiny pinky toe touches that chalk line!!! Nothing like being parented from a hosting website! I also know of a bikini model photographer who photographs ADULTS with PROOF they are adults and photobucket deletes his photos too! They say that on some the front of the bikini is too small, yet will leave shots from the back of a girl wearing a g string bikini! Sound consistent to YOU? NOT to me! I feel like my images are being stolen or being held for ransom! It does NOT feel good to feel like you have no control over YOUR images and they can take them from you! YES...OF COURSE I have the full size images tucked away safely on my EHD. But there was a LOT of time taken to resize, WM etc and would take FOR-freakin-EVER to reload them all and replace the codes in my posts on my blogs!

And I am not that person that goes around complaining and bashing companies! So this is true frustration from my heart!

Why do I share my story here? Two reasons...if any screen shots are missing...THIS is why! And...be VERY careful with Photobucket. If you PISS THEM OFF, they may raid your account and go delete happy on you too!

I am in the process of trying different hosting places at the moment and have gotten lots of great help and advice on who to use! For now I'm using Flickr. But I am not finding it very convenient so I'm still researching other options!

So the tuts will still be coming and I WILL make sure that I can find a hosting site that will not PARENT the images I choose to post of MY OWN KIDS!

Phew...vent over! Ha!