Tag Archives: Cilla Bloom Photography

All the single mamas … all the single mamas!

Posted on by
Reply

Jess aka Miss Preggy mentioned that she wouldn’t be able to enter our Cilla Bloom Photography Fathers Day Competition because she’s missing the crucial ingredient … a father. Well, Aiden’s father, at least. In my opinion, single moms should also get credit this Fathers Day … they’re doing all the work in the cases where the ‘baby-daddy’ isn’t interested in being anyone’s ‘baby-daddy’ …

For that reason, I’me calling on all single mamas to enter our giveaway too! You deserve it as much as anyone else! Jess, you’re a strong woman, and Aiden will be a strong little guy because of you! x

Being a single parent is twice the work, twice the stress and twice the tears but also twice the hugs, twice the love and twice the pride.

- Anon

Jess also sent through her message for single moms …

Sitting in my room,
day dreaming with a smile.
Breaking away,
if only for a while.
Imagining my life,
and where I would be,
if only I had done,
x, y, and z.

Wistful thoughts,
deep sighs,
resigned yet restless,
wanting to cry.
A voice breaks the silence.
This child of mine,
I realize my choice,
at this moment in time.

They are my life,
these children of mine.
Nobody’s wife,
yet perfectly fine.
We can make it,
you will see,
for this was all,

meant to be.

- Anon

Now send in your entries to nickidadic@me.com and copy celeste@cillabloom.co.za! Just a couple of hours left to enter! Andre of Dad or Alive will be choosing a winner on Saturday night (US time – 6 hours behind us), and we’ll announce the winner on Fathers Day!

Ready or not, meet Dad or Alive [Guest Post]

Posted on by
1

Adrian, from Dad or Alive, is the judge in our Cilla Bloom Photography Fathers Day Giveaway. Get to know him in this brief intro and be sure to check out the “must read posts” at the end …

As a child, I remember waving good-bye to my Mom from the school bus on my first day of kindergarten, going fishing with my Dad on the weekends and spending summers at the Jersey Shore.  I collected Legos, joined the Boy Scouts and knocked my front tooth out chasing a fly ball.  I was baptised in my parents church and became an older brother twice.  I touched the Liberty Bell and made the front of the local newspaper planting a tree on Arbor Day.

As a teenager I worked on a farm and rode endless miles on my BMX bike. I ran cross-country, got into my first fistfight and learned a second language.  I got my drivers license, became an editor of my high school yearbook, kissed my first girlfriend while wearing braces, wore a varsity jacket and went to the prom.  Shortly after, I left for college, pledged a fraternity and toured with Phish.  I broke my nose twice and was mugged in Mexico.  I gave the eulogy at my best friends funeral and crawled out of a burning apartment that took everything I owned.

I left Pennsylvania at age twenty-one after totaling my truck on a snowy highway.  I spent four days on a one-way train from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and learned how to surf in the Pacific Ocean.  I bought a 1969 Volkswagen, lived in a warehouse and bought a dog.

I’ve stood on the Hoover Dam, climbed a 10,000+ foot peak and walked miles in waist-deep snow in the Smoky Mountains.  I’ve slept at the base of a Sequoia Tree, worn a tuxedo to the American Comedy Awards, shaken hands with Buzz Aldrin and smoked a cigar with Dave Matthews.

I worked for Adam Sandler for 7 years and flipped a jet ski at my bachelor party.  I’ve booked comics on ‘The Late Late Show’ for CBS, spent a year working for Chelsea Handler and was married 30 stories above Boston’s North End.

Recently I endured the loss of my 1-year old niece, killed by a careless driver.  We picked up and moved the crew from LA to DC, a new place with no friends.

If that weren’t enough, I’m now experiencing my biggest challenge, as an unexpected, full-time stay-at-home Dad, taking care of my 2½ year old daughter, Ava, and 11-month old son, Charlie.  I’m also writing a book for New American Library/Penguin Publishing and working with Sony Pictures Television & Happy Madison Productions on a scripted TV show, based on Dad or Alive.

This Father’s Day, I’m asking for five uninterrupted minutes in the bathroom by myself.

Wish me luck.

Must read posts on Dead or Alive:

 

A father carries pictures where his money used to be … [WIN]

Posted on by
11

My dad would offer the shirt off his back for me. He’d give me the last cent in his wallet if it meant I’d be safe, content and loved. That’s just what dads do. When I was just a little thing, my dad would often let me blow my nose on his shirt sleeve. If that’s not love, then I don’t know what is!

David would do the same for our boys. Maybe not the snot on the sleeve thing … but I’m sure he’d do almost anything else ;)

Fathers are special, in so many ways. Father’s of daughters, in my opinion, even more so. Not to say that fathers of sons are any less important, but there’s an unspoken, unbreakable connection between a father and a daughter.

Paul Simon sings, in “Father & Daughter” -

I’m gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you’ll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you

My dad, no matter how far away he is from me, is always my hero. He’s always there. No matter what. I don’t have him around the corner, to pop over for a coffee and a chat. But he’s always there. Dad, I miss you and I’d give anything to blow my nose on your shirt sleeve right now x

Celeste from Cilla Bloom Photography feels the same about her dad, who we affectionately know as “Oom Chris”.

Almost any man can be a Father, but it takes someone extremely special to be a Dad.

 

To Be a Dad …

This Fathers Day, you could win a 30 minute family shoot with the amazing Celeste of Cilla Bloom Photography.

To enter, email a low res photo (no bigger than 500KB please!) of your most precious father & child memory to me at nickidadic@me.com, copying Celeste at celeste@cillabloom.co.za with “CILLA BLOOM FATHERS DAY” in the subject line. It could be a picture of you with your father, or a picture of your child with his or her father.

The winner will be decided by a judge. Yes, a judge.

I took a chance and sent a message to a daddy-blogger who is

… an unexpected, full-time stay-at-home Dad, taking care of my 2½ year old daughter, Ava, and 9-month old son, Charlie.  I’m also writing a book for New American Library/Penguin Publishing and working with Sony Pictures Television & Happy Madison Productions on a scripted TV show, based on Dad or Alive.

When Adrian replied, saying “Sure thing – would love to” – I had a proper fan-girl moment! (Picture me: arms flapping, on the phone to Celeste to tell her, “OH MY GAAAAD! He said YES!) Anyhoo, if you haven’t read any of Adrian’s HILARIOUS writing over at Dad or Alive, you’re seriously missing out. Also, local dads, take note! We need some South African Daddy-Bloggers!

Adrian will choose his favourite picture and we’ll announce the winner on Monday, 18 June.

Check out Dad or Alive (voted fourth in the top 25 Daddy Blogs by Circle of Moms) and follow him on Twitter and Facebook for his misadventures with Ava and Charlie.

Follow Cilla Bloom on Twitter and like the Facebook page, where we’ll announce the winner!

Terms & Conditions:
  1. The winner’s shoot will take place in Johannesburg or Pretoria only.
  2. The prize consists of a 30 minute family shoot with Cilla Bloom Photography, with 30 colour and/or black & white pics on disc.
  3. Multiple entries are allowed. In fact, they’re encouraged!
  4. Entries close at 17:00 on Saturday, 16 June. Adrian is 6 hours behind us, so needs time to choose his winner…in the future! (Humour me).
  5. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  6. You give permission for your entry picture to be published on this blog/the Cilla Bloom Facebook page