9 months

My baby is nine months old, and again I am behind the curve posting his images. He will be 10 months on Sunday. Where does the time go? He is crawling, pulling himself up, babbling like crazy, and is just generally amazing. He has recently decided that I am his favorite parent, reaching for me and getting irritated when I leave the room. He follows me around like a little puppy, it's pretty cute. We love him to pieces. I just can't believe that soon he will be a year old, SOON he will be walking. Slow down baby...I am just not ready for you to be big just yet.

Great Advice

Lately I am trying to find balance...*I know* again. I have so many thoughts and ideas and plans and along with all of that comes the DAILY routine which I do enjoy but honestly I quite often feel *whew* or frustrated or just simply frazzled. I am trying to keep up with three kids and my house and my busy husband, and wrapped up in that is the need I feel to find my own way and not lose myself...reading this is a blessing for me today. Enjoy this article from The Idea Room, a blog that I frequently read. I think as mothers it is something we all can relate to, and can take to heart. Happy Thursday!

BTW, countdown to D-Land/CA trip....15 days!!!

When things go right

It's a pretty wonderful feeling. A couple of months ago I took some photos for a friend and her family. The session was amazing, so much fun, there were so many wonderful images, I was so proud!  I thought the photographs were lovely, but you never really know how someone is going to react to your work. I hoped they would be pleased and excited about the photographs.

As soon as I was done processing their images I gave my friend a disk. That night my friend called to tell me how much she loved the images. Her husband went out of his way to tell me how much he loved them as well. He is a rather quiet man, so his compliment meant a lot to me. Today she came by to my house, with every photo printed and wanted to show me. =) She has framed a bunch and wants me to come to her house to see her new art. I loved seeing them printed, it was an amazing feeling!

So, tonight I feel so happy, so satisfied, so empowered by the feeling that I did something good, that my work was valued, and that I may have something to offer people. It's amazing how much I learn every time I do a session for someone. I know I still have a long way to go. I know I am still learning, but tonight, my friend and her family love my work, and tonight I feel like a photographer.

Here are a few images from the session:

Today

Is my man's birthday. It's a big day, 37 years! Today he is at school studying for his board exam in three weeks, but we had a fun night out last Thursday at the Camden Yards in Baltimore. It was a LONG game 12 innings: Orioles v. Mariners (his home team). We had a great time together. We got free shirts! Chris wore his even though he is a Mariner's fan. It was fun surprising him for his birthday, he had no idea where we were going or what we were doing. I love surprises. =)

 

Can you read that? There was no score on the board until the 11th inning. The Orioles finally won in the 12th.

Tonight once he is home from studying we will have a fabulous dinner and cake with his brother and his family. Happy Birthday Honey! I love you!

It's Official

I am a soccer mom. I have a lovely new-to-me blue 2005 Honda Odyssey minivan and I am in love. I have to say, for years I was 'anti' van, I felt like they were vehicles that stole your youth. Then, over the past year I have been having a change of heart. I think it all started when we brought home our little baby boy home from the hospital and we had to fit three carseats across in my humble '96 Honda Passport.

Let me just say that I have been wanting a new-to-me car for a while, maybe 5 years, maybe longer, but the timing just never was right for us, we left for Italy 4 years ago and wanted an older car that we wouldn't be broken hearted if it left the crazy streets of Naples with some dents and dings...and it did come home with some new...character. =)

Since coming home from Italy, we discovered that 'Daisy' my old Honda was on her last legs. Last Friday, it happened...the breaks went out on me as I was coming up to stop at an intersection, and that was pretty terrifying. We discovered that Daisy would be too expensive to fix, and so began my search for my minivan.

'Betty' joined our family on May 11th. I watched as the tow company took Daisy away. I felt a bit nostalgic, that car was purchased for me by my Dad my sophmore year of BYU, and has lived in three states and traveled through several European countries. It had been a very reliable and fun car. It also brought all three of my babies home from the hospital. *sigh*

It's the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one...complete with leather seats, automatic doors, and a dvd player. =)

Mother

What a wonderful word. What does it evoke in your mind? In my mind I think of lessons learned, tears shed, hearts full, and love unmeasurable. I recall sweet memories of holding my mother's hand talking about all the important things you want to talk about when you are five. I can remember my first day of kindergarten and coming home to a house smelling like freshly baked cookies...yum. I think of ballet recitals and hours of piano practicing. She is the person who taught me to love beauty, light and music. She always challenged me to be my best self, and believe in the power of my potential. My mother has always been there for me, for each of us kids.When I went away to school, I remember phone calls at just the right moment when I needed a friend, and the cutest and best care packages complete with poems, treats and hand written letters.

Now as a mother, I enjoy sharing the best and most challenging moments of motherhood, she gives her advice and I listen. We still talk about anything and everything. I am so grateful for my wonderful mother who made me the woman I am today. I love you mom, hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

My Mother's Day was so nice. Breakfast in bed by the kids and my hubby, wonderful hand written cards and gifts by both girls. Chris gave me an amazing new gadget for my photography obsession. Ellie wrote a list of all the things I should have on mother's day: 'mama sleep in, breakfast in bed, daddy cook dinner.' Really sweet. Both girls showered me with kisses and hugs all day long. We took a lovely evening walk together which might have been my favorite part of the day. I am grateful for days like today that remind me of what is most important. 

We have had some unexpected financial burdens lately, and quite frankly we aren't sure how it is all going to work out. My car that I have had since 1996 has finally bit the dust, and we are on the hunt for a minivan. But with all the daily junk that can fill my mind and have me panicked and worried, my children and family are the constant joy that reminds me that all is well. I am thankful to be a mother. I am so grateful for the lessons it has taught me, and for my three little children that have taken over my whole heart.

Happy 65th Birthday!

To my wonderful Dad: You are the master of the grill, the author of funny expressions and random sayings, the best Disney fan I know, our country music lover, a keeper of our memories, dates and moments; the man who is happy to do the laundry, clean the kitchen and wear his apron all day. You are the kind and wise father I have always looked up to, and the great patriarch who takes care of all of us. To my warm- hearted funny, generous, loving, crazy, dad. I love you. Happy Birthday!

Senior Session...in the rain

Yes, in the rain. This cute girl and I had our original session scheduled for Friday, when the LIGHT was perfect, but she had to postpone. We decided to do it Sunday after church. It has been overcast for a few days now, and that means good light, however I wasn't planning on getting rained on. As I was driving over to her house to pick her up Sunday it started. At first I thought, oh great, we will have to reschedule. But I didn't pick up the phone to call her, decided to see if we could shoot at her house or if she just wanted to go for it, and take a chance that the sprinkle would stop. Well she wanted to hit the park I chose, and wasn't worried about the rain. She carried a cute umbrella with her and I would set up the shots and then she put it down. There were a bunch of scenarios I wanted to try but couldn't...on the ground, or on this cute bench we found, swings, etc. But I am happy with the images we got and honestly I learned a lot!! She was perfect. I came home SOAKING wet. Literally, my jeans were soaked and my shoes are still wet from me tromping all over the park. It was a great hour of photography for me.